cupied knee.

After the hearty, cheerful country supper, the whole party of visitors
was escorted into a dark room adjoining the hall, while Aunt Lucy and
Cousin Mary were engaged in certain preparations, well understood by the
older guests, who were too discreet to allay the curiosity of the
younger ones, who for the first time were allowed to share the
hospitality of the Grange at Christmas. At last the folding-doors were
thrown open, and the hall appeared to be in a blaze of light; colored
lamps were suspended in festoons from the ceiling, showing how prettily
the old portraits were adorned with evergreens. Even the man in armor
looked less grim, as if his temper was mollified by the ivy wreath wound
around his helmet. But the chief object of interest was a stately tree
at the end of the hall, from whose trunk proceeded thirteen branches,
brilliantly illuminated with wax lights and pendant lamps of various
hues; while gilded fruit, and baskets of flowers and confectionary,
looked to the uninitiated as if the fairies themselves had been at work.
Many were the exclamations of delight, and intense the excitement; the
old hall echoed with the shouts of the boys. Uncle John, ever happy in
the enjoyment of others, declared that he believed himself to be the
youngest child there, and that he enjoyed the revels of Christmas Eve
more than any of them.

When the noise and rapture had somewhat subsided, Cousin Mary proposed
that they should try some games, by way of variety. Chess, checkers,
backgammon, Chinese puzzles, dominoes, jack-straws, etc., were
mentioned, and each one of them was declared by different members of the
group to be exceedingly entertaining; but Charlie Bolton said that
"although he was neither Grand Turk nor perpetual Dictator, he must put
his veto upon all such games as being of an unsocial nature. It was all
very well, when only two persons were together, to amuse themselves with
such things; but for his part, he did hate to see people ride in
sulkies, and play _solitaire_, when they could have such agreeable
society as was there gathered together;" making, as he spoke, a dashing
bow to the girls. "Has not any one wit enough to think of a game at
which we can all assist?"

"Do you know how to play 'Consequences?'" said Mary.

"I never heard of it," replied Cornelia; "how do you play it?"

"With paper and pencils. Here is my writing-desk full of paper, and my
drawing-box with pencils ready sharpened,