"Cousin Carol, I want to ask you something, and I don't want you to be offended or to think that we have no manners, but--"
"Go on, Peachie, dear. Ask anything you like. You won't offend me. Remember that we are all cousins down here."
"I know, you dear! But maybe when you know what I want,--but you see, we never get a chance to see any of the styles--"
"Do you want to see my clothes?" cried Carolina. "You shall see every rag I possess, you dear children! Don't I know how awful it must be never to know what they are wearing at Church Parade. Five trunks came yesterday that haven't even been unpacked. They are just as they were packed by a frisky little Frenchman in Paris, and, as they were sent after me, they were detained in the custom-house, and, before I could get them out, I was hurt. While I was in bed, my brother got them out of the custom-house and took them to his house, where I forgot all about them until I was preparing to come here. Then I thought of clothes! And I also thought I might find some pretty girls down here among my relatives who would like to see the Real Thing just as it comes from the hands of the Paris couturières,--so there you are!"
"Oh, Carolina Lee!" shrieked Peachie, softly. "What a sweet thing you are! Just think, Flower, Paris clothes!"
"And better still, Vienna clothes!" said Carolina, laughing.
"You said you were hurt, Cousin Carol," said Flower, in her soft little voice. "How were you injured?"
"I was thrown from my horse, Flower, dear, and my hip was broken. I was in bed for months with it."
"But you were cured," said Flower. "I never heard of a broken hip that didn't leave a limp. There must be mighty fine doctors in New York."
"There are!" said Carolina, softly. Then she turned suddenly and led the way to the house, the girls eagerly following.