ButJoesaiditdidn’tmatterandmadehersitdownbythefire。Hewasverynicewithher。Hetoldherallthatwentoninhisoffice，repeatingforherasmartanswerwhichhehadmadetothemanager。MariadidnotunderstandwhyJoelaughedsomuchovertheanswerhehadmade，butshesaidthatthemanagermusthavebeenaveryoverbearingpersontodealwith。Joesaidhewasn’tsobadwhenyouknewhowtotakehim，thathewasadecentsortsolongasyoudidn’trubhimthewrongway。MrsDonnellyplayedthepianoforthechildrenandtheydancedandsang。Thenthetwonext-doorgirlshandedroundthenuts。Nobodycouldfindthenutcrackers，andJoewasnearlygettingcrossoveritandaskedhowdidtheyexpectMariatocracknutswithoutanutcracker。ButMariasaidshedidn’tlikenutsandthattheyweren’ttobotherabouther。ThenJoeaskedwouldshetakeabottleofstout，andMrsDonnellysaidtherewasportwinetoointhehouseifshewouldpreferthat。Mariasaidshewouldrathertheydidn’taskhertotakeanything：butJoeinsisted。
SoMarialethimhavehiswayandtheysatbythefiretalkingoveroldtimesandMariathoughtshewouldputinagoodwordforAlphy。ButJoecriedthatGodmightstrikehimstonedeadifeverhespokeawordtohisbrotheragainandMariasaidshewassorryshehadmentionedthematter。MrsDonnellytoldherhusbanditwasagreatshameforhimtospeakthatwayofhisownfleshandblood，butJoesaidthatAlphywasnobrotherofhisandtherewasnearlybeingarowontheheadofit。ButJoesaidhewouldnotlosehistemperonaccountofthenightitwas，andaskedhiswifetoopensomemorestout。Thetwonext-doorgirlshadarrangedsomeHallowEvegamesandsooneverythingwasmerryagain。MariawasdelightedtoseethechildrensomerryandJoeandhiswifeillsuchgoodspirits。
Thenext-doorgirlsputsomesaucersonthetableandthenledthechildrenuptothetable，blindfold。Onegottheprayer-bookandtheotherthreegotthewater；andwhenoneofthenext-doorgirlsgottheringMrsDonnellyshookherfingerattheblushinggirlasmuchastosay：O，Iknowallaboutit！TheyinsistedthenonblindfoldingMariaandleadingheruptothetabletoseewhatshewouldget；and，whiletheywereputtingonthebandage，Marialaughedandlaughedagaintillthetipofhernosenearlymetthetipofherchin。
Theyledheruptothetableamidlaughingandjoking，andsheputherhandoutintheairasshewastoldtodo。Shemovedherhandabouthereandthereintheairanddescendedononeofthesaucers。Shefeltasoftwetsubstancewithherfingersandwassurprisedthatnobodyspokeortookoffherbandage。Therewasapauseforafewseconds；andthenagreatdealofscufflingandwhispering。Somebodysaidsomethingaboutthegarden，andatlastMrsDonnellysaidsomethingverycrosstooneofthenext-doorgirlsandtoldhertothrowitoutatonce：thatwasnoplay。Mariaunderstoodthatitwaswrongthattimeandsoshehadtodoitoveragain：andthistimeshegottheprayer-book。
AfterthatMrsDonnellyplayedMissMcCloud’sReelforthechildren，andJoemadeMariatakeaglassofwine。Soontheywereallquitemerryagain，andMrsDonnellysaidMariawouldenteraconventbeforetheyearwasoutbecauseshehadgottheprayer-book。MariahadneverseenJoesonicetoheras-hewasthatnight，sofullofpleasanttalkandreminiscences。