Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-12-28
AN OLD-TInE CHRISTMAS,
The Celebration of the Festival In Ner.
ry England.

Written for the Free Pressl
THE Bore's Heade in hand brinrI
VITA garands gay and rosemary;
pray you al synge merrly
Sul estIs IN convivio.n
"rhe Bore's Heade understands
is the chefe service in this lapde
Loke wherever II be fande,
Serylte cum cantl?.r
Gould we but roll back the chariot,
wheels of old Father Time and ston thor,,
about the middle of the sixteenth centn.
~, on the eve of Christmas, what n do.
Hghtiully quaint scene would present il,
sell to our eye ! The huge Yule loo
broadly blazing, illuminating Hal, ",
Manor, indicative of the light and WIDE
spread cheer OF the coming week-tb.
boar's head wreathed with rosemarv -,
thyme, the table grooming with y1ands
the fund OF unmixed delight visible IL
the smiling faces of master and snr,o,t
the biithe fresh voices Of the caro-. s;ng'
ing children, gathered in groups around
the door, the "Mummers" with tha;,
grotesque caricatures and equally GRO,
tesque costumes, the "Hobby.borse'
with its attendant Morris. dancers /,
plumed, furbelowed and decked VIII 80 ,
bunting, the "Sund-dancers, " thel"Cbr,si
mas plays, sometimes "mysteriesn hr,
more often "burlesques"- "Wo;ts,
resonant with wild peculiar harmonv in
vest this Christmas of the olden finn,
with q bright poetic aspect.
Everywhere in Castle, Hall md Nforou
friends and retainers are CATHERINE Will
around them mysterious preparations n =.
In full progress. Even the Old castIe IL
SELF IS IN gala dress the coat. arms
over the entrance is wreathed with ana,
greens, while from turret or gohle ~,
Tag gaily unfolds in the evening" bre, ,n'
within, ID some tapestried ebomher
stands the fair and stately dame ~
Lady OF the Manor ROBBED in soms r ;nt
fabric OF old, adorned with rare ;owoI.
and costly laces, the heirloom of Cont,
ries. She awaits the coming Of her Inrd
who, surrounded by dogs and servants !,
Just entering the great arcbed ,ortoI ' 81 II
the courtyard. She descends the noi;sb'
cd Old oak stairs into the great hail bo.
low, whose high paneled walls or;n,
with their many suits of armor md tha
antlered trophies of the chase. time,sta;n'
cd and Wondering, relustrons now vii,
the mistletoe and glossy leayed holly
In the midst of the hall stands n hroo
nr-tree, brilliant with innumerohia we :,
candles and Overlooking with o;fts Co.,
guests and friends. Around it are ser We.
RAJ smaller trees, equally well filed. for
servants and peasants. Through the onen
door beyond we see the dining room its
great table in preparation for the CON-
ing feast, bearing the ancestral nia.a
newly FURNISHED and rare treasures go" NJ
antique glass and porcelain. There !. VI
This OLD baronial Christmas n cbarr';r, ~, :,
seductiveness, luminous as the gIow
ing colors in richly woven tanestrv
crude and imperfect as the transc r;H't1 y
This Christmas time, however w no.
considered both as cheerful festival o ""S
noiy commemoration, and in this donbIe
Ign, was distinguished by devotion
freedom from care, and by generous bos
Pisalty. Lord and lackey We'd with each
o.ner IN making themselves and ali
iaut Inem happy and with eagerness
, ,vu. themselves to the full enjoyment of
nor resounded with t,imultnous .uu
MISTER and tenants, and masnues and
pays were participated in bv ali WITH ~
equai zeal. With what enthusiastic eo Wv
9ess aid they greet the approach of he
dsy and decorate both mansion and nho VIC
g How zealously did they keen mn ,n tbc
ume-honored customs of their Keltic s sr
cestors in the face of the recnsants -
fenatIcism and Puritan severity tn y.
very name Of Yule was synonymous WIFI