IT was bitterly cold；the sky gleamed with stars，and not a breeze was stirring．

Bump！An old pot was thrown at the neighbors’house doors．Bang！Bang！went the gun；for they were welcoming the New Year．It was New Year's Eve！The church clock was striking twelve！

Tan-ta-ra-ra！ The mail came in．The great carriage stopped at the gate of the town．There were twelve persons in it；all the places were taken．

“Hurrah！Hurrah！”sang the people in the houses of the town，for the New Year was being welcomed，and they had just risen with the filled glass in the their hand，to drink success to the new year．

“Happy New Year！”was the cry．“A pretty wife，plenty of money，and no sorrow or care！”

This wish was passed round，and then glasses were clashed together till they rang again，and in front of the town gate the post-carriage stopped with the strange guests，the twelve travelers．

And who were these strangers？Each of them had his passport and his luggage with him；they even brought presents for me and for you and for all the people of the little town．Who are they？What did they want？ and what did they bring with them？

“Good morning！”they cried to the sentry¹ at the town gate．

“Good morning！” replied the sentry，for the clock struck twelve．

“Your name and profession？”the sentry inquired of the one who alighted first from the carriage．

“See yourself，in the passport，”replied the man．“I am myself！”And a capital fellow he looked，arrayed in a bear-skin and fur boots．“I am the man on whom many persons fix their hopes．Come to me tomorrow，and I'll give you a New Year s present．I throw pence and dollars among the people，I even give balls，thirty-one balls；but I cannot devote more than thirty-one nights to this．My ships are frozen in，but in my office it is warm and comfortable．I'm a merchant．My name is JANUARY，and I only Carry accounts with me．”

Now the second alighted．He was a merry companion；he was a theater director，manager of the masque balls，and all the amusements one can imagine．His luggage consisted of a great tub．

“We'll knock more than the cat out of the tub at the Shrovetide sports，” said he．“I'll prepare a merry tune³ for you and myself too．I have the shortest lifetime of whole family，for I only become twenty-eight．Sometimes they pop me in an extra day，but I trouble myself very little about that．Hurrah！”

“You must not shout so！”said the sentry．

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1 sentry
n.哨兵，警卫
参考例句：
They often stood sentry on snowy nights.他们常常在雪夜放哨。 The sentry challenged anyone approaching the tent.哨兵查问任一接近帐篷的人。

2 hop
n.单脚跳，跳跃；vi.单脚跳，跳跃；着手做某事；vt.跳跃，跃过
参考例句：
The children had a competition to see who could hop the fastest.孩子们举行比赛，看谁单足跳跃最快。 How long can you hop on your right foot?你用右脚能跳多远？

3 tune
n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整
参考例句：
He'd written a tune,and played it to us on the piano.他写了一段曲子，并在钢琴上弹给我们听。 The boy beat out a tune on a tin can.那男孩在易拉罐上敲出一首曲子。

4 anemones
n.银莲花( anemone的名词复数 )；海葵
参考例句：
With its powerful tentacles, it tries to prise the anemones off. 它想用强壮的触角截获海葵。 来自互联网 Density, scale, thickness are still influencing the anemones shape. 密度、大小、厚度是受最原始的那股海葵的影响。 来自互联网

5 scented
adj.有香味的；洒香水的；有气味的v.嗅到(scent的过去分词)
参考例句：
I let my lungs fill with the scented air. 我呼吸着芬芳的空气。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The police dog scented about till he found the trail. 警犬嗅来嗅去，终于找到了踪迹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

6 dame
n.女士
参考例句：
The dame tell of her experience as a wife and mother.这位年长妇女讲了她作妻子和母亲的经验。 If you stick around,you'll have to marry that dame.如果再逗留多一会，你就要跟那个夫人结婚。

7 drowsy
adj.昏昏欲睡的，令人发困的
参考例句：
Exhaust fumes made him drowsy and brought on a headache.废气把他熏得昏昏沉沉，还引起了头疼。 I feel drowsy after lunch every day.每天午饭后我就想睡觉。

8 cumbersome
adj.笨重的，不便携带的
参考例句：
Although the machine looks cumbersome,it is actually easy to use.尽管这台机器看上去很笨重，操作起来却很容易。 The furniture is too cumbersome to move.家具太笨，搬起来很不方便。

9 dealer
n.商人，贩子
参考例句：
The dealer spent hours bargaining for the painting.那个商人为购买那幅画花了几个小时讨价还价。 The dealer reduced the price for cash down.这家商店对付现金的人减价优惠。

10 ornament
v.装饰，美化；n.装饰，装饰物
参考例句：
The flowers were put on the table for ornament.花放在桌子上做装饰用。 She wears a crystal ornament on her chest.她的前胸戴了一个水晶饰品。

11 proprietor
n.所有人；业主；经营者
参考例句：
The proprietor was an old acquaintance of his.业主是他的一位旧相识。 The proprietor of the corner grocery was a strange thing in my life.拐角杂货店店主是我生活中的一个怪物。

12 spoke
n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说
参考例句：
They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。 The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

13 gasping
adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词
参考例句：
He was gasping for breath. 他在喘气。 "Did you need a drink?""Yes, I'm gasping!” “你要喝点什么吗？”“我巴不得能喝点！”

14 glistened
v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
Pearls of dew glistened on the grass. 草地上珠露晶莹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 Her eyes glistened with tears. 她的眼里闪着泪花。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》