opposite, to make sure that dress and hair were in order.

She was neat and orderly by nature, and her father very particular about
the appearance of his children; not caring to have them expensively
attired, but always neat and tidy.

"The Oaks young folks," replied Max,--"Horace and Frank and their two
sisters, Maud and Sydney."

"Come, Gracie," said Lulu, turning to her little sister: "we both look
nice, and we'll go right down."

The children all felt rather flattered by the call, because the Oaks
young people were older than themselves. Horace, Frank, and Maud were
all older than Max, and Sydney was between him and Lulu in age.

With the Dinsmore girls, the Raymonds were quite well acquainted, having
seen them frequently at Ion, and sometimes met them elsewhere; but the
boys, who had been away at school, were comparative strangers.

Violet was in the parlor chatting pleasantly with her young cousins, the
call being intended for her also; and her cheerful presence set her
little step-daughters more at their ease than they would otherwise have
been.

They had not been long in the room ere they learned that the special
object of the visit was to invite them and Max to the Oaks, to spend the
greater part of Christmas week.

"It is to be a young people's party, you must all understand," said