not two, will be sure to have the
headache. Ann Maria Bromwick would come, and the three Gibbons boys,
and their sister Juliana; but the other sisters are out West, and
there is but one Osborne."

It really did seem safe to ask "everybody." They would be sorry, after
it was over, that they had not asked more.

"We have the cow," said Mrs. Peterkin, "so there will be as much cream
and milk as we shall need."

"And our own pig," said Agamemnon. "I am glad we had it salted; so we
can have plenty of sandwiches."

"I will buy a chest of tea," exclaimed Mr. Peterkin, "I have been
thinking of a chest for some time."

Mrs. Peterkin thought a whole chest would not be needed; it was as
well to buy the tea and coffee by the pound. But Mr. Peterkin
determined on a chest of tea and a bag of coffee.

[Illustration]

So they decided to give the invitations to all. It might be a stormy
evening, and some would be prevented.

The lady from Philadelphia and her daughters accepted.

And it turned out a fair day, and more came than were expected. Ann
Maria Bromwick had a friend staying with her, and brought her over,
for the Bromwicks were opposite neighbors. And the Tremletts had a
niece, and Mary Osborne an aunt, that they took the liberty to bring.

[Illustration]

The little boys were at the door, to show in the guests, and as each
set came to the front gate they ran back to tell their mother that
more were coming. Mrs. Peterkin had grown dizzy with counting those
who had come, and trying to calculate how many were to come, and
wondering why there were always more and never less, and whether the
cups would go round.

The three Tremletts all came, with their niece. They all had had their
headaches the day before, and were having that banged feeling you
always have after a headache; so they all sat at the same side of the
room on the long sofa.

All the Jefferses came, though they had sent uncertain answers. Old
Mr. Jeffers had to be helped in, with his cane, by Mr. Peterkin.

The Gibbons boys came, and would stand just outside the parlor door.
And Juliana appeared afterward, with the two other sisters,
unexpectedly home from the West.

"Got home this morning!" they said. "And so glad to be in time to see
everybody,--a little tired, to be sure, after forty-eight hours in a
sleeping-car!"

"Forty-eight!" repeated Mrs. Peterkin; and wondered if there were
forty-eight people, and why they were all so glad to come, and