"Oh," admired Polly, "is n't that lovelicious! I'm so glad for Elsie!"
"Yes," Miss Lucy went on, "I think she will like it. We wanted to give her something that she would keep to remember the day by, and we could n't think of anything better. She has a poor little home, though her mother works hard and does all she can to make the children happy. But Elsie can't have had many bright things in her life, so we're going to try to make her birthday as pleasant as possible."
"I should think this would please anybody, it is so beautiful!" and Polly laid it gently back in its little case.
Presently she was downstairs again, happy in the knowledge of sharing a secret with Miss Lucy and Dr. Dudley.
After dinner she read to the children from her new book of fairy tales, and the Miss Lucy taught them some new games that they could all play—even those who were still in bed.
They were just finishing one of these, when the strains of an old song suddenly sounded near by.
"Oh, a hand-organ!" somebody shouted, and they flocked to the windows.
"And he's got a monkey!" squealed Brida.
"Oh, that's 'count o' my birthday!" cried the happy Elsie. "I do wish he'd come up here!"
Her words floated down to the organ grinder, and at once he allowed the monkey more length of cord. The little animal began to climb the wisteria vine, and presently was doffing his tiny red cap to the children, who shrieked with delight.