it must be close
on to midnight. Now they would play a Christmas carol. I used every
Christmas to be roused up and carried here and set on dad's shoulder.
When they were done ringing, Number Two always gave me a box of
sugar-plums and a large red apple. As they rang off, my father would cry
out, "One, two," and so on, and then cry, "Elias, all over town people
are opening windows to listen." I seemed to hear him as I sat in the
gloom. Then I heard, "All ready; one, two," and they rang the Christmas
carol. Overhead I heard the great bells ringing out:

And all the bells on earth shall ring
On Christmas day, on Christmas day.

I felt suddenly excited, and began to hum the air. Great heavens! There
was the old woman, Aunt Rachel, with her face going twitch, twitch, the
croak of her breathing keeping a sort of mad time with "On Christmas
day, on Christmas day." I jumped up. She was gone. I knew in a hazy sort
of way what was the matter with me, but I had still the sense to sit
down and wait. I said now it would be snakes, for once before I had been
almost as bad. But what I did see was a little curly-headed boy in a
white frock and pantalets, climbing up the stairs right leg first;
so queer of me to have noticed that. I knew I was that boy. He was an
innocent-looking little chap, and was smiling. He seemed to me to grow
and grow, and at last was a big, red-headed man with a live rat in his
hand. I saw nothing more, but I surely knew I needed whisky. I waited
until all was still, and got down and out, for I knew every window. I
soon found a tavern, and got a drink and some food. At once my fear
left me. I was warm at last and clear of head, and had again my natural
courage. I was well aware that I was on the edge of delirium tremens and
must be most prudent. I paid in advance for my room and treated myself
as I had done many another. Only a man of unusual force could have
managed his own case as I did. I went out only at night, and in a week
was well enough to travel. During this time I saw now and then that
grinning little fellow. Sometimes he had an apple and was eating it. I
do not know why he was worse to me than snakes, or the twitchy old woman
with her wide eyes of glass, and that jerk, jerk, to right.

I decided to go back to Boston. I got to New York prudently in a
roundabout way, and in two weeks' time was traveling east from Albany.

I felt well, and my spirits began at last to rise to their usual leve