That waked her in a jiffy and immediately she remembered about the surprise that was to come and that she was to wear her best dress and biggest ribbon.

“Yes, Grandmother, my pink sash,” she answered, and she tossed off the light quilt Grandmother had spread over her and ran into the next room.  Grandmother was laying out her own best dress and shoes on her bed.  It was the first time Mary Jane had known of her wearing them and she guessed right away that something pretty important must be going on.

“What’s the surprise, Grandmother?” she asked eagerly, “can you tell me now?”

“Surely dear,” replied Grandmother kindly, “I’d have told you before only I was afraid you’d stay awake and ask questions.  To-night is the annual strawberry sociable of the village church and I thought maybe you’d like to go.  Your grandfather and I always attend and I think you’re old enough to go—­especially now, as you’ve had such a good sleep.”

Mary Jane stared at her grandmother as though she didn’t understand a word she had said.

“What is it—­a strawberry sociable?” she asked.

Grandmother bent down and kissed her.  “I forget my little city girl don’t know all our ways,” she said, smilingly.  “A strawberry sociable is our big time of the year.  We haven’t taken you to our church yet, dear, because your grandfather and I don’t go as regularly in the summer as we do in the winter, but maybe you’ve noticed it as we’ve driven through the village.  The little white church with the steeple and the green blinds?”

“Yes,” said Mary Jane, nodding eagerly, “I’ve seen it.  The one with the big yard.”

“That’s the one,” said Grandmother, “and it’s that yard we’re going to this evening.  All our people have fine gardens and a good many of us have berry patches.  We save our finest berries and take them to the church to-night for the sociable.  The folks who have no berries take cake and in that way every one helps and we raise money.  We’re trying to get enough for an organ now.”

“But how do you get the money?” asked Mary Jane, to whom this was all new.

“We sell the strawberries and cake—­ten cents for a dish of fruit with a piece of cake,” explained Grandmother.  “I expect you never heard of the like before, but I think you’ll have a good time all the same.  There’ll be other little girls there, Frances Westland and Helen Loiter and maybe others; you’ll have a beautiful time.  Now let’s get out your things.”

If there was one thing above another that Mary Jane loved to do, it was to dress up in her best clothes.  She loved the feel of the soft, fine materials and she liked the crisp hair ribbons and dainty shoes.  She was so glad that her mother had let her bring her brand new dress that she had worn to her birthday party and the wide pink hair ribbon and sash that went with it.  Grandmother said they would dress before supper as she wanted to be ready to go early for she knew that Mary Jane should not stay late.