"I'll be happy to give it for what it is worth."
"By the way, I admire your style extremely; but of course no one could imitate it who was not blessed with a heavy suit of natural curls. You always wear it one way, don't you?"
"Yes, papa likes it so, but until within the last year, he would not let me have it in a comb at all."
She wore it now gathered into a loose knot behind, and falling over a comb, in a rich mass of shining curls, while in front it waved and rippled above her white forehead, or fell over it, in soft, tiny, golden brown rings.
"It is so beautiful!" continued Lottie, passing her hand caressingly over it; "and so is its wearer. Oh, if I were only a gentleman!"
"You don't wish it," said Elsie, laughing. "I don't believe a real, womanly woman ever does."
"You don't, hey? Well, I must go; for I've a lot to do to Lot King's wearing apparel. Adieu, mon cher. Nay, don't disturb yourself to come to the door."
Elsie came down to tea ready dressed for the evening, in simple white, with a white rose in her hair.
"I like your taste in dress, child," said Aunt Wealthy, regarding her with affectionate admiration. "The rose in your hair is lovely, and you seem to me like a fresh, fair, sweet flower, yourself."
"Ah, how pleasant it is to be loved, auntie, for love always sees through rose-colored spectacles," answered the young girl gayly.
"I promised Lottie to run in there for a moment to give my opinion about their appearance," she said, as they rose from the table. "I'll not be gone long; and they're to come in and go with us."
She found her friends in the midst of their hair-dressing.
"Isn't it a bore?" cried Lottie. "How fortunate you are in never having to do this for yourself."
"Why," said Elsie, "I was just admiring your independence, and feeling ashamed of my own helplessness."
"Did you ever try it," asked Nettie; "doing your own hair, I mean?"
"No, I own that I have never so much as put on my own shoes and stockings," Elsie answered with a blush, really mortified at the thought.
"Well, it is rather nice to be able to help yourself," remarked Lottie complacently. "There! mine's done; what do you think of it, Miss Dinsmore?"
"That it is very pretty and extremely becoming. Girls, mammy will dress your hair for you at any time, if you wish."