I _almost_ wish I'd been sent away to school too, then I could give them away, as Kitty has." "Given away what ?--her legs?
What made Kitty do it, and what is wrong with the stockings?
Are they new, that they have only just begun to irritate you ?" "No, they aren't new, but--well, you see, I've only just been found out." "What _do_ you mean ?" "Well, you see, Aunt Pike would make us wear these ugly, woolly, itchy things, and "-- Betty's voice waxed indignant--"she wouldn't believe us when we said we couldn't, and so--well, I thought of it first--we wore our black cotton ones under these, and then we didn't feel them." "I see," said Dr.Trenire, a smile beginning to twinkle in his eyes.
"And you were not found out ?" "Not till to-day," with a triumphant air; "but to-day there was a hole in the gray ones, and I didn't know it; but Aunt Pike saw the black showing through, and she screamed out, 'Elizabeth, _what_ has happened to your leg ?' And oh! I did jump so; and then I looked, and there was a great black spot, and everybody was looking and laughing.

It was--oh, it was dretful, and Aunt Pike was _so_ angry, she made me go home and take off the black ones; and now she has taken all my cotton ones away, and--and I've _got_ to wear these, and it's--it's _awful_, it really is, daddy," and poor Betty's eyes grew pink with tears.
"I know," said her father sympathetically.

"I suffer in the same way myself.

Don't cry, child; it will be all right.

I will explain to your aunt." But Betty had borne much that day, and the tears, at least a few, had to come.