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MARY'S MASQUERADE
71
SELECTING A GOWN
simply cannot sit down at the dinner table with thirteen people, and I dont know what to do."
Mary 's eyes began to dance.
"Well, if you dont, I do. I'm going to get right straight into one of your gowns. I love to dress up, and I'm crazy about being in plays and pretending."
"But your uncle wont approve," declared Mrs. Van Court.
"Oh, fiddlesticks!" was Mary's characteristic reply. "He wont think of saying no when he sees me. I '11 be so bewitching. And I'll promise to behave and not swing my legs and lose my slippers or cut streets thru the mashed potatoes. Really, I'll act just like a debutante. Oh, please say yes!"
Mrs. Van Court smiled at the eager, excited face before her. She thought of the time when she had masqueraded as waitress for a friend whose husband had brought a marquis home to dinner unexpectedly on
the waitress' night out, and her scruples faded.
"Oh, goody, goody!" exclaimed Mary, jumping up and down with delight. "Wont it be fun! Where is Felice? Felice, come here quickly and get out all of Aunt Louise's evening dresses. I'm going to the dinner-party."
"Mais, mademoiselle "
"Dont talk. We haven't a minute to lose. Now let me see which I like best. No, not those; pink isn't becoming and black is too somber. Let me hold up that white one. It's pretty, but I dont like the way the skirt is trimmed. How about that pale green satin? Oh, it has a gold veil thing over it — and a train ! Just the thing! Now get me into it as quickly as you can and pile my hair way up high, so that I'll be really grown-up looking."
Felice's deft fingers twisted and coiled and hooked and patted, and in a few minutes a pair of critical girl