gether, and all running to
kiss Lillie at once; so that not a quarter of them could find a place on
her sweet, happy face, and had to wait for their turn.

Then some nice little boys came in, with their faces scrubbed so clean
they fairly shone, and their hair parted down the middle behind so very
even that the seam looked like a streak of white chalk. They went up to
Lillie very bashfully, and shook hands; and then all got together in a
corner, because you see they were afraid of the girls, and imagined
that they were making fun of them.

But after a little while this fear seemed to fly up the chimney, for
boys and girls were playing "turn the platter," and "hunt the ring," and
the larger ones were dancing; and everybody was having the most
delightful time possible.

Dear little rosebud Maggie was the happiest of any, for she was to sit
up until every scrap of the party was over; so everybody kissed her, and
played with her, and showed her how to turn the platter, and she skipped
and danced; and that dear little chuckling, singing laugh of hers was
heard in every corner of the room. The fact is, Little Maggie is one of
my particular darlings. Don't tell anybody.

But where was the young lady all this time?

Lillie had scarcely thought of her, she was so happy with the dear
little friends she knew and loved. Of course a stranger could not expect
to have the same place in her loving heart, especially as she had not
yet had even the first peep at her.

Her sister Mary had gone out of the room a little while before, and
Lillie was wondering why she did not return, when there came a
tremendous ringing at the bell.

"She's coming!" whispered Lillie to herself, and her heart beat fast as
the door opened; and there marched gravely in--not a young lady--but a
little old gentleman, whose hair was perfectly white, though he seemed
to have a great deal of it, for his head was about the size of a half
peck measure. He wore a very long-tailed coat, buttoned up very tight;
his pantaloons only reached down to his knees; but to make up for that
his stockings came up to meet them, and were fastened with perfectly
beautiful garters, with a big silver buckle shining in the very middle;
shoes, also flourishing large silver buckles, adorned his feet. So you
see he was quite an old dandy.

Leaning on his arm was a little old lady. Her hair was also as white as
snow; and she too had so much, and it was so fuzzy, that it looked for
a