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W - ' ,CHRISTMAS IN IRISH LEGEND I HOW CHRISTMAS WAS FORMERLY OBSERVED _  Christmas Time
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(Continued from page 1)
Among the irish peasantly the
be.lef still p.evails that the Virgin
and child uevlslt earth on Catast-
inas 1-.ve and that the Vir sin s
sin ' S
on exquisite melt-dy which is lncap-_
ubic of being produced by mortal
tongue. lil many districts doors
arc ielt, open, bright fires are
burning ond tl feast is spread tor
the lioty wallde.ers, ’l`ne Christ-
mas candle is bu-:ned to light the
way for the tired feet tt' the Bes-
sed lilctllcr.
Padraic Pea..-ie, tile great irish
visionary and poet. refers to this
legend in oile oi his books. lie
tells how a peasant woman having
inode all preparations l.»r the _coin-
if.; of her heavenly visitors, if
they should rest, in her cabin. as
night advanced, fell asleep as she
wuzted their arrival. Walking up
sho .law tl beautiful youilg woman
willl n child in her arms resting
ily the fire. Throwing herself oil
ltcr knees she prayed for the gill
oi’ ll child for which she and her
husband had prayed for many years
ill vain, lier \vish was gianted
and wunlon ill the Gaelic districts
today speak wlstfuliy of the iuilahy
that Mary was singing tc her Babe.
' Miracle Plays.
l'ublic pcrfozmancc of miracle
play.; is an ancient irish custom.
They were perfozlned in churches
and were the presentation of some
event ill the life of Christ or of
some nclctl episode ill the lives
ol' tho Saints. The cast was div-
ided up in a curious why between
city dignitaries, one official taking
thc Dart of the Devil, another of an
Angel, and so forth.
A quaint custom still exists fu
County Ktlkenny. On the eve of
\)_/ I
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tx 1;
if 7
Twelfth Day it latge loaf, usually
baked some days before and called
the Christmas lc'af.,is laid on the
table. All doors and windows are
closed and bolted. '1`hon~ the lady
t-f the house takes the loaf in her
hands and pounds against the clos-
ed door repeating three times in
irish the -followiilg rhyme:-
"We warn famine to retire
To the country oi' the Tulks-
Fzom this night to this night
twelve-mc-nth
And even this very night."
The Christmas Waits which orig-
inated with the idea of singing tl
welcome to the Christ Child are
_-itiil it familiar feature of Christ-
mas in llreland. ln County Mayo
the tradition holds that a Chrlst~
inns conille must never be exting-
uished but must be allowed to burn
itself out. The dt.-ora in this coun-
ty are always left open. lil West
Clare candles are lit. on Little
Christmas Day in honor of tho
lilcsstd .\iotllel‘.
Tile belief is common ill the irish
countryside that those who die at
night on Christmas Eve escape pur-
gntory. An over zealous desire
for their relaiivc's happiness is re-
Lozdud in Mcbollaglrs irish Lite
and »Chai'a.cter when it cel't.aiu dy-
illg farmer who was supposed to
have had a rather hectic past was
smothered with a. pillow so that he
might escape purgatory. lic-foie
the year 1800 midnight processions
were held oil certain nights during
the wcek before Chrlstnlas.
Tllcro is no Santa Claus in irc-
and. Pathol' Christmas ‘reigns su-
preme and all good children hang
their biggest zvtocltings.
The term "Christmas boxes" us-
ed in ireland is suid to be ticlived
from the little boxes ol' red Woof!
(with some coins in them to rattle)
given by <1-iii irish chieftains to tllcll'
children and 'lctalners.
At one time people stayed up all
night on Chrltmas Eve and the
'first person to announce the crow-
ing of the cock <-il Christma_-l morn-
ing, if a man, was iewarded with
a cult of tea mixed with a glass of
spirits. ll` it wt-man she was giv-
ctl the tea ollly and six kisses, and
chrolllclers state that this was the
mvintost colnpliment which could
lic paid her.
The Yule log i'vus used in ireland
from the most ancient days and
while it burned custom decreed that
no person could leave the house
without taking re~fieshment_ The
ponaity for doing sc- wus tl. spoil of
had luck. Records special refcrellcc
to the celebratic-n cf this custom.
in olden days in Cork it was the
custom tn light s cuilously shaped
candle -stick in the form of three
candles branching from the same
stem, All three ends were lighted
in honor of the Holy Trinity. This
was extinguished nt midnight on
Christmas Eve and kept. for the ell-
sning year as a protection against
all evil spirits. in Cork also from
tory ancient days there was a noisy
public ceremony in cmlnectifzi with
the chasing of the wion. lt..was
a cruel custom, disliked hy thc-se in'
authority for it frequently ended in
rioting when stones intended for
the poor little birds hit human be-
ings instead.
The excuse given ic.-: this curi-
ously barburous custom in the len-
end well-known among the peas-
ants that when the native irish
were about to overcome their Dan-
ish enemy, having come up io the
Danish camp hy gtealtil, n wren
hopped on u Danish drum and woke
the nlumberlng sr-ntrit-s in time tn
save the nrmy. The bil-ti wus
lherellnr-n nililldgod ti traitor. otit-
lnwoii and sclifent-,ell io death.
There is another legend connect-
ed \vllll the lille of the king of all
i.lrdit, it set ms tliilt thi- hlrds do-
t-illeil that they would choose an
lander the hlrtl limi could ily in.-
hlgm-ai. The angle flew the high-
est but just when he was about in
proclaim the fact. the wren who
had concealed him-self under his
crest P0l>D€d out his head and de-
clared his kingship.
Qualnt Cultoml.
i
Kerry was once the seut ci' lcurll-
illg but the people and the school-
masters were extremely poor. it
is recorded that- the schoolmaster‘s
pay often consisted solely of a ioil
of fresh butter at Christmas time
from his various neighbors. Dil-
ferent counties had different :li-
tlcles of payment.
Many quaint customs existed.
At Cllldaff the laborers combined
to buy a sheep and raffle for the
different parts. During the holi-
days folks in that neighborhood
always amused themselves by play-
ing a game called Kammail. This
consisted of hitting a wooden ball
with a cvookctl stick and it wus
the object of the player's opponents
to drive ii. thc other way.
December 8 was known in Olli
lioland as Cross Day. It was be-
lieved that anything begun on thnt
day would have an evil ending.
Good housekepere would not warp
bread on that day or permit it to be
warped. in County Clare this tra-
dition is especially strong and the
old folk would point. out to you it
whitehorn bush growinil ill U10
middle of some loose 'stones on i_he
lionks or i..ike Turloush. This is
called the l-1nrl's bush. Legend
has it that it woman made it suit
of clothes for her child on this day
and the child died. The `WOIn8l\
then took the clothes and hum!
them on the Eail's bush. In tho
morning they were found hill oi'
dead eels which of course conclus-
ively proves that nothin! ‘3h0\ll<1
he done on December- the eighih- '
Oil the last night of the Old Year
it was fovmerlythe custom for the
head ci tho family to throw a Cake
against the IIC-Ol' Of Bach “DWG in
order to new away hmisef for '-110
folic-wing year. in County Down
wlsps of straw were thrown H110
hong;-Q and at pcople to wish them
good luck. in County Antrim
custom rigidly decreed that anY0“€
entering fri- leaving houses on NBW
\'elxr's day must eat and drink 011
leaving it or had luck would ensue-
/
A Christmas
‘ Family Party
As to the dinner, it's perfectly de-
lightful-nothing goes wrong, and
everybody is in the very best. of spir-
its and disposed to please and be
pleased. Grandpa relates s. circum-
stantial account of the purchase of
the turkey, with a slight digression
relative to the purchase of previous
turkeys, on. former Christmas days,
which Grandmama corroborates in
the mlnutest particular. Uncle
George tells stories, and cnrves poul-
try. and takes wine, and Jokes with
the children at the sidetable, and
winks at the cousins that are making
love, or being made love to, and ex-
hiiarates everybody with his good
humor and hospitality, and when at
last. a stout. servant staggers in with
a gigantic pudding. with s sprig of
holly in the top, there is such a
laughing and shouting, and clap-
ping of little chubby hands, and
kicking up of fat dumpy legs. as can
only be equalled by the applause
with which the astounding feat of
pouring lighted brandy into mince
pies, is received by the younger vis-
itors. Then the dessert!-and the
wine!--and the fun. Buch beautiful
speeches, and such songs from Aunt
Margaret‘s husband, who turns out.
to be such a nice man, and so at-
tentive to Grandmama! Even Grand-
pnpa not only sings his annual song
with unprecedented vigor, but on
being honored with an unanimous
encore, according-to annual custom,
actually comes out with a new one
which nobody but Grandmama ever
heard before; and a young scape-
gracc of a cousin. who has been in
some disgrace with the old people.
for certain heinous sins of omission
and commission-neglecting to cali
and persisting in drinking Burton
Ale-astonishes everybody into con-
vulsions of laughter by volunteering
the most. extraordinary comic songs
that were ever heard. And thus the
evening passes, in 9. strain of ration-
al goodwill and checrfulness, doing
more to awaken the sympathies oi'
every member of the party in behalf
of his neighbor; and to perpetuate
their good feeling during the ensu-
ing year, than half the homllles that
have ever been written. by half the
Divines that have ever lived. -
“Sketches by Baz."
Christmas Memories
Listen! Christmas bells are ringing
From their lofty home-towers bring-
ing
Thoughts both sweet and sad:
Memories throng with voices singing,
Bygone smiles in hearts yet. llng'~
ring-
Just the best we had!
Still. the're‘s love and peace around
us
Living angels still surround usl
Comfort whispers olean-
'Hap will find the chains which
bound us
Here. the gems that will have crown-
cd us
In in happier sphere!
Far and near. all nations spending
This great day: harmonious blending
Heart and soul in song!
christmas greetings; glad bells send-
H123
Brighter hopes! through crisp air
wending;
Joy bella all day long.
‘\\\\\
xmas EVE Fssvlviriss Ai_wAvs luctunisn A' DANcE wi'rH MisTLEToE suspervcso UNDERA cdNv£NiENT _sPo_'r, `*'T'l,
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if  Illlderh  iMisi;lei30G I *MMM  I W`WiM_w_m~“
_ Superstitions
_ That Die Hard
Dean Inge has declared that we
have become more superstitious
since thc Great War, notwithstand-
ing the fact. that the upheaval shot-
tered many of our illusions, and was
supposed to have brought the world
up against the stark reality of
things. But one writer points out
that even the war itself was respon-
sible for many superstitious notions.
Before the war no one thoughtariy-
thing of lighting his own cigarette
and thc cigarette of two of ills
friends with one match, blltintlieise
days, especially among returned men
the smoker will hesitate at the third
party. r
Mr. Charles Platt, a writer on
superstitious, reminds us thattherc
is "luck in odd numbers,” and there
is an old saying that “thethird time
is lucky." He saystllat cven today
most. doctors prescribe a dose three
times a day, after meals, although
many people take more than three
meals. With regard to the supersti-
tion surrounding the number thir-
teen, Mr. Platt thinks it is a fateful
rather than an unlucky number.
Twclvc for a long period remained
the limit of man‘s power of calcula-
tion, thirteen, thereforc. was anum-
ber to be dreaded and avoided bc-
cause no man could fathom its im-
mense possibilities.
The superstition against sitting
thirteen at a table is said to date
centuries earlier than the Last. Sup-
per. but that it does not always work
ill is proven by at least one instance.
The late Lord Roberts used to relate
how on New Years Day, 1853, hc was
one of a party of thirteen who dined
together at Peshawar, on the Afghan
frontier. Eleven years later all were
still alive, although they had parti-
cipated in the ghastly carnage of
the Indian Mutiny.
Friday is supposed to be a lucky
day for lovers, and thirteen is said
to be also lucky in love affairs, Mr.
Platt states that it is probably for
this reason that most hard-headed
Scots get married on this day.
There is a deeply-rooted supersti-
tion that May is not a lucky month
for marriages, and this is traced to
the Romans, who considered it was
a month sacred to the old. and
should, therefore, be avoided by lov-
ers.
The Unlucky Color.
One of the most tenacious of su-
perstitious is that regarding thc
wearing of green. It is certain that
it was by no means a. lucky color for
Ireland in the old days.
But it would appear that the su-
perstition originated in Scotland.
where this color was looked upon as
evil, Mr. Platt. gives a rather matter-
of-fact; explanation of this dread of
green in the Highlands. when he
points out that ii: is "obviously a
conspicuous color on their heather-
clad hills, and the Scots were by na-
ture great fighters.
Sailor Supefstltions.
Sailors’ superstltions are so num-
erous that one would not know
where to begin and end in dealing
with them. Here are a few:
Sailors dread a whistling woman.
because whistling is supposed to
draw a breeze and therefore danger.
lf you bent your wife you will be
lucky in fishing.
It is unlucky to ask A nshermari
` From “Pickwick Papers."
From the contre of the ceiling of
the kitchen old Wardlc had just
suspended \vith his own hands rl
brunch ci' mistletoe, and this same
branch ci mistletoe instantaneously
gave risc to a scene of genernl anti
most delightful struggling and con-
fusion; in the midst of which Mr.
Pickwick. with it gallantry which
would have done honor to a descend-
ant of Lady Tollimglower herself.
took the old lady by the llaild, led
her beneath the mystic branch, and
sttlutcd hc: in all courtesy and ole-
COl`lllll.
The old lady submitted to this
piece of practical politeness with nil
thc dignity which beilitcd so import.-
antund serious a solcmnity, but thc
younger ladies, not being so thor-
oughly imbued with a superstitious
rcliclntinil of the custom, or imag-
ining that the value of a salute is
vcly much enhanced if it cost a little
trouble to obtain it, screamed and
istitigglcd, and rarl into corners. and
tllrcatencd and rcmonstrated, and
did everything but leave the room.
until some of thc less adventurous
gentlemen were on the point of de-
sisiing. yhcn they all at oncc found
it useless to resist any longer, and
submitted to bc kissed with a good
grace. Mr. Winkle kissed the young
lady with the black eyes, and Mr.
Snodgrass kissed Emily; and Mr.
Weller, not being particular about
the form of being under the mistle-
toe, kissed Emma and the other ic-
lnale sol-vant.s, just as he caught
them. As to thc poor rclations,thcy
kissed everybody, not even except-
ing thc plainer portion of the youn:
lady visitors, who, lp their exces-
sive confusion, ran right under thc
mistletoc, directly it was hung up,
without knowing itl Wardle stood
with his buck to the illje. surveying
tno wnole scene with the utmost.
satisfaction; and the fat boy took
thc opportunity of appropriatirlg to
his own use, and summarily devour-
ing n particularly fine mince pic.
that had been carefully put by for
somebody else.
Now thc screaming had subsided.
and faces were in n glow, and curls
in at tangle, and Mr. Pickwick, after
kissing“the old lady as bcforc-men-
lioned, was standing under the mis-
tletoe, looking with a very pleased
countenance on all that was passing
around him. when the young lady
with the black eyes, after a little
whispering with the other young
ladies, made a sudden dart. forward,
and putting her arm around Mr.
°i~‘f“'i~k`s neck, saluted him affec-
tionately on the left cheek: and be-
fore Mr. Pickwick distinctly knew
li -is me matt/er, he was sur-
rounded by the whole body, and
kissed by every one of them.
It was a pleasant thing to see Mr.
Pickwick in the centre of the group.
and pulled this way. and then that.
and first kissed on the chin. and
then on the nose, and then on the
spectacles. and to hear the peals of
laughter which were raised on every
side; but it was a still more pleasant
thing to see Mr. Pickwick. blinded
shortly afterwards with a silk hand-
kerchief. falllnz no against the wall,
and scrambling into corners, and
going through all the mysteries ot'
blindman's buff, with the utmost. re-
lish for the game, until nt last he
caught. one of the poor relations.
The Dickerfs
, Fellowship
Ono of thc most. remarkable tri-
butes to the influence of Dickens is
the amazing growth of the Dickens
Fellowship founded in London. Eng-
land, by some of the novelists' ad-
mirers tt comparatively few years
ago. Branches of the Fellowship
are found all over the world where
English-speaking people foregathcv.
Apart from the study of Dickens'
works the members are united ill
furthering the ideals of social re-
form which he had so much at
heart; arid at Christmas time,
where there is a Branch of the Fei-
lowshlp, the members will befound
aiding, in particular. orphaned chil-
dren, especially cripples, out oi' love
for the memory of 'I‘lny Tim, of "A
Christmas Carol,” 'Dickens' most
widely known and most loved ohild
character. In Canada Branches of
the Fellowship have been establish-
ed in Montreal, Toronto. Winnipeg,
Nanaimo and Vancouver. In the
United States the Branches are as
follows:-New York, Boston, Phila-
delphia, Pittsburg, Bethlehem, Naz-
areth, Chicago. Old Town Orono,
Maine; Chester, Pa.: Seattle, Sierra
Madre, Passadena, Los Angeles, East
Bay, Cal.; and Everett, Wash.
if he has had a good catch.
All naval salutes are given in odd
numbers-for luck. The minute gun
is the only even-numbered salute.
Never point with your finger at a
ship nt sea, use the whole hand,
otherwise it means ill-luck for those
on board.
Christmas Abides
- By Maud B. Little.
Onc starry night long, long ago
when all the air was chili
There shone a light in beauty bright
Athwart the silent hill.
And shepherds there who watched
with care
Behold the heavenly sight.
Which brighter glows each year that
goes
Retonchlng earth with glory,
Gliding with gold and love untold
The same sweet Christmas story.
And as they still affrighted stood
Sweet music fell from heaven
As angel voice bade all rejoice
0'er Christ, a Saviour given.
And as they sang the chorus rang
Far over Judean plain
Till every cllme this Christmas time
Re-echoes the glad refrain.
Then in the east the wise men there,
Who longed their Lord to see.
Saw from afar a brilliant star,
Arise in majesty. ' -
Then followed they along the way
with iaith and napa that cling
As up we climb to heights sublime
To worship the nev/-born King.
And now again u- little fires burn
We come. dear Lord, to thee
For clearer sight of visions bright
That thou wouid'st have us nee.
Atune each ear thy word to hear,
And lead us sion; Thy way.
Open Thou each heart as we apart
' Bring to Thee our-‘gifts today.
, .A Christmas Carol
"Come," said Wardle. "a song-a
Christmassong. I'll give you one,
in default of a better." -“Pickwick
Papers."
I care not for spring: on his fickle
wing
Let the blossoms and buds be borne;
He woos them amain with his
treacherous rain,
And he scatters them ere the morn.
An inconstant elf, he knows not
. himself.
Or his own changing mind an hour,
He'll- smile in your face. and. with
wry gimace.
He'll wither your youngest flower.
Let. the summer sun to his bright
nome run,
I-Ie shall never be sought by me.
When he‘s dimmed by a cloud I can
laugh aloud.
And care not how sulky he be.
For his ‘darling child is the madness
w ld.
Thai: sports in fierce fever‘s train;
And when love is too strong, it
don't last long,
As many have found to their pain.
A mild harvest night. by the tran-
quil moon.
Has a far sweeter sheen, for me, I
ween,
Than the broad and unblushing
noon.
But every leaf awakens my Srief,
As it lieth beneath the tree;
So let autumn air be never so fair,
It by no means agrees with me.
not my song I'il troll out, for christ-`
i ml-B Bl.0\|li»
The l....,.._,,~...e true and the bold;
A bumper I drain, and with might
and main
Give three cheers for this Christmas
old.
We'll usher him in with a merry din
That. shall gladden his joyous heart.
And we'll keep him up. while i.herc's
bite or sup.
And in fellowship good wen] pg;-t_
In his fine honest pride. he soorns
to hide
One jot of his hard-weather scars:
There's no disgrace, for theres much
the same trace
On the cheeks of our bravest tara.
Then again I sing till the roof doth
ring,
And it echoes from wall to wall-
To the stout old wight. fair wel-
come tonight
As the King of the seasons alll
_ __ SANCTUARY _
Let. us put. by some hour of everyday
For holy things, whether it be when
dawn
Peers through the window pane or
when the noon
Flames like a burnished topaz in
- the vault. ~
Or when the thrush pours in the
ear of eve .
Its piaintive monody - some little
_hour .
Wherein to hold rapt convene with
the soul
From sordidness and self a sanctu-
HW.
Swept. by the wlnnowing of unseen
- wings
And touched by the white light in-
etfable.
K -Ollnlon Bcollard.
“Christmas time! That man must
be n minnthropo indeed, in whose
breast something like a jovial feel-
ing is not roused-in whose mind
some pleasant suoéiations are not
awakened-by the recurrence of
Chl'|l¢m|.l."-“Sketches by B01."
Special interest is attached to the
above quotation u it is the earliest
reference to Christmas in the writ-
ings of Dickens. The futher, fo
pandy his own words, of n long,
long line of brilliant allusions to
Christmas time.
MR.. F'EZZIWIG'S BALL
From “A Ghrlxtmas Carol.”
Old Fezziwig laid down his pen,
and looked up_s.t. the clock, which
pointed to the hour of seven. He
rubbed~hls hands: adjusted his cap-
acious waistcoat; laughed all over
himself, from his shoes to his organ
of benevolence, and called out in a
comfortable, oily, rich, fat, jovial
voicez- Y
"Yo ho, there! Ebenezer! Dick!
Yo ho, my boysl No more work to-
night., Christmas Eve, Dick. Christ-
mas, Ebenezer. Let's have the shut-
ters up," cried old Fezzlwig, witha.
sharp clap of his hands, "befbre a
manrcan say Jael: Robinson!"
You wouldn‘is believe how those
two fellows went at it! They charged
into the street with the shutters-
one, two, three-had 'em up in their
places.-Four, five, six--barred and
pinned ‘em-seven, eight nine-and
came back before you could have got
to twelve. panting like racehorses.
"Hilli-hot" cried old Fezziwig,
skipping down from the high desk
with wonderful agility. "Clear away,
my lads, and let/s have lots of room
here! Hiiii-ho, Dick! Chlrrup up,
Ebenezeri"
Clear away! There was nothing
thaw wmildn't have cleared away, or
couldn’t have cleared away; with old
Fezziwig looking on. It. was done in
a minute. Every movable was pack-
ed off, as if it were dismissed from
public life for evermore; the floor
was swept and wal/ered. the lamps
were trimmed, fuel was heaped upon
the fire; and the warehouse was as
snug. and warm, and dry, and bright
a ball-room, as' you would desire to
see upon a wini.er's night.
In came a fiddler with a music-
book. and went up to the lofty desk,
and made an orchestra of it, and
tuned like fifty stomach-aches. In
came Mrs. Fezzlwig, one vast sub-
stantlal smile. In came the three
Misses Fezziwig, beaming and lov-
able. In came the six young follow-
ers whose hearts they broke. In
came all the young men and women
employed in the business. In came
the housemaid with her cousin, thc-
bakcr. In came the cook, with her
brothel-'s particular friend, the milk-
man. In came the boy from over
the way. who was suspected of not
havingboard enough from his mas-
ter; trying to hide himselxbchinci
the girl froln next door but I e, who
was proved to have had her ears
pulled by her mistress. In they all
came, one after arlother;“some shy-
ly, some boldly.. some gracefully.
some awkwardly, some pushing,
some pulling; in they all came, any-
how and everyhow. Away they all
went, twenty couples at once: hands
half round and back again the other
way; down the middle and up again;
round and round, in various stages
of affectionate grouping; old top
couple always turning up in the
wrong place; new top couple start-
ing off again, as soon as they got
there; all top couples at last and not
a. bottom one to help them! When
this result was brought about, old
Fezziwig, clapping his hands to stop
the dance, cried Out.. “Well done!"
and the fiddler plunged his hot. face
into a pot oi’ porter, especially pro-
vided for that purpose.
There were more dances. and there
were forfelts. and more dances, and
there was cake, and there was ncgus.
and there was a. great piece of cold
roast., and there was a great piece of
cold boiled. and there were mince
pies and plenty of beer. Bgt the
great effect of/the evening came af-
ter thc roast and boiled, when th/e
fiddler (an artful dog, mind! the
sort of man who knew his business
better than you or I could have told
it hlml) struck up "Sir Roger de
Coverley.” Then old Fezaiwig stood
up to dance with Mrs. Fezziwlg. Top
couple, boo; with a good stiff piece
of work cut out for them; three or
four-and-twenty pair of partners:
people who wre not to be trifled
with; people who would dance, and
had no notion of walking..
But if they had been twice Ts
many-ah, four times-old Fezaiw g
would have been a match for them.
and so would Mrs. Fezziwig. As bo
her. sho was worthy to be his part-
ner in every sence af the term. If
that's not high praise, tell me hizh-
er, and I'll use it. A positive light.-
appenred toilssue from Fezziwig’s
calves. They sl-lone in every part of
the dance like moons. You oouldn'i;
have predicted. at any given time.
what would become ol them next.
And when old ibuiwis and Mrs.
Fezziwlg had gone all through the
dance-advance, and retire, both
hands to your partner, bow and
curtsey. oorkloraw. f thread-and-
needle. and bsokngain to your place
-Feaziwi| “cut”--cut so deftly, that
he appeared to wink with his legs,
and oamo upon his feet. again with
a sinner. -
When the clock 'struck elevem,t.his
domestic ball broke up. Mr. and
Mn. -Foniwig .took their stations,
one on either |ide.bf'1ln"door, and
tihikinp hands with every person in-
dividually ns he or she went. out, »
wilneci mm or hu- A Merry Christ-
mas. When everybody had retired
but the .two 'pr¢ntioes, they did the
some to them: and thu: the cheer-
ful voices -died awdy; and the lads
were left to their bode: which were
under l counter in the back shop.
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