"What's that--thinking?"
"Yes, Papa."
"It worries me, dearest, to have you doing anything as serious as that."
"Papa, it is serious. Listen!"
"I'm listening,"
"I've a wonderful idea--I'm going to give a party!"
"Splendid--hope you'll ask me!"
"And I'm going to invite Satty Morrison, and Julia Grant, and Hetty Van Buren, and Maisie Smith, and the two Patterson girls, and perhaps Alicia Stewart--and we are going to have ice-cream, and lady's-fingers, and chocolate-cake, and Christmas crackers, if I can buy them this time of year--and, Papa, it's going to be a hat-party."
"Oh, a hat-party, goodness me, what's that?"
"To give away all the silly, extravagant hats I've bought--though I'll have to get two new ones to make them go round--but you won't mind that, will you?"