her festivals. But in addition to these, Peregrine had yet
another holiday in the year, or rather holy evening, and that was
Christmas Eve, with its gifts, which had excited his youthful fancy
more than any other pleasure.

He himself carefully purchased the motley Christmas lights, the
playthings, the sweetmeats, just as his parents had presented them to
him in his childish years; and then the presentation took place, as the
kind reader has already seen.

"It is very vexatious," said Peregrine, after having played with them
some time--"it is very vexatious that the stag and wild boar hunt
should be missing. Where can they be? Ah, look there!"--At this moment
he perceived a little box which still remained unopened, and hastily
snatched at it, expecting to recover the missing treasure. But on
opening it he found it empty, and started back as if a sudden fright
had seized him.--"Strange!" he murmured to himself; "strange! What is
the matter with this box? It seems as if some fearful thing sprang out
upon me, that my eye was too dull to grapple with."

Alina, on being questioned, assured him that she had found the box
among the playthings, and had in vain used every exertion to open it;
hence she had imagined that it contained something particular, and that
the lid would yield only to the experienced hand of her master.

"Strange!" repeated Peregrine, "very strange!--and it was with this
chase that I had particularly pleased myself; I hope it may not bode
any evil!--But who, on a Christmas Eve, would dwell upon such fancies,
which have properly no foundation? Alina, fetch me the basket."

Alina accordingly brought a large white basket; in which, with much
care, he packed up the playthings, the sweetmeats, and the tapers, took
the basket under his arm, the great Christmas-tree on his shoulder, and
set out on his way.

It was the kind and laudable practice of Mr. Tyss to surprise some
needy family, where he knew there were children, with his whole cargo
of Christmas-boxes, just as he had purchased it, and dream himself for
a few hours into the happy times of boyhood. Then, when the children
were in the height of their joy, he would softly steal away and wander
about the streets half the night, hardly knowing what to do with
himself, from the deep emotions which straitened his breast, and
feeling his own house like a vault, in which he was buried with all his
pleasures. This time his Christmas-boxes were intended for th