you come over to visit with me some time," she said, smiling at me as I served her.
"I would like to,' " I replied, "you have such a beautiful home."
"You are more than welcome," she assured me "and of course, I hope you will wear one of your pretty dresses.
"
I promised her I would, and then I sat and listened to their conversation. I had never felt so wonderful, and I found that I really liked to be seen in my beautiful dresses. Secretly, I de- cided that I would not hesitate in the future about being seen in dresses.
Olive Knowles, a girl about a year older than I lived next door, and we were both accustomed to running in and out of each other's homes at almost all hours of the day, and a day or two after Mrs. Russell's visit, Olive rushed in without knocking, as usual, and found me in my blue dress.
"What in the world is going on?" she demanded.
"Don't you like the change?" Mother inquired.
"I love it!" she exclaimed, "but when did he change into dresses?"
"He had been wearing dresses secretly," Mother explained, "and I bought him some, and insisted that if he wanted to wear dresses at all he must do so openly, and for the last week or so he has been in dresses more than in boy's clothes. I have been thinking of buying him some more girl's clothes so he can change into girl's clothes entirely as soon as school closes if he would like it, "Mother concluded.
"Oh, I think that would be wonderful!" Olive exclaimed, "if you will, I will take you to some of the girl parties we are go- ing to have during the summer," she promised, "you will have a wonderful time."
After she had gone, Mother asked, "Are you sure you want to be a girl this summer? Remember, there will be many things you can't do as a girl that you could do with your friends as a boy."
32.