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little Ketta. “And do you think, Cousin
Herbert, that he will visit Savannah ?”
“Os course he will, and you may look
for him now almost any evening. So you
little folks had better look out for him.
But I can’t sit here talking all night. I
am tired from traveling, and must go to
bed.”
The next day the children could talk
of nothing but Pelz-Nickel and his ex
pected visit. At night, they were sadly
disappointed because their Cousin Herbert
could not be with them, but he was obli
ged to be absent during the first part of
the evening. He told the children before
he left, however, that they must be on
the look-out, as Pelz-Nickel might visit
them that evening, but assured them that
they had nothing to tear from him, espe
pecially if they had been good children.
About dusk, all the children had their
faces and hands washed, and their hair
combed out smoothly, and were made all
ready to receive the expected visitor.—
They were seated, with their father and
mother, in the sitting-room, which was
warmed and lighted up as on the night
before, and all were on the tip-toe of ex
pectation. At length Clarissa, the color
ed girl, ran up stairs, badly frightened,
exclaiming :
“Oh, missus, dat old man is a coming.
I seed him fru de winder.”
Just then there was a loud limrincr at
the door bell, footsteps were heard in the
entry, the door opened, and in walked
Pelz-Nickel. His dress was a wonder.
He had on a high cap, made of fur, a
great fur overcoat, and immense fur boots,
while his hands were encased in fur
gloves. Slung over his shoulder like a
haversack, was a large bag, and in one
hand he carried a long, keen switch. He
introduced himself as “Nicholas with the
Fur,” (you see, that is the English for
Pelz-Nickel,) and said that he had come
all the way from Germany to inquire in
to the characters of the children, so that
he could report all those who were good
to the angel of Christmas, who was to
come at Christmas-eve. He asked all
about their lessons, and told them of some
faults which they were surprised that he
knew of. But, as these were not serious,
he told them if they were careful during
the coming week, he would not use the
rod, but make a good report of them, es
pecially as he had heard of other things
which were very much in their favor.
For instance, he was glad to learn that 4
they were obedient to their parents, regu
lar attendants of Sabbath-School, and
were kind to the poor little children
around them, several of whom had been
comfortably clothed through their efforts,
BTJEKE’S WEEKLY.
and, therefore, he wonld not make them
wait until Christmas for something in
return. With these words he put his
hand into the bag, and out came such a
crowd of apples, and nuts, and cocoanut
cakes, and ground-pea candy, as you
scarcely ever saw. Every little hand and
pocket was filled, and yet there seemed
to be plenty more in the bag.
Pelz-Nickel then told them that they
might certainly expect a visit from the
Christkinchen, or Christmas Angel, on
Christmas-eve, who would bring them
many beautiful things, and then, with a
smile and a bow, he took his departure.
About a quarter of an hour after Pelz-
Nickel left, their Cousin Herbert came in,
his face all flushed from walking in the
cold wind.
“Oh, Cousin Herbert,” cried Nettie and
Ritter, “you ought to have been here.
Pelz-Nickel is such a funny old man. And
he gave us such a lot of candy, and nuts,
and apples.”
“ And drown-pea tandy,” chimed in lit
tle Mary.
“ And he had on such a funny high hat,
and his clothes were all covered with
fur!” said Frank.
But George said nothing. He looked
at his Cousin Hubert suspiciously, as if
he thought Hubert knew more than he
pretended. If you are good little boys
and girls, I will tell you, next week, what
George thought, and all about the visit of
the Christmas Angel.
Scatter your Crumbs.
t MIDST the freezing sleet and snow,
The timid robin comes ;
In pity drive him not away,
But scatter out your crumbs.
'£: And leave your door upon the latch
Cp Bor whosoever comes;
The poorer they, more welcome give,
And scatter out your crumbs.
All have to spare, none are too poor,
When want with winter comes;
The loaf is never all your own,
Then scatter out your crumbs.
Soon winter falls upon your life,
The day of reckoning comes;
Against your sins, by high decree,
Are weighed those scattered crumbs.
Alfred Crowquili,.
Wit and Humor,
It is easy to say ill-natured things, and
thus get a reputation for smartness ; but
genuine humor doesn’t flow from a bitter
fountain. It is gentle and genial, comes
from a bright and loving spirit, and re
st eshes while it excites to mirth and
laughter. Less brilliant than wit, it is
more agreeable. While the one offends
by its severity, the other makes a man
ashamed of his follies without exciting
his resentment.
Written for Burke’s Weekly
JA CK DOBELL;
Or, A Boy’s Adventures in Texas.
A STORY FOR BOYS.
CHAPTER XVIII.
ENCOUNTER WITH A WILD CAT— A DAY op
LEISURE RATTLE-SNAKED— AN UNPLE \
SANT ADVENTURE —CAMPING OVER A RAT
TLE-SNAKES DEN.
the morning I
roused from a sound
ySMKi. A slee P a terrible cack
bng among my chickens,
o I got up immediately to
ascertain what occasion
"CZß ed the row, leaving Flacco in the
b room fast asleep on a hearth rug,
# which I had spread on the floor
for his particular accommodation. As I
went out, I unconsciously shut the door
behind me. Observing a commotion
amongst the poultry at the further end
of the yard, I was proceeding thither
when a chicken came running towards
me followed by a huge wild cat. Now, I
considered that I had a prior claim my
self upon all the poultry pertaining to this
establishment, and determined to inter
fere at once in behalf of the chicken. I
had no weapon with me, not even my
carving knife, so I picked up a heavy
stick and boldly advanced upon the im
pudent intruder that had thus dared, in
open daylight, to poach upon “my do
mains.” The wild cat, however, did not
appear in the least daunted by my pres
ence ; on the contrary, as I advanced to
wards him he commenced humping his
back and growling, and otherwise exhib
iting unmistakeable signs of an intention
to dispute my authority. Notwithstand
ing this demonstration, however, I con
tinued to approach until within a few
places of him, when I threw my stick at
him, and with so true an aim that it
struck him a heavy blow upon the side.
Ho gave a shrill scream, and sprang to
wards me, whereupion I instantly turned
and ingloriously fled to the house, and
well it was for me that I did so, for when
I pmshed open the door and rushed in, the
cat was right at my heels. But here he
encountered a much more formidable an
tagonist than I was in my unarmed state,
in my dog Flacco, who pounced upon him
without a moment’s hesitation, as soon as
the door was opened. Fearing he might
prove an overmatch for Flacco, I seized
my butcher knife, and hurrying with it
to his assistance, I inflicted a deep wound
upon him, but before I could repeat the
blow, he tore loose from Flacco, and made