winter colds were a sort of tradition in the family. Nothing, it seemed, could prevent her from catching them. Mrs. Frederick and Cousin Stickles did their heroic best. One winter they kept Valancy housed up from November to May, in the warm sitting-room. She was not even allowed to go to church. And Valancy took cold after cold and ended up with bronchitis in June.

“None of my family were ever like that,” said Mrs. Frederick, implying that it must be a Stirling tendency.

“The Stirling’s seldom take cold,” said Cousin Stickles resentfully. She had been a Stirling.

“I think,” said Mrs. Frederick, “that if a person makes up her mind not to have colds she will not have colds.”