d me a good deal that a stranger would never have
thought of. I knew there were some kinds of bright mornings which were
really less hopeful than the dull and gloomy ones, but there was nothing
of that sort to-day, so I curled myself round in bed again with a
delightful feeling that there was nothing to be feared from the weather.

I did not dare to get up till I heard Kezia's knock at the door--for
that was one of grandmamma's rules, and though she had not many rules,
those there _were_ had to be obeyed, I can assure you.

I must have fallen asleep again, for the next thing I remember was
hearing grandmamma's voice, and there she was, standing beside my bed.

'Oh, granny!' I called out, 'what a shame for you to be the one to wake
me on _your_ birthday.'

'No, dear,' said grandmamma, 'it is quite right. Kezia hasn't been yet,
it is just about her time.'

I sprang up and ran to the table, where I had put my little present for
grandmamma the night before, for of course I had got a present for her
all of my own, besides having planned the treat with the Nestors.

I remember what my present was that year. It was a little box for
holding buttons, which I had bought at the village shop, and it had a
picture of the old, old Abbey Church at Middlemoor on its lid.
Grandmamma has that button-box still, I saw it in her work-basket only
yesterday. I was very proud of it, for it was the first year I had saved
pennies enough to be able to _buy_ something instead of working a
present for grandmamma.

She did seem so pleased with it. I remember now the look in her eyes as
she stooped to kiss me. Then she turned and lifted something which I had
not noticed from a chair standing near.

'This is my present for my little girl,' she said, and though I was
inclined to say that it was not fair for her to give me presents on her
birthday, I was so delighted with what she held out for me to see that I
really could scarcely speak.

What do you think it was?

A new frock--the prettiest by far I had ever had. The stuff was white,
embroidered by grandmamma herself in sky-blue, in such a pretty pattern.
She had sat up at night to do it after I was in bed.

'Oh, grandmamma,' I said, 'how beautiful it is! Oh, may I--' but then I
stopped short--'may I wear it to-day?' was what I was going to say. But,
'oh no,' I went on, 'it might get dirtied.'

'You are to wear it to-day, dear,' said grandmamma, 'if that is what you
were going to say, so