“For Lady Eliza,” broke in Dolly; “she’s never had a party, and she’d just love one. How many do you think we’d better ask?”
“A party! For Eliza!” said Aunt Rachel, helplessly. “What do you mean?”
“Yes, a party. Girls and boys, you know, and Teddy Bears, and dolls, and everybody bring something.”
“Bring something! to eat?” exclaimed Aunt Abbie, in dismay, for it sounded like a general picnic.
“Oh, no, not to eat!” explained Dolly; “but to be company for Eliza, ’cause it’s her party. And if you say so, we’ll only have Pinkie and Jack, but we’d like to have more.”
“Tell us about it more slowly,” suggested Aunt Abbie; “and don’t both talk at once.”
“You tell, Dick,” said Dolly. “You can talk slower ’n I can.”
“Well,” said Dick, “we thought it would be fun to have a party of about a dozen boys and girls, but have it for Lady Eliza’s party,—just for fun, you know.”
“And what’s this about bears?”
“Yes; have each boy and girl bring a doll or a bear, or a hobby horse or a Jack-in-the-box, or anything like that, so it will be Eliza’s party too.”