“Then, of course, we must all go, and the girls will be delighted that you remembered them, for they are not often allowed to appear in company, you know,” she said, smiling. “And Miss Douglas, too, mother; I procured a ticket for her,” he added. Mrs. Coolidge demurred at this. “But Miss Douglas is in deep mourning; it would not be suitable for her to appear with us in her black garments,” she said. “Pshaw! she can wear something else for once. It is a shame to debar her from such a luxury; any one can see that she is passionately fond of music, and I should feel mean to take all the others and leave her behind,” he returned, indignantly. Mrs. Coolidge thought a moment, and finally assented. She well knew that too much opposition often whetted passion, and she had no desire to provoke Wilbur into being a champion for the governess, and accordingly gave her consent. He met Brownie in the hall a few moments afterward, and told her of the arrangement for the evening. Her face lighted with pleasure. “Please, if I may be so bold as to make the request, wear something not quite so somber as this,” and he just touched the black dress. Her face grew very sad, and her eyes filled with tears. Miss Douglas had been dead just two months, and the thought of gay attire seemed unsuitable to her. “Forgive me if I pain you, but I would like to see you for once as bright as the others,” the young man added, and then passed on. She knew her black dress would not be suitable for the opera, and yet she hesitated about changing it for two reasons. Her own feelings rebelled against it, as if it were doing a wrong to Miss Mehetabel. “And yet,” she said, thinking it over, “I know auntie would not wish me to deprive myself of the pleasure of attending the opera, and I know, also, she would not like me to appear in such a place in black.” The other reason was the fear of displeasing Mrs. Coolidge if she made any change. But that matter was settled for her by that lady herself. She came to her room during the day, repeating the invitation which Wilbur had given her, and concluded by saying: “Miss Douglas, have you not something a little more appropriate that you could wear? This black is hardly the thing.” “I have several nice dresses which I used to wear upon such occasions, but I fear they are hardly suitable for my position now,” Brownie replied, with heightened color, for the first time alluding to the change in her circumstances. “Ah!” said the matron, in surprise, and pleased with this evidence of the governess’ modesty; then she added, patronizingly: “You have seen better days, I presume?” “Yes, madam.” “Well, I leave the matter to your own judgment, only do not wear black, nor white, for Alma will wear that. Indeed,” she added, after a moment’s thought, “if you have a nice dress, Miss Douglas, wear it, for, as we are all going together, I do not care how nicely our party appears.”