teem."

"Well," she said, "come by all means."

"And may I bring Mr. Barclay with me? He is very lonely and very
miserable. Just think, that on a day like this he has nowhere to go
but to an hotel."

She considered a moment before replying; then she said, "No, do not
bring him--let him come in while we are at dinner, as if by
accident."

I hastened to the Hotel de France and Sere and Manciot soon had a big
hamper packed with an abundance of Christmas cheer and on its way
upon the back of an Indian to the Forbes house.

I followed and received a warm welcome from the father and mother,
who were superior people and gave every evidence of having seen
better days. The interior was scrupulously clean, but there was only
one chair. A small kitchen stove at which the sick man sat was the
only means of warmth. There were no carpets and, if I was not
mistaken, the bed coverings were scant. The evidence of extreme
poverty was everywhere manifest. I never felt meaner in my life, as I
accepted the blessings that belonged to the other man. Mr. Forbes,
who was too ill to sit at the table, reclined on a rude lounge near
the kitchen stove. Just as dinner was being served there came a knock
at the door. It was opened and there stood Barclay.

"I have come," he said, "to ask you to take me in. I cannot eat
my dinner alone at the hotel. You have taken my only acquaintance
(pointing to me) from me, and if Mr. Forbes will forgive my
indiscretion of this morning I shall be thankful."

"That I will," cried the old gentleman from the kitchen. "Come in and
let us shake hands and forget our differences."

So Barclay entered and we ate our Christmas dinner in one of the
bedrooms. It was laid on the kitchen table, upon which a tablecloth,
sent by the thoughtful hosts at the hotel, was spread. There were
napkins, a big turkey and claret and champagne, and a real, live,
polite little Frenchman to carve and wait. Barclay and I sat on the
bed. Mrs. Forbes had the only chair. Johnnie and his sister occupied
the hamper. Before eating Mrs. Forbes said grace, in which she again
quoted the passage from Scripture with which I began this narration.
Oh! for a catchup meal it was the jolliest I ever sat down to, and I
enjoyed it, as did all the rest. Little Johnnie got two helpings of
turkey and two helpings of pudding and then he was allowed to sip a
little champagne when the toasts to the Queen and the father and
mother and the young and rising po