ly, and the bright eyes feasted
upon the loveliness of the cake, so brown and shiny, with a
tipsy-looking B in pie-crust staggering down one side, instead of
sitting properly atop.

"Ma let me put it on the very last minute, and it baked so hard I
couldn't pick it off. We can give Belinda that piece, so it's just as
well," observed Betty, taking the lead, as her child was queen of the
revel.

"Let's set them round, so they can see too," proposed Bab, going, with
a hop, skip and jump, to collect her young family.

Betty agreed, and for several minutes both were absorbed in seating
their dolls about the table, for some of the dear things were so limp
they wouldn't sit up, and others so stiff they wouldn't sit down, and
all sorts of seats had to be contrived to suit the peculiarities of
their spines. This arduous task accomplished, the fond mammas stepped
back to enjoy the spectacle, which, I assure you, was an impressive
one. Belinda sat with great dignity at the head, her hands genteelly
holding a pink cambric pocket-handkerchief in her lap. Josephus, her
cousin, took the foot, elegantly arrayed in a new suit of purple and
green gingham, with his speaking countenance much obscured by a straw
hat several sizes too large for him; while on either side sat guests of
every size, complexion and costume, producing a very gay and varied
effect, as all were dressed with a noble disregard of fashion.

"They will like to see us get tea. Did you forget the buns?" inquired
Betty, anxiously.

"No; got them in my pocket." And Bab produced from that chaotic
cupboard two rather stale and crumbly ones, saved from lunch for the
fete. These were cut up and arranged in plates, forming a graceful
circle around the cake, still in its basket.

"Ma couldn't spare much milk, so we must mix water with it. Strong tea
isn't good for children, she says." And Bab contentedly surveyed the
gill of skim-milk which was to satisfy the thirst of the company.

"While the tea draws and the cake cools let's sit down and rest; I'm so
tired!" sighed Betty, dropping down on the door-step and stretching out
the stout little legs which had been on the go all day; for Saturday
had its tasks as well as its fun, and much business had preceded this
unusual pleasure.

Bab went and sat beside her, looking idly down the walk toward the
gate, where a fine cobweb shone in the afternoon sun.

"Ma says she is going over the house in a day or two, now it is warm
an