Year: 1875

lently kissed her, and then putting
on her bonnet, started off for thu
open air market in the Whitechap
el road, leaving Trottie to converse
with the others, and make hersel
as useful as she could during her alb
sence. After talking little to hel
father and brother, and putting the
tea things on the table, she sat dOwr
and silently reflected on the temp
tation she had overcome. Present
ly an up stair lodger entered the
room, carrying on her arm a baske,
Allied with good things for the next
days enjoyment. TrOttie asked
what she had got, and the wOmon
opening the basket, showed heI
many delicacies which she had
bought-plums, currents, tea, sugar
meat, vegetables, and other things
including a bottle of rum.


"You're determined to make your
self happy tomorrow" said Trottie,
looking at the ruu.


eyes," said the woman; "Christ
mas comes but once year, and We
may as well be happy as not. My
husband works hard enough, and
has enough to try his temper, and
it would be sad indeed if lie can't
make a little merry once q year
Why, we always look for it OIL
Christmas day. l believe my hus
band would sooner go without hall
his meat than his glass of rum.and'
water and pipe after dinner, and
another in the evening""


The lodger continued conversine
with the family for short time
longer, when Trottie's mother re.
turned from the market.


"And what have you got, moth.
era" asked Trottie. "Let'S see il
your basket is as well worth hav.
ing as Mrs. Thompson's."


Trottie's mother seemed to have
some diilidence in showing the con
tents of her basket, and possibly
with some reason, for her purchases
were vastly inferior to those made
by the lodger. Trottie also felt halt
ashamed of the exposure, but made
no remark.


81 see" said her mother to the
IOdger, "you've got something good
there in that bottle. l should like
to have bought one as well, but Pm
sorry to say we can't afford it,"


"Oh," said the lOdger, ''you ought
to have made an effort. 1t will be
hard indeed if Christmas night
passes off without some jollification."


"We must try and be happy
without the bottle,' said Trottie's
father, joining for the first time in
the conversation. "And not only
be happy tomorrow night, but
every night in the week. I've rarely
found any good come of the bottle,
but Pve known great deal of harm.
| was never Il drunkard, but | can
easily see now that if I'd kept away
from the public house altogether,
and saved my money, we should
not be in the strait we are now in.
But it shan't occur again, though,
if l can help it. Whenever Pm
again in work I'll put by every far
thing should have spent in the
public house, and | suspect before
next Christmas l shall not have as
much dread of the east wind keep.
ing shipping from coming up the
channel as now."


Trottie's mother argued Oh the
other side, and expressed great re-
gret that she was not able to obtain
the same means as the lodger for
their enjoyment the next day.


"For my part" she continued, 81
think every workingman wants
something to siren gthen him, and
all the doctors now say there's
nothing does so much good as spirits
A good glass of brandy is often
worth all the physic in a doctors.
shop put together"


Trottic's father, however, although
he did not contradict his wife, held
to his own opinion and Trottie be-
gan to think that his intended alb
stinence was OccaSiOned rather by
the pain he felt at seeing their poor
circumstances than from any dislike
to the liquor itself.


The lOdger now left them, and
after their meal TrOttie and her
younger sister Kate soon went to
bed.