the French doctrine of courses,
were all piled together in jovial abundance upon the smoking board?
There was much carving and laughing and talking and eating, and all
showed that cheerful ability to despatch the provisions which was the
ruling spirit of the hour. After the meat came the plum puddings, and
then the endless array of pies, till human nature was actually
bewildered and overpowered by the tempting variety; and even we
children turned from the profusion offered to us, and wondered what
was the matter that we could eat no more.

When all was over, my grandfather rose at the head of the table, and a
fine venerable picture he made as he stood there, his silver hair
flowing in curls down each side of his clear, calm face, while, in
conformity to the old Puritan custom, he called their attention to a
recital of the mercies of God in His dealings with their family.

It was a sort of family history, going over and touching upon the
various events which had happened. He spoke of my father's death, and
gave a tribute to his memory; and closed all with the application of a
time-honoured text, expressing the hope that as years passed by we
might "so number our days as to apply our hearts unto wisdom"; and
then he gave out that psalm which in those days might be called the
national hymn of the Puritans.

"Let children hear the mighty deeds
Which God performed of old,
Which in our younger years we saw,
And which our fathers told.

"He bids us make his glories known,
His works of power and grace.
And we'll convey his wonders down
Through every rising race.

"Our lips shall tell them to our sons,
And they again to theirs;
That generations yet unborn
May teach them to their heirs.

"Thus shall they learn in God alone
Their hope securely stands;
That they may ne'er forget his works,
But practise his commands."

This we all united in singing to the venerable tune of St. Martin's,
an air which, the reader will perceive, by its multiplicity of quavers
and inflections gave the greatest possible scope to the cracked and
trembling voices of the ancients, who united in it with even more zeal
than the younger part of the community.

Uncle Fliakim Sheril, furbished up in a new crisp black suit, and with
his spindleshanks trimly incased in the smoothest of black silk
stockings, looking for all the world just like an alert and spirited
blac