A QUAKER CHRISTMAS. 45 



Dinner was served in due time. It took two 

 tables to seat the guests, and the old kitchen was 

 full for once. All went well until the portly lady, 

 who still smarted from her fall, asked of me 

 " what all this meant ? " 



" What does what mean ? " I asked in reply. 



" That all these friends should happen here 

 to-day ? " 



" How should I know ? " I asked. 



" Thee does know all about it," the old lady 

 insisted, and so a confession was forced. What 

 else could I do? Twenty curious faces were 

 centered upon me, and the truth came out. 



" Never mind, never mind ! " chimed in my 

 good grandfather, at the proper moment. " I 

 was sure a committee was about to take me to 

 task for some offense, and as I have come off so 

 well, so shall he." 



" That boy will make something some of 

 these days," remarked one long-headed man; 

 but, alas ! his usual good judgment failed for 

 once. That boy, so far as he is aware, has not 

 made much since then much worth the mak- 

 ing ; but has, no end of blunders. 



Who cares ? It was my first jolly Christmas 

 and a complete success ; and would that the 

 same season could once again be jolly ! 



