CHAPTER SEVEN.

Twelve months passed away, and Christmas came again, with its frost and snow and sunshine--its blazing fires, its good cheer, and its merry greetings.

Many a Christmastide had now passed over the head of our blacksmith, John Thorogood, and his excellent wife Mary, but Time had touched them lightly in its flight. They both looked young and hale, and full of vigour. The only difference in them was a wrinkle or two at the corners of the eyes, and a few grey hairs mingling with the brown. Perhaps John was a little more corpulent than when he was a youth; but he could wield the fore-hammer as easily and powerfully as ever.

A cloud, however, had been gathering over their happy home during the past year. Molly--the sweet active girl who had never known a day's illness from her childhood--had fallen into bad health. Her step had lost its spring, but her cheerful spirit was unsubdued.

"You're better to-day, Molly darling?" asked the smith, in a tone which showed he was not sure of the answer.

"Yes, father, much better." Molly did not use endearing terms, but the sweetness of her looks and voice rendered such needless.

She was pale and thin, and could not check the touch of sadness in her tones.

"Fred is sure to come, darling," said Mrs Thorogood, stopping in her preparations for supper to smooth her daughter's fair head.

"Oh yes, mother, I know that Fred is sure to come," returned Molly, with a laugh and a little blush. "No fear of _him_. I was not thinking of him, but of Jim. It is the first Christmas we shall have spent without him. Dear Jim! I wonder what company he will have to spend it with him in the backwoods."

1. What is John's profession?
2. Who is his wife?
3. And his daughter?
4. True or False: This is the first Christmas the family has to spend without Jim.
5. Do John and Mary look much different since last holiday?
6. Is John as strong as he once was?
7. Does Molly have an upbeat personality?
8. Is she in good health currently?
9. True or False: It was unusual for the daughter to be sick.
10. In what country does the passage take place?
11. How is John different from in his youth?
12. Has John put on a bit of weight since his youth?
13. Does Molly think Fred will return?
14. How about Mrs. Thorogood?
15. What was Mrs. Thorogood getting ready for the family?
16. Who asks if Molly's health has improved?
17. True or False: Molly could hide her sadness.
18. How is Molly's skin color described?
19. What does Molly wonder about Jim?
20. What chapter is the passage from?
1. blacksmith
2. Mary
3. Molly
4. true
5. no
6. yes
7. yes
8. no
9. true
10. unknown
11. a wrinkle or two at the corners of the eyes, and a few grey hairs mingling with the brown.
12. yes if that's what corpulent means
13. yes
14. yes
15. supper
16. the smith
17. false
18. pale
19. what company he will have to spend it with him in the backwoods."
20. SEVEN