"Grandfather himself frequently personates the whole seven," observed Stella, with a nod at her cousins. She smiled, as if the memory of some past scenes amused her, then said soberly: "The fact of it is, Aunt Katharine is a regular crank. There's nothing in this world that goes right according to her notion of it, but she's particularly down on the ways of the men. She _would_ have a little patience with women--for she thinks their faults are mostly due to their being so down-trodden--if they only wouldn't marry. I've heard her say so! She never married herself, you know, and she has an awfully poor opinion of the whole institution."
Ruel Saxon looked as if he had a word to offer at this point in regard to his sister's matrimonial opinions, but Aunt Elsie was before him. "Now, don't you think," she said, looking gravely at Stella, and incidentally including him in the passing glance, "that we'd better let the girls form their own impressions of Aunt Katharine? They may like her a great deal better than you do, Stella."
"I'm sure I'm willing," said the girl, with another shrug, and her grandfather, after wrestling with a little more extremely hot tea, seemed to be willing too; but he suggested that the girls should make an early call on their Aunt Katharine. It would give them a chance of forming the desired impressions, and besides she would expect it.
The girls accepted the suggestion promptly. Indeed Kate, whose interest in her namesake had been considerably whetted by what had been said of her, proposed that they should go that very morning; but to this Aunt Elsie's judgment was again opposed. It seemed that Aunt Katharine had a special dislike to being interrupted in her morning duties by callers, and was disposed to think slightingly of people who hadn't "work enough to keep them at home in the fore part of the day." In the case of her nieces, who must certainly be excused for being at leisure, she might waive the last objection, but it was best to be on the safe side.
It was settled that the girls, accompanied by their grandfather, should go that afternoon, and if the call had been upon some distinguished person they could not have taken more pains with their toilets. Esther debated between three gowns, and finally settled on a soft gray, with plain white cuffs and collar, while Kate put on a pretty lawn and the dashing Roman sash which had been Aunt Milly's parting gift.