him. “ It’s handsomer than half the young ones c 
now, and I like the gentleman for saying It. No d 
friends! that’s very sad. T’oor old gentlemen I a 
I’m very glad he’s coming: but I wish we had a It 
little more to give him.” d 
“ That's where It Is, Mllly; bo do I; but we i 
must make the best of It, What have you t. 
got?” 
'•Well, father, I’ve a nice turkey and Miss Pin- i 
nlfer Is going to bring Borne vegetables. 1 m go- c 
ing to make a plo, tut it’ll be only a kind of a r 
make-believe to please the boyB. They wouldn’t I 
believe It was Christmas, you know, without the 
pie. It Isn’t much of a dinner to sot before a vis- j 
ltor father.” 
“Mover mind my dear," said her father, “I c 
wish it was more, but wg must make It do. Make c 
the pastry us good as you can. Let me ace. 1 
know I haven’t much In my pocket—only twenty- c 
five cents. Well, my dear, every little helps. 1 \ 
Bha’n’t want my pipe to-night.”; 
11 Dear old father 1 No, no; you’re not, going j 
without your supper, sir, lean tell you, for any 
amount of grand visitors. 1 know what I can do. t 
1 'vc got some money up-stalrs that I had put, by 
for something else, but it doesn't matter, and that 
will help us out capitally.” 1 
With a bright smile, though with a Utile ebok- 
Ing at the throat, Mllly rose to seek her hoard, 3 
but her father stopped her. 
*• No, no, dear, keep your money, we may want 3 
It worse before the week's out, I didn’t want to < 
have told you bad news to-night, hut perhaps It's s 
best hold, after all,” ( 
Having token vhe plunge, John proceeded to 
tell bis daughter ol Mr. Sprague’s visit, and the j 
terrible threat with which he had departed. The 1 
announcement produced a very depressing effect. 
Even brave Uttie Millie had tears In her eyes, and : 
her younger brothers, seeing her distress, howled 
dismally in vague sympathy. 
At this Juncture the shop door was heard to 
opch. A man entered bearing on his shoulder a 
huge hamper, which he set down on the floor 
with a bang. “ Parcel for Mr. Todd." And with¬ 
out another word ho departed. 
The whole of the Todd family gathered round 
the big hamper, and contemplated It with silent, 
astonishment. “Who can It bo from?” said 
Mllly, a little ungrammatically. “I wonder 
what’s in it V” said John Todd, junior. “ 1 hope 
It’s something to eat,” said Tommy Todd. Willie 
Todd, aged six, sucked his thumb and said noth¬ 
ing. Probably he thought the more. 
"Hadn’t you better open it, and then you’ll 
know about It?” said John Todd. 
“Dear old father,” said Mllly; “he’s always 
right. So we will." 
John Todd, junior, produced a knife, and the 
hamper was speedily opened. The flrst glance 
revealed nothing but stra w, and the hearts of the 
youthful Todds sank almost to zero. But the 
straw was quickly removed, and then was re¬ 
vealed, first, a most remarkable turkey—a tur¬ 
key, if possible, Inconveniently stout, with a red 
ribbon round Its neck aud a rosette on Its breast. 
Second, a roast ing pig, which, for size and fatness 
might have been brother, or cousin at least, to 
the turkey. Last came a hare, of which it Is only 
necessary to say that he did no discredit to the 
turkey and the pig. Before the party had recov¬ 
ered from their delight and surprise, the door 
again opened, and another man, bearing another 
hamper, came In. “Name of Todd here?” said 
the man. •• night; with Mr. Brown’s kind re¬ 
gards. and paid.” The door had hardly closed 
upon the porter when the youthful dodds, re¬ 
gardless of the “ Glass, with care," lu large let¬ 
ters on the top of the basket, rushed at it. and 
had It open lu a trice. A fragrant smell arose 
from It, proceeding from sundry whltey-brown 
paper parcels arranged in trim order within. 
Mllly opened them. One was found to contain 
currants, another plums, another spice; In rluo, 
all the ingredients for a monster pudding of the 
richest character were there. A noble packet or 
tea was the next thing that came to hand, and 
then a goodly store of apples, oranges, nuts, 
almonds, and raisins. When these were removed 
there was still a layer of something solid at the 
bottom of the basket, which, being Investigated, 
proved (o consist of a splendid plum cake. The 
little Todds executed a scalp dance round the 
hampers In a perfect ecstacy of delight, and Mll¬ 
ly and her father, though less demonstrative in 
their transports, were hardly less excited. 
•• Now, father dear,” said Mllly, “ jou had bet¬ 
ter shut up the shop—1 am sure you won’t be able 
to do any more work to-night, isn’t It wonder¬ 
ful ?—Just like a fairy tale 1” 
“ And Mr. Brown's the good fairy!" said John 
Todd. “Isn’t ho a noble gentleman? Well, 1 
iblnk I’ll shut up, dear. He said he wasu't In a 
hurry for the things, aud l don’t feel as If I could 
bring my mind down again to trousers to-night. 
CHAPTER II. 
Christmas morning came at last, as It generally 
will, If you only wait long enough; aud a very 
respectable sort of a Christmas It was. Bright 
aud clear and cold, with the snow ou the ground 
crisp and hard, the sort of weather that makes 
you button up your great coat to the chin, and 
case your hands In your thickest woolen gloves; 
the sort of weather (l hope) that makes you give 
a kindly thought to your poorer brothers wno 
have no great coats to button, and no warm 
gloves to cover their frost-nipped hands. 
T 40 whole of the Todd family woke up lu a 
thoroughly Christmas state of mind, and the 
youngest mombers (as might perhaps be ex¬ 
pected, considering the nature of their dreams), 
with perfectly ferocious appetites. 
Breakfast over, the Junior branches were de¬ 
spatched, under the care of dear old Todd, to 
church, while sister Mllly remained at home, and gr< 
devoted all her energies to the preparation or the I tin 
anticipated banquet. I am Inclined to think that | un 
Mllly had never seen, much less cooked, such a Ch 
dinner In her life; but cooks, like poets, arc born, i 
not made; and with the aid of Miss Manlier, and w t 
t he simultaneous use-of all the fireplaces In tno ro i 
house, Mllly got, on splendidly, and astonished rei 
herself with her success. It was in a moment of 
con lid 1 -nee, engendered by the close and intimate I ol , 
relation in which they were thus placed, that m( 
Miss I’lnnlfer Imparted to Mllly a secret. I 
“Mllly, my dear,” said Miss ITnnlfcr, “I want I a „ 
your advice.” af 
“Hadn’t you better ask father?” said Mllly, re 
conceiving that, his counsels would probably be 
of greater value than her own. th 
“ No. my dear; no, 1 think not. In a case of— I t-a 
of this kind, I don’t think he would be a judge. I a 
want to know, dear, whether I look best In my 
black satin and pink muslin skirt, or in my al- U] 
paca. Take time to consider, my dear,” hi 
“ They're both very nice,” said Mllly. “ The ftl- n - 
paca for choice, 1 think.” w 
"Do you, dear ? Now I was thinking, do you I as 
know, that the alpaca was rather—rather old- I 
tool. I r, I nt 
“Of course not,” said Mllly; “but what makes £ 
you so particular to-day?” , 
“ Well, dear. J really hardly know how to toll 
you. But we girls never can keep our little sc- 
crets, can we?”—the dear creature waslfitly, If 
she was a day -“the fact ls-lt’s-lt’s on account 
of Mr. Brown, dear.” 
MJlly looked at, her Inquiringly, but wllb a ro- 
gutsli twinkle In her eyes. TUo Old lady contln- ha 
ued- b; 
“The object of Mr. Brown’s coming, my dear, P< 
is, as you are awure, enveloped In mystery. He I y 
must have an object, you know, and 1 have rea- I >>. 
son to imagine—strong reason, 1 may say—that w 
that object, is myself.” * 
“ You don't say so?” sald.Mllly. “Pray accept n 
my best, congratulations. Has he declared his 
intentions-" e ' 
" Well, no, dear; I can’t, say he has exactly dc- si 
dared himseif, In words at least; but If you had u 
only seen how he looked —you couldn't mistake g 
his expression, my dear. He looked at me with 1< 
a positive smile—quite lover-llke, 1 assure you. a 
And then ho Insisted on coming to dinner.” g 
“ Well, I'm sure I'm very pleased,” said Mllly. l; 
“ We’ve all been puzzled to account lor his want- I h 
lug to come, and I duro say that's It.” c 
‘•I haven't accepted him yet, my dear," said p 
Miss Plnnlfer, “ and 1 shan't either, the first time a 
of asking. It doesn't do for a girl to make herself 1 
too cheap, lie’ll have to he very attentive, I can 0 
tell him, If ho expects to have any chance with B 
me. Oh, dear! oh, dear f he’s beginning to burn!” v 
The last words referred to the turkey, which b 
w<ib under Miss Plnnlfer’s especial care, aud c 
which slio forthwith began to baste violently. r 
“ I've had a good deal of attention In my time, I g 
you sc?, my dear, so perhaps 1 think the less of It, 1 1 
on that account. It Isn’t to be expected, you 1 
know, with mv experience, that I should be daz- t 
zted by a Mr. Brown. Isn’t he fat, dear ?’’ I c 
“Is be?” said Mllly; “I haven’t seen him, you ( 
know.” I < 
"Notseen himl” said Miss Plnnlfer. "What < 
do you mean ? My dear, I was speaking of the 1 
turkey.” 1 1 
‘' Oh 1” said Mllly. |i 
The conversation was Interrupted by the return 1 
or the party from church. The younger Todds 
q ere found considerably In the way of the cook¬ 
ery, UU Mllly hit on the happy expedient of send¬ 
ing them out to state. 
When they returned home Mr. Brown had Just, 
arrived, and their father and Mllly were endeav- 
orlng adequately to express their appreciation of 
the hampers. Mr. Brown seemed pleased by the 
Interruption, apd patting the boys’ heads pater- 
nally, asked them It they were good boys. 
Johnny and Tommy, though a little abashed, 
l answered manfully that they were; but Willy, 
, who wus of a uervous tern p eminent, began to cry, 
l and promised Irrelevantly that ho wouldn’t do It 
} again. 
, Dinner-time speedily arrived, much to the sat- 
5 lshictlou or everybody. A few min ut.es before the 
^ appointed hour came a young gentleman with a 
' very SOU shirt collar, and a rather bashful ex- 
1 presilon of countenance, whom Mllly’s blushes at 
once designated as Charley Collins. Almost be- 
- fore Charley had been formally introduced, Miss 
e Plnnlfer came upon the scene, dressed In the 
- black Batin and pink muslin skirt, with little blue 
bows pinned on all over her, and leading by the 
1 haml a solemn-looking Individual, whom she in- 
1 troduced in a tragedy tone as "My brother.” 
:i The individual thus alluded to did not trouble 
1 himself to salute the company, hut dropped Into 
” the fir.it chair in fils way, and fixed IBs eyes with 
a strong glare upon Mr. Brown. 
The party arranged themselves round the table, 
y and began to do lull justice to the gofld cheer. 
y l-’or some time there was but little conversation, 
it everybody being too busily employed to talk; 
id when suddenly Miss Pinnlfer’s brother paused lu 
.•s the very act of conveying a large piece of turkey 
d to Uts mouth, and pointing with tils fork, and the 
3; morsel still on it, at Mr Biowd, said “ Halloa!" 
re Mr. Brown looked a little uncomfortable, when 
10 Miss Plnnlfer hastened to explain:—"You'll ex- 
m cuse my brother, sir, he’s of unsound m Ind. ” And 
then leaning over two ol the little Todds, and 
a seizing her brother by the collar of his coat, she 
tie shook him violently, and said, In an Impressive 
x- voice, “ Robert, behave 1” Whereupon Robert be- 
s), came much depressed, and “behaved" accord¬ 
ingly. 
le- After the excitement caused by this little lnel- 
to dent lmd subsided, the dinner proceeded with 
great smoothness, and the little party, which at Bn 
nrst. had felt some little constraint, was rapidly Nc 
unbending under the genial Influence of the (. 
Christmas cheer. wa 
At last the dinner came to an end—as dinners em 
will, the more’s the pity—and the party drew 
round the fire in a cosy semicircle, and set to work an 
regularly to enjoy themselves. fat 
John Todd sang a song, and another, and an- J> l£ 
other, and another alter that, to the most tre- ™ 
mendous aprlause, even the blackbird dropping /J 
his critical airs tor once, and applauding as loudly ® 
as anybody. And then Mr. Brown sang a song; ^ 
after which Charley Collins sang a song with a " ( 
remarkable chorus, which was sung by the whole 1 
streugLli of the company with such good will, that th' 
the people next door couldn’t hear themselves lu 
talk, and knocked at the wall with the poker as he 
a gentle hint for peace and quietness. And Mllly fm 
herself sang a song, and then Miss Plnnlfer vol- wl 
unteered, and after repeating five times that, she on 
bad a cold (which wasn’t true) and that she bad 
n't a note In her voice (which was), she began, 
with Intense expression, “ Will you love me then be 
as now?" ,n 
The direction of her glances made It quite a 
personal matter between herself and Mr. Brown, fr< 
who should by every rule of propriety have sung cj 
in reply, “ Dearest, then I’ll love thee more.” But a? 
he didn’t. Probably ho didn’t know the song; or, th 
still moro probably, he wouldn’t have sung It If 
he knew It I 
As a slight, protection against the too oppres- _ 
slve glances of Miss Plnnlfer, Mr. Brown enteied 
Into conversation with Charley Collins, who had ^ 
by this time got rid of his bashfulness and ap- 
peared, as he really was, a light-hearted, manly, ^ 
young fellow. Charley had conceived a great 
liking to Mr. Brown, and was very confldentlal 
with him; bo that Mr. Brown was speedily made 
aware that bis young friend was a clerk at the f- 
moderate salary of $6 a week. 
The merriment by no means flagged as the ^ 
evenlDg wore on. Mr. Brown was the life and 
soul of the party, cracked jokes, asked riddles, 
told stories, kissed Mllly and Miss Plnnlfer, and • 
generally proved himself the prince of good lei- 
lows, forfeits were played, and blind man’s bull, 
at which latter game Miss Plnnlfer gave rise to 
grave suspicions as to her fair play by persistent- ( 
ly refusing to catch anybody but Mr. Brown, aud 
holding him an unnecessarily long time when 
caught. Alter blind man’s buff, a dance was pro- 
posed, and carried out with great success. John ” 
Todd performing on the vloUn. Miss Plnnlfer s 
brother had been rather gloomy durlng the prevl- 
ous amusements, but he now began to enjoy him¬ 
self immensely, dancing away by himself In the 
very middle of the room with a funereal expres- 
slon of countcuanco, and occasionally tumbling 
over one or other of the young Todds, who had 
rather indefinite notions of dancing, and were a ^ 
good deal In the way. But he didn’t, mind, not 
be; he picked himself up and went at It again as ^ 
If nothing had happened. One by one the dan- ^ 
eers stopped, exhausted; and at the last the lid- 
die stopped, too; but Miss Plnnlter’s brother still 
continued to dance, without a smile on his coun¬ 
tenance, and without any apparent Intention of 
ever leaving off. Indeed, I think it highly proba¬ 
ble that he would have continued dancing to this 1 
moment, had not hta sister, by certain whispered < 
blandishments, persuaded him to leave off, and 
Anally got him to bod. 
The youthful Todds about this time began to 1 
show signs of weariness, and were with some dif¬ 
ficulty induced to retire to rest. The remainder 
of the party gathered round the fire, and chatted 
quietly. Mr. Brown seemed to have suddenly 
grown sllpnt since the children’s departure. At 
: last after a pause In the conversation, he said 
1 suddenly: 
«jgr. Todd, I’ve a proposition to make to you. 
Don’t go, Miss Mllly-wbat I’m going to say con- 
- corns you too. This lady and gentleman are 
, friends of the family, and 1 don’t mind speaking 
- before them. Mr. Todd, I’m not a young man— 
L f V0 b ee n knocked about a good deal in my tune, 
and 1 mean. If I can, to have u lit tle comfort in 
- my old years. So I’m looking out for a wile, and 
3 1 haven’t seen any young lady so much to my 
1 living as Miss Mllly there.” 
At this startling announcement Mllly turned 
I red aud pale by turns, Charley Collins clenched 
bis fists, and looked unutterable things; and Miss 
s Plnnlfer became perfectly rigid, with only energy 
e enough to turn up her eyes to the celling, and to 
e murmur In heartbroken accents, "Cruel—ker- 
6 rewelman!" 
l - John Todd attempted to speak, but Mr. Brown 
continued: 
e “ Hear me out, please; and then give me what 
0 answer you like. I’m not a young man, as I said 
h before, but I'm easy-going, and 1 believe I should 
make a good husband. I’ve worked hard in my 
e, time, but I've made money, and now I don’t In- 
r. tend to work any more, but, Just to enjoy myself, 
u, My wife will have a good time of It, mind you. 
:; Balls, concerts, parties, if she likes ’em she shall 
in have ’em, and that’s all about. It. Now, Mias 
;y Mllly, what do you say? Will you be an old 
is man’s darling ?" 
"Mr. Brown,” John Todd began, but Mllly In¬ 
in terrupted. 
x- “No, father, let me speak. Mr. Brown, I thank 
ad you for your offer, and I don’t doubt it’s kindly 
ad meant. But I've given my heart away already 
he fas you might have guessed to-night), aud I can’t 
ve give It twice." 
,e- “l know, I know,” said Mr. Brown, sadly, 
•d- “But It’s weary waiting, Mllly, all through tbe 
long years, and a boy and girl fancy soon dies 
cl- away.” 
Ith "Ours Isn’t a boy and girl fancy, then, Mr. 
Brown, for I’m quite sure It’ll never die away. 
Never, never, never I Will It, Charley?’’ 
Charley did not trust himself to speak, but a 
warm pressure of the hand answered Mllly well 
enough. 
“Don’t decide In a hurry, Miss Mllly. There 
arc many things to think about, you know; youi 
father, now. lie oughtn’t to work as he does, at 
Ills time of life, and fils eyes arc falling already. 
Now, if yoq ll marry me, your father shall have a 
good house over his head, and need never do a 
stitch of work again. And the hoys shall have 
good schooling and a fair start in business. It s 
worth thinking of, my dear.” 
Poor Mllly felt utterly miserable. She had not 
the smallest idea of wavering, but Mr. Brown 
had artfully cont rived that by being faithful to 
her true love, she should appear to deprive her 
lather and brothers of a host of blessings, all of 
which It was In her power to bestow. f>ho could 
only sob out; 
“ It’s very cruel,” and buret. Into tears. 
John Todd had made repeated efforts to speak, 
but dow he broke out In a tone that, bore down all 
interruption; 
“ Mr. Brown, for the kindness we’ve received 
from you, I’m obliged. But. I'm not obliged, sir, 
by your coming Into my house, and trying to steal 
away my daughter's affections from a young man 
that, loves her. It ain’t lair. It ain’t manly, It 
ain’t honorable. And when you try to work upon 
her feelings. It’s mean and cruel, and cowardly, 
that’s what it Is. And l tell you what, sir—I 
wouldn't take another kindness at your hands, 
no, not it 1 was starving. I'm an old man, sir, I 
know I am; and my sight's falling, as you say; 
but Pvo work In me yet, thank God, and I’ll work 
my fingers to the bone before I'll bid a child of 
mine man;.- for money without love.’’ 
"And perhaps you'll let me say a word, Mr. 
Brown,” Interposed Charley Collins. “It ain’t 
much, It's only a matter of opinion, and It'll re¬ 
lieve my mind. It's my opinion, sir, that you’re a 
canting, two-faced, hypocritical old humbug.” 
“I'll trouble you to say that over again present¬ 
ly, young man,” said Mr. Brown, who seemed to 
recover his cheerfulness under abuse. “ It might 
be useful, If I wanted a character, you know. 
Well, Mr. Todd, then that’s your answer, Is It?” 
“ it is, sir!” said John Todd, with great de¬ 
cision. 
“ And yours, Miss Mllly?” 
Mllly’s reply was of a rather remarkable de¬ 
scription. She quietly turned round to Charley 
Collins, and put her arms rouDd his neck. 
“And yours, Miss Plnnlfer. I beg pardon, I 
quite forgot I hadn't asked you a question.” 
Miss Plnnlfer looked as If she wished he had. 
“Well,” said Mr. Brown, "after all, perhaps 
It’s Just as well as It Is; and I've had the satis¬ 
faction of making my own acquaintance from a 
totally new point of view. I really had no idea I 
was such a very unpleasant person. Let me see 
now. I'm mean, and Pm cruel, and I’m cowardly. 
That’s Mr. Todd’s Idea, Mr. Colllne says I’m a 
hypocritical, canting, double-face—dear me, what 
was It he topped off with?" 
“Humbug,” said Charley, boldly. 
“ Old humbug,” corrected Mr. BrowD, sternly. 
“I’m not going to let you off any of the adject¬ 
ives, my young friend. You, Miss Mllly, were of 
opinion that 1 was a wretch." 
“ I didn’t say so,” said Mllly. 
“ No, my dear, but you thought so, and that’s 
much the same. Dear, dear! If your poor mother 
had only lived to hear her brother Tom called all 
■ these horrid names, on my word I believe she’d 
have boxed your ears all round.” 
“ Uncle Tom!" exclaimed Mllly. 
“ You’re not Tom Hawkins!” cried Mr. Todd. 
I “ Yes, sometimes,” said the stranger, meekly; 
“ generalljr, I may say. Allow mo to Introduce 
. myself, ladies and gentlemen: Thomas Brown 
- Hawkins, at your service. As lor my character, 
3 I',a a mean, cowardly, cruel—a regular tragedy 
5 uncle, In fact.” 
“My dear unde,” Bald MlUy, “of course wo 
didn’t know. And you were only In joke, after 
a all.” 
i <1 well, my dear, I’m not so sure of that; but a 
y man mayn’t marry his grandmother, you know; 
and I rather think there’s a similar foolish preju- 
q dice as regards nieces. So, on the whole, perhaps 
d it's Just as well you didn't say yes.” 
1& “ I’m sure 1 heartily beg your pardon, brother- 
y ln-law,” said Mr. Todd. “ You won’t bear malice 
0 for words said under a mistake, I’m sure.” 
r _ “ Well, I'm not quite certain whether I will or 
1 won’t,” said Mr. Hawklo-s. “ I should like to 
u punch that young rascal’s head for calling me an 
old humbug, but I’m afraid I should get the worst 
it oflt.” 
ld “ I’m very sorry, sir,” began Charley. 
Id "No, you're not, my dear boy; or If y u are, 
iy you needn’t be,” said Mr. Hawkins. “It was an 
[L _ old man’s joke, aud I rather think 1 saw the fun 
It. of it better than you did.” 
u. “ But 1 had always heard you were dead, Hawk- 
ill ins,” said Mr. Todd. “ Many a time my poor wife 
ss used to talk and cry over her only brother, who 
Id was thought to have been drowned at sea.” 
“I ought, to have been, by lights," said Uncle 
,n- Tom. "I’ve been In three shipwrecks, but I was 
preserved, probably for a higher and drier fate, 
nk I've been a digger, aud a storekeeper, and a good 
fly many other things besides. I’ll tell you all my 
dy adventures, one of these days.” 
n’t “ So you won't marry me, eh?" 
Mllly shock her head sauelty 
ly. " Well then, as I've set my heart on a wedding, 
be I suppose you must marry someboby else. Mllly, 
les little woman, If you’re very good, you and I will 
take a run out of town the very flrst fine day, 
dr. and see if wo can’t And that same cottage we 
