MOORE’S HGFiAL NEW-YORKER. 
■in her own heart, and so she censed from her 
vain attempt to help tier husband in that, direc¬ 
tion, and the meal wont forward in depressing 
silence. At hist the pressure of anxiety became 
too great for Littio Ben. and he ventured in 
timid, trembling tones, “Papa,don’t you think 
Santa Claus will come Just the same this 
Christmas?" 
“No indeed, sir,” replied his father with 
crushing emphasis. “Santa Claus has got 
the panic worse than anybody. Jt’ll be the 
death of him, I’m thinking, for us." 
Little Bkn'h cup of sorrow now overflowed, 
nnd so did his eyes. IBs wee sisters having 
found the hot toms of their bowls were at leisure 
to observe him, which they did in much won¬ 
derment and sympathy. Tor he was a manly boy I 
and seldom cried. 
“ What’s a matter, bodcr ?" askod the young¬ 
est, her own eyes tilling. 
“Santa ClauB —ain’t —coming this Christ¬ 
mas,” sobbed Littio Ben. “ He’s got the panic." 
These dismal tidings brought dismay to their 
lit t le souls also, and they at once set up a dis¬ 
mal wall that J wish might haunt the dreams 
of the speculators. 
And so the whole family came at last under 
the shadow of the great financial disaster. The 
father left his supper unfinished and hastily 
retreated to the dusky corner behind ( lie stove, 
iu the sitting-room. 
Mr. .Jamison was a shrewd, thriving native of 
New England, who, by industry and trust¬ 
worthiness, had attained an important position 
in t he mill, and received large wages. Property 
was rising in the village, and he wisely thought 
it better to buy a home than to bo moving about 
in rented rooms. But as wo have seen the 
panic caught him, as ho expressed it, in a "very 
tight place;’’ yet he was better off than many, 
for ho had something that he could call ills 
h. His wife, like himself, was of American 
descent 5 had been the daughter of a small 
tanner, and in her maiden days had learned 
the trade of dreas-niaUiug. But as prosperity 
Increased, and she came to have a nice and 
quite pretentious home of her own, she grew’ 
ambitious and gave way to that baneful idea of 
American society that working for money, ex- ( 
cepf In some genteel way was not “the thing” ( 
for women seeking social promotion. Her 
husband, with something of the same perverted 
pride, had said, “ she needn’t work; he guessed , 
he could take care of hts family." So on the i 
ne>\ home t he dress-maker's sign had not ap- < 
peared. 
Hut it was In relation to her daughter that , 
Mrs. Jamison's notions of gent ility developed - 
i liemselvos most decidedly. Alice was uii- j 
usually pretty, and her mother purposed that , 
she should become a fine lady in very truth, and ^ 
make a “good mutch." So the child was al- D 
ways dressed boyong her station, and taught, to 
put on airs generally. She should do no hard 
work, because her hands must be kept white r 
and little, and she was petted and flattered to , 
tli.ii degree that her father sometimes said, , 
“ You’ll make such a lady of her that she will 
be ashamed of us both one of those days." 
There is plenty of vanity in every heart, and e 
that in Alice’s was nursed and developed by d 
her mother’s foolish course in no ordinary dn- f 
grey and had she not possessed a good sub- s 
strut urn of common sense she might have been v 
spoiled utterly. But she was a bright girl nnd 
did not dawdle over her books, and was ue- I 
quiring a very fair education. Kbe also had a i 
lit t le love affair on hand w ith a young man who d 
was clerk in a drygoods store ill New-York, and 1 
of whom Airs. Jamison spoke confidentially to s 
a few intimate cronies as “exceedingly well 
connected," being in fact the son of a deceased n 
Methodist minister, once a pastor in the vil¬ 
lage. No formal engagement bound the young T 
people, but be had "waited on” Alik to that c 
extent that it was considered pretty well set¬ 
tled. In her confident expectation Frank. was ji 
destined to own the store in which he had ro- 
eomtly written her with much elation that ho rt 
had been promoted to the dignity of .selling s' 
goods in small quantities. So Alte, with her g 
music, drawing and “beau,”was regarded by t] 
her littio set as a very favored and enviable 
girl. The future seemed to her a golden luwe b 
of delight ful possibilities, and she determined 
to tit herself to be the elegant mistress of the 
brown stone house which she was sure Frank w 
would give her at uo distant day. But the panic d 
and iter fathor’s words, like n sudden, violent 
storm, swept the haze away, and she saw but e , 
one bare, gaunt question that of bread. For a 
a little time she was too stunned and bewil¬ 
dered to realize it. ?, 
Little Urn hud taken a great fancy to Dr. c 
Bowne, whose benevolent, cheery face was a s: 
great deal pleasanter than his medicine. What " 
was more to the t olnt, Dr. Bowne had taken a i,- 
fancy to Little Bus, nnd needing a boy to sit in r< 
his buggy nnd In Id his horse while he made his : V 
calls, offered the boy the situation. To Little 
Bkn i nis was as “ nice a plum” as a position in 
the cabinet to an ambitious statesman. Be- U 
sides many little perquisites of pleasure, three 11 
elements of great and unmingled good belonged a ' 
to this office. First, thero was the doctor, so ii 
chatty and kind; next, a store of pennies, 
counted over till enough were secured to buy a ' v 
warm new overcoat; and t hen, l>est of all, t here ci 
was the horse. For along time unmeasurable 
content dwelt in Little Ben’s heart. But alas 'j 
for our insatiable human nature! A frosty 
night skimmed the ponds with ice, suggested r< 
skates, and these -omi eame to till the whole jp' 
horizon. And now Santa (Ii.aus had thopanic. 
The next day Little Ben sat disconsolately by ci 
' r thc Doctor, who had an important case on a counter, stared at by rude people and nt the 
;- hand, and therefore was too much prc-occupied beck and nod of every one, than to work in a. 
g to notice the downcast, face of the bov. But sheltered home for a few people who 
, the latte. I,«d m ». to look „p»„ the ,r a. 
rt bis only hope, and at last he ventured“ Dr. of you, ir your mother ain’t,” said her father, 
k Bowne, can’t you cure most kinds of sickness putting his arm around her waist, 
s “Well,” said the Doctor, good naturedlv. 'Vv,'"? 11 I’ve got toeay is, I'kam, Waiters 
“ with the help of a nice old lady named n£ S?d mSjaSn? 8 ' ' " h ° h0ars of U ’ 
h tore, I can euro a good many kinds." “ Then I won’t look at him," said A lie. with 
t “Do you think you could cure the panic?” fP ,r, J* *' he doesn't think anymore of me. 
e faltered Little Ben than that, I’d like to find It out; ' and she felt 
, n , , ,, . T a strong desire to put him to tho test, though 
Ihc Doctor laughed and said“ I’m afraid in her heart she confessed that she dreaded 
. the panic is * too many* for us both.” what, might be t he result. 
I With the giving way of his last hope Little sh'.iY-A'/F, ** illV ,n * r 1 ll<! p V. U r?. k[i ° 
, Bk„ w too. Bobbori: " Oh,oh. oh,- SSr tot 
- I’m so sorry. You were my only hope.” broad; £12 a month and Littio Ben’s pennies 
’ n " p hy.ohll.l, ,yh,t is the mat tor?" nskod the 
Doctoi, in surpi iso. we can add means so much more comfort -and 
“Father says Santa Claus has got the panic 1 tvaut no other bread than broad earned to 
just like Mr. Shdtedown, and he can’t bring -P'"?‘"f 0 f ‘l* A T ll0rt ' *J *?° plenty that 
any ,k„«, a, .m.tt.or «ld ho would,” and IXK 'J&’A"'"v^-.wrfo.’lifkt“wS 
Bun’s little face was the picture of childish must stand by each other and trust the Lore. 
despair. J don’t know as much about' him as I ought; 
The Doctor drew out the whole story of Mr. i^r. 1, Hewa^'iT S.Vcd'of bi’tng poo^Trof 
Jamison s trouble, and then Bald, wit h a grave bard Work ; and the Bible says that * He took 
face that Inspired the utmost confidence“ j upon him the form of a servant.’ Seems to me 
must look into Santa Claus' case. Now J r njost Christie ns ■>< 1 w-a-dayn have got ahead 
Ihlnl, „r It. than, l.avn town g'KiSaJA'ilf^i SKWlSC 
panic, If not too severe, was cured. I think you swept the streets than starve with silk 
there's hope,Little Ben. I’ll look into his case So, Alie, come; don't let’s lose a 
ami tell vou to-morrow." your hat and shawl and I’ll go 
The child took heart and waited for the Doc- before ns." 
tor’s opinion with as deep anxiety as any loving Half an hour later At.ie was engaged at mod- 
watcher over a sick friend. '^ges ”> view of her inexperience, a* Mrs. 
The Doci .01 told his wife about Little Ben s too prompt, for a girl was inquiring for the 
trouble, and she told some other ladies, and place as they came out. 
though none of them were rich, and had little Mrs. Jamison sat fur a time in deep thouglil 
folk of their own it, was agreed among them of ho^reflecUonsf^ld'!- 
that us far as the Jamison children were con- “They shan’t get ahead of me, after ail." Am 
corned,S anta Claus should lie fully recovered s,, o went to a eh set, took do\* n her old dress 
by Christmas. maker’s sign and hung it overt he door. Fatbei 
''ri,r,iwibO„i,iiiMi.n,.«.i ,, and daughter saw it in the moonlight and cami 
lh< 1 ot tor told Little Bln next da> that lie j n hiughlng. Her husband exclaimed:—" Hood 
was satisfied that be could cure Santa Claus for you, mother. Wo knew you had tho true 
so that ho would bring the skates, nnd great V.vnkee grit, after ail. The wolf can’t howl at 
was the consequent joy. * °LimeBE^in bis desire to add to the hopeful 
Do you ildnk he will be well enough to aspect of affairs, was near exploding with lib 
bringmy little sisters anything?" asked the boy, secret. He felt that lie might, venture a hint 
“Yes," said the Doctor; “ we arc going in without disobeying the Doctor. So he pulled 
cure him up strong. But you must not say any- Santa ^’cLAUH^uSof ^hTi^ljv.VSr’SS!^ 
thing about it at. homo. Hr wants to Kurprise She. with n laugh, repeated wlmt he naid to 
your little sisters and all the rent.” the others, who gave rarh other a wink, inti- 
How Little Urn swelled and exulted over his &??££ S* UthUX Slnm’s 
secret, and the niunnv escape lie had from lot- saint was at least better: but Mr. Jamison put 
ting it all out, would require pages to recount, on a long face and said;—“Don’t expect to,, 
Our Hon. Secretary tif State, with all tho secrets mil<, li, Lillie Ben; he’ll be powerful weak this 
of the Cuban question in his possession, was yc ^• bl , e 1 t ? 
not so conscious of Importance One day he wen. off to bZ clmckiing'S?'l,!s"upeHo? 
said patronizingly to his father who, in galling knowledge, and soon glided away to the land 
idleness, brooded despondently in tho dusky of dreams on tho coveted i katos. 
corner behind the stove: " Cheer up, liana ! If , * IIAN **■ M alters m ole ho would be home 
■ ,, , , the day before CUristmas. in the afternoon 
you knevv all I do, you wonldnt fool so bad. . . ui, "' 0, l 
, ii.,. T. ' (treat was the "iiri'ri.fl when it. was known 
and then, fearing ho might be questioned, ran among t lie Stuart, dressy girls of Altk’s old sot 
away. that she had gone out to service, and many 
As was inevitable, the family speedily felt the snubs and cum were received. But I am glad 
presence of poverty. Credit was difficult to kindiy"t’lmn ^erwh^n Ihcv Kod 
obtain, and the ill tic money cm hand soon melt- the facts. Thus the step did her good service, 
cd away. Mr. Jamison made many inquiries for Jt winnowed out the chaff among her ac- 
and w-rote many letters, but there was no pros- 3n a ! k, F a ve her a good ridtlnnce of 
. , , 1 alt the empty-brained, empty-hearted <mcs 
poet of employment in his line. IIc must soon A nd otic of this class, who also admired Frank 
either sell his place or put off the evil day by Walters immensely, and would gladly sup- 
disposing of household art ides. On inquiry he plant Alie if she could, met that young gentle- 
found tint U.c price. „b, f ,„„d would 1* ISaTJirh'oi'jTZ^Lr^.To 
small, in view of the general depression, that It inform him of what she termed i he ** dlsgract- 
would be almost the same as givingthem away. lul fact.’’ She did not. understand t in* sudden 
Ho was nearly desperate one evening, when of exultat ion t li.u gleamed in his eyes, but 
r:..i !, M , , fell iniicb couqiliuicntcd when tic snfd, gallanl,- 
Littlc Ben burst into the sitting-room, c-xclalm- J v , that ho was sure site would never do such a 
ing, in great excitemont“ Pat’s been getting thing, out, under similar circumstances, would 
drunk again and made an awful row up at tho •‘ i 'lin lusr father s parlor like a lady. 
Doctors frightened them all out of their wits; mKarTeoid^l.lll'of fear gm 
so t ho Doctor s just scut him kiting. ered at her heart as the hour approached when 
Mr. Jamison seized his hat and was gone in a she must explain all to her lover. Still she 
moment. rmant to do St bravely, but in her own homo. 
...... ^ . . She obtained a brief leave of absence for i lie 
t.h, mother, what does papa want to catch afternoon of the£4th,on condition of returnin'' 
Pat for?” asked Little Ben, with increasing |n Lituu to get tea. With an odd little feminine 
excitement. impulse she made the best toilet possible and 
■«- <*>»<■ worn™ „„ 
puzzled henstjlf. had ever seen her, and she notleud that he too, 
Half an hour later Mr. Jamison came in with waH quite elaborately dressed. They chatted 
more of his old cheery manner than he had a , v '! a ?l JUt 1,01,1 witc under rc- 
, ,, ; , . , L “ tu stratnt. for something w'as evidently on their 
shown since the null stopped; and instead of minds. Mrs. Jamison prudently kept out of 
going into t he dusky corner, sat down where the way, and left the young people to manage 
the light fell on his swarthy face. I,,r themselves. At lust Alie ruse, and said in 
“Did you And Fat," ««k„d Little B™, ?.'“S"" d „"“'i 
.V,! 1 < /' s 5 ’ , , , am living With Mrs. Brooks now. and must 
I at t no ; w hat should I want of him ? I change my dress before I return." 
found what I at lost-work." “Let me be your escort," .suitI Frank, gal- 
Do you mean to say that you are going to lantiy, 
work Tor the Doctor?" asked Mrs. Jamison, in " 1 don’t think you will care to be w*hen you 
Uf ins i« ^ 1 T a , • , , , sec tho change that wall take place in my up- 
Indeed 1 do. i am going to tend his horse, poaranee; but you may if you wish," and she 
iimid l lie tires, black his boots, and make my- vanished, and with trembling hands put on her 
self generally useful, for ^ 12 a month, and glad plain but neat working dress. She fell t iia* sho 
and grat* rul am 1 tortlie clmm-e." wils at the crisis of the test,, and if lie tailed 
I Ins brought Alie out. (lomingto her father her. work and poverty would form the least 
sue, put her band on his shoulder, and Baid: part of her burden for future dav s As soon as 
" 11 s "»«<;,* E'avc up being a ’ tine lady,* as you she had gone Frank startled Mrs. .Jamison by 
call me. J ve tried i > eat as little as possible to his abrupt entrance into the sitting-room with 
save, and have thought, and thought of some the request.that lie might go up to Little Ben’s 
way to help, hut can’t find any. But to-day, room, as he wished to change nis clothes, lie 
when I was at the I’ost-office,Mrs. Brooks, tho soon came down to i be parlor, clad in a rough 
lawyers wife, left word that, she wanted a wait- working garb. A little later A lie Joined him, 
ress. Oncof her girls got huffy because, on but looked with no little surprise at the meta- 
aenoupt of t he hard times, her wages weie re- inorphoae in i.im. 
ducod, and went off to New York. If you and " Well, are von ready?" he asked. 
mother tre w filing, I will try and get the place.” “ Yes—but-” 
" My daughter go out to service!” exclnimed •• Oh, the tables are turned. You are not vill- 
Mrs. Jamison, in a tone of Indignant disap- ing to go with inc?" 
___ ..... , "Yes, lam; but 1 don’t quite understand. 
I m sure, mother, I 11 have n good, respect- Perhaps we hud hotter explain a little ” 
able tin in <•; and L think it s better than work- "Ladies first," cried Frank, with twinkling 
ing ib the null, or going hungry.” eyes. k 
"At any rate, licr father Is going out to ser- Well," said Alie, desperately, "in plain En- 
vice, arid people won t give iic-r credit for being glisli, 1 am Mrs. Brooks’ waitress, and am trv- 
any better than he is, said Mr. Jamison, nig to earn $8 a month." 
A lie’s laugh rang out like a chime of Christ¬ 
mas bells, as she said,—" I guess wo are in the 
same boat, then.” 
lie took her hand In both of his and answer¬ 
ed, earnestly:—" A nd in the same boat may w*e 
always be, pulling together against the stream, 
or with it, as it may he our lot. Ai.ie, you are 
I tie style of girl 1 believe in. You’d stand by 
and help a fellow in panic times. If vou had 
■ill the world to givo I would not value it half 
as much as your own dear self. You are the 
Christmas (lift I have set my heart upon. Now 
I ve explained. What, is my answer ?" 
With head bent down and face like the old- 
fashioned blush rose, Alte seemed to him tho 
sweetest, bleat of Santa Claus, as she said: 
“ Indeed, Frank, I’ve nothing else to give.” 
A . porter and waitress walked through the 
winter twilight, to Mrs. Brooks', there was very 
few but might have envied them. 
The first thing that greeted Little Bln’s eves 
as he woke Christmas morning, was a pair of 
skates hanging from the bed-post. With a shout 
and n hound he was on the floor in a moment, 
and quite shocked the family by tearing down 
to the sitting-room In scantiest costume, with 
a .skate in each hand. " Hurrah for Dr. Bowne !’’ 
he cried. " Ue said he'd cure Santa Ci.aus of 
the Panic, and lie’s done It, too." 
His uproar awakened the little girls, and they 
conn appeared upon the sesne in trailing night 
gowns, dragging full stockings after them. Lit¬ 
tle Hen was packed off to iln-.K. and on his re¬ 
turn a stocking hung on the back of 1,1s chair. 
Then all the children began to hurrah for Dr. 
Bowne, till it seemed that they might surpass 
those who shouted "Great is Diana of the 
Ephesians t” for the space of two hours. 
Before breakfast commenced, Little Brn 
found a chance, iinpcroelved. to slip a silver 
thimble under his mother's plate and a cravat 
under hts father's. Their surprise was unmeas¬ 
ured. and with great show of surmising and 
reasoning, they at last traced the whole thing 
to Utile Bkn. Then h,* made a clean breast of 
it, and '-aid that the Doctor told him to got 
in liiiigblng. Her husband exclaimed " (;,,„d 
for you, mother. We knew* you had tho true 
Yankee grit, after all. The wolf can’t howl at 
our door now." 
Little Ben, in bis desire to add to t he hopeful 
aspect of affairs, was near exploding with ids 
secret. Ho felt that he might, venture a hint 
without disobeying the Doctor. So he pulled 
Ids mother down and w hispered“ Suppose 
Santa Claus is cured of the Panic, after all." 
She, with n laugh,repeated what he said to 
t in* others, who gave each other a wink, inti- 
mating that* a* fur jin tho littln <jii#*s wore con* 
earned, they would see to ii that the children's 
saint was at least bettor; but Mr. Jamison put 
on a lonp face and said;—“Don’t expect too 
much, uiiic Ben; he’ll bo powerful weak this 
year, and not able to bring many things.” 
Little Bkn could trust himself no longer, and 
wont off to bed chuckling over Lis superior 
knowledge, and soon glided away to the land 
of dreams on the coveted i kntes. 
Frank Walters wrote ho would be home 
the day before Christmas, In the afternoon. 
Great was the surprise when it was known 
among t he smart, dressv girls of Alte’s old set 
that tfho had ^rone out to servlet*, and many 
snubaand cun* were received. But lam glad 
to say that a few, the cream of them, treated 
her more kindly thau ever when they learned 
tho facts. Thus the step did her good service, 
for it winnowed out the chaff among her ac¬ 
quaintances and gave her a good riddance of 
all the empty-brained, empty-hearted ones. 
And one of tliisclass, who also admiral Frank 
Walters immensely, and would gladly sup¬ 
plant Alie if she could, met that young gentle¬ 
man on his way home for the holiday and has¬ 
tened, with much commentary id her own, to 
inform him of what she termed t ho " disgrace¬ 
ful fact.” Sho did not understand t in* sudden 
light of exultation that gleamed in his eves, but 
fell much complimented when he said, gallant¬ 
ly, that ho was sure she would never do such a 
thing, out, under similar circumstances, would 
sit. in tier father’s parlor like a lady. 
ft must l*e couiessed that Alie had many 
misgivings, and that a cold chill of fear gat h¬ 
ered at her heart as the hour nppr<mehed when 
she must explain all to her lover. Stilt she 
meant to do it bravely, but iu her own n.uue, 
She obtained a brief leave of absence for the 
afternoon of the 24th, on condition of returning 
in limit to gel. lea. With an odd little feminine 
impulse she mude the best toilet possible and 
sat in stale to receive liim. He was much sur¬ 
prised to find her looking more elegant t han he 
had ever seen her, and she noticed that he too, 
was quite elaborately dressed. They chatted 
away for an hour; but both were under re¬ 
straint. for something was evidently on their 
minds. Mm. Jamison prudently kept out of 
the way, and left the young people to manage 
for themselves. At last Alik rose, and said in 
a voice that she tried to make steady and mat¬ 
ter of fact:— “ l must. a*k you to excuse me. 1 
am living with Mrs. Brooks now. and must 
change my drees before I return." 
"Let me be your escort," said Frank, gal¬ 
lantly, 
" 1 don’t think you will rare to bo when you 
see the change that will take place In my ap¬ 
pearance; but you may if you wish,” and she 
vanished, and with trembling hands put on her 
plain but neat working dress, film felt that she 
"as at the crisis of the test, and if he failed 
her, work and poverty would l’orm the least 
part of her burden for future da vs. As soon as 
she laid gone Frank start lei I Mrs. Jamison by 
his abrupt entrance into the sitting-room with 
tHe request that lie might go up to Little Ben’s 
room, as he wished to change his clothes, lie 
soon came down to the parlor, clad in a rough 
working garb. A little later Ai.ie joined him, 
but looked with no Utile surprise at the meta¬ 
morphose in i.im. 
“ Well, are yon ready ?” he asked. 
“ Yes—but— 
“ Oh, the tables are turned. You are not will¬ 
ing to go with me?” 
coolly. 
“ I don’t want credit for being any better; I 
want to help you, papa,’’ said A lie. with a sud¬ 
den rush of tears. Dashingthese hastily away, 
die continued: i don’t see why a girl can’t 
respect herself and‘lie respected when doing 
good, wholesome housework, as well «s when 
being poisoned in stifling mills or stitching tier 
life our in dose rooms. For the life of me, I 
can’t see why it is more genteel to stand behind 
lug to earn $8 a month." 
" i hope the time will conic when you will let 
me offer yon a better situation,” lie answered, 
with a face so comic and yet so kind. 
“ You are not going to out me, then, as some 
of my friends have?" she asked, looking hope¬ 
fully up. 
".Nut unless you cut me; lor in plain English 
I am porter and man of all work in Hotel, 
t lost my place through tin- panic, and took the 
first honest work f could And," 
lively chorus. 
After breakfast Mr. Jamison went to the 
door and then called to hi- wife : “ Jane, come 
here. There’s a customer that wants some 
dressing right’ away." 
Ami Jane came and found a twelve-pound 
t urkey hanging over her dressmaker’s sign. 
" Now, Silas, that’s some of your work.” 
“Santa Glaus brought It, didn’t he, Little 
bkn ?’’ laughed his father. 
“All right,” unid the wife; “ but if I am to 
dress this customer, i want a loaf of baker’s 
bread. You go to the store and get. it,.” 
Mr. Jamison reached up behind the door 
whore his old felt hat usually hung, but took 
down, instead, a new fur cap with ear lappets 
and a warm woolen tippet. " Now, Jane, this 
is your work,” lie said, turning It arounu ad¬ 
miringly. 
“Santa Clack brought, it, didn’t he, Little 
Ben?" chuckled his mother. 
With skates tied round his neck, and his 
hands In his pockets that, bulged out. with nuts 
and other boyish treasures, Little Bkn stood 
regarding them with unminglcd satisfaction. 
At last his fill* heart found utterance in “ Now, 
wasn’t the Doctor ‘ bully’ to cure old Santa 
Claus of the panic?" 
They hud their Christ mas dinner at‘five in the 
afternoon, so that. Alii: could bo-with them; 
and of course Frank Walters was invited. 
As Alii: lifted tier flute she found a very pretty 
ring that by some st range chance just fitted the 
engagement linger. 
" You can’t cat any turkey after that," cried 
tier rather. In tones that belied his moist, eyes. 
“Indeed i can, after working as hard as I 
have all day," she said, smiling and blushing as 
all eyes dwelt lingeringly on her pretty face. 
“ Only fine and idle ladies can live on sentiment. 
So please give me some of the white and dark 
meat both." s 
" I say, Walters,” said her fat her, pausing 
in bis carving, " how can you ubidesueh a mat¬ 
ter-of-fact girl ?’’ 
"That is what I like, sir," was the hearty 
reply, " She is a blessed fact, and there’s noth¬ 
ing false about her.” 
Jn the evening, Dr. Bownk came in and found 
as happy a family group, cracking nuts and 
jokes around the sitting room lire as one could 
wish to see. "I've good news for you, Mr. 
Jamison,” said the Doctor, cheerily, though 1 
shall be the loser myself. Air. fiiTUTJibOWN 
says that he is going to start the mill the first 
of the year, and that you shall have your old 
Place and pay. This is Mr. Frank Walters, 1 
believe. The Tost-master, knowing that l was 
coming here and might see you, naked me to 
hand you this letter as it was marked * haste.’ ” 
Frank tore open the lot ter, road it. with a 
glad Mtiile, and then handed It to Alie. 
"ltead it aloud," cried ner father. 
She stole a timid glance at the Doctor, who 
said kindly, “ Don’t be afraid of me; and I 
guess from the looks of t liiugs you have a right 
to read all his letters,” 
Biubhiug with pleasure and embarrassment 
A lie read: 
Mr. Frank Walthrk— Dmr Sir: Times are 
growing better. Spring trade promises to be 
good. We have observed approvingly your 
willingness to do any honest, work rather than 
be idle. Oiu- friend. Dr. Bownk, speaks well 
of you, and your mends, tho Jamison*, especi¬ 
ally Mlaa Jamison. Therefore, as we shall need 
more help we give you the first choice, and 
request you to call at your earliest convenience 
Ke-sp’y yours, John Brown. 
Of Smith, Brown & Co. 
Mr. .Tamihon came to where the Doctor was 
sitting, and taking his hand, said, with deep 
feeling, “You have been a true friend to mo 
and mine, and now you shall have vnur reward 
for 1 will t-cll you what I have told no one yet 
save God. You gave me work when 1 sorely 
needed it. What Is more, you showed me kind¬ 
ness and human fellowship. You invited me 
to sit (tnvn with you at your family altar, and 
you prayed for me and my household. In your 
home i saw i ruo religion honestly Jived out, 
and J want the same kind in my homo, I hope 
we shall no longer be a prayer)ess family If 
you will crown all your other kindnesses by 
setting up the family altar in my house to-night 
J will try to sustain It the best I can as long as 
" All," said t he Doctor, “ now you do repav 
me many times. Healing men's bodies is all 
very well, but when l can help their souls I 
feel ili.it I have done work that will last,” and 
he initiated the simple service with a tact and 
heart iness that deeply touched each one 
The good man had scarcely lef! the porch on 
his return home before Little Ben vociferated, 
•• Hurrah for Dr. Bowne. If I ever get the panic 
or anything else, he's the man I’ll go for A 
