l of wifehood. From the first,
love had meant to her the opportunity of giving rather than the
privilege of receiving, and her failure to regard herself as of supreme
consequence in any situation had protected her from the minor troubles
and disillusionments of marriage.

"It is too bad to think that dear Oliver will have to be away for two
whole weeks," said Mrs. Pendleton.

"Is he obliged to stay that long?" asked the rector, sympathetically.
Never having missed an anniversary since the war, he could look upon
Oliver's absence as a fit subject for condolence.

"He can't possibly come home until the play is produced, and that won't
be for two weeks yet," replied Virginia.

"But I thought it rested with the actors now. Couldn't they go on just
as well without him?"

"He thinks not, and, of course, it is such a great play that he doesn't
want to take any risks with it."

"Of course he doesn't," assented Mrs. Pendleton, who had believed that
the stage was immoral until Virginia's husband began to write for it.

"I know he'll come back the very first minute that he can get away,"
said Virginia with conviction, before she stooped to comfort Harry, who
was depressed by the discovery that he was not expected to eat his
entire cake, but instantly hopeful when he was promised a slice of
sister Lucy's in the summer.

Late in the afternoon, when the children, warmly wrapped in extra shawls
by Mrs. Pendleton, were led back through the cold to the house in Prince
Street, one and all of the party agreed that it was the nicest birthday
that had ever been. "I like grandma's cake better than our cake,"
announced Harry above his white muffler. "Why can't we have cake like
that, mamma?"

He was trotting sturdily, with his hand in Virginia's, behind the
perambulator, which contained a much muffled Jenny, and at his words
Mrs. Pendleton, who walked a little ahead, turned suddenly and hugged
him tight for an instant.

"Just listen to the darling boy!" she exclaimed, in a choking voice.

"Because nobody else can make such good cake as grandma's," answered
Virginia, quite as pleased as her mother. "And she's going to give you
one every birthday as long as you live."

"Can't I have another birthday soon, mamma?"

"Not till after sister Lucy's. You want sister Lucy to have one, don't
you? and dear little Jenny?"

"But why can't I have a cake without a birthday, mamma?"

"You may, precious, and grandma will make you one," said