a
welcome guest. Indeed, more than one mother was glad to have her
daughter good friends with Miss Cynthia Leverett, who was to be a rich
young woman, and whose trustee in Boston lived in fine style.

Yet it was not exactly that money was so much thought of either, though
it was always esteemed an excellent thing. Somehow it was rather
relegated to the men. A father had an idea that his daughters would
marry well, so business opportunities, and often the homestead, went to
the sons. Here was an undivided fortune. And now it was hardly likely
Chilian Leverett would marry, so she might come in for that.

The house had always been considered rather gloomy, as even on state
occasions not much light was allowed in the parlors. Some of the girls
had been gently advised to notice if there had been changes made.

Cynthia led them upstairs to take off their things. They were rather
particular about complexions in those days. Some of the summer hats were
really ornate sunbonnets, others were the great poke shape with a big
bow on top and wide strings that were allowed to float on a hot day, so
as not to get crushed by the warmth under the chin. They had long muslin
sleeves to pull over their arms, indeed some of them were finished with
mittens, so that the hands might not get tanned.

The girls wore rather scant straight skirts, tucked up to the waist, or
with needlework at the bottom, or two or three tiny ruffles. The
stockings were not always white, oftener they matched the color of the
slippers that were laced across the instep. The necks were cut square,
often finished with a lace berthe. Some old families have handed these
down and kept them laid away in rose leaves and lavender, and they are
so sweet that when they are shaken out they perfume the room.

Cynthia wore a white gauzy frock made over blue silk that was soft as a
pansy leaf. It had blue satin stripes and she was very glad she had the
pretty blue slippers to match. Then almost every girl had a coral
necklace, or was allowed to wear grandmother's gold beads. Some had
their hair tied up high on their heads with a great bow, and maybe the
family silver or gold comb put in artistically. Chilian liked the
little girl's to hang loose, and now it was down to her waist.

It was said the Holland wives of centuries ago took their visitors
through their wardrobes and displayed their silk and velvet gowns. And
when England passed some sumptuary laws that no one below tit