Christmas in the Old Log Cabin. 



branches that went out from it. As for the women indoors, 

 were they not also as one? 



At half past twelve dinner was called, and what a rich 

 blending of odors arose from that table as we seated ourselves 

 around it ! Plateful after plateful disappeared ; each new dish 

 received a heartfelt compliment from some of the pleased 

 guests. When at last the feast was ended the men folk went 

 out to inspect the stock, compare crop results, and talk over 

 their plans for the next year's work. The women took hold 

 and helped to "clear the table." Amid the rattle of dishes and 

 merry laughter the task was a light one and the dishes were 

 soon put away in the old home-made cupboard. 



As soon as we could slip away from the dinner table, we 

 youngsters took the home-made hickory sleds and went to the 

 big hill behind the barn. There is no need to tell our younger 

 readers what we did there, but the afternoon passed so quickly 

 that darkness was upon us before we knew it. As we trudged 

 up the hill for the last time, with ears, feet, and fingers tingling, 

 we were a happy group. Happier far than many city-bred 

 children who had received rich gifts. Health, contentment and 

 innocent amusement, are the great necessities of pleasure ; and 

 who were blessed with more of these than we on that bright 

 Christmas day? 



Then came night with its silvered mid-winter mantle, al- 

 ways the sweetest part of the day in a country home. Every- 

 one gathered in the big room, old and young together. Dry 

 logs were piled high on the andirons, the flames and sparks 

 danced up the chimney, lighting up the circle of happy faces 

 within its warm glow. While we were popping corn our elders 

 were relating the family history of the year and exchanging 

 news items that had been gathered since the last reunion. 

 Newspapers and other periodicals were not as cheap and plen- 

 tiful then as now, and these gatherings were a sort of neigh- 

 borhood newspaper. They were freer from crime and scandal 

 and therefore more wholesome literary food for the young mind 

 than mifch of the cheap trash that now falls into their hands. 



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