"Let me see" says the lady meditatively--"Yes, I will; George has been so good to me. Give me three of those buttons, please." * * * * * _Viva el rey; el rey esta muerto!_ The Spanish phrase looks better than the hackneyed French, and it is correct, having been carefully revised by one of the most reliable tamale dealers on Travis Street. The old year is passing; let us stand in with the new. In happy Houston homes light feet are dancing away the hours 'neath holly and mistletoe, but outside stalk those who inherit want and care and misery, to whom the coming season brings nothing of hope or joy. Two young men are wending their way up Preston Street. One is holding the other by the arm and guiding his steps. The sidewalk seems to run in laps and curves, twisting itself into hills and hollows and labyrinthine mazes. One of the young men thinks he is dying. The other one is not sure about it, but he hopes he is not mistaken. They are both good friends of the old year, and they hate to see it leave so badly that they have sewed their sorrow up in a sack and tried to drown it. "Goo' bye, old frien'," says the dying one. "Go 'way and leave me to die here on thish boundless prairie. Sands of life's runnin' out like everyshing. Zat las' dish chick'n salad's done its work. Never see fazzer'n muzzer any more." "Bob," says the other one, "you're 'fern'l idiot. Never shay die. Zis town Houston can't be more'n ten miles away. We're right on Harvey Wilshon's race track now goin' round'n round. Whazzer mazzer wiz livin' for country'n so forth?" "Can't do it, old boy; 'stremities gettin' coldsh now. Light's fadin' out of eyes'n worldsh fadin' from view. Can't shay 'er prayer, old boy, 'fore vital spark expires! Can'tcher say lay'm down to sleep, Jim?" "Don't be a fool, Bob; come on, lesh find city Houston 'n git a drink." "Jim, I' dead man. Been wicked 'n told liesh, 'n played poker. Zhere ain't no hope for handshome, unscrup'loush shociety man like me. Been giddy butterfly 'n broke senty-five lovin' creaturesh hearts--jus' listen Jim, I hear angelsh shingin' an' playin' harpsh, 'n I c'n see beau'ful lights 'n heavensh wiz all kind colors flashin' from golden gates. Jim, don't you hear angel throng shingin' shongs 'n see lights shinin' in New Jerushalem?" "Bob, you d'graded lun'tic, don't you know what that ish? That's Salvation Army singin', 'n Ed Kiam's 'lectric sign you shee. Now I know where we're at. Zere's five saloonsh on nex' block." "Jim, you've shaved m' life. Lesh make one more effort 'fore I die, 'n tell barkeep' put plenty ice in it." * * * * * Midnight draws on apace, and while some welcome with revelry the advent of the New Year, others stray in the land of dreams, and allow it to approach unheralded.