"'It is some one to see you,' said Mrs. Morris. But Johnny did not
reply. He was nowhere to be seen. At the first sound he had quietly
slipped out of the room and I could now see him hiding behind the
curtains in the library. Soon Sarah came ushering three or four little
barefooted children into the parlor.

"'They've come to Johnny's party, ma'am,' she explained to Mrs. Morris,
who looked up from her work as the children entered.

"'How do you do, my dears?' said Mrs. Morris sweetly, though I could
see she was greatly surprised. 'I believe I don't know your names, so
you will have to introduce yourselves.'

"The children looked bashful, and made no reply.

"'You are not Johnny Morris' schoolmates, are you?' she questioned.

"'No, ma'am,' answered the tallest girl, as she gazed about the
handsome room with wide-open eyes, I could see that she was not
accustomed to such beautiful things.

"Where did you get acquainted with him, then?' went on Mrs. Morris
kindly.

"'We hain't acquainted at all, ma'am; but he seed us on the street this
morning, and said for us to come to his party to-day. He thought as
how maybe they'd be ice-cream to eat, and he told us where he lived,
and so we are here.'

"'Well, we must try to make you have a pleasant time,' she replied.