I 'd a letter from Mother today and , bless the dear woman , she is sending me a cake -- a New Year 's cake -- a great big , spicy , mellow , delicious fruit cake . It will be along tomorrow and , girls , we 'll celebrate when it comes . I 've asked everybody in the house up to my room for New Year 's Eve , and we 'll have a royal good time . '' `` How splendid ! '' said Mary . `` There 's nothing I like more than a slice of real countrified home-made fruit cake , where they do n't scrimp on eggs or butter or raisins . You 'll give me a good big piece , wo n't you , Ida ? '' `` As much as you can eat , '' promised Ida . `` I can warrant Mother 's fruit cake . Yes , we 'll have a jamboree . Miss Monroe has promised to come in too . She says she has a weakness for fruit cake . '' `` Oh ! '' breathed all the girls . Miss Monroe was their idol , whom they had to be content to worship at a distance as a general thing . She was a clever journalist , who worked on a paper , and was reputed to be writing a book . The girls felt they were highly privileged to be boarding in the same house , and counted that day lost on which they did not receive a businesslike nod or an absent-minded smile from Miss Monroe . If she ever had time to speak to one of them about the weather , that fortunate one put on airs for a week . And now to think that she had actually promised to drop into Ida 's room on New Year 's Eve and eat fruit cake ! `` There goes that funny little namesake of yours , Ida , '' said Josie , who was sitting by the window .
`` She seems XXXXX be staying in town over the holidays too .
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