AustLit

Romance of a lover's quarrel; his decision to go overseas; a shipwreck from which he is rescued by a Norwegian fishing-boat and their reunion as agreed on Christmas Eve. Hasty narrative. (PB)

Reminiscence of a London call-boy - of the scenes he witnessed, the actors and dramatists he helped to see the manager, and a romance. Main story surrounds an old lame actor who is eventually fired and who survives in winter on the wages of his daughter as fairy in the Christmas pantomime and in summer as banjo player in a 'darky' band. His daughter is crippled during the show one night, and one young actress in particular visits her. The actress is pursued by a notorious rake Sir William Hartley and one night agrees to let him accompany her home. She takes him to visit Rose, it makes him repent, and they are married shortly after. A little circuitous. (PB)

A train in Missouri runs erratically fast and slow. Finally an accident reveals that the engineer returning home with Christmas presents had a telegram accouncing his son's death - and he too is now dead. Pathos. (PB)

Tale of tragedy and romance in a North England theatrical company. The narrator reveals to her childhood friend and successful actor on the American stage why she can not act Desdemona for him in his opening benefit of Othello in Lonon. Years before at the onset of her career she had been nearly kiiled by the leading actor in his madness and jealousy of her - Othello in life and on the stage. Competent, a little turgid in parts. (PB)

A grandmother's reminiscence to her descendants on Christmas Eve of her youth and the night a lengthy swim saved her smuggler grandfather from capture by English revenue soldiers. The lieutenant of the soldiers became her husband. Light, adventurous story and romance. (PB)

Tale of a miser's reformation. Just before Christmas hard-hearted Miser John meets the spirit predicting his death - and asking what he can present to heaven to justify his life ... Sketchy - 'A Christmas Tale' again. (PB)

A vagrant old woman is saved from gaol on Christmas day by a kindly magistrate but loses the money he gave her and thus her lodgings and food. A visit to a church converts her to her faith again. She dies of cold in the streets - but consoled! Pious. (PB)

Poignant tale of three USA mountain brothers lost in a Christmas snowstorm while gathering hickory nuts for the Christmas festivities - and their deaths in the snow. The older brother takes off even his trousers to keep the younger brother warm - but to no effect. (PB)

Brother and sister Frank and Frances Struan are twins and when Frank learns he is dying of heart disease and the only way his sister will inherit the property is if she marries their cousin whom she hates, he persuades her (with the help of the local doctor/narrator) to impersonate him and pretend that it is her who dies. Their scheming cousin and his grasping Melbourne creditor discover the secret and it is only the discovery of a new will that frustrates their schemes - and Frances' death on her brother's grave. (PB)

A school teacher recalls a present from a poor shy child given on her deathbed. (PB)