102 THE FOREST AND THE FIELD. 



tural shower-bath, to the great relief, I imagined, 

 of the ladies, who good-temperedly were trying to 

 look patient under the infliction ; and all met round 

 the " spread," where, having disposed of our per- 

 sons upon mats and carpets, in the style we are 

 told the ancient Romans adopted under similar cir- 

 cumstances, we did ample justice to our good cheer, 

 which was seasoned with appetite, joviality, and 

 harmony. Sallies of wit flowed with the cham- 

 pagne and sparkling Moselle, calling forth many a 

 smart repartee from the gentler sex ; jest followed 

 jest, and never had the arches of the old forest 

 rung with such peals of merry laughter, or echoed 

 such wild shouts of revelry. Songs, sentimental 

 and comic, succeeded ; and one fair girl warbled 

 some of those touching melodies of auld lang syne 

 with a feeling and expression that went home to 

 every heart, recalling bygone scenes to mind, 

 awakening recollections that for years had slept, 

 and causing tears to glisten in the eye of more than 

 one rough, weather-beaten veteran. After a time 

 a dance was proposed, and the forethought of our 

 master of the ceremonies now showed itself con- 



