2 ljc Sitms, Ncu Sloomftclii, )a. of his very plain statement that a kind friend had advanced him a considerable, sum. "Who could that .friend be?" was the tnizislinir question, which no one could answer ; but nis unremitting attention to business, the punctuality of his payments and other evidences of his prosperity, suffice to insure him goneral respect, though certain envious busybodies would venture now and then to hint significant ly, that "all is not gold that glistens." So matters went on pleasantly with the Wags, till winter, when Tom and bis three sisters came home for the holidays, and the latter assisted their mother in preparing for the festivities of the season. It wu Christmas eve, and the whole of the family were congregated in the little back parlor, when young Jerry started up at the well-known sound of a custom er at the shop door at which he arrived with a hop, step and jump ; and, jerking it open, beheld a little old gentleman wrapped in a large cloak. " Please to walk in, sir," said Jerry Wag. " I lush !" whispered the stranger, pla cing his forefinger on bis mouth j "I want to surprise them. Youre altogeth er to-night, I suppose ?" "Yes, sir," replied Jerry, smiling, for he thought he knew to whom be was speaking. " That's all right," said the odd elderly gentleman, advancing cautiously towards the darkest part of the shop and throw ing off his cloak. " Now for a Christ mas frolic ! Come here, you rogue! Why you've grown taller than mo. That's right! a thriving Wag! Now, mind, you go back as if nothing had happened, and give me hold of your coat-tail, so that I can't bo seen. That'll do. No lausrhing, you young moukcy. There, step along." Jerry did as ho was bid, save that, though he bit bis lips unmercifully, his risible muscles would not remain inactive, and thus the oddly joined pair made their way into the family apartment just as the eldest daughter hud exclaimed, " Now. mamma, it's your turn to wish !" They were sitting in a , semi-circle be fore the fire, and the stranger and bis shield, of course, stood behind them. "Heighho!" said Mrs. Wag ; ' there's only one thing I wish for to-night, and that is the addition of one more to our party." "Name ! name ! You must name your wish 1" cried three or four juvenile voi ces, in full glee. " I wish I could tell you bis name," said Mrs. Wag, "but your father knows who I mean. Don't you, my dear ?" " I can't mistake you my love," replied Jeremiah, affectionately, " and I wish ho could see how happy we are. It would At Ytta liortt-t rrnnA I rmillv think." " Who can he be 1" exclaimed the eld est daughter. "Perhaps it's somebody liko mo!" cried tho little odd gentleman, stepping briskly forward. . " It is ! it is !" shrieked mamma, and up jumped the whole party, and down went' Mrs. Wag upon her knees, while, utterly unconscious of what she did, her j arms were clasped round the neck of her benefactor, whoso bodily frame being iin ablo to sustain her matronly weight gave way, and so they iolled together on tho floor. " Ila, ha, ha !" laughed the eccentric elderly gentleman, as soon as bo recover ed breath, but without attempting to rise. "This is a Christmas gambol, eh ! Master Wag ? eh ! my merry little Wags ? Needu't ask you all how you are." " My dear sir 1" exclaimed Jeremiah, r " allow mo to assist you. 1 bopo you are not hurt." " Hurt !" cried tho little gentlemrn, jumping up, and offering bis hand to Mrs. Wag. " Hurt," why, I feel myself twenty years younger than 1 did hve minutes ago. Never mind, ma'am. Like Christmas gambols. Always did.- Happen to have such a thing as a bunch of mistletoe, eh?" " I am sure, sir," whimpered Mrs. Wao;, " I shall never forgive myself. To think of taking such a liberty ; I I can't conceive how I could " " As often as ever you please, my good lady'" said the eccentric, handing her to ; a chair ; " but sit down and compose yourself, while I shako hands all around." And, turning towards Jeremiah, he commenced the ceremony, which he went through with from the eldest to the youngest, calling them all by their names as correctly as though he were a constant visitor. i A right merry Christmas eve was that. The young Wags were, ever and anon, obliged to bold their sides, as they laugh ed and screamed with delight at the fun ny little old gentleman, who romped and played with them with as much glee na though he bad been the youngest of the party. So tho hours passed quickly away till unwelcome sound of " bedtime," was whispered among the little circle; and then one after another departed, until Mr. and Mrs. Wag were left alone with their honest guest. The hearts of both wero full, and they began to endeavor to express their feel ings; but the singular old gentleman stopped them by saying : " Needn't tell me. Know it all. Shall run away if you goon so. Remember I told you I had more of the 'ready' than I knew what to do with. Couldn't have done better with it, eh ? Out at interest now. Host sort of interest, too. More pleasure than receiving dividends, eh ! Never was happier. So come, let us wind up for the night. I've a memorandum or two for you in my pocket-book," and he placed it on the table, and began to turn over divers papers, as he continued, " Hem ! ha ! Yes. Those two. You'd hotter take them, my good sir. They'll admit William and Stephen to Christ Church what they call tho Blue-Coat School. Capital school, eh ?" " My doar sir !" exclaimed Jeremiah. . " Don't interrupt me, that's a good fel low," said the old gentleman. " Hem ! Do you ever snioko a pipo ?" " Very rarely," replied the wondering Mr. Wasr. " Well," continued his guest, " take that paper to light your next with. Put it in your pocket, and don't look at it till I'm gone. Hem 1 Tom's master says he will make a good scholar; so if you've no objection, I was thinking he might as well go to college in a year or two. Not in your way, perhaps ? Never mind. I know some of the big wigs. Sec all right, and cuter his name. Should have one parson in a largo family, eh ?" Here Mrs. Wag could no longer refrain from Kivin-r vent to her overcharged feel- ings by certain incoherent ejaculations, which terminated in a flood of tears, " Humph !" said tho old gentleman. " my spectacles want wiping." And he took tho opportunity of rubbin them miah I and blowing his nose, while Jercm was comforting the wife of his bosom, I and telling her not to be so foolish, al-1 though be could scarcely avoid sniveling! himself. 1 " Hem ! ahem !" resumed their guest; " I think I've got some of tho jninco pie sticking in my throat. Stupid old fellow to eat so much, eh ?" "Better take another glass of wine, sir," said Jeremiah. "(Jive me leave, sir, to pour it out ?" " No, no, exclaimed Mrs. Wag, start ing up and smiling through her tears, let me! Nobody else! God bless you, sir!" " And you, too!" ejaculated the old gentleman, gaily; "come, that's a chal lenge! Glasses round! and then we must say good- night. Don't let us make a dull end of a merry evening." Warm benedictions were forthwith ut tered, and tho " compliments of the season" wero wished, with more than common sincerity, by all three, as their glasses met jin rling together. Then, the whimsical guest tossed on his wine, jumped up, shook his hosts heartily by the hand, wished them good-night, and sallied into tho shop to find his cloak. Mr. and Mrs. Wag followed, and ex pressed a bopo that he would honor their Christmas dinner by his presence on the following day j but all they could draw from him was : " Can't promise. Ato and drank a little too much to-night, perhaps. Get ting shockingly old. See bow I am in tho morning. Enjoyed myself this eve ning. A jolly set of Wags altogether. Merry Wags all, eh ? young and old. Well, well, wag along happily, my dear Mr. and Mrs. Wag! Goodnight!" And after , once more shaking hands with them, he nimbly whisked himself out at tho shop-door, and trotted across to the King's Arms. No sooner were tho worthy couple alone, than curiosity led them to exatn iuo tho piece of paper which their bene factor had presented to Jeremiah for the purpose of lighting bis pipe, and it prov ed to be the promissory note which the latter had signed for tho first thousand pounds. The donor's intention was plain enough, as it was regularly canceled, so Mrs. Wag was obliged to use her pocket handkerchief once more; and her spouse, after striding threo or four times across the room, felt himsolf also under (he ne cessity of taking out his, and blowing his nose with unusual vehemence. Then thoy congratulated and comforted each other, and said their prayers, and offered up their thanksgivings with a fervor and sincerity that proved they were not un worthy of their good fortune. Thon they retired to rest, though not immediately to Bleep, for they were each beset by strange waking dreams, and beheld in their minds' eye, a black clerical Wag, two long-coated little bluo Wags, with yellow nether investments, and other Wags of sorted sizes, but all very happy. Ou tho following morning, being j Christmas day, our fortunate shopkeeper j equipped himself in his best apparel, and, j belore breakfast, stepped across the road, and found Mr. Titus Twist rubbing his eyes in his own gateway. Mutual salu tations and " compliments of the season" were exchanged in good neighborly style, and then mine host exclaimed : " There's a box hero for you, Master Wrag, left by that queer little old gentle man. I'm sure he's cracked ! In be comes here yesterday, just after dark, posting in his own carriage. Well, he orders up anything as wo happened to have ready, and I sets him down to as good a dinner as ever any gentleman need sit down to, though I say it, because why, you sec, our larder's pretty considerably well-stocked at this season. So down ho sits, rubbing his hands, and seeming as pleased as Punch, and orders a bottle of wine ; but, before he'd been ten minutes at table, up he jumps, claps on his cloak and hat, and runs smack outo' the house, and never comes back again till past elev en at night, when he pays his bill, and orders horses for six o'clock this morn ing." " Is he gone, then ?" exclaimed Jere miah. " Off, sure enough," replied Titus ; " but he's left a great box for you, which I was just going to send over. So, I sup pose, you and he have some dealings to gether." ' Yes," said Mr. Wag, " I shall have cause to bless and thank him tho latest day I have to live : but 1 wished ho had stormed here to-dav. Well. God bless him, wherever he has cone, llark ye, neighbor you have often heard mo speak of having a friend well, that's him. I don't know whv. but he's taken a fancy to.me, and my wife and family, and has done for us more than you'd believe, if I was to tell you. However, we can chat that over another day, as 1 can't stop now, as Mrs. Wag and the children are waiting breakfast. But where's the box? I'll take it with me, if you ploasc."' "If two of tho strongest follows in my yard can take it over, it's as much as they can," replied Titus. " However, they shall try, and I hope you'll come over this afternoon and crack a bottle of my best to drink the little queer old gen tleman's health. But, mind me, he's cracked to a certainty, and you'll find it out some of these days." The box was accordingly delivered, and on being opened was found to con tain a dozen separate packages, each di rected for one member of the Wag fam ily, the largest for Jeremiah the smallest for little Philip, a "rising three" year old Wag. Their contents wero far too va rious for precise specification, but could not have been more judiciously appropri j ated nor more gratefully received, so that Christmas day was a day ot rejoici ng ; and the only regret felt by ono and all the Wags was that their very kind friend had not stayed io spend it with them. When the festive season was over mat ters went on as usual with Jeremiah, save that' perhaps there was more of cheerful ness in his mnuner while pursuing his course of steady industry. Tho ft ci was bo never now felt perplexed about money affairs, which were wont formerly to occupy much of bis time by day, and cause him many sleepless hours by night. Those who had called for payment wero as welcome as those who came to pay, and consequently his credit stood high ; and the travelers and London houses strove, by tempting bargains and peculiar atten tion in " selecting the best articles to complete his kind orders," to keep bis name upon their books. So ho wont .on and prospered in all his undertakings, and in the course thereof visited the metropolis to make purchasos, and, when there, called upon Mr. Goodfellow, who gave him a hearty welcome, but could not bo persuaded to reveal tho name of his ecccntrio client though ho scrupled not to say that bo was in good health, adding, with a smile, " and in perfect possession of his intellects." Jeremiah next endeavored to worm tho secret from his bankers, but with no better success. The partner who received him assured him that the steady increase and respectability of his account bad wrought such an impression in a quarter which he was not permitted to name, that their house would feel much pleasure in making advances whenever anything ad vantageous offered itself tor purchase, ' Tt. la wnnilnrfnl I flvnlnimoil -Tnin t miah. " A good character, my dear sir," ob served tho banker " is everything in trade. Wo arc dealers in money ; and nothing pleases us more than placing it where we know it is safe, and have every reason to suppose it may bo useful." " But," observed Jeremiah, "you know nothing about me." " I beg your pardon, Mr. Wag," said tno banker j " you are what we call a good man, and have got a back." ' " A back !" exclaimed the bewildered shop-keeper. " Yes," said the banker, smiling, " that is, a good friend to your back ; and though he chooses to keep himself in tho background, depend upon it he'll not for sake you so long as you go on as you have done. Therefore, buy away for ready cash as largely as you please, and we'll honor your drafts. ' On this hint Jeremiah subsequently acted, by making purchases which enabled him to serve his customers " on terms that defied all competition." Therefore and by dint of strict attention and civility bis trade continued to increase till he was obliged to add warehouses to his shop, and employ a regular clerk and collector, besides shopmen, porters and wagoners. In tho meanwhile young Tom Wag studied Latin and Greek with a neigh boring curate; William and Stephen were in due course, admitted into tho Blue-Coat School, and the education of the other children went on precisely as had been recommended by their eccen tric benefactor whose advice Mr. and Mis. Wag considered equivalent to com mands, bull thoy wero otten uneasy about him, and more particularly after another Christmas eve had passed with out his appearance. Poor Mrs. Wag was sure he was ill, and would occasion ally charge him with unkindness for not letting her know, that she might go and nurso him. But again months and months rolled away, and at last au tumn arrived, and with it brought tho grand denouncement of the mystery, as suddenly as their former good luck. All the Wags who were at home were sitting round a tea-table in tho little gar den at tho back of the house, and Mrs. Wag was sedately filling their cups when one of the younger children exclaimed, "Who's that?" Jeremiah looked around to where the child was gazing and beheld his benefac tor stealthily approaching from the back door, with an arch smile on his counte nance, as though wishing to t:ke them by surprise ; but perceiving that he was discovered, he stepped nimbly forward according to his usual custom, and hold ing out his hand, said : " Well, my dear Wag, how are you? How are you, my ;j;ir Mrs. Wag? and how are you, young Jerry Wag, Mary Wag, Sarah Wag,llcnry Wag and Philip Wag?" All expressed their delight at his ap pearance, according to their different ages and ubilitics, but all were evidently de lighted, and none more than the strango little gentleman himself, whoso eyes sparkled with gratification as ho took his seat, looked round at tho joyous group and begged to join their family party. Mrs. Wag felt somewhat tremulous at first, and doubtless her visitor perceived it, as he turned his attention to the lit - tie Wasrs till she had finished her table arrangements and handed bim a cup of tea. " Thauk you, my good lady," said bo " That's as it should be. All merry Wags together, eh ?" " Wc we thank God !" whimpered Mrs. Wag ; " we nro. Yes! But it's all vour doing sir. I wish I could thauk you as I ought." Hero Jeremiah, porcoiving that his spouse was too nervous to mako an excel lent speech, " took up the cudgels" of gratitude ; but, saving that there could be no doubt of his sincerity, displayed no great oratorical talents. Brief, however as bis speeches, or rather ejaculation, were, tho funny old gentleman stopped him by tho apparently funny observa tion ; " So, my good Jeremiah Wag, you don't know wheroyour father came from ?" " No sir, indeed," replied tho shop keeper, marveling at the oddity of the tho question. " Well, then, I do," said his benefac tor; " I was determined to find it out becauso the name is so uncommon. Hard work I had though. Merchant, to whom he was clerk, dead. Son in the West Indies. Wrote. No answer for somo time then not satisfactory. Obli- gcd to wait till ho came back. Long talk. No use. Well, well. Toll you nil annnf it. nnnfnor Anv flut. it. annrfc now. Found out a person who was an inti mate frieud and fellow-clerk with your father. Mado all right. Went down into the north. Got his register." " Kcally, sir," stammered Jeremiah ; " it was very kind of you, but I am sorry you should have given yourself so much trouble; but I'm sure, it I have any poor, relations that I can be of servie o to in employing them, now that your bounty has put me in the way of doing well, I shall bo very glad, though I never did hear talk of any." - " " No, Master Jeremiah," said the ec centric old gentleman, "you have no poor relations now, nor ever had ; but your father had a good-for-nothing cider brother who left homo at an early ago, after your grandmother's death, and. was enticed to go abroad by fair promises which were not fulfilled. So, not having auything agreeable to write about, he didn't write at all, liko a young scamp ns he was, and when the time came that ho had something pleasant to communicate, it was too late, as his father was no moro and his only brother (your father) was gone nobody knew where. Well, to make the story short, that chap, your uncle, was knocked about . in the world, sometimes up and sometimes down, but at last found . himself pretty strong upon his legs, and then made up his mind to come back to Old England, whore he found nobody to care for bim, and went wandering hither and thither, spending his time at watering places, and so on, for several years." " And pray, sir," inquired Jeremiah, as his respected guest paused, " have you any idea what became of him?" " Yes I have," replied the little gen tleman, smiling significantly at his host and hostess. ' Ono day be arrived in a smallish town, very like this," and terri bly low-spirited he was, for he'd been ill some time before, and was fretting him self to think that ho had been toiling to scrape money together, and was without children or kindred to leave it to. No pleasant reflection that ! Well, be or- ! dcrcil dinner, for form's sake, at the inn, ahd then went yawning about the room; and then ho took his stand at the window, and, looking across the road, ho saw the name of Wag over a shop-door, aud then You know all tho rest ! Tho fact is, I am a Wag, and, Jeremiah Wag, you are my nephew, and you my dear Mrs. Wag, are my niece, and so let us be merry Wags together." JWaT" Betsy was reading the exchanges tho other day, when she camo across tho following conundrum : " When is a woman like a vehicle?" " When she's sulky." When reaching homo in the evening she met us at the door, and spoke thusly: " Me Lord ! Can you tell me when a woman is like a vehicle ?" We answered nay. She said, " I can." For a moment she was lost in reflection, at the expiration of which she exclaimed : " Now I have it. When she's a little buggy." JSsiF A big whisky guzzling fellow who came home drunk ono night, and sat down by the fire to warm his feet, which were regular " bug smashers." Says the legend : After dosing some time he 1 awoke chilly ; the embers were entirely bid from view, and seeing his feet ho mistook them for his little boy, when, with a majestio side-wave of the hand, ho said: " Stand aside, biy little son,anii let your poor father warm himself." JttaJ" An unfortunate Indian missionary had his sermon reported as follows :-- , " The speaker was , a doductiou, and gave a leurned description of Satan ,and hit skill in sawing trees."; The unhappy preacher wrote a piteous remonstrance to tho editor of tho paper which had pub lished, this resume, to say that he was a Dutchman, and not a deduction, aud that he had described Satan, not as sawing trees, but sowing tares. " May I ask the time of day, sir ?" said a stranger to Mr. Buffers. " By all means, sir by all means," re plied the amiable Mr. Buffers. " Well, sir, what time is it?" "Upon my word I don't know. I have not watched the time lately." t&T " Most peoplo decline to loam on ly by their own experience, and I guess they are more than half right, for I don't s'poso a man could get a correct idea of molasses candy merely by letting another felier taste it for him."
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers