“My dear child,” laughed her father, “it’s no sin to be old, so you need not be so ready to take up the cudgels for me.”
“Have you sent out your invitations, Lulu?” asked Zoe.
“No, ma’am, not yet.”
“You will have an opportunity to give them verbally to-morrow afternoon, if you like,” remarked her father.
“But I—I don’t think I want to, papa,” she said. “I’d like to send nice little notes—only it’s a good deal of trouble to write them.”
“Oh!” said Zoe, “you can have plenty of help in it; I’ll volunteer for one.”
“I, too, am at your service,” said Grandma Elsie; and her offer was followed by several others.
“‘Many hands make light work,’” said Zoe, “and we’ll have the thing done in a few minutes after leaving the table. Then there’ll be plenty of time for the selection of subjects for our tableaux, which I intend shall outshine those at the Oaks.”
“Don’t make rash promises,” said Edward, laughingly, “you have not seen those at the Oaks yet.”
“Are we who abode by the stuff to-day, to see your purchases now?” asked Mrs. Leland, lightly, as they left the table.