Year: 1873

not possibly have told which of the three
she liked best.


Well, they sat there until it was evident
that no long lost son would return from the
stormy seas, in the manner OF Christmas
stories, with heart full of love, and several
chests of inestimable value. 1t was also too
late for any good fairy to rap at the door
and announce glad tidings, because it was
getting toward day-break, and all Of these
pleasant things belong to the "witching
hour" So they drank again, and said
A" Goodnight" and Merry Christmas, very
frequently-in fact, much more frequently
than was at all necessary and then the
young fellows went off to their chambers,
arm-in-arm.


never knew exactly how they got to bed.
| fear they were Indifferent to circumstances,
and slept as it happened. Nature, no doubt,
looked after them-she is very good at this
sort of thing. However, they soon slept
heartily, and all dreamed Christmas dreams !;
but it is Halls dream that interests US most,
and this is what he dreamed:


He was instantly, and in the most mirac-
ulous manner, transformed into harlequin,
with charming suit of close-fitting gar
ments, in pattern much like fancy bed
quilt. Rosebud was Columbine; and who
should be Clown and Pantaloon but the un-
deniable Dick and the unmistakable Tom!


On this discovery, Harlequin Harry be-
came much excited-to slow music in the
orchestra-and was quite at a loss what to
do next. Seeing his embarrassment, Clown
and Pantaloon seized him, and with no little
dexterity fastened him to an enormous paste
board rock at the back of the stage. There
he was doomed to witness the despair of
Columbine, who was bored with the atten-
tions of both Clown and Pantaloon, though
she had all the while secretly loved Harle-
quin, as could plainly be seen with half an
eye. Clown loved Columbine for her do
mestic accomplishments, and Pantaloon
adored her for her amiability and beauty !;
neither would yield her to the other, so it
became necessary to divide her, and each to
take his half and be satisfied. Just then a
gorgeous cloud descended upon the stage,
and Solomon in all his glory, who had arrived
in this aerial chariot, stepped forth quietly
cut Columbine in two at the waist, giving
the head and shoulders to Pantaloon, and
the arms and legs to Clown. He thereupon
returned into his golden cloud, and was
hauled up into the canvas flies forever.


Pantaloon at once had Columbine's torso
beautifully mounted upon pedestal of a
convenient height, and then he began to
hold charming and instructive conversation
with her before the face and eyes of Harle-
quin, who wept aloud, and shook the paste
board rocks like young earthquake. Clown
had neat little table, with a shelf or two
at one side of it, riveted on to the waist of
his half of Columbine, and she at once skip
ped about the stage in the most cheerful
manner, having two little knot-holes in the
shelf for eyes, and folding her hands grace
fully upon the table when not wanted for
anything in particular.


No words can do justice to the agony of
Harlequin at this period chained, as it
were, to Caucasus, with the vultures preying
upon his liver! lie saw how sad case it
was. Had Clown won the whole of Colum-
bine, he would have had no use for her pretty
head and face, and her warm, trusting heart
he needed only couple of willing hands
and two ready feet, that would not tire OF
running and supplying his many wants. In
fact he had all that was necessary for his
comfort. and he at once began his queer
domestic, and | am sorry to add, very selfish
life. He ordered dinner for one, and of
went the little walking machine, as willing
rs bride. and back she came in moment
with table-cloth spread over her shoulders
i mean her leaves; bowl of soup, a
broiled fowl, with sauce. and entrees, spread
out on her neat little slab. There was also
a cup of delightful tea on her top shelf and
in fact, everything that could be desired was
H. oatip -
man who is just married can eat.


Harlequin watched the exhibition with
great, honest tears in his eyes. He seemed
at once to comprehend the situation. In
his minds eye, he saw the thankless Clown
mindful only of his own comfort, waxing
fatter and more selfish every year; he saw
poor little Columbine growing rusty and de-
crepid in the service; her leaves were
warped. her shelves stained, her varnish con-
siderably defaced; she could scarcely see
out of her two little knot-holes; and she
was sometimes caught running into some
thing, and spiling the dishes off from her.
self; or, perhaps, she backed up into cor
ner, when no one was looking, and wished
she were dead, while she tipped over against
the wall. as though her days were numbered
What joy could she look forward to in the
hereafter? There is no paradise for broken
furniture. and she seemed to realize it. Har-
lequin saw that she realized it, by the hope
less expression of her legs; they were grow
ing loose at the joints, and she was by this
time beginning to dangle her arms in pa
thetic fashion, a thing she would not be seen
doing at the time of her honeymoon. No
wonder; she was going all to pieces, just as
it she didn't care to be useful any longer
She felt that when her hour came, when all
, of sudden, some bright day, one Of her
arms dropped off, or leg snapped in two,
and she went to the floor all of heap
dishes, dinner, and everything felt that
then she would pass quietly away, and go to
some sort of heaven-a cheap one, proba-
bly-where she would be nothing, perhaps,
but a bed-making angel through all eternity
!; BY this time, Clown had finished eating,
and Columbine fed to her kitchen, which
was of course her boudoir also, and having
md herself of the remains OF the banquet as
speedily as possible she returned again, to
await further orders from her lord and master.
, All" said Harry, in his own natural
, voice-he forgot for moment that he was
Harlequin" All |" said he, "and this is to
be the fate of Dicks half of Rosebud !"
And for his prophetic vision of their possi-
Bile future, Hal actually hated Dick, thing
he had always believed himself incapable OF
doing.


| Then Harlequin turned to Pantaioon,
who was still holding sweet converse with
his half of Columbine. They were happy
enough for the time being; but love making
and nothing but love-making. soon grew
monotOnous. By and by, Columblne ielt