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tight. Whatever would she wear?
    But Mrs. Angus was speaking again.
    “Last time I was down to visit my daughter, she gave me a couple of boxes of clothes that had been her girls’. Said if I knew of anyone who could make use of them—” The woman stopped and smiled at Anna. “If it doesn’t bother you to wear hand-me-downs, we could go through the box and see what we might find.”
    Anna nodded, her throat tight. It wouldn’t bother her at all to wear hand-me-downs. She guessed that she had never had a perfectly new dress in all of her life. Her mother had always sewn her things from garments passed on from one aunt or another.
    She swallowed with difficulty and nodded her head.
    “I’d like to go—if Pa and Mama say yes—and if you are sure that I won’t be a bother to you and the pastor . . . and if we can find something in the boxes to fit,” she admitted, but fear was still mixed with the excitement in her eyes.

Chapter Five
    Preparations
    Over the days that followed, Anna’s emotions ran the gamut. From excitement and joy, she was plunged to doubt and despair. Then she would be swung back into the arms of exhilaration again, only to be dropped back to utter desperation.
    The boxes of hand-me-downs proved to supply many nice pieces of material. Anna was much smaller than the two granddaughters of Mrs. Angus. But Anna had been taught to be a skilled seamstress, and with the help of her mother and Mrs. Angus, a fitting, though simple, wardrobe was designed and sewn. Anna was thankful and elated about that part of her dilemma.
    But when thoughts of meeting so many strangers—so many educated people—assailed Anna, she floundered. If only she knew the proper rules for such occasions. She felt so inadequate, so backwoods, and she was too shy to discuss her lack of social skills with the kind Mrs. Angus.
    At times she broke into a cold sweat just thinking about the upcoming events, and then she would determine to find some reason that she couldn’t go.
    Then her thoughts would swing back to the graduation service. It would be so exciting to be a part of it—even a small part—and she would be so proud of Pastor Austin Barker when he marched up for his diploma. Would it be something like her certificate? she wondered, and then blushed in embarrassment for even thinking such a thought. His would be much more grand and important.
    No, she decided, she couldn’t miss it. She just couldn’t. She’d have to keep her eyes and ears open and notice what others were doing. Perhaps she wouldn’t make any dreadfully big blunders. She would hang back and try to be as invisible as possible. She did not wish to embarrass the Anguses or her friend Austin Barker. He had been so kind to lend her his books and tutor her by letter.
    Anna could tell that her mother was ecstatic about the invitation. She seemed to treat it like a coming-out, a debut for her only daughter. When Mrs. Trent talked about Anna’s trip, her mother did not appear to be filled with Anna’s many doubts. She sounded confident that her daughter would make quite an impression on the learned city people she would meet. She considered Anna to be dainty, attractive, gentle and considerate. What more could anyone want in a young woman? Anna knew by her mother’s comments that Mrs. Trent’s only regret was that she wouldn’t be there to witness the entire three-day trip. So her mother made the most of the preparations. She bubbled and gushed with enthusiasm as she stitched dainty seams, adding lace where Anna felt no lace was needed, placing tucks where Anna felt they could do without them, pressing until beads of sweat stood on her brow when Anna felt that the garment was already smoothly pressed.
    “You need new shoes!” Mrs. Trent exclaimed one day as she labored over the invisible mending of a lace handkerchief.
    “But, Mama—”
    “I saw a pair in town last trip I made. Just right to go with the dresses.”
    “But, Mama—”
    “I’ve got