answer was an inane, "Thank you, you are very kind." Will I ever learn
to express my thoughts as charmingly as these people do, I wonder!

When Miss Lee took me up-stairs it was up a bare, polished stairway upon
which I was half afraid to tread. And the room she took me to! I've
heard about such rooms and read about them. Delft blue paper and rugs,
white woodwork and furniture, blue hangings, white curtains--it's a
magazine-room turned to real!

When I tried to express my gratitude for her goodness Miss Lee hushed me
with a kiss and said she anticipated as much joy from my presence in the
city as I did, that I was so genuine and refreshing that it would be a
pleasure to have me around. I don't know just what she means. I'm just
Phoebe Metz, nothing wonderful about me, unless it's my voice, and I
hope that is. She said, too, that I would make her very happy if I'd let
her be a real friend to me, and if I'd call her Virginia. Why, that's
just what I've been wishing for! I told her so. She is just twelve years
older than I am, so she's near the thirty mark yet, and I like a friend
who is older. She seems just the same Miss Lee, no older than she was
when I walked down the street of Greenwald in my gingham dress and
checked sunbonnet and buried my nose in the pink rose David gave me. How
lucky that little country girl is! I'm here in Philadelphia, in a
beautiful house, with Virginia Lee for my friend, and glorious visions
of music and good times flashing before my eyes. I put my hands to my
head to keep it from going dizzy!

There's a little speck of cloud in the blue of my joy right now, though.
I'm afraid I've blundered already. Miss Lee--Virginia, I mean--said as
she turned to leave my room that they have dinner at six and I'd have
plenty of time to get ready for it. I had to tell her that I couldn't
change my dress, that I hadn't thought to bring any light dress in my
bag but had packed them all in the trunk. She hurried to assure me that
my dark skirt and white blouse would do very well, that she would not
dress for dinner to-night. But I feel sure that she seldom appears at
the dinner table in a blouse and tailored skirt. Guess Aunt Maria'd say
I'm in a place too tony for me, but I know I can learn how to do here. I
might have remembered that some people make of their evening meal a
formal one. I've read about "dressing for dinner" and when my first
opportunity comes to do so it finds me with all my dress-up dresse