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In last Thursday. He ordered a suit of black, and 
said he'd fetch ’em himself, this evening, and I’m 
a little behind, you see.” 
“ 'V e-es I” Miss Plnnlfer had a habit of saying 
" Yes," when spoken to, Irrespective of anything 
in particular. She used the word.to Indicate vari¬ 
ous shades of feeling; but In a general way It 
was expressive of a mild surprise and admiration, 
which encouraged the speaker to proceed. Mr. 
Todd proceeded accordingly. 
“ 1 hope he won’t come just yet, for I’ve got 
nigh on two hours’ work to finish the job. He’s a 
queer customer, very. Nover saw blm before In 
rny life, and he comes and sits down In that very 
chair, and talks and asks questions as If he had 
knowTi mo ever since I was so high! All about 
r ho children, and Mllly, and everybody-” 
“ strange j" said Miss Plnulfer. “ can it be ? 
“ Yes, that must be it I” 
“ Eh ?“ said Mr. Todd, Inquiringly, 
“ N 0' v . “ark rne 1” said Miss Plnnlfer, laying a 
rather bony ringer Impressively upon the queer 
customer’s trousers. Mr. Todd marked her ac¬ 
cordingly. “ Did he ask anything about me ?” 
“ 1 don’t remember that he dhl," replied Mr. 
Todd. 
“ l dare say not. Indeed, that rather conhrms 
my previous Idea. I know their ways, Mr. Todd.' 
" 1 be 8 Your pardon, ma’am," said John, in 
much bewilderment. “ Whoso ways might you 
be alluding to ?” 
“ Hush I" said Miss Plnnlfer, with an air of pro¬ 
found mystery. “ You dou't know who mav ho 
that. And now they’ve traced me here. Dear, 
dear, what shall 1 do ?” 
“ But are you quite sure-" 
“ Oh, dear yes, certain. It’s been going on for 
a long time. There was a pale young man In 
spectacles stared at me all church time last 
Sunday. I thought at the time it was only rude¬ 
ness, but no doubt he had his Instructions.” 
At this moment the conversation was Inter¬ 
rupted by the arrival or the queer customer him¬ 
self. He was an elderly gentleman with a rlbt- 
cund complexion, and a very good-natured ex¬ 
pression of countenance, and certainly did not 
look like a detective. As he entered the short. 
a notion 1 could enjoy Christmas very well In 
your company. Will you take compasslot 
lonely old man, and let him spend to-m 
with you and your family ? ” 
John Todd was In much perplexity, r 
heart felt for the lonely stranger, by whose 
address he was much p ; - 
other hand, there was Miss Plnnlfer'! 
and John could not quite get rid oft. 
prehenatrm that the stranger might, If admitted 
take advanta--- 
handcuff the whole family all 
A MERRY CHRISTMAS 
His warm 
—j frank 
prepossessed, on the 
's statement, 
a vague ap- 
age of an unguarded moment to 
. -J round, and bear 
tliom away to perpetual Imprisonment,; last, but 
nou least, was the consideration that, tho larder 
was by no means sumptuously furnished, and that, 
the Christmas fare was likely to be of an espec¬ 
ially meager description. Tho last reflection 
dictated Ills reply. 
“ If you're really in earnest, sir, It, ’ud be un¬ 
becoming In me to say no, when you do me tho 
honor to ask it. But. wo poor folks don’t live 
Uke our betters at the best or times; and this 
year we’ve got even shorter commons than usual. 
Wo’vo hearty good fellowship, sir, but very little 
else, to keep Christmas with.” 
- 'VuU hearty good-fellowship Is the very best 
dish at the Christmas feast,,” said the stranger. 
“ I urkey and mlnce-ple are not to bo despised, 
but they're ouly secondary after all. Well, you 
haven't said'no,’so I snail consider myself ao- 
cepted. I’ve dined olT a baked potato beroro 
now, and 1 shall find enough to eat, never you 
fear. What’s your time? one o’clock—very 
good." 
*’ This lady and her brother reside In the house, 
sir, and they wore going to club their Christmas 
dinner with ours, If you have no object ion.” 
“ objection I I, my dear Todd l you forget that 
Cm only a visitor. Objection! certainly not. 
The more tho merrier, 1 say. Madam, your most 
obedient.” 
Miss Plnnlfer relaxed so far as to curtesy with 
dignity, still, however, keeping her mu IT availa¬ 
ble for defence, if necessary. 
“ Well, that’s settled," said tho stranges, “And 
now l've got some little matters of business to, 
attend to, so I’ll wish you a good-night. Good 
evening, Madam. Dou't distress yourself about 
“ A Merry Christmas to you all!" 
Is passing now from mouth to mouth, 
From east to west from north to south, 
From lowly cot and stately hall. 
“ A merry Christmas to us all!" 
Is shouted by the cheerful b oat; 
The windows barred against the frost, 
We toast the season, great and email. 
“A merry Christmas 1” let us bless 
The season when our Lord was born ; 
And doubly bless the Christmas morn 
That gave us "Christ our Righteousness." 
“ A merry ChriBtmas to you all! ” 
Let it resound from month to mouth, 
From east and west to north and south, 
To humble cot trotu stately ball. 
THE QUEER CUSTOMER, 
In a shabby little shop, In a shabby little street, 
a man sat stltcblng away as It for dear life, by the 
light of a single candle. The name of John Todd 
was over the door, and John Todd himself It. was 
who sat upon the shopboard, keeping time to his 
nimble needle with an occasional snatch of a song. 
If there had been a song of tho trowsers as 
well as of the shirt, he might, with great pro¬ 
priety have sung that, for It. was on a pair of those 
garments that he was employed. As It was, how- 
ever, he did not xmflno himself to any one par- 
particular melody, but sang a verse of oue and 
then a verse or another, as t he fancy took him. 
immediately above him hung a disreputable¬ 
looking old black-bird in a wicker cage, who list¬ 
ened to the performance with an air of grave at¬ 
tention, as one who was qualiuod to bo critical, 
and occasionally gave an encouraging chirp of 
applause. The singer was a merry little man, no 
longer young, but still lithe and active; 
with twinkling grey eyes and a cheery smile 
which It was pleasant to look upon. 
On the present Occasion he had just begun 
“Mary of Argyle,” when the shop-door sud¬ 
denly opened, and pulled him up short. In the 
very middle of a very effective shake. The 
person who entered was a short, stout Indi¬ 
vidual, with bbs hat very far on the back of 
his head, and a pen behind his ear, and a 
parchment-covered note-book In his hand. 
" Well, Mr. Todd,” said ho, showing the 
while the end of a stumpy pencil; “ ready 
for me, I suppose.” 
The little tailor's cheerful countenance fell, 
ai he replied: 
“ Em very sorry, Mr. Sprague, but I’m,—the 
fact Is—l can’t say I'm ready to-night.” 
“ Then why ain’t you ready ?” amiably in¬ 
quired Mr. Sprague, tapping the floor vicious¬ 
ly with his fat cotton umbrella. “ You’re 
aware, I suppose, that to-morrow’s Christ¬ 
mas day ; and you’re also aware to avoid un¬ 
pleasantness at a gay and restive season, 1 
collect the rent the night before. Then why 
ain't you ready?” 
“To ion you the truth, sir,” said John 
humbly, “ I've had a disappointment this ~ 
morning—a little account l was expecting to ‘ 
receive-” 
“ Yahsaid Mr. Sprague savagely. “ That >• 
makes five on 'em, all been disappointed of a 
little account. Gammon I Now look here, 
Mr. Todd. This Is Toosday. I’m a man of 
my word, and If the rent ain't ready Thurs- ; . 
day, dispossess Is the word. I’ve had trouble 
enough with you, and I ain’t golu' to, no ? 
longer. So now you've got It,” 
“ I’ll do my endeavors, Mr. Sprague,” said 
John Todd numbly. »• But which way am I 
to turn to And the money, the Lord only 
knows!” 
“You'll turn out, Mr. Todd, It you don’t 
And it." And ’with a coarse laugh at his 
own wit, Mr. Sprague departed. 
Poor Todd looked much depressed, Arter a 
few minutes he unconsciously commenced 
“The harp that once through Tara’s halls,” 
but the attempt was a failure. Even the 
blackbird turn. d his back In disgust, and 
after a few bars John gave It up, and stitch¬ 
ed away in sorrowful Ml nee. He might have 
remained so for perhaps half an hour, when 
the door again opened, and a little old lady 
in a black bonnet and cloak, and a basket on 
her arm, and a muff nearly as large as her- i 
self, peeped in. % 
“ Do l intrude, Mr. Todd ? Ah! quite by 
yourself. Dear me j” % 
“ Yes, Miss Plnnlfer, for want of better 
company—quite by myself.” 
“ \e-es!" said Miss Plnnlfer. “And very 
busy, I see. Always busy.'—Coat, I pre- 2 
sume?” jg 
“ No, ma’am, trousers,” said John Todd. 
“Oh!" said Miss Plnnlfer, with a little 
scream, and covering her eyes with her K 
hand. “ Very Indiscreet or me—l beg par- / 
don. I’m sure.” y 
“ Eon’t mention It, ma'am 1" replied John 
gallantly, “it’s of no consequence. Yes, I "■ 
am rather busy, Miss Plnnlfer. They’re for 
a Mr. Brown—an old gentleman who came 
, junior, produced a Knife, and the Hamper was soon Opened, 
