"I've lovely gifts for my dearest friends
I've something for each of you,
I've coral beads for the girls so fair,
I've scarfpins, dear boys, for you.
And always we will remember this,
That a gift has a value true,
But better far, than the finest gift
Is the love that we give to you."

"Oh, Sprite, dear Sprite!" they cried, as they thronged around her to
accept the beautiful coral. The girls gaily clasped the necklaces, and
quite as eagerly, the boys accepted the pretty scarf pins.

"Now, we'll have some magic!" Captain Atherton said, "and let us all
be seated here at this end of the parlor."

Quickly they turned to do as he said, and to their surprise, they found
that while Iris, and Rose, and Sprite had been entertaining them, the
housekeeper had arranged the seats in rows, as if at a private theatre.

They were soon seated, the musicians began to play some merry music,
and then two slender nimble fellows, all silk tights, and spangles,
ran in and began to balance great gilded balls on the tips of tiny
wands.

Then they spun plates on those same slender wands, they brought a huge
globe, and walked upon it, rolling it, by treading it, quite across
that end of the room. They did clever tricks that made the children
laugh, and at last, they rolled themselves up like balls, and rolled
right out of the room!