gesture he plucked
forth the offending corsets from under the sofa cushion, and held them
out with the expression one would wear on beholding the thumbscrews or
the rack of ancient times.

"Don't be absurd, Alec. There is no torture about it, for tight lacing
is out of fashion, and we have nice, sensible things nowadays. Everyone
wears them; even babies have stiffened waists to support their weak
little backs," began Mrs. Clara, rushing to the defence of the pet
delusion of most women.

"I know it, and so the poor little souls have weak backs all their days,
as their mothers had before them. It is vain to argue the matter, and I
won't try, but I wish to state, once for all, that if I ever see a pair
of corsets near Rose, I'll put them in the fire, and you may send the
bill to me."

As he spoke the corsets were on their way to destruction, but Mrs.
Jessie caught his arm, exclaiming merrily, "Don't burn them, for mercy
sake, Alec; they are full of whalebones, and will make a dreadful odour.
Give them to me. I'll see that they do no harm."

"Whalebones, indeed! A regular fence of them, and metal gate-posts in
front. As if our own bones were not enough, if we'd give them a
chance to do their duty," growled the Doctor, yielding up the bone
of contention with a last shake of contempt. Then his face cleared
suddenly, and he held up his finger, saying, with a smile, "Hear those
girls laugh; cramped lungs could not make hearty music like that."

Peals of laughter issued from Rose's room, and smiles involuntarily
touched the lips of those who listened to the happy sound.

"Some new prank of yours, Alec?" asked Aunt Plenty, indulgently, for she
had come to believe in most of her nephew's odd notions, because they
seemed to work so well.

"Yes, ma'am, my last, and I hope you will like it. I discovered what
Clara was at, and got my rival suit ready for to-day. I'm not going to
'afflict' Rose, but let her choose, and if I'm not entirely mistaken,
she will like my rig best. While we wait I'll explain, and then you will
appreciate the general effect better. I got hold of this little book,
and was struck with its good sense and good taste, for it suggests a
way to clothe women both healthfully and handsomely, and that is a great
point. It begins at the foundations, as you will see if you will look
at these pictures, and I should think women would rejoice at this
lightening of their burdens."

As he spoke, the Doctor laid the b