Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-12-28
Seine Chrlstmas POCtry,

writer in the Catholic World pursues
= very happy vein in considering an old
time English custom. and in :" A Ramble
After the Waits" introduces a batch OF
Christmas poetry. We cannot forbear at this
time selecting from. The writer's intro
duction is full Of good temper. and that
We first Gull
Christmas comes but once year.
So let all be merry"
saith the old song. And now, as the
iestal season draws Ugh. everybody seems
bent on fulfilling the behest to the
uttermosi The streets are gay with
lights and laughter; the shops are all
a-glitter with precious things: the markets
are bursting with good cheer. The air VI
brates with babbie of merry voices, until
the very stars seem to catch the infection
and twinkle thought more brightly. The
faces of those you meet beam with Joyous
expectation huge baskets on their arms,
loaded with good things for the morrow,
jostle and thump you at every turn, but no
one dreams of being ill-natured on Christmas
Eve; mysterious bundles in each hand con-
ones at home. And bark do you not
catch a jingle of distant sleigh bells,
faint, tar-off patter and scrunching of tiny
boois upon the snow? 1t is the good St.
Nicholas setting out upon his merry round;
it is Dasher and Slasher and Prancer and
Vixen scurrying like the wind over the
housetops. And high over all-"the poor
mans music"--the merry, merry bells OF
Yule, the solemn, the sacred bells, peal
forth the tidings Of grea: joy.
The subject is taken up historically, and
shows how over two centuries and a carter
ago the bigots on one side endesvored to
abolish, and did abolish for a short time.
the festival of Christmas. not 20 much be-
cause they did not believe in the Saviour, as
because merriness was not to be allowed at
any time Bot before that, the singers
would be merry themselves. and would
make others merry. even they who were
very strict in religious Observances. Here,
for example, il Christmas Carol, by
George Wither two centuries old:
so now is co : Q our jOy.ul'st feast
Lee every man be Jolly,
Each room with ivy leaves is drest,
And every post with holly.
Though some churls at our mlrth repine.
Round your Iorehoads garlands tWine,
Drown sorrow in q sup Of vino,
And let US all be merry.
Now all our ne ghbors' chimneys smoke,
And Christmas blocks are burning;
Their ovens they with baked meats choke,
And all their spts are turning.
Without the door let SORROW lie;
And flor cold II hap TO die,
We'll hury't in a Christmas pys,
And evermore be merry.
Nov every lad IL wsndrous trim,
And 10 man minds his labor
Our llsses have provided them
Abagppear a tabor.
Young men and maids, and girls and boys,
Give life to one another's joys;
And you anon = all by their noise
Perceive that they arc merry
Nov poor men to the Justice.
With capers make their errants,
And if they hap to fail OF these
They plague them with their warrants.
But now they feed them with good cheer,
And what they want they take in beer,
For Christmas CONES but once year,
And then they shall be merry.
Tho client now his suit forbears,
The prisoners heart is eased,
The debtor drinks away his cares,
And for the time is pleased.
Though others purses be more fat,
Why should we grieve or pine at that
Hang sorrow Care will kill cat
And therefore let's be merry.
'Hark how the ways abroad do call
Each other forth to rambling;
Anon you'll see them In the hall
For nuts and apples serambling.
Hars how The TGoi, with iaaghter sound
For they the eel lars depths have found,
And there they will be merry.
1.-THE wenches with the wassail-bOwls
About the streets are singing;
rhe boys are come to catch the owls.
The wild mare 10 Is bringing
Our Kitchen boy hath broke his box.
And to the kneeling Of the OK
Our honest neighhJrs come by 1Ook.,
And here they will be merry.
"Now kings and queens poor sheep-cotes have,
And mate with every body
The honest now may play the knsvs.
And wise men play at nOddy.
Some youths will now a mummiu: 90,
Some others play n Rowland Doe,
And twenty other gambols moe.
Because they will be merry.
Then wherefore in these merry days
Should We pray, be duller
No. let us sing sOmO rounde lays
To make our mirth the fuller,
And while we thus inspired sing
Let all the streets with echoes ring
Woods and hills and everything
Bear witness we are merry.