Ah, and such a pity it is for all idle, slovenly women
who " let themselves go" and think their children
" take no notice" of indolence, dirt, and discordant
colours. The sense of beauty and fitness was very
strong in Boy. Where he got it was a mystery;
it was certainly not a heritage derived from either
of his parents. He did not know that " Kiss-
Letty" was many years older than Muzzy ; but he
did know that she was ever so much more charm-
ing and agreeable to look at He judged by ap-
pearances, and these were all in " Kiss-Letty*s"
favour. For in truth the elderly spinster looked a
whole decade yoimger than the more youthful mar-
ried woman. Mrs. D'Arcy-Muir, though she took
life with such provokingly indifferent ease, " wore"
badly; Miss Leslie, despite many concealed sor-
rows and disappointments, wore well. Her face
was still roimded and soft-complexioned, her eyes
were bright and clear, while her figure was g^raceful
and her dress choice and elegant. Boy indeed
thought " Kiss-Letty" very beautiful, and he was
not without experience. Several well-known " so-
ciety beauties" of the classed and labelled sort, who
are hawked about in newspaper " fashionable"
columns as wearing blue or green, or " looking
lovely in white" and " stately in pink," were wont
to visit Captain the Honourable and Mrs. D'Arcy-
Muir on their " at-home" days, and Boy was always
taken into the drawing-room to see them, but some-
how they made no impression on him. They
lacked something, though he could not tell what

40



BOY.
