The four little girls, Rosie, Evelyn, Lulu and Grace, had the Ion
carriage to themselves, and full of life and spirits, enjoyed their
drive extremely.

Both calls were made, only a short time spent at each place--hardly more
than enough for an exchange of greetings and a hasty examination, of
the Christmas trees and gifts--then they drove on to Ion, and the
holiday festivities so long looked forward to by the young people with
such eager expectation and delight, began.

The first thing of course was to take a view of the Christmas tree and
the presents.

Rosie and Evelyn had declined to tell what they were until they could
show them, even refusing to answer Lulu's eager query, put while they
were driving to the Oaks, "O Rosie, did your mamma give you the set of
pearls you wanted so badly?"

"Wait till we get to Ion and I'll show you all my presents; I received a
good many and ought not to fret if I did not get everything I wanted,"
was what Rosie said in reply, and Lulu, understanding it to mean that
there was some disappointment, concluded that the pearls had not been
given.

She was the more convinced of it when the presents on and about the tree
had been displayed and no pearls among them.

Rosie seemed in excellent spirits, however, and Lulu thought she had
good reason to be, for the gifts she showed as hers were many and
desirable.