The invitations requested that each guest appear in costume and masked. This was the keynote of the affair. An early lunch was planned, as they were to choose partners while still masked, and naturally they would wish to remove their masks after that form of the entertainment had flagged a little.

The rooms were decorated with valentines which had accumulated in the household through fourteen years and others prepared for the purpose.

After the choice of partners, masks were removed, and all marched to the dining-room, keeping time to a pretty march.

It being a birthday party, the ever new feature, the birthday cake, with its candles, graced the centre of the table, the cake being white decorated with red hearts and red candles. Three kinds of small cakes and wafers (all heart-shaped), a plate of each at either end of the table, made up that part of the refreshments. Cocoa in small cups and ice cream in heart-shaped molds completed the repast. Confectionery in the predominating color and shape was also on the table.

The table decorations consisted of red carnations, ferns and smilax, and were added to by the souvenirs which were laid at the left of each plate. These were prepared by our family artist for the occasion, and were red, heart-shaped affairs with gold borders, in the centre a small sketch in oil, below a line of poetry, and each one numbered. These were connected by ribbon (running to the centre of the table) to buttonhole bouquets, carnations and smilax, which with ferns formed the flat centrepiece. At the ends as many as were convenient were arranged around the end dishes. Much merriment was created by some reading the lines on their souvenirs.

Upon leaving the table each guest adjusted the ribbon about her neck, which brought the bouquet to its proper place "across the heart." After returning to the parlors the guests were requested to read the lines which they had found upon their souvenirs, and of which some had been wondering the meaning; by beginning with No. 1 and reading in rotation a well-known poem was completed. As you will see, this form of amusement, with the character representations, goes far toward an evening's entertainment. Young people consider a party incomplete without a prize winning contest of some sort. The one I will describe was adopted.

Pencils and slips of paper were distributed, each bearing the name of a book or song, and numbered; then pieces of drawing paper were handed around, the first slips being collected, and each person was requested to make a drawing representing the book or song, and putting his number on it. These were gathered and pinned up for exhibition. The best drawing won a prize. Then the person that, upon inspecting the drawings, could give correctly the names of the most books or songs they represented (more paper being passed for this purpose) received a prize.

The remainder of the evening was filled in by music, singing and games of the guests' own choosing. When the time of departure came, all wished they might enjoy it "all over again."