Amarilly of Clothes-line Alley

The Jenkins family was immediately summoned in council to discuss

Amarilly's invitation to attend divine service at St. Mark's.

"You air jest more'n hevin' advantages," said Mrs. Jenkins exultingly.

"Fust the matinee, then the Guild, and now St. Mark's is open to you.

But you'd orter hev a few fixin's to go to sech a grand place,

Amarilly."

Amarilly shook her determined little head resolutely.

"We can't afford it," she said decisively. "I'd stay to hum afore I'd

spend anything on extrys now when we're aketchin' up and layin' by."

"'Twould be good bookkeepin' fer you ter go," spoke up Flamingus. "You

see the preacher's givin' us his business, and we'd orter return the

favor and patrynize his church. You've gotter hustle to hold trade arter

you git it these days. It's up to you ter go, Amarilly." Mrs. Jenkins

looked proudly at her eldest male offspring.

"I declare, Flamingus, you've got a real business head on you jest like

your pa hed. He's right, Amarilly. 'Twouldn't be treating Mr. Meredith

fair not ter go, and it's due him that you go right, so he won't be

ashamed of you. I'll rig you up some way."

The costuming of Amarilly in a manner befitting the great occasion was

an all-absorbing affair for the next few days. Finally, by the

combination of Mrs. Jenkins's industry and Amarilly's ingenuity, aided

by the Boarder and the boys, an elaborate toilet was devised and

executed. Milton donated a "shine" to a pair of tan shoes, the gift of

the girl "what took a minor part." Mrs. Jenkins looked a little askance

at the "best skirt" of blue which had shrunk from repeated washings to a

near-knee length, but Amarilly assured her that it was not as short as

the skirts worn by the ballet girls. She cut up two old blouses and

fashioned a new, bi-colored waist bedizened with gilt buttons. The

Boarder presented a resplendent buckle, and Flamingus provided a gawdy

hair-ribbon.

The hat was the chief difficulty. On week days she wore none, but of

course St. Mark's demanded a headgear of some kind, and at last Mrs.

Jenkins triumphantly produced one of Tam o' Shanter shape manufactured

from a lamp mat and adorned with some roses bestowed by the leading

lady. The belligerent locks of the little scrub-girl refused to respond

to advances from curling iron or papers, but one of the neighbors whose

hair was a second cousin in hue to Amarilly's amber tresses, loaned some

frizzes, which were sewed to the brim of the new hat. The problem of

hand covering was solved by Mr. Vedder, as a pair of orange-tinted

gloves had been turned in at the box-office by an usher, and had

remained unclaimed. They proved a perfect fit, and were the supreme

triumph of the bizarre costume.