"You needn't fret, Lu; you don't own a dress that any little girl ought to feel ashamed to wear," remarked Betty, as the child turned to obey.
"And we are all going to wear the very worst we have here with us, I presume," added Zoe; "at least such is my intention."
"Provided your husband approves," whispered Edward sportively.
"Anyhow," she answered, drawing herself up in pretended offence; "can't a woman do as she pleases even in such trifles?"
"Ah I but it is the privileges of a child-wife which are under discussion now,"
"Now, sir, after that you shall just have the trouble of telling me what to wear," said Zoe, rising from the couch where they had been sitting side by side; "come along and choose."
Lulu was in the room where she slept, obeying her father's order so far as outward actions went; but there was little more than lip-service in the prayer she offered, for her thoughts were wandering upon the subject of dress, and ways and means for obtaining permission to wear what she wished that afternoon.
By the time she had finished "saying her prayers," she had also reached a conclusion as to her best plan for securing the desired privilege.
Grandma Elsie was so very kind and gentle that there seemed more hope of moving her than any one else; so to her she went, and, delighted to find her comparatively alone, no one being near enough to overhear a low-toned conversation, began at once:
"Grandma Elsie, I want to wear a white dress to the clam-bake; and I think it would be suitable, because the weather is very warm, and white will wash, so that it would not matter if I did get it soiled."