The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-17

the holly boughs; and shining on the
leaves by fits and starts. made them
look as if they We're in the cold winter
night again, and nuttering in the wind
Sometimes its genial humor grew OBJ
streperous, and passed all bounds: and
then 1t cast into the room and among
the twinkling feet, with loud burst, a
shower of harmless little sparks, and in
it's exultation 1eaped and bounded like
mad thing UP the broad chimney
The Battle of Life.
The Grocers! oh, the Grocers! with
perhaps two shutters down, or one, but
through those gaps such glimpses. 1t
was not alone that the scales descend
ing on the counter made merry sound,
or that the Irvine and roller parted
company SO briskly. or that the canis-
tiers were ratified up and down like Jug
Cling tricks, or even that the blended
scents of tea and coffee were SO CRATE
full to the nose, or even that the raisins
were so plentiful and pure, the almonds
so extremely white, the candied fruits
SO caked and spotted with molten sugar
as to make the coolest lookers-on feel
faint and subsequently bilious. Nor
was it that the figs We're moist and
PUPPY, or that the French plums
blushed in modest tartness from their
highly decorated boxes, or that every
mass dress; but the customers were all
so hurried and SO eager in the hopeful
promise of the day that they tumbled
up against each other at the door,
crashing their wicker baskets wildly,
and left their purchases upon the coun-
ter, and came running back to fetch
them, and committed hundreds of the
like mistakes, in the best humor possi-
BILE; while the grocer and his people
We're so frank and fresh that the poll
ished hearts with which they fastened
their aprons behind might have been
their own, worn outside for general in
spection, and for Christmas DAVIS to
peck at if they chose.--A Christmas
Carol.
In came Mrs. Fezziwig, one vast sub
stantial smile. In came the three Miss
Fezziwigs, beaming and lovable In
came the six young fellows whose
hearts We're broke In came all the
young men and women employed in the
business. In came the housemaid with
her cousin, the baker. In came the
cook with her brothers particular
friend, the milkman. In came the boy
from over the way who was suspected
of not having board enough from his
master, trying to hide himself behind
the girl from next door but one, who
was proved to have had her ears pulled
by her mistress. In all they came one
after another. Some shyly, some bold
ly. some gracefully, some awkwardly,
some pushing, some pulling. In they
all came anyhow and everyhow. Away
they all went twenty couples at once.
Hands half round and back again the
other way. Down the middle and up
again: round and round again in vari-
Gus stages of affectionate grouping; old
top couple always turning up in the
wrong place. new top couple starting
off again as soon as they got there; all
top couples at last, and not bottom
one to help them! When this result was
brought about. old Fezziwig clapping
his hands to stop the dance cried out
well done!" and the fiddler plunged
his hot face into pot of porter espe
cially provided for that purpose. But
scorning rest on his temperance, he
instantly began again, though there
We're no dancers yet. as if the other
fiddler had been carried home, exhaust
ed, on shutter, and he were bran
new man resolved to beat him out of
sight or perish.-A Christmas Carol.