crossbows, breastplates, swords, pistols, cakes
and oranges in bags, theatres, shuttlecocks
and trumpets hanging from the branches;
whatever I whistle at will tumble down into
my hands, and there will be flocks of kites
wheeling about in the air like crows, with
their strings hanging down so that any one
may catch them. That grove leads to the
town, which is walled round with plum
pudding and has no gates; every one makes a
breach through with his teeth, and enters at
it. As soon as we get in all the bells will
ring, and all the chimneys will pour out
volumes of smoke like silver to look at,
beautifully scented; and the silver smoke
will run together into silver bells that shall
be tinkling up above us everywhere, and
sound as if they were singing Christmas
carols. Almost everybody will be indoors,
and every house will be full of coloured
windows, beautifully lighted; and we shall see
all the walls shake with the laughing and
dancing that goes on inside. Then we shall
meet a big man in a pea coat with silver bells
dancing about his head like gnats, and with
one side of his hat and coat pasted with sugar;
he will laugh and take me up upon his shoulder
and be my horse, for that's papa. And
then a little girl will run from round a corner
to us and tumble over a great stone of sugar
candy into a puddle of custard, and get up
laughing and put custardy arms round my
neck; that will be sister Lou. Then there
will come down the High Street a procession
of all our uncles, aunts, and little cousins
prancing on hobby-horses; and there will be
a great deal of fun with them, and I shall get
up behind Uncle Stephen and pick tops, and
string, and nails, and little bradawls and
parliament cake out of his pocket as we are
all taken in procession to the principal inn.
There we shall go into a room with walls of
holly and a roof of misletoe, and a great
steam of roast beef in the air. We shall stay
a whole week in the town, and nobody will
be cross, and there will be blindman's buff
played all day long in the streets, and the
pond on the green will be ablaze, and that's
where I shall go and dance with Lou every
day after dinner, for we both of us like snap-
dragon."

"You are a wild little boy," I said, " and
those are childish dreams that you have had."

"Indeed," said my old woman, " quite
ridiculous; but certainly these Christmas
towns are very wonderful."

"Of course they are," said the boy, " and
beautiful."

"Yes, always beautiful—to you with home
faces, frolic, and good cheer—in other ways
to others—in some way to all," exclaimed
the old lady. " It was at a Christmas town,
a long way back, that grandfather first came
and kissed me."

"Of course," said Walter, " under the
misletoe, I know. That's where I kiss sister
Lou."

"And the year before that happened,"
said the old woman, " I walked into a Christmas
city at the end of a long stage, very
tired, and quite alone. A very strange
thing."

"Tell us all about it, grandmother,"
shouted the boy.

"That was the saddest town of the kind
I had seen; though, to be sure, I had not
seen so many as twenty."

"Oh! but you know," said Master Walter,
*' that was a good deal. I only properly
remember six. Come now! I'm not so very
young."

"Well, venerable child, I thought that
city a dreary one; there was a fog about it;
nobody came near me whom I knew, and
I was afraid at first to go in alone to any of
the inns. I could just see the light from the
great cathedral window shining through the
mist, as I went by, and I heard a Christmas
anthem being played upon the organ. So I
went and sat down in the church."

"I know," cried the boy, triumphantly.
"You went to sleep. I should myself."

"I listened to the music, and joined in
the prayers; but when they were over,
and I looked up, waiting for the sermon,
I was blinded by the light, and turning
aside, also because I felt that somebody's
hand was upon mine, I saw that it was my
mother who was touching me, and that
she and my father sat by me just as they
had done in the old pew at home, with a
little brother on the other side asleep, just as
he used to go to sleep, with his head always
against my arm. I had thought them all
dead; but there they were, just as they used
to be, simply their own dear selves, not looking
at all like ghosts or angels, only happy.
There were many faces of old friends, too, In
the church, and everything I saw made me
feel happier and happier. We went out of
church together, my father and mother
walking just before me, and little Harry
trotting by my side, holding my hand, not as
if we had all suddenly met, but as if we had
gone to church in company, and were quietly
returning to our Christmas dinner. And we
really did go home. How it came to be in
that town I cannot tell; but back down that
High-street, Christmas Town, we went, to
the old cottage in Devonshire, and talked
there as we used to talk, but with less
laughter and more happiness. After dinner
Harry fetched in somebody out of the cold;
that was your grandfather, and my father
and mother looked at him; and my father
said, 'He is a good man, Kitty,' and my
mother came and kissed me on the lips. I
had not seen grandfather a dozen times
before. Then I lay down my head upon
the table and cried for joy; and when I
looked up I was in a very dull and
dusty room, with only a little bread and cold
meat by my side, but I still felt very happy.
In the next Christmas town I reached, I