"Miss Garnet, I heard a man, just now, call this very pleasant affair a jamboree. What constitutes a jamboree?" "Why, Mr. Fair," said Barbara, in her most captivating drawl, "that's slang!" "Yes, I didn't doubt. I hope you're not guilty of never using slang, are you?" "O no, sir, but I never use it where I can't wear a shawl over my head. Still, I say a great many things that are much worse than slang." "Miss Garnet, you say things that are as good as the best slang I ever heard." "Ah!--that's encouraging. Did you ever hear the Misses Kinsington's rule: Never let your slang show a lack of wit or poverty of words! They say it's a sure cure for the slang habit. But if you really need to know, Mr. Fair, what constitutes a jamboree, I can go and ask Uncle Leviticus for you; that is, if you'll take me to him. He's our butler to-night, and he's one of the old slave house-servants that you said you'd like to talk with." "But I want to talk with you, just now; definitions can wait." "O you shall; there's every facility for talking there, and it's not so crowded." The consumption of refreshments had been early and swift, and they found the room appropriated to it almost empty. Two or three snug nooks in it were occupied by one couple each. Leviticus was majestically superintending the coming and going of three or four maid-servants. Just as he gathered himself up to define a jamboree, Virginia happened in and stood with a coffee-cup half wiped, eying him with quizzical approbation. "A jamboree? You want to know what constitutes a jamboree? Well--What you want, Fudjinia?" "Go on, seh, go on. Don't let me amba'as you. I wants jess on'y my civil rights. Go on, seh." She set her arms akimbo. "A jamboree!" repeated Leviticus, giving himself a yet more benevolent dignity. "Well, you know, Miss Barb, to ev'ything they is a season, an' a time to ev'y puppose. A wedd'n' is a wedd'n', a infare is a infare, a Chris'mus dinneh is a Chris'mus dinneh! But now, when you come to a jamboree--a jam--Fudjinia"--he smiled an affectionate persuasion--"we ain't been appi'nted the chiefs o' this evenin's transactions to stan' idlin' round, is we?" "Go on, seh, go on." "Well, you know, Mr. Fair, when we South'enehs speak of a jamboree, a jamboree is any getherin' wherein the objec' o' the getherin' is the puppose fo' which they come togetheh, an' the joy and the jumble ah equal if not superiah to each otheh." Virginia brought up a grunt from very far down, which might have been either admiration or amusement. "Umph! dat is a jamboree, faw a fac'! I wond' ef he git dat fum de books aw ef he pick it out'n his own lahnin'?" "Miss Garnet," said Fair, "there are wheels within wheels. I am having a jamboree of my own." LI. BUSINESS "This," replied Barbara, "has been a bright day for our whole town." And then, more pensively, "They say you could have made it brighter." Whereat the young man lowered his voice. "Miss Garnet, I had hoped I could."