Year: 1875

S4ue uOoE, WFlGGeu alSO Ill SOlu omDOSSeQ letters: "Bottle Department. Being somewhat of 8 determined character, and having resolved that she would carry home the rum, she entered this department, where she could make her purchase quietly and unobserved.

 This, however, was hardly the case, for she found it filled, though with somewhat more decent set of customers than in the barroom; but every sound and blasphemous expression used by those she had just left was as audible as If she had been among them. She could hear that the barman was evidently sue ceeding ill turning out the woman, her defenders at the time making still more noise, and using more horrible execra- tons as they found the other party the stronger.

 Trottie could support this no longer, and, before making her purchase, she left the place, at the same time as the woman was expelled from the other door. When outside the house the woman continued her vociferations as loudly as ever, totally indifferent to the remonstrances of policeman, who earnestly advised her to go home, or he would be obliged to lock her up.

 "You ungrateful vagabonds r she roared out to the barnan and others en- ployed in the shop; "you ought to be ashamed of yourself, for you know you haven't 8 better customer than mo. Why, this very evening I pawned the shoes off my children's feet; and now I've spent all the money I've got you refuse to give me credit for another quartern. Oh !! you're a. a-p~ecious set of Christians, you are wouldn't have my soul in any of your bodies for any thing"

 Here the policeman managed to drag her away, while poor Trottie, thorough lysdisgusted with the whole scene, con- tinued her way homeward, leaving all thoughts of the bottle of rum behind her.

 When Trottie arrived at the house she found all the family assembled; but gloomy indeed was their appearance. The stamp of hunger was on the faces of all, and not without cause, for that day, with the exception of half quart ern loaf, they had eaten nothing. Trot- tie, when she noticed thoir expression, was very pleased she had not purchased the bottle of rum. Without making any remark, she drew from her pocket the whole of her weeks earnings and placed 1t in the hands of her mother, who silently kissed her, and then putting on her bonnet, started off for the open-air market in the Whitechapel road, leaving Trottie to converse with the others, and make herself as useful as she could dur ing her absence. After talking little to her father and brother, and putting the tea things on the table, she sat down and silently reflected on the temptation she had overcome. Presently an up- stair lodger entered the room, carrying on her arm basket filled with good things for the next days enjoyment. Trottie asked what she had got, and the woman, opening the basket, showed her many delicacies which she had bought plums, entrants, tea, sugar, meat, vege- tables, and other things, including a bottle of rum.

 "You're determined to make yourself happy tomorrow, said Trottie, looking at the rum.

 "Yes," said the woman; Christmas 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 in- deed if he can't make little merry once year. Why, we always look for it on Christmas day. believe my husband would sooner go without half his meat than his glass of rum-and- d-water and pipe after dinner, and another in the evening""

 The lodger continued conversing with the family for short time longer, when Trott1e's mother returned from the mar ket.

 'sAnd what have you got, mother 2'' asked Trottie. Let's see if your bas- ket is as well worth having as Mrs. Thompson's.

 Trottie's mother seemed to have some diffidence in showing the contents of her basket, and possibly with some reason, for her purchases were vastly in- ferior to those made by the lodger. Trottie also felt half ashamed of the ex- posture, but made no remark.

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

 "Oh," said the lodger, "you ought to have made an effort. It will be hard indeed if Christmas night passes off without some jollifcation."

 "We must try and be happy. without the bottle," said Trottie' 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 I've known great deal of harm. I was never 8 drunkard, but I 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 I can help it. Whenever I'm again in work I'll put by every farthing I should have spent in the public house, and suspect before next Christmas I shall not have as much dread of the east wind keeping shipping from coming up the channel as now"

 Trottie's mother argued on the other l side, and expressed great regret that she was not able to obtain the same means as | the lodger for their enjoyment the next | day.

 .'For my part she continued, "I think every workingman wants some ] thing to strengthen him, and all the doc- tors now say there's nothing does so much good as spirits. A good glass of | brandy is often worth all the physic in } doctors shop put together"

 Trottie's father, however, although he did not contradict his wife, held to bis own opinion and Trottie began to think that his intended abstinence 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.

 Although tired with the days exertion, Trottie did not fall asleep, but continued, in the darkness and solitude of her roopo tho %,oSr, oe %l,o4 1,ol oo