was brought about, old Fezziwig,
clapping his hands to stop the dance, cried out, "Well
done!" Then there were more dances, and there were
forfeits, and more dances; and there was cake, and there
was a great piece of cold roast, and there was a great piece 30
of cold boiled, and there were mince pies and other delicacies.
But the great effect of the evening came after
the roast and the boiled, when the fiddler, artful dog, struck
up _Sir Roger de Coverley_. Then old Mr. Fezziwig stood
out to dance with Mrs. Fezziwig. Top couple, too, with
a good stiff piece of work cut out for them; three or
four and twenty pair of partners; people who were not to 5
be trifled with--people who would dance and had no
notion of walking.

But if they had been twice as many--aye, four times--old
Mr. Fezziwig would have been a match for them and
so would Mrs. Fezziwig. As to _her_, she was worthy to 10
be his partner in every sense of the term. If that's not
high praise, tell me higher and I'll use it. . . . And when
Mr. Fezziwig and Mrs. Fezziwig had gone all through the
dance--advance and retire, both hands to your partner,
bow and curtsy, thread the needle, and back to your place--Fezziwig 15
"cut" so deftly that he appeared to wink with
his legs, and came upon his feet again without a stagger.

When the clock struck eleven this domestic ball broke up.
Mr. and Mrs. Fezziwig took their stations one on either
side of the door, and shaking hands with every person 20
individually as he or she went out, wished him or her a
Merry Christmas. When everybody had retired but the
two apprentices they did the same to them; and thus the
cheerful voices died away and the lads were left to their
beds--which were under a counter in the back shop. 25

--_A Christmas Carol._

1. _A Christmas Carol_ is a story everybody should
read and re-read. Why do you think it is so
popular? What is there about this selection that is
likable? How does it reflect the joy of the
Christmas season?

2. List the books you know that Dickens wrote.
Which have you read? Find some interesting facts
about Dickens's life and report these to the class.

JEAN VALJEAN MEETS THE BISHOP

BY VICTOR HUGO

Victor Hugo (1802-