in your ear--she couldn't come the whiles she ain't got nothing she
could wear on the block. My papa has fierce feelings over it. He says
like that, his sister--that's my aunt--is awful nosy."

Teacher often pondered as to whether it were possible, or even
desirable, to provide the means to more frequent intercourse between the
two families. She knew that this would mean shopping; that any article
of her own apparel, or that of any of her friends, would be inadequate
to enshroud the matronly form of Becky's mother, for years of
confinement to the house, years of sedentary occupation, and years of
ill-considered and ill-adapted diet had co-operated to produce almost
geographical outlines in Mrs. Zabrowsky. Mountains, valleys,
promontories, and plains seemed the terms most suitable to describe her,
and she looked about as movable as these natural formations. Teacher
thought of waiting until Christmas time, and of then doing something
anonymously. Meanwhile the episode of the cape occurred, and some weeks
later Becky reported with triumph:

"Teacher, what you think?" this was always her opening phrase; "my
stylish aunt by Cherry Street, she goes and has a party, und my papa he
goes on the party, und my mamma, she goes by my papa's side."

"Then she bought a shawl," cried Teacher. "I am ever and ever so glad."

Becky shook her head.

"No, ma'am, she don't needs she shall buy no shawl. She puts her on mit
mine blue from-plush cape."

A vision of Becky's mother rose before Teacher's eyes, flanked by
another of the tiny cape, and she laughed.

"But that is impossible, my dear. She couldn't."

"Teacher, she does."

"But, Becky," cried Teacher, "how could she? You know that the cape is
too small for me, and it is only the right size for you, and you know
your mamma is twice as big as both of us. So how could she wear it,
dear? It never could have hooked up the front."

"No, ma'am, it didn't hook," Becky admitted. "My mamma's back needs the
most of it, und in front it don't fits very good, only that makes mit my
mamma nothings. She goes on my nosy auntie's party mit proud feelings,
the while she knows how her back is stylish. Und in the front where the
cape don't goes, my mamma, she wears my little sister."

"What!" gasped my friend. "What did you say she wore in the front?"

"She wears the baby," Becky repeated. "Und my nosy auntie's awful fresh.
She says like that on my mamma: 'Don't you likes you shall lay the bab