"Ladies and gentlemen," he began--"Mr. and Mrs. Hunchberg, Colonel
Hunchberg and Aunt Cooley Hunchberg, Miss Molanna, Miss Queen, and Miss
Marble Hunchberg, Mr. Noble, Mr. Tom, and Mr. Grandee Hunchberg, Mr.
Corley Linbridge, and Master Hammersley:--You see before you to-night,
my person, merely the representative of your real host. MISTER Swift.
Mister Swift has expressed a wish that there should be a speech, and has
deputed me to make it. He requests that the subject he has assigned me
should be treated in as dignified a manner as is possible--considering
the orator. Ladies and gentlemen"--he took a sip of water--"I will now
address you upon the following subject: 'Why we Call Christmas-time the
Best Time.'

"Christmas-time is the best time because it is the kindest time. Nobody
ever felt very happy without feeling very kind, and nobody ever felt
very kind without feeling at least a LITTLE happy. So, of course, either
way about, the happiest time is the kindest time--that's THIS time. The
most beautiful things our eyes can see are the stars; and for that
reason, and in remembrance of One star, we set candles on the Tree to be
stars in the house. So we make Christmas-time a time of stars indoors;
and they shine warmly against the cold outdoors that is like the cold of
other seasons not so kind. We set our hundred candles on the Tree and
keep them bright throughout the Christmas-time, for while they shine
upon us we have light to see this life, not as a battle, but as the
march of a mighty Fellowship! Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you!"

He bowed to right and left, as to an audience politely applauding, and,
lifting the table and its burden, withdrew; while old Bob again set his
fiddle to his chin and scraped the preliminary measures of a quadrille.

Beasley was back in an instant, shouting as he came: "TAKE your