It was an invitation from Mrs. Howard—­the mother of Elsie’s friend, Caroline—­to Mr. Dinsmore and his little girl, to come and spend the Christmas holidays with them.

“Well, my pet, what do you say to it? would you like to go?” he asked, as he refolded the note and returned it to his pocket.

“I don’t know, papa; it seems as if it would be pleasant, as we are both invited; but home is so sweet, and I am so happy just alone with you that I hardly want to go away; so if you please, papa, I would much rather just leave it all to you.”

“Well, then, we will stay quietly at home,” he said, with a gratified look; “and I think it will be much the better plan, for you are not strong enough yet for gayety, and it would be very little pleasure for you to be there while unable to join in the sports, and obliged always to keep early hours.

“But we might have a Christmas dinner at home, and invite a few friends to help us eat it.  Whom would you like to have?”

“Mr. and Mrs. Travilla, and Aunt Adelaide, and Lora, if you please, papa, and anybody else you like,” she replied, looking very much pleased.  “I should like to have Carry Howard, but of course I can’t—­as she is going to have company of her own; and I believe nearly all the little girls I am acquainted with are to be there.”

“Yes, I suppose so.  Well, we will ask those you have mentioned, and I hope they will come.  But there is the tea-bell, and I shall carry my dolly out to the dining-room,” he said, rising with her in his arms.

“Papa,” she said, when they had returned to their seats by the study fire, “may I give mammy a nice present this Christmas?”

“Yes,” he replied kindly, “I supposed you would want to give some presents, and I have just been thinking how it might be managed, as you are not fit to shop for yourself.  As you have not had any pocket-money for several months, I will allow you now to spend as much as you choose—­provided you keep within tolerably reasonable bounds,” he added, smiling; “so you may make out a list of all the articles you want, and I will purchase them for you.  Will that do?”

“Oh, nicely, papa!” she cried, clapping her hands with delight, “it was very good of you to think of all that.”

“De slippers is come, darlin’; Bill, he fotched ’em from de city dis afternoon,” remarked Chloe, as she was preparing her little charge for bed that night.

“Oh, have they, mammy? let me see them!” was Elsie’s eager exclamation.

Chloe went to her room and was back again in a moment with a bundle in her hand, which Elsie immediately seized and opened with eager haste.

“Oh, how pretty!” she cried, capering about with them in her hands, “aren’t they, mammy?  Won’t papa be pleased?”

Then starting at the sound of his step in the adjoining room, she threw them into a drawer which Chloe had hastily opened for the purpose.