The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1868-12-26
OUR CHRISTMAS TURKEY.

I'm DrowS OF prayer blessing pour,
And give, with full assurance blest,
The weary heart of Freedom rest
OUR CHRISTMAS TURKEY.
1t was Christmas Eve, and our little
drawing-room looked snug and bright
as IL room could look 1t was not by
anv means difficult apartment to light,
being something less than fourteen feet
square, the spacious bow-window not
included, and, execrable as is suburban
gas, YOU might have seen to read the
most dimly printed penny paper in our
most distant corner But small as was
the room, it was the sort of evening
that would have made YOU instinctively
draw your chair close up to the cheer
full fire that went blazing up the Lilipu-
tain chimney. BY the way it crac-
kled, YOU could tell there was bitter
frost outside YOU might have guessed
it. too, by the marked difference of tenn
peraturc you experienced in the aforc-
said bow-window. Suburban window
frames would hardly carry off gold
medals at universal exhibitions as tri-
umphs of mcnuiseric 1t was, indeed,
most reasonable weather for any one
who had a snug roof overhead, and
credit with his coal-merchant and trades
people generally With these and an
easy mind, the intense cold without
ought to have given but kccner zest
to the quiet enjoyment within.
Unfortunately the minds of both my
wifi. and myself were much disturbed
The fortunes of the morrow depended
on the events of the night; and We
were waiting expcctant, in all the fever
ish anxiety of wishes unsatisfied and
hopes deferred.
Nine o'clock striking, John. Well,
if it does not come in another hour l
give it up"
After ALL" said l. affecting a conf
dence was very far from feeling, the
railway companies must have a great
deal to do tonight. Upon my word,
now that l think of it, it's much more
likely that they will deliver it the first
thing tomorrow"
Nonsense, John. You know that
Uncle Wurzel said it should be here by
Christmas Eve at latest, and he is quite
sure to have kept the safe side, and
sent if off in time"
1t was our Christmas turkey that
was in qucstion,-ours by promise and
by gift, at least; although doubts,
shadowy at first, had gone on gradually
assuming consistency and shape, until
we had nearly arrived at the conclusion
elsc's by right of capture. My wife's
uncle, old Mr.. Wurzel of Westrepps,
had promised to contribute to our
Christmas dinner one of the primcst of
his celebrated breed of Norfolk turkeys.
In the hospitality of our hearts we had
Immediately taken steps accordingly.
The fatted turkey being, as we fond
" imagined, provided, we had immed-
lately hidden the guests to come and
feast ON him. Our little bridegroom
was but a small edition to the drawing
room and even when four chairs were
arranged round its dwarf table, there
was but scant SPACE left for the evolu-
tions of our plump maid-servant. So
the invitations issued were perforce
limited to two: these were addressed,
srst to my friend Qnilter, whose artl-
Giles to an eminent solicitor had just eX,
pired. and who was looking about
him. with d view to starting on his
own account; .sccondly, to my wife's
cousin Palette, jealous artist, who
hoped one day to take high rank as an
historical painter, and who meantime
lost no opportunity of making study
ofthc passions. Quilter, as l knew,
had thrown over several other engage
ments to come to us, for he had told me
so; and as for Palette, he was the
most frank of men, and had had small
scruple in intimating to us that he look
ed forward with at least as much plea
sure to meeting with the Westrepps
turkey as to the reunion with his cous-
in and her husband.
For Wcstrcpps is and has from time
immemorial been famed for its turkeys
and Mr.. Wurzel has made reputation
by them, az his ncighbor, the late Lord
Leicester, has done by his sheep. In
autumn you see then, trooping by hun.
dreds over the wheat stubble, and
through the riek-yaris among the fall.
ing grains They pass o brief but a
happy life in that Norfolk Eden, gor.
ging and rcgorging theirportly persons
When cut down in their golden prime
and despatched to the London market
they enjoy a posthumous triumph az
the browning glories Of the choicest
stalls in Leadenhall Roasted. and re
posing on monster dish, ovcrbcaFia:
in death as in life, they almost elbow
the less substantial fare from modest
sized table and next day, when it re
appears grilled and pcppcred, the YER.
thigh has more substance to show thai
a leg of black-faccd Welsh NATION. NJ
wonder, then, with so much at stake
that we felt anxious and depressed
We felt that our looked-for CUES
sho,nd not arrive in TING. we shonl'
have but blank board and blank face
round it at our little Christmas merry
making.
How we longcd and listened as eac|
football on the pavement echoed clea
and loud in the frosty air! How W
hoped that it might pause, and turning
in at our little doorway, be followed b,
the peal of the changing bell. Thank
to the liberal arrangements at st. Maj
tin's-lc-Grand, We had postal deliver.