n Diana's bright
face, and she remembered that Diana was delicate. One never thought of
her as an invalid, for she was always so cheerful.

"I think it is nice for people to be delicate," Peggy hastened to add,
"but not for dolls. If a doll is delicate, she might get broken."

"Our dolls are people," Alice said, "aren't they, Diana?"

"Certainly," said Diana. "They are just as much people as the Rhode
Island Reds are."

"Indeed, they are not," said Peggy. "My darling Rhode Island Reds are
alive."

"Your Rhode Island Reds could be killed and eaten," said Alice. "Nobody
would eat a doll any more than they would a person. And they look like
people, and the Rhode Island Reds don't."

It was hard for Peggy to have Alice and Diana sleep together without
wanting her. It was the first time in her life that she had not slept
with Alice the night before her birthday. In fact, the only times she
could remember their being separated at night was when Alice had the
measles, and one other time, when she herself had gone for a short visit
to her grandmother with her father. And the worst of it was, there was
plenty of room for three in the wide bed, if it were not for the room
those ridiculous dolls took up. Diana was her intimate friend just as
much as she was Alice's. Indeed, even more, because they liked to read
the same books and to write stories. Diana was nearer her age than
Alice's; and yet, Alice liked to have these stupid dolls sleep with her
better than her own flesh-and-blood sister!

Mrs. Owen noticed that Peggy looked very sober at supper time, and,
while she was helping with the dishes, she said, "What is my little girl
looking unhappy about?"

"Do I look unhappy, mother?"

"Yes, what is the trouble?"

Then Peggy told her the whole story.

"Now, Peggy, let's sit right down and see what we can do about it," said
Mrs. Owen. "You are jealous because Alice wants Diana all to herself. It
is very natural, but it is not a nice feeling."

"I am not jealous of Diana," said Peggy; "but I just can't stand having
Alice like to play with dolls better than to play with me. I could tell
them fairy-stories, and see things on the wall."

"But that is no treat for Alice. You can do that any night. What she
wants is somebody who likes to play dolls just as much as she does. It
is Alice's birthday we are celebrating, not yours. When your birthday
comes, you can have Diana all to yourself, if you like, for the night."

"But