honor of St. Valentine's Day.

As usual, the girls had new dresses, and they represented Mrs. St. Clair's
idea of valentines.

Ethelyn's was of blue, and Patty's of pink silk, and they were trimmed with
innumerable lace flutings and garlands of flowers. They were further
decorated with gilt hearts pierced by darts, and with skilfully made
artificial doves which perched on the shoulders of the wearers.

The party was a very pretty one, as Aunt Isabel's parties always were.

The rooms were decorated with roses and pink ribbons, and gilt hearts and
darts, and feathered doves and wax cupids. At supper the ices and cakes
were heart-shaped, and after the children had returned to the drawing-room
St. Valentine himself appeared.

As Patty suspected, it was Uncle Robert dressed up to represent the old
Saint, with flowing white hair and beard and a gilt paper halo. He wore a
long white robe with red hearts dotted all over it, and carried a gilt bow
and arrow.

He carried also a pack or pouch full of valentines which he distributed to
the guests.

Of course they were very handsome affairs, and in each was hidden some
dainty trifle, handkerchief, fan or bonbons.

Besides those at the party, Patty received numerous other valentines, some
of which came by mail, and others in the good old-fashioned way, under the