n groups, filling
the little sitting-room with a great chatter of talk. Then it was time
to make ready for supper.

This was a tremendous task, in which nearly all the guests were obliged
to assist. The sitting-room was transformed into a dining-room. The
presents were removed from the extension table and the table drawn out
to its full length. The cloth was laid, the chairs--rented from the
dancing academy hard by--drawn up, the dishes set out, and the two
bouquets of cut flowers taken from the twins under their shrill
protests, and "arranged" in vases at either end of the table.

There was a great coming and going between the kitchen and the
sitting-room. Trina, who was allowed to do nothing, sat in the bay
window and fretted, calling to her mother from time to time:

"The napkins are in the right-hand drawer of the pantry."

"Yes, yes, I got um. Where do you geep der zoup blates?"

"The soup plates are here already."

"Say, Cousin Trina, is there a corkscrew? What is home without a
corkscrew?"

"In the kitchen-table drawer, in the left-hand corner."

"Are these the forks you want to use, Mrs. McTeague?"

"No, no, there's some silver forks. Mamma knows where."

They were all very gay, laughing over their mistakes, getting in one
another's way, rushing into the sitting-room, their hands full of plates
or knives or glasses, and darting out again after more. Marcus and Mr.
Sieppe took their coats off. Old Grannis and Miss Baker passed each
other in the hall in a constrained silence, her grenadine brushing
against the elbow of his wrinkled frock coat. Uncle Oelbermann
superintended Heise opening the case of champagne with the gravity of a
magistrate. Owgooste was assigned the task of filling the new salt and
pepper canisters of red and blue glass.

In a wonderfully short time everything was ready. Marcus Schouler
resumed his coat, wiping his forehead, and remarking:

"I tell you, I've been doing CHORES for MY board."

"To der table!" commanded Mr. Sieppe.

The company sat down with a great clatter, Trina at the foot, the
dentist at the head, the others arranged themselves in haphazard
fashion. But it happened that Marcus Schouler crowded into the seat
beside Selina, towards which Old Grannis was directing himself. There
was but one other chair vacant, and that at the side of Miss Baker. Old
Grannis hesitated, putting his hand to his chin. However, there was no
escape. In great trepidation he sat down besi