their very real amusement.
Leslie jokingly suggested dressing me as a girl as I was so interested, and Bobbie agreed. My pre- tense at protest was too feeble to convince. A delightful session followed in which I inevitably betrayed that I was experienced in these things. But, as the girlishly undressed twins acted as my maids and assisted me in my transformation, neither of them said anything, and soon I was completely changed into a happy girl with excited eyes and quite at home on my high heels. Half-an-hour went like five minutes, and I thought I ought to change back. I had taken off my silk frock and was admiring myself in the mirror in a lacy petticoat which I held up to show my dainty undies and shapely legs in their long silk stockings and chic garters, making the twins laugh as I postured this way and that, when suddenly the boy's mother came back earlier than expected. My hair showed her at once that I was the boy she had left in the room with her sons, but, as she looked me over, she showed no annoyance, only amusement and surprise, saying I ought to have been a girl. She dispelled my shyness by taking me on her knee and giving me a kiss, feeling my waist through the corsets I was wearing and stroking my silk-clad thighs--treating me, in fact, as if I were a daughter or niece needing comfort. I told her something of my old longings to dress as a girl and how Nell had helped me and encouraged me to be happy in lacy petticoats during the last three years or so, and with my mother's knowledge. She was most sympathetic and convin- ced me that she thought none the worse of me for my love of girl- ish things.
The following day, Nell and I were invited there for an evening party, as the twins and their mother were shortly leaving for another engagement elsewhere. When we entered the room the twins were in their pretty party-frocks--pale-blue silk, with frilly skirts and lace-trimmed bodices. Beautifully made-up, act- ing as daughters and not in the least as sons, they were not only quite at home in their dainty attire, but obviously happy in them. Nell went out of the room with the twins' mother, and I was left to indulge my admiration and open envy. After a while Leslie held up the skirt of his dainty frock, the prettiest I had ever seen, so that I could admire his exquisite befrilled white silken knickers under his lace-flounced petticoat. I went down on one knee before the smiling Leslie, the better to appreciate the soft
29.