Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1855-01-26

ment like this, in dear Old England, as of the
fat oyster in the American story, that it takes
good many men to swallow it whole.
And pray, ma am, said /, sensible that
the blankncss of my face began to brighten
as thought occurred to me, could one see
these Travellers
Well she returned obviously no! Not
tonight, for instance = said I. Well she
returned more positively no. Nobody ever
asked to see them, and nobody ever did see
them.
As am not easily banked in design
when am set upon it, urged to the good
lady that this was Christmas Eve; and that
Christmas comes but once a year---which is
unhappily too true, for when it begins to stay
with us tho whole year round we shall make
this earth very different place. that was
possessed by the desire to treat the Travel
lers to supper and temperate glass of hot
Wassail that the voice of Fame had been
heard in the land declaring my ability to
make hot Wassail that if | were permitted
to hold the feast, should be found conform
able to reason sobriety, and good hours in
word. that could be merry and wise my
self, and had been even known at pinch to
keep others 70, although | was decorated with
no badge or medal and was not a Brother Ora
tor, Apostle, Saint, Prophet Of any de-
nomination whatever. In the end prevailed.
to my great Joy. 1t was settled that at nine
O'Clock that night Turkey and a piece of
Roast Beef should smoke upon the board -
and that ], fuint and unworthy minister for
once of Master Richard Watts should preside
as the Christmas-supper host of the six Poor
Travellers.
went back to my inn, to give the necessa.
ry directions for the Turkey and Roast Beef,
and, during the remainder of the day, could
settle to nothing for thinking of the Poor
Travellers. When the wind blew hard against
the windows-it was a cold day, with dark
gusts ofsleet alternating with periods of wild
brightness, as if the year were dying titiully
Il pictured them advancing towards their
resting place along various cold roads, and
felt delighted to think how little they ioresaw
the supper that awaited them. | painted
their portraits in my mind, and INDUCED in
little heigthening touches. | made them
footsore; | made them weary; | made them
carry packs aud bundles /; | made them stop
by finger posts and milestones, leaning on their
bent sticks, and looking wistfully at what was
written there | made them lose their way,
and filled their five wits with apprehenslons
Of lying out all night, and being frozen to
death. | took up my hat and went out,
looked over the windy hills that 5ise sopse d6MHaa gHa
to the Medway almost believing that could
descry some of my Travellers in the distance
After it fell dark, and the Cathedral bell was
heard in the invisible steeple-quite q bower
of frosty rime when had last seen it-strik-
ing five, six, seven became so full of my
Travellers that could eat no dinner, and felt
constrained to watch them still, in tho red
Goals Of my fire They were all arrived by
this time thought, had got their tickets,
and were gone ln There my pleasure was
dashed by the reflection that probably some
Travellers had come too late aud were shut
out
After the Cathedral bell had struck eight,
| co uld smell delicious SAVIOUR of Turkey
and Roast Roof rising W the window of nv
adjoining bedroom. which looked down into
tie iun-yard. just where the lights of the
Kitchen Redeemed massive fragment of the
Gastle wall. 1t was high time to make the
Wassall now ; therefore laid up the mate
rials (Which, together with their proper
hons and combinations. 7 must decline
to impart as the only secret Of my own | was
ever known to keep,) and made a glorious
iorum. Not in bowl-for a bowl, anywhere
but on shelf, is low superstition iraught
~ith cooling and slopping-but, i'll brown
earthenware pitcher, tenderly suiiocated
when full with a coarse cloth. 1t being now
upon the stroke Of nine, l set out for Watts's
Charity, carrying my brown beauty in my
arms | would trust Ben the waiter. with
untold gold-but, there arc strings in the
human heart which must never be sounded
by another: and drinks that | make myself
are those strings in mine.
The Travellers were all assembled; the cloth
was laid, and Ben had brought great billet
of wood, and laid it artlully on the top OF
the fire, 80 that a touch or two of the poker
after supper should make a roaring blaze
Having deposited my brown beauty in red
nook of the hearth inside the fender, where
she soon began to sing like an ethereal crick-
ct, diHusing at the same time odOrs as Of
ripe vineyards, spice forests and orange
groves--l say, having stationed my beauty
in place Of security and improvement, in
troduced myself TO my guests by shaking
hands all around, and giving them a hearty
welcome.
found the party to be thus composed -
Firstly, myself. Secondly, very decent man
indeed, with his right arm in sling, who
had certain clean, agreeable smell Of wood
about him, from which judged him to have
something to do with ship building. Third
ly, a little sailor boy, mere child, with a
profusion of rich dark brown hair, and deep
womanly looking eyes. Fourthly, shabby
genteel parsonage in threadbare black suit,
and apparently in very bad Circumstances,
with dry, suspicious look the absent but
tons on his waistcoat eked out with red tape;
and bundle of extraordinarily tattered pa
pers sticking out of an inner breast pocket
Filthy, foreigner by birth, but an English
man IN speech, who carried his Pipe in tho
band of his hat, and lost no time in telling
me, in AL c-sy, simple. engaging way, that
lie was matchmaker from Geneva, and trav-
eled all about the continent. mostly on foot =,
working as journeyman, and seeing new
countries-possialy Il thought) also SNUG
a yru trh nr nd hon.
little widow, who had been very pretty,
and was still very young, but whose beauty
had been wrecked in somo great misfortune,
and whose manner was remarkably timid
scared and solitary. Seventhly, and lastly,
Traveller of kind familiar to my boyhood,
but now almost obsolete--a Book Pedlar-
who had quantity of Pamphlets and Num-
bers with him, and who presently boasted
that no could repeat more verses in an eve
ming than he could sell in twelvemonth,
All these have mentioned, in the order in
which they sat at table, | presided, and the
natronly presence faced mo. We were not
long in taking our places, for the supper had
arrived with Inc, in the following procession;
Myself with the pitcher,
Ben with Beer
insttontive Boy with hot InattentiYe Boy with hot
plates platos,
r., THE TURKEY,
emale carrying eauces to be heated on the spot.
% THE BEEF,
| Man with Tray on hi, head, containing Vegetable,
| and sundries.
| volunteer hostler from Hotel, grinnipg,
and rendering no assistance,
As we passed along the High-street, Comet
like, we left a long tail of fragrance behind
us which causod the public to stop, smiling
in wonder. We had previously left at the
corner of the inn yard, a wall-oyed young
man connected with the Fly department, and
well accustomed to the sound of railway
whistle, which Ben always carries in his
pocket whose instructions were, so soon at
ho should hear tho whistle blown, to dash in.
to the kitchen, seize the hot plum pudding
and mince pics and speed with them toWatts's
Charity; wherc they would be received (ht
was further instructed) by the female
who would be provided with brandy in blue
! state OF cumbus stion