When the gilded horn was empty, Rose ran to where a giant scallop shell was standing. It was formed of papier-mache, and decorated to look like the texture of a shell.
"Guess what's in this!" she said, looking over her shoulder to laugh at them.
"Oh, is it Sprite?" Princess Polly asked eagerly. "You were in the big rose. Is Sprite in the beautiful shell?"
Rose lightly touched the top edge of the shell.
It opened wide, and there, sure enough sat Sprite all clad in soft flesh pink gauze and coral, coral everywhere.
Strings of coral beads held her golden hair in place, hung from her neck and arms, encircled her slender waist.
She extended her arms, and then as the musicians played a little prelude, she commenced to sing.
"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."