10 tiHO-ST OF CHIUSTMAS. 



ed dim and faint. On his return, a momentary silence assured him 

 th.it his altered manner was not unnoticed. This thought put the 

 old boy on his metal ; and with an attempted bacchanal air for spite 

 of himself, there was a nervous puckering of his lips, and his left 

 hand fumbled blindly about the table he seized a silver-hooped flag- 

 gon, and dared any man to quaff with him. Draining it to the bot- 

 tom, he called out for the dance, and catching about the waist a 

 pretty piece of womanhood, he challenged any younker to tire him 

 down. Thus old Christmas carried off his care, for care was in his 

 vitals, though he forced laughter into his face. 



The winter waned into spring the spring flourished into sum- 

 mer the summer ripened into autumn the fields are reaped, the 

 weeks pass on, the holiday of old Christmas is here again. Well, once 

 more the board is spread. Why, it is not so long as it was wont to 

 be : no nor are there so many feasters ; and, dear heart, old Master 

 Christmas never looked so pale. He sees that folks are staring at 

 him, and grows fidgetty. The revellers are seated ; and now, in- 

 deed, we see how spare the numbers. Where can be all the neigh- 

 bours the flocks of friends welcome at the feasting of Christmas ? 

 There seems scarcely one that is not of the old fellow's blood that 

 is not some branch, some sucker of the household holly tree. And 

 the fare it is very good, extremely good but there is certainly not 

 half the proportion of former times ; no, nor is the banquet half so 

 good in quality : the meats are surely not so delicate, and the wine is 

 certainly poorer. What can have caused all this change ? te Rat- 

 tat." At the sound, Old Christmas turns pale down to the very tip 

 of his nose. It cannot be another traveller, for three have already 

 asked and enjoy the hospitality of the roof. No ; again, again it is 

 the phantom. The spectre enters, with his eternal phial, quill, and 

 look ; and nodding knowingly to Old Christmas, again retires with 

 him into his private cabinet. As usual, the stay of the visitor is but 

 short. Christmas returns to the table, his face blanker than ever, 

 with a sickly smile struggling to get the better of his features. For 

 the first time a long sigh escapes him ; and, at that very sigh, the 

 eye of Fancy believes it sees the holly leaves on the head of Christ- 

 mas grow dull and parched, and the berries turn like discoloured 

 wax ; nay, the very wines on the table seem on a sudden as dashed 

 with water, the meats look dry and shrivelled, and the crust of the 

 mince-pie a wondrous omen untouched fell in ! 



Thus, for many years the feast of Christmas came and passed, 

 and as it came, the phantom, grinning more rapaciously at every visit, 

 darkened the doors of the once jovial reveller ; and as the spectre 

 went away, it was remarkable that he carried with him some of the 

 former spirit of the old man, who no longer gave the profuse ban- 

 quets which had heaped honour on his name, but dealt out his feasts 

 carefully, though just sufficiently. Besides, in all these declensions 

 the way-farer was never turned from the door ; though the invited 

 visitors were few, the chance traveller was never refused. It would 

 have violated the religion it would have broken the heart of Old 

 Christmas, to close his gate against the weary plodder, leaving him 

 to the snows and storm. 



