The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-12-22

tragedy uncle, in fact.
My dear uncle, said Milly, ,"of course we
after all. 4" - 'OA''
well, my dear, I'm not so sure of that;
out man maynt marry his grandmother.
you know; and / rather think there's a simi-
lar FOOLISH prejudice as regards nieces. So.
on the whole, perhaps it's just as we'll you
didn't say yes.
I'm sure 1 heartily beg your pardon.
brother-in-law, said Mr. Todd 'You won't
bear malice for words said under mistake.
I'm sure"
Well, I'm not quite certain whether will
or L won't, said Mr.. Hawkins. 81 should
like to punch that young rascal's head for
calling me an old humbug, but I'm afraid
should get the worst of il.
I'm very sorry, sir, began Charley
mo, you're not, my dear boy; or if you
are, you need MT be, said Mr.. Hawkins 'Tt
was an old mans joke, and | rather think
saw the fun of it better than you did,"
''But had always heard you were dead,
Hawkins, said Mr.. Todd. 'Many a time my
poor wife used to talk and cry over her only
brother, who was thought to have been
drowned at sea-"
81 ought to have been, by rights" said
Uncle Tom. GIVE been in three shipwrecks,
but was preserved, probably for higher
and drier fate. I've been a digger and q
storekeeper, and good many other things
besides. Ill tell you all my adventures, one
OF these days. And now I've made as much
as l care to make. Yess that twenty thousand
pounds is a fact, Miss Milly, and I've come to
England to enjoy myself with my nephews
and nieces. So you won't marry me, oh y
Nilly shook her head saucily.
''Well, then, as I've set my heart on
wedding, suppose you must marry some
body else. L think l know somebody who'll
find that security, Mr.. Charley, though you
did call me a canting old humbug. No
thanks don't like EN-; always makes me
allowed to laugh. Milly, little woman, if
you're very good, you and will take a run
out of town the very first fine day, and see if
we can't find that same cottage we were talk
ing about--small garden in front, and the
name of John Todd on the door, you know"
In spite Of Uncle Toms objection to thanks
there was a simultaneous outburst of grateful
joy-ths overflow of happy hearts. John
Todd squeezed his brotker-in-aw's left hand
while Charley Collins violently shook his
right and Milly, with both arms round his
neck, kissed him repeatedly. Miss Pinnifer
wept so violently that her small pocket-hand-
kerchief looked as if it had been recently
washed and not recently dried
The excitement rather increased than
an a fair way to be literally smothersd with
caresses, when the door suddenly opened and
Miss Pinnifers brother, In a white and pecu-
liarly airy costume, stalked into the room.
The unfortunate man had walked from his
first sleep with an uneasy sense that the pro-
missed pudding, with the hope of which he
had been beguiled to rest, had not been
duly furnished; and he had therefore risen
at once, without the formality of dressing
himself, to claim his due. There was an ex-
clamation of astonishment followed by shout
of inextinguishable laughter. and then Miss
Pinnifer, with much presence of mind, seized
the table-cover, and hurriedly draping it
round the intruder marched him back to bed
For little while longer the little party sat
around the fire, talking of the hard times
past, and the pleasant times to come, and
hearing the story of the tempest-tossed life,
come to an anchor at last. And then the
time for ''good-by" came, and as with loving
kisses and hearty hand-shakes, they said
E'good night" the chimes from a neighbor-
ing church tower rang out midnight, and
Christmas day was over. And Uncle Tom,
reverently doffing his hat, said:-
''Thank God for merry Christmas
''Amen!" said Charley Collins
''Amen! :" said John Todd, with all our
hearts, amen
Thank God for Christmas So say we all,
and God help him who cannot say Amen &!
For peace and goodwill, for the quickened
pulse of charity, for quarrels reconciled and
love renewed, the golden gifts of Christmas,
God be thanked. Thanked, not alone with
our lips, but with our hands and our hearts,
by spreading these golden gifts, that othera
may thank Him too. None is so poor but that,
once year at least, he may be erich uncle
to somebody; none SO joyless but that he may
catch reflected ray of happiness, by doing
something, be it ever 80 little, to make merry
Christmas in the heart of another.
WINDOW GLASS.