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sweetly the other night； and was thankful that our humble household
should be in such harmony。 Poor old Twoshoes is so old and toothless
and quaky； that she can't sing a bit； but don't be giving yourself airs over
her； because she can't sing and you can。 Make her comfortable at our
kitchen hearth。 Set that old kettle to sing by our hob。 Warm her old
stomach with nut…brown ale and a toast laid in the fire。 Be kind to the
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poor old school…girl of ninety； who has had leave to come out for a day of
Christmas holiday。 Shall there be many more Christmases for thee？
Think of the ninety she has seen already； the fourscore and ten cold；
cheerless； nipping New Years！
If you were in her place； would you like to have a remembrance of
better early days； when you were young and happy； and loving； perhaps；
or would you prefer to have no past on which your mind could rest？
About the year 1788； Goody； were your cheeks rosy； and your eyes bright；
and did some young fellow in powder and a pigtail look in them？ We
may grow old； but to us some stories never are old。 On a sudden they
rise up； not dead； but living not forgotten； but freshly remembered。
The eyes gleam on us as they used to do。 The dear voice thrills in our
hearts。 The rapture of the meeting； the terrible； terrible parting； again and
again the tragedy is acted over。 Yesterday； in the street； I saw a pair of
eyes so like two which used to brighten at my coming once； that the whole
past came back as I walked lonely； in the rush of the Strand； and I was
young again in the midst of joys and sorrows； alike sweet and sad； alike
sacred and fondly remembered。
If I tell a tale out of school； will any harm come to my old school…girl？
Once； a lady gave her a half…sovereign； which was a source of great pain
and anxiety to Goody Twoshoes。 She sewed it away in her old stays
somewhere； thinking here at least was a safe investment （vestis a vest
an investment； pardon me； thou poor old thing； but I cannot help the
pleasantry）。 And what do you think？ Another pensionnaire of the
establishment cut the coin out of Goody's stays an old woman who went
upon two crutches！ Faugh； the old witch！ What？ Violence amongst
these toothless； tottering； trembling； feeble ones？ Robbery amongst the
penniless？ Dogs coming and snatching Lazarus's crumbs out of his lap？
Ah； how indignant Goody was as she told the story！ To that pond at
Potsdam where the carps live for hundreds of hundreds of years； with
hunches of blue mould on their back； I daresay the little Prince and
Princess of Preussen…Britannien come sometimes with crumbs and cakes
to feed the mouldy ones。 Those eyes may have goggled from beneath the
weeds at Napoleon's jack…boots： they have seen Frederick's lean shanks
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reflected in their pool； and perhaps Monsieur de Voltaire has fed them；
and now for a crumb of biscuit they will fight； push； hustle； rob； squabble；
gobble； relapsing into their tranquillity when the ignoble struggle is over。
Sans souci； indeed！ It is mighty well writing 〃Sans souci〃 over the gate；
but where is the gate through which Care has not slipped？ She perches
on the shoulders of the sentry in the sentry…box： she whispers the porter
sleeping in his arm…chair： she glides up the staircase； and lies down
between the king and queen in their bed…royal： this very night I daresay
she will perch upon poor old Goody Twoshoes' meagre bolster； and
whisper； 〃Will the gentleman and those ladies ask me again！ No； no；
they will forget poor old Twoshoes。〃 Goody！ For shame of yourself！
Do not be cynical。 Do not mistrust your fellow…creatures。 What？ Has
the Christmas morning dawned upon thee ninety times？ For four…score
and ten years has it been thy lot to totter on this earth； hungry and obscure？
Peace and goodwill to thee； let us say at this Christmas season。 Come；
drink； eat； rest awhile at our hearth； thou poor old pilgrim！ And of the
bread which God's bounty gives us； I pray； brother reader； we may not
forget to set aside a part for those noble and silent poor； from whose
innocent hands war has torn the means of labour。 Enough！ As I hope
for beef at Christmas； I vow a note shall be sent to Saint Lazarus Union
House； in which Mr Roundabout requests the honour of Mrs Twoshoes'
company on Friday； 26th December。
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DE JUVENTUTE
We who lived before railways； and survive out of the ancient world；
are like Father Noah and his family out of the Ark。 The children will
gather round and say to us patriarchs； 〃Tell us； grandpapa； about the old
world。〃 And we shall mumble our old stories； and we shall drop off
one by one； and there will be fewer and fewer of us； and these very old
and feeble。 There will be but ten prae…railroadites left： then three
then two then one then 0！ If the hippopotamus had the least
sensibility （of which I cannot trace any signs either in his hide or his face）；
I think he would go down to the bottom of his tank； and never come up
again。 Does he not see that he belongs to bygone ages； and that his great
hulking barrel of a body is out of place in these times？ What has he in
common with the brisk young life surrounding him？ In the watches of
the night； when the keepers are asleep； when the birds are on one leg；
when even the little armadillo is quiet； and the monkeys have ceased their
chatter； he I mean the hippopotamus and the elephant； and the long…
necked giraffe； perhaps may lay their heads together and have a colloquy
about the great