ed with the softest velvet--just the
thing for your party tonight, Faith, s'posing I was invited. And
there's a plaid dress and a plain red one and a brown one and a dark
blue--six in all--and two coats. _Two!_ Think of that! Mercy, ain't we
rich now? Are you awake, all of you? Are you listening? Ain't this
different from last year?"

Ah, how well they all remembered that last Christmas, and what a hymn of
praise and thanksgiving went up from each of those six hearts for the
joy and good tidings this Christmas had brought them!

Before Peace had finished shouting her catalog of gifts, the other
sisters were awake--and indeed, the whole household was astir--examining
the generous remembrances loving hands had heaped around their beds as
they slept. And what a merry time they made of it! Gussie could scarcely
prevail upon anyone to touch her tempting breakfast, for excitement had
dulled the usually hearty appetites; the young folks found their
treasures more alluring than any breakfast table could possibly be, and
the President and his wife hovered over them to enjoy the sight of their
joy.

"A body'd think they had never seen a Christmas Day before," muttered
Marie, waiting impatiently in her snowy cap and apron to serve the
rapidly cooling breakfast.

"It's many a long day since they have seen one like this," said Gussie
loyally, smiling gratefully as she thought of the liberal number of
packages old Santa had left hanging to her door during the night. But at
length the meal was ended, Marie had carried the dishes away, Jud
appeared with a step-ladder and hammer, and the younger trio were
banished upstairs to amuse themselves until the last of the party
decorations were put in place. This was not a hard thing to do,
fortunately, and for once not one of them raised any objection to being
exiled in this fashion.

"Why, I've enough things of my own to look at and think about to last me
a week," Cherry breathed ecstatically.

"Yes, and s'posing you did get tired of that," spoke up Peace, "there's
all the rest of the girls' bundles to 'xamine. They've each got a
hundred 'most near, I sh'd think."

So for a long time they fluttered from room to room, admiring the pretty
things that were now their own, nibbling chocolate drops, or discussing
the party scheduled for two o'clock that afternoon. Then gradually
conversation flagged; each girl sought a favorite retreat, and
surrounded by her pile of belongings, sat down to