er daughters.

"Beautiful weather for Christmas, Lady Dasher," hazarded I. She
evidently did not agree with me, for she looked about her mournfully,
with a down-drawn visage, just as if we were all attending a funeral, of
which she was the chief mourner.

"Really, Mr Lorton, do you think so?" came her answer at length.
"Don't you find it very cold?"

"Dear me, ma! why you said last Christmas that it was too warm!" said
her daughter Bessie.

"Ah! Mr Lorton," continued her mother, not noticing her remark, "we
never have those good, old-fashioned Christmases that we had when my
poor dear papa was alive!"

"No, I suppose not," I answered; "people say that it is because of the
vast American forests being gradually cut down, admitting freer currents
of air all over the world; while others put the change down to the
influence of the Gulf Stream. Still, I dare say, it will all come right
again at some time or other."

"Ah, Mr Lorton," said Lady Dasher, "I'm afraid it will _never_ come
right again. You are too sanguine, like all young people."

"Oh, `never' is a long day," I said; "we should all be hopeful and
merry, I think, at least on this one day in the year."

"I could never be merry again, Mr Lorton," she said, with a prodigious
sigh, which seemed to come from the depths of her heart, "since poor
dear papa died;" and she then passed on mournfully homewards, with
Bessie and Seraphine in her wake. Their cheerful faces, as they nodded
back and smiled at Horner and myself, contrasted strongly with their
mother's lugubrious visage. I wonder if anybody ever saw her laugh?
I've got my doubts about it.

Then came out Miss Pimpernell, her kind old face beaming with smiles as
she bowed here and there, and gave a cordial greeting to us young
fellows, who still stood around the church porch. She did not forget
me, you may be certain. "God bless you, Frank, my boy!" she said, in
her affectionate, purring way; dismissing me home with a light heart to
eat the traditionary roast turkey and plum-pudding, at peace with all
mankind, and in love with all womankind for her sake.

What a happy, happy day it had been!

That night I passed and repassed Min's house a dozen times at least,
only that I might see her shadow on the blinds, weaving luxurious
castles in Spain the while. I would be a great general, a distinguished
orator, a famous statesman, a celebrated author! I would do some grand,
heroic action. I desired to