John Brown's Christmas Hamper.

toivards the inner door , but he was immediately captured aud hehl back by his sisters' arms . "No , no ; you mustn't go to mother . She "—in a whispei . — "has got no money . She was crying this morning because she couldn ' t buy anything for a Christinas dinner . Send the man aAvay , and tell him to call again . "

" What ' s the matter Y " said another voice , and a pretty g irl of fourteen came downstairs . "Have you any money , Mabel Y Will you lend us some Y We'll pay you back by degrees , " said Edie and Ethel , in hurried tones .

Mabel was the economical one of thc family . She did not fail her brother and sister on this momentous occasion . From a neat little purse she produced the sum of sixpence , Avhich she handed to Jack with a look of re ]) roach . " What business had you to keep him Avaiting for a Christmas-box Y " she murmured . " You know that AVO can't afford it . "

But Jack had got all he Avanted , and handed the com to Spence with a lordl y air of generosity , which caused the porter to touch his cap and utter fervent Christmas wishes once again before he took his departure . " I'll pay you back , Mabel , " the boy said confidently . " I didn't like poor Spence to get nothing AA'hen he had come Avith this hamper for us . ' John Zacchary Brown . ' Well , now , that ' s father ' s name and my name too ; so IIOAV upon earth aro AVC to know which of us it ' s meant for Y "

" Wait till father comes home , " said Mabel , contemplating the hamper with intez-est . " Wait till he gets homo ! " repeated Jack , Avith infinite scorn . " When you knoAv that he won ' t be hero until nine o ' clock to-night . Wo must see what is inside the hamper before then , Mabel ! " " Then AA-C must ask mother to open it . "

" Mother is lying doAvn and must not be disturbed , " one of the g irls , began ; but at this moment the door of a back room slowly opened , and there appeared thc mother of the children , Mrs . John Zacchary BroAA'n herself . She Avas a very graceful looking Avoman , with a pale delicate face , large , dark , soft eyes , and a quantity of pale golden hair piled up

about her head . Not at all the woman , apparently , to be the mother of ten healthy , noisy children , ranging from 17 years of age to 1 : 5 months . She herself had been married at 18 , Avhen she was a penniless pretty governess Avith no home and no friends ; and at seven and thirty she had not lost her charm , oven if she hud lost the first bloom of her beaut y ; and in the eyes of husband and children she was the loveliest Avoman in the Avorld .

She had had a hard struggle Avith life . Her husband had married her against the wishes of his friends , and had quarrelled with them in consequence . This quarrel made an important difference iu his life . He h : ul been brought up as his uncle ' s heir , and his uncle was a rich , crusty , ill-tempered old bachelor , AVIIO had meant him to marry au heiress , and who made a fresh will , and disinherited him ou

the day when he heard of his marriage Avith pretty Madeline Gr . ifton . Since that day , John Zacchary BroAvn had known a good deal of trouble . It AVUS not at first that he could get anything to do , aud he was not altogether successful in what he undertook during the first few years of his married life . But he had now a settled income , and although it was small , thoy Avere able to live

upon it iu a careful and humble manner . He had a clerkship in a business house , tho heads of whicii had knoAvn his father and his uncle , who had ori ginally como from a village near Ashford ; and , after years of uncertainty , the £ 250 a year Avhich he received seemed to him almost liko we . ilth . lie was n it a man AVIIO oasily despairod . When Madeline reminded him gently of the increasing

expenses of their family , he AVOUUI pnt her off Avith a bright word und smile of encouragement . " Why , the elder ones Avill soon be able to help us , " he said , cheerily . " Look at Kathleen and Nora ; 1 am quite proud of them . " For Kathleen AVUS already earning a tiny salary as under teacher in a school ; and Nora was a pupil teacher in the same establishment , and the two cost him nothing , as he declared , except tlieir food in tlie holidays .

John Brown's Christmas Hamper.

Mrs . BroAvn smiled a little sadly over this declaration . She knew IIOAV Kathleen , who was sensitive , Avas fretting her heart out over certain difiicultics and mortifications incidental to her position ; she kneAv IIOAV Nora , AVIIO Avas clever , AA'as unable to havo the teaching that she required ; and IIOAV Mabel , the next girl , was obliged to stay

at homo from school altogether m order to hel p her mother with the little ones . All these things Avei ghcd heavily upon the mother ' s mind . For Jack she had no need , as yet , to be quite so anxious , because ho Avent to a very good grammar school in Great Ashford , and the twins , Edie and Ethel , as Avell as the younger ones , did not

need moro teaching than she could give ; but she could not help thinking fearfully of their future , and Avondering how - all tho babies could bo brought up and educated and put out into the Avorld Avithout an overwhelming burden of debt and difficulty . And there Avas the ever-present fear lest her health , or that of her

husbandneither of them very strong—should give way altogether . With all these cares pressing upon her , it AVUS not to be wondered at that Mrs . BroAvn looked pale and AVOHI ; and it might rather have been a matter for remark to note IIOAV SAveet was her smile , IIOAV um-ufued were hor tones , Avhen she addressed a remark to the excited group of children in the hall .

" What is it , darlings Y she said . " Do yon know IIOAV late it is , Jack Y You knoiv you must meet Kathleen and Nora b y tho six o ' clock train . " "Mother dear , " said Jack , impressively , "there are heaps of time . AVhat I A \ aut you to do IIOAV is to look at this address : ' John Zacchary BI ' OAVII , Esquire . ' Noiv , is that me , or is it father Y "

"I should think it was most emphaticall y father , " said Mrs . BroAvn , laughing . "What is it ? A hamper ? But it cannot be for us . " ' If there is anyone else of the name of John Zacchary Brown , Esquire , I should like to knoiv ! " said Jack , hotly . " It is the name of your father ' s uncle , " said Mrs . Brown .

Jack paused for a moment . " What , that horrid , stingy , rich old man that wouldn't have anything to do with father because ho married you , mammy , darling ? I wish I could punch his head ! What did father call me after him for , I wonder ? "

" It AVUS your father ' s own name , too , you must remember , " said Mrs . BroAvn , with a faint colour in her pale cheeks . " Don't talk in that way of your uncle , dear . And as to this hamper , I can't imagine where it comes from ; but perhaps some clue may be found inside ; so , as I think it must he for your father , 1 decide that AVO open it at once . "

The decision was received Avith acclamation , and Edie ran off to find a knife or a pair of scissors Avith Avhich to cut the cord , Avhile Jack fell on his knees beside it and began tugging at the knots as if for dear lifo .

I he lamp iu the hall AVUS presently lighted , and tho younger children appeared upon the scene . Baby Jim AVUS safel y sleeping ; but Will and Tedd y and Dot were all to the fore . The lid of the hamper Avasat length ivrenched open ; and then a sight met the eyes of tho children Avhich made them stare in astonishment anil

delight . For never was a hamper more invitingl y tilled . There Avas a splendid turkey ; there were tAvo ducks and a couple of fowls and a mighty ham ; there was a big plum pudding , ready boiled ; there AVUS a pork pie of ample dimensions , and any number of sausages ; and tho interstices were tightly packed with sound

rosy-cheeked apples and Avinter pears . Then thero Avas a rich-looking plum cake , and some thick hunches of home-made ginger-bread . Anil ou the top of all these lay a card on which was represented a robin with a very largo rod Avaistcoat , and in his mouth a scroll which bore tho words " A Merry Christmas and a Happy NCAV Year . " " But Avho can have sent it , " said Mrs . Brown , in amaze .

" Oh , sumo old friend of father ' s or yonrs ! " cried Jack recklessly . " Somebody AVIIO Avants to remind you of tlieir existence . " " But there is no name attached to tho gift , and therefore wo

Ad02902

DR . J . COLLIS BROWNE'S CHLORODYNE THE ORIGINAL AND ONLY GENUINE . ADVICE TO INVALIDS . —If vou wish to obtain quiet , refreshing sleep , free from headache , relief from puiu and anguish , to calm und assuage tlie "cary -idlings of protracted disease , invigorate ( lie nervous media , and regulate tlio circulating systems of the ljudy , you Avill provide yourself Avith that marvellous remed y discovered IJV DU . J 011 X CULLIS JiKOWNI * " ( lute Medical Army Stuff ) , to Avliieh lie gave the mime of CHLORODYNE , and Avhieli is admitted by tlio Profession to be the most ivoudurful and valuable remedy ever discovered . CHLORODYNE is the best remedy kuoivu for Coughs , Consumption , Bronchitis , and Asthma . CHLORODYNE effectually cheeks " and arrests those too often fatal diseases—Diphtheria , Fever , Croup , Ague . CHLORODYNE acts like a charm in Diurrlnca , and is tho only speeilic in Cholera and Dysentery . CHLOROD YNB effectually cuts slioi-i all attacks of Kpilcpsy , Hysteria , I ' alpitution , and Spasms . CHLORODYNE is the only palliative in Xeuralgiu , Itheiimutism , O'out , Cancer , Toothache , Meningitis , Ac . CAUTION . —A " ee-Chancellor Sir \ V . I ' ag . ; Wood stated that Du . J . COLLIS ISKOtt ' XK was , undoubtedly , the Inventor of CHLUKUDY'N'ti ; that thc statement of the defendant Freeman AVUS deliberately untrue , Avhich he regretted to say had been sworn to . —See . Times , latli July , 1801 . From Dr . II . . 1 . IJ . iil . t ' ox . fc Co ., IL ) iMea * llo . —We have made pretty extensive use of Chlorodyne in our practice lately , and look upon it us an excellent direct Sedative aud Anti-Spasmodic . It seems lo allay pain aud irritation in Avlmlever organ , and from Avliatevcr cause . It induces a feeling of comfort and ipiiotiule not obtainable liy anv other reine , ly , and it seems to p is . sess this great advantage over all other sedatives , that it leaves no unpleasant after effects . Sold in Hollies at 1 Li , 2 9 , 4 6 , anil Ll - eu .-li . Nunc is geuaiue without lhe words " Dr . J . COLLIS BKOW > 'E'S OllLOIlOUYMi" on the llovcrnment "tain- } . Overwhelming Medical Testimony accompanies each bottle . CAUTION : Beware of Piracy and Imitation . SOLE MANTJFACTURER-J . T . DAVENPORT , 33 , GREAT RUSSELL STREET , BLOOMSBURY , LONDON ,