and blue ribbon, "how different she looks!"

"Because two women of some standing and position chanced to notice
her. Let's help the good work along, daughter." Then, before Miss
Eleanor had time to object, and just as the cobbler's daughter was in
front of them, Mrs. Prency stopped, extended her neatly gloved hand,
and said, with a pleasant smile,--

"How these girls do grow! You were little Jane only a year or two ago,
Miss Kimper."

Never before had Jane Kimper been addressed as "Miss." The appellation
sent color flying into her face and brightness into her eyes as she
stammered out something about growing being natural.

"You haven't grown fast enough, though, to neglect good looks,"
continued Mrs. Prency, while Eleanor, endeavoring to act according to
her mother's injunctions, drawled,--

"No, indeed!"

Then the cobbler's daughter flushed deeper and looked grateful, almost
modest, for girls read girls pretty fairly, and Jane saw that Eleanor
was regarding her face with real admiration.

"You girls of the new generation can't imagine how much interest we
women who used to be girls have in you," said the judge's wife. "I'm
afraid you'd be vain if you knew how much Eleanor and I have looked at
you and talked about you."