"It's all I have," said the poor woman, "and maybe I'll find another. The baby is cold, and here it goes!" So it was twisted into a wisp, lighted at the candle, and in a moment the chips lit and sputtered and crackled, cheerfully sparkling through the cracks in the stove, as if the fire said: "Here I am! See me! How much nicer than if there were no cracks at all! Fudge for your solid new stoves that won't let the light out! Hurry up supper! I can't stay very long!" So she carefully descended the dark steps, and hid her treasures in the dining-room chinacloset. "Have you seen any thing of Frankie, ma'am?" asked Maggie, who was laying the dinner-table. "Seen Frankie! Why, isn't he up stairs with his father?" "His father's not in, ma'am; and Mary's been to all the neighbors, and none of 'em has seen him. Most likely he's been 'ticed off for his clothes." Mrs. Kenneth sat down in the nearest seat and grew very white. "Why, Katy, dear, I took you for a genteel hall thief, you seemed so frightened when I came up-" Another journey to the lower world brought up a mug of bluish milk and a twist loaf of "Take a drink, ma'am? I'll make a cup o' nice white bread. Then, and not till then, the tea in a minute, before the dinner's done." room growing quite warm, and the supper be- "I will go out at once and look for him while ing put down to cook, did the motherly creat-I have my cloak on. I won't wait for the tea. ure remove Frankie's outside wrapping, and the I'll take a cake for him if I find him." pretty child, with his curly head and his bright "If I find him!" and the whole great city to tartan Zouave and skirt, showing off the neat look through. white linen shirt; his trim little legs in the striped worsted stockings, and tasseled Balmoral boots, was set up to the table, with one of Mrs. Warren's clean aprons carefully tied round his neck, and a tin cup and pewter spoon set before him. It was a great moment when the warm milk was poured out and the bread crumbled in! Frankie had never eaten such a supper before! Enough for Bobby too, and hot meat for Bobby's mother besides. There was a wonderful relish in that meal, and Mrs. Warren grew very cheerful over it, and chatted a good deal about its being Christmas-Eve. "May I hang up my stocking?" asked Frankie; "but how will Santa Claus know where to find me, and I can't show the things to mamma in the morning?" and the tears broke forth afresh. Then, supper being ended, Mrs. Warren sat down before the fire, and taking off shoes and stockings, hung one up over the chimney. "Now, t'other one for Bobby," and the mate was hung beside it. "Now when it comes morning won't you find mamma?" And Bobby climbed on the other knee and had his shoes taken off (alas! there were no stockings!), and wrapping herself and the two children in the famous old green and red shawl, and holding a pair of cold feet in each hand, the tired children were soon asleep. Then she laid them both on the bed, covered them up with all that she had that was warm and comfortable. The three forgot their troubles together, and Tom curled himself up over Bobby's feet. III. It was quite dark when Mrs. Kenneth returned from her shopping expedition, laden with parcels, and accompanied by a bundle-boy with as many more. There was a warm glimmer and sparkle showing through the parlor blinds, and a rosy light danced on the parlor ceiling. "They are in there," she thought, "both of them, talking over Christmas-Eve. I must go in at the area door, or that rogue Frank will see all my parcels." "Oh, Tom, our little Frankie is lost! What shall we do? where shall we go?" followed by broken explanations, mingled with sobs and tears. "Let us leave his description at the police station, in the first place," said Mr. Kenneth, "and then we can search for him afterward. Lost children are generally taken there if they fall into honest hands." Of course the search was continued. Neither parent could think of going home to a comfortable dinner with the possibility before them of their poor little child wandering bewildered and hungry, or even worse; perhaps crushed by runaway sleighs, or a victim to thieves, or nobody knows what horror might have befallen him. The streets were full of happy-looking people, most of them carrying odd-shaped bundles or well-laden baskets. Sometimes a shivering child begged for "a cent for Christmas," not to be refused, only to be asked the one great question. Of all, both gentle and simple, was the question asked, "Had they seen the lost boy?" And all the Christmas-loving crowd pitied the pale man and the anxious lady as they gave the reluctant negative. Out of the fashionable streets; at obscure stations; at cheap boarding-houses; at shops of all sorts, even down to the tenement houses, redolent of whisky, beer, onions, filth, and blasphemy; at windows bright with Christmas garniture; and at all open doors, and of all kinds of people, were the sad inquiries made, and still with the same discouraging result. "Oh, if our darling is indeed living, and is ever held in our arms again, we will not forget the children that may be wandering in the streets, will we, dear Tom?" "There is no use going further," said Mr. Kenneth. "You are tired out and chilled through. We will go home, and I will see the chief of police again. Perhaps he may have heard some tidings of our boy." "Oh, mamma!" said Frankie, waking up; "I lost my sled, and I had some supper, and they've such a nice kitty here-see!" Slowly and sadly they retrod their way. The wind had risen to a gale; the streets were full of flying snow. As the street-cars passed, with their glowing red and green lights, Mr. Ken- "Why it's our old Bruno! see his one white neth urged his wife to ride home; but no; she ear! I didn't think when I sent Mary off with might lose a chance of hearing or seeing some-him that I should ever see him again. Now we thing of her child. But after all their weary travel they reached home comfortless. "Haven't ye seen the man with a star?" cried Mary, as they entered. "God be praised! he'll be here in a minnit, and he's heard of Frankie! and if ever I let the darlint out of my sight again when his mother's away I wish I may-but there he is, this blessed minnit!" And the instantly-opened door admitted the stout Murdock before he had time to ring. "Your boy is all right, Mr. Kenneth," said the man. "A poor woman, a very honest woman too, found him and reported him at my station. He's had some supper, and is asleep on her bed. It's all right, but they're very poor." "Thank God for it!" cried little Mrs. Kenneth, as her head went down on Tom's coatcollar; and between crying and laughing the little woman was near demented. "I'll just step and get a carriage for you," suggested the considerate Murdock, and went out of the front-door with a bang. "Hadn't we better take them something?" suggested the thoughtful father-"some supper; as ours has cooled for nothing, let us take it to them." By the time the carriage was at the door the belated dinner was packed in a basket, and Mary handed it into the carriage window. There was no useless delaying now to ask the bootless question. They had only to drive as rapidly as the driver would consent to go, and in a few minutes the crooked way was traveled, and the steep stairs ascended, and only a thin plank between the three who longed so tenderly for each other. A moment's conference through the keyhole, a moment's delay to light the tiny candle end, and Mrs. Kenneth was kneeling beside the bed with Frankie in her arms, praying, sobbing, kissing, and otherwise deporting herself like the impulsive, warmhearted little woman that she was. "No, Mr. Kenneth," said Mrs. Warren, "it's not me that will be paid for doing my duty. You'd have done the same by Bobby if you found him." "And his little bare feet!" exclaimed the mother, kissing them; "where are his shoes and stockings?” "Indeed the dear child would have them hung up by the chimney for Santa Claus." "It seems too bad to take them down when he had made calculations for Bobby as well as himself. Suppose we leave the stockings and something to fill them? I'll keep his feet warm in my hands," said Mr. Kenneth. "And Santa Claus has promised to come and bring us a tree to-morrow evening," said Mrs. Kenneth, "and I want you and Bobby to come. Maybe something will be there for Bobby." are ready, darling! Come in the morning to that address (Mrs. Warren giving a card), I shall want your help.” I need tell no long story to inform the world how happy they all were that night, and how Santa Claus filled the stockings which were left hanging by the chimney, nor how Frankie's feet were kept in papa's warm hands all the way home, nor how the folks in the garret had a nice hot breakfast, not forgetting Tom, otherwise Bruno, who inwardly chuckled that in some way or other he and Santa Claus had brought about this pleasant order of things. Or, to tell how upon that Christmas night, when the children made their entrance into Fairy Land, and were shown the wonderful tree in the best parlor blossoming with lighted tapers, and fruited heavily with precious gifts, which Santa Claus did them the honor to distribute in person, and which included a stout suit of clothes, shoes and all, for Bobby, besides school-books, and lots of comforts for his mother, who had been fitted out with a decent dress by contrite Mary, stimulated thereunto, I must confess, by a new delaine for herself, and how "After the evening Slumbered they softly in sweetest repose." After the visitors were gone, Mrs. Kenneth's head rested on Tom's waistcoat for a moment as she whispered: "I was near crying yesterday, Tom, that we were so far from home and were such strangers here, that we could have no company to our Christmas dinner; but to-night we have had God's own Christmas Guests, such as 'are always with us.'" N1 THE HOLIDAYS. II. NEW YEAR'S TO TWELFTH-NIGHT. EW-YEAR'S DAY! There is but one step from the grave to the gay; the dirge of the parted year has hardly faded from our ears and we are called upon to greet his new-born successor. Like the Chamberlain of Louis XIV., who, breaking his staff of office, pronounced, "The King is dead," and then seizing another wand and waving it over his head, exclaimed, "Long live the King!" so it ever is with a parting and a coming year. For many centuries there was no agreement in regard to the day upon which the year should begin. The Chinese and most of the Indian nations commenced it with the first new moon in the month of March; the Persians in June; the Egyptians early in autumn, the first day coinciding with the rising of the dog-star. The Jews had a sacred and a civil year. The for mer began in March or April, and the latter in September or October, both varying with the lunation. The early Greeks had no settled year; when their descendants adopted one they commenced it at the vernal equinox. The Romans, like the Jews, had two years; the sacred one began on the first of March, and the civil on the first of January. The early Christians considered the vernal equinox as the time at which the year ought properly to commence. Among the Anglo-Saxons, as we have before stated, Christmas was regarded as the most appropriate time. So discrepant were opinions on the subject. In 1654, however, Charles IX. of France determined by a decree, that henceforth, in accordance with the Roman calendar, the year should begin upon the first day of January; and at last all Christians concurred in adopting the latter day as the initial point of the civil year. For some time, it is true, England maintained two years—a legal one, which began on the twentyfifth of March, and a historic one, which began on the first of January-but after the adoption of the New Style, in 1752, the two were united, so that the first of January should henceforth be the commencement of the year. Some chronologists aver, we believe, that this day coincides with that on which man was created. Of the correctness of this averment we will not attempt to speak. It is, perhaps, more curious than important for us to know the exact date of the creation of Adam. Doubtless the "learned Thebans" who have investigated the question have arrived as nearly at the truth as the case will permit. The Church begins her year at Advent-four Sundays before Christmas-"therein," as Dr. Hook remarks, "differing from all other accounts of time whatsoever. The reason of which is, because she does not number her days, or measure her seasons, so much by the motion of the sun as by the course of our Saviour; beginning and counting on her year with Him who, being the true 'Sun of Righteousness,' began now to rise upon the world, and, as the 'Day-Star on high,' to enlighten them that sat in spiritual darkness." The year is naturally regulated by the seasons, as these are by the return of the sun to the tropics or equator. The solar, tropical, or equinoctial year, thus defined, contains 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 48 seconds; though the ordinary civil year consists of 365 days. Julius Cæsar, B.c. 45, established the year at 365 days and 6 hours, and to make it agree with the sun's course ordered a day to be intercalated every fourth year before the 24th of February, which, according to the Roman computation of time, happened on the 6th before the calends of March, and which was therefore reckoned twice, and called bissextile. The error committed by Cæsar of making the year 11 minutes and 11 seconds too long was rectified under Pope Gregory XIII., in 1582; by dropping ten days from the month of October in that year, and omitting one day in | Ac every 400 years thereafter-that is, the first year of every fourth century is not a bissextile or leap-year. The amended calendar of Gregory was introduced immediately (1582) into all Romanist countries; into most others in 1710; and adopted in England in 1752. At the latter date the error had increased by 10 or 11 days. cordingly by Act of Parliament 11 days were dropped from the year 1710 by calling the 3d of September the 14th. This change constitutes the difference between Old and New Style. The former, however, still prevails in Russia, and is retained in the accounts of the Treasury of Great Britain. New-Year's Day in the ecclesiastical calendar is the Octave of Christmas, or the Feast of the Circumcision. It is thus called because it occurs on the eighth day after the Nativity, when our Saviour was circumcised and named JESUS, according to the command of the angel. "The institution of New-Year's Day as a feast or day of rejoicing," Haydn tells us, "is the oldest on authentic record transmitted down to our times, and still observed. The feast was instituted by Numa, and was dedicated to Janus (who presided over the new year), January 1, 713 B.C. On this day the Romans sacrificed to Janus a cake of new sifted meal, with salt, incense, and wine; and all the mechanics began something of their art or trade; the men of letters did the same as to books, poems, etc.; and the consuls, though chosen before, took the chair and entered upon their office this day. After the Government was in the hands of the Emperors, the consuls marched on New-Year's Day to the capitol, attended by a crowd, all in new clothes, when two white bulls never yoked were sacrificed to Jupiter Capitolinus. A great deal of incense and other perfumes were spent in the temple; the flamens, together with the consuls, during the religious solemnity, offered their vows for the prosperity of the empire and the emperor, after having taken an oath of allegiance, and confirmed all public acts done by him in the preceding year." These ceremonies were followed by festivities that lasted several days and embraced all classes. It was a time of universal rejoicing, when presents were interchanged, and differences reconciled in a way which Christians would do well to imitate. The first day of the year was a day of good omen; a day "worthy to be marked with a white stone," and on which no unlucky word was uttered to mar the general joy. The origin of the present observance of NewYear's Day has been traced by some to the Roman festival. The latter probably exerted an influence; but it must be remembered that nothing could be more natural than to celebrate the first day of the year; and that, accordingly, in all countries, traces are found of the custom having been in vogue from the earliest times. The feeling which prompts it is well described by Charles Lamb, in one of the charming essays of Elia: "Every man hath two birthdays-two days, at least, in every year, which set him upon revolving the lapse of time, as it affects his mortal duration. The one is that which in an especial manner he termeth his. In the gradual desuetude of old observances this custom of solemnizing our proper birthday hath nearly passed away, or is left to children, who reflect nothing about the matter, nor understand any thing beyond the cake and orange. But the birth of a new year is of an interest too wide to be pretermitted by king or cobbler. No one ever regarded the first of January with indifference. It is that from which all date their time, and count upon what is left. It is the nativity of our common Adam." New-Year's Day in England, in the olden time, being the central point of the Holidays, was celebrated by great rejoicings and merrymakings; among which, of course, the wassail bowl played a conspicuous part. Of all the customs, however, which characterized this day none appears to have been more general than that of making New-Year's gifts. It is alluded to in the "Popish Kingdome" of Naogeorgus: This is Newe-Yeares day, whereon to every friend They costly presents in do bring, and New-Yeares giftes do sende; These giftes the husband gives his wife, And maister on his men bestowes the like with favour milde. The custom seems to have pervaded every country, and to have prevailed throughout all classes. On the recurrence of every New Year friends and relatives exchanged souvenirs, thus strengthening the ties of affection and kindred, and causing the hearts of all around to glow with kindly feeling. Loyal subjects also availed themselves of the occasion to present their respective sovereigns with gifts, which varied in quality and value with the position and means of the donors. Many of the presents made were curious. "Honest old Latimer," says Hone, "instead of presenting Henry VIII. with a purse of gold, as was customary, for a New-Year's gift, put into the king's hand a New Testament, with a leaf conspicuously folded down at Hebrews xiii. 4, which, on reference, will be found to have been worthy of all acceptation, though not perhaps well accepted." Queen Elizabeth is thought to have maintained her immense wardrobe from the New-Year's contributions of her loving subjects; and as the old lady never wore a dress twice, and left at her death about a thousand, to say nothing of jewelry, and whatever else goes to make up the personnel of a queen, it may be imagined what they amounted to. Indeed, from lists preserved, they were not less in number than variety. Some of them must have been of great value. We read of a fan set with diamonds having been presented to Queen Bess which must have rendered “fanning" quite an expensive amusement. The highest gift in money, £40, is set down to the Archbishop of Canterbury. The lists referred to contain pretty much every thing from "jewels" to a "glass of sweet water." As Mr. Hone observes, "These gifts to Elizabeth call to recollection the tempting articles which Autolycus invites the country girls to buy: he enters singing, Lawn as white as driven snow; "Dr. Drake says," adds Mr. Hone, "that though Elizabeth made returns to the NewYear's gifts in plate and other articles, yet she took sufficient care that the balance should be in her own favor." But Queen Bess was not the only sovereign who received New-Year's gifts; the custom was long in vogue, and other instances of it could be quoted. "Gloves," writes Mr. IIone, "were customary New-Year's gifts. They were more expensive than in our times, and occasionally a moneypresent was tendered instead: this was called 'glove-money.' Sir Thomas More, as Lord Chancellor, decreed in favor of a Mrs. Croaker against the Lord Arundel. On the following New-Year's Day, in token of her gratitude, she presented Sir Thomas with a pair of gloves containing forty angels. It would be against good manners,' said the Chancellor, 'to forsake a gentlewoman's New-Year's gift, and I accept the gloves; their lining you will please otherwise bestow."" Pins, like gloves, were also popular gifts, and often presented on New-Year's Day. Until the close of the fifteenth century sticks and skewers were used. Upon the latter pins were a decided improvement, though at first somewhat expensive. From the sums granted for that purpose came the phrase "pin-money," now applied to allowances for strictly personal enjoyment. "New-Year's gifts," says Dr. Drake, "were given and received with the mutual expression of good wishes, and particularly that of a happy new year. The compliment was sometimes paid at each other's doors in the form of a song; but more generally, especially in the north of England and in Scotland, the house was entered very early in the morning by some young men and maidens selected for the purpose, who presented the spiced bowl (the wassail bowl) and hailed you with the gratulations of the season.” The latter is, in fact, a continuation of the was- a good one, and the observance of it reflects sailing of New-Year's Eve. Herrick, the poet of "old English customs and rural festivals," in his Hesperides, presents Sir Simon Steward with the following New-Year's gift: -A jolly Verse, crowned with ivy and with holly; credit upon the taste of our people; for to begin the year with a renewal and interchange of social courtesies is a pleasant usage-one well worthy to be preserved and honored. Welcome, a bright welcome, to the New Year! May it prove a happy one to all as time moves forward! Years may roll on and manhood's brow grow cold, Which forms the record of life's festival, He January 2.-St. Macarius and others. He is the patron saint of confectioners, having been one himself. Whether his "sweet things" were confined to sugar-plums we can not say. seems to have been very much annoyed by the devil, as saints generally are. Making a journey once of nine miles through a desert, "at the end of every mile he set up a reed in the earth to mark his track against he returned; but the devil pulled them all up, made a bundle of them, and placed them at Macarius's head while he lay asleep, so that the saint with great diffi New-Year's Day all over the world is a galaday, and is celebrated by the people of every nation in accordance with the manners and customs of each. The English are merry and jolly with feasting and fun; the French light-culty found his way home again." So says the hearted and gay-toujours bagatelle; the Dutch mirthful, though quiet; and all joyous and happy. New-Year's Day in our country is distinguished by the gentlemen paying visits to the ladies of their acquaintance, and thus making up for all past delinquencies of that sort which they may have committed. The custom may be traced to the Knickerbockers of Gotham. Whether it was in its origin peculiar to the Mynheers of New Amsterdam, or whether they inherited it from their ancestors, along with their discriminating taste in the matter of koeken and schnapps, we can not inform our readers because we do not know. All we can say upon the subject is, that the custom of paying New-Year's visits, together with koeken and schnapps, has been handed down to our time by the honest Dutchmen, for which we duly honor their memory. Albeit the koeken and schnapps of the present day have greatly degenerated; and we venture to affirm that, if the good old Wouter Van Twiller could arise to decide the question, for once, he would have no "doubts about the matter." The custom of paying New-Year's visits, however, continues in all its excellence; and we can not but regard it as a marked evidence of the influence exercised by New York, that a custom peculiarly hers should have spread to so many of our towns and throughout so large a portion of our country. Wherever New Yorkers go the custom of making visits on New-Year's goes, and we believe it may be found not less in San Francisco than in the Fifth Avenue. The custom is Golden Legend; but we incline to think that the wandering of the good saint in the desert was similar to the aberration of the lost Pleiad. Fortunately the consequences were not so bad. On this day, A.D. 17, died Ovid and Livy-two of the brightest ornaments of the Augustan age. January 3.-St. Genevieve.—She is, or was, the Patroness of Paris. Her name recalls the spirit-stirring lines of Macaulay: Ho! gallant nobles of the League, look that your arms be bright! Ho! burghers of Saint Genevieve, keep watch and ward to-night. And Coleridge's exquisite poem: All impulses of soul and sense Had thrilled my guileless Genevieve. The legends referring to her are quite numerous; among others it is mentioned that the angels sang when she was born. January 4.-St. Titus.-He was Bishop of Crete. Nothing particular marks the day. January 5.-St. Simeon Stylites.-An Egyptian saint, so called from his having lived for years upon the top of a stulos or pillar. He was the most eminent and probably the most insane of the saints who hoped to merit heaven By making earth a hell. January 6.-Twelfth-Day.-The Epiphany.— We have arrived at the last of the Holidays; the gay season is almost over. Christmas, the gentle and joyeuse day, with its hallowed associations and glad merry-makings, has been duly celebrated; the sad echoes of the requiem for |