FURNISHING THE HOUSE. 
257 
work to carry it into effect. The boys 
brought down the furniture and dusted it; 
the girls hung the window-curtains, and 
manufactured a cushion for the lounge of 
an old comforter folded to the right size 
and covered with chintz, which had, to-be- 
sure, seen some service, but was still whole 
and pretty. “New, gaudy calico,” Kate re¬ 
marked, “would be out of keeping with the 
rest of the furniture.” When the arrange¬ 
ments were all completed, the table covered 
with a white cloth and neatly set out with, 
cakes, bread and butter, strawberries and 
cream, and Daisy’s own silver pitcher (that 
her great-aunt left her) tilled with new milk, 
and all ornamented with abundance of 
flowers, Annie declared she had never seen 
a prettier tea-table. The only guests beside 
themselves were Sport and the kitten, now 
the best of friends, who had interested them¬ 
selves very much in all that was going on, 
and who now came in for a share of the en¬ 
tertainment. Bruno had also been invited; 
but he declined, preferring to go to mill 
with John and the horses. 
They were all in great glee, talking, eat¬ 
ing and feeding the dog and cat, when sud- 
22 * 
