The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-11-28

Chanfed BIOW1y end, HOuRuBUH
looking round with tears in her eyes, at this
unexpected response to the suppressed and I'M
defnab1e feelings of her heart. 1t was an I'M
pressive scene, the guests. servants, gardeners,
and few of the cboir-boys, all minelipg in the
impromptu worship well behttiDg the
beautiful work they had In hand. At the end
of the verse. the traveller hastily gained the
ton of tho ladder, and, having fastened the
holly cross in its place. intoned second verse,
in which Miss Houghton Immediately Joined,
and the harmonious blending of their voices
than the unaccomp panied chant of the first
verse. Again the chorus chimed in,
venite adoremus.
venite adoremus.
Venite adotemus Domnum
in fpll. solemn tones, and all sang from their
places. their festoons in their hands, so that at
the end of the hymn the traveller said thought
fnIly to his compsnion Laborare est orare
should be our motto hencsforth. 1 wshall our
land why potr she answered quickly /;
oonl5 wiH it So and so it shall be. We are our
"What rash sayingw he exclaimed, with q
smile; "but know what you mean. God gives
us the tools and the marble; it is ours to carve
At last the chapel decoration WIS over, and q
few of the more venturesome among US went
out in the snow for walk.
MEANWHILE, in the corridor ESQ we call our
favorite sitting-room), the Yule-logs. were
orackling oheerfully on the wide hearth, and
the fitfuf Tongues OF flame shot red glimmer
chairs was said to have belonged to Cardi nal
Woisey, and there was anoother, q circular
arm. chair, that looked as if it also should have
had history connected Win t9e th great and
sessors of Aldred covered the walls, and on the
stained glass upper compartments OF the deep
bay window at one end were depicted the arms
and auarterings Of the family. The Ynlelogs
were oak, cut from our own trees, and perfo-
rated ali over with large holes through which
the flames shot up like fre-sprftes.
ny,1 loy. karv, ofcO
had to be put in order to save time and BILE,
and a stage for tableaux occupied the rapt at
tentiop of the amateur mechanicia (our great
aunt's SOM and of jim the traveller and
nractised faototum. Miss Houghton was never
verv far from the scene of these proceedings,
and, when she was not quite 30 near, Cousin
jim" was not quite so eager; Almost all our
Ghristm as-tree, of which our children had the
nominal charge, and with these gifts and our
own it turned out quite q royal success
mittens, wooden shirts, petticoats, and com
forters., were slowed away beneath the lower
branches, while all visible parts were hung
with the, toys and fruits, lights and ribbons,
were a prominent decoration, and right at the
anex Of the tree was fixed Christ child"
that thoroughly German development, an
image of the Infant Saviour, holding starred
globe in one hand and q standard in the other.
& crcche had also been prepared in the Lady
chapel, life-lke representation of those
heautifll christmas pictures seen TO Bucn Per
fiction in the large churches of Italy. Munich
fgnres supplied the place of wax models,
However, and were q decided Improvement.
| MANY people from the village had asked
! leave TO come in and look at these peculiar
decorations but as few of them were Catho-
| lies. il had been thought better to wait till
the third Mass on Christmas day to open the
chapel to the public. Christmas eve was Il
very busy day, aud towards five o'clock began
| the great task of welcoming the rest of the ex,
pected guests. This was done in no modern
fnbl ion fl,no nFNfu 1loh II, fIrV
| cans apd friece greatcoats, stood near the door
| with resinous torches daring in the still night
ART was quite dark at that early hour-and
the host and hostess welcomed them at the
yery threshold. The children helped them to
take off their wraps, and held mistletoe sprigs
over their Bonded heads as they reached up &c
kiss them. Indeed, mistletoe was 80 plentiful
ly strewn about the house that it was impossi
6le to avoid it, but we had so far eschewed the
free dom of the past as to consider this cnstou
vance The children and the servants, how
ever, made up for our carelessness.
i. Very little toilet was expected for IL sever
plc). bot we found that our we'll meant iujunc
| lions had hardly been obeyed. For the SAX
of the picturesque, so much the better,
thought. One of our friends had actually don
ned a claret colored velvet suit, with slipper
TO match, embroidered with gold I; and, wheI
we looked at each other in silent amusement
, the wearer himself smiled round the circle, say
ing pleasantly:
5oh! do not mind being noticed. In fact,
rather like it-this was a lady's fancy, yor
see"
"Well," answered the Londoner, regula
drawing room pet and "a very clever societ'
lester ~ was challenged to game of billiard
by a fair lady, the Duchess Of. Sh
said to me, And pray do wear something pictu
rescue bowed and said, Your grace shall
be obeyed.' happened to have some loos
cash about me. l could not wear uniform, be
cause did not belong to even the most insi9ni6
cant of volunteer regiments, and went to m!
tailor. His genius was equal to the occa
sion, and this the result. l playe'
with the duchess and she won
the hero of the velvet coat was au in
vincible billiard champion. As l have tn
dress by me, / take the liberty of wearing i
occasionally in the country. 1t is too good t
be hidden, isn't it r
So he ratified on till dinner was announced
1t was o merry but frugal meal. The mine
pies ana pl SoIP S~ar b %Sn ro
nance, were not there; they were reserves
for tomorrow. So with the "wassail bowl,
the fragrant, spirituous beverage of whicl
each one was to Partake, his two neighbor