to cause the suspension of the private And Mr. Luchre, thinking that he had and indiscriminate giving of alms. made a point in the argument, waxed Trust me, if the worthless tramps who extravagant in his estimates of the infest our city find the means of con- harm industry sustained in the toler tinuing their lazy and dissolute mode ation of beggars and paupers generally. of living beyond their reach, they will When they reached the club, Mr. soon be gathered into State institutions Luchre, who, like all small-minded men, provided for them. It is our duty as was ambitious of being considered a citizens to further this end. Many thinker, told Mr. Checkgold Smythe, a valuable considerations are involved gentleman of his own mental calibre, in it. Observe, sir. You advance in- about his conversation with Claude dustry, you promote security, you Chandley and proclaimed in a cursory diffuse intelligence and insure yourself way his own astute views on the subject against the losses of property and life of beggars. "That point of mine made possible by the existence of an about the percentage of labor lost will element that only can exist to the take down old Smythe a peg-won't detriment of all others. That child is it?" he thought. a unit in this great problem, and as such he is an instance of my theory. Refuse him your aid, and he will be constrained to apply for State aid. The State is his legitimate guardian. It assumes all responsibilities in his regard, on his becoming dependent on its bounty, and guarantees to restore him to the community when he is able to discharge his duties as a useful 'member of it."

But Mr. Checkgold, with mulish obstinacy, refused to be impressed even by an argument of such force and originality, and summarily dismissed the question.

"To the devil with beggars and with labor rates," said Mr. Checkgold Smythe. "Sink political economy, my dear fellow, for this night. Merry Christmas is no time for it."

Toll, toll, ding, dong, bell! Midnight in the city. Midnight pealed from

Mr. Luchre, walking arm-in-arm with the philanthropist, listened admiringly to these utterances of his. Perhaps a hundred steeples-midnight hailed there existed, even in his petty brain, certain doubts as to the soundness of this kind of logic; but if there were, he resolutely smothered them under his seal-skin cap and contented himself with saying:

from a hundred altars-midnight greeted by a thousand hearts in which is the glory of morn-midnight on the night of nights which is to usher in the joyful day. Oh, what a glorious burst of sound pealed from those brazen throats toiling up in the air. How the great, hoarse iron voices melted into the

"Admirably put, my dear Chandley --just my own opinions. There should be no beggars. We have made ample liquid music of the chimes. And how provisions for them. We have indeed. And then the labor they represent, eh, that is lost, you know-gone for nothing-ain't it?"

joyfully, gleefully, rapturously, did the metal notes float above the sleeping city. Only for a moment though, only for a moment. A silence fell upon them

quickly. Their tones died into the Claude Chandley brochure style, and sky, but the joy they brought with the whole was topped by a brilliant them abided. It was Christmas morn. peroration that "brought down the The music of the bells stole into the house," so to speak, and played sad elegant parlors of Mr. Claude Chand- pranks with the dignity of listening ley's club. High carnival was being members. The Hon. Quincy Tuppins, held there. A glorious banquet, tempt- who had been in Congress and was a ing viands, delicious confections, su- power in any deliberative body, followed perb wines, toasting, laughing, wit, Mr. Claude Chandley and commented eloquence, sociality-all were there. very favorably on that gentleman's foreThis was a Christmas celebration of sight and discretion. Poverty, the Honthe fashionable and distingué kind, and orable Quincy admitted, was broadcast. consequently very little was said about And he agreed with his esteemed preChristmas and none of the observances decessor that it was essential for the vulgar people associate with it were at public good to devise means for eleall dreamt of. The president of the vating the condition of the masses. club, in his address, alluded to it in a That end had shaped his views during cursory way as "the occasion," and the period of his official labor, and he one funny gentleman made it subserve had hopes of seeing it soon receive the commission of several indifferent more general consideration and suppuns. It was only when Mr. Claude port. Poverty must of necessity be Chandley rose to the toast, "Our Phi- done away with, and crime would follanthropists," that any direct refer- low it. "Crime, gentlemen," said the ence was made to the great significance speaker, "crime is the offspring of of the day which was then about to poverty by laziness." begin. He spoke of the angels' hymn, "Peace on earth, to men good-will," and impressed upon his hearers the necessity of making the precept a fact rather than a formula. This was the time when men who had at heart their poorer brothers' welfare should lend themselves to proper schemes for the amelioration of the condition of the lowly. There was a large field for philanthropy to labor in. He himself had become familiar with instances of poverty in that very city which shamed our civilization and enlightenment. Then a thrilling narrative of misery and want was recounted, in the Claude Chandley novel style, and a stirring appeal was Mr. Luchre laughed loud at what he made to the humanity of the club and thought a home-thrust, but as no one to human nature generally, in the shared his joviality he relapsed into

"It comes of a bad family," Mr. Checkgold Smythe, who would have his joke, remarked.

"It has a bend sinister on its arms then," objected a gentleman of strong radical tendencies, with a mighty head of hair in its primeval intactness. "It has a bend sinister on its arms. deny its legitimacy. Poverty never espouses laziness. Despair may associate them; but the union is an illicit one, and its offspring is a monstrosity which we cannot recognize."

"Till we are forced to by its own presumption," blandly supplemented the Honorable Quincy.

THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

ASTOR, LENOX

TILDEN FOUNDATIONS

" Crouching

very sudden and ignominious silence. hundred weight of imbecile manhood Then the speaker resumed his speech, sank into it and abided there. and, having uttered his share of thread

Then the glorious Christmas day bare platitudes with becoming force dawned, and Mr. Claude Chandley and feeling, sat down, leaving a feeble went home and-to bed.

echo of applause after him.

And so the night passed. Senti- The merry peals of the Christmas ment, philosophy, and fun prevailed. bells which stole into the parlors of Mr. Luchre was the last man on the Mr. Claude Chandley's club lost some floor. There was a prospect of morn- of their gayety in the chill, damp air of ing when his turn came around. the river and the clogging atmosphere He was a trifle incoherent, but very of the contiguous lanes. Weird and much in earnest. There was a almost doleful they sounded in the dead fine frenzy in his eye as he spoke; midnight as they came softly and stealthbut, if it must be owned, his nether ily into the shadow of a black archway limbs behaved very outrageously, almost at the water's edge. It had for despite the gravity of the up- once been the river gate for a great per man, these contumacious mem- manufactory and had listened to the bers displayed a very frivolous and surge and bustle and roar of productive insane inclination to disperse in all activity. But long ago the works had directions. The substance of Mr. been closed and the great yard was Luchre's remarks was that he was no now a tangle of ship-timber and the orator (interrupted by protests en- débris of the docks. couraging and complimentary), that In all the great city there could be notwithstanding this he respected the no more dismal, forbidding, melanoccasion, very highly respected it, choly place. The wailing of the wind and was unwilling that it should pass through the dark stone-work sounded without his paying a tribute—a tribute like the plaints of a lost soul, and the d'ye see-to-to (an oppressive pause) lonesome swash of the deep, dark to it. He remembered other Christ- river on the timbers of the pier had mas eves (deprecatory coughs)-which a dreary and awful suggestiveness. -(coughing more emphatic) which he Strange, foul airs, reeking with the would not now recall (general satis- odors of decay, stirred in sluggish curfaction in dumb show), but he would rents in the black recess, and a dampcontent himself by saying that he ness as of the tomb ever infested it. wished all his brother members a merry On this night it had inmates. CrouchChristmas and that his heart warmed ing on a beam, and with entwined arms, with fraternal feeling for every one of were two children-asleep. Driven them. Which was not at all surprising from the stoops and alleys of the in view of the strong waters that had crowded city they had come here found access to that organ's vicinity. to seek repose.

By a manœuvre that required con

One of them had his face raised to siderable dexterity Mr. Luchre's chair the faint reflection of a distant gas-light. was brought under him and his two It was the beggar-boy Mr. Claude VOL. X.-4.