"But Mrs. Edgar insists upon her four
fittings like any Shylock haggling for his pound of flesh; it is written
in the bond."
When she had trotted away home with her prim elderly maid, like a pair out
of "Cranford," Ethel made an impressive announcement:--
"The General will pour."
"Returned hero from the Philippines?"
"Oh, dear, no. Meg Van Dam could face Mausers, but a Red Cross bazaar was
as near as she got to the war. We call her the General because--oh, you'll
find out. Meg is Mrs. Robert Van Dam."
"Oh, I think I've seen that name in the papers. Aren't they grand people?"
"Why, yes; rather; we don't know the Van Dams; Meg's only just married.
You might have read about her mother-in-law, Mrs. Marmaduke Van Dam, or
her aunt-in-law, Mrs. Henry Van Dam, or Mrs. Henry's daughters; the
family's a tribe. But Meg, why, we went to school with Meg; she's just the
General."
My dress came home to-night--white and dainty. Ah, at last I've something
to wear that's not "good" and "plain" and "durable"! But there was an
outcry, as there has been at every fitting, because I won't wear stays.
Eccentric, they call me; as if Nature and beauty were abnormal!
When I was arrayed in it, Aunt and Ethel led me to the library for Uncle's
inspection.
Pages:
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149