plan
yesterday?” teased Theodore.
“No! But I'd be happy to pretend I did plan it!” she
grinned back.
“Let's shift and have her try a few skirts! The dance
skirts may get by with only minor tweaking,” beamed the owner.
Anna laughed, “I'm just standing here! Just tell me what to
do!”
Theodore was proud of little Rose and how well she behaved
at the store. It took over an hour and she had been perfectly behaved the
entire time. “Like having another girl around the house?” he asked his little
sister.
Rose nodded enthusiastically, “You going to take her to the
dance?”
Theodore's mind reeled, “Um, dance? Oh wow, that's just
barely a week away isn't it.”
“She'll have a pretty dress in a day or two. Now she needs
bells!” giggled Rose.
“Um, bells?” asked Anna.
Theodore's fur stood on end and his ears flushed...
Emily laughed at her son's display and turned her attention
to Anna. “Girls of your age, when they start to date, wear bells on ribbons to
the dances. Bells on your ankles and hands! Toes too, if that isn't too
uncomfortable. It's a common way to display who is of age to date, as it
were. Very serious young ladies will have been given bell sets on rings rather
than ribbons. We can probably find you a set on ribbons around the house...”
“I could buy my own,” grinned Anna. “That would make for a
fantastic souvenir!”
Emily grinned, “Yes! I think that would be a wonderful
idea.”
They just laughed to each other as they watched Theodore
staring into space repeating, “No rings, no rings, no rings...”
Theodore gritted his teeth as they entered the front of the
silversmith's store. He knew it was all supposed to be just a lark, but he had
butterflies none-the-less. The store attendant was thrilled to be showing off
their wares to an offworlder: human, Taik or otherwise. “We have silver plate,
bell silver, and pure silver plated over bell silver. Most people think that
bell silver is the prettier sound. But some people like to go with less
expensive and own several different styles.”
“Bell silver?” asked Anna.
“Um, it's an alloy of silver. It's pretty close to Sterling
silver if I remember my classes right. Pure silver is a bit soft.”
“Okay, that makes sense. But what about the different
styles. I mean they are all pretty, but is there a real difference?”
The attendant beamed at the chance to explain, “The
different styles have different weight of bells as well as number. If you are
doing lots of dances like Strip the Willow where you are passing and
turning a lot, you don't want things as heavy on your wrists. If you are
mostly doing singles dances, then more weight on the wrists is less important
and presentation becomes a concern. Similar concerns with the ones on your
ankles or toes: weight, number and how will that effect the types of dances you
like? You can have bells on your tail, but if you are tired after the second
dance, it isn't much of an outing!”
“So, there are choices of metal, design, as well as just the
pretty patterns. I am so lost here!” laughed Anna. “I doubt I'll be doing
this again anytime soon so I figure I'll go for quality: silver plate over bell
silver. The pattern I can just pick what's pretty. But for the style ...”
Anna just laughed.
Emily grinned and offered, “You are an athletic girl, just
pick a middle total weight bell and you should be fine.”
“What she said!” beamed Anna. “So now it's down to just the
pattern... oh wow, are there a lot to choose from...”
19
Anna showed off her new bells at lunch back at the house.
There was a general agreement from the house that she had chosen well. The
only expressed concern was teaching her to dance by next weekend. Anna bolted
up to her room to fetch her money and repay Emily. Theodore grinned as he
noticed Emily radically undercharged Anna for her bells.
yesterday?” teased Theodore.
“No! But I'd be happy to pretend I did plan it!” she
grinned back.
“Let's shift and have her try a few skirts! The dance
skirts may get by with only minor tweaking,” beamed the owner.
Anna laughed, “I'm just standing here! Just tell me what to
do!”
Theodore was proud of little Rose and how well she behaved
at the store. It took over an hour and she had been perfectly behaved the
entire time. “Like having another girl around the house?” he asked his little
sister.
Rose nodded enthusiastically, “You going to take her to the
dance?”
Theodore's mind reeled, “Um, dance? Oh wow, that's just
barely a week away isn't it.”
“She'll have a pretty dress in a day or two. Now she needs
bells!” giggled Rose.
“Um, bells?” asked Anna.
Theodore's fur stood on end and his ears flushed...
Emily laughed at her son's display and turned her attention
to Anna. “Girls of your age, when they start to date, wear bells on ribbons to
the dances. Bells on your ankles and hands! Toes too, if that isn't too
uncomfortable. It's a common way to display who is of age to date, as it
were. Very serious young ladies will have been given bell sets on rings rather
than ribbons. We can probably find you a set on ribbons around the house...”
“I could buy my own,” grinned Anna. “That would make for a
fantastic souvenir!”
Emily grinned, “Yes! I think that would be a wonderful
idea.”
They just laughed to each other as they watched Theodore
staring into space repeating, “No rings, no rings, no rings...”
Theodore gritted his teeth as they entered the front of the
silversmith's store. He knew it was all supposed to be just a lark, but he had
butterflies none-the-less. The store attendant was thrilled to be showing off
their wares to an offworlder: human, Taik or otherwise. “We have silver plate,
bell silver, and pure silver plated over bell silver. Most people think that
bell silver is the prettier sound. But some people like to go with less
expensive and own several different styles.”
“Bell silver?” asked Anna.
“Um, it's an alloy of silver. It's pretty close to Sterling
silver if I remember my classes right. Pure silver is a bit soft.”
“Okay, that makes sense. But what about the different
styles. I mean they are all pretty, but is there a real difference?”
The attendant beamed at the chance to explain, “The
different styles have different weight of bells as well as number. If you are
doing lots of dances like Strip the Willow where you are passing and
turning a lot, you don't want things as heavy on your wrists. If you are
mostly doing singles dances, then more weight on the wrists is less important
and presentation becomes a concern. Similar concerns with the ones on your
ankles or toes: weight, number and how will that effect the types of dances you
like? You can have bells on your tail, but if you are tired after the second
dance, it isn't much of an outing!”
“So, there are choices of metal, design, as well as just the
pretty patterns. I am so lost here!” laughed Anna. “I doubt I'll be doing
this again anytime soon so I figure I'll go for quality: silver plate over bell
silver. The pattern I can just pick what's pretty. But for the style ...”
Anna just laughed.
Emily grinned and offered, “You are an athletic girl, just
pick a middle total weight bell and you should be fine.”
“What she said!” beamed Anna. “So now it's down to just the
pattern... oh wow, are there a lot to choose from...”
19
Anna showed off her new bells at lunch back at the house.
There was a general agreement from the house that she had chosen well. The
only expressed concern was teaching her to dance by next weekend. Anna bolted
up to her room to fetch her money and repay Emily. Theodore grinned as he
noticed Emily radically undercharged Anna for her bells.
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