The faces of the children were beaming with delight, and their young
voices united in a chorus of expressions of pleasure and thanks to
Grandma Elsie.

"I am glad you are all pleased with the idea," she said. "We will try to
provide as great a variety of amusements as possible, and shall be glad
of any hints or suggestions from old or young in regard to anything new
in that line."

"We will all try to help you, mamma," Violet said, "and not be jealous
or envious if your party should far outshine ours of last year."

"And we have more than a month to get ready in," remarked Rosie with
satisfaction. "Oh I'm so glad mamma has decided on it in such good
season!"

"Hello!" cried Max, glancing back toward an intersecting road which they
had just crossed, "Here they come!"

"Who?" asked several voices, while all turned their heads to see for
themselves.

"The Oaks, and the Roselands folks," answered Max, and as he spoke two
large sleighs came swiftly up in the rear of their own, their occupants
calling out merry greetings, and receiving a return in kind.

The wind had fallen, the cold was not intense, and they were so well
protected against it by coats and robes of fur, that they scarcely felt
it, and found the ride so thoroughly enjoyable that they kept it up