296 
THE BED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA. 
marble figure "ander the mantel, and Mr. Broadstreet, 
starting up in affright, found himself standing in his own 
warm room, the Christmas Carol (still open at the wonder- 
ful picture) in his hand, and his fur cap upon his head. 
The air still vibrated with the last echoes of the midnight 
bell. It was Christmas morning. 
Not many hours later, the glad sun was shining 
brightly over the white-robed city, sprinkling the streets 
and housetops with diamond-dust, gleaming upon the 
golden spires of churches, seeking out every dark and un- 
wholesome corner with its noiseless step, and dispensing 
with open hand its bounty of purity and warmth. Yet 
the Shadow was there, even on that fairest of Christmas 
Days, — and Mr. Broadstreet knew it. 
Throughout the day he was thoughtful and abstracted, 
and during the following weeks he was observed to act in 
the most unaccountable manner. On snowy evenings he 
would dodge out of the house, without the slightest warn- 
ing, and return shortly after with damp boots and a dis- 
couraged air, until one night he came in with a beaming 
face, leading a policeman, upon whom he had apparently 
turned tables by arresting him in his own doorway. He 
only made him sit down, however, and drink hot coffee to 
a most alarming extent, following it up with an invita- 
tion to drop in any cold evening and warm himself. 
Upon the horse-cars Mr. Broadstreet became famous 
that winter for his obliging manners and pleasant ways 
with the employes. Indeed, he more than once per- 
