rity of my economical education
was giving way; so she jumped up, flipped the slippers from her feet,
and was soon buttoning her boots and tying her bonnet, ready for a
start.

"Where are you a-going?" says I.

"Where they'll take your measure and send the Dolly home to-morrow
morning, or down by express. Leave it to me, and you shall have
something really beautiful."

"Let there be plenty of flowers," says I.

"Of course," says she, "bright, rich colors."

"Hollyhocks," says I, "are my favorites; dandelions and feather-edged
poppies come next; then a vine of trumpet flowers tangling the bunches
together, would look scrumptious."

"I see you enter into the spirit of it," says she; "but have you got
everything else?"

"Everything else? Of course I haven't. Who has, in fact? But my pink
dress is turned wrong side out, and packed."

"Have you a flat?" says she.

"A flat! I? Not that I can call my own. Dempster has introduced half a
dozen, but I don't claim them."

"Oh, I don't mean men, but a broad straw flat that answers for a bonnet
and an umbrella."

"No," says I; "I have a Japanese thing that opens like a toad-stool,
and shuts like a policeman's club. Will that do? That Japanese
embassador gave it to me, with such a tender look. I never open it that
his smile does not fall upon me like sunshine in a shady place."

"That will be distinguished; take it, by all means. But you will want
the straw flat, and a bathing-dress as well."

"Now, Cousin E. E., says I, "what do you mean?"

"Why, you mean to bathe, of course?"

"Cousin E. E., have you ever seen a Vermont lady--not to say a woman of
genius--who did not bathe?" says I, with dignity.

"But you will go into the water?"

"To a certain extent," says I, "that has always been my habit."

"But the ocean--salt water?"

"Well," says I, "salt water is beyond me; but if that is the fashion
down at Long Branch, I don't object to a trifle of salt."

"The bathing is delightful," says she. "At the turn of every tide you
see parties in the water all along the shore."

"Parties in the water--_parties_?"

"Ladies and gentlemen."

"What!!"

"Children, too."

"Ladies and gentlemen bathing together! Cousin, you--well, if I were
telling a story like that to a congregation of born idiots, they might
believe me--that's all."

"But it is true."

"And you call this a civilized country!" says I, blazing with
indignation. "Emily Elizabeth Dempster, do you me