"And what'll you be?" was the not unnatural retort of the next sister, Sybil. "It ain't the same thing in _my_ class," returned Florrie. "Teacher knows that girls of my age can't be punctual like little ones. They've to clear away, and mind the children, and all sorts of things to do." "And what have you been clearing away?" "And who have you been minding of?" "And what have _you_ had to do but put your fine hat on?" rose in a chorus from the indignant children; while another voice put in-- "When _I_ went to school the elders came punctual for the sake of an example." "Oh my! Aunt Lizzie, I didn't see you," said Florrie. "How d'ye do? There's plenty of examples nowadays if one wanted them, which I don't." "I'm sure, Aunt Lizzie," put in the eldest sister, a tall young woman of nineteen or so, "there isn't harder work in the world than in trying to set an example to _Florrie_." "You don't set a nice one," said Florrie. "It would be a deal better for you, Florence," said her aunt, "if you did take example by some one. You're getting a big girl, and that hat and frock are a deal too smart to run about the roads in. When I was a girl, I had a nice brown mushroom hat and a neat black silk jacket, and pleased enough I was with them as a new thing." "And did _your_ aunts wear mushroom hats and black silk jackets?" said Florrie. "My aunts? no, indeed! Whatever are you thinking of, Florence? My aunts were most respectable women, and wore bonnets, when bonnets _was_ bonnets. Hats, indeed!" "Your hat was in the fashion then, and mine's in the fashion now," said Florence saucily; but Aunt Lizzie, refusing to perceive that her niece had made a point, continued, "Aunt Eliza Brown was married to a man in the grocery way, and Aunt Warren, as you very well know, was housekeeper to Mr Cunningham at Ashcroft Hall, and married the head keeper, which her son has the situation to this day." "I do tell Florrie," said the elder sister again, "that she'd look a deal more like a real lady if she dressed a bit quieter than she does." "I don't want to look like a lady. I want to have my fun," said Florrie. "Come on, Ethel, if you're coming; I want to catch up with Carrie and Ada. Good-bye, aunt; I like lessons best in school." And off dashed Florrie through the summer sunshine, between the avenue of monuments, her hair flying, her skirts swinging, and her loud lively voice sounding behind and before her as she scurried along. "Well!" said Aunt Lizzie, "she be a one, surely. That girl wants a tight hand over her, Martha Jane, if ever a girl die yet."