“I believe I am glad to get back,” replied Miss Jewett with a smile. “Of course I was glad to be with my people and to see my friends, but I never did care for a big city and after being here all this time it seemed more unattractive than ever. But, Elizabeth, you don’t seem to be very enthusiastic about the party.”
“I am enthusiastic about the party,” answered she, “but I am far, far from enthusiastic about my frock. Isn’t it a cruel misfortune, Miss Jewett, that I have grown so that all my summer clothes are too small for me. Only one, poor, mean little dimity can be made to do. I wouldn’t care so much if this were not so very, very grand a party and all the fine dressing there will make me appear a poor Cinderella indeed.”
Miss Jewett laughed. “But you must remember that Cinderella had perfectly gorgeous clothes for the party; her fairy godmother saw to that, you know.”
“But, alas, I have no fairy godmother,” returned Elizabeth. “I must confess, Miss Jewett,” she whispered, “that I shouldn’t care so much if it were not for Corinne. I know she will nudge the others and look me up and down in that supersillyous way she has.”
There was mirth in Miss Jewett’s eyes as she asked: “How do you spell supercilious, Elizabeth?”
“S-u, su, p-e-r, per, s-i-l-l-y, silly, o-u-s, ous,” replied Elizabeth promptly.
“Before I tell you whether that is right or wrong I would like to know what is your idea of the meaning of the word,” said Miss Jewett.
“Super means above, or more than,” Elizabeth answered, “so I should think it meant more than silly.”
Miss Jewett threw back her head and laughed heartily. “Oh, Elizabeth, I might know you would have some original way of getting at it. Your dictionary will tell you that it is derived from a Latin word which means lifting an eyebrow.”
“Oh, yes, that is just the way Corinne does,” returned Elizabeth with satisfaction. “She lifts her eyebrows in that haughty way and makes you feel so—so,——”