CHRISTMAS IN ALASKA. 269 
The long evening passed merrily enough. Hugh began 
the fun by reciting a familiar passage from Dickens' 
" Carol," which he had used as a declamation at school ; 
and little Nat following, " 'Twas the night before Christ- 
mas," from beginning to end without a stumble. 
The lieutenant was now called on for a story. It was 
evident that he had been at some pains at preparing the 
narrative that followed ; for, although he pretended to be 
weaving its incidents from his brain on the spur of the 
moment, he was observed to glance several times at a 
small slip of paper, covered with pencilled notes, which 
he held in his hand. 
" Let me see," said he, gravely, looking about upon the 
company, and giving the blazing logs a kick : " I suppose 
it must be a Christmas story ? " 
" Of course." 
^^Well, I'll call it 
"an echo of the chkistmas cakol."* 
It was at precisely eight o'clock, on the evening of the 
twenty-fourth of December, that Mr. Broadstreet yawned, 
glanced at the clock, closed the book he had been reading, 
and stretched himself out comfortably in his smoking- 
chair before the cannel fire which snapped and rustled 
cosily in the broad grate. The book was " Christmas 
Carol ; " and the reader, familiar as he was with its pages, 
had been considerably affected by that portion relating to 
* Flossie and her mother afterward were at some pains to copy the story out 
as nearly as they could remember it, so I can give it to you entire. 
