Grandmother was permitted to sit while receiving the guests.  Between her chair and where the clergyman and his wife stood, Ethelwyn slipped her own little rocker, and sat there, highly interested in the streams of people that came by.

“It’s like a funeral,” she announced during a slight lull.

Grandmother and the clergyman looked around startled.

“Why, child, what do you know about funerals?” asked grandmother, while the clergyman, of course, laughed.

“’Vada took me and Beth once to a big mercession, and we went into a big church and the folks all went up and looked at somebody, just like to-night.  ’Vada said it was a big gun’s funeral, just like you and your wife, you know,” she concluded cheerfully, nodding to the clergyman.

“Well of all things—­” began grandmother, but a new lot of people coming in demanded her attention.

The clergyman and his wife, laughing heartily, shook hands with the new people, and Ethelwyn was rather indignant to hear her remark repeated several times.

“I’m not going to say anything more,” she thought, “they always laugh so.”

She sat very quiet, indeed, until by and by the lights and the pink, blue, and white gowns danced together in a rainbow, and then she knew nothing at all about the rest of it, nor that the minister himself carried her up-stairs and put her in Nancy’s care.

But the first thing of which she thought in the morning, was the refreshments, in which she had been so vitally interested the day before; so she came very soberly down-stairs to a late breakfast.

“Well, chicken,” said grandmother, “how did you like the reception?”

“Not very much,” said Ethelwyn.  “I’m so ashamed to think I didn’t get any ice cream—­”

“There’s some saved for you; and I think I see your mother and Beth coming in the gate, I was so sorry they couldn’t come last night.”

“I do believe they are coming,” said Ethelwyn, standing on tiptoes, “and, yes, see, they have Bobby and Nan with them, to help take me home!”

There was a wild triple shriek from the surrey, followed by three small forms climbing rapidly down.  They were proudly escorted by Ethelwyn to see Johnny Bear, the chickens, Peter, Hannah, and Nancy, all before mother was fairly in the house and the surrey in the barn.

They ate the reception refreshments with such zeal that grandmother said, “Well there!  I was wondering what we would do with all the things that were left, but I needn’t have worried.”

“No, the mothers are the only ones that need worry,—­over the after results,” said Mrs. Ray burn, laughing.

They started home in the afternoon, all standing on the surrey steps and seats to wave a farewell to dear Grandmother Van Stark as long as they could see her.

Of course they played games going home, and this time Ethelwyn had really made up one.