But she was quick to learn better; and with the innate capacity she inherited from her father, she soon had everything running on oiled wheels. And all this, if you please, at fifteen, with quite a bit of stocking between her dress and her trimly-shod feet.
It was seldom that her father ever ventured into the realm of criticism; but once or twice, in his smiling, easy-going way, he gently pulled her up.
"I don’t know much about these things," he remarked once, "but don’t there seem to be a lot of new dresses in this family?"
"Admitting that, my dear, which with people of our position would certainly give rise to comment--couldn’t we compromise on--well--going _half_-naked, and perhaps show a more Spartan spirit, besides, in regard to our hats?"
Phyllis’ eyes filled with tears; and flushing with shame, she pressed her hot cheek against the back of the chair she was sitting in, and felt herself the most miserable, disgraced, unworthy little creature in the whole world.
Mr. Ladd’s voice deepened, as it always did when he was moved.
"My darling," he said, "don’t feel badly about it, because it is only a trifle. But it is not kind to your companions to dress better than they do, and I am sure you do not wish them to feel envious or resentful. I just ask you to bear it in mind, that’s all, and be somewhat on your guard."
"Now come and kiss your daddy, and tell him you’re not cross with him for being such an old fuss-cat."
"Y-y-ou are n-not an old fu-u-uss-cat, but the dearest, darlingest, bestest--"
"Do you think it’s right to bite a railroad president’s ear?"
"Or muss up the only hair he has, which isn’t very much?"
"It worries me, dearest, to have you doing anything as serious as that."
"I’ve a wonderful idea--I’m going to give a party!"
"And I’m going to invite Satty Morrison, and Julia Grant, and Hetty Van Buren, and Maisie Smith, and the two Patterson girls, and perhaps Alicia Stewart--and we are going to have ice-cream, and lady’s-fingers, and chocolate-cake, and Christmas crackers, if I can buy them this time of year--and, Papa, it’s going to be a _hat_-party."
"Oh, a hat-party, goodness me, what’s that?"
"To give away all the silly, extravagant hats I’ve bought--though I’ll have to get two new ones to make them go round--but you won’t mind that, will you?"