e him hiding behind the
curtains in the library. Soon Sarah came ushering three or four little
barefooted children into the parlor.

"'They've come to Johnny's party, ma'am,' she explained to Mrs. Morris,
who looked up from her work as the children entered.

"'How do you do, my dears?' said Mrs. Morris sweetly, though I could
see she was greatly surprised. 'I believe I don't know your names, so
you will have to introduce yourselves.'

"The children looked bashful, and made no reply.

"'You are not Johnny Morris' schoolmates, are you?' she questioned.

"'No, ma'am,' answered the tallest girl, as she gazed about the
handsome room with wide-open eyes, I could see that she was not
accustomed to such beautiful things.

"Where did you get acquainted with him, then?' went on Mrs. Morris
kindly.

"'We hain't acquainted at all, ma'am; but he seed us on the street this
morning, and said for us to come to his party to-day. He thought as
how maybe they'd be ice-cream to eat, and he told us where he lived,
and so we are here.'

"'Well, we must try to make you have a pleasant time,' she replied.
'Sarah, please call Johnny and tell him his guests have arrived.'

"But Sarah had been answering a second peal of the bell, and now
appeared with a very queer smile on her face at the head of a line of
three girls and a small boy, whom she introduced by saying:

"'A few more children, ma'am, who have come to take tea with master
Johnny.'

"'Why, really,' exclaimed Mrs. Morris, in a sort of flutter, as she
helped Sarah to seat the new arrivals. 'The house is hardly in order
for company.'

"The children appeared quite embarrassed, and ranged themselves
silently and sedately on the chairs to which they had been directed.

"'Dear me, Sarah, what a predicament to be in! Where do you suppose
Johnny scraped up all these youngsters? I don't know what I ought to
do to him for playing me this trick.' Mrs. Morris said this to the
maid as they came to my side of the room. 'Think of all the work to be
done, and which will have to be stopped for the day--the house all
upside down--no chance for preparations for an extra supper for his
company. And that big girl bespoke ice-cream as soon as she entered.'
And then Mrs. Morris and Sarah turned into the recess of the bay window
and laughed softly. Her vexation seemed to pass away in a few minutes,
for she added, 'We must make the best of it, since they are here, and
let everything el