RELUCTANT PRESS

bags and gloves and opened her cupboard door to rummage for the last two items of my ensemble.

Suitably attired, I sallied forth, but before going outside into the garden for Auntie to see me, I put on her record, 'Sailing Down the River on a Sunday Afternoon' and turned it

up.

Auntie looked up and positively squeaked with surprise and glee when she saw me.

"My darling little girl, you look too, too divine. Have you ever practiced at being a lady before? You have done your make-up so, so, well. I am going to call you Miriam as you remind me of a woman friend of mine with that name. I must take another photo of you just as you are. Stand over there," she said, reaching for the camera.

And so we had another snapshot session.

"You know, in spite of that little girl's dress you have on you really look quite grown-up and sophisticated as you are. Go and try one of my frocks on. I'd love to see what my little niece Miriam is going to look like when she is a grown-up lady. I'll come up with you to my room and get out some things for you to put on, then you can come out here and we will have a grown-up ladies' tea party together."

She led the way up to her bedroom and made for her lingerie drawers. "Now, where are those falsies I used to wear years ago? Ah yes, here they are; you'll need these, of course, and one of my bras and a nice pair of sneer nylons. I'm sure you will get into my high heels quite easily. Here, give me a kiss you lovely darling," which I proceeded to do.

"Now then, what else will you need? You are going to have to put on a lady's girdle, of course, to keep those stockings of yours up. This is a lovely one nice and firm," she said, holding up a black, well made girdle, high waisted with six suspenders and side zip.

"There are a few odd bits of foam rubber in this bottom drawer here that you might like to use to give yourself a bit of a derriere and some hips. Ladies do develop a bit of a figure as they get older, you know.

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JOYCE'S GIRLS BY JOYCE

She also took out a pair of her panties and a black petticoat.

"There," she said finally, "I think I should leave you with a bit of your own initiative and you can choose one of my frocks to put an all by yourself. Let that be at least one little surprise I will get when you come out and show yourself to me".

Planting another peck on my cheek, she left me to my de-

vices.

It took me a whole hour to get dressed and I enjoyed every minute of it. Auntie only wore the loveliest of undies and they felt heavenly. I selected a blue jersey silk floral frock and with hat, gloves and handbag I was all ready. I had kept my little girl's jewelry on. I crept down the stairs, went out the back way, made my way round the outside of the house, entered by the front gate, and approached Auntie where she sat from behind.

"Florence, my dear", I trilled. "I should have phoned before dropping in on you like this but I was passing and I felt I just had to drop in."

Auntie Florence looked up from her reading thoroughly startled.

"Oh Miriam, you did give me a start. I think I recognized my own clothes before I recognized you. Let's have a good look at you. That looks lovely on you, It really does. You are a complete woman and make a wonderful female impersonator. I can't get over you. More photographs," she said brightly.

"You know what? I think we can both go down to the Del Monico for tea this afternoon instead of having it here. It will be a lovely little adventure and you are quite unrecognizable as a young man anymore. I do love you the way you are but you will be my little baby tonight again, won't you?"

"I would go through the seven ages of woman for you in constant rotation," I said, laughing.

"That will be lovely," said Auntie with a joyful laugh. Well, that first day was a microcosm of the whole holiday.

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