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Let's see," said Miss Clippins, "this is the seventy-fourth or seventy-fifth offer, was it?"
"But three rows laid on plain has such a lovely effect," said Miss Nippins. "Perhaps, then, she had better have three rows laid on plain," said mamma. "Or she might have one row ruffled on the edge, with three rows laid on plain, with a satin fold," said Miss Clippins. "That's the way I fixed Miss Elliott's." "That would be a nice way," said mamma. "Perhaps, Lillie, you'd better have it so."
Ellis shook her fat sides with a comfortable motherly chuckle. "Lillie always did know exactly what she wanted: she's a smart little thing." And, when all the trying on and arranging of folds and frills and pinks and bows was over, Lillie threw herself comfortably upon the bed, to finish her letter. Shrewd Miss Clippins detected the yawn with which she laid down the missive.
Therefore it was that the virgin bower of Lillie was knee-deep in a tangled mass of stuffs of various hues and description; that the sharp sound of tearing off breadths resounded there; that Miss Clippins and Miss Snippings and Miss Nippins were sewing there day and night; that a sewing-machine was busily rattling in mamma's room; and that there were all sorts of pinking and quilling, and braiding and hemming, and whipping and ruffling, and over-sewing and cat-stitching and hem-stitching, and other female mysteries, going on.
I beg your pardon," said Miss Clippins, observing the letter, "we can wait, of course;" and then all three laughed as if something very pleasant was in their minds. "No," said Lillie, giving the letter a toss; "it'll keep;" and she stood up to have a jaunty little blue jacket, with its pluffy bordering of swan's down, fitted upon her.
Her labors wore upon her; and it was smilingly observed by Miss Clippins across to Miss Nippins, that Miss Lillie was beginning to show her "engagement bones." In the midst of these preoccupations, a letter was handed to her by the giggling chambermaid. It was a thick letter, directed in a bold honest hand.
"It's too bad, now, to take you from your letter," said Miss Clippins, with a sly nod. "I'm sure you take it philosophically," said Miss Nippins, with a giggle. "Why shouldn't I?" said the divine Lillie. "I get one every day; and it's all the old story. I've heard it ever since I was born." "Well, now, to be sure you have.
"He'll get over it after he's been married six months," said Miss Clippins, nodding her head with the air of a woman that has seen life. "I'm sure I shan't care," said Lillie, with a toss of her pretty head. "It's borous any way."
The question of ruffled or plain honiton was of such vital importance, that the whole four took some time in considering it in its various points of view. "Sarah Selfridge had hers ruffled," said Lillie. "And the effect was perfectly sweet," said Miss Clippins. "Perhaps, Lillie, you had better have it ruffled," said mamma.
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