35.

about the fever were back again-I felt like crying and did so

But to offset the serious things there was the prospect of the haircut and all that evening I could dismiss the bad news by thinking of it. In themorning I was up and dressed before she awoke and was thoughtlessly outside playing. Mother hauled me in with a terrible tongue lashing, though she later apologi- zed. After breakfast the doctor appeared again to check his diagnosis--unfortunately the same--and Mother told him of my foolish activities that morning andher despair of keeping me quiet. The doctor, most serious at that, told her that it must be done at all costs. Then I foolishly spoke up, promising to keep quiet but mentioning the matter of going out to get the haircut. At that the doctor fairly thundered--saying that I would not go out under any circumstances. For the next few months the limit of my activities would be the house and oc- casionally the yard.

His pronouncement made me sick, the previous news had been bad enough. but a haircut had been such an all-important object ive that I could hardly stand its loss. All that day I moped thinking of nothing else, even Patsy's arrival could not cheer me The next day my renewed confinement became so irksome that I sneaked out into the yard and was climbing a tree when Mother found me. At first I thought she was going to skin me alive, but fortunately her anger soon gave way to distress. was put to bed for the rest of the day.

I

Her orders were that I stay in bed until given permission to get up and so I lay awake almost an hour that morning before I heard her moving around. Then I called, asking if I could get up. She hesitated, then told me to wait, and a few minutes later came into my room carrying Patsy's things. She then sat on the edge of my bed and told me that she wanted me to wear them and that unless I did I couldn't get up. I was too sur- prised to do more than ask why? She then very quietly and firm ly explained there were two reasons; the first, that she had noticed how quiet and well-behaved I had been on the previous occasions I had worn dresses, and since quiet was all essential they would be good for me. Her other reason, out of consider- ation for me, since I couldn't get a haircut I really looked much better as a girl in toto, not as a girl in boys clothes.