lly.

"Alexia!" Then Polly turned and gave a loving little pat on the long
back.

"Don't," said Alexia, shrinking away from the shower of congratulations
on having made the best choice, and thought of the very thing that was
likely to unite the whole school on a gift. "It's nothing. I couldn't
help but write it. It was the only thing I thought of."

"Well; it was just as clever in you as could be, so there now!" Clem
nodded over at her, and buried all animosity at once.

"And think how nice it will be, when it's all engraved inside the case
with what we want to say," said Polly, with shining eyes.

"And a great big monogram outside," said Silvia, with enthusiasm, "and
one of those twisted chains--oh, how fine!" She shook out her silver
bracelets till they jingled all her enthusiasm; and the entire committee
joining, the vote was taken to propose to the rest of the "Salisbury
girls," on the morrow, the gift of a watch and chain to the future Mrs.
John Clemcy.

And the watch and chain was unanimously chosen by the "Salisbury girls"
as the gift of all gifts they wanted to bestow upon their teacher on her
wedding day; and they all insisted that Polly Pepper should write the
inscription; so there it was, engraved beautifully on the inner side of
the case: "Anstice Salisbury, with the loving regard of her pupils." And
there was a beautiful big monogram on the outside; and the long chain
was double and twisted, and so handsome that Silvia's mother protested
she hadn't a word to say but the very highest praise!

Oh, and the presentation of it came about quite differently from what
was expected, after all. For the gift was to be sent with a little note,
representing the whole school, and written, as was quite proper, by
Polly Pepper, the chairman of the committee. But Miss Salisbury, to whom
the precious parcel had been intrusted, said suddenly, "Why don't you
give it to her yourselves, girls?"

It was, of course, the place of the chairman of the committee to speak.
So Polly said, "Oh, would she like to have us, Miss Salisbury?"

"Yes, my dears. I know she would. She feels badly to go and leave you
all, you know," and there were tears in the blue eyes that always looked
so kindly on them. "And it would be a very lovely thing for you to do,
if you would like to."

"We should _love_ to do it," cried Polly warmly. "May we go now, dear
Miss Salisbury?"

"Yes," said Miss Salisbury, very much pleased; "she is in the red