Winter Festivities 



Arrived at home, a capital fire was soon roaring 

 in the stove, and we ended a memorable Christmas 

 Day by speedily rolling ourselves into our blankets 

 and sinking into forgetfulness even of the glorious 

 dinner we had partaken of ; for be it remembered 

 that the enjoyment of an elaborate dinner is 

 an epoch-making event in the life of many a 

 lonely settler. 



Here is an extract from a letter of Bob's to 

 his people in the Old Country with which the 

 writer was good enough to favour me : " We 

 have been having a lovely time two nights run- 

 ning, one at H G 's and the next at 



E G 's. We have had a simply lovely 



Christmas. I thought of all you people at home, 

 and hoped you were having as good a time as 

 we were. We had everything Christmassy and 

 jolly— gramophone and organ, games, lots of 

 fruit, the table groaning at the beginning of a 

 meal, and the people sighing with satisfaction 

 at the end." 



Nor should it be forgotten that in nearly every 

 little white schoolhouse on the prairie a good 

 Christmas-tree is provided for the children, and 

 some old settler, decked out as Santa Claus for 

 the occasion, dehghts a lively and appreciative 

 gathering of youngsters. 



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