ying, with an air of great satisfaction.

"She does look like a fashionable young lady, but somehow I miss my
little Rose, for children dressed like children in my day," answered
Aunt Plenty, peering through her glasses with a troubled look, for
she could not imagine the creature before her ever sitting in her lap,
running to wait upon her, or making the house gay with a child's blithe
presence.

"Things have changed since your day, Aunt, and it takes time to get used
to new ways. But you, Jessie, surely like this costume better than the
dowdy things Rose has been wearing all summer. Now, be honest, and own
you do," said Mrs. Clara, bent on being praised for her work.

"Well, dear to be quite honest, then, I think it is frightful," answered
Mrs. Jessie, with a candour that caused revolving Rose to stop in
dismay.

"Hear, hear," cried a deep voice, and with a general start the ladies
became aware that the enemy was among them.

Rose blushed up to her hat brim, and stood, looking, as she felt, like a
fool, while Mrs. Clara hastened to explain.

"Of course, I don't expect you to like it, Alec, but I don't consider
you a judge of what is proper and becoming for a young lady. Therefore,
I have taken the liberty of providing a pretty street suit for Rose.
She need not wear it if you object, for I know we promised to let you do
what you liked with the poor dear for a year."

"It is a street costume, is it?" asked the Doctor, mildly. "Do you know,
I never should have guessed that it was meant for winter weather and
brisk locomotion. Take a turn, Rosy, and let me see all its beauties and
advantages."

Rose tried to walk off with her usual free tread, but the under-skirt
got in her way, the over-skirt was so tight she could not take a long
step, and her boots made it impossible to carry herself perfectly erect.

"I haven't got used to it yet," she said, petulantly, kicking at her
train, as she turned to toddle back again.

"Suppose a mad dog or a runaway horse was after you, could you get out
of the way without upsetting, Colonel," asked the Doctor, with a twinkle
in the eyes that were fixed on the rakish hat.

"Don't think I could, but I'll try," and Rose made a rush across the
room. Her boot-heels caught on a rug, several strings broke, her hat
tipped over her eyes, and she plunged promiscuously into a chair, where
she sat laughing so infectiously that all but Mrs. Clara joined in her
mirth.

"I should say that a