1933-12-21 — Page 10

HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1933.

FROM PICKWICK PAPERS

UNDER THE

MISTLETOE

From the centre of the ceiling Wardle had of this kitchen old

his just suspended, with own hands, a huge branch of thistle-

branch same

of toe. and this mistletoe instantaneously gave of general and rise to a scene

delightful struggling and most confusion; in the midst of which. Mr. Pickwick. with 1 gallantry that would have done honour to a descendant of Lady Tollimglowei herself, took the old lady by the hand, led her beneath the stic branch, and saluted her in The all courtesy and decorum. old ledy submitted to this piece of practical politeness with

my-

of appropriating to his own use, and summarily devouring, a par- ticularly fine mince-pie, that had been carefully put by for some- body else.

all

on, and when fingers enough were burned with that, nád the raisins were gone, they sat down by the huge fire of blazing logs to a subsantial supper, and a wassall, some- mighty bowl of thing smaller than an ordinary wash-house.copper, in which the hot apples were hissing and bub-" bling with a rich look, and a jolly sound, that were perfectly frre sistible.

Now, the screaming had subsid- ed, and faces were in a glow, and curls in a tangle, and Mr. Pick- wick, after kissing the old lady as before mentioned, was standing under the mistletoe, looking with a very pleased countenance on all

This," said. Mr. Pickwick, look- passing around himing round him, "this is indeed. that was

with the

comfort." when the young lady black eyes, after a little whisper- ing with the other young ladies made a sudden dart forward, and,

azec-

"Our Invariable custom," Te- plied Mr. Wardle. "Everybody

all the dignity which putting her arm around Mr. Pick-sits down with us on Christmas- befitted so important and serious wick's neck. saluted him

with for

the

a solemnity. but younger ladies,tionately on the left cheek: and distinctly not being so thoroughly imbued before Mr. Pickwick

matter, he superstitious veneration knew what was the #

whole the custom, or imagining was surrounded by that the value of a saulte is very body, and kissed by every one af much enhanced if it costs a little them. trouble to obtain it, screamed and corners. struggled.. and ran into

remonstrat. and threatened and ed, and did everything but leave the room, until some of the less adventurous gentlemen were on the point of desisting, when they all at once found it useless to re- sist any longer, and submitted to be kissed with a good grace. Mr. Winkle kissed the young lady with the black eyes, and Mr. Snodgrass kissed Emily; and Mr. Weller... not being particular "about the form of being unde: Emma and the mistletoe. kissed the other female servants, just as be caught them.

As to the poor relations, they kissed everybody, not even ex- cepting the plainer portion of the young lady visitors, who in their excessive confusion, ran right un- der the mistletoe. as soon as was hung up. without knowing it! Wardle stood, with his back to the fire, surveying the whole scene with the utmost satisfaction: and the fat boy took the opportunity

to

It was a pleasant thing to see Mr. Pickwick in the centre of the group, now pulled this way, and then that, and first kissed on the chim, and then on the nose, and then on the spectacles: and to hear, the peals of laughter which were raised on every alde; but it was a still more pleasant thing to see Mr. Pickwick. blind ed shortly afterward with a sill handkerchief. falling up against the wall, and scrambling tntc corners, and going through, all the mysterles of. blind-man's- buff, with the utmost relish fot the game, until at he caught one of the poor relations, and then had to evade the blind-man him self, which he did with a nimble- ness and agility, that elicited the admiration and applause of al: beholders. The caught just the people who they thought would like it, and, when the game flagged.

caught got themselves. When they were all there tired of blind-man's.. buff. was a great game af snap-drag-

eve, as you see them nów-sen- vant and all; and here we wait, until the clock strikes twelve, to usher Christmas in, and beguile the time with forfelts and old stories. Trundle. my boy. rake up the fire."

Up flew the bright sparks in myralds as the logs were stirred. The deep red blaze sent forth a rich glow, that penetrated" into the furthest corner of the room. and cast its cheerful tint on every face.

"Come," sald Wardle, "a song— a Christmas song! I'll give you one. In default of a better."

"Bravo!" said Mr. Pickwick.

Fill up" cried Wardie. "It wil be two hours, good, before you see the bottom of the bowl through the deep rich colour of the was- sall; all up all round, and now for the song."

Thus saying, the merry old gen- tleman, in a good, round, sturdy wolce. commenced without more

poor relations ado:

·A·CHRISTMAS CAROL

"I care not for Spring; on his

Ackle wing

Let the blossoms and buds be

borne:

..

He woos them amain with his

treacherous rain.

And he scatters them ere the

mora.

An inconstant elf; he knows not

himself,

1

Nor his own changing mind

an hour.

He'll smile in your face, and,

with very grimace, He'll

wither your younges dower.

"Let the Summer sun to his

bright home run.

He shall never be sought by

me:

When he's dimmed by a cloud

I can laugh aloud, And care not how sulky he be! For his darling child is the

madness wild That sports in nerce

Grain:

fever's

And when love is too strong, it

don't last long.

As many have found to their

pain.

"A mild harvest night, by the

tranquil light

Of the modest

moon,

||

And

gentle

Has a far sweeter sheen, for me,

I ween,

Then the broad and unblush-

ing noon.""

But evey leaf awakens my grief. As it leth beneath the tree: So let Autumn air be never sc

.fair,

It by no means agrees with

me.

"But my song I troll out, for

Christmas stout,

The hearty, the true, and the .. böld;

and

with

A bumper I drain,

might and main Give three cheers or this

Christmas old!

We'll usher him in with

merry din

That shall gladden "his joy-

ous heart.

And we'll keep him up. while

there's bite or sup

And in fellowship good we'll

part.

#

"In his fine honest pride, he

scores to hide

One lot of his hard-weather

scars; They're no disgrace, for there's

much the same trace

|

And it echoes from wall to

wall

To the stout-old wight, fair

welcome to-night, “ As the King of the Seasons

all!"

This song was tumultuously ap- plauded-for friends and depend ents make a capital audience- and the poor relations, especially, were in perfect ecstasies of rap- ture. Again was the fire replen- ished, and again went the wassall round..

"How it snows!" äld Kna of the men, in a low tone.

"Snows, does it" gald Wardle." "Rough, cold night, sir" replied wind the man: "and there's a got up. that drifts, it across the fields in a thick white cloud."

"What does Jem say?" inquried the old lady. "There ain't any- thing the matter is there?"

"No no, mother," replied. Was- die; "he says there's a show-drift. and a wind that's piercing cold, I should know that, by the way it rumbles in the chimney,”

"Ah!" said the old lady, "there was just such a wind, and just such a fall of snow, a good many years back, I recollect-just ave years before your poor father died. It was a Christmas-eve, too; and I remember that on that very night he told us the story about the goblins that carried away old Gabriel Grub."

"The story about what?" salc Mr. Pickwick,

sexton,

"Oh, nothing, nothing," replied Wardle. "About an old that the good people down here have been carried suppose to Rway by goblins'

"Suppose" ejaculated the old lady.. "Is here anybody hardy enough to disbelieve it? Suppose Haven't you heard ever since you were a child, that he was carriegi away by the goblins, and don't you know he was?”

..

Perplexing

Puzzles

A BASKET OF FLOWERS.

Find the flowers missing from the basket.

(B)

"The fateful flower beside the rill"

(b) What should accompany

Christmas: also argumë. (c) Precise, and the queen of

flowers

(d) A vehicle and a people, (e) An artificial firework" (1)

A part of speech, a vowel and a negative.

(g) A verb in the present tense

and an insects.

샤

Solutions

A BASKET OF FLOWERS.

(a) Daffodil; (bs mnowball; (c). primrose; (d) carnation; (e) rock- et; (f) verbena; (g) catchfly: (h) Ivy; (1) Canterbury bell: (1) sun- Bower: (k) farkspur,

THE COUNTRYMAN AND THE

GOOSE.

Let him take over the goose, leaving the fox and the corn, then let him take over the fox, and bring the goose back, then take over the corn, and lastly take over the goose.

THE CHRISTMAS BAZAAR.

He paid a dollar to enter each sideshow and a dollar on leaving

(h) "Oh! a rare old plant is it. Therefore, he paid the door-

the-green."

W

བྱ ོ

||

A town in England, and a hollow vessel.

(1) First a sphere, and second the fairest, freshest and choicest part of anything." (k). A bird ́and an incentive.

WHAT WAS THE SPEED OF THE

CARY

A man was walking along a very narrow lane at the rate of three and a-half miles an hour, when a car overtook him, almost pushing him into the hedge. It was not going very quickly, for from the moment it passed the mari to its disappearance round the corner, he took twenty-seven steps, and walking on he reached that corner with one hundred and thirty-five steps more. Assuming that the man walked and the car was driven at a uniform rate, what was its speed?

"Very well, mother, he was, 11 you like," said Wardle, laughing- THE COUNTRYMAN AND THE "He was carried away by goblins, Pickwick; and there's an end of the matter."

"No, no," said Mr. Pickwick, "not an end of it. I assure you or I must hear how, and why, and all about it."

Wardle smiled, as every head was bent forward to hear: On the cheeks of our bravest

and who no tars.

fllung out the, wassall Then again I sing till the roof stinted hand, nodded a health te

-doth ring,

Mr. Pickwick,

:

GOOSE.

A countryman having a fox, a goose, and a peck of corn came to a river, where it so happened that he could carry but one over at a time. Now, as no two could be left together that might harm each other he was at his wit's end, for, says he, "Though the corn can't eat the goose, nor the

keepers $8. If he spent in each kide-show half of what was in his purse, and if his fourth payment on leaving took his last dollar, he started with $45. He then spent 832 in the Arst side-show, 810 in the second, in the third, and #1 in the fourth.

THE SPEED OF THE CAR.

As the man could walk`27 steps to the car's 182, the car was going The aix times as fast as the man. man was walking 34 miles an hour. Therefore, the speed of the car was 21 miles an hour.

goase eat the fox, yet the fox can eat the goose, and the goose eat the corn." How can he carry them over so that no one is harmed?

THE CHRISTMAS BAZAAR.

A man went to a Christmas bazaar in aid of charity. There were numerous gide' shows. : He went to four. As he went in each one he paid a dollar, and in each ha spent half of the money re- maining in his purse, giving a dollar at the door of each one as he left.. It took his last dollar to pay the fourth door-keeper. How much money did he have at first, and how much did he spend at each side show?"

ANNOUNCING

FORTHCOMING

GALA NIGHTS

FESTIVITIES

XMAS

&.

PENINSULA HOTEL

DEC. 24

CHRISTMAS EVE TILL 2 A.M.

NEW YEAR

1933

DEC. 26

BOXING DAY! TILL 1 A.M.

26

CARNIVAL DINNER DANCES

Fancy or Evening Dress

HONG KONG HOTEL

DEC. 24

CHRISTMAS EVE TILL 2 A.M.

DEC.

SPECIAL PRICES

CARNIVALS

TILL 1 A.M.

$7.00 PER COVER

CARNIVALS

TILL 2 A.M.

BOXING DAY

TILL 1 A.M.,

1934

DEC. 31

$8.00 PER COVER

PHONE FOR RESERVATIONS

DEC. 31

NEW YEAR'S EVE TILL 2 A.M.

'NEW YEAR'S EVE TILL 2 A.M.

DEC. 24

REPULSE BAY HOTEL

CHRISTMAS EVE DEC. 31 NEW YEAR'S EVE

TILL 1 AM.

TILL 2 A. M.

Also

PENINSULA HOTEL 58081

HONG KONG HOTEL 30281

REPULSE BAY HOTEL

27775

TEA DANCES From 4.30 p.m. till 6.30 p.m.

On

CHRISTMAS EVE CHRISTMAS DAY

NEW YEAR'S EVE NEW YEAR'S DAY

THE

HONGKONG & & SHANGHAI

HOTELS LTD.

ARRANGED CONVEYANCES

MOTOR BUSES

FROM REPULSE BAY HOTEL

15 MINUTES AFTER CARNIVALS

FERRIES

...

FROM HONGKONG' AND KOWLOON 15 AND 30 MINUTES

CHRISTMAS EVE AND NEW YEAR'S EVE CARNIVALS

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