“You take this,” pressed Rosa. And then: “Oh, it must be for you, for it’s too tiny for me.” The article just referred to was a straight-line dress of tub silk, in a variegated stripe that was charming. Nancy took it, held it up and said how lovely she thought it was.
“And these undies,” exclaimed Rosa again. “Betty must have bought those for you,” as she passed over the dainty silk under things, “because I wear a special kind. These are lovely, though. Don’t you think so?”
“Oh, they are be-u-tee-ful!” declared Nancy. “Hasn’t Betty wonderful taste?”
“Yes, that’s what she has the very most of--taste,” said Rosa a little critically. “But then, she needs it. How would she look without it? Oh, see here!” as a little sport hat was dug out of its wrappings. “Now, someone has to have her hair bobbed,” and she attempted to put the hat on her head. It stood up on top, as hats used to when women wore full skirts.
The girls went into gales of laughter at the effect. Then Nancy tried on the yellow felt hat, and, of course, it fitted her.
“For you again,” declared Rosa, still happily expectant herself.
Then there was a darling little party dress of black roses in georgette, over yellow. This, obviously, was also for Nancy, until she began to feel embarrassed that nothing of Rosa’s size was forthcoming.
Finally Rosa held up something blue. It was a cape--a lovely soft, fluffy cape of blue peach-blow cloth, trimmed with white fur.
“Oh! How darling!” both girls exclaimed in perfect harmony.
It was lovely. Almost like a piece of blue sky with a little fleecy cloud of white fur at the neck. Each of the girls held it; they fondled it, caressed it. Both of them loved it, it would fit both. Rosa decided she could wear _that_, and Nancy secretly tried to keep back the wish that she herself might have it.
She had always dreamed of just such a cape as that.
“It goes beautifully with my shade of hair, doesn’t it,” Rosa prattled. “And I adore that tone of blue. Oh, Nan, you can have everything else, but I’m so glad Betty thought to get this for me! I’m going to love her for it. Maybe I have been mean, as you say, Nan, and maybe Betty does love me, after all.” And thereat the cape became the property of Rosa, while poor, disappointed Nancy applauded.