and that she was sure I would like them as much as he did. I told her that when a baby in my buggy I had often been taken for a girl, and that I would like to try a dress to see if I could look as nice as Harold and to find out what skirts felt like. So she said that if mother said it was all right, she would bring more of Harolds things next time and dress me up. When I went home I told mother all about it and that I wanted to see what I looked like in a dress. She laughed, said she did too and maybe I would look so pretty she would keep me in dresses for good. We had no idea that was what would happen.

So next Saturday afternoon Mrs. Taylor came over with an armful and I was soon arrayed in a girls waist with laced back that I told mother was like her corset, nylon panties with lots of lace and a slip with ruffles to hold out my skirt, and finally to my delight I was given the same white dress that Harold had worn. Mo- ther had got me a strap slippers. My hair was fasten- ed over with a pretty barrette and a big bow pinned on it. Mother was surprised at how well I looked and agreed with Mrs. Taylor that I ought to wear dresses as much as possible. Sunday morning, of course, I got into my new clothes, but Mother thought that as I would be the only boy in my class in a dress I had better not go to Sunday School. So, Mrs. Taylor took us all for a ride that afternoon, and I found I did not feel a bit shy even meeting some people. Mrs. Taylor wanted to leave the outfit for me but mother said she could eas- ily make some dresses for me. She did that week and got me all my undies. By the end of that week I told mother I liked dresses more than pants and somehow felt that they were what I should wear. By the time that Mrs. Taylor was settled in the house, more stran- gers were in town and some local boys in dresses too, so Harold and I could wear ours to Church and when- ever we wanted to, which was about everytime we were dressed up to go down town.

When I was eight the whole country was in a de- pression. Mother had put her money into stocks and dividends stopped. The stores tried to save money by having a clerk do the alterations so almost all her in- come was gone. Mrs. Taylor was not so much affected

17.