ond glass with entire safety.

"I don't know, Marcella," she said in a dreamy undertone, after draining
the cup to its cherry. "I don't know--it does seem to take hold, for all
it tastes so trifling."

As each lady arrived she was led to the punch-bowl. When the last one
had been taught the way to that cool nook, there was a pleasant hum of
voices in the room. There was still an undercurrent of difference as to
the punch's merit--other than mere coolness; though Miss Eubanks now
agreed with Aunt Delia that it possessed virtues not to be discerned in
the first careless draught. The conversation continued to be general, to
the immense delight of the hostess, for she had dreaded the ordeal of
that formal opening, with its minutes of the last meeting; and she had
dared even to hope that the day's paper might, by tactful management, be
averted.

She waxed more daringly hopeful when Clem came to refill the punch-bowl.
She felt that she owed much to the heat of the day, which was insuring
the thirst of the arrivals. The punch and general conversation seemed to
suffice them even after their first thirst had been allayed. She began
to wonder if the ladies were not a more unbending and genial lot than
she had once suspected.

A considerable group of them now chatted vivaciously about the
replenished bowl, including Madam the President, who had arrived very
thirsty indeed, and who was now, between sips, accounting for the
singular favor which the Adams family had always found in the sight of
God and the people of Massachusetts. She seemed to be prevailed over,
not without difficulty, by Aunt Delia, who related her failure to learn
from Clem the ingredients of his acceptable punch. This was not
surprising, for Clem was either never able or never willing to tell how
he made anything whatever. Of this punch Aunt Delia had been able to
wheedle from him only that it contained "some little fixin's." Insistent
questioning did develop, further, that "cold tea" was one of these; but
cold tea did not make plain its recondite potencies--did not explain why
a beverage so unassuming to the taste should inspire one with a wish to
partake of it continuously.

"We might get him to make a barrel of it for the Sunday-school picnic,"
said Marcella, brightly, over her fourth cup. "If it contains only a
little tea, perhaps the effect upon the children would not be
deleterious."

"We'll try it," said Aunt Delia, reaching for the ladle at sight o