

made the whole look like Fairy 

 X/and. 



But I must describe the table 

 and its paraphernalia. The prepa- 

 ration of the viands, I mean the 

 baking, boiling, roasting, stewing, 

 and the like had been committed 

 to Caloric, who has had long expe- 

 rience in that department. The 

 nobler of the metals had generously 

 lent their costly services of plate, 

 while Carbon united with Iron to 

 furnish the elegant steel cutlery 

 used on the occasion. Alumina 

 provided the fine set of china that 

 graced the table; and Silex and 

 Potash, without solicitation, sent, 

 as their joint contribution, cut- 

 glass pitchers and tumblers, of su- 

 perior pattern and transparency. 



As among these sons of nature 

 there is no craving for artificial 

 excitement, Oxygen and Hydrogen 

 (who, by the way, have done more 

 for the cold water societies than 

 DELEVAN or FATHER MATHEW), 

 were commissioned to provide the 

 drinkables; and what beverage 

 they furnished may easily be con- 

 jectured. Carbon, with Oxygen 

 and Hydrogen, found most of the 

 vegetables; and Nitrogen, whose 

 assistance as commissary here was 

 indispensable, joined them in pro- 

 curing the meats, under which 

 the table groaned. No taste bu't 

 would be satisfied with the va- 

 riety ; no appetite but would be 

 cloyed with the profusion of good 

 things. 



Though the liberality of the four 

 who have been named, left but 

 little for their associates to contri- 

 bute, still some individual offerings 

 to the feast deserve to be noticed. 

 Thus the oysters, Carbonate of Lime 

 had sent in the shell ; the pyra- 

 mids of ice-cream for the dessert 

 were provided by the daughter of 

 Chlorine and Sodium, who was out 

 several hours in the snow, engaged 

 in freezing them ; and the almonds 

 and peaches came from the conser- 



vatory of Hydrocyanic Acid, the 

 druggist. 



After grace had been said by 

 Affinity, who is a sort of chaplain 

 to the elements, having officiated 

 at the weddings of all the married 

 ones of the company, a vigorous 

 onset was made upon the good 

 things before them. At first all 

 were too much engaged for conver- 

 sation; but the dessert appearing 

 at last, as they cracked the nuts 

 the jest too was cracked ; toast and 

 song were called for, and wit and 

 innocent hilarity became the order 

 of the day. Even Oxygen, who had 

 presided with such an air of dig- 

 nity, relaxed from his sternness, and 

 entertained the younger ones at the 

 table with many a tale of his mis- 

 chievous pranks in the days of old 

 Father Chaos, when time and him- 

 self were young. Strange tales 

 they were, too, of earthquakes with 

 which Hydrogen and he would now 

 and then frighten the Icthyosauri 

 and Megatheria of the ancient 

 world ; and of conflagrations comi- 

 cal, as old Vulcan's tongs and anvil, 

 kindling them before his eyes with 

 the very bolt he was forging. 

 " This, however," he added, with a 

 sly glance at his staid partner 

 Nitrogen, who sat near, " was be- 

 fore marriage had sobered down 

 his spirits, and tamed his impe- 

 tuosity." 



I have no space to chronicle 

 more of these freaks of Oxygen's 

 :arly youth, nor any of the sayings 

 and doings of others of the party 

 on this memorable night. Else 

 would I give the marvellous story 

 Nickel had to relate, of a falling 

 out he once had with the Man in 

 the Moon, and of a journey he was 

 consequently under the necessity 

 of making in hot haste to the earth 

 for refuge. I would tell too of the 

 Irolleries of Nitrous Oxide, that 

 funniest, queerest, craziest of 

 youngsters ; and how Phosphorus 

 made a flaming speech, and Potash 



