ct slave if need be. Carita would have been all this,
if Blue Bonnet had permitted it; but being of an independent nature Blue
Bonnet required very little service from any one.

"Why don't you let me do more things for you, Blue Bonnet?" Carita would
say when she was refused the pleasure of waiting upon her. "I don't
believe Annabel Jackson has run a ribbon in her underwear this year.
Mary Boyd always does it for her. She loves to do it. Peggy Austin waits
on Sue Hemphill, hand and foot. Isabel Brooks is getting a terrible case
on Wee Watts, too. By the way, Blue Bonnet, did I tell you? Isabel has
the sweetest new way of spelling her name. Isobel! You say it
quickly--like this--_Is_obel! Mary Boyd thought of it. I do wish I could
find a new way to say Carita, but it seems hopeless."

"Carita! just you let me catch you changing it. _Is_obel! Why, that's
perfectly absurd!"

"Not when you get used to it. Peggy thinks it's distinguished. I do too.
Peggy has taken up her own middle name. We're all trying to call her by
it, but it's awfully hard. She says she perfectly hated it when she was
a child, but now she thinks it's quite stylish."

"What is it?"

"Jerusha! Priscilla Jerusha is the whole of it. It does sound dreadful,
doesn't it? Peggy loathes it put together. She says her mother does
too. She had to be named that for her grandmother because she's going to
inherit her money some day. Isn't it splendid that there is such a rage
for old-fashioned names now? Peggy says it will make an awful hit with
her grandmother when she hears that she is being called Jerusha. She
thinks it quite likely that she will do something nice for her. Peggy
thinks that she will change the spelling of it though. She thought some
of 'Jerrushia.' It is much more foreign sounding, isn't it?"

"It's much more ridiculous," Blue Bonnet said with some impatience. "You
children must lie awake nights thinking up these weighty subjects.
Jerrushia! Really, Carita, I am amazed at you!"

Which showed that Blue Bonnet was advancing, both in taste and wisdom.
"Nearly seventeen" has its advantages over "only fifteen."

This conversation had taken place one afternoon in Blue Bonnet's room
during chatting hour, and had been interrupted by the hasty entrance of
Sue Hemphill, who was very much excited.

"Blue Bonnet! look here! See what just came in the mail! You have one,
too, and so has Annabel! Oh, such a lark! Run down to the box quickly
and get your