Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1889-12-20

crying Il lci IT," aud repeating som,
uhsoHth rhy ymss ~Lirh the parson, wh'
had joined us. Informed ne. had te,l
handed down from days 81 yuIv. The v,l
Layers DOTTED their hsts ta the -qdifz as h'
. passed, giving him the good wishes u th'
season with every appearance 81 heaitIel
sincerity, and were invited b. him Ga th'
hall, L. take something u keep oat ths
cold OF the weather, aud heard blrisi1s
uttered by several ot the poor which Son
yinced ue that ia the midst of his enjoy
ments, the worthy old cavalier had not iuT
gotten the true Christmas Virtue ol cLauty
We had not been long home, when ths
sound Of muse was heard from distance
A band ot country lads, without coat 3.
their sleeves decorated with greens. and
clubs in their hands, were seen advancing
up the avenue. followed BY a large number
of villagers and peasantry. They stopped
before the hall door. where the music
struck up peculiar air and the lads per
formed a curiOu3 and intricate dance, ad
yaneing, retreating, and striking their
clubs together keeping exact time % The
music; while one. whimsieally crowned
with fox : skin, the tail 0f which Haunted
down his back, kept capenRg round the
skirts Of the dance, and rsttliEg a Christ
mas box With many aHtic gesticalsti0ns
The Squire eyed this taneirai exhibition
with great interest aud delight, and gave
he fall account of It's origin which lie
traced t. the times when the EOmaEs held
possession ct the islaui;plainiy proving that
this was lineal descendant ii tie sword
dance of the auoieuts. Ii j. new lie
said nearly extinct. but he lad accident
ally met with traces OF it in the ueighboI
hood, and had encouraged irs revival
though to tell the truth, ii vas too apt to
be followed up by rough cuigel-piay. aud
broken heads ia the evening
After the dance was Con5luisi the
whole party vss entertained with bfawH
and beef. and stout home hrewui The
Squire himself mingled among the uastios
ani was received with awkward jea
Oustrations Of Difference aud regard IL Is
! true, I perceived two 90 three oi the
! younger peasants. a. they were raising
/ their tank ards 10 their months. when the
| S4uire's back was turned, making some
thing of grimacs. aud giving each ether
| the wink but the moment they caught my
| eye they pulled long face aud were eE
/ ceedin.ly demure With Master simon,
however, tLey alt seemed more al tLeif
ease. His varied occupations aud auiase
Inent, had made him well known through
out the neighb0rh"od He was visitor at
every farm house and cottage. gossiped
with the farmers and their wives; romped
with their daughters, and, like that type If
a vaPrant bachelor the humble bee, tolled
the sweets from all the rosy lips &c the
country round
The whole house indeed seemed abandon
ell t. neIriment; a. | passed to my room
Ia dress for dinner, / heard the soand oi
music ia small court and looking through
a window that commanded it, | perceived
Il band 0I wandering musicians with pan
dean pipes, and tambourine, pretty
ooquettish hcuseuIaiJ was dancing a jig
Win 4 siitAit tbuhilA ldu MhtAt . g a. u
the other servants were looking on la
the midst Of hen sp0ft the gil Cidghg
glimpse Of my face at the window, aud
coloring up, rsn OF With ali air OF Toguish
affected confusion
THE bISsER-
had finished my toilet, and was hotter
ing with Frank Bracebridge ia tho library,
when we heard a distant thwacEiHg sound,
which lie informed lie was A signal for
the serving up Of the dinner. The Squire
kept up old customs IN kitchen as we'll as
h ALL and the rolling PIN struck upon the
dresser by the cook, summoned the serv-
ants 10 carry in the meat
Just in this nick the cook knock'd thEiee,
And all the walters in trice
His summons did obey
| Each serving pan, with dish IN hand
Marched boldly mp, like our train band
Presented. and away
The dinner was serve up ia the great
hall, where the Squire always held his
| Christina. banquet \ blazing eTaekliHg Ere
of logs bad been heaped on to warm the
| Spacious apartment and the flame
went sparkling and wreathing up the
wide mouthed chimney The great
picture Of the crusader snl his
white horse had been PrOiusely
decorated with greens Tor the occasi1ni
aud holly aud ivy had likewise been
wreathed round the helmet aud weapons
on the opposite wall, which | understood
were the arms 0f the same warrior.
must own, By the bye, had strong doubts
about the authenticity of the painting and
armor as having belonged to the crusader,
they certainly having the stamp OF more
recent days; but | was told that the paint
| ing had been 90 considered time cut OF
mind; and that, as to the armor. it lad
been found in lumber room, aud slsVAt-
ell to it, present situation by the Squire
| who 1T once determined it be the arm0f II
the family hero; and as he was absolute
authority on all such subjects ia his own
household, the matter has passed into cur
rent aeceptation, A sideboard was set
out just under this chivalne trophy, on
which was display OF plate that might
have wed (at least in variety with Bel
! shaz1ers parade Of tue vessels OF the TEN
pie; "hag0ns, cans. cups, beakera goblets
basins and ewers;' the gorgeous utensils
of good eomPanionship that had gradually
accumulated through many generations at
joyial housekeepers. Before these stood
two yule candles, beaming like two stars
of the first magnitude; other lights were
distributed in branches and the whole ar
ray elittered like q fmament If silver.
! We were ushered into this bauquetiIg
scene with the 3olnd OF min5tTelsy the
old harper being seated on stool beside
the fireplace, and twanging his instru-
ment with vast deal more power than
melody. Never did Christmas board dii-
play more goodly and gracious Assem-
| blaze Of c0untenanees, those who were
not handsome, were, at least happy and
| happiness is a rare impruyer of your hard
favored visage. l alway consider an old
English family as well worth studying as
"a objection Of Holbein's portraits, or Al
bert Durer's prints. There is much anti
| quaIian lore To be acquired, much knowl
edge Of the physiognomie5 Of former times.
| Perhaps il may be from having continual
| ly before their eyes those rows Of old iaIni
| ly portraits, with which the mansions of
/ l.. I'll 80