how quickly the hours flew by! Before anyone realized
it, the great clock in the hall struck two, and promptly the small
guests began to arrive. Happy voices filled the house, happy faces
beamed from every corner, happy hearts beat high with Christmas cheer;
the very air seemed charged with happiness. The four younger sisters
made charming hostesses, Grandma Campbell proved to be a rare
entertainer, and the dignified President won everlasting fame as a
story-teller and leader in games.

"_Everything_ was a success," as Hope thankfully declared when the last
guest had departed, and the happy group had congregated in grandma's
room to talk things over while Jud and his corps of helpers were setting
things to rights for the evening party.

"Yes," Peace reluctantly conceded, "but think how much nicer it would
have been if we could have had it in the evening like grown-up folks."

"Still harping about that?" laughed Faith, pausing in the doorway with
her arms full of holly wreaths ready to be hung. "Daytime is made for
children. Gail and I didn't intrude at your party."

"That ain't 'cause you wasn't invited," Peace replied pointedly.

"But we couldn't very well come," Faith answered hastily. "There were so
many things we had to get ready for our tree tonight."

"Getting things ready for a tree ain't like having to lie in bed and
hear all the noise and music and know you can't have any share at _all_
in them," Peace persisted; but Faith had already vanished down the
stairway, and only a tantalizing laugh floated back in reply.

A hush fell over the little company in the cosy room, each busy with
happy thoughts or rosy day-dreams, as she stared at the glowing embers
in the great fireplace or watched the white flakes drifting down through
the early twilight outside. Then there was a firm step on the stair, a
cheery voice from the hallway broke the spell, and six pair of eyes were
lifted to greet the busy President as he briskly entered the room and
paused to survey the pretty scene.

"Well, well," he said bluffly, "what's the difficulty? Quarrelling?"

"No, sir!" they shouted emphatically.

"We were just thinking--" Henderson began.

"How nice it would be if little folks were invited to grown-up parties,"
finished Peace, who seemed possessed of only that one idea.

"That's just what I have been thinking, too," was the surprising
confession from the tall man on the hearth rug.

"Wh-at!"

"Well, when mother and I