things were ugly.'

'If I wore yellow gowns and scarlet bonnets, for instance?' asked
Anne.

'No, no, that would not be modest,' said Elizabeth; 'you would be no
longer a lady, so that you could not look lady-like, which I maintain
a lady always is, whether each morsel of her apparel is beautiful in
itself or not.'

'Indeed, Lizzie,' said Anne, 'I cannot say that I think as you do, at
least as far as regards ourselves, I think that it may be possible to
wear ugly things and still be lady-like, and I am sure I honour
people greatly who really deny themselves for the sake of doing
right, if anyone can seriously care for such a thing as dress; but I
consider it as a duty in such as ourselves, to consult the taste of
the people we live with.'

'As your mother said about my hair,' said Elizabeth thoughtfully;
'I will do as she advised, Anne, but not while she is here, for fear
Mamma should fancy that I do so because Aunt Anne wished it, though
I would not to please her. I believe you are right; but look here,
will my bonnet do?'

'I think it looks very well,' said Anne; 'but will it not seem
remarkable for you to be unlike your sisters?'

'Ah! it will give Mrs. Hazleby an opportunity of calling me blue, and
tormenting Mamma,' said Elizabeth; 'besides, Mamma wished us all to
be alike down to the little ones, so I will make the best of it, and