Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-12-24

made the business look very much like laying
on gas; snd then Q he REM nded her mistress
hat II Was getting late, and shops might be
ciostGE IN the neigbborhood.
"Theres to-morrov's dinner, you see, mum;
ana tnen there's the old gents supper. sup
pose I'd better get q bit Of cheeseF
he want support
"Eor' bless your Innocence, mum, Of course
he viii; and breakfast and dinner, and ali his
meals, and his beer. It's the rule. you see,
III I'm; you finds 'em in every thing"
With THIS Hannah banded her mistress the
baby ana departed
The mex perienced girl sat staring apa-
tbetically a. the blackened Goals in thu pretty
steel CRATE She felt as some young mother OF
tie abtediluvi period may have felt, as she
sat with her child in her lap. listening to the
rising waters, aad waiting for the end OF the
world.
Hannah came back BY -and-by. with bread
and cheese and beer for the old man. and
modest little Joint of beef for the next days
dinner, and quarter OF pound of tea, and
other small matters, which altogether made a
terrible hole IN that one pound twelve shit
lpge which alone stood between this houss-
hold and dsstitution.
1--WE shall have to chang. the sovereign for
his beer 10 morrow, m urn, said the maiden;
hut We shall hold out MI the captain comes
home, d. pend upon IL"
mrs Hawthoi ndeas counted the hours that
must elapse before the Captain could possibly
come home. ana counted them over again. I'LL
her bTa N grew quite dizzy. Her only co Mort
next morning was 10 think that some OF those
weary hours were gone.
Hannah waved on Mr.. Jiffns, taking his
meals 70 the Captain snug tIttle Sanctum, a I'd
coming back to her mistress 10 report the a W
iuI havoc h- had MADE with the loaf, the
alarming way lie had slashedoff slices from ths
JOINT.
And think u there was oceans or gravy,
mum, he'd soak Them up; for, let alone smash
ing his purtaJeTs, be sops II n with his bread
Oh, what rr.ary CHRISTMAS dav, CABS
aud carriages dashed up to other 1ousas in to-
pretty suburnan street; gayIy dressed people
went 10 aud fro the neighboring church-s: n.
night music sounded and lights cleaned fro 70
many wind ws; while Clara Hawthorndeau
walked up and down with her fret;ul baby
and thought of whsttbey were doing at home
alas her home no loJgPr!
Toodleums lad BEEN fractieus all day, and
grew worse toward evening and while II tn-
nah went for the supper-beer he took the op
portunity of working himself into paroxysm
OF crying that terrified the yonng mother out OF
her wits. She was pacing the room, trying in
van to sooihe her infant, when the door was
softly opened, and Mr.. Jiffins appeared. Clara
almost dropped the baby at sight OF tais ap-
partition.
"Les me take him a bit." said Mr.. Jifins:
.'I'm used TO babies, bless emf
"On, please don't" cried Clara, As the dread
ed intruder advanced his grimy hands: sin
deed, indeed, be- wouldn'C come TO you.r
Blu, 10 the mothers utter astonisnment- Too
dleuns, the most particular and capricIous OF
babies, did go TO this gruhby Old man, aud,
after few minutes hushinS and dandlIng an q
see-sawing ia the air, did actually cease TO
cry:
s.Bless their dear little hearts. they ell come
TO me-" said Mr.. Jilfins, com Dlacentiy. live
got u graz dscn Just this ones sizr; and what
that little dear do suffer with the wind on his
stomach its only beknown to nisself and me-. Il
amt temper, bless you when they shree KS III Ike
that-ips wind and you take my advice and
Just let your girl fetch twopenn 'orth of es-
sence ofIeppermnt-noneo OF your Duffy formy
money-and give him two drops on A lump Of
sugar melted in a spoonful OF warm water,
and he'll be as quiet As a lamb"
Mir. JIffiDs nurssd the baby till Hannah came
back with the beer and the change for the last
sovereign, which Mrs. Hawtnordean had Goa /.
remplatet fondly as she parted wi Ia it forever
The girl stared aghast on behoidng her
charge in the arms of the intruder; but h. d s.
patched her to the chemists for peppermint as
cColly as II ne had been the infants fayorite
grandfather. Mrs. Hawthorndean had sun X
exhausted into her chair, and looked On wi n
amaZemfnt. while the man in possession de-
veIopec perfect genius for nursing. and en- i.
ter aimed TOodleums with broken tobacco.
pipe and latch key as that young gentlem al
rarely allowed himself to be entertained ov tue
most elaborate inventions Of the toy maker.
"Nou seem 20 have wonderful power over
children" murmured Clara NJ last.
I'm fond of 'em, N a'am, that's where L. is:
ard they know it. There's nothing gets over
EN- like 'hst-real, rign'down fondness OF 'em.
Now, I'll wager while you were carrying tn s
little chap mp and down Just now your mind
had wandered ike, and you were thinking of
your own troubles, and Jon felt him drag
upon you"
Clara nodded assent.
TO be- eure!' exclaimed Mr. Iifins
triumphantly; .and that child knowed the
knowed as he hadn't got your whole heart.
and you can't do nothing with child unless
You gives him your whole heart. They're the
deepest little Garracks out for iLat bless en-
Amt you now, ducksy!" Yes, o. course; you
knows yon ars.'
Toodieums assented to this proposition wish
"Bein' rs It's Christmas. night, num-" said
n r. Jifiips, by.and-by. when the peppermin ut
Rad been brought ara admir- istered, and nv
disposition lively like, perhaps You wouldn't
take II as a liberty If / asked leave to eat my
bit OF supper in herel 1t is rather lonesome in
that there little room, and seems lonesoner
being Christmas time"
What could a helpless Young wife and
mother say % ms startling request Mr.
Jifiins was master OF the situation. There was
something very dreadful In sitting down to
supper with thus dirty old man; bat TODD
learns was hanging or 70 one OF his greasy
coat-buttons with the affec ion OF q lifetime,
aud mau thus affected by Tootleums could
not be utterly base. So Mrs. Hawthoradsan
murmured flint assent 10 the proposed ar
rangement. The tray was brought. modestly
furnished with piece OF cheese, a loaf, q lit
tie glass dish OF butter, and a Jug OF ale. Mr..
Jiflns surveyed these simple preparations
win an approving eve.
"Raw cheese !. rather cold TO the palate in
this weather." lie said. theughtfulIy, what
should you ,ay now, mum, 10 4 raboit"'
Il am very sorry, faI.ered Mrs. Haw thorn.
Cedni apolOEeucally, "out we haven't any rao-
bits in The house"
"Lor' bless yon, ma'am, l means toasted
cheese. Ifrhat good tempered young WON N
Of yours would get me the mustard Pot and a
small saucepan, and then kneel down before
tire fire and teast a round or two of bread, I'll
soon show you what means by rabbit"
Hasnah ran off to procure these implements,
and she was presently employed in toasting
cheese under the Old mans dire .tion.
"A tea-spoonful OF mustard, and good
lump Of fresh butter, and a table spoonful of
ale, and let il sumner by the side of the fire
while You toasts the bread, my dear, said Mr..
Jiffins, who nursed the baby and looked on
approvingiv while the handm aid obeyed him.
To poor Clara Hawthorndean IT seemed like
some distempared dream. "lf any body
should carr she thought; and she had to tell
herself over and over again that ten O'Clock on
Christmas night was not likely hour for
callers. She thought Of the Joyous party in
her old home-the girls In white muslin aud
scarlet sashes, the matrons In their rustling
silks; and then OF that more stately festival at
Strathn arm Cas- lie. and the black-oak Bullets
had SO often described TO her; but from these
bright pictures her faucy always came back to
the old man experimenting the simmering
cheese.
Both he and Hannah persuaded her presently
20 taste this de.Icaey. She had eaten nothing
at dinner, Tor the sense Of the Old mans pres.
ence to the Captains study had weighed upon
her like an actual burden. He was not nearly
80 dreadful seated opposite to her with her
baby on his knee. Our skeletons are never so
hidtous when confronted so when hidden
away In soIle dark cupboard, Mrs. Haw.
thorndean tasted the Welsh rarebit. 1t was