Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1861-02-13
who poked his head in door at the back of

Il III.
! Fndge, come along to supper Ali yoa
nave cricket on your hearth. Bless me,
wish had one upon mine. 1t sounds SO
CHEEKY like
Perry fistal, you're drunk. Do YOU cal
that noise pleasant? It's the most horrible,
"retched, unchristian squeak in the world
That cricket! Bless me, Snap, what is
the matter ?
| can't see what makes you talk so, Per
! ryfstal. 1t seems to me that no one but a
drunken rowdy would tell me-ME, Perryfis-
tai, that he's glad because Christmas Eve has
come, and that there's music in a crickct's
chrplng. / suppose you'll tell me next that
good fre and nice supper are unpleas-
ant
No, Snap won't tell you any such thing
say they are pleasant, and ifyou don't join
me in proving that | deem them so, Whv.
I'll go and do it myself
Perrytistal, do you really think there is
any sense in Mammonopolis to-nightY
Yes, do; think it's full
We'll, | don't
Why, Snapr
Look me in the face, Perryfstal. right in
the eye. Now tell me what's the use of
Christmas p
Christmas Thelitle man stood aghast.
Yes, | mean it. hope havn't cornered
you
Why-Chrstmas Snap, you take away
my breath. The use of Christmas certain
~, you don't want to know-why, you know,
snap, what's the use of Christmas! =
No, | don't know =
hy-why-it's-a-a holiday !
Fudge | wouldn't give q cent for holi
days
You wouldn'tY
No, | wouldn'tp The answer was sharp
and decisive.
Would you give anything for supper?
Yes, | would, PerryfstaL. I'll prove that
at Mrs. Waddledypop's directly, as soon as l
can make matters straight here
We'll, Christmas is supper to such fellows
as we are. We can't do without it. It's re-
creation to the mind, like supper is to the
body. You couldn't do without fire? Well.
i,,s ti,e warns warns the body, and G'--'-.--> G--.--
'Pishr
What Snap, what do you mean by thGt"
1t was evident that the little gentleman was
becoming more and more astoniahed
What do you mean by Il soul? Did you
ever see itY
What do you mean by mind? Did you
ever see that What do mean by feeling
Did you ever see feel? What do you mean by
hearing? Did you ever see hear? or smell?
'Perryfstal, you're drunk! I've expe-
rieuced them all !
WELL I've experienced my soulp
Come on, Perryfistal, let's go to supper
The little gentleman smiled, but said moth
ing, and wrapping large comforter more
tightly around his neck, sailed forth into the
little back street Snap closed the door, after
/ 4, ~, liobt
his companion Then down the street they
went, arm in arm, through the crowded tho
rnghd rHsnastd arogh af hG 81 GTSat eiX Of MammonoPos
! themselves to their tables and fires, passed
shouting children and laughing servants, mas
tening shop boys and loaded messengers, pass
ed them all to their mutual boarding mousse
Here around bling hearth-stone were
grouped Ms. Waddledypop's boarders. big
and little, young and old, tacitum and talka-
tive. smiling and Scowl-well, no, none were
sco,oIiag-not smiling, hungry all OF Chem
and wishing for the announcement Oh Che
evening meal. The arrival OF snap, TN
great liquor dealer, and the rlcn one 100 10
gether with that of Prrytstal, the equaiiy a
great silk merchant; was greeted win clalho
almost as loud as that of political gatherlhe
: The sight of the blazing hearth, ana the Sllu
, 6nr of the steak as it was beng oreuShC u
E the table in the adjoining room, ratneT mon
I, fed Snaps temper; but, notwithstanding
? this, scowl, like thunder storm oVeI =
clear sky passed across ms iace, as al ol0 - :
:, oentleman, with q broad smile sut1uslng n
. countcnance, stepped up to him and Whispe
- ed, : a merry Christmas, Snap
,e A merry Christmas, Whitespeck! Sn'
ID rrumbled this out because he was ooilSeo
lie ed to the more congenial Perryhstai anu
r. tered into lively conversation with him'
tn sWhitcspeck's got into some OF his nonscn
re to.nioht wonder what the old mend mea
to NV tbatr g,owled Snap to himself, as he Sa
or INTO n seat and piled both feet upon the IL
ly der This very comfortable position he "
IN. destined not to enjoy long, for Mrs waco
ne dvpop's boardcrs were summoned 10 at'e
nd her in the dining-room almost as soon as
pa had placed himself Snap took ms place "
ch the rest around the we'll filled board OF
esS GOOD andlady, and after piously waiting
CO. iii the long gentlemen with the WhlC era
his who sat Mt the head of the table had lnVo
the blessing of the Givcr OF all oooo' III
col 4 vigorous attack upon the edloleS placel
my fore him. Snap was hungry, there "aS
lm doubt of il, and as his hunger was aPpea'
4 IL and the sharpness OF hlS apPe'i'1 Nia' Pr"
by, his rood humor once more made Its app
ling ance, and by the time his two cups OF co
an his two biscuits, his piece of toast and S
,ain had been swallowed, he was as merry as
K Of Of them and especially when he took his
ock- once more in Mrs. Waddledypnp's parlor
,als, III a prime cigar Whitcspeck wasn't h'
) a NJ any more nor called AN old fiend. r
oun- fistal might talk as much as he chose a
,se; Christmqs and the cricket, yet Snap !"
with listen; wei, perhaps he would say, !
nd a ,ee much use in it, anyhow, or ! cant
,ors any music in the cricket but he Won
sneak short and say, the worlds MAD
mont its horrible, wretched, unchrlstian SOU
- - w fact. the long gentleman, with the
sup crav~,who sat at the head of the table,
'rl"~ , him wha, N,s intentions were on the mo
eople and that's more than a great many OF h
ppoSe low boardcrs would have done; and he;
grain to the ereatsurprise of Pe,ry yfistal and V
money .peck. he replied that he thought he
hun ci,aer 90 to church or the country
arS,- Snap said he thought he would go to G
that YOU umight know he wasn't tsecondaTlly
srowl no not a bit of it. tic was pie
EhJ.ISt