ness. They did not all come at once, which was very lucky; for
I do believe Lillie would have gone crazy with delight. She opened the
first with trembling eagerness, dancing up and down the whole time, and
read these enchanting words:

"dear lillie--

"i will come. i shall wear my best frock--what a
funny name the young lady has. miss don't know yet

"good bye. yours, NATTIE."

"Oh, mamma," she cried, laughing, "Nattie thinks the young lady's name
is 'Miss Don't Know Yet!' How funny! But really, what is her name,
mamma?"

"She will tell you that herself, when she comes. She wants to surprise
you."

"Oh!" said Lillie; and just then another note was handed to her, and she
read this:

"DEAR LILLIE:--Mamma is writing this note for me,
and she says--I accept your invitation with much
pleasure. So I do, certainly. What delightful fun
it is to go to a party! I wish you would have one
every week.
"Your loving friend, KITTY."

"Oh, mamma"--Lillie was just going to ask her mother to let her have a
party every week--when Maggie brought another note. This was from a
young gentleman, and was as follows:

"Master Russell is coming to Your Party; and I
will Eat all the plum Cake, and bring A pack of
Crackers In my pocket--to fire off in honor Of
Miss Doughnut.
"Yours affectionately,
"SAM RUSSELL."

Lillie thought this was a splendid idea! It would be such an honor to
the young lady to receive her with popping a pack of crackers at her,
just as they fire off cannon at the President when he comes to town.

"Oh, how enchanting it is!" she cried, and she jumped up on a chair and
jumped down again three times running, she was so happy.

Everybody was coming, and all wrote notes very like those I have told
you. The weather was beautiful, and, for a wonder, everything went just
right.

Long before seven o'clock, Lillie was dressed and in the parlor waiting
for her little friends. She got very impatient, and was just beginning
to think they never meant to come; or had all been naughty, and were
sent to bed instead of going to a party, when the door bell rang--then
again--then again--and a moment after a little troop of laughing, lovely
children skipped into the room, all talking to