silver spoons, red china tea cups with silver stands, and ivory chopsticks mounted with silver; so we were very grand.  We had two tables, ten at each.  We were twenty in all, counting ourselves.”

“At last they began to arrive, 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 also, and had sent over her own dressing box—­such a beautiful large one—­fitted up with everything they could need, powders, paints, and all complete.  The ladies were quite charmed and delighted to find such a thing in a foreign house, and adjourned upstairs with great delight to beautify themselves.  We heard them telling each other that it was just as