Chapter 18--Fashion and Physiology
"Please, sir, I guess you'd better step up right away, or it will be toolate, for I heard Miss Rose say she knew you wouldn't like it, and she'dnever dare to let you see her."
Phebe said this as she popped her head into the study, where Dr. Alecsat reading a new book.
"They are at it, are they?" he said, looking up quickly, and givinghimself a shake, as if ready for a battle of some sort.
"Yes, sir, as hard as they can talk, and Miss Rose don't seem to knowwhat to do, for the things are ever so stylish, and she looks elegant in'em; though I like her best in the old ones," answered Phebe.
"You are a girl of sense. I'll settle matters for Rosy, and you'll lenda hand. Is everything ready in her room, and are you sure you understandhow they go?"
"Oh, yes, sir; but they are so funny! I know Miss Rose will think it's ajoke," and Phebe laughed as if something tickled her immensely.
"Never mind what she thinks so long as she obeys. Tell her to do it formy sake, and she will find it the best joke she ever saw. I expect tohave a tough time of it, but we'll win yet," said the Doctor, as hemarched upstairs with the book in his hand, and an odd smile on hisface.
There was such a clatter of tongues in the sewing-room that no one heardhis tap at the door, so he pushed it open and took an observation. AuntPlenty, Aunt Clara, and Aunt Jessie were all absorbed in gazing at Rose,who slowly revolved between them and the great mirror, in a full wintercostume of the latest fashion.
"Bless my heart! worse even than I expected," thought the Doctor, withan inward groan, for, to his benighted eyes, the girl looked like atrussed fowl, and the fine new dress had neither grace, beauty, norfitness to recommend it.
The suit was of two peculiar shades of blue, so arranged that patches oflight and dark distracted the eye. The upper skirt was tied so lightlyback that it was impossible to take a long step, and the under onewas so loaded with plaited frills that it "wobbled" no other wordwill express it ungracefully, both fore and aft. A bunch of folds wasgathered up just below the waist behind, and a great bow rode a-top. Asmall jacket of the same material was adorned with a high ruff at theback, and laid well open over the breast, to display some lace and alocket. Heavy fringes, bows, puffs, ruffles, and revers finished off thedress, making one's head ache to think of the amount of work wasted,for not a single graceful line struck the eye, and the beauty of thematerial was quite lost in the profusion of ornament.
A high velvet hat, audaciously turned up in front, with a bunch of pinkroses and a sweeping plume, was cocked over one ear, and, with her curlsbraided into a club at the back of her neck, Rose's head looked morelike that of a dashing young cavalier than a modest little girl's.High-heeled boots tilted her well forward, a tiny muff pinioned herarms, and a spotted veil, tied so closely over her face that hereyelashes were rumpled by it, gave the last touch of absurdity to herappearance.
"Now she looks like other girls, and as I like to see her," Mrs. Clarawas saying, with an air of great satisfaction.
"She does look like a fashionable young lady, but somehow I miss mylittle Rose, for children dressed like children in my day," answeredAunt Plenty, peering through her glasses with a troubled look, forshe could not imagine the creature before her ever sitting in her lap,running to wait upon her, or making the house gay with a child's blithepresence.
"Things have changed since your day, Aunt, and it takes time to get usedto new ways. But you, Jessie, surely like this costume better than thedowdy things Rose has been wearing all summer. Now, be honest, and ownyou do," said Mrs. Clara, bent on being praised for her work.
"Well, dear to be quite honest, then, I think it is frightful," answeredMrs. Jessie, with a candour that caused revolving Rose to stop indismay.
"Hear, hear," cried a deep voice, and with a general start the ladiesbecame aware that the enemy was among them.
Rose blushed up to her hat brim, and stood, looking, as she felt, like afool, while Mrs. Clara hastened to explain.
"Of course, I don't expect you to like it, Alec, but I don't consideryou a judge of what is proper and becoming for a young lady. Therefore,I have taken the liberty of providing a pretty street suit for Rose.She need not wear it if you object, for I know we promised to let you dowhat you liked with the poor dear for a year."
"It is a street costume, is it?" asked the Doctor, mildly. "Do you know,I never should have guessed that it was meant for winter weather andbrisk locomotion. Take a turn, Rosy, and let me see all its beauties andadvantages."
Rose tried to walk off with her usual free tread, but the under-skirtgot in her way, the over-skirt was so tight she could not take a longstep, and her boots made it impossible to carry herself perfectly erect.
"I haven't got used to it yet," she said, petulantly, kicking at hertrain, as she turned to toddle back again.
"Suppose a mad dog or a runaway horse was after you, could you get outof the way without upsetting, Colonel," asked the Doctor, with a twinklein the eyes that were fixed on the rakish hat.
"Don't think I could, but I'll try," and Rose made a rush across theroom. Her boot-heels caught on a rug, several strings broke, her hattipped over her eyes, and she plunged promiscuously into a chair, whereshe sat laughing so infectiously that all but Mrs. Clara joined in hermirth.
"I should say that a walking suit in which one could not walk, and awinter suit which exposes the throat, head, and feet to cold and damp,was rather a failure, Clara, especially as it has no beauty to reconcileone to its utter unfitness," said Dr. Alec, as he helped Rose undo herveil, adding, in a low tone, "Nice thing for the eyes; you'll soon seespots when it's off as well as when it's on, and, by and by, be a casefor an oculist."
"No beauty!" cried Mrs. Clara, warmly, "Now, that is just a man'sblindness. This is the best of silk and camel's hair, real ostrichfeathers, and an expensive ermine muff. What could be in better taste,or more proper for a young girl?"
"I'll shew you, if Rose will go to her room and oblige me by putting onwhat she finds there," answered the Doctor, with unexpected readiness.
"Alec, if it is a Bloomer, I shall protest. I've been expecting it, butI know I cannot bear to see that pretty child sacrificed to your wildideas of health. Tell me it isn't a Bloomer!" and Mrs. Clara clasped herhands imploringly.
"It is not."
"Thank Heaven!" and she resigned herself with a sigh of relief, addingplaintively, "I did hope you'd accept my suit, for poor Rose has beenafflicted with frightful clothes long enough to spoil the taste of anygirl."
"You talk of my afflicting the child, and then make a helpless guy likethat of her!" answered the Doctor, pointing to the little fashion platethat was scuttling out of sight as fast as it could go.
He closed the door with a shrug, but before anyone could speak, hisquick eye fell upon an object which caused him to frown, and demand inan indignant tone,
"After all I have said, were you really going to tempt my girl withthose abominable things?"
"I thought we put them away when she wouldn't wear them," murmured Mrs.Clara, whisking a little pair of corsets out of sight with guilty haste."I only brought them to try, for Rose is growing stout, and will haveno figure if it is not attended to soon," she added, with an air of calmconviction that roused the Doctor still more, for this was one of hisespecial abominations.
"Growing stout! Yes, thank Heaven, she is, and shall continue to do it,for Nature knows how to mould a woman better than any corset-maker,and I won't have her interfered with. My dear Clara, have you lost yoursenses that you can for a moment dream of putting a growing girl into aninstrument of torture like this?" and with a sudden gesture he pluckedforth the offending corsets from under the sofa cushion, and held themout with the expression one would wear on beholding the thumbscrews orthe rack of ancient times.
"Don't be absurd, Alec. There is no torture about it, for tight lacingis out of fashion, and we have nice, sensible things nowadays. Everyonewears them; even babies have stiffened waists
to support their weaklittle backs," began Mrs. Clara, rushing to the defence of the petdelusion of most women.
"I know it, and so the poor little souls have weak backs all their days,as their mothers had before them. It is vain to argue the matter, and Iwon't try, but I wish to state, once for all, that if I ever see a pairof corsets near Rose, I'll put them in the fire, and you may send thebill to me."
As he spoke the corsets were on their way to destruction, but Mrs.Jessie caught his arm, exclaiming merrily, "Don't burn them, for mercysake, Alec; they are full of whalebones, and will make a dreadful odour.Give them to me. I'll see that they do no harm."
"Whalebones, indeed! A regular fence of them, and metal gate-posts infront. As if our own bones were not enough, if we'd give them achance to do their duty," growled the Doctor, yielding up the boneof contention with a last shake of contempt. Then his face clearedsuddenly, and he held up his finger, saying, with a smile, "Hear thosegirls laugh; cramped lungs could not make hearty music like that."
Peals of laughter issued from Rose's room, and smiles involuntarilytouched the lips of those who listened to the happy sound.
"Some new prank of yours, Alec?" asked Aunt Plenty, indulgently, for shehad come to believe in most of her nephew's odd notions, because theyseemed to work so well.
"Yes, ma'am, my last, and I hope you will like it. I discovered whatClara was at, and got my rival suit ready for to-day. I'm not going to'afflict' Rose, but let her choose, and if I'm not entirely mistaken,she will like my rig best. While we wait I'll explain, and then you willappreciate the general effect better. I got hold of this little book,and was struck with its good sense and good taste, for it suggests away to clothe women both healthfully and handsomely, and that is a greatpoint. It begins at the foundations, as you will see if you will lookat these pictures, and I should think women would rejoice at thislightening of their burdens."
As he spoke, the Doctor laid the book before Aunt Plenty, who obedientlybrought her spectacles to bear upon the illustrations, and after a longlook exclaimed, with a scandalised face,
"Mercy on us, these things are like the night-drawers Jamie wears! Youdon't mean to say you want Rose to come out in this costume? It's notproper, and I won't consent to it!"
"I do mean it, and I'm sure my sensible aunt will consent when sheunderstands that these well I'll call them by an Indian name, and saypajamas are for underwear, and Rose can have as pretty frocks as shelikes outside. These two suits of flannel, each in one piece from headto foot, with a skirt or so hung on this easily-fitting waist, willkeep the child warm without burdening her with belts, and gathers, andbuckles, and bunches round the waist, and leave free the muscles thatneed plenty of room to work in. She shall never have the back-ache if Ican help it, nor the long list of ills you dear women think you cannotescape."
"I don't consider it modest, and I'm sure Rose will be shocked at it,"began Mrs. Clara, but stopped suddenly, as Rose appeared in the doorway,not looking shocked a bit.
"Come on, my hygienic model, and let us see you," said her uncle, withan approving glance, as she walked in, looking so mischievously merry,that it was evident she enjoyed the joke.
"Well, I don't see anything remarkable. That is a neat, plain suit; thematerials are good, and it's not unbecoming, if you want her to looklike a little school-girl; but it has not a particle of style, and noone would ever give it a second glance," said Mrs. Clara, feeling thather last remark condemned the whole thing.
"Exactly what I want," answered the provoking Doctor, rubbing his handswith a satisfied air. "Rosy looks now like what she is, a modest littlegirl, who does not want to be stared at. I think she would get a glanceof approval, though, from people who like sense and simplicity ratherthan fuss and feathers. Revolve, my Hebe, and let me refresh my eyes bythe sight of you."
There was very little to see, however, only a pretty Gabrielle dress, ofa soft warm shade of brown, coming to the tops of a trim pair of bootswith low heels. A seal-skin sack, cap, and mittens, with a glimpse ofscarlet at the throat, and the pretty curls tied up with a bright velvetof the same colour, completed the external adornment, making her looklike a robin redbreast wintry, yet warm.
"How do you like it, Rosy?" asked the Doctor, feeling that her opinionwas more important to the success of his new idea than that of all theaunts on the hill.
"I feel very odd and light, but I'm warm as a toast, and nothing seemsto be in my way," answered Rose, with a skip which displayed shapelygaiters on legs that now might be as free and active as a boy's underthe modest skirts of the girl.
"You can run away from the mad dogs, and walk off at a smart pacewithout tumbling on your nose, now, I fancy?"
"Yes, uncle! suppose the dog coming, I just hop over a wall so and whenI walk of a cold day, I go like this."
Entering fully into the spirit of the thing, Rose swung herself overthe high back of the sofa as easily as one of her cousins, and thenwent down the long hall as if her stout boots were related to the famousseven-leaguers.
"There! you see how it will be; dress her in that boyish way and shewill act like a boy. I do hate all these inventions of strong-mindedwomen!" exclaimed Mrs. Clara, as Rose came back at a run.
"Ah, but you see some of these sensible inventions come from the brainof a fashionable modiste, who will make you more lovely, or what youvalue more 'stylish' outside and comfortable within. Mrs. Van Tasselhas been to Madame Stone, and is wearing a full suit of this sort. Vanhimself told me, when I asked how she was, that she had given up lyingon the sofa, and was going about in a most astonishing way, consideringher feeble health."
"You don't say so! Let me see that book a moment," and Aunt Claraexamined the new patterns with a more respectful air, for if the elegantMrs. Van Tassel wore these "dreadful things" it would never do to beleft behind, in spite of her prejudices.
Dr. Alec looked at Mrs. Jessie, and both smiled, for "little Mum" hadbeen in the secret, and enjoyed it mightily.
"I thought that would settle it," he said with a nod.
"I didn't wait for Mrs. Van to lead the way, and for once in my life Ihave adopted a new fashion before Clara. My freedom suit is ordered, andyou may see me playing tag with Rose and the boys before long," answeredMrs. Jessie, nodding back at him.
Meantime Aunt Plenty was examining Rose's costume, for the hat and sackwere off, and the girl was eagerly explaining the new under-garments.
"See, auntie, all nice scarlet flannel, and a gay little petticoat, andlong stockings, oh, so warm! Phebe and I nearly died laughing when I putthis rig on, but I like it ever so much. The dress is so comfortable,and doesn't need any belt or sash, and I can sit without rumpling anytrimming, that's such a comfort! I like to be tidy, and so, when I wearfussed-up things, I'm thinking of my clothes all the time, and that'stiresome. Do say you like it. I resolved I would, just to please uncle,for he does know more about health than anyone else, I'm sure, and I'dwear a bag if he asked me to do it."
"I don't ask that, Rose, but I wish you'd weigh and compare thetwo suits, and then choose which seems best. I leave it to your owncommonsense," answered Dr. Alec, feeling pretty sure he had won.
"Why, I take this one, of course, uncle. The other is fashionable, andyes I must say I think it's pretty but it's very heavy, and I shouldhave to go round like a walking doll if I wore it. I'm much obliged toauntie, but I'll keep this, please."
Rose spoke gently but decidedly, though there was a look of regret whenher eye fell on the other suit which Phebe had brought in; and it wasvery natural to like to look as other girls did. Aunt Clara sighed;Uncle Alec smiled, and said heartily,
"Thank you, dear; now read this book and you will understand why I askit of you. Then, if you like, I'll give you a new lesson; you asked forone yesterday, and this is more necessary than French or housekeeping."
"Oh, what?" and Rose caught up the book which Mrs. Clara had thrown downwith a disgusted look.
Though Dr. Alec was forty, the boyish love of teasing was not yet deadin
him, and, being much elated at his victory, he could not resist thetemptation of shocking Mrs. Clara by suggesting dreadful possibilities,so he answered, half in earnest, half in jest, "Physiology, Rose.Wouldn't you like to be a little medical student, with Uncle Doctor forteacher, and be ready to take up his practice when he has to stop? Ifyou agree, I'll hunt up my old skeleton to-morrow."
That was too much for Aunt Clara, and she hastily departed, with hermind in a sad state of perturbation about Mrs. Van Tassel's new costumeand Rose's new study.