"Nimpo," said Mrs. Primkins at last, when she had held back the news till Nimpo had finished her book, and was about to go upstairs, "wait a bit. I got a letter from your Ma to-day." "Did you?" exclaimed Nimpo, alarmed. "Oh! what is the matter?" "Don't fly into tificks! Nothing is the matter," said Mrs. Primkins. "Is she coming home?" was the next eager question. "No, not yet," fell like cold water on her warm hopes. "But she says to-morrow's your birthday." "Why, so it is!" said Nimpo, reflecting. "I never thought of it." "Wal, she thinks perhaps I'd best let you have a few girls to tea on that day, if 't wont be too much of a chore for me," went on Mrs. Primkins, deliberately. Nimpo's face was radiant. "Oh, Mrs. Primkins, if you _will!_" But it fell again. "But where could they be?"--for trespassing on the dismal glories of the Primkins' parlor had never entered her wildest dreams. "I've thought of that," said Mrs. Primkins, grimly. "Of course, I couldn't abide a pack of young ones tramping up my best parlor carpet, and I thought mebbe I'd put a few things up in the second story, and let you have 'em there." The second story was unfurnished. "Oh, that will be splendid!" said Nimpo, eagerly. "But,--but,"--she hesitated,--"could they take tea here?" and she glanced around the kitchen, which was parlor, sitting-room, dining-room, and, in fact, almost the only really useful room in the house. The front part Mrs. Primkins enjoyed as other people enjoy pictures, or other beautiful things,--looking at, but not using them. "No; I shall set the table in the back chamber, and let you play in the front chamber. We can put some chairs in, and I'm sure a bare floor is more suitable for a pack of young ones." Mrs. Primkins always spoke of children as wild beasts, which must be endured, to be sure, but carefully looked after, like wolves or hyenas. "Oh yes! We wouldn't be afraid of hurting that. Oh, that'll be splendid!" continued Nimpo, as the plan grew on her. "I thank you so much, Mrs. Primkins!--and we'll be so careful not to hurt anything!" "Humph!" said Mrs. Primkins, not thinking it necessary to tell her that her mother had sent money to cover the expense. "You're a master hand to promise." "I know I forget sometimes," said Nimpo, penitently. "But I'll try really to be careful, this time." "Wal," said Mrs. Primkins, in conclusion, as she folded her knitting and brought out the bed-room candles, "if you don't hector me nigh about to death, I'll lose my guess! But as I'm in for 't now, you may's well bring the girls when you come home from school to-morrow. Then you'll have time to play before supper, for their mothers'll want them home before dark." "Do you care who I invite?" asked Nimpo, pausing with the door open on her way to bed. "No, I do' know's I do. Your intimate friends, your Ma said." "Oh, goody!" said Nimpo, as she skipped upstairs, two at a time. "Wont we have fun! How nice it'll be!"