The Planters' banner. [volume] (Franklin, Attakapas Co., Lou.) 1849-1872, 1852-02-14
! Sss9R gg9D IAI.8a
Christmas i'm Company of John Doe.
BY CHARLES DICKENS.

I have kept amongst a store of joVial.
genial, heart-stirring returns of the sea-
son) some very dismal Christmases. I
have kept Christmas in Constantinople,
at a horrible Perar hotel. where / all
tempted the manufacture of plum
pudding from the macearoni soup they
served me for dinner, mingled with
some Zante curranfs and box of flgs
had brought from Smyrna-and where
I sat, until very late at night, endeavor
ing to persuade myself that it was cold
and Chri>tmassy," (though it WASN'T
drinking Levant wine and listening to
the howling of the dogs outside. min
gIed with the clank of portable fire.
engine which some Of the soldiers were
carrying to one Of :hose extensive con-
flagrations which never happen in Com
stantino pie ofieneI than three times a
day. | have kept Christmas on board
a Bologne packet, in company with
basin, several despair-stricken females,
and a damp steward. who. TO our en-
quirieS whether we should be '' in SOON"
had the one unvarying answer. pretty
near" to give. have kept Christmas,
when a boy, at French boarding
school, where they gave mc nothllg
but lentiIs and bouiHi fer dinner ~ the
auspicious day itself. | have kept
Christmas by the bedside OF a sick
friend, and wished him the compliments
of the season in his physie bottles Glad
'hey contained another six months life.
pour soul J have kept Christmas at
rich mems tables where have beer
uncomfortable AID once IA cobbleis 5
shop. where | was excessively con-
vivial. ! have spent one Christmas IN
prison. Start not. urbane reader. was
not sent there for larceny, nor for mis-
demeanor, but for debt.
II was Christmas eve, and my
name is Prupper-was taking my walks
abroad. walked through the crow<'at
Strand, elate, hilarious, benignant-for
the feast was prepared and the guests
were hidden. Such 4 tursec +! J nd Or
dered! Not the prize one with the
ribbons-I mistrusted that-hut very
plump. tender, wtiie-bTrasted bird, a
kirg of turkeys. 1t was to be boiled
with oyster sauce: and the rest OF the
Christmas dinner was 10 consist OF that
noble sirloin of roast beef and that I'M
mortal Gods head and shoulders! l
had bought the materials lJr that pad-
ding. too, some half hour previously !;
the plums and the cnrrents. the cltron
and the allspice, the -four and tae eggs,
I was happy.
Onward. by tn bright grocer's shops,
ihronged with pudding purchasers!-
Onward. by the t,onkse'ier's. though
lingering, il may be, for moment. by
the gorgeous Christmas books with their
bright binding and brighter pictures.
Onward by the pastrycook's! Onward,
elate. hiIarions and henignant. until.
Just as stopped by roulterer's shop
10 admire the finest capnn that London
or Christmas ever saw, hand was laid
on my shoulder! f a-.v-ii-F ais
:. Before cnr r-v-~.,,::---- '4,'1. -
Queen -" by the grace of God. greet
mgn-"that you take the body Of
Thomas Pruprer and him safely keep"
- and for So doias this SHAH be your
warrantn .-zsz evra rH a
These dread and significant words
swan before my dazzlpd eyelids,, dane.
ing maniac hornpipeS On Parchment
slip of paper. was 10 keep Christmas
in no other company than that of the
once celebrated parsonage. supposed IN
be the familiar of all persons similarly
situated-John Doe. -~.-.s.... -....
remembered with horror that some
fortnight previously lawyers clerk
deposited on my shoulder Slip ot
paper, which he stated 10 be the copy
Of writ. and in which her majesty
the Queen linked up for the nnnce with
John, Lord CampbelD was pleased te
command me TO enter an appearance
somewhere. by sneh day, in order Il
answer the plant of somebody. wht
said owed him some money. Now
an appearance had not been entered
and 10 'gment had gore Is ,lef4ult an,
execution had been obtained agains
me. The sheriff of Middlesex (who i
popularity. though erroneously supposed
10 be necessarily running up and dowr
his bailiwickl had had a writ of fer
fatias vulgarly termed il, ia. agains
my goods; bnt hearing, or satisfying
himself by adroit espionage, that hac
| no goods, he made return of null
bona. Then had he invoked the aid o
a more subtle and potential instrument
likewise on parchment, called a capia
/ ad satisfdciendum, abbreviated in leoa
parlance into ca. sd. against, my body
This writ he had confided 10 Aminadat
his man: and Aminadab rnnning, a
he was in duty bound yta do. up AM
down his section OF the bailiwick. ha,
| come across me, and had made me tb,
/ ca ptive of his bow and spear He call
ed it, less meiaphoricalIy. nabbin:
me-" sfss 81
/ Mr.. Aminadab Nah, aquiline-nesed
oleagiuous, somewhat dirty. elati in
| green Newmarket coat crimson vel
vet waistcoat purple satin neckclotl
with gold flnwers. two watch guards
and four diamond rings) proposed iha
something should be done.1 Won't
! 60 10 White-cross street at OHce? or (
] Blowman's, ia Cursit0r street? or woul
i | jast step into Peele's Coffee-house 70
| moment? Mr.. Aminadab was pei
4 fec,ly polite and indefatigably suggei
| --a