The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-01-27

THE HAUNTED MAN AND THE GHOSTS
BARGAlN....A FANCY FOR CHRIsTMAs-TIME.
BY CHARLES DICKENS.
[ConcludedJ
How old and shabby he looks :" said Mrs Tet-
terby, watching him. :" | never saw such change
in man. All. dear me, dear me, dear me, it was
a SACRIFICED
"What was a sacrifice % her husband sourIv
inquired.
Mrs. Tetterby shook her head, and without re-
plying in words, raised complete sea-storm about
the baby, by her violent agitation of the cradle.
If you mean your marriage was sacrifice nv
good woman" said her husband.
81 do mean it :" said his wife.
Why then, mean to say, pursued Mr.. Tet-
terby, as sulkily and surlIy she that there are
two sides to that affair: and that was the sacri
flee and that wish the sacrifice had MT been &C
cepted''
wish it had Mt Tetterby, with all my heart
and soul, do assure you,' said his WIFE 'You
can 7 wish it more than do, Tetterby."
do MT know what | saw in her," muttered
the newsman, IN sure certainly, if saw any
thing, IT s not there now. | was thinking so last
night after supper, by the fire. She s fat, she IS
agelng, she won't bear with comparison with mosl
other women"
He Is communicating, he has no air with him.
he s small, he s beginning to stoop, and he IS get
ting bald" muttered Mrs. Tetterby.
e must have been half out of nv mind, when
did 1t, muttered Mr. Tetterby.
Ny senses must have forsook me- That s the
only way in which can explain it to myself said
Mrs Tetterby, with elaboration
In this mood they sat down to breakfast. The
little Tetterbys not Infatuated to regard that
meal in the light of sedentary occupation, but
discussed i as dance or trot rather resembling
a savage 69mony, in the occasional shrill whoops,
and brandishngs of bread and butter, with which it
was accompanied, as well as in the intricate filings
Oft into the street and back again, and the hoppngs
upand down the doorsteps, which We're incidental
to the performance. In the present instance, the
contentious between these Tetterby children for
the milk water jug, common to all, which
stood upon the table, presented so lamentable an
instance of angry passions risen very high indeed,
that it was an outrage on the memory of Dr. Watts
II was not until Mr. Tetterby had driven the whole
herd out at the front door, that moments peace
was secured and even that was broken by the
discovery that Johnny had surreptitiously come
back, and was at that instant choking in the jug
like ventroquist, in his indecent and rapacious
haste.
"These children will be the death of me at last 20
said Mrs. Tetterby, after banshing the culprit
And the sooner the better, Think
Poor people," said Mr.. Tetterbv, "ought not
to have children at ALL They give us no pleasure. .
lie was al that moment taking up the cup which
Mrs Tetterby had rudely pushed toward him, and
Mrs Tetterby was lifting her own cup to her lips,
when they both stopped as if they were transfxed.
E" Here I! Mother! Father" cried Johnny, run
ming into the room. Here IS Mrs. William COM
ing down the street,
And if ever, since the world began a Young boy
took baby from the cradle with the care of an old
nurse, and hushed and soothed it tendery and
tottered away with it cheerfully, Johnny was that
boy, and Moloch was that baby, as they went out
together.
Mr.. Teterby put down his cup; Mrs. Tetterby
put down her cup. Mr.. Tetterby rubbed his fore
head; Mrs. Tetterby rubbed hers. Mr. Tetterbys
face began to smooth and brighten; Mrs. letter
by's face began to smooth and brighten.
" WhV, Lord forgive mi - said Mr. rTetferhv tn
himself, what evil tempers have / been giving
way to! What has been the matter here -
:" How could | ever treat him ill again, after all
have said and felt last night - sobbed Mrs. Te-
terby, with her apron to her eyes.
" Am a brute" said Mr. Tetterbv, ''o or is there
any good in me at all Sophia NV little woman %
,Dolphus, DEAR" returned his wife.
live been in state of mind" said Mr..
Teterby, that can't abear to think of, Sophy."
"Oh It's nothing to what I've been in, 'Dolf,'
cried his Wife, in great burst of grief
My Sophn," said Mr.. Teuerby, "don't take
on. never shall forgive myself | must have
nearly broke your heart, know
No, Doll, no. 1t was me Me- cried Mrs.
Tetterby.
"My little woman,'' said her husband, edo MT.
You make me reproach myself dreadful, when you
show such noble spirit Sophia my dear, you
do MT know what | thought. | showed it bad
enough no doubt; but what l thought, my little
woman ~
VII, uedf Doll, 90 MT 10 crle0 MS WIFE,
Sophia, said Mr.. Tetterby, | mustreveai it,
| could MT rest in my conscience unless / men,
toned it. My little WOMAN
Mrs. William IS very nearly here 20 screamed
Johnny at the door,
My little woman, wondered how,'' gasped
MIR. Ietterby, supporting himself by his chair-"I
wondered how | had ever admired you-I forgot
the precious children you have brought about me-
and thought you did MT look as slim as could
wish. II never gave a recollection" said Mr.
Ietterby, with severe selfaccusaton, to the cares
you We had as my wife, and along of me and NINE
when you might have had hardly any with another
man, who got on better, and was uckier than me,
land quarrelled with you for having aged little
in the rough years you We lightened for me- Can
you believe it, my little woman | hardly can
myself
Mrs. Teterby, in a whirlwind of laughing and
crying caught his face within her hands, and held
it there.
"Oh, 'Dolf!" she cried, 81 am so happy that
you thought so; | am so grateful that you thought
so, For thought that you were communicating,
'Dolf; and so you are, my dear, and may you be
Il commonest of all sights in my eyes, till you
close them with your own good hands thought
that you small and so you are, and I'll make
much of you because you are, and more of you be-
cause love my husband. thought thatyo began
10 stoop; and so you do, and You shall lean on me,
and IL do all | can to keep you up. thought
there was no air about you; but there is, and God
bless home more, and all belonging to it, Dolfn
" Hurrah here's Mrs. William cried Johnny.
So she was, and all the children with her; and
as she came in, they kissed her, and kissed one
another and kissed the baby and kissed their father
and mother. and then ran back and f1Ocked and
danced about her, troopng on with her in triumph.
Mr. and Mrs. Teterby were not bit behind
hand in the warmth of their reception. They were
as much attracted to her as the children were
they ran towards her, kissed her hands, pressed
round her, could not receive her ardently or enthu-