se you like," she replied, looking very much pleased. "I
should like to have Carry Howard, but of course I can't--as she is going
to have company of her own; and I believe nearly all the little girls I
am acquainted with are to be there."

"Yes, I suppose so. Well, we will ask those you have mentioned, and I
hope they will come. But there is the tea-bell, and I shall carry my
dolly out to the dining-room," he said, rising with her in his arms.

"Papa," she said, when they had returned to their seats by the study
fire, "may I give mammy a nice present this Christmas?"

"Yes," he replied kindly, "I supposed you would want to give some
presents, and I have just been thinking how it might be managed,
as you are not fit to shop for yourself. As you have not had any
pocket-money for several months, I will allow you now to spend as
much as you choose--provided you keep within tolerably reasonable
bounds," he added, smiling; "so you may make out a list of all the
articles you want, and I will purchase them for you. Will that do?"

"Oh, nicely, papa!" she cried, clapping her hands with delight, "it
was very good of you to think of all that."

"De slippers is come, darlin'; Bill, he fotched 'em from de city dis
afternoon," remarked Chloe, as she was preparing her little charge for
bed that night.

"Oh, have they, mammy? let me see them!" was Elsie's eager exclamation.

Chloe went to her room and was back again in a moment with a bundle in
her hand, which Elsie immediately seized and opened with eager haste.

"Oh, how pretty!" she cried, capering about with them in her hands,
"aren't they, mammy? Won't papa be pleased?"

Then starting at the sound of his step in the adjoining room, she threw
them into a drawer which Chloe had hastily opened for the purpose.

"Elsie," said her father, opening the door and putting in his head, "why
are you not in bed, my daughter? you will take cold standing there half
undressed. Go to bed immediately."

"Yes, papa, I will," she replied submissively; and he drew back his head
again and shut the door.

"'Mighty narrow 'scape dat," remarked Chloe, laughing; "ef Massa had come
jes a minute sooner, de cat been out de bag sure 'nough."

Elsie made out her list the next day, with the help of some suggestions
from her father, and by Christmas eve all the purchases had been made,
and one of the closets in her bed-room was quite filled with packages
of various sizes and shapes.

The little gi