that long box looks so like a coffin I thought it
was one, and that dreadful thing stared me in the face as I opened the
door," answered Mrs. Myra, pointing to the skeleton that hung from the
chandelier cheerfully grinning at all beholders.

"This is a medical college where women are freely admitted, so walk in,
madam, and join the class if you'll do me the honour," said the Doctor,
waving her forward with his politest bow.

"Do, auntie, it's perfectly splendid," cried Rose's voice, and Rose's
blooming face was seen behind the ribs of the skeleton, smiling and
nodding in the gayest possible manner.

"What are you doing, child?" demanded Aunt Myra, dropping into a chair
and staring about her.

"Oh, I'm learning bones to-day, and I like it so much. There are twelve
ribs, you know, and the two lower ones are called floating ribs, because
they are not fastened to the breastbone. That's why they go in so easily
if you lace tight and squeeze the lungs and heart in the let me see,
what was that big word oh, I know thoracic cavity," and Rose beamed with
pride as she aired her little bit of knowledge.

"Do you think that is a good sort of thing for her to be poking over?
She is a nervous child, and I'm afraid it will be bad for her," said
Aunt Myra, watching Rose as she counted vertebrae, and waggled a
hip-joint in its socket with an inquiring expression.

"An excellent study, for she enjoys it, and I mean to teach her how
to manage her nerves so that they won't be a curse to her, as many a
woman's become through ignorance or want of thought. To make a mystery
or terror of these things is a mistake, and I mean Rose shall understand
and respect her body so well that she won't dare to trifle with it as
most women do."

"And she really likes it?"

"Very much, auntie! It's all so wonderful, and so nicely planned, you
can hardly believe what you see. Just think, there are 600,000,000 air
cells in one pair of lungs, and 2,000 pores to a square inch of surface;
so you see what quantities of air we must have, and what care we should
take of our skin so all the little doors will open and shut right. And
brains, auntie, you've no idea how curious they are; I haven't got to
them yet, but I long to, and uncle is going to show me a manikin that
you can take to pieces. Just think how nice it will be to see all the
organs in their places; I only wish they could be made to work as ours
do."

It was funny to see Aunt Myra's face as R