conception of what a tinted function might be; but they one and all
seized upon Blossy's idea as if it were a veritable inspiration, and for
the time jealousies were forgotten, misunderstandings erased.

Such preparations as were made for that tea! The deaf-and-dumb gardener
was sent with a detachment of small boys to fetch from the wayside and
meadows armfuls of wild roses for the decorations. Miss Abigail made
pink icing for the cake. Ruby Lee hung bleeding-hearts over the
dining-room door. Aunt Nancy resurrected from the bottom of her trunk a
white lace cap with a rakish-looking pink bow for an adornment, and
fastened it to her scant gray hairs in honor of the occasion. Blossy
turned her pink china pig, his lid left up-stairs, into a sugar-bowl.

Pink, pink, pink, everywhere; even in Angy's proud cheeks! Pink, and
pink, and pink! Abe used to grow dizzy, afterward, trying to recall the
various pink articles which graced that tea.

But most delightful surprise of all was his anniversary gift, which was
slyly slipped to his place after the discussion of the rose-colored
strawberry gelatin. It was a square, five-pound parcel wrapped in pink
tissue-paper, tied with pink string, and found to contain so much
Virginia tobacco, which Blossy had inveigled an old Southern admirer
into sending her for "charitable purposes."

After the presentation of this valuable gift, Abraham felt that the time
had come for him to make a speech--practically his maiden speech.

He said at the beginning, more suavely at his ease than he would have
believed possible, secure of sympathy and approbation, with Angy's
glowing old eyes upon her prodigy, that all the while he had been at the