-natured by this time, so she got up from the bed, and
let her mother brush her hair, and forgot to complain about things, or
make bargains concerning her Christmas presents, while she looked
through the window and watched the girls playing ring-toss down on the
lawn.

"The girls that go to this school are n't one bit stylish," she said
presently. "I guess I shall have nicer clothes than any of them. I
wonder if they are nice girls. Do you spose I shall like them, mamma?"

"Oh, yes, I am sure you will," said her mother, encouragingly. "They
are very nice, I am sure, and you will be so happy here that you won't
hardly want to come home for the holidays. It won't be long before
Christmas comes, so if you get homesick you must remember that."

"I guess I won't be homesick, if I can do as I want, and have plenty of
candy and cake," said Maude, carelessly. "I am glad Ruby Harper is
here, I shall not be so lonely then."

"You must give her some of the things I send you," said her mother.

"I will see," said Maude. "If she does as I want her to I will, but I
am not going to give them all away. I want to keep some for myself."

"Now your hair looks all right," said her mother, giving one last brush
to the waves of tightly crimped hair that fell below Maude's waist.
"We will go downstairs and see the school-room, and look about the
garden."

In the mean time Ruby had been helping Aunt Emma unpack her little
trunk and she was so impatient to see what was in the mysterious
package that Orpah had given her that she could scarcely wait for the
trunk to be unlocked.

She lifted it out, and laid it on the bed, and untied the string.

"See if you can guess what is in it," she said to Aunt Emma.

"I guess a work-box," Aunt Emma said.

"I can't guess at all," Ruby answered, as she opened the paper, and
found another wrapping of tissue paper covering the gift.

"Oh, Aunt Emma, what do you spose it is? See how carefully it is
wrapped up."

She unfolded the tissue paper, and then she gave a little scream of
delight. I think you would have been just as delighted as Ruby herself
was, if you had had such a beautiful gift.

It was a little writing-desk, with a plate on the top, with the word
Ruby engraved upon it, and a lock in front, with a little key in it.
When Ruby turned the key, and opened the lid, she was more delighted
even than she had been at first; for surely, no little girl ever had a
prettier desk, with a