"'All the Days came to their day. Covers were provided for 365 guests at the principal table, with an occasional knife and fork at the sideboard for the Twenty-ninth of February.
"I should have told you that cards of invitation had been issued. The carriers were the Hours, twelve little merry whirligig foot-pages, as you should desire to see, that went all around and found out the persons invited well enough, with the exception of Easter Day, Shrove Tuesday, and a few such movables who had lately shifted their quarters.
"'Well, they all met at last—foul Days, fine Days, all sorts of Days—and a rare din they made of it.'
"Now, grandma," exclaimed Maud, slamming the book together, "that's enough to give you the idea. Our cards of invitation were decorated, some with hour-glasses, others with clocks or watches, and all stating the day the receiver was to represent. Example: Costume, May Day. Those who didn't understand asked me what was meant; others again told each other, and some did not need any information, as the invitation was called 'A Charles Lamb Party.' From what I have read, you will understand that no masks were worn.
"Oh, it was so unique and so pretty, and mamma and I had lots of fun selecting the days for each guest! Of course we couldn't have 365 people—our house isn't big enough—so we only had a few Lenten Days, and while all the months were represented, we didn't have every day of the month.
"April-fools' Day was so funny! Oh, grandma, how you would have laughed had you but seen her! She came prepared with all sorts of jokes; one of them was some bits of wood covered with chocolate, which she passed off on her friends as chocolate caramels."
"How was she dressed, Maud?"
"She wore a brown domino, and a blue paper fool's-cap; and such a sight! Why, it nearly reached the ceiling, it was so tall! I don't see how she managed to balance it. And on her back, in big letters cut out of red calico, were the words, 'April Fool.' Oh, she made lots of fun, I tell you!
"At supper-time she played a most unexpected joke, for she threw aside cap and domino, and was just the sweetest thing I ever saw, dressed in pale pink silk embroidered with forget-me-nots. You know she is sweet anyway, grandma."
"I don't know who you are talking about."