"O papa! such a nice, nice home as you have made for us!" exclaimed
Grace in her turn. "Isn't it, Maxie?" turning to her brother.
"Yes, indeed! and we'll have to be nice, nice children to fit the home, won't we, Gracie?"
"Yes, and to fit papa and mamma," she responded, sending a merry glance from one to the other.
Both smiled upon her in return.
"We are going to have a house-warming this evening, Gracie," said her father: "do you know what that is?"
"No, papa; but I think it's very nice and warm now in all the rooms.
Don't you?"
"It is quite comfortable, I think; but the house-warming will be an assembling of our relatives and friends to celebrate our coming into it, by having a pleasant, social time with us."
"Oh, that will be nice!" she exclaimed. "How many are coming, papa? I s'pose you've 'vited grandma Elsie and all the rest of the folks from Ion, and all the folks at Fairview?"
"Yes, and from the Oaks, the Pines, the Laurels, Roselands, and
Ashlands; and we hope they will all come."
She gave him a wistful look.