n. "It is such fun to see
people open presents. That's mamma's; open it first."

It was a flat squarish bundle, tied with a rose-colored ribbon. Cannie's
fingers shook with excitement as she undid the knot. Breakfast meantime
was at a stand-still. The girls were peeping over her shoulders, Mr.
Gray watching from behind his newspaper; even Frederic, with a plate of
hot toast in his hand, had paused, and out of one discreet eye was
observing her movements.

Inside was a flat case of gray polished wood, with a little silver
ornament in the middle. It opened with a snap. Cannie pressed the
spring, the lid flew up, and there, on a cushion of blue velvet, lay the
prettiest little Swiss watch imaginable, with C. V. A. enamelled on its
lid. There was a slender gold chain attached, a little enamelled
key,--nothing could be more complete.

"A watch! for me! to be my own!" cried Candace, hardly able to believe
her eyes. "I never thought I should have a watch, and such a darling
beauty as this. Oh, Cousin Kate!"

"I am glad it pleases you," said her cousin, with another kiss. "You
should have had it two years ago; but I thought you rather young to be
trusted with a watch then, so I kept it till we should meet."

"Oh, do make haste and open another! It's such fun to see you," pleaded
Marian.

One by one, the other parcels were unfastened. There was a little ring
of twisted gold from Georgie, a sachet of braided ribbons, dark and
light blue, from Gertrude, a slender silver bangle from Marian, and from
Mr. Gray a long roll of tissue paper in which lay six pairs of undressed
kid gloves in pretty shades of tan color and pale yellow. There was
besides a big box of candy. This, Mr. Gray declared, was his real
present. Cousin Kate was responsible for the gloves, but he knew very
well that there never yet was a girl of seventeen who did not have a
sweet tooth ready for a sugar-plum.

One bundle remained. It was tied with pink packthread instead of ribbon.
Cannie undid the string. It was a book, not new, bound in faded brown;
and the title printed on the back was "The Ladies' Manual of Perfect
Gentility."

"Who on earth gave you that?" demanded Marian.

Mrs. Gray looked surprised and not very well pleased.

"It is a joke, I suppose," she said. "Georgie, Gertrude,--which of you
has been amusing yourself in this odd way?"

"Not I, mamma," said Georgie. Gertrude felt the reproof in her mother's
manner, but she tried to laugh the m