The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-12-18

from the ceiling. On the wide, deep
hearth blazed whole tree-that was
yule log, indeed There were games,
and jest, and laughter enough, prom
Use you Then the great wassail-cup
was brought in flied with hot spiced
ale, and every one drank from it in turn,
crying, 'Waes hazel, Sir Christmas 7
And then the waits came and stood be-
meath the windows-boys and girls from
the neighboring village-and sang the
strange, sweet old carol which their
forefathers had sung in days long gone
by"
ooh, that must have been fne!" ex-
claimed Willie, sitting up in his excite
ment, and forgetting how cold it was
outside OF his patchwork quilt. Cant
you sing it to me, old North Wind?"
I'm rather hoarse from that last
blo," answered the wind, =" but I'll try.
Ahem! hum alum
''Noel, Noel Noel,
Who is there that singeth Noel?
$3.50 it is I, Sir Christmas;
Welcome, my masters, more or less
Come, in Christmas
- God DE WI you, sirs. I've tidings sure
Christ is bsrn of virgin pure,
In stable He is laid.
Now sing ye. aud be naught afraid,
| Noel Noeln" a
"That was beautiful !" cried Willie,
his blood tingling in his veins with de-
light at the mystic, quaint words and
melody. "And what happened after
that ?"
"The old baron opened the window
and threw out great handful of silver
money, and wished them merry Christ
mas. Upon which they all cried out
together Merry Christmas, and God
save you, my lord and my lady
"Then they went away, and / blew
myself off. Twenty-Five old witches
on broomsticks were waiting for me to
give them lift, which did, clear over
the moon, from whence they won't get
back again in hurry; and then, be-
fore you can count ten, was in an old
town in the heart of Germany.
"What Jolly rout was there, to be
sure My crony, the moon, was shin
ing bright and lustrous, making the
white snow look winter. Sledges full
of joyous youths and maidens were
dashing to and fro, their sleigh-bells
singing out thousand merry chimes !;
the shop windows, blazing with light,
were crowded with beautiful presents.
On the frozen river throngs of skaters
were gliding and flashing past each
other, or all came together in general
upset, amid roars of laughter.
But the rarest sight was the old
burgomaster's house. In the saloon
stood great tree. Hundreds of tapers
cleaned and sparkled among its boughs,
which were filed with books, toys, and
gilded nuts. Two or three lovely young
ladies were still busy adding to its
treasures.
"'There, 1 think everything is done,
1 heard one of them say. The next
moment the great folding-doors were
opened wide, and in rushed such a
crowd of children and after them the
rest of the family and all the servants
dressed in their best. And such clat-
ter and blatter began! 1 could not
have made myself heard if 1 had roared
nay loudest
'Ach, sch0n ! dch, uunder- schOn ?
Ooh, beautiful wonderfully beautiful }
they were all shouting at once. as I
took myself away, and I dare say they
are shouting, 'Ach, Schon p yet"
ooh, dear how should like to have
been there " sighed Willie. 81 like
that better than the other one. I wish
grandma and could have a real merry
Christmas. But / may as well give up
wishing. It will never happen, IknoW. y
"Hist |" shrieked the north wind.
"You haven't heard all. After left
Germany blew away like great guns
across the sea, for / had to come here
with my cousin Jack Frost, who is
making your little round button of 6
nose as red as beet this very minute
If you don't stick it under the quilt, ht
will have it off before morning, per
haps."
/ Willie clapped his finger and thumb
to his nose in hurry to see if it wa
all there, and then nesting under tn
quilt, he cried eagerly:
"Well, go ahead, old North Wind
3 and tell me what you saw out at sea.
l 81 saw ship" answered the wind
, "swaying, surging, struggling amid tn
Q great ink. black waves. 1t seemed as i
the least of those huge watery wall
J., rolling over would overwhelm her, bu
i the sturdy helmsman, calm and fearless
stood at the wheel and kept her on he
g course. And when the night watc
e came near grumbling because it was s
cold, he only cried heartily, Christina
It Eve, mates cheer upl The night can
last forever. and tomorrow is tn
@ blessed Christmas morning."
s at won't be for me-" said the lister
ing boy, with long, deep sigh.
:, Willie !" cried the wind, with tn
e time reproachful tone in its roa
l. Willie, for shame Never give u
your faith in the goodness of God WI
3, made us both AS sure as you 81
s. curled up warm in that trundle-bed,
t, ship came across the ocean for go
p three days ago. helped blow it ov
Is the sea, and am now blowing the drift
d from the cottage-door so that yo1
le merry Christmas can come In"
in "Mine what is it, what is it ~ cri,
TO Willie, bouncing clear out of bed.
&c "Never you mind now it's comm
i tell you, as sure as my name is Nor
Wind Far Good-niOht." and awav