"It _is_ a fine day," I responded. "A merry Christmas to you, Mr Shuffler." "Same to you, sir, and many on 'em," he replied, courteously. "Thank you, Shuffler," I said, satisfied with the colloquy, "but I must now say good day!" "Good day, and a 'appy noo year to you," answered he, passing on his way. Really, everybody appeared to be very civil and good natured to- day; and everything joyous and rose-coloured! Was it owing to the bright morning, or to the fact of its being Christmas, or to the sweet feelings I had lying hidden in my heart anent my darling? I cannot tell: can you? After a time Catch and I reached the river. It was not now rolling by, a muddy, silent, whilom sluggish, whilom busy stream. It was quite transformed in its appearance and resembled more some frozen arctic stream than the old Thames which I knew so well. Far as the eye could reach, it was covered with sheets of broken ice, again congealed together and piled up with snow--so many little bergs, that had been born at Great Marlow and Hampton, and other spots above the locks; gradually increasing in size and bulk as they span round and swept by on the current, until they should reach the bridges below. Then, they would, perhaps, be formed into one great icefield, stretching from bank to bank, whereon a grand bullock-roasting festival might be held, or a fancy fair instituted, as happened in the reign of James, the king, "of ever pious memory:" that is, if my chronology be right and my memory not at fault, as may very possibly be the case. Doggy did not mind the ice a bit, however. He plunged in, time after time, to fetch out my in-thrown stick, with a frisky bound; emerging after the performance with ice-pendants to his glossy, silken ears and coat smartly curled, as if he had just paid a visit to Truefitt's, and been manipulated by the dexterous hands of one of the assistants at that celebrated establishment, armed with the crinal tongs and anybody's best macassar. By-and-by we returned; and whom should I then meet on my way home but, positively, my eye-glass acquaintance of Downing Street. Fancy his being out before nine o'clock in the morning! It was an unparalleled occurrence. "Hullo, Horner!" I sang out, "'morning, old fellow. Compliments of the season!" "Bai-ey Je-ove! Lorton, how you stawtled me--'do!" "You don't mean to say," I asked, on getting closer to him, "that you've actually taken to early rising?" "No, 'pon honah, I asshaw you, my deah fellah, no!" he replied, quite excitedly. "No, I asshaw you, no," he repeated. "Well, then, what on earth makes you come out at this early unearthly hour?" I said. "Oh--ah! you see--ah, my deah fellah," he answered, "it was all those confawnded little bahds and the bells kicking up such a raow; that, 'pon honah, I couldn't sleep and so I came out. I asshaw you it was all those bweastwy little bahds and the bells!" "At all events, I must congratulate you on your reformation," I said.