Virginia’s hair was so “scraggly and faded in spots,” as she said, that Lilian had advised her to have it cut nicely while she was in the city, and wear it fluffed about her face, tied on the side with a wide ribbon, as the girls were wearing it then, when their hair was short. This performance so changed her that she insisted on stopping at one of the places of quick photography and having a picture made to send home to her father. “I’ll write under it, ‘This is me, would you know me?’ and tell him that I expect to put something inside of the head, too, before I see him again. He works so hard! O, I can wear my new dress to the Y. W. reception tonight, can’t I?”

“Of course you can,” replied Avalon, “your pretty pumps, too. It’s a good thing we did not want to get much ourselves!”

“Yes. I’m sorry you have had so much trouble for me.”

“O, I did not mean that; it was fun. But as we did not get any big things, we could bring some of yours that you need right away.”

They had wisely not tried to run all round getting things here and there, but had chosen one big department store, which carried good things at all prices, and had taken Virginia from one department to another, shopping for themselves too, till Virginia said she was dizzy with clothes and happiness. And when they were about ready to drop, they met their chaperone at a tea room near, where Virginia sat in silent bliss, eating whatever the other girls suggested, and looking around at the place and people to her heart’s content. They would return too late for the Greycliff meal, but in time for the reception, which was from eight to nine-thirty, probably ten, as the girls thought.

Both Lilian and Isabel came around to assist in Virginia’s toilet. “You can’t make me pretty,” said Virginia, “but I do look nice, and not so different,—and I think that you are the loveliest girls I ever saw or heard of!”

Lilian gave her a bright, sympathetic smile, but told her that she was entirely mistaken as to her character, while Isabel bowed with her hand on her heart and offered her an arm of escort to the parlors.

The “Y. W.” reception was like most receptions for the purpose of having the girls meet each other. There was a receiving line of girls and faculty. Then a committee was on hand to take the girls to a table where they were tagged with their own names. The old girls were told to make themselves useful in introducing themselves and others to the new girls, but the new girls received 

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