"Well, what is it now?" she exclaimed. "I am sure I try to give you as good times as any girls in town; not many mothers on my income would do half so much. And you sit looking as if you were going to execution!"
"We—we do appreciate it, mother," urged Cora, unhappily.
"But we aren't howling successes at parties," Dora added.
"Nonsense! You have partners to spare." Mrs. Baldwin was plainly angry. "No child of mine was ever a wallflower, nor ever will be. Never let me hear you say such a thing again. You would have twice the attention if you weren't always poking off by yourselves; and as it is, you have more than most girls. You frighten the men—they think you are proud. Show a little interest in them and see how pleased they will be!"
The twins looked dubious, and seized the first chance to escape. In their own room they confronted each other dismally.
"Of course they will ask us, in our own house; we won't have to sit and sit," said Cora with a sigh.
"But it's almost worse when they ask you for that reason," objected Dora.
"I know! I feel so sorry for them, and so apologetic. If mother would only let us go and teach at Miss Browne's; then we could show we were really good for something. We shouldn't have to shine at parties."
"We shouldn't have to go to them! Come on, let's do some Latin. I want to forget the hateful thing."
Cora got down the books and drew their chairs up to the student-lamp. "I know I shouldn't be such a stick if I didn't have to wear low neck," she said. "I am always thinking about those awful collar-bones, and trying to hold my shoulders so as not to make them worse."