a
very bright girl."

"Thank you, I am glad I am satisfactory. Do you need any more
suggestions?"

"It must be a real party; we must trim the house and have Carl present
the slumber robe; and do you think we could have a cake with candles?
Forty-eight would be a good many."

"Four dozen," said Dora, as Louise paused for breath. "Why don't you
leave the decorations to the boys? We have done our share in making
the afghan."

"Another brilliant idea. We will," said Bess.

They discussed it again over their work that afternoon, and Constance
and Elsie gave their entire approval to the plan.

A party at the Hazeltines' was always welcome, and the combination of
circumstances made this particularly pleasant to anticipate.

Their fingers flew as they talked, and by five o'clock the last stitch
was taken, and the work of nearly six months finished.

After surveying it fondly on all sides and trying its effect on Miss
Brown's sofa, it was reluctantly wrapped in a sheet and put away till
the all-important day.

It was hard to do justice to lessons the next week, with such
interesting preparations to be made. Aunt Zelie had shaken her head
over parties during the school term, but gave in to the plan that this
was a very special occasion. They couldn't help the fact that Uncle
William's birthday came in March.

Everything was ready in good time, Mr. Hazeltine was invited to
dinner, and a hint was given to his wife.

At seven o'clock on Thursday evening most of the party had assembled,
and the Hazeltine house was pervaded by an air of expectancy.

In the place of honor in the long drawing-room sat Miss Brown, who
could not resist the united urging of Aunt Zelie and the girls.

"We arranged this corner just for you," said Bess, coming to greet her
as soon as she was seated. "We knew you would look like a picture in
it."

Miss Brown laughed and said that would be a new sensation, as she had
never before been a picture.

"Oh, yes, you have been, but perhaps you didn't know it!" said Louise.
"This time you are to know it, and every one is to admire you, for you
are part of our decorations; I am glad you wore that lovely shawl."

She made a picture, truly, with her bright eyes and snowy hair against
the crimson velvet of the chair, a delicate white lace shawl over her
dark dress, and a copper lamp with a deep rose-colored shade throwing
a soft radiance about her.

"And here is somebody to keep you company," said B