The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1908-12-24
MIR PICKWICK WHIT SLOWLY AND GRAVELY DOWN THE
SLIDE WITH HIS FEET ABOUT A YARD APART.

began TO stow the things rapidly ANY,
ia tie cart. while tn" fat boy stood quiet
" ~ and seemed to think it q very ill.,
ter"siius sort of thing to see Mr.. Weller
wor;.:; by himself.
The conversation Of these two char
Gctrrs is too long to reprint here, but
not too much 50 to peruSc with the
greatest interest We must pass over
the story OF the wedding. which was
the day before Christmas event at
Din.l"y Dell, ut which Mr. Pickwic!;
distinguished himself by a felicitous
speech. and get to the story of the
dance Dickens description of the Old
sitting room is Il gem:
Tire best sitting room at Manor Farm
WAS good. long. dark paneled room.
with Il hi"n chimney piece and capaciouS
chimney. up which you could have driven
one OF the new patent cabs, wheels and
all. At the upper end of the room, seated
in shady bower of holly and ever
greens. We're the two best fidders and the
only harp in Muggleton In all sorts of
recesses and on all kinds of brackets
stood massive old silver candlesticks with
four branches each. The carpet was up.
the candles burned bright the fire blazed
and cracked on the hearth. and merry
Voices anu ilSHI nedTleu laughter TdllS
through the room If any of the old
English yeomcn had turned into fairies
when they died. ii was just the place in
which they would have held their revels
After the dance was over, Mr. Pick
wick having acquitted himself with
great credit. the reader is told about
the doinGs in the famous Old kitchen.
Here hung The miStletoe and did its
mission We'll in adding to the jollity
OF the occasion. The artist whose pic
lures appear on his pages has done ex-
ccllcut justice to Dickens text:
From the center of the ceiling of this
kitchen old WardIe had just suspended
with his own hands Il huge branch of
mistIctoe. and this same branch OF mis-
JletOa lUStautaneOuSly gave rise to a
scene of general and most delightful
struggling and confusion. in the midst Of
which Mr.. PiCNwick with 4 gaIlantry
which would have done honor to 4 de-
scendant of Lady TolIinslowcr herself.
took the old lady by the hand, led her he
meath the mystic branch and saluted her
In all courtesy and decorum : Marble
stood with his back 10 the fire surveying
the whole scene with the utmost Satisfac-
ton. AMI the fat boy took the opportuni-
~ Of approarIatinG TO his own use and
summary deNouTiur particularly fine
minc,' pit. that had been carefully put by
for somebody else -"
1t Vas = pleasant thing to see Mr.. Pick
wick il the center of the group. now pull
ed this way and then that and first kiss
ed on the chin and then on the nose and
then O. The spectacIes. and to hear the
peals Q. lighter which were raised or
every side.
Finally we come IL Christmas day
Il
skating" weather. The party all
went to L pretty large sheet of ;cc."
where Mr.. Wrinkle. having assumed
the airs OF man who could "Skait'
and having shown his ignorance there
OF. was Smartly reprOyed by Mr.. Pick
wick. Meanwhile. MIR. Weller and the
fat boy having by their Joint efforts
cut ont slide" all hands participated
says the chrOnicler of the days sport
1t was the most intensely interesting
thing to observe the manner in which
Mr. PickwiCk performed his share in the
ceremony-to watch the torture of anx
laty with which he viewed the person be-
hind gaining upon him at the imminent
hazard of tripping him up. to see hin
gradually eXpend the painful force which
he had put on at first and turn slowly
around on the slide. with his face toward
the point from which he had started tC
contemplate the playful smile which man
tied on his face when he had accomplish
ed the distance and the eagerness Will
which he turned around when he hat
done so and ran after his predecessor. hi:
black CATERS tripping pleasantly through
the snow and his eyes beaming cheerful
ness and gladness through his spectacles
and when he was knocked down. which
happened upon the average every third
round, it was the most invigorating sigh
that can possibly be imagined to behol(
him gather up his hat, gloves and hand
kerchief with a glowing countenance anC
resume his station in the rank with al
ardor and enthusiasm which nothin;
could abate.
Mr. Pickwick unfortunately breaks
through the ice and gets a good wet