Iamsometimesinclinedtowonderwhether，inverytruth，thosePolchesterChristmasesofnearlythirtyyearsagoweresomarvellousasnowinretrospecttheyseem。Icangivedetailsofthosesplendours，factsandfigures，thattotheonlookerarelessthannothingatall——asugarelephantinastocking，aboxofpencilsonaChristmastree，“Hark，theHeraldAngels……“atthreeinthemorningbelowone’swindow，alightedplum-pudding，apostmanfourhourslate，hisbackbentwithburstingparcels。Anditissomethingfurther——behindthesugarcherriesandthepapercapsandthelightedtree——thatremainstogivemagictothosedays；asenseofexpectancy，asenseofrichness，asenseofworship，avisitfromtheThreeKingswhohavesoseldomcometovisitonesince。
　　ThatChristmasofJeremy’sninthyearwasoneofthebestthatheeverhad；itwasperhapsthelastoftheMAGICALChristmases。Afterthishewastoknowtoomuch，wastoseeFatherChristmasvanishbeforeasuminarithmetic，andastockingchangeintosomethingthat“boyswhogotoschoolneverhave“——thelastoftheChristmasesofdivinemagic，whenthesnowfellandthewaitssangandthestockingswerefilledandtheturkeyfattenedandthecandlesblazedandthehollycrackledbythewillofGodratherthanthepowerofman。Itwouldbemanyyearsbeforehewouldrealisethat，afterall，inthoseearlydayshehadbeenright……
　　AveryfatbookcouldbewrittenaboutallthathadhappenedduringthatwonderfulChristmas，howHamlettheDogcaughtarattohisownimmensesurprise；howtheColes’Christmasdinnerwasfollowedbyaplayactedwithcompletesuccessbythejuniormembersofthefamily，anditwasonlyMr。Jellybrandthecuratewhodisapproved；
　　howAuntAmyhadanewdressinwhich，bygeneralconsent，shelookedridiculous；howMary，owingtothefoolishkindnessofMrs。
　　Bartholomew，thePrecentor’swife，wasintroducedtotheworksofCharlotteMaryYongeandbecamequiteimpossibleinconsequence；howMissMaplehadachildren’spartyatwhichtherewasnothingtoeat，sothatallthechildrencriedwithdisappointment，andonesmallboytheyoungestsonofthePrecentoractuallybitMissMaple；howfortwowholedaysitreallyseemedthattherewouldbeskatingonThePool，andeveryoneboughtskates，andthen，ofcourse，theicebroke，andsoon，andsoon……thereisnoendtothedramaticincidentsofthatgreatsensationaltime。
　　ThethemethatIsing，however，isJeremy’sProgress，andalthoughevenHamlet’scatchingofaratinfluencedhisdevelopment，therewasoneincidentofthisChristmasthatstandsoutandawayfromalltheothers，anaffairthathewillneverallhisdaysforget，andthatevennow，atthisdistanceoftimeandexperience，causeshishearttobeatroughlywiththerememberedexcitementandpleasure。
　　SeveralweeksbeforeChristmasthereappeareduponthetownwallsandhoardingsthepicturedannouncementsoftheapproachingvisittoPolchesterofDenny’sGreatChristmasPantomime“DickWhittington。“
　　BoxingNightwastoseethefirstperformanceatourAssemblyRooms，andduringeveryafternoonandeveningofthenextthreeweeksthisperformancewastoberepeated。
　　Apantomimehad，Ibelieve，nevervisitedourtownbefore；therehad，ofcourse，formanyyearsbeentheGreatChristmasPantomimeattheTheatreRoyal，Drymouth，butinthosedaystrainswerenoteasy，andifyouwishedtoattendanafternoonperformanceattheDrymouthTheatreyoumustriseveryearlyinthemorningbythecandle-lightandreturnlateintheevening，withthecabforgettingtomeetyouatthestationascommanded，andthelongwalkupOrangeStreet，andaheadacheandabadtempernextday。
　　IthappenednaturallythenthatthemajorityofthePolchesterchildrenhadneversettheirinquisitivenoseswithinthedoorsofatheatre，andalthoughthetwoeldestdaughtersoftheDean，agedtenandeleven，hadbeenoncetoLondonandtoDruryLaneTheatre，theirsenseofgloryanddistinctionsocloudedtheirpowersofaccuracyandclaritythatwewerenonearer，bytheirhelpandauthority，totheunderstandingofwhatapantomimemightreallybe。
　　Icanmyselfrecallthegloryofthose“DickWhittington“pictures。
　　JustaboveMartin’sthepastry-cook’swheretheysoldlemonbiscuits，neartheCathedral，therewasabigwoodenhoarding，andontothiswaspastedamarvellousrepresentationofDickandhisCatdiningwiththeKingoftheZanzibarIslands。TheKing，aMulatto，satwithhiscourtinahallwithgoldenpillars，andtheratsweretobeseenflyinginaconfusedfloodtowardsthegoldengates，whilstDick，inredplushanddiamondbuckles，stoodindignifiedmajesty，theCatathisside。TherewasanotherwonderfulpictureofDickasleepattheCrossRoads，fairieswatchingoverhim，andLondonTowninalightedpurpledistance——andanotherofthestreetsofOldLondonwithacomicfatservingman，diamond-
　　panedwindows，cobblestonesandhighpointingeavestothehouses。
　　Jeremysawthesepicturesforthefirsttimeduringoneofhisafternoonwalks，andreturnedhomeinsuchastateofchokingexcitementthathecouldnotdrinkhistea。Aswaseverhiswayhewassilentandcontrolledaboutthematter，askedveryfewquestions，andalthoughhetalkedtohimselfalittledidnotdisturbthegeneralpeaceofthenursery。OnMaryandHelentheeffectofthepostershadbeenless。MarywasfollowingtheadventuresoftheMayfamilyin“TheDaisyChain，“andHelenwasmakingnecklacesforherselfoutofaboxofbeadsthathadbeengivenher。
　　WhenJeremysaidonce，“Whowasthemanintheredtrouserswithgoldonthem？“noonepaidanyattentionsaveHamlet，whowaggedhistail，lookedwiseandgrowledalittle。
　　WhoindeedcouldtellhowheachedandlongedanddesiredHehadaveryvagueideaastothenatureofaplay；theyhadoftendressedupathomeandpretendedtobedifferentthingsandpeople，and，ofcourse，heknewbyheartthewholehistoryofDickWhittington，butthisknowledgeandexperiencedidnotintheleastforcehimtorealisethatthisperformanceofMr。Denny’swassimplyalarger，moredeveloped“dressingup“andpretending。InsomemysteriousbutneverthelessdirectfashionDickWhittingtonwascomingtoPolchester。ItwasjustashehadheardforalongtimeoftheexistenceofAuntEmilywholivedinManchester——andthenonedaysheappearedinablackbonnetandashawl，andgavethemwetkissesandsixpenceapiece。
　　DickWhittingtonwascoming，havingperhapsheardthatPolchesterwasaveryjollyplace。SomightcomeanydayJackoftheBeanstalk，Cinderella，QueenVictoria，andGod。
　　Therewerequestionsmeanwhilethathewouldliketoask，buthewasalreadyavictimtothatproperlyEnglishfearofmakingafoolofhimself，soheaskednothing。HedraggedouthistoyvillageandtriedtomakeitabridgeinhisimaginationbetweenthenurseryandWhittington’sworld。Asthevillageopenedadoorfromthenursery，somightWhittingtonopenadoorfromthevillage。
　　HeconsideredHamletandwonderedwhetherheknewanythingaboutit。
　　Hamlet，inspiteofhismongrelappearance，wasaverycleverdog。
　　Hehadhisespecialcornersinthegarden，thekitchenandthenursery。Henevermisbehaved，wasneverintheway，andwasabletoamusehimselfforhourstogether。AlthoughheattachedhimselfquitedeliberatelytoJeremy，hedidthisinnosentimentalfashion，andinhisanimositiestowardstheJampot，AuntAmyandtheboywhohelpedwiththebootsandtheknives，hewasalwaysrestrainedandcourteous。HedidindeedgrowlatAuntAmy，butalwayswithsuchasenseofhumourthateveryoneexceptAuntAmywascharmed，andheneveractuallysupportedthechildrenintheirrebellionsagainsttheJampot，althoughyoucouldseethathelikedandapprovedofsuchthings。TheJampothatedhimwithapassionthatcausedthenurserytoquiverwithemotion。Washenotthecauseofherapproachingdeparture，hisfirstappearancehavingledherintoatempestofpassionthathadcausedhertooffera“notice“thatshehadneverforaninstantimaginedwouldbeaccepted？Washenotadevilishdogwho，with，hisquietmovementsandslyexpressions，wasmorethanhuman？“Markmywords，“shesaidinthekitchen，“there’sadevilinthatthereanimal，andsothey’llfindbeforethey’remanyyearsolder——’Amletindeed——a’eathenishnameanda’eathenishbeast。“
　　Herenemyhaddiscoveredthatinonecornerofthenurserythereweresignsandsymbolsthatwitnessedtosomethinginthenatureofamouseorarat。Thatnurserycornerbecamethecentreofallhismoreadventurousinstincts。IthappenedtobejustthecornerwheretheJampotkepthersewingmachine，andyouwouldthink，ifyoucametothenurseryasastranger，andsawhimsitting，hiseyesfixedbeaminglyuponthemachine，histailerect，andhisbodyhereandtherequiveringalittle，thatfromdutiesofmanlydevotionhewasprotectingtheJampot’sproperty。Sheknewbetter；sheregarded，insomeundefinedway，thiscontinuedcontemplationbyhimofherpossessionsasanironicalinsult。Shedideverythingpossibletodrivehimfromthecorner；heinevitablyreturned，andashealwaysdelicatelysteppedasidewhensheapproached，itcouldnotbesaidthathewasinherway。Onceshestruckhim；helookedatherinsuchafashionthat“herfleshcrept。“……Sheneverstruckhimagain。
　　ForJeremyhebecamemoreandmoreofadelight。Heunderstoodsomuch。Hesympathised，hecongratulated，hesported，alwaysattherightmoment。HewouldsitgravelyatJeremy’sfeet，hisbodypressedagainstJeremy’sleg，onelegstuckoutsquare，hiseyesfixedinquisitivelyuponthenurseryscene。Hewouldbemotionless；
　　thensuddenlysomethoughtwouldelectrifyhim——hisearswouldcock，hiseyesshine，hisnosequiver，histailtumble。Thecrisiswouldpass；hewouldbecomposedoncemore。Hewouldslidedowntothefloor，hiswholebodycollapsing；hisheadwouldrestuponJeremy’sfoot；hewoulddreamofcats，ofrats，ofbirds，oftheJampot，ofbeefandgravy，ofsugar，ofbeingwashed，ofthedogs’Valhalla，offireandwarmth，ofJeremy，ofwalkswheneverypieceofflyingpaperwasachallenge，ofdogs，dogsthathehadknownofwhenhewasapuppy，ofdoingthingsheshouldn’t，ofpunishmentandwisdom，prideandanger，oflove-affairsofhisyouth，ofbattle，ofsettling-down，oflove-affairsinthefuture，againofcatsandbeef，andsmells——smells——smells，againofJeremy，whomheloved。
　　AndJeremy，watchinghimnow，thussleeping，andthinkingofDickWhittington，wonderedwhyitwasthatadogwouldunderstandsoeasily，withoutexplanations，thethoughtsanddesireshehad，andthatallgrown-uppeoplewouldnotunderstand，andwoulddemandsomanyexplanations，andwouldlaughatone，andpityone，anddespiseone。Whywasit？heaskedhimself。
　　“Iknow，“hesuddenlycried，turninguponHelen；“itcanbeyourbirthdaytreat！“
　　“Whatcan？“sheasked。
　　“Why，goingtoDickWhittington——allofus。“
　　Helenhad，mostunfortunatelyforherself，abirthdayonlyaweekafterChristmas，theresultbeingthat，inherownopinionatanyrate，sheneverreceived“properpresents“oneitherofthosetwogreatpresent-givingoccasions。Shewasalwaysallowed，however，a“treat“；herrequestsweregenerallyinthenatureoffood；onceofarideinthetrain；onceevenavisittothePolchesterMuseum