arrived. We did not know the number of invited guests (there are
some things not even revealed to the Wise Woman), but although we
were a trifle nervous about the amount of eatables, we were quite
certain that there would be no dearth of liquid refreshment.

Contemporaneously with the supper came a four-wheeler with a man and
a woman in it.

Sal. "I wonder if that is Lord and Lady Brighthelmston?"

Mrs. B. "Nonsense, my dear; look at the woman's dress."

W.B. "It is probably the butler, and I have a premonition that that
is good old Nurse with him. She has been with family ever since the
birth of the first daughter twenty-four years ago. Look at her cap
ribbons; note the fit of the stiff black silk over her comfortable
shoulders; you can almost hear her creak in it!"

B.G. "My eye! but she's one to keep the goody-pot open for the
youngsters! She'll be the belle of the ball so far as I'm
concerned."

Fran. "It's impossible to tell whether it's the butler or
paterfamilias. Yes, it's the butler, for he has taken off his coat
and is looking at the flowers with the florist's assistant."

B.G. "And the florist's assistant is getting slated like one
o'clock! The butler doesn't like the rum design over the piano; no
more do I. Whatever is the matter with them now?"