dly.

"Oh dear, yes," answered Mrs. Graham, not without impatience. "But the
child's appearance is of some importance, and since a dollar or two
doesn't make any difference to you, she should be made to look like
the little lady that she is. Dear old Mrs. Thacher would turn in her
grave, for she certainly had a simple good taste that was better than
this. Marilla became the easy prey of that foolish little woman who
makes bonnets on the East road. She has done more to deprave the ideas
of our townspeople than one would believe, and they tell you with such
pleasure that she used to work in New York, as if that settled the
question. It is a comfort to see old Sally Turner and Miss Betsy
Milman go by in their decent dark silk bonnets that good Susan Martin
made for them. If I could go out to-morrow I believe I would rather
hunt for a very large velvet specimen of her work, which is somewhere
upstairs in a big bandbox, than trust myself to these ignorant hands.
It is a great misfortune to a town if it has been disappointed in its
milliner. You are quite at her mercy, and, worse than all, liable to
entire social misapprehension when you venture far from home."

"So bonnets are not a question of free will and individual
responsibility?" asked the doctor soberly. "I must say that I have
wondered sometimes if the women do not draw lots for them. But what
shall I do about the little girl? I am afraid I do her great injustice
in trying to bring her up at all--it needs a woman's eye."

"Your eye is just as good as anybody's," responded Mrs. Graham
quickly, lest the doctor should drift into sad thought about his young
wife who had been so long dead and yet seemed always a nearer and
dearer living presence to him. He was apt to say a word or two about
her and not answer the next question which was put to him, and
presently go silently away,--but to-day Mrs. Graham had important
business in hand.

"My daughter will be here next week," she observed, presently, "and
I'm sure that she will do any shopping for you in Boston with great
pleasure. We might forestall Marilla's plans. You could easily say
when you go home that you have spoken to me about it. I think it would
be an excellent opportunity now, while the East Road establishment is
in disfavor," and when the doctor smiled and nodded, his friend and
hostess settled herself comfortably in her chair, and felt that she
had gained a point.

The sunshine itself could hardly have m