nking of the tree under which
they played at home.

"'I'll have to take you to the seashore to play on the ----'"

"Beech," said Beth in triumph.

"Then he lighted a cigar and knocked off the ----"

"Ash," said Ethelwyn.

"And walked down street, whistling a song from 'Mikado.' Tit ----"

"Willow," they both cried at once, for they knew that song as well as
the tree.

"You have done well," said mother, "but you each have two fines to pay,
and it really is your turn next time; so you must remember to think up a
game. But here we are at home, and there is 'Vada coming out to meet
us."

"O, 'Vada, what has happened since we went away?" said Ethelwyn,
climbing out.

"Mista Bobby gwine to give a party this ebenin'; it's his birthday, and
his uncle brought him some fiah works like those you all had las' yeah,"
said 'Vada.

"O goody! did he invite us?"

"Nome, not to say invite. But he's been in to see if you all was
expected home."

"O, it won't matter," said Beth easily; "we'll go anyway. Of course he
knew we would come."

When Nan came over, she brought her invitation with her. It was very
formally enclosed in a small envelope, and informed his friend that
Bobby would be at home on that very evening.

This struck Beth as very silly.

"Of course he'll be at home if he's going to give a party! Just as
though he'd be anywhere else!" she remarked.

They wished to go over immediately and tell Bobby that they were home
and all ready to be invited, but their mother would not allow this.

"He will come over by and by," she said. But the day went by and no
invitation came, although great preparations were going on, as they
could see, for they kept very near the window that looked out on Bobby's
lawn. A slow drizzling rain was falling, or they would probably have
been much nearer. But Bobby was evidently very busy getting ready. They
caught only flying glimpses of him, and their hearts grew heavy within
their breasts.

"O dear! I shall never, never get over this, never!" said Beth,
swallowing the lump in her throat.

"I wouldn't have thought Bobby could have done it," said Ethelwyn, also
swallowing.

After their bath, they begged for their best slippers, silk stockings,
and embroidered petticoats, and on having their hair done in their
dress-up-and-go-away-from-home style. "Because," said Ethelwyn,
"something may happen yet to make him think of us."

So mother let them have on what they liked, for she wa