"A most beautiful surprise, dear. Perhaps you would like to guess what it is."
Mary looked very thoughtful for some moments; then, "It can't be a new doll, because Uncle Frank brought me one yesterday; and it can't be a letter from Aunt Mary, because that would be under my plate at the table. Besides, those things wouldn't make this morning so different from every other morning, and I can't think of a single thing that would."
"Then we had better waste no more time."
Her father opened the door, and Mary looked eagerly about the room, but could see nothing that had not been there the night before. Mr. Selwyn whispered quickly, "Sit in that big chair, and I shall bring the surprise to you."
He tiptoed into her mother's room, and a moment later, Aunt Mandy, her colored nurse, came out, carefully carrying a white bundle. Mr. Selwyn followed with one just like it.
"Dah yo' is, honey! But yo' ole mammy is 'fraid it am too hebby fo' yo'," chuckled Aunt Mandy, placing her bundle on Mary's lap.
"Oh! oh! oh! See, Father, it's a baby!" whispered the little girl. "A dear, sweet, darling, really, truly, live baby! Oh!"
"And see what I have," laughed her father, seating himself in a chair beside her.
"Another baby! Oh! oh! oh!"
"Twins, ma bressed lamb! Dat's what dey is!" declared old Auntie.