ited, and when Edna returned home on Friday evening Cousin
Ben informed her that he, too, was going.

"Why, Cousin Ben," she said in pleased surprise, "how does that happen,
when you are such a big boy, really a man, you know?"

"I must confess I fished for an invitation," he told her. "Mrs.
MacDonald was over here to ask if Charlie and Frank could come and I
said, 'What's the matter with asking me, too?' and so I got my invite. I
wouldn't miss it for a six-pence." Cousin Ben and Mrs. MacDonald were
great friends and he was quite intimate at the big gray house so it was
no wonder that he wanted to be at Margaret's first party.

It was as Ben said "a queer mix-up." The first to arrive were the four
children from the Home of the Friendless, three little girls and one
little boy. One of the teachers brought them out and remained in order
to take them back again. The big gray house looked cheerful and more
attractive than usual, for flowers were Mrs. MacDonald's great pleasure
and they were everywhere, making up for the plainness of the
furnishings, for Mrs. MacDonald did not believe in showiness. Her house
was thoroughly comfortable but not elegant.

These first arrivals were very shy, quite awe-stricken and sat on the
edges of their chairs scarce daring to move until Margaret took them out
to see the greenhouses. After that they were a little more at their ease
for each came back with a flower. By a little after three all had
arrived, the Porter boys with their Punch and Judy show which they had
promised to bring, and Ben with his banjo. All the girls wore plain
frocks with no extra ornaments, Margaret herself being not much better
dressed than her friends from the Home.

The Punch and Judy show was given first as a sort of prelude to the
games which were to follow, and in these even the older girls joined
with spirit. The main idea seemed to be that everyone should do his or
her best to make the party a success and to give the poorer children as
good a time as possible. Ben, be it said, was the life of the occasion.
He kept everyone going, never allowed a dull moment, and if nothing else
was planned, he would pick up his banjo and give a funny coon song, so
that it was no wonder Mrs. MacDonald was glad to have invited him.

Probably in all their lives the Friendlessers never forgot the wonderful
table to which they were led when refreshments were served, and which
they talked of for weeks afterward. Here there was n