"We had a large Christmas table (aren't they simple and effective?), with a Christmas tree in the center, strung with tiny electric lights, and hung with tinsel and ornaments. Strings of red Christmas bells stretched from the chandelier above the table to the four corners. The favors at each place were several kinds,—Santas, little Christmas trees, snow men and sleds, all of them concealing at their bases the boxes holding the salted nuts. The place-cards were simply Christmas cards.

"Before the guest of honor stood a small Santa, larger, however, than any of the other Santas, and in his hands were the ends of twenty or more narrow green ribbons, each leading to a separate shower-package at the base of the tree. These packages (it was a miscellaneous shower) made an interesting-looking heap, but we didn't ask Angeline to open them until we had reached the salad course. Then she drew each one toward her by the end of a ribbon, opened it, and read the verse on the gift. You have no idea how clever some of the gifts and verses were! Margaret McLaughlin—do you remember her?—had dressed a dishmop in two tea towels, making the funniest old woman! This she introduced as Bridget, Angeline's cook-to-be! One of the girls who sketches cleverly had illustrated her card with pictures of Angeline in her kitchen.

"But I am forgetting our table decorations! We had furnished four rooms for Angeline, doll size, and the furniture of each was grouped along the table. Besides the living room, bedroom, dining room and kitchen, we presented Angeline and Dean with an auto (in miniature, of course), a cow, a horse, several ducks and chickens, a ferocious dog and a sleepy cat. Weren't we good to them? And lo and behold! beside the auto stood Dean himself, disguised as a little china kewpie man; while Angeline, always a lady, stood gracefully in the living room and refused to help him with his menial tasks, or to assist Nora, who was hanging out the clothes in the back yard. Angeline was a kewpie, dressed in style.

"We had the greatest fun finding and arranging these decorations! And now I must tell you about the luncheon itself. I'm even enclosing our recipes, for I know you'll be interested...."

"Hello, there, Bettina!" called Bob at this moment, coming in with a rush, "is dinner ready? What do you suppose I've done? I've absolutely forgotten to send a Christmas gift to Aunt Elizabeth, and I know she'll feel hurt. Will you go with me after dinner to get it?"

Polly's luncheon menu was as follows:

"I wish, Bettina," Polly's letter continued, "that you might have seen the cunning sandwiches that we served with the salad. They were cut with a star-shaped cooky cutter, and on each one was perched a tiny Santa Claus. The sandwiches were arranged on a tray decorated with Christmas tree branches.

"And now comes the dessert. The chocolate ice cream was served in small flower pots lined with waxed paper, and in each flower pot grew a miniature Christmas tree. Around the base of the tree, whipped cream was heaped to represent snow. They were really very cunning.

"Served with the ice cream was a large round white cake decorated very elaborately with icing bells and holly. On the top was placed a real candy bell, large and red. This cake was carried in to Angeline to cut. Around the base, inside the cake, were twenty tiny favors wrapped in waxed paper. They were of all sorts: pipes, canoes, flat irons, animals, birds, many things, but all very tiny. Narrow white bows tied on each favor indicated its position in the cake so that the pieces could be cut to give each guest a favor. Angeline cut her piece first and drew her favor by pulling the little white ribbon. It was really great fun drawing and unwrapping the favors, and the girls tried to interpret the meaning of each. Mary Katherine, Angeline's younger sister, drew the ring, and delightedly proclaimed that she would be the next bride. At this the girls looked a little doubtful, for at the table were no less than six engaged girls besides Angeline. Mary Katherine may fool them—who knows?—but I hope not, for she is far too young and silly to 'settle down' for many years.

"With the coffee we served striped candy canes.

"Well, Betty, I believe I've told you everything about our Christmas luncheon. Do write me soon again, for I love to get your letters. Stir Bob up to write occasionally; he has forgotten his sister—now that he has a wife.

Melt the chicken fat. Add the flour and salt and mix well. Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly. When the mixture gets thick and creamy, allow it to cook, with an asbestos mat under the pan, for five minutes. This cooks the flour thoroughly. Beat one minute to make it creamy. Add the chicken, veal, green pepper, paprika and salt. Allow the mixture to cool. Take one tablespoon of the cooled mixture, and dip in the beaten egg to which the water has been added. Dip in the crumbs and shape any desired shape, preferably conical. Allow the croquettes to stand at least one hour before frying. Fry in deep fat and drain on brown paper. Keep hot in the oven until serving.

Arrange the lettuce leaves (washed) on salad plates. Place one slice of tomato, two slices of pimento and two slices of green pepper on each. Sprinkle the vegetables with pepper and salt. Add two teaspoons of cottage cheese. Place one teaspoon of salad dressing on each portion.

To prepare the salad dressing, mix boiled dressing and pimento oil together and then add the whipped cream. Mix well, and pile attractively on the salad.