these favored
beings so well with little suppers, new games devised by Nan, and other
pleasing festivities, that, one by one, the elder boys confessed a
desire to partake of these more elegant enjoyments, and, after much
consultation, finally decided to propose an interchange of civilities.

The members of the Cosy Club were invited to adorn the rival
establishment on certain evenings, and to the surprise of the gentlemen
their presence was not found to be a restraint upon the conversation
or amusement of the regular frequenters; which could not be said of all
Clubs, I fancy. The ladies responded handsomely and hospitably to these
overtures of peace, and both institutions flourished long and happily.

CHAPTER IX. DAISY'S BALL

"Mrs. Shakespeare Smith would like to have Mr. John Brooke, Mr. Thomas
Bangs, and Mr. Nathaniel Blake to come to her ball at three o'clock
today.

"P.S. Nat must bring his fiddle, so we can dance, and all the boys must
be good, or they cannot have any of the nice things we have cooked."

This elegant invitation would, I fear, have been declined, but for the
hint given in the last line of the postscript.

"They have been cooking lots of goodies, I smelt 'em. Let's go," said
Tommy.

"We needn't stay after the feast, you know," added Demi.

"I never went to a ball. What do you have to do?" asked Nat.

"Oh, we just play be men, and sit round stiff and stupid like grown-up
folks, and dance to please the girls. Then we eat up everything, and
come away as soon as we can."

"I think I could do that," said Nat, after considering Tommy's
description for a minute.

"I'll write and say we'll come;" and Demi despatched the following
gentlemanly reply,

"We will all come. Please have lots to eat. J. B. Esquire."

Great was the anxiety of the ladies about their first ball, because if
every thing went well they intended to give a dinner-party to the chosen
few.

"Aunt Jo likes to have the boys play with us, if they are not rough;
so we must make them like our balls, then they will do them good," said
Daisy, with her maternal air, as she set the table and surveyed the
store of refreshments with an anxious eye.

"Demi and Nat will be good, but Tommy will do something bad, I know he
will," replied Nan, shaking her head over the little cake-basket which
she was arranging.

"Then I shall send him right home," said Daisy, with decision.

"People don't do so at parties, it isn't proper."

"I