the children should have their music-lessons
again.

Alice's birthday came in February, and when her mother asked her what
she would like best, in the way of a celebration, she did not hesitate a
minute.

"I should like to have Diana come the night before and spend the whole
day."

"Don't you want any one else?"

"No one else," said Alice, "except you and Peggy, of course. I never
have played dolls all I wanted to, because Peggy doesn't like to play,
and so, on my birthday, I'd like to have just a feast of dolls, from
morning until night."

"But there will be your school," said her mother. "I couldn't let you
skip that."

"Couldn't you? I thought perhaps you could."

"No, I couldn't. I think it would be better if Diana came to dinner and
for the afternoon."

"No," said Alice, "the night is the best part. Peggy can sleep in the
spare room, and we can have our dolls sleep with us, and the next day,
Diana can rest while I go to school."

It seemed a pretty good plan--Alice's plans were usually reasonable. The
only doubt was, whether Diana would be well enough to make the little
visit. But she was well enough, and her father drove her down in his
sleigh, all bundled up in many wraps. Diana had on a brown cap made of
beaver fur that almost matched her golden-brown hair. And over this, to
make sure she did not take cold, was a thick, brown veil. Wrapped around
her shoulders and pinned with a large gilt pin, in the shape of a
feather, was a warm, green-and-blue plaid shawl. Under this was her own
brown coat, and under that, a blue sweater. Peggy undid her wraps and
pulled off her blue mittens.

They had a fire in the parlor because Diana was coming, and they gave
Diana the small company chair that their grandmother used to sit in when
she was a little girl.

While Peggy was busy getting Diana out of her wraps, Alice was taking
off the wraps of her namesake Alice, and those of Peggy Owen Carter, for
Diana had been asked to bring these two with her. The dolls were wrapped
up in the same way their little mother was, only they wore hoods instead
of fur caps, and they did not have sweaters under their coats. But they
were carefully wrapped up in Turkish towels, instead of shawls.

"I hope my children have not taken cold," said Diana. "Peggy is rather
delicate."

"I won't have a delicate namesake," said Peggy. "She can't be delicate
if she is named for me."

No sooner had Peggy said it than she noticed a shadow o