there."

"I can't see our way clear to a Christmas dinner in Boxley Hall," said
Mr. Fairfield; "but I think I can promise you, chick, that you can
invite your revered uncle and his family to dine with you there on New
Year's day."

There were general exclamations of delight at this from all except Patty,
who looked a little bewildered.

"What's the matter, Patsie?" said her uncle. "Don't you want to entertain
your admiring relatives?"

"Yes," said Patty, "of course I do; but it scares me to death to think of
it! How can I have a dinner party, when I don't know anything about
anything?"

"Aunt Alice will tell you something about something," said her father;
"and I'll tell you the rest about the rest."

"Oh, I know it will be all right," said Patty, quickly regaining
confidence, as she looked at her father. "If papa says the house will be
ready, I know it will be, and if he says we'll have a dinner party on New
Year's day, I know we will; and so I now invite you all, and I expect you
all to accept; and I hope Aunt Alice will come early."

"I shall come the night before," said Marian, "so as to be sure to be
there in time."

"I'm not sure that any of us will be there the night before," said Mr.
Fairfield, laughing. "I've guaranteed the house for the dinner, but I
didn't say we would be living there at the time."

"That's a good idea," said Aunt Alice; "let Patty entertain her first
company there, and then come back here for the reaction."

"Well, we'll see," said Patty; "but I'd like to go there the first day of
January, and stay there."

By some unknown methods, Mr. Fairfield managed to stir up the mud-turtle
workmen to greater activity, and the work went rapidly on. The
wall-papers seemed to get themselves into place, and the floors took on
a beautiful polish; bustling men came out from the city and put up
window-shades, and curtains, and draperies; and, under Mr. Fairfield's
supervision, laid rugs and hung pictures.

The ladies of the Elliott household organised themselves into a most
active sewing-society.

Grandma, Aunt Alice, Marian, and Patty hemmed tablecloths and napkins
with great diligence, and even little Edith was allowed to help with the
kitchen towels.

Everybody was so kind that Patty began to feel weighed down with
gratitude. The girls of the Tea Club made the tea-cloth that they had
proposed, and they also brought offerings of pin-cushions, and doilies
and centre-pieces, until Patty's