ave a nice time, insisting that one needn't be afraid
of girls.

Of course they did, especially Jim. He was in for all the fun and
frolic, and the kissing didn't worry him a bit when the "forfeits" were
announced. He didn't mind how deep he "stood in the well," nor how high
the tree was from which they "picked cherries." Ben _could_ rise to an
emergency if he was not praying for it every moment.

Chris was a great card. She could not help wishing that she knew enough
young people in her social round to ask to a party. There were enough
young ladies, but a "hen party" wasn't much fun. She made herself very
agreeable to the Underhill boys, and wished in the sweetest of tones
"that she _did_ know their sister Margaret."

There were a good many imperfect lessons the next day, but the party was
the great topic. Hosts of girls were "mad."

"I couldn't ask everybody. The house wouldn't hold them," declared Lily.
But she took great comfort in thinking she had "paid out" several girls
against whom she had a little grudge. And the "left-outs" declared they
wouldn't have gone anyhow. It must be admitted that the party did
advance Lily socially.

The family had hardly recovered from this spasm of gayety when Stephen
insisted that Margaret should go to a Valentine's ball at the Astor
House, to be given to the ladies by a club of bachelors. He was going to
take Dolly. Mrs. Bond would be there, and Dolly came up to coax her
prospective mother-in-law. "Margaret had not gone into any society and
was only a school-girl, altogether too young to have her head filled
with such nonsense," with many more reasons and conjunctions. Dolly was
so sweet and persuasive, and said the simplest white gown would do,
young girls really didn't dress much. Then Margaret would have it ready
for her graduation. They would be sure to send her home early and take
the best of care of her.

Joe said: "Why, of course she must go. It wasn't like being among
strangers with Dolly and her people." So the boys and Dolly carried the
day. All the while Margaret's heart beat with an unaccustomed throb. She
did not really know whether she wanted to go or not.

St. Valentine's Day was held in high repute then. You sent your best
girl the prettiest valentine your purse could afford, and she laid it
away in lavender to show to her children. Bashful young fellows often
asked the momentous question in that manner. There were some lovely
ones, with original verses writ