How Deacon Tubman And Parson Whitney Kept New Year's

ight position and straightened his night-cap, that had somehow gone askew in his slumber. " Bless my soul, how the years fly ! But that's all right; yes, that's all right. No one can expect them to stay, and why should we? there's better fish in the net than we've taken out yet," and with this consolatory observation, the deacon rubbed his head energetically, while thebright, happy look of his face grew brighter and happier as the process proceeded. "Yes, there's better fish in the net than we've taken out," he added, gayly, " and if there isn't, there's no use of crying about it." With this philosophical observation, he bounced merrily out of bed and into his trousers. I say Deacon Tubman bounced into his trousers, but, to be exact, I should say that he bounced into half of them ; and, with the other half trailing behind him, he skipped to the window and, putting his little, plump, round face almost against the pane, gazed out upon the world. Evervthing was bright, sparkling and cold, for the earth was covered with snow and the clear gray of the early morning spread its rayless illumination over the great dome, in the fading blue of which a few starrv points still gleamed. " Bless me, what a morning ! " he exclaimed. "Beautiful! beautiful!" he repeated, as he stood with his eyes fastened upon the east and, balancing himself on one foot, felt around with the other for that half of the trousers not yet appropriated. "Bless me, what a day," he ejaculated, as he ...