t it for the drink.--Are ye
goin' to give it to her, miss?"

"Indeed I am," I answered to the eager question. "Come now, Matty,
stand up, and we'll measure you for the dress. Perhaps I can find one
ready-made, and you shall have it to-morrow.--Johnny, can you lend me a
yard-measure?"

Johnny produced one; and Matty, still half doubtful whether or no to be
gracious, and eying me with a gaze which had some lingering viciousness
in it, rose half reluctantly to her feet. Standing so, her deformity
was even more visible than it was when she was seated; and it took all
my nerve and power of will to take the measure of the mis-shapen
shoulders without shrinking from the touch. And then I saw the
improbability, I might say the impossibility, of finding in any
ready-made-clothing store, a dress which would fit the twisted form.
One must be made on purpose; one which would set at defiance all rules
of symmetry; and how to have it completed to-morrow, even late in the
day to-morrow? Where should I go to have such an order filled by the
time I desired it? And I believed from what I had seen of Matty that
the non-fulfilment or postponement of my hasty, ill-considered promise
would be enough to excite all her enmity again. However, I said nothing
until we were out of the little shop, when I exclaimed at my own want
of fore-thought, and asked where I could go to have my order fulfilled
without delay.

"You can't do it," said Bessie. "Even at the stores where they profess
to furnish costumes at twenty-four hours' notice, they would not agree
to give you, in so short a time, a dress for which they can use no
ordinary pattern. Amy,"--with what seemed to be a most irrelevant
change of subject,--"is any one coming to your house to dinner
to-night?"

"Cousin Serena, and yourself if you will," I answered.

"Yes, I intended to suggest that you should invite me," answered
Bessie, "and, had you proved obdurate, should have appealed to Milly or
your mother. Well, there will be four of us: yourself, cousin Serena,
Milly, and myself; and we will press the mother and Mrs. Rutherford
into the service. Let us go to Arnold's, buy some suitable
material,--and we all know what cousin Serena is with scissors and
thimble,--coax her to cut out a dress for Matty, and we will all devote
the evening, perhaps the whole night, to it. By our united exertions, I
think that we can surely accomplish it in time for you to take it to
her to-morrow, and your cr