When Christmas Day came, however, mama was so much better that
she could lie on the lounge. The children all brought their
stockings into her room to open them.

"You children all seem as happy as if you had had your usual
Christmas tree," said mama, as they sat around her.

"Why, I NEVER had such a happy Christmas before," said sweet
little Agnes. "And it's just because you are well again."

"Now I think you must all run out for the rest of the day," said
the nurse, "because your mama wants to see you all again this
evening."

"I wish we could get up something expressly for mama's
amusement," said Agnes, when they had gone into the nursery.

"How would you like to have some tableaux in here?" asked their
French governess, Miss Marcelle.

"Oh, yes," they all cried, "it would be fun, mama loves
tableaux."

So all day long they were busy arranging five tableaux for the
evening. The tableaux were to be in the room which had
folding-doors opening into Mrs. Wendell's sitting-room.

At the proper time Miss Marcelle stepped outside the
folding-doors and made a pretty little speech. She said that some