CHAPTER XVII.
CHRISTMAS-TIDE.
Christmas was rapidly approaching, and the pleasant English custom of
celebrating it with good cheer, and in a festive way, Mrs. Flaxman told
me, was a fixed rule at Oaklands. The dinner provided for the master's
table was sufficient in quantity for every member of the household to
share, down to the ruddy-haired Samuel. In addition to this, Mr. Winthrop
remembered each one of his domestics when distributing his Christmas
gifts. Mrs. Flaxman confided to me that Samuel was consumed with a desire
to have his gift in the shape of a watch. I proceeded forthwith to
gratify, if possible, this humble ambition, and first went to the
different jewelers' establishments in Cavendish to see how much one would
cost. On careful examination I was surprised to find a fine large watch
could be got so reasonably. At the time I was as ignorant as Samuel
himself of the interior mechanism of these clever contrivances to tell
the hours. The day before Christmas I presented myself as was always the
case, with some trepidation, before my guardian, following him into the
library shortly after breakfast, even though I knew it was his busiest
hour.
"I wish to consult with you about a couple of my Christmas gifts," I said
directly, "if you have leisure to give me a few moments."
"I am never too busy to hear anything you may wish to say, especially
anything in connection with your benevolent projects," he said, quite
genially.
"Are you going to buy the stable boy a watch?"
"Certainly not anything so unnecessary for that wooden-headed youth.
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