"'The _Old Year_ being dead, the _New Year_ coming of age, which he does by Calendar Law as soon as the breath is out of the old man's body, nothing would serve the young spark but that he must give a dinner upon the occasion, to which all the Days in the year were invited. The _Festivals_, whom he deputed as his stewards, were mightily taken with the notion. They had been engaged time out of mind, they said, in providing mirth and good cheer for mortals below, and it was time they should have a taste of their own bounty. It was stiffly debated whether the _Fasts_ should be admitted. Some said the appearance of such starved guests, with mortified faces, would pervert the ends of the meeting. But the objection was overruled by _Christmas Day_, who had a design upon _Ash Wednesday_ (as you shall hear), and a mighty desire to see how the old domine would behave himself in his cups. Only the _Vigils_ were requested to come with their lanterns to light the gentlefolks home at night. "'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?"