another.
And when we get old it will be just as hard to realize that we were
ever young. So that the different periods of life are to all intents and
purposes different persons, and the first person of grammar ought to
be used only with the present tense. What we were, or shall be, or do,
belongs strictly to the third person."

"You would make sad work of grammar with that notion," said Jessie,
smiling.

"Grammar needs mending just there," replied Henry. "The three persons of
grammar are really not enough. A fourth is needed to distinguish the
ego of the past and future from the present ego, which is the only true
one."

"Oh, you're getting altogether too deep for me," said Jessie. "Come,
girls, what in the world are we going to get to wear next Wednesday?"

"Sure enough!" cried they with one accord, while the musing look in
their eyes gave place to a vivacious and merry expression.

"My mother is n't near as old as we 're going to be. Her things won't
do," said Nellie.

"Nor mine," echoed Jessie; "but perhaps Mary's grandmother will let us
have some of her things."

"In that case," suggested Frank, "it will be only civil to invite her to
the party."

"To be sure, why not?" agreed Jessie. "It is to be an 'old folks'
party, and her presence will give a reality to the thing."

"I don't believe she 'll come," said George. "You see being old is dead
earnest to her, and she won't see the joke."

But Mary said she would ask her anyway, and so that was settled.

"My father is much too large in the waist for his clothes to be of any
service to me," said George lugubriously.

But Frank reminded him that this was a hint as to his get-up, and that
he must stuff with pillows that the proverb might be fulfilled, "Like
father like son."

And then they were rather taken aback by Henry's obvious suggestion that
there was no telling what the fashion in dress would be in a. d. 1925,
"even if," he added, "the scientists leave us any A. D. by that time,"
though Frank remarked here that a. d. would answer just as well as _Anno
Darwinis_, if worst came to worst. But it was decided that there was no
use trying after prophetical accuracy in dress, since it was out of
the question, and even if attainable would not suggest age to their own
minds as would the elderly weeds which they were accustomed to see.

"It's rather odd, is n't it," said Jessie gravely, "that it did n't
occur to anybody that in all probability not over one