Kate and the professor came in laden with wraps, laughing and talking

in great glee. Kate was going to ride in the sleigh with the

professor, and the discovery of a new species of potato-bug could not

have delighted him more. He was in a most gallant mood, and concluding

that this was the opportunity for making himself agreeable, he

undertook to put on Kate's rubbers over her dainty dancing slippers.

Perhaps it was a glimpse of the cobwebby black silk stocking that

ensnared his wits, perhaps it was the delight of kneeling to Kate even

in this humble capacity. In either case, the result was equally

grotesque; Kate found her dainty feet neatly enclosed in the

professor's ungainly arctics, while he hopelessly contemplated her

overshoe and the size of his own foot.

Anna returned with Mrs. Bartlett's bonnet and cloak before the laugh at

the professor had subsided. She adjusted the cloak, tied Mrs.

Bartlett's bonnet strings with daughterly care and then turned to look

after the Squire's comfort, but he strode past her to the sleigh with

Marthy. Kate and the professor called on a cheery "Good-night," but

Mrs. Bartlett remained long enough to take the pretty, sorrowful face

in her hands and give it a sweet, motherly kiss.

When the jingling of the sleighbells died away across the snow, Hi

offered to read jokes to Anna from "Pickings from Puck," which he had

selected as a Christmas present from Kate, if she would consent to have

supper in the sitting-room, where it was warm and cosy. Anna began to

pop the corn, and Hi to read the jokes with more effort than he would

have expended on the sawing of a cord of wood.

He bit into an apple. An expression of perfect contentment illuminated

his countenance and in a voice husky with fruit began: "Oh, here is a

lovely one, Anna," and he declaimed, after the style usually employed

by students of the first reader.

"Weary Raggles: 'Say, Ragsy, w'y don't you ask 'em for something to eat

in dat house. Is you afraid of de dog?'"

"Ragsy Reagan: 'No, I a-i-n-t 'fraid of the dog, but me pants is frayed

of him.'"

"Ha, ha, ha--say, Anna, that's the funniest thing I ever did see. The

tramp wasn't frayed of him, but his pants was 'fraid of him. Gee,

ain't that a funny joke? And say, Anna, there's a picture with his

clothes all torn."

Hi was fairly convulsed; he read till the tears rolled down his cheeks.

"'Pickin's from Puck, the funniest book ever wrote.' Here's another,

Anna."




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