ELSA'S CHRISTMAS PARTY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19833, 31 December 1927, Page 4 (Supplement)

ELSA'S CHRISTMAS PARTY.

Elsa was not asked! And she knew that the Macintyres nert door were giving a Christmas party. Had they forgotten lier, or was U because she was so shy ?

She was an enly child, you see, and daddy was ati invalid and always lay propped up on -» sofa writing a book, and mother was ah. j s busy. So Elsa was left out of a lot of things. There wasn't going to be a party at Elsa's house, of course, there never had been, absolutely never. But oh,, just next door, what fun was going on 3 A few days before Christmas, Elsa had watched tho beautiful green Christmas tree being carried in. Hadn't she heard its fragrant branches stirring; whispering away about the lovely time the children would havo, when it stood radiant and robed in splendour, in _ the very centre of tho Macintyro's jolly drawing-room ? " I should go to tho party," boldly advised Rose, tho housemaid, and Elsa's crony, on tho great day, as she came to watch two baker's tray-loads of white and orange cakes go round to the back door; followed by a boy from the florist's bearing a great bunch of red-berried

holly. " Go. You know them, miss. They've only forgotten you." "Oh! I couldn't," said little Elsa; "I heard Laura Maemtyre say to Barbara just now in the garden, that the fairy doll had just arrived," she added wistfully. " And. I hear there's to bo a present for each child," said Rose, nodding wisely. " Oil, Miss Elsa! And they'd be so glad to sco you, I know. \o>i ought to talk „ ? to the little girls more than you do. If you come into my bedroom now, IE iss, you can seo right into their night nursery, and thero are two pain - , of pink satin slippers and two party frocks on the bed; one seems all white flounces." "If I was invited, I'd have nothing much to wear," said Elsa. " Only my old, old green. Still,, it wouldn't matter. Oh f how I should love to see that, treo and that fairy doll! _ I believe it's dressed in gold sparkles 1" And she followed ltose up and just next door lay tlio dainty little slippers that wero so soon to ue prancing cheerfully to the strains of " Sir Roger." Oh, mercy me. imagine being left out of a party! When it's going on under your very nose, too! But sho wouldn t tell daddy or mother. Later she slipped into her father's room. Daddy had a, very bright sinilo on his face.

Hurray, El:sa !" he said. " I've got my book finished before Christmas, old lady, after all, and I do feel so relieved. Help me up, darling, I've a good mind to sit up for tea for a change." "Oh, daddy, do, I'm so glad/?, said little Elsa. Even as she helped him to his place, sho heard tho sound of a taxi. Tho guests must be arriving next door! Her heart sank and sho blinked hard. " What's that letter there on the ground ?" asked daddy. Elsa ran and picked it up. "Why, it's addressed to me, daddy!" sho cried, holding the envelope up in bewilderment. "My darling, I'm so sorry! It came days ago, and must have got all tangled up iu my papers," said lior father. " I forgit all about it, pet. What is it, Els a?" .For a sad face had turned into a bright face. It was an invitation to the Macintyres' party! She had not been forgotten after all! Sho could\goi In a trice Elsa had bounded upstairs and was wriggling out of her dress, and in a twinkling Rose had her green frock laid out, and cook was rummaging in tho cupboard to find her best shoos, and mother was brushing her hair as hard as she could, and there was laughing and tumult and gorgeous excitement. " 1 shall seo the Christmas tree 1 arid the fairy dolly," were Elsa's last words as she skipped through a gate in the hedge. Seo it she did, after a glorious tea, and many games. She was handed a largo parcel from the tree containing a doll's tea-set, arid when they ail drew lots for tho fairy dolly it was Elsa herielf who drew the lucky number!

So she carried home Miss Gold Sparkles in her white '-alia skirts carrying her starry-bright, magic wand.