of beef, and beef reminds me of Christmas. It is now the second
Sunday in Advent, and there is a subject which you will remember we
had agreed to discuss this week.'

This important subject was a proposal by Mrs. Mudge that Miss Toller
should dine with them on Christmas Day.

'You, Mrs. Poulter,' said Mr. Goacher, 'are of opinion that we
should not invite her?'

'Certainly. I do not see how she is to send up the dinner properly
if she is to be our guest, and I imagine also she would not be
comfortable with us.'

Mrs. M. 'Why shouldn't she be comfortable? Of course, if we don't
try to make her so she won't be. There are ways to make people
comfortable and ways to make them uncomfortable. Miss Toller is
just as good as any of us.'

Miss T. 'She is not an educated woman, and I am sure she would
rather remain downstairs; our conversation would not interest her.'

Miss E. 'Pray, Miss Taggart, what is an educated woman?'

Miss T. 'What a question, Miss Everard! By an educated woman is
meant a woman who has been taught the usual curriculum of a lady in
cultivated circles.'

Miss E. 'What is the curriculum of a cultivated lady?'