Weekly Trinity journal., 1872-12-28
SATURDAY. DECEMBER rs, 1872.
TEE LONGER'S CHRISTMAS.

OOD, sUlu INC Illiu lOuScT 10 MS
room mate "Job! Precious few Jobs
ever got along with such nuisance as
this !"
But my dear follow"
"Don't dear fellow me at this time,
if you please. am not dear at all in
fact, am cheap, and my feelings seem
to be reckoned the cheapest part of me.
Capital chance of ever getting the capi-
tai prize at the college ] have, with such
an incossant humping and laundering in
in the next room ~
Well, but it is worse than usual ?"
" Worse Let me tell you she be-
gins very early, just rs want to sit down
to my writing. The keys rattle as if
the Old Nick was in them. There do
you hear hcr2"
And in truth the mild lodgcr's COM
panion, who was generally absent all the
day, heard, with awful dIstiactncss, the
piano in the adjoining room.
1t was not n tune. Perish the thought!
1t was heterogeneous collection of mis-
guided notes huddled into discord and
tumblcd into misapprchended scales.
The performer began at the beginning,
resolutcly each time, determined, evil
IDENTIFY, to succeed in rushing into harmo-
ny mt any cost of muscle or perseverance.
But there was an invariable hitch in the
smoothncss Of the execution, and it had
always to be done over from the start,
until the broken chords united.
One could have made better music
with a brush and scrapcr, and have been
less hazardous to dentistry by the use Of
n well-assorted saw and file.
1t was not contnuous-thcre was the
greatest fault. For it was practiccd with
n desperate earncstncss during five min
utcs, and in the Same length of time
atterward, it was quite mute and still,
awakening confidence of its complete ccs-
sation, only to begin again with renewed
discordancc.
Nor was it all alone in its horrors. 1t
was attended on occasions by the shriIl
counting Of numbers, in harsh, unmu-
steal key, and n training of that much
abused instrument, the human voice di-
vine
1t was horrible, thrice horrible to hear,
not merely pounding, but squalling-
squAlling undisguscd by single apprc-
citation of II right or righteous note. Now
it was high in the scale like the sharp
shriclls Ct a whistle; now down at
the lower places, str0ngling and choking
along like n disabled bullirog with fear
ful cold.
No language can do adequate justice TO-
the horrors which cnvironcd the "prac-
tice" and the "vocal culture of this
disturbcr of the public peace. The mild
lodgor put his head on his hands, rs if
overcome by the accumulation Of his
woes. His friend began to rave around
the room, cXasperoted beyond all cndur-
ance, touched already with tho early
symptoms of headache, and very dcsir-
Gus Of pitching the offender into The open
street.
1t was the week in which Christmas
comes - bright, clear and cold. The
ground was solid under the tramp of the
frost. The afternoon sun was streaming
down, glancing through the window on
the mild lodger's medical books, his un-
finished thesis, and his pale, carcworn
face. His friend, on the contrary, was
robust, healthy, actiyc-brown with the
remains Of the Summer which had gone,
and ready, apparently for battle royal
with all the elements put together.
"Comc," said he, drawing his arm
through that Of his companion, and lift
ing him from his seat at the table
"comc, we can't stand this and it's no
use to demonstrate D.! Suppose we go out
for walk ?"
The mild lodger cast n longing glance
toward his books and his thesis-it was
in the interval of the noisc-but another
bang at the piano conquered his doubts,
and he rose from his seat with n sigh for
his neglected work. He only yentured
one wish rs he left the house. 1t was
this:
GLOW would like to see that piano
scuttlcd and sunk, and that girl with Il
note stuck crosswisc in her throat ~
The wish, like himself, was mildly ex-
pressed, and yet withal possessed Of n
frmness which indicated its sincerity.
The other lodgcr only laughed.
"Come, now" said he, let us forget
all about it for while. You arc endless
ly pouring over science take advantage
Of the day, and lay up a stock Of vitality
against the next time Of trial"
So they went on through one street
and another, in the clear cold, which was,
nevertheless, notuncom!ortablc, and talk
ing, as they went, Of many thing.
They had been stroling in this fashion
until the sun was nearly down, when
suddenly reckless driver, whirling into
the street, knocked downa boy who was
crossing over, jnst ahead Of them. The
wheel struck the poor lad on the left
side, and passed over his leg as he fell.
Both dodgers rushed forward, and the
stronger Of the two was able ~ catch