CHAPTER V 



Christmas iit the seat of 'aline ohl English t;ent]einan,' wiLli its ai)propriate 

 accompaniments— good company, good ciieer, and good sport. 



The month of December, despite of frost and snow, is a 

 cheerful month in tlie house of a country gentleman whose 

 means are large, and consequently Christmas and its festivities 

 were well kept up at the Abbey. Even customs of monkish 

 introduction were observed, and the interior of the mansion 

 was decorated with Iiolly branches, from the fine mirrors in 

 the saloons, to the stewpans and crockery in the kitchen. 

 Neither was the mistletoe forgotten, under the magic shade of 

 which not a female in the establishment, from the governess 

 to the kitchen-maid, escaped the usual and generally repeated 

 salutation of Frank Raby in this season of licence and con- 

 viviality, his brother Andrew taking a part in the scene, but 

 selecting a chosen few. 



Ale had been brewed for the occasion, and there was little 

 limit to the drawing of it, short of actual abuse ; it being the 

 wish of Mr. Raby that the hearts of his dependants should be 

 gladdened, in proportion to his means of gladdening them, at 

 this festive season. 



It is now a commonplace observation, ' How little remains 

 that poverty and innocence can partake of ' ; and we have 

 legislators who, if they could, would make that little less ; but, 

 happily for the people, such was not the case in the times to 

 whicli I allude. The dance round the maypole, on May-day, 

 or on the village green, at Whitsuntide,— the harvest-home 

 supper, the bonfires of November, and the good cheer of 

 Christmas, were looked for and enjoyed as surely as the seasons 

 arrived, and the contributions to these indulgences, from all 

 the family at the Abbey, were at all times liberal. 



The sirloins of beef, the mince-pies, and plum-puddings, the 

 wine and ale, eaten and drunk under its roof, were in perfect 



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