Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1889-12-20
CHRISTMAS AT BRACE.
BRIDGE HALL.
ANOTHER oLD sEETeH eli WASHINGTON
IRTTNG.


ing on my pillow, heard the sound of lit
tie feet pattering outside of the door, ant
whispered consultation. Presently q
choir of small voices chsnted forth an OLE
Christmas carol, the burden of which was
Rejoice, our Saviour he was born
On Christmas day in the morning.
rose softly, slipt on my clothes, open
ed the door suddenly, and beheld one o
the most beautiful little fairy groups thai
q painter could imagine 1t consi sted of
boy and two girls the eldest not more
than six, and lovely as seraphs. They
were going the rounds of the house, sing
ing at every chamber door, but my sudder
appearance frightened them into mute
bashfulness They remained for mo-
ment playing on their lips with THEN flu
gers, and now aud then stealing shy
glance from under their eyebrows, until, Il.
if by one impulse, they seampered away
and as they turned an angle Of the gallery,
I heard them laughing in triumph at then
escape.
Everything conspiled to produce kind
ana happy feelings, in this stronghold oi
old fashioned hospitality. The window oi
my chamber looked out upon what in sum-
mer would have been a beautiful land
scape. There was sloping lawn, fine
stream winding at the foot Of it, and a
tract of park beyond, with noble ciUmps OF
trees, and herds of deer. At distance
was neat hamlet, with the smoke from
the cottage chimneys hanging over il; and
a church, with its dark spire in strong re
lief against the clear cold sky. The house
was surrounded with eyergreens, accord
ing to the English custom, which would
have given almost AL appearance Of sum
mer, but the morning was extremely tro5-
ty; the light yapor Of the preceding even
ing had been preeipitatel by the cold, and
4 o0yered all the trees aud every blade of
grass with its line cry solicitations. The
rays of bright morning sun had da1
cling effect among the glittering foliage
4 robin perched upon the top OF il m0un
ries just before my window, was baskine
himself in the sunshine. and piping iew
quernlons notes and peacock was dis
playing all the glOlies of his train, and
struttin with the pride and gravity of Il
Spanish grandea on the terrace walk be
low
had scarcely dressed myself when
servant appeare to invite Inc To family
prayers. He showed me the way Ia
email chapel in the old wing of the house,
where I found the principal part Of the
family already assembled in kind of gal
lery, furnished with cushions, hassocks,
and large prayer books; the servants were
seated on benches below The old gentle
man read prayers from desk in front Of
the gallery, and Master Simon acted as
clerk and made the responses; and | must
do him the justice to say, that he aequit
ted himself with great gravity and deco
rum
The service was followed BY Christ
mas carol, which Mr.. Bracebgidge himself
had constructed from a poem from his ia
yorite anthor Herrick; and it had been
adapted to a church melpAy by Master
S,m4l. IA there were several good
voices among the household, the effect was
extremely pleasing; but / was particularly
grGtiied by the exaltation Of heart, and
sudden sally of grateful feeling, with
which the worthy Squire delivered one
atanza; his eye glistening, and his voice
out of all the bounds of time and
tune:
'Tis thou that erownst my glittering
hearth
With gpiltless mirth,
And giy'st me Wsssaile bowlea 10 drink
Spied TO the brink
Lord. us thy plenty dropping hand
That soiles my land:
And Giv'st me for my bushell soTne,
Twice ten for one.
l afterwards understood that early morn
ing service was read on every Sunday and
saints day throughout the year, either by
Mr.. Bracebridge or some member Of the
family. 1t was once almost universally the
case at the sears of the nobility aud gentry
of England, and it ia much 20 be regretted
thai tbs custom is falling into neglect; Tor
the dullest observer must be sensible of
the order and serenity prevalent in those
hauseholds, where the occasional exercise
of beautiful form of wor ship i'll the morn
ing gives, as it were, the keynote to every
temper for the day, and attunes every
spirit to harmony.
Our breakfast consisted OF what the
Squire denominated trus old English fare
He indulg ed in some bitter lamentations
over modeyn breakfasts of tea and toast,
which he eensured as among the causes of
modern efieminaey and weak neI0 es, and
the decline Of old English heartiness: and
though he admitted them to his table TO
suit the palates Of his guests, yet there was
brave display of cold meats, wine. and
ale, On the aideboari.
After bre akfast, | walk ~ about the
groundJ w.tn Frank BraceGridgs and
Master Simon, as he was ca.leI b. every
tOdy int the Squire We were escorted
by q number Of gentle en-dpgs, that
seemed loungers about the establishm ent;
from the frisking spaniel TO the steady old
stag hound-the last uf which was of a
race that had been in t e family time out
of mind-they were all obedient to d dog
whistle which hung at Master SimOns but
ton hole, aud in the midst Of their gam
bols would glance an eye occasionally
upon small switch he carried N HIS hand,
The old mansion had still more yener-
able look ia the yellow sunshine than by
p lie moo. light; and | could not but feel
the force of the Sqpires ide1 that the
formal terraces, heavily moul ed balus-
trades, and clipped yew trees, carried with
them an air of proud aristocracy.
There appeared to be al unusual mum
her Of peacOcks about the place, ard was
making some remarks upon what termed
flock of them that were basking under a
sunny wall, waen l was gently corrected
in my phraseology by Master Simon, who
told me that according to the most ancient
and approved treatise OH hunting, | must
say a muster cf peaeocks 'In the same
way" added he, with slight air of ped
antry, 1--WE saw flight of doves or sw4i
lows, u bevy or quai!a, herd of deer, oi
Wrens, OF cranes, sknlk OF foxes, or 9
building of rocks He went on to inform
me that according TO Sir Anthony Fitz
herbert, We ought TO aseribe to this bird