pretty shade one need not be very particular as to their quality.

Such a little reunion will, I think, impress itself on the minds of the guests, and be recalled, during the time of separation, among the "pleasures of memory."

CHAPTER XIX

June

AN OUTDOOR FAN LUNCHEON

NYTHING more dainty or artistic can scarcely

A

be imagined than an outdoor luncheon recently given by a girl whose home is surrounded by "ancestral acres" of truly English proportions. Eight young girls were invited to come attired in as sylvan a style as their wardrobes permitted, and, as American girls are not slow to adopt such an idea, eight charming young shepherdesses appeared-some looking like June roses in pink muslin gowns, soft white fichus, and flower-bedecked leghorn hats.

By a "special providence," the day was fine—a real June day when "then if ever come perfect days," as Lowell sang in praise of that queen of the year.

Had it rained, the luncheon was to have been served on the piazza-broad and vine-screened, and "the whole thing a failure!" as the young hostess cheerfully prophesied.

The table was laid under a spreading beech-tree, where a view could be had over miles of softly undulating country. The shape of the table was that of a folding fannot fully opened-the point of which, near the trunk of the tree, was adorned with a large bow of pink satin ribbon, from which radiated other pink ribbons about

four inches in width, which indicated the sticks of the fan and made a separation between the places of the guests, at the same time concealing the seams and other devices for making a table-cloth fit a fan.

The main outer sticks of the fan-table were indicated by masses of pink roses and syringa, two feet wide at the edge, and tapering nearly to a point where they joined the huge pink bow.

The same flowers were repeated in a border just in front of the guests. They were placed in shallow glassholders about two feet long and four inches wide, which were filled with water, and set in a zig-zag line to suggest the foldings of a fan. At each place was a bona fide fan of finely braided straw, gilded, round in shape, with a handle, and tied to the handle by a bow of ribbon was a spray of roses and syringa which almost covered the fan itself. These fans, placed by the side of the guests, concealed the pink ribbons just where they fell over the edge of the table.

The principal dishes were surrounded with wreaths of flowers which had been daintily woven with the aid of fine florists' wire and kept in water until the luncheon was about to be served, while the lesser dishes were adorned with smilax. Of course, they were placed in rows between the ribbons, and were graduated in size from the edge to the point of the fan.

After luncheon, the grounds offered many attractions for strolling about or sitting in groups on the grass, the girls unconsciously making as pretty pictures of themselves as any Watteau ever painted, until nearly sunset, when they were joined by a party of young men, who were invited to come for afternoon tea, and join the girls in a game of Fan Ball (the game is described elsewhere).

The winner of the prize received a dainty fan of white bolting-cloth with pink sticks. The young hostess, who was somewhat skilled in the use of water-colours, had painted on the white background in letters formed of a succession of tiny pink roses the word "Dârina"-the name of the place. It is an Arabic word, meaning "Our Happy Home." A long pink ribbon was tied at the end to recall the table effect, and the whole was a charming souvenir of a delightful occasion.

After the exertion of the game they welcomed the suggestion to sit under the trees and have their fortunes. told.

The hostess then presented a pink-lined basket, from which each one took a little white extension fan and welcomed its use.

From a similar fan in her own hand she proceeded to read such questions as

"Upon what shall my happiness depend?"

"Have I ever met my fate?"

"In the marriage lottery shall I draw prize or blank?" Upon opening their fans, they each found thereon their particular answers to the general questions, inscribed in gilt letters.

The bright faces as they took their leave plainly showed that the answers had been satisfactory.

A MUSICAL FÊTE

OUT OF DOORS

The people of a certain picturesque hamlet of New England will long remember a fête given by the Lady Bountiful of the countryside, in her beautiful and extensive grounds, for the purpose of raising the necessary funds to buy a new organ for the village church.

The organist was a musician of real talent, and had

thoroughly aroused the enthusiastic interest of the young people of the church, who diligently rehearsed for weeks under his leadership for the parts which they were to assume at the fête. It was decided that the entertainment should be called "Music Personified," and each should contribute a song or form part of a chorus.

When the important afternoon arrived, apparently all the people of the village, from the oldest inhabitant to the youngest child, seemed to have distributed themselves over the velvet lawns and grassy hill-slopes. The entrance fee was made so small that none had to be deterred from coming. The hostess made all cordially welcome, and her personal friends and those to whom the gods of this world had been indulgent followed her gracious example and realised that in God's beautiful outdoor world there was room for all.

At a signal of a chime of bells falling musically on the still air every one took seats on the sides of the road up which the choristers were expected to come in procession, making unconsciously the effect of flowery borders in their multi-coloured garments, the parasols and fans poised and fluttering above them like butterflies.

First came half a dozen young girls in classic Greek dress, all in white, their heads wreathed with spring blossoms (of Japanese paper), and waving branches of the same with rhythmic motion, while they sang Mendelssohn's "Spring Song."

Following them came a contrast in the persons of a band of (apparently) plantation negroes, singing favourite "coon songs," while they amused the company by going through the absurdities of a cake-walk.

After them came a flock of little children, playing on the instruments used in the Kinder Symphony and scat