the time."

"Miss Ethelwyn," said Nancy, appearing, "there are callers in the
drawing-room, and your grandmother wishes you to come in."

Ethelwyn went in, and was presented to several of the ladies of the
church, who had come to see about a reception to be given to the
clergyman and his new young wife. It was, Ethelwyn found with joy, to be
given at Grandmother Van Stark's.

"O may I stay up?" she begged, and grandmother, who always found it hard
to deny her grandchildren anything, said she might. When evening came,
Ethelwyn dressed in her best white frock, a little later than the hour
when she usually went to bed, came down the staircase with grandmother,
who was more stately and lovely than ever? In her black velvet gown,
with the great portrait brooch of Grandfather Van Stark, surrounded by
diamonds, in the beautiful old lace around her neck.

Grandmother was permitted to sit while receiving the guests. Between her
chair and where the clergyman and his wife stood, Ethelwyn slipped her
own little rocker, and sat there, highly interested in the streams of
people that came by.

"It's like a funeral," she announced during a slight lull.

Grandmother and the clergyman looked around startled.

"Why, child, what do you know about funerals?" asked grandmother, while
the clergyman, of course, laughed.