But it was just at this juncture when Uncle Tucker's patience was
about to be exhausted, that a summons from Rose Mary came for a
general getting ready for the birthday celebration.

And in a very few hours the festivities were in full swing. Miss
Lavinia sat in state in her rocker and received the offerings and
congratulations of Sweetbriar as they were presented in various
original and characteristic forms. Young Peter Rucker, still a bit
unsteady on his pink and chubby underpinning, was steered forward to
present his glossy buckeye, hung on a plaited horse-hair string that
had been constructed by small Jennie with long and infinite patience.
Miss Lavinia's commendations threw both donor and constructor into an
agony of bashfulness from which Pete took refuge in Rose Mary's skirts
and Jennie behind her mother's chair. But at this juncture the arrival
on the scene of action of young Bob Nickols with a whole two-horse
wagon-load of pine cones, which the old lady doted on for the freshing
up of the tiny fires always kept smoldering in her andironed fireplace
the summer through, distracted the attention of the company and was
greeted with great applause. Bob had been from early morning over on
Providence Nob collecting the treasures, and, seated beside him on the
front of the wagon, was Louisa Helen Plunkett, blushing furiously and
most obviously avoiding her mother's stern eye of inquiry as to where
she had spent the valuable morning hours.

The sensation of young Bob's offering was only offset at the unpacking
of the complacent Mr. Crabtree's gift, which he bore over from the
store in his own arms. With dramatic effect he placed it on the floor
at Miss Lavinia's feet and called for a hatchet for its opening. And
as from their wrappings of paper and excelsior he drew two large gilt
and glass bottles, one containing bay rum and the other camphor, that