: THE CALICO PAPER. 195

It’s quite a coincidence. But you’re the dearest girls in the
world! ”

In the gray of the early dawn next day, the dearest girls
in the world were waked by a cry in which the petulance of
bewilderment mingled with the hollowness of despair.

“ Alta! Girls! Do come here and see to this calico
paper! What is the matter with it?’ We rushed to the
rescue. Mother lay groaning in agony on the bed. Had we
poisoned her? Alta went white to the lips. “Oh!” groaned
mother ; “is there arsenic in it? Why, no, there can’t be.
Then I’ve got delirium tremens, or a sick-headache. It
writhes like a snake! The wall goes in and out. I can’t
hold my head up. If you don’t move me into the front room,
I shall die! Hang up some brown paper bags, or some
“ Children at Home,’ —an “ Independent” or two, — any-
thing. All night I’ve seen Emma Elizabeth on the walls
trying to dress up a boa-constrictor in that dress of hers! O
' girls!”

Alas and alas! for doves’ breasts and thunder-clouds ; for
morning mists and sailing fogs and cranberries in the sun!

Alta and I locked ourselves in with our ‘ calico paper,” as
soon as mother was sleeping off her headache in the spare
room. What to do next? We were penniless and desperate. *
Here, however, was the room on our hands. Something must
be done. Delay was dangerous to our sanity.

That. very noon, to crown our mortification, what must
Emma Elizabeth do, but fish out her old dress from some