"Now, Mary, make the table look just as cheery as you can. Put the flowers at both ends, and choose the doilies with the brightest colors."
"Me, too, mudder?" piped up the three-year-old urchin tugging at her skirts.
"Yes, sugar plum, if you're awfully good and don't ask for anything at the table."
"Me good!" exclaimed the delighted child, dropping his mother's skirts and running in to tell his older sister.
"That means I'm to wash you up," said eight-year-old Eleanor, catching the youngster and smothering him with kisses.
The kitchen door opened to admit a noisy boy of ten.
"Golly! mother! Things smell good around here. Going to be a company dinner?"
"Yes, Teddy, and if you don't look just as clean as wax, you can't enter the domains!" returned his mother, smiling.
"Me for a wash-up!" exclaimed Teddy, throwing his hat high in the air. "Just watch me! I wouldn't miss a feed for anything."
Mother indulgently handed him a fresh cookie as he went out.