sentiment with a kiss. "And don't you suppose I felt
sorry for you, making you go round with me the whole afternoon, and
then leaving you to take the brunt of arranging the presents? Now I'll
tell you: _next_ year, I _will_ do my Christmas shopping in July. It's
the only way."

_Fountain_: "No, there's a better way. As you were saying, they don't
have the Christmas things out. The only way is to do our Christmas
shopping the day after Christmas; everything will be round still, and
dog-cheap. Come, we'll begin day after to-morrow."

_Mrs. Fountain_: "We will, we will!"

_Fountain_: "Do you think we will?"

_Mrs. Fountain_: "Well, we'll _say_ we will." They laugh together, and
then he kisses her.

_Fountain_: "Even if it goes on in the same old way, as long as we
have each other--"

_Mrs. Fountain_: "And the children."

_Fountain_: "I forgot the children!"

_Mrs. Fountain_: "Oh, how delightful you are!"

THE END

BOOKS BY W. D. HOWELLS

Annie Kilburn. 12mo.
April Hopes. 12mo.
Between the Dark and Daylight. New Edition. 12mo.
Boy Life. Illustrated. 12mo.
Boy's Town. Illustrated. Post 8vo.
Certain Delightful English Towns. Illustrated. 8vo.
Traveller's Edition, Leather.
Christmas Every Day, and Other Stories. Illustrated. 12mo.
Holiday Edition. Illustrated. 4to.
Coast of Bohemia. Illustrated. 12mo.
Criticism and Fiction. Portrait. 16mo.
Day of Their Wedding. Illustrated. 12mo.
Familiar Spanish Travels. Illustrated. 8vo.
Fennel and Rue. Illustrated. New Edition. 12mo.
Flight of Pony Baker. Post 8vo.
Hazard of New Fortunes. New Edition. 12mo.
Heroines of Fiction. Illustrated. 2 vols. 8vo.
Imaginary Interviews. 8vo.
Imperative Duty. 12mo.
Paper.
Impressions and Experiences. New Edition. 12mo.
Kentons. 12mo.
Landlord at Lion's Head. Illustrated. New Edition. 12mo.
Letters Home. 12mo.
Library of Universal Adventure. Illustrated. 8vo, Cloth.
Three-quarter Calf.
Literary Friends and Acquaintance. Illustrated. 8vo.
Literature and Life. 8vo.
Little Swiss Sojourn. Illustrated. 32mo.
London Films. Illustrated. 8vo.
Traveller's Edition, Leather.
Miss Bellard's Inspiration. 12mo.
Modern Italian Poets. Illustrated. 12mo.
Mother and the Father. Illustrated. New Edition. 12mo.
Mouse-Trap, A Likely Story, The Garroters, Five-o'Clock Tea.
Illustrated. New Edition. 12mo