sie,
softly stroking and patting the hand she held, then lifting it to her
lips; for she was sitting on a stool at her mother's feet, while the
others had grouped themselves around her, "suffering so with that
sprained ankle."

"Ah there you are mistaken, my child," Grandma Elsie answered with her
own sweet smile, "for I had a most enjoyable day in spite of the injury
that kept me a prisoner in my room; my father brought me a beautiful
doll-baby, quite as large as some live ones that I have seen, and a
quantity of pretty things to be used in its adornment. My little friends
and I had a merry, happy time cutting out garments and making them up.

"The next Christmas and New Year's Day were spent in our sweet new home
at the Oaks, which my papa had bought and furnished in the mean time.

"My Christmas gifts were beautiful; from papa books and a pearl necklace
and bracelets--now the property of my daughter Rosie"--smiling down at
Rosie as she spoke--"and a ring to match from him who was afterward my
beloved husband; also books from his mother and my Aunt Adelaide. They
were our guests at dinner that day.

"Between breakfast and dinner I had the pleasure of distributing gifts
among the house servants and the negroes at the quarter; then a ride
with papa; and the evening, till my early bedtime, was spent sitting on
his knee."

"But you are going to tell us about that New Year's, too, mamma, aren't
you?" asked Walter, as she paused in her narrative, sitting quietly with
a pensive, far off look in her soft brown eyes.

"Yes," she said, rousing from her reverie, "I remember it was on the day
after Christmas that papa asked me if I was going to make a New Year's
present to each of my little friends.

"Of course I was delighted with the idea, especially as he allowed me
great latitude in regard to the amount to be spent."

"And did he take you to the stores and let yon choose the presents,
Grandma Elsie?" asked Lulu. "That would be half the fun, I think."

"My dear, indulgent father would have done so, had I been able to bear
the fatigue," Grandma Elsie replied, "but at that time I was quite
feeble from a severe illness. He did not think me strong enough to visit
the stores, but ordered goods sent out to the Oaks for me to select
from, which gave me nearly as much enjoyment us I could have found in
going to the city in search of them."

"Did you find gifts to suit, mamma?" queried Walter. "And oh won't you
tell us how