"
"But the price!" Jane would demur. For Mrs. Bates frequented the most
expensive places, and spent money with a prodigal recklessness. "I can't;
it isn't right; I couldn't think of costing poor pa so much--especially
with Rosy and everything making such an expense for him."
"Nonsense. You're entitled to some of the good things of life, too. Your
father can stand it, I should hope. If he hasn't learned how to spend
money, it's high time he did. Have you any idea, you poor, simple soul,
what's he worth?"
"I suppose he is pretty well off," Jane would acknowledge, reluctantly,
indefinitely.
"Well off? I should say so! You ought to have twenty times what you do.
Let them send this home for you--I'll take the risk."
Thus in the course of a month or two Jane, to the bewilderment and
surprise of her mother and sisters and everybody else, became more
presentable than ever before in the whole course of her life. She fully
merited, in fact, the sincere encomium finally bestowed by Mrs. Bates
herself:
"There, now! You're not the worst-looking girl in this town--not by a
jugful!"
Jane was seriously affected by this unstinted praise, and she was almost
overwhelmed when her monitress showed the courage of her convictions by
offering a place in her box.
"Oh-h-h!" she mimicked, after Jane. "What does that mean? Will you or
won't you?"
"If I only could," said Jane; "it's the first thing of any account I've
had a chance at since I don't know when.
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