Even those who loved their after-dinner wine joined the ladies, as if in expectation of something wonderful.

The truth was, it had gone around that Mr.Voltaire was going to tell us a story concerning the mystic rites that are practised in Eastern lands, and the subject was an attractive one.

The ladies especially, evidently fascinated by the witchery of this man's presence, anxiously waited for him to commence.
"What do you wish me to tell you about ?" he said in answer to repeated requests for him to begin, from several young ladies.
"Oh, tell us a story of second sight, and spiritualism, and all that, you know," replied a young lady with a doll's face and simpering manner.
"You promised you would," said another.
"True, I promised, but not to-day.

This Christmas Day is like Sunday to you English folk, and I do not wish to mar its sacredness." "Oh, the Sunday part of it is all ended at twelve o'clock," cried the young lady who had spoken first.

"As soon as church is over we commence our fun.