"You've plenty of old ones that are clean and pretty, I'm sure; and our Patsy had one from the dressmaker only last week that's fit for a queen." "Oh, Daddy! you don't understand," laughed Patsy.
"This time, Major, I fear you don't," agreed Beth.

"Your convictions regarding society may be admirable, but you're weak on the gown question." "If the women would only listen to me," began the Major, dictatorially; but Uncle John cut him short.
"They won't, sir; they'll listen to no man when it comes to dressmaking." "Don't they dress to captivate the men, then ?" asked the Major, with fine sarcasm.
"Not at all," answered Louise, loftily.

"Men seldom know what a woman has on, if she looks nice; but women take in every detail of dress and criticise it severely if anything happens to be out of date, ill fitting or in bad taste." "Then they're in bad taste themselves!" retorted the Major, hotly.
"Tut-tut, sir; who are you to criticise woman's ways ?" asked Uncle John, much amused.

The Major was silenced, but he glared as if unconvinced.
"Dressmaking is a nuisance," remarked Beth, placidly; "but it's the penalty we pay for being women." "You're nothing but slips o' girls, not out of your teens," grumbled the Major.

And no one paid any attention to him.
"We want to do you credit, Uncle John," said Patsy, brightly.