slips of girls in short dresses!"

Susy burst into tears, and tried to talk at the same time, but nobody
could understand her.

"O, O!" moaned Prudy, burying her face in the roller-towel, "if I
can't go I shall just lay down my head and cry!"

"It's not true, children, not one word; she's only joking," said aunt
Madge, laughing and shaking the egg-beater at her sister. "I'm really
ashamed of your aunt Louise for trying to tease you. What _do_ you
suppose any body wants of old grown-up folks at your nice little
party? There, there, don't laugh _quite_ so loud. Run away, and stay
away, if you want me ever to do any thing."

In a few moments the children were playing out of doors in high
spirits, and Prudy had told the workmen, in her pretty, lisping way,
"that every one of we children were invited to a _jispy_ supper; had
a ticket come a-purpose, so of course we should _have_ to go!"

The children were too much excited to do their morning work properly.
Grandma could not tell by the looks of the piazza whether Susy had
swept it or not, and had to go and ask.

"She's swept it off," said Prudy, speaking for her, "but she didn't
sweep it _way off_!"

"I should judge not," said grandma; "and here is Prudy, with her bib
on yet, and Grace hasn't made her bed. Do you think such children
ought to go to a party?"

"O, grandma," cried Prudy, "you know we had a ticket come a-purpose!"

"I'm ashamed," said Grace, promptly. "Susy, you and I are too big to
act so. Let's go and do up our work right nice, and then see if we
can't help grandma."

And off went the two little girls, with beaming faces, trying to make
themselves useful.

"What shall I do?" thought Prudy, for every body was at work,--even
Horace, who was turning the grindstone for the men.

"I'll dust the parlors, that's what I'll do. It does take aunt Madge
so long."

So, with the big feather duster, Prudy made a great stir among the
books and ornaments, and at last knocked over a little pitcher and
broke its nose.

"You little meddlesome thing," cried aunt Louise, as soon as she knew
it, "this is one of your _days_, I should think!"

"I didn't mean to," cried the child; "I was trying to help."

"Don't say you didn't mean to; you hadn't any business to touch the
duster. I shall have to snip your fingers, I do believe."

"Don't," begged the child, "_I'll_ snip my hands, _you_ needn't;
_I'll_ snip my hands and get the naughty out."

"They ought to be sn