y made, but distractingly becoming, as
you shall see. Trix thinks I 'm going to wear blue, so she has got a
green one, and told Belle it would spoil the effect of mine, as we are
much together, of course. Was n't that sweet of her? Belle came and told
me in, time, and I just got pink, so my amiable sister, that is to be,
won't succeed in her pretty little plot."

"I guess she has been reading the life of Josephine. You know she made
a pretty lady, of whom she was jealous, sit beside her on a green sofa,
which set off her own white dress and spoilt the blue one of her guest,"
answered Polly, busy with the flowers.

"Trix never reads anything; you are the one to pick up clever little
stories. I 'll remember and use this one. Am I done? Yes, that is
charming, is n't it, Polly?" and Fan rose to inspect the success of
Monsieur's long labor.

"You know I don't appreciate a stylish coiffure as I ought, so I like
your hair in the old way best. But this is 'the thing,' I suppose, and
not a word must be said."

"Of course it is. Why, child, I have frizzed and burnt my hair so that I
look like an old maniac with it in its natural state, and have to repair
damages as well as I can. Now put the flowers just here," and Fanny laid
a pink camellia in a nest of fuzz, and stuck a spray of daphne straight
up at the back of her head.

"O, Fan, don't, it looks horridly so!" cried Polly, longing to add a
little beauty to her friend's sallow face by a graceful adjustment of
the flowers.

"Can't help it, that 's the way, and so it must be," answered Fan,
planting another sprig half-way up the tower.

Polly groaned and offered no more suggestions as the work went on; but
when Fan was finished from top to toe, she admired all she honestly
could, and tried to keep her thoughts to herself. But her frank face
betrayed her, for Fanny turned on her suddenly, saying, "You may as
well free your mind, Polly, for I see by your eyes that something don't
suit."

"I was only thinking of what grandma once said, that modesty had gone
out of fashion," answered Polly, glancing at the waist of her friend's
dress, which consisted of a belt, a bit of lace, and a pair of shoulder
straps.

Fanny laughed good-naturedly, saying, as she clasped her necklace, "If I
had such shoulders as yours, I should n't care what the fashion was. Now
don't preach, but put my cloak on nicely, and come along, for I 'm to
meet Tom and Trix, and promised to be there early."