efore breakfast."

"That will give you an excellent appetite," returned Harry; "for I shall
run away, and you will have to catch me, first."

"Clara must be Mary Brown, Edward's nurse."

"Oh, dear little fellow," said Clara, patting Harry, "old nursey will
buy you a stick of candy."

"Ago-o-o," said Harry, like a little baby, which set them all laughing.

"Johnny shall be Mr. Sherwood, the tutor, because he is naturally such a
sober little fellow," said the mother; "and we will invite Gus Averill,
Harry's friend, to be Morris, because he and Harry are of the same age
and height, and that will be excellent. Minnie can do Jane, the maid,
very nicely; and Willie and Bennie can be Patrick and Andrew, the waiter
and gardener."

So it was all settled; and the next morning the children began to study
their parts--the larger ones assisting the little ones--so that they
learned as quickly as the best. In the evening they repeated what they
knew to their mother, working at the same time on their mittens, and
were just as busy and happy as good and industrious children always are.

It was really surprising how soon they became perfect, and the rehearsal
went off with complete success. Harry and Anna kept their faces very
well; and only Bennie and Willie grinned a little when they first came
on the stage, which was the back parlor.

The company were to sit in the front parlor, and some curtains were hung
up between that and the back room, and made to draw quickly aside, and
drop just as quickly.

The invitations had been sent out, and were every one accepted. This is
one of them:

"An Entertainment for the Benefit
OF THE SOLDIERS:
AT THE LITTLE MOTHER'S HOUSE,
_Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, 1861_.
ADMISSION, ONE PAIR OF MITTENS."

The great evening came; and the children, ready dressed for their parts,
were in a tremendous flutter. Even the little wee ones were to do
something. They were stationed at the parlor door with baskets, and
charged not to let a soul come in, unless the pair of mittens were paid
into one of the baskets. I warrant you they took very good care of that,
for their eyes were as sharp as needles; and the moment the door was
opened they would all cry "Mitten money! mitten money! pay your mitten
money!" which made the company laugh so they could hardly get the
"mitten money" out of their pockets.

After they had all arrived, and were comfor