the dining-room, their excitement knew no bounds.

The table was a perfect bower of beautiful flowers. There was a bouquet
of bright blossoms at every plate, and long ropes of green leaves and
blossoms were twined across the table, in and out among the dishes. At
Gerda's place there was a wreath of violets, with violet ribbons on
knife, fork and spoon; a bunch of violets was tucked under her napkin,
and a big bow of violet ribbon was tied on her chair.

Birger's flowers were scarlet pinks, with scarlet ribbons and a scarlet
bow; and at the two ends of the table were the two birthday cakes, almost
hidden among flowers and wreaths, with Birger's name on one and Gerda's
on the other, done in colored candies set in white frosting.

Another happy hour was spent at the table, and then the guests trooped
away to their homes, leaving the twins to look over their gifts once
more.

But the best gift was still to come,--a never-to-be-forgotten gift that
came on that wonderful night of their twelfth birthday.

All day there had been a strange feeling in the air. When the girls
brushed their hair in the morning it was full of tiny sparkles and stood
out from their heads like clouds of gold, and Birger had found, early in
the day, that if he stroked the cat's fur it cracked and snapped like
matches, much to Fru Kitty's surprise.

Now, when Gerda went to look out of the window, she called to the others
to come quickly to see the northern lights; for out of the north there
had come a gorgeous illumination, filling the heavens with a marvellous