The Exeter Advocate, 1898-12-23, Page 3NE CF1RiSTtIAS,
the old house, the room, the [perryand her old schoolfellows were side by
and on all kinds of brackets, stand side, the good Carrier tools cart" ts �:f th[lie
voices and smiling faces, the Jest, the vie scat e old ether candlesticks wallwallbottom of the table. Miss of !e
ey
laugh, the most minute and trivial eir- four branches each. The carpet wee was isolated, for the time belies, trues.
crtmstances connected with those hap- up, the canines burnt bright, the fire every article of furniture but the chair
py meetings crowd upon our mind at blazed and crackled on the hearth, noir she sat on, that she might have noth-
Tlle Festival That Chalice each recurrence of the season. as if the merry voices and light hearted laughter ing else to knelt the baby's head
last assemblage had been but yester- rang through the room. If any of the against.
Dickens Loved so Well, day! Happy. happ> Christmas, that old English yeomen had turned into "Who can forget poor Toby Veck and
can T.!n us back to the delusions of our fairies when they died, it was Just
-°-- childish days; that can recall to the old. the place in which they would have bis tripe? Poor Toby could not be athome and needs must eat his dinner of
man the pleasures of his youth; that held their revels, tripe that Meg had brought hien on a
'. AIS JMJiIORT'AL PEN PICTURE,' can transport the sailor afad the trav- If guy thing could have added to the doorstep along the street, i say needs
eller;: thousands of mites away, back interest of this agreeable scene it must eat it, for that was his intention
to his own fireside and his quiet home.'" would have been the remarkable fact if lee had not been cheated out to 01 Part
Then he shakes the tears from his of Air. I?ickwickt's aPPearing without .of his feast by the disagreeable Aller
pen and describes the Jolly Christmas bis gaiters for the first time within the man. No New York Alderman would
at Moor Farm. They began on Christ- ruernorY of his oldest friends. be as mean as that. to eheat e. poor
eras Eve. and. according to'>wtustom, in "S ou mean to dance?„ said Wardle. bell-ringer out of his dinner by gob -
the big kitohen of the farm house, "Of course I do," replied Mr. Pica^ bung it all himself,
"Front the centre of the'selling of wick= "Don't you see I am dressed for Toby took the shortest Possible sniff;
this 'kitchen old Wardle bad just sus- " the purpose?" Mr. Pickwick called at- at the edge of the basket, and cried out
it Peas. Vnagectod Ilappinese,•The
Christmas earners or tire tercet Authoree
Bennie seen.Cre or Trotty Y'eok, rickrack
'Any Tini and a Bootie Other Xoveaiile
•inetrecters.
Pv
HBISTMAS time!
That man must lie
a, misanthrope, in-
deed, in whose
Breast something
Bice a ,jovial feeling
Is not arotased-in
whose mind some
pleasant assocta.-
tions are not awak-
ened-by
wak-ened by the recur- piece of practical politeness with all tett
zence ot Christmas. dignity which befitted so important
There are people and serious a solemnity, but the young -
who will tell you er ladies, not being so thoroughly int -
that Christmas is bued with a. superstitious veneration
Trended, with Isis own hands. a huge tention to his speckled silk stockings
and smartly tied pumps. "Way, Ws hot'"
branch of mistletoe instantaneousi3 "Y011 in silk stockings!" exclaimed ,It's burning bot!" cried Meg. "Ea,
gave rise to ascene of general and roost Mr. Tupman jocosely. ha, ha! It's scalding hot!"
delightful struggling atria confusion, in eAnd why not, sir -why not?" said .,HSA ha, ha!" roared Toby, with a
sort oc.it's
the midst of wbieh Mr. Pickwick. with Mr. Pickwick turning warmly upon f kikscalding bot!"
e. g'allantr'y that would have done honor him. "But what is it, father?' said Meg.
to a. descendant of Lady. 7ollimglower "obi et course, there is no reason .,Come. You haven't guessed wbat it
herself, took the old lady by the hand. why You shouldn't wear there," reg, is, .and you must guess what it is, I
led her beneath the mystic brands" and eponded Mr: Tupman. not'" can't think of taking it out, till Sou
saluted her in all courtesy and de- "'I imagine not, sir; I imagine guess what it is. Don't he In such as
contra. The old lady submitted to this eaie Mr. Pickwick, in a very pererpe hurry! Wait a minute!, .A,. little ale
tory tone, snare of the cover. Now guess!"
before glia
hie
- mea. b re
.o savory t
Mr. 'I'upntan had contemplated a Meg. was in a Perfect fright lest no tit' n the .,a r�
laugh, but he found It was a serious should guess right too soon; sbrinking eut and eat, and cut and drank, and
matter. so be looked grave and setaaway, as sloe held the basket toward Cut and ebevved and dodged above
they were a pretty pat erar. him; curling up her pretty shoulders; from tripe to hot I•otato, and from hot
"I hope they are." said Mr. Pickwick. stopping, her ear with her hand, as if potato back again to tripe. with an
branch of mistletoe, and this same in a rapture:
not to them what it
lased to be; that each succeeding, ebrisee
Inas has found some cherished hope or
happy prospect of the year before
• din)nled or passed away; that the gree,
ant only serves to remind them of re -
educed circurnstaitces and straitened
incomes -of the feaste they once be-
'dewed on hollow friends, and of the
eabd leaks that meet them now, in ad-
versity and mieforiune. Never heed
%melt dismal reminiscences. There are
few men who have lived long enough
in the world who cannot 011 ng s►telt
thoughts any day in the Year'. Then
t o net select the merriest of the three
hundred and sixty -live tor your doles
`tut recollections. lent draw your chair
nearer the blazing Ilre-•-Mill the glass
send send round the song -and if your
room be smaller than it was a. dozen
years ago, ar if your glass be filled
With reeking peeieli Instead ot spark-
ling wine, put a ne'e'd -face onthe mat,
ter and empty it tenant), and fill an -
ether. and troll oa the old ditty you
lived to sing. and thank God It's no
worse. Look on the merry faces of SWIM' A'r T;xl: !•!t'iilNICk
your children (if F,•rt bave any) as they
Sit round the tire. tine little seat may lady with the Melt eyes and Mr.
he empty; one 19.;tit form that gladden- Snoelfira;'e leered i•.xnUy. and air. Wel-
ed the father's lean and roared the Jnr, not being particular =auk the
mother's pride to %.t'xl: upon may' not germ of being melee the mistletoe, kiss -
be there. Dwell t.',t upon the past; td tearer" and the other female ser
think not tlxat tea l lie•rt year ago the %nets jin t air be taught them. An to
?air chill now r,-: •-!vine tato dust sat th.' poor relations, they Itirra rl every- .
iefore you with tis.. ! loom of health inieir. nut t•ven e•s. i"l.title: the plainer
capon its dwelt a,.'1 the gayety of in- portions of the young lady visitors,
fancy in its Jorees (ye Reflect upon who in titter exeereive eonrusion ran
your present this v -of which every right nn.l er the n=istlytoe as soon as
loan ban many -t,,.1, on your past mita it was lxitmg up without knowing it!
fortunes, at 'xvhk'h all men have some. Wardle stood with hie back to the fire
Pill your (;laza:+ a" -,'!a. with a merry surveying the whole nano tvitli the ut-
face and contents•,; hear.. Our lire tnoet Nati; faction, and the fat boy took
on it, but your t•iirlstmas shall be the o;-portunity of ftp;zroprlating to itis
merry and your nee* year a happy one! own use and summarlly devouring a
These were the words of Charles particularly tine prince Pie that had
'Pickens, who macre than any other man been oarerully put by for somebody
'has warmed the human heart toward else.
.this most beautiful festival of the Now the screaming had subsided and
year. faces were in a glow and curls in a
Those of us who belong to an older tangle, and Mr. Pickwick. after kissing
generation remember with what eager- the old lady - before mentioned, was
Standing untie. the mistletoe, looking
'with a very pleased countenance On all
that was passing around him, when
the young lady with the black eyes,
after a little whispering with the other
young ladies, made a sudden dart ror-
ward and, putting her arm round Mr.
Pickwick's neck, saluted him affection-
ately on the left cheek, and before Mr.
Pickwick distinctly knew what was the
matter eh was .surrounded by the
whole body and kissed by every one of
them.
for the custom, or imagining that the
value of a, salute is very omen en-
haneed if it cost a little trouble to ob-
trtn It, Screamed and struggled and
an into corners, and threatened and
remonstrated" and did everything but
leave the room, tent it some of the less
adventurous gentlemen were on the
Point of de:risting,when they all at once
found It useleee to reslst any longer
and submitted to be kissed with good
grace, Mr. Winkle ]kissed tlxe young
Tl'rrl!P?
"They'd say a good one, 1 am sure, .if
they could. Meny's the kind thing they
say to me.,. •-
The bells do, father," laughed Meg,
as she set the basin and a knife and
fork before him. "Well!"
"Seewn to my pet," said Trotty, fail-
ing to with great vigor. "And where's
the dt::erence? If I bear 'ern wbat aloes
it matter whether they speak it or not?
Why. bless, YOU. my clear," said 'I'nby,
Pointing- at the tower with hi • `Ora
anti becoming more animated un('r " t;
Influence of dinner, "bow often
heard them bells say, 'Toby ''reek,
Toby Veck, keep a good heart, Toby!
Veek, Toby 'geek, Job corning solid,
heart, Toby'.' A million times? More."
"Well, I never." cried klieg.
She bad, though -over and over
again. For it was Toby's constant
topic.
"When things is very bad," said
Trotty; "very bad indeed, I mean; al-
most at the worst; then its 'Toby
Veek, Toby Vevk, job coming soon,
Toby! Toby Veck, Toby Veek, Job cam -
Ing soon, Tobyt' That way."
"And it comes --at last, father," Said
Meg, with a touch of sadness in her
pleasant void.
Always, answered the unconscious
Toby. "Never fails.'
While this discourse was holding
Trotty made no pause in his attack
fixing itis eyes upon hes friend. "'stall by so doing she could keep the rtttht
see nothing extraordinary in the etook' ward out of Tnby's lips, and laughtes
Ings as stockings. I. trust, sir?" Softly the whole time.
"Certainly not, Olt, certainly not," re- meanwhile Toby. putting a hand on
plied Mr. Tupman. lle walked away each knee. bent down his nose to the
fund Air a?lekwiek's countenance re- basket and took a loos inspiration at
teumed its benign expression. the lid, the grin upon lass withered
"We are all ready. I believe," said face expanding in the process. as 1f lie
Mr. Pickwick, who was stationed with ware inhalit:t; laughing gas,
"eke It's very nit . .old Toby, "It
ain't I suppose it start polonies?"
"No, na no!" cried Meg, delighted=
"Nothing %lite polonies!"
"No," said Toby, after anther sniff.
"It's -it's mellower than polantes. It's
very nice. It improves every moment=
It's too decided for trotters. Ain't it?"
Meg was in an ecstaey. Ile could not
have gone wider of the merit than trot-
ters except polonies.
I iwe•r" ' «std Tol.v communing with
fiddles and harp desisting and could tainsaa "No. Thane's a mildness cisco
have been :stoma d by no other earthly It that don't ansv. er to liver. I'ettltoes3
paver if the how,. had been on fire" .Nat it ain't faint enough for pettitoes,
"Wh re'n Arabella Alien.?" cried a it wants ilio stringiness of cock's
dozen voices, gently. And I teem it ain't sausages.
"And Winkle?" added Mr. Tamara.t l`ll t•]1 you what it is, It's ahitter-
"I3ere We are!" exclaimed that gen- iireiese
tleman, emerging' with Ids prettyconi- It sinal" otto! Meg, In a burst
pardon from tire• Corner; ass he did so it of d•'li ht. "No. li atnt!"
UMW Iuay.' been haat to ten twhteh .'!%bF, swh..t am 1 a-thinl:lne; of?'"
was therr:.cl.ler in 'Mo. face -he ar thekaiak 7i`t"l.t. „ hat
'nim rne,'vox in " a 1of "
yours l::•3} till* theldaei: egos. titan as rieti'ly the p.rpandieular as it
"W1"" nix t stn.'r.lis:cry thing it ts. was ta,isAri•'' for Itim to assume. "I
Winkle," *edit ;z. " iekwtek, ratherpetti"l•t.•. "that you r ;uldn't have been
"Not at all extraordinary," said ixir.
"Weil." alit Me. l'iekwlelc, with IB
very expre sive smile. as taffs eyes rest-
ed on Arabella. "well. I don't know
that it was extraordinary, either, after
all."
however, there was no time to think
more about alter matter, for the fiddles
and harp began in real earnest. AWRY
went air. I'lekwfck--hands across --
down the middle to the very end of the
.loom, and half way up the chimney,
back again to the door -pour; ette
everywhere-luud stamp on the ground.
--ready for the next couple --off a,.n W-
all the figure over once more -another
scamp to beat out the time --nest cou-
ple. and the next, and the next agin-
never was such going! At last, after
they had reached the bottom of the
dance and full fourteen couple after
the old lady had retired in an exnaust-
ed state, and the clergyman's wife had
been substituted in her stead, did that
gentleman, when there was no demand
Whatever on kris exertions, keep per-
petually dancing in his place, to keep
time to the music, smiling on his part-
ner all the while with a blandness o1
demeanor that battles all description.
Long before Mr. Pickwick was weary
of dancing the newly married couple
had retired from the scene. There was
a glorious supper down stairs, notwith-
standing, and a good long sitting after -
it; and when Mr. Pickwick awoke late
the next morning he had a confused
recollection of having, severally and
confidentallie invited somewhere about
five and forty people to dine with him
at the George and Vulture the very
first time they came to London, which
Mr. Pickwick rightly considered a
pretty certain indication of his having
taken something besides exercise on
the previous night.
DO you remember the dinner in "The
Cricket on the Hearth:"
Tackleton had brought his leg of mut-
CI1ART,1i5 DICKENS.
the old lady at the top of the dance
and had already made four false starts
In his anxiety to commence.
"Then begin et once," Bald hfr, War-
dle. "Nowt"
Up struck the two fiddles and the one
harp, and oft went 14r. Pickwick into
hands across. when there was a general
clapping ot hands and a. cry el "SOP,
Stop!"
"What's the matter?" said air. Pick-
wick, who was only brought to by the
Tkl]L nx,oWINO BOWL.
Then, after the dancing and the tun,
"'fill up," cried Mr. Wardle; "it will be
two hours good before you see the bot-
tom of the bowl through the deep ricn
"mess and impatience we awaited the color of the wassail; fill up all round,
.annual Christmas story from the pen of and now for the song." Thus saying,
'the master. "The Christmas Carol," the merry old gentleman, in a good,
'The Chimes," "The Cricket on the round, sturdy voice, sang his Christ-
illearth," the three immortals, were mas song:
,first published before some or us bad
learned to read, but "Mugby Junction; ' I care not for spring ; on his fickle wing
""Mrs. Lirriper's'Lodgings," "Mrs. Lir- Let the blossoms and buds be borne ;
8g, woos them amain with his treacherous
griper's Legacy," "'Somebody's Lug- rain
gage," and all that came after tbe And he scatters them ere the morn.
,sixties were hailed by you and me as An Inconstant elf, he knows not himself,
Nor his own changing mind an hour,
the others bad been bailed by our He'll smile is your face, and, with wry
sgsarenta. .A. Dickens Christmas story grimace,
He'll wither your youngest flower.
• was as much a part of our Christman
celebration as the turkey and Gran- Let the summer sun to his bright home
?berry sauce. What, then, more fitting return,
,than to serve some of those never -to- 'When
shall never be sought by me ;
ebe-equalled dinners to a new genera- hen he's dimmed by a cloud i can laugh
aloud.
"tion of readers? - And care not how sulky he be 1
Christmas Day was to Dickens, says For his darling child is the madness wild
;ibdwin P. Whipple, both a holiday and That sports n fierce fever's train •
And when love 1s too strong, it don't Iaat
a holy day; a day given over to festiv- long,
'-ity and at the same time consecrated As many have found to their' pain.
"to beneficence; a day in which Joy was A mild harvest night, by the tranquil
.associated with the diffusion and mut- light
tiplieation of Joy, so that the pleasure Of the modest and gentle moon,
.of each .person was increased in pro- Has a far sweeter sheen, for me, I, ween.
Than the broad and unbiushing moon,
.;portion to the number of persons that But every leaf awakens my grief,
,rparticipated in it; a day, in short, in As it 'Seth beneath the tree ;
-Which the Jollities of life Joined hands So let autumn ole be never so fair,
-with the charities, and universal good
It by no means agrees with me.
.sheer stood forth as an -expression o1 But my song I troll out, for Christmas
tie spirit of universal love. There la stout
th
The hearty, the true, and the bold •,is great deal of eating and drinking In
A bumper 'I drain, and with might and
e"these stories, but then, as has been main
.said, Dtckens "Christianizes eating and Give three cheers for this Christmas old 1
,drinking and contrives to make the We'll usher him in with merry din
That shall gladden his '.Joyous heart,
,.stomach in some odd way an organ or And we'll keep him up, while there's bite
.the soul." There is a savor and flavor And suP.
pfeliowahip good we'll part.
+.about a Dickens Christmas dinner that.
ono white capped chef can give. Del- In bis fine honest pride he scorns to hide .
.•moniuo could not have. cooked Bob One Jot of bis hard -weathered scars-;
r.Cratuhit's goose or Toby Veck's tripe. They're no disgrace, for there's much the
All of Dickens' Christmas dinners aresame trace
On the .cheeks of our bravest tars.
knot in his Christmas stories. Shall you Then stain I sing 'till the roof doth ring,
..ever forget the Christmas dinner in To t g,1 echoes
too df o mgt, ll towwall-
'"'Great
le - to.
' °`Great Expectations . There was dear night,
..Joe Gargery and "Mrs. Joe," Just hold- n the King o1 the Seasons all 1
ring back a "rampage;" 'that tat old A CAPITAL, AUDIENCE.ehypoorite, Uncle Pumblechook; ' Wop- No C onder the song was Cumultuoua-
este and the Hubbies, to say nothing o1 her I'm sure it was wellPip, all waiting for the pork pie that lyapplauded,
.never came, and for reasons best sung, and," en, asfor is and dependent
�..knowtx to the latter. And the. Christ- remarks,
vmas in "Pickwick!" Do you remember make a capital audience."
.that inimitable chapter and how it And then the ball at Manor Farm`.
opens: Ah, what .a time!
D The •best sitting room at Manor Farm
"We write these words now, many
. miles distant from the, spot at which, was a good, long, dark panelled room,
year after year, we met on that day, with a high chimney piece and a ea-
merry and Joyous :circle. Many of-pacious chimney, up which you could
patent
new
methe
a y havethen.driven one of
vihe heartseaed to throbbed so gayly looks cabs, wheels and alt. At the upper end
*teat ceased soo right many of `the of the room, seated in a shady bower
*that shone the brightly then bave seas. c holly and evergreens, were the two
ed to glow* hands we grasped have d fiddlers and the.only harp fn all
s.�hi''own cold; the inyes we sought have gleton. In all sorts of recesses.
npzid their lustre ' thb grave; and yet
noi..,431§11:7:
Rr ..y.!! _ -:5t
unctuous and unflagging relish. lin
happening now to look ell rotund the
stet et --in ease marl ode, should be beck-
nnint from any door or window for a
porter --his eyes, in coming back again.
encountered Meg sitting opposite to
trim, with tier arms folded. and only
busy in watehing itis progress with a
emile of happiness.
"Why. Lord forgive roe!" said Trot-
ty. dropping his knife and fork. "hly
dove! Rteg, why didn't you tell me
what a beast I was?"
ther!"
";sitting here," said Trotty, in peni-
tent explanation "cramming and stuff-
ing and gorging myself, and you before
me 'there. never so much as breaking
your precious fast, nor wanting te,
"But I have broken it, father," inter-
rered iris daughter, laughing, "alt to
tatty. 1 have had my -dinner."
It took tame argxting (sn the part ot
Mee to convinee her father that she
end dined, but rho suceeenekd. Then
Alderman Cute ean'o out of his house,
ane seeing Talley eating- begun his in-
tei•ete';atie+n. 1'.l.•r BAITS with him. t`^:te
:,t: fle=e tripe nn the for!; v4dle lrle
frand delivered a homily on tar": nub-
"• t big is a description of isrimal fond.
Ad' roan." r; -t,1 l'ila'c. mali1W little!
pug 4'. "- in it \v cfll n penell earn," env,
none 1:' known to the laboring popula-
ting of the country by the. Marne Of
tripo."
TheMilern'an laughed and winked.
for he was a merry fellow. Alderman
Cute. Oh, and a sly fellow. too, A
knowing felInrn% l'n to everything. Net
to be imposed upon, Deep in the peo-
ple's hearts. Ile knew them, Cute did.
I believe you.
"But who eats tripe?" said Mr. Filer,
looking round. "Tripe is, without ex-
ception, the least economical and the
nxort wasteful article of Consumption
that the markets of this country can
by possibility produce. The loss upon
a pound of tripe has been found to be,
in -the boiling„ seven -eighths of a. fifth
more than the lass upon a pound of
any other animal substance whatever«
Tripe is more expensive, properly un-
derstood. than the hothouse pineapple.
Taking into Recount the number of
animals slaughtered yearly within the
bills of mortality alone, and forming
a low estimate of the quantity of tripe
which the carcasses of those animals.
reasonably well butchered, would yield,
I find that the waste on that amount
of tripe, if bailed, would victual a tem-
rison of 500 wren for five months of 31
days each and a February over. The
waste, the waste!"
Trotty stood aghast, and his lees
shook under hind. He seemed to have
starved a garrison of 500 men with his
own hand.
"Who eats tripe?" said Mr. Filer,
warmly. "Who eats tripe?"
Trotty made a mi"erable bow.
"You do, do you?" said Mr. Filer.
"Then I'll tell you something. You
snatch your tripe, my friend, out of
the mouths of widows and orphans?'
"I hope not, sir," said Trotty, faint-
ly. "I'd sooner die of want!"
"Divide the amount of tripe before
mentioned, Alderman," said Mr. Filer,
"by the estimated number of existing
widows and orphans and the result
will be one pennyweight of tripe to
each. Not a grain is left for that man.
Consequently he's a robber."
Trotty was so shocked that it gave
him no concern to see the Alderman
finish the tripe himself. It was a re-
lief to get rid of it, anyhow.
Poor Trotty!
I am saving the best for the last --
the Christmas dinner at Bob Cratbhits,
with Tiny Tim and all the rest of the
little Cratchits. What a picture it is!
I smell the savory goose, I see the
steam rising from the plum pudding
and yes, ah, yes, I hear the voice of
Tiny Tim with its blessing for all.
Then up rose Mrs. Cratchit. Cratch-
it's wife, dressed mrt but poorly in a
twice turned gown, but brave in rib-
bons, which are
cheap and make a
goodly show for
sixpence; and she
laid the cloth, as-
sisted- by Belinda
Cratchit, second of
her daughters, also
brave in ribbons; >•
while Master Peter l�
Cratchit plunged a el.
fork into the sauce- •
pan of potatoes, j '
and getting the cor-
ners of m his on-
i
strolls shirt . collar
(Bob's private property, conferred up-
on his son and heir in honor of the
day) into his mouth, rejoiced t'- find
himself so gallantly attired, and yearn-
ed to show; his linen in the fashionable
parks. And now two smaller Cratch-
its, goy and girl, came tearing. in, ;
screxuring that outside the baker's they
had smelt the goose and known it for
their own; and basking in luxurious
thoughts of sage and onion, these
young Cratchits danced about the table "And you
and . exalted Master Peter Cratchit to tress?.
help'it I die
don't
elieve I
cang
"I do
nate proud,although I
the skies, while he ( .
his collars nearly choked him) blew the and take anti fan but it does no good.""
fire, until the slow potatoes bubbling :Detroit Tribuna
UP, knocked loudly at the Saucepan 1*
to be led out and peeled.
* * r * .s •,
Such a. bustle ensued that you' might
have thought a goose the rarest of sal
birds; a feathered Phenomenon to
which a black swam was a matter of!'
course --And, in truth, it was sower
thing very like it in that house. Sara.
Cratchit made the gravy (ready be••
forehand in a little saucepan) hissing
hot; Master Peter mashed the pote
toes with incredible vigor; Miss Belin-
da sweetened up the apple sauce; Mar'
tha dusted the hot plates; Bob took
Tiny Tim beside him in a tiny corner
at the table; the two young Cratchit*
set chairs for everybody, not forget-
ting themselves, and mounting guard:
upon their posts, crammed spoons IP*
to their mouths, lest they should shrieit
for goose before their turn came t0 b
helped. At last the dishes were set on
and grace was said. It was succeeded
by a breathless pause. as Mrs. Cratcb.
it, looking slowly along the ce.rvinft
knife prepared to plunge it in flee
breast; but when she did and when the
Iong expected gush of stuffing issued
forth, ane murmur of delight arose an
round the board, and even TinY Tina
excited by the two young Cratchits,
beat on the table with the handle all
bis knife and feebly cried "Hurrah!"
There never was such a goose. Boat
said be didn't believe there ever was
.such a goose cooked. Its tendernear
and flavor, size and cheapness were
tbe themes of untvereal admiratiote
Eked out by apple sauce and trash_
ed potatoes It was a eufiiclent dinner
for the whole family, indeed as Mrs•.
Cratchit said with great delight (sur-
veying one small atom of a. bone upon
the dish) they hadn't ate it all at lastt
Vet every one had .bad enough axed the
youngest Cratchits in particular were
steeped in sage and onion to the eye-,
brows! But now. the plates being
changed by Miss Belinda, Mra. Cratchit
left the room alone -too Itervous to
bear witnesses -to take the pudding
Up and bring it in. -
Suppose it should not be done
enough' Suppose it should break la
turning out! Suppose somebody should
have got over the wall of the back
yard and stolen it while they were
anergy with the goose -a supposition
at which the two young Cratchits be-
came livid! All sorts of horrors were
supposed=
I•lallot A great deal of steam! The
pudding was out of the cie per. A smell
like a, washing day! That was the
cloth. A smell letter an euti:?g house
and a, pantry: enok's next door to each
either" with a lnun'r.•es' next deor to
that! That titan th-i pulling' In belt
a minute Mn.(' .ette:It vat rola-teen-
ed but .:milir., ;•re elly-with tits peel-
dire;, lite a eat venison bele ren
hard and fart, li::inti in half of halt
t3 quarte•ru ct Wee (i brandy, and ba.
(light with t`Is:.: a:ay holly stuek lata
they trip.
Oh, a wors'rrful puelding! Slob
Cratchit said, :(roti calmly. ton, that he
regarded it as the gwat+r•t success
achieved by airs. Cr. tchit sine' their
marriage. Zdr\ teratehlt said that now
the weight wrs ops' her mind she wouUe
confess she hall had Iyer donuts about
the quantity of flour: Everybody lead
something to say about it, but nobody
said or thqught it Was at all a small
pudding for a large= family. It would
have been flat he'rt•sy to do so. Any
Cratchit would have blushed to hint
at such a thing.
At last the dinner eves all done, the
cloth was cleared, the hearth swept
and the fire made up. The cem'pound
in the Jug being tasted and consider-
ed perfect, apples and oranges were
put upon the table and a shovelful of
chestnuts on the fire. Then all the
Cratchit family drew round the hearth,
in 'what Bob Cratchit called a circle,
meaning half a one, and at Bob
Cratehit's elbow stood the family dis-
play of glass -two tumblers and a cus-
tard cup without a handle.
These held the hot stuff from the Jug.
however, as well as golden goblets
would have done, and Bob served it
out with beaming looks, while the
chestnuts on the lire sputtered and
cracked noisily. Then Bob proposed:
"A merry Christmas to us all, my
dears. God bless usl"
Which all the family re-ecboed.
"God bless us every one!" said Tieir
Tim, the last of all.
Toll IMAM; AT TIlO'i'rY y1'CS'S.
shall forget my own name next. It's
tripe!"
Tripe it was; and Meg, in high joy,
protested he should say In half a min-
ute more it was the best tripe ever
stewed.
"And so," said Meg, busying tierselt
exultingly with the basket, "I'll lay
the cloth at once, father. for I have
brought the tripe in a basin, and tied
the basin up in a pocket handkerchief;
and if I like to be proud for once, and
spread that for a cloth, and call it a
cloth, there's no law to prevent me, Is
there, father?"
"Not that I know of, my dear," said
Toby. "But they're always a -bringing
up some new law or other."
And according to what I was read-
ing you in the paper the other day,
father, what the Judge said, you know;
we poor people are supposed to know
them all. Ha, ha! What a mistake!
My goodness me, how clever they think
us."
"Yes, my dear," cried Trotty, "and
they'd be very fond of any one of us
that did know 'em all. He'd grow fat
upon the work he'd get, that man, and
be popular with the gentle folks in
his neighborhood. Very much so.!"
"He'd eat his dinner with an appe-
tite, whoever he was, if it smelt like
this," said Meg cheerfully. "Make
haste, for there's a hot potato besides
and half a pint of fresh drawn beer in
a bottle. Where will you dine, father?
On the post or on the steps? Dear,
dear, how grand we are! Two places
to choose from."
"The steps to -day, my pet," said
Trotty. "Steps in dry weather, post
in wet. There's a greater convenience
in the steps at all times because of
the sitting down, but they're rheu-
matic in the damp."
"Then here," said Meg, clapping her
'rands, after a moment's bustle, "here
it is ail ready!- And beautiful it looks!
Come, father, come!"
Since his discovery of the contents
of the basket, Trotty had been stand-
ing kin
b been
.nd had her, s
at
looking
speaking, too, in on abstracted man-
ner, which showed that though she
was the object h's thoughts and
eyes, to the excle +"n even of tripe, he
neither saw nor thought about her as
she was at that mon, ent. but had
before him some imaginary rough
sketch or drama of her future
Roused now by her cheerful summons.
he shook off a melancholy shake of
thehead which was just coming upon
him and trotted to her side. As he was
stooping to sit down- the chimes rang.
"Amen!" said Trotty, pulling off his
�
hat and lolooking1 n toward them.
"Amen to the bells, father?" cried
ton, and, wonderful to relate, a tart
besides -but we don't mind' a little dis-
sPa.ion when our brides are
In the
t
i
case; we don't- get married every day -
and in addition to these dainties there
were the veal and ham pie and
"things," as Mrs. Peerybingle called
them; which were chiefly nuts and -or-
anges and cakes and such small beer.
When the repast was set forthon the
board, flanked by Cale'rs contribution,
which was a great wooden bowl of
smoking potatoes (he was prohibited
by solemn compact from producing any
other viands) Tackieton led his intend-
ed mother-in-law to the post of honor.
For the better gracing of this place at
the high festival, the majestic
estic
old
soul
adorned herself with a cap calculated.
to inspire' the thoughtless with sent'-
hi
ments of .awe. Shees
also wore gloves.. e.g.
They broke in like a grace, my
But let us be genteel or die, dear," said Trotty, taking his seat.
Caleb sat next his daughter. Dot
The Mot", of Santa Claw:.
St. Nicholas was traveling through
his diocese at a period when a great
famine had driven the people to the
verge of starvation. One night be put
up at an inn kept by a certain man
who was a fiend incarnate. This loath-
ly personage, finding beef and mutton
scarce and high priced, cnnceivedt the
idea of replenishing his larder with the
nice, alley corpses of children whom
he kidnapped, killing and served up
to his guests in al lvariet]es of succul-
lent dishes. No one had penetrated
the mystery of how he alone of all the
neighboring bonifaces could keep his
table well supplied with roasts and
boiled meats, stews, basnes and sav-
ory soups. But no sooner had a dish
of child's meat been served up to the
saint than he discovered the horrible
truth. He leaped to his feet, and
poured out a torrent of righteous abase
upon the cringing and fawning land-
lord. And when the latter would deny
his guilt, St. Nicholas went to the tub
where the children were salted down.
All that was necessary for him to do
was to make the sign of the cross saver
the remains, and lo! three children who
had been misisng for clays arose, alive
and whole. Al 'the people were struck
dumb at this miracle. The children
were restored to thir mother, who was
a widow. As to the landlord, he was
taken out and stoned to death, as he
richly deserved to be..,
This story, it will be seen, does nut -'
aid us very materially. It is simply
one of a whole group of legends in
which- St. Nicholas appears as the
friend and benefactor : of children, and
in this respect only he resembles our
Santa Claus. In all the characteristics
which modern painters and story tell-
ers in England, in America' and
Germany have bestowed upon the rubi-
cund representative of Christmas he
dimers in toto -from the slender ab'!
even emaciated mitre and crosier,
whom 'the mediaeval( painters were
fond of depicting. So the legends of
St. Nicholas afford but a meagre clue.
to the identity of Santa Claus, alike
Indeed in name, but so totally unlike
in other 'particulars.
expect to be .a great 'as -