He became as good a friend, … and as good a man, as the good old city knew, or any other good old city, town, or borough, in the good old world. Some people laughed to see the alteration in him, but he let them laugh and little heeded them; for he was wise enough to know that nothing ever happened on this globe, for good, at which some people did not have their fill of laughter in the outset…. His own heart laughed; and that was quite enough for him…. And it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us….Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol
From my well-bound cloth 1965 Harper Perennial Classic Edition
Richard R Balsamo
