n though the process might cause her some
heartache.

Thus it came about that Tom, Carrie, Rob, and Rose, each received a
letter (together with the gift each had sent) almost by return mail.

Tom's ran:

_My dear Cousin_: Thank you very much for the novel you sent me, but I
am going to ask you to change it for a book of travels. I like that
kind better, and mother and all my friends give me travels whenever
they want to please me. I might as well have something I want as
something different, I suppose, so I am asking you to change.

Very lovingly
YOUR COUSIN HELEN

Carrie read this:

_My dear Carrie_: Thank you for the pretty little turnover collar and
cuffs you sent me for my birthday; but I think it is so funny you never
noticed that I don't care for pink. Mother found it out even when I
was but little more than a baby. Oh, I can wear it, but I don't care
for it. Don't feel badly, however, my dear Carrie; all you've got to
do is just to take these back and make me some blue ones, and I know
you won't mind doing that.

Lovingly
COUSIN HELEN

Rob's letter ran:

_My dear Rob_: I am writing to thank you for the box of chocolates you
sent yesterday. I am sending them back to you, though, because I
seldom eat chocolates. Oh, no, they don't hurt me, but I don't like
them as well as I do caramels, so won't you please change them? Mother
gives me a box of candy every Christmas, but it is never chocolates. I
know you would rather give me what I like, Rob, dear.

Lots of love
COUSIN HELEN

Rose had striven early and late over a crocheted tidy, spending long
hours of her playtime in doing work to which her fingers were but
little accustomed. She confidently expected a loving letter of thanks
and praise, and could scarcely wait to open the envelope. This is what
she read:

_My dear Rose_: Thank you very much for the tidy, dear, but whatever in
the world caused you to make it in that stitch? I like shell-stitch
ever so much better, so would you mind doing it over for me? I am
returning this one, for maybe you will decide to ravel it out; if you
don't, you can just make me a new one. Mother has crocheted several
things for me, but most of them are in shell-stitch, which, after all,
is about the only stitch I care for.

Lots of love from
YOUR COUSIN HELEN

After a dazed five minutes of letter-reading, the four children hurried
to the attic--always their refuge for a conference. Th