Mary Isabel had never resented it , even when it hurt her bitterly . Everybody in Latimer knew that Louisa Irving ruled her meek little sister with a rod of iron and wondered why Mary Isabel never rebelled . It simply never occurred to Mary Isabel to do so ; all her life she had given in to Louisa and the thought of refusing obedience to her sister 's Mede-and-Persian decrees never crossed her mind . Mary Isabel had only one secret from Louisa and she lived in daily dread that Louisa would discover it . It was a very harmless little secret , but Mary Isabel felt rightly sure that Louisa would not tolerate it for a moment . They were sitting together in the dim living room of their quaint old cottage down by the shore . The window was open and the sea-breeze blew in , stirring the prim white curtains fitfully , and ruffling the little rings of dark hair on Mary Isabel 's forehead -- rings which always annoyed Louisa . She thought Mary Isabel ought to brush them straight back , and Mary Isabel did so faithfully a dozen times a day ; and in ten minutes they crept down again , kinking defiance to Louisa , who might make Mary Isabel submit to her in all things but had no power over naturally curly hair . Louisa had never had any trouble with her own hair ; it was straight and sleek and mouse-coloured -- what there was of it . Mary Isabel 's face was flushed and her wood-brown eyes looked grieved and pleading . Mary Isabel was still pretty , and vanity is the last thing to desert a properly constructed woman . `` I ca n't wear a bonnet yet , Louisa , '' she protested . `` Bonnets have gone out for everybody except really old ladies . I want a hat : one of those pretty , floppy ones with pale blue forget-me-nots . '' Then it was that Louisa made the remark quoted above . `` I wore a bonnet before I was forty , '' she went on ruthlessly , `` and so should every decent woman . It is absurd to be thinking so much of dress at your age , Mary Isabel . I do n't know what sort of a way you 'd bedizen yourself out if I 'd let you , I 'm sure . It 's fortunate you have somebody to keep you from making a fool of yourself . I 'm going to town tomorrow and I 'll pick you out a suitable black bonnet .
You 'd look nice starring round XXXXX leghorn and forget-me-nots , now , would n't you ? ''
above by for from in of on that to with