GHOST O CHRISTMAS. 9 



mighty spirit fled from among men. One fine anniversary,, he was 

 sitting, as he was wont, supreme in enjoyment his house crowded, 

 his table groaning, when a knock a dead, authoritative knock, was 

 heard at the gate, which flew open on the instant ; indeed, it was a 

 miracle how it came to be shut. A slow, measured step was dis- 

 tinctly heard, and Christmas looking round to greet, as he hoped, a 

 happy visitor, saw a strange gaunt-looking figure enter the circle* 

 Though of human form and dimensions, the visitor had a certain 

 spectral look : his visage was long, care-worn, and pallid ; his arms 

 were of extraordinary length, and no less remarkable were the nails, 

 which, like the claws of a bird of prey, curved and projected from 

 his fingers. Though of a spare consumptive figure, he seemed to 

 have tremendous capacity of belly, which, however, despite its width 

 and breadth, retained but little of the monstrous meals daily thrjust 

 adown it. The dress of the visitor was of an odd grotesque charac- 

 ter ; there seemed worked in it, as in tapestry, battle-pieces, royal 

 processions, with the insignia of civil and military authority. He 

 carried a feather behind his ear, and at his button-hole a phial, filled 

 with some black liquid ; one hand seemed as though it grasped im- 

 moveably a small book. The figure approached wealthy Master 

 Christmas, who took him aside; and, after a brief time, the imperious 

 visitant, with a careless inclination of the head, departed. 



Old Christmas took his chair again, and once more began to laugh 

 and call about him. But it was open to those who well knew the 

 joyous old blade, that something had occurred to lower a peg of his 

 full-toned jollity. He wriggled and shifted uneasily, and, at times, 

 cast a furtively anxious glance at many of the young people ; still, it 

 was manifest that he fought stoutly with any black thoughts that 

 might be crossing him : ijadeed, so well did he rally, that there were 

 many who saw no change whatever in him. He was the same gay- 

 witted, open-hearted reveller, that he had been for hundreds of win- 

 ters. 



On the following anniversary, Christmas had of course his party. 

 There was, as usual, open house the traveller still found a place at 

 the hearth, the wassail bowl went its rounds all things seemed to 

 the many as they had been on the preceding festival. A few of the 

 elders, however, thought they did not perceive that superabundance 

 of meat and drink, which made the glory of all former meetings. 

 There was enough of all things, but, at every other time, there had 

 been more than enough. Be it as it might, old Christmas put a 

 blithe face upon it, and after atime, was as loud and as jocund as ever. 

 Thus jollity reached its noon- tide, when a knock like that of the 

 former year was heard at the gate, which this time had been no 

 not barred, but there was a spring-latch added to the fastening since 

 the former time purposely closed. Again the spectre entered. Old 

 Christmas rose from the board, passed his hand across his brow, and 

 again retired with the phantom ; who, after a short sojourn, returning 

 the quill, which for a minute he had removed, to his ear, took him- 

 self from the house. Old Christmas came back to his friends, but 

 with an altered look : his face seemed as though it had been suddenly 

 pinched in by fairy fingers, and the purple studdings of his nose wax- 



