ve, and we were kept busy receiving, and
conducting them to their seats in the drawing-room. Tea had to be
offered at once, and that was hard to manage as none of our men
servants might come into the room; so Tuang had to do it all. I do
wish you could have peeped in and seen them all sitting about our
drawing-room. To us it was a sight that made our hearts dance for
joy--and it was a pretty sight too. Some dresses were quite lovely,
all the colours of the rainbow, and beautifully embroidered...."

"Next on the programme came what the Chinese call '_Tieng sieng_,'
fruit and cakes; and during the interval they wandered all over the
house examining everything, and we moved about, talking first to
one and then to another. Several little things much encouraged
us--their friendly, pleasant manner and evident pleasure, and the
earnest way in which they pressed us to go again to visit them. One
old lady, of a rich mandarin family, said to me in a confidential
way, behind her fan: 'Come and see me some day when you have plenty
of time, and tell me all about the doctrine, slowly, slowly. I
would like to understand about it.'"

"At last the feast was announced, and then came the critical
point--seating them at table. One table is supposed to be high, the
other low, in point of honour, and at each table the seats are all
in order (one, two, three, four, etc.), and it is a mortal offence
to give a low seat to one who should be placed high. Mrs. Ahok came
to our aid again and pointed out each lady according to her rank
and Miss ---- escorted her to her place. We ourselves had, of
course, to take the lowest places."

"Mrs. Ahok then asked a blessing and we began. The principal dish
is placed in the centre of the table and the hostess with her own
chopsticks helps the guests, all the time urging them to eat, and
apologizing for the food, saying she is sorry she has nothing fit
for them to eat. Mrs. Ahok did the chief part of these duties for
us, and we tried to watch her and do as she did. About two hours we
sat at the table, and at last, when we were nearly exhausted,
bowls of hot water were brought in, and a cloth wrung out was
handed to each person to wash her mouth and hands. The effect on
these powdered and painted faces was very funny, but Mrs. Ahok had
prepared us for this emergency a