Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-12-25
fact that much of our ballad and LEGEND

10ct that much OF our ballad and Legend
ary lore has been learnt rirl! vocc, and
handed down from generation to genor-
alton.
Christmas jewellers in the "eood da
times" must have hud rqre ligestbr
if We may judge from the following
sample of rbill' Of fare served up in !.
baronal hail.
"Mogshcals of honey. kilrrkns of mustard;
Mutt"ns aud tatted tccvcs and bacon swine
H,rnns aud bttcrls, pcacocks. swals and bstar.ls
vea' malla'''' pigeons wi''yr"n,; and, in fine.
Rum buildings, pancakes, aIrr-I'i.'s, and cus.nrds
| And "ithal, they urluk good <;ascnn wiur,,
| y it'll mead and ale and cider Of own;
| For porter, punch, and rcCyis were not knowr.
| All s"'r,s Of people there were seen together,
! All snris OF characters, all sorts Of dresses:
ThS tool with i"x's tail AMI pcac"rk's fc thrr,
Pilgrims and l"nilcnts aud grave hnryesser:
| The country people with their coats of leather,
. |intncrs and victuallcrs with cans and lncs<es;
t'r""m's, a'chrrs, varlcls ialc"ncrs, and .roncn;
Datnsrls and waiting maids and waiting worn,r."
Truly, cn",lgI, to dine an army corps:
| Ii We art to credit the rhapsn.lirs of
Stowe and llolnshcu. cooks in those
| days were paragOns, and Il wtll-driilcl
army in the kitchen is hall tho battle
i'll preparing feast. AS Sam Weller
observed Of thcluratpies, s. the season.
| ing docs it.
| No mcancr crraturcs-scaE 'cln all
iiy fire their food prepare;
Man is the cooking animal,
The harper in the days known as the
"good old times" and Christmas
times in particular, was battered by an
attentive audience when he discussed,
as Shelley has it,
1.-THE melody OF All old air, soft or than sleeps"
or told of the doughty deeds of Sir
Topas, Bevis OF southampton, Guy of
Warwick, Adam Bell, or Clym of the
Clongh. Alas, the good old times are
ever on the retreat and that there
never was such Il Christmas as the last, :"
is well-known truism. The fool, too,
Ready in gibes. quick answered, saucy and
u veritable ''Wamba the son of Witless,"
excited mirth by his lively sallics upon
the
"Dsmsels and waiting maids and waiting woman,
and voted by one and all "too per-
streperous saucc-box." The squire
and his family mingled in the amuse
ments, surrounded by guests and de-
pendents, beloved by all, the beau
ideat of the English country gentle
man
Good to the poor, to kindred DEAR,
Toservants kind, to friendship clear"
while the squire's lady,
"A woman in her freshest age,
OfWondrOus beauty and Of bounty rare,
With Goodly grace and comedy parsonage"
had gracious salutation for all, as,
leaning on the arm Of her liege lord,
| she passed down the hail, about to be
given over to the mirth Of the bolster
GUS household. The heir to the old
estates
g A comely youth to zee,
] With curling locks and forehead high,
And flashing cheek and flashing eye %
stayed behind in order to put in practice
certain druidical ceremonies Nunder
the mistletoe bough," the willing victim
being a
| Beauty ripe as harvest"
The unhappy wren used to be an
object of persecution on Christmas day.
Please, boys, don't be hard on him this
year:
"Although hes small, his family's great" etc.
It would be too much to suggest,
"leave off crab-setting, springes, and
figure of-four;" think Of the time when
.Shepards watch'd their nocks by night,
| All seated on the ground"
and content yourselves with singing
"God bless you, merry gentlemen!
Let nothing you dismay;
Remember Christ our Saviour
| Was born on Christmas-tlay."
CADWALLADER WADDY.