Lom sives his Presents. 89

“Well,” said Tom, “if I tell you, do you
promise to like the vase the best ?”

“Yes,” she answered, “I promise.”

“1lt was a jug and basin,” said Tom—_
“that’s what it was, with red roses painted
round it—so pretty and so heavy, I could
scarcely lift it Are you sorry? Do tell me.
Would you have liked it better than the
vase ?”

 

“No,” answered she at once. “I like the
vase much the best.”

“Really and truly ?” said Tom.

“Really and truly,” repeated she.

“Well,” said Tom, “Tl not think any
more about it then, because, you see, very
likely somebody has carried it away by this
time. Oh, Richard's gone! I wanted to give
him his present.”

“Wait till after breakfast,” said his mamma.

The vase was placed on a white woolly mat
on the table by the window. The light shone
on the red and yellow tulips. Tom began to
think they looked almost as pretty as the
roses round the jug and basin.