20.

didn't disapprove, for an isolated instance cannot make a parent question a child, but he did most firmly state that my dress and appearance must remain a family affair and not be bruited about. In that thought I most strongly agreed. Should it become known to my friends I would never hear the last of it.

Mother's efforts had completely stopped the others kidding and never again did they return to the humorous vein. While I had almost immediately forgotten my first experience in Mother's things, I could not do the same regarding the second. There had been too much amazement about it, and the satisfaction of checkmating Father and Sis, so I thought about it frequently. Mother and I talk- ed about it several times--mostly because of some ques- tion that had occurred to me about feminine clothing. The completeness of my attire had introduced me to about every standard feminine item and their strangeness ob- viously gave rise to many questions.

There was no suggestion that I repeat the perform- ance until Father's Aunt, Julia, heard of it. She was an elderly widow confined to her home by illness, and a great favorite of ours for she really was a grand person. When she heard of it she insisted that I dress up and come over for her inspection. This involved public ap- pearance going to and from her home so I was most reluc- tant. But on the other hand I so liked her and felt sorry for her shut-in existance that I would have been rude indeed not to have given her a few moments of amuze- ment. Even Father thought it acceptable, so, one after- noon, I once again submitted to Mother's ministrations. Wearing the same things as before emerged even better looking. Mother had profited by the previous experience and was able to soften the effect of hair do and makeup perceptibly. Then, wearing a little shortie coat of Mother's, I rode over to Auntie's with Mother and Sis. No one could possibly have recognized me sitting in a car so I had no qualms about it. Too, Mother's fine job and my previous experience with the clothes combined to (Continued on Page 66)