ey gave it to him. Then he trotted along quite contentedly after them.

It was a very hot day, and after dinner mamma tried to persuade the
little folks to lie down and get a nap, so as to be bright and fresh
for the evening. Nelly at last lay down on the lounge in her aunt's bed
room; and then Frankie brought his pillow, and lay on the floor by her.
They were so happy, they wanted to talk about the party.

Mamma was lying on the lounge, too. She was very tired after her long
walk in the morning, and wanted to go to sleep. But the children's
tongues ran so fast, that she could not. She laughed, at last, at the
very idea of sleeping there, and took her pillow into Nelly's room,
where it was dark and cool; and presently had forgotten all her fatigue.

About seven o'clock the little folks began to arrive. In August, you
know, the days are very long, so that it was still light, and as the sun
was down, it was the pleasantest part of the day.

Mr. and Mrs. Gray sat on the large iron chairs belonging to the portico,
and shook hands with the little girls and boys coming up the avenue;
then joining the company on the lawn, where Willie and two of the larger
girls were planning some games for them.

After they had enjoyed themselves in this way for an hour, Mrs. Gray
called Margie from the lawn, and told her to invite the children to
come in. Then she introduced them into the parlor, where on the table
they saw a large pile of cards, nearly half a yard in length, with
beautiful pictures on them, representing animals and birds; some of them
as large as life.

These, which came in a long box, with a brass handle on the top, were
Frankie's birthday present from papa and mamma.

At first the little fellow was so surprised, that he could not speak a
word; but then he ran, first to his mother and then to his father, put
his arms around their necks, and thanked them over and over again.

His father went to the table and distributed the cards round among the
excited, happy group, and for half an hour there was one continued shout
of delight in examining them.

"O, see this great elephant!" said one little boy; "he is winding his
nose around that baby, and is going to kill him."

"No, indeed!" said mamma, "that baby is the child of his keeper, the man
who takes care of him, and feeds him. See, the soldiers are coming up,
and the good elephant is afraid they will hurt his little charge; so he
takes it very gently in his trunk, o