g easily prepared, a cup of tea, for instance, and some
cold meats, and the like?"

"You propose a genuine funeral repast. Is anything about to happen?"

"Our Christmas tree; and our entire household is eager to go, yourself
excepted."

"Why can't we all go?" Mr. Bovyer suggested, with considerable eagerness.

Mr. Winthrop looked aghast.

"They would think on the Mill Road the millennium was dawning if Mr.
Winthrop were to step down among them," I said.

"Then by all means let us foster the illusion."

"I will take the baked meats, Medoline, or a cracker and cheese--anything
rather than that crowd."

"That is ever so kind. I will come home to brew you a cup of tea myself.
Ever since I was a child I have wanted to prepare a meal all alone--it
will be really better than the Christmas tree; I mean more enjoyable."

"You have the greatest capacity for simple pleasures of any one I ever
knew. We shall accept your services. Before you are through, you may find
the task not so enjoyable as you think; but at the very worst we will
give our help."

"Thank you very much; but one ignoramus blundering in the kitchen will be
better than three."

Mrs. Flaxman looked greatly amused, but she very willingly gave her
consent for me to come home while the guests were absorbed with their
supper, and gratify my life-long yearning. The others were quite as well
pleased as I; and cook permitted me to concoct, unaided, some special
dishes for our repast. I laid the table myself, not accepting the
slightest help from any one. My cooking ventures turned out quite
successfully, and after a while my preparations were completed, so
far as was possible, until the finishing touches just before dinner was
served. I went and dressed myself for the evening's entertainment. I took
equal pains with my costume, as if I were going to entertain a party of
friends at home, and it may be I was foolish enough to have a feeling of
elation that my Mill Road friends should see me for once dressed like a
real lady. The picture that my glass gave back when the pleasant task was
all completed was comfortably reassuring. Mrs. Flaxman I found waiting
for me, when I went downstairs. Thomas had brought out at her direction a
huge, old-fashioned carriage, that in the old days they had christened
"Noah's Ark," and into it we all crowded, even including Samuel, who had
an ambition for once in his life to have a drive with the aristocracy.

When we reached the