The Angel and the Author, and Others

p. "They have been noticing me," I thought to myself. "If anything, I have been a bit too good. A little less virtue and I might have lived longer. But one cannot have everything." The wo

ney that I heard behind me the

ecording Angel. He had a weary

it is a trying period for

ough it all. You see at Christmas time," I went on, "all we men and wome

be envied,

n her furs, giving Bovril with her own dear little hands to the shivering street arab; the good old red-faced squire shovelling

n the world. That's what I like about Christmas, it makes everybody good. The lovely sentiments we go about repeating! the nob

noble deeds are alway

deeds I myself have done. I have often thought of keeping a diary-

ere was an i

all the good actions that we men and women have been doin

they were all re

tells of hi

bt his care and conscientiousness, but it is always pleasant to chat about one's self. "My five shillings s

plied, it

it," I added, "it was ten shillings altoget

ns had been ente

I know I suffered the next morning. Champagne never does agree with me. But, then, if you don't order it pe

the assurance that my a

photographs of myself, sig

remembered

rally play a little bridge; and to one fancy dress affair. I went as Sir Walter Raleigh. Some men cannot afford to show t

lls had been duly enter

Boys the week before last, in aid of the Fund for Poor Curates," I wen

rning Post, and had nothing to do with me. "Of course not," I agreed; "and between ourselves, I don't think the charity got very much

present at the performance,

urg. Not all the celebrated actors and actresses announced on the posters had appeared, but all had sent letters full of kindly wishes; and the others-al

d to have done a good many. But I did remember the rummage sale to which I sent all my old clothes, in

fle I had joined

, that everything had been noted, together

s to have made a

my seeing the book. He said there could be no objection. He opened it at the page devoted to myself, and I flew a little

t it all

the head of Charity he had but one item to my credit for the past six months: my giving up my seat inside a tramcar, late one wet night, to a dismal-looking old woman, who had not had

. I was willing to regard what he

ou have made a slight mistake-we all do now and again; you have put them down on

ything was the grave, passionle

o mistake,"

cried. "Why, y

e book with

gan falling. The faint luminosity beneath me grew, and then the lights of London seemed shooting up to meet me. I was com

hen I

eries, gone down with it among the poor myself, asking nothing in return. Is this fraction of our superfluity, flung without further thought or care into the collection box

oubled concernin

derate premium, in case, after all, there should happen to be another wor

o the Fresh Air Fund." Into the heap of lumber one of her daughters flung a pair of cru

he said, "they might come in

o sold more than ten tickets received an autograph letter of thanks from the Duchess who was the president. The tickets were twelve and sixpence each

?" suggested a lady friend, as the char

"but we all of us ought to do all we can

red-faced squires! we should never know how good they were, but for the poor? Without the poor how could we be virtuous? We should have to go about giving to each other. And friends expec

clean, grateful poor, who bob their heads and curtsey and assure you that heaven

nsisted on his going round with her to show her where the poor hid themselves. They went down many streets, and the la

the coachman, "but the

ady s

shall have to le

ant greys d

ady Bountiful's fine coach. The ways are very narrow-wi

my friend,

useless; if it touches but the fringe; if

ons a Man

e," he answered; "there wo

elightful to gi

e. I was thinking of the receiver. And my ideal is a l