of greeting.
In fact, Alsie, I think it would be a good idea to invite all his
most beloved circle of friends to send a little message of love, for
only the other day he said to me, 'There is nothing so acceptable to a
man lying on a bed of sickness as an offering of love--be it a message,
a flower, a visit, or a delicacy--it is delightful to be remembered.'"

"Well, Auntee, I'll see all the cousins within reach and write to the
others, and you do the same with the grown folks of the family, and the
rule must be that each is to put into the pie something that will please
grandfather or make him laugh."

"Fine, Alsie, fine. It's a good rule to make, for it's a '_Merry
Christmas_' we are striving for, and I don't believe our efforts will
fail if we put into them all the love and energy which the family say
you and I possess, in a like degree."

"We haven't much time to lose, either, Auntee, for we have lots to do
in the three weeks that remain to us. Now, as to business, what are we
going to make the pie-crust of--I mean what material will take the
place of the pie-crust, which you know is what holds the goodies?"

"It must be considerably stronger than the crisp, brittle crust which
Aunt Bettie brings to _our_ table," replied Aunt Alice with a laugh.

After a moment she continued, "I wonder if we couldn't get hold of one
of those hat-boxes which are made to hold the enormous 'creations'
we see every day in the milliners' shops, and on the heads of so many
pretty girls. We can make the effort, anyhow, and if we don't succeed
in finding just what we want, needles and cardboard are plentiful and we
can make a box to suit ourselves, for it must be at least twenty-five
or thirty inches in diameter and six inches high to hold the filling."

They walked slowly homeward, discussing various little points which
occurred to them along the way, until, when Alice walked back into the
front door of her home, what was her surprise and delight to feel that
the weight of the sorrow, which had so oppressed her, was lightened.
She felt almost buoyant in her eagerness for Christmas to come.

And now a busy season began. It was hard to think of anything suitable
for the invalid, for had not the loving hands of his wife and children
provided everything that might add to the comfort of the beloved head
of the household?

There was one little feature that had been overlooked,
however--grandfather possessed no foot-warmers. So Alsie's e