She had said very little about this invitation, but she couldn't help feeling proud and gratified over it.

It was certainly a wonderful jump for Tip, from mingling with the worst and lowest boys in town, to find himself taking a long stride, and reaching the very top.

So Mrs.Lewis sewed, and Kitty, as she sat watching the needle fly back and forth, spoke her thoughts: "All of the boys down to Mr.Burrows' school wear white collars on their jackets." "Well," answered her mother snappishly, "what's that to me?
S'posing they wear white _cats_ on their jackets, I could get him one just as easy as t'other." It was a sore subject with Mrs.Lewis.From her very heart she wished she could dress Tip in broadcloth to-day, just as fine as that which Howard Minturn himself wore, and a collar so white and shiny that it would fairly dazzle the eyes of the others to look upon it; but, since she was so powerless to do what she would, it made her cross.
The bedroom door was open, and Tip's father heard.

By and by, when his cough was quieter, he called, "Kitty!" and the little girl went in to him.

"Is the jacket fixed, Kitty ?" "Yes." "Does it look nice ?" "Some." "Would you like to find a collar for Tip to wear ?" "Well enough," said Kitty wonderingly.
"Well, now, I've got two or three that I don't wear any more, and never shall, I guess" (this last spoken sadly); "s'pose you take one of 'em--they're in that square box under the table--and see if you can't sew it on the jacket, and make it look like what the other boys wear?
Now, you try what you can do, just to see what Tip will say." Kitty went slowly over to the box.