Upon the white satin lining, lay two bracelets of coral cameos, linked with gold, and fastened by a broad golden clasp.

“Are they pretty?” asked Mr. Legrange, smiling at the eager little face upraised to his.

“Oh! they are lovely pretty.  O papa! oh! is they?”—­

“Yes they are yours, Sunshine.  Mamma said you had been begging for some bracelets like Minnie Wall’s; and so, as I had heard that people sometimes liked presents on their birthdays, and as I had not forgotten when Sunshine’s came, I thought I would bring her a pair.”

The excess of ’Toinette’s rapture would not allow of speech; but Mrs. Legrange, peeping over her shoulder, exclaimed,—­

“Why, Paul! those are not what I asked you to get.  I told you common coral beads, strung on elastic, and fastened with a little snap.”

“But these were so much prettier, my dear, and will be of some value when she grows up, as the others would not.  At any rate, they are marked:  so we must keep them now.  See!”

Mr. Legrange touched a tiny spring; and the upper part of the clasp, opening upon a hinge, showed a plate beneath, engraved with the name, “Antoinette Legrange.”

“Yes:  they are certainly very handsome; and ’Toinette must be as careful of them as possible.  They will be just right to loop up her sleeves while she is so little, and, when she is older, to wear as bracelets,” said Mrs. Legrange admiringly.

“I may wear them this afternoon at my party, mayn’t I, mamma?” asked ’Toinette, trying to clasp one upon her little arm.

“Oh, we are to have a party, are we!” exclaimed Mr. Legrange raising his eyebrows in dismay.

“Just half a dozen children to play with ’Toinette, and to go home after a nursery-tea,” explained his wife.

“Oh, well!  I shall be a little late to dinner, very likely:  so it will all be over when I arrive.  Shall I bring Tom Burroughs home with me to dine?”

“I want Cousin Tommy to come to my party, papa.  Tell him to come, please, and Sunshine’s love.”

“Your party, chick?  Why! he would be Gulliver among the Liliputians.  He would tread on a dozen of the guests at the first step, and never know it.”

“I don’t think he would, papa; and he’s my little wife, and I want him,” persisted ’Toinette.

“No, no, dear,” interposed Mrs. Legrange.  “Cousin Tom wouldn’t want to come, and my little girl mustn’t tease.”

“No, mamma; but he’s my little wife,” murmured ’Toinette, going back to her bracelets with a shadow of disappointment in the curve of her pretty mouth.

“If mamma is willing, I will ask Cousin Tom, and he can do as he likes about accepting,” said the fond father, watching his Sunshine’s face.

Mamma smiled roguishly, murmuring,—­“’So long as a woman’s possessed of a tear, She’ll always have her own way;’” and then, added aloud,—­

“Just as you like, of course, papa; but here is Susan, ready to take ’Toinette for her walk.”