was erect and her eyes bright with the pain of hurt
pride when she knocked upon Mrs. Terriberry's door. That lady thrust a
floured face through the crack.

"You needn't get anyone to take my place to-night," she said bravely,
"I'm not invited."

"What!"

In the white expanse Mrs. Terriberry's mouth looked like a crack in a
glacier.

Essie Tisdale shook her head.

"Come in." Mrs. Terriberry sank upon the bed which sagged like a hammock
with her weight. "What do you 'spose is the reason?"

"I haven't the least idea in the world." Essie's chin quivered in spite
of her.

"For half a cent I wouldn't budge!" Mrs. Terriberry shook a warlike
coiffure. "Folks like that ought to be learned something."

"Oh, yes, you must go."

"If I do it'll be only to see what they wear and how they act; I don't
expect to enjoy myself a bit after hearin' this. I've lost interest in
it."

With a zest somewhat at variance with her words Mrs. Terriberry began to
manipulate a pair of curling tongs which had been heating in the lamp.

A sizzling sound followed and a cloud of smoke rose in the air.

"There! I've burnt off my scoldin' locks." Mrs. Terriberry viewed the
damage with dismay. "I'm just so upset I don't know what I'm doin'.
Essie, if you don't want to wait on 'em you needn't."

"I won't mind much--after the first. It will be hard at first. Thank
you, though."

"If I ever git me another pair of these 'pinch-ins'," panted Mrs.
Terriberry, "you'll know it. Take holt and lay back on them strings,
will you? They got to come closter than that or that skirt won't meet on
me by an inch--and to think twenty-fours was loose on me onct! Wait a
minute!" A startled look came in Mrs. Terriberry's bulging eyes. "I
thought I felt somethin' give inside of me--don't take much to cave a
rib in sometimes."

"More?"

"Yep; these things have gotta meet if I have to hitch the 'bus team onto
'em."

When she was finally encased in a steel-colored satin bodice her plump
shoulders appeared to start directly beneath her ears, and her hands
were not only purple, but slightly numb.

"How do I look, child?"

"How do you feel?" asked Essie evasively.

"As well as anybody could with their in'ards crowded up under their
chin," replied Mrs. Terriberry grimly. "I hope the house don't ketch
fire while we're eatin', for I sure aims to slide these slippers off
onct we're set down, and there's one thing certain," Mrs. Terriberry
continued savagely, "I