wholly feminine way. Mother had transferred to me her own immaculate bandbox sort of appearance that always helps anyone tremendously. The only drawback, only ap- parent after considerable study and after the astonish- ment had worn away, was the too old effect of hairdo and dress, particularly the hairdo. The dress, while cute as could be, wasn't the sort a 16 year old would ordin- arily wear to anything but a very dressy affair--though that wouldn't be crue of an older wearer. And one would expect a girl of my age to frame her youthful features. with a soft curly sort of hairdo.
Free to move around when she was through with me I had to spend some time orienting myself for 1 wore a num- ber of wholly new and unacustomed-feeling garments. The added hair and earrings made my head feel queer, and too, there was a whole process of mental readjustment to go through. Fortunately I had almost a half hour in which to do it, and though mother stayed in the room with me she didn't interrupt the process with idle words. So by the time Dad and Sis arrived I had myself more or less under control and prepared to face their humor with poise.
But their reaction, instead of the expected laughter was one of amazement, stronger, if possible, than my own. Neither of them could seem to believe me, though they hard ly took their eyes off me the whole evening. Mother, tho took up where they had left off and really poured it on them. I couldn't resist doing it a bit myself, but held back for fear of future reprisals. Instead of sneaking
off to change as soon as dinner was over as I had done the previous time, I stayed downstairs all evening. Sis and I did our usual after-din..er chores, for the cleaning up was our responsibility. Afterward we joined hom und Dad in the living room.
By that time Mom had worked herself out of jokes at the others expense so the rest of the evening as fairly norihal. Dad though, gulped every time he looked at me- he just couldn't seem to get it through his head. He
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