The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-12-10
Dickens's Christmas Story,
MUGBY JUNCTION.
BARBOX BROTHERS AND CO.

But surely. here, not far ahead, must
be the great ingenious town. This crash
ing and clashing that the train was un-
dergoing, and this coupling on to 1t OF a
of new echoes, could mean
nothing less than approach to the great
station. 1t did mean nothing less. At
ter some stormy flashes of town light
ming, in the way of swift revelations OF
red-brick blocks of houses, high red
brick chimney shafts, vistas of red-brick
railway arches, tongues of fire, blots OF
smoke. valleys of canal, and hills of
coal. there came the laundering in at
the journeys end.
Having seen his portmanteau safely
housed in the hotel he chose, and hav-
ing appointed his dinner-hour. BarboX
Brothers went out for walk in the
busy streets. And now it began to be
suspected 10y him that Mugby Junction
was Junction of many branches, IN
visible as well as visible, and had joined
him to an endless number of byways.
For, whereas he would, but q little
while ago. have walked these streets
blindiy brooding, he now had eyes and
thoughts for a new external world.
How the many toiling people lived,
and loved. and died; how wonderful 1t
was to consider the various trainings of
eve and hand, the nice distinctions of
sight and touch, that separated them
into classes of workers, and even into
classes of workers at subdivisions of one
complete whole which combined their
many intcllgences and forces, though
of itself but some cheap object
of use or ornament in common
life; how good it was to know
that such assembling i'll II multi
tude on their part, and such con-
tribution of their several dcNterlties to-
wards civilizing end, did not deterior-
ate them as it was the fashion of the SUI
percilious May-hirS of humanity opre-
tend, but engendcrcd among them a
selfrespcct and yet modest desire to
be much wiser than they were (the first
evinccd in their wcll-balanced bearing
and manner of speech when he stopped
to ask question; and second, in their
announcements of their popular studies
and amusements on the public walls);
these considerations, and host of such,
make his walk memorable one. 81
am hut little part of Il great whole,
he begun to think; "amd to be service
able to myself and others, or to be hap.
py, | must cast my interest into, and
draw out of, the common stock"
Although he had arrived at his jour
ney's end for the day by noon, he had
inscnsibly walked about the town 81
far and so long that the lanp-lighters
were now at their work in the streets
and the shops were sparkling up bril-
liantly. Thus reminded to turn towards
his quarters, he was in the act of doing
so, when n very little hand crcpt into
his, and very little voice said,-
80! If you please, | am lost"
He looked down, and saw very lit
tie fair-haired girl.
eyes," she said, confirming her words
with serious nod. II am indeed.
am lost"
Greatly perplexed, he stopped, looked
about him for help, deserted none
and said, bending low: Where DO you
live. my childp
II don't know where l live" she re-
turned. Il am lost
"What is your name ?
'truny."
'What is your other name"
The reply was prompt and unintelh'
gible.
Initiating the sound rs he caught it
he hazarded the guess, "Trivits 7"
so now said the child, shaking heI
head. Nothing like that
"Say it again, little one"
An unpromisinG business. For this
time ii had quite different sound.
He made the venture: "Padde"s Z!
so no." said the child. Nothing like
that"
Once more. Let us try it again
dear"
A most hopeless business. This time
it swelled into fonr syllablcs. 1T can't
be Tappitaryer ?. said BarboX brothers
rubbing his hoad with his hat III dis
coinfturc.
mo. Ii amt the child quietly as
scnted.
On her trying this untortnnatc name
once more, with extraordinary efforts al
distinctness, 1t swclled into eight SSiia'
bles at least.
"Ah L thihk, sala DarooA bio'h'
ers, with desperate air OF resignation
"that we had better give it up.
But | am lost" said the child, nest
ling her little hand more closely III his,
"and you'll take care of me, won't You 2
If ever a man were disconnected by
division between compassion on tho
one hand, and the very imbecility of il,
resolution on the other, here the man
was. Lost - he repeated, looking
down at the child. Il am sure 1 am
What is to he done y
"Whcrc do go" live asked the chilu,
looking M at HIM wlstililly.
Over there" he answered, pointing
vaguely in the direction OF his MOTEL
Hadn't we better go there saiu the
child.
Really" he rcpleo, L uoh l hno"
but what we had" r.
So they set OH, han9 III haiio' ne,
through comparison OF himself against
his little companion; with a ci3nsE ,l leet,
ing on ilm as II he ha4 just ueveioPeu
into ioolish giant enc, cicafis . tle.
waited IN her own opinion ~ IN ii'' a,; ,ms
got him so neatly out oi HIS ''',
oarTassi'icnt' ,;, ,-,,o,
I'VE are going TO nave dinner WHcH