o supper; and Paterfamilias announced that
although he could not give the materials to play with, he had no
objection now to a bowl of moderate punch for all, and that Richard
might compound it. This was delightful; and as he sat by his father,
ladling away to the rest, Adolphus Brown could hardly have felt more
jovial, even with the champagne and ices.

The rest sat with radiant faces and shining heads in goodly order; and
at the bottom of the table, by Materfamilias, was the friend, as happy
in his unselfish sympathy as if his twenty-five sticks had come to
life, and were supping with him. As happy--nearly--as if a certain
woman's grave had never been dug under the southern sun that could not
save her, and as if the children gathered round him were those of
whose faces he had often dreamt, but might never see.

His health had been drunk, and everybody else's too, when, just as
supper was coming to a close, Richard (who had been sitting in
thoughtful silence for some minutes) got up with sudden resolution,
and said,

"I want to propose Mr. What's-his-name's health on my own account. I
want to thank him for his story, which had only one mistake in it.
Melchior should have kept the effervescing papers to put into the
beer; it's a splendid drink! Otherwise it was first-rate; though it
hit me rather hard. I want to say that though I didn't mean all I said
about being an only son (when a fellow gets put out he doesn't know
what he means), yet I know I was quite wrong, and the story is quite
right. I want particularly to say that I'm very glad there are so many
of us, for the more, you know, the merrier. I wouldn't change father
or mother, brothers or sisters, with any one in the world. It couldn't
be better, we couldn't be happier. We are all together, and to-morrow
is Christmas Day. Thank GOD."

It was very well said. It was a very good speech. It was very well and
very good that while the blessings were with him, he could feel it to
be so, and be grateful.

It was very well, and good also, that the friend, who had neither home
nor kindred to be grateful for, had something else for which he could
thank GOD as heartily. The thought of that something came to
him then as he sat at his friend's table, filling his eyes with tears.
It came to him next day as he knelt before GOD's altar,
remembering in blessed fellowship that deed of love which is the
foundation of all our hope and joy. It came to him when he went back
to