e looked around the circle.

"I think it will be very nice to be grown up," said Elsie, who was
already beginning to consider herself a young lady at fourteen.

"I'd much rather stay a little girl. I don't like growing up. Next
year Carl is going away to school, and all our good times will be
over," and Bess sighed as though the weight of years already rested on
her shoulders.

"Well, we _are_ only little girls yet, so what is the use of
worrying?" said Louise, who, though she was tallest of all, was more
of a child than any of the others.

Dora was perhaps more changed than any of her friends. She was growing
very sweet and womanly, and her manners were as simple and frank as
ever. Her mother's feeble health brought her more care than fell to
the share of most girls of her age, and this made her seem older than
she really was.

This afternoon she seemed somewhat preoccupied and silent. When
appealed to she answered as brightly as usual, but a thoughtful,
anxious look came to her face when she turned to her work.

Miss Brown noticed it and wondered what was troubling her.

"Girls," exclaimed Bess, "suppose we give Uncle William a party when
we finish the slumber robe--just our set, you know."

This suggestion met with enthusiastic approval, and was discussed with
great glee till Louise announced the arrival of the boys.

On pleasant Saturdays they often dropped in about five o'clock, and
when work was put up went with the girls for a walk, a custom which
Aunt Zelie encouraged, for she liked to have her boys and girls
together.

Carl came across the street, followed by Will and Aleck; Ikey, who was
waiting at his gate, joined them; and a moment later Jim came hurrying
round the corner.

"Let's show them the slumber robe," proposed Louise. So they were
called in while Bess and Elsie spread their work over a chair.

The boys went through the ordeal fairly well, being amiably desirous
of pleasing the proud needlewomen.

Will brought down their scorn upon his head by saying it was pretty,
as if it were not "lovely," and Aleck insulted Dora by examining her
daisies with a critical air and then asking what sort of flowers they
were.

For this stupidity Carl promised to punish him.

"Aren't you coming with us, Dora?" asked Bess when they reached the
street, seeing that she turned toward home.

"I am sorry, but I can't this afternoon," she said.

They united in coaxing her, but she would not listen, and wit