Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-12-28


Just crammed with stufing. | know
something about it, for / helped fill
them. One would think their skins
would split open, they were so full"
Jesus Maria! and l love stufing so.
Give me my surplice quick, Garrigou
What else did you see in the kitchen
beside the turkeys?"
"Oh, all sorts of good things. Since
noon we have done nothing but pluck
pheasants, lapwings, chickens and
grouse. The air was thick with feath-
ers Then from the ponds they brought
cells, golden carp, trout"
How long were the trout, Garri-
gou?"
"As long as that, father. EnOrmousi "
1T seems to me that | can see them!
Have you put the wine in the vases?'
Eyes, father, have; but bless me!
1t is not the kind you will drink after
the midnight mass. If you could only
see that in the dining room of the
chateau; all those shining carafes full
of liquors of all colors; and the silver
dishes, the vases, the candelabra! Such
a feast has never before been heard of;
the marquis has invited all the seig-
neurs in the neighborhood. There
will be forty at the table, without
counting the bailiff and the scrivener.
All! you are lucky to be one of them,
father From just having had smell
of those fine turkeys, the Odor Of the
dressing follows me still"
Hush, hush, boy. Keep yourself
from the sin of gluttony, above all on
the night of the nativity. Go at once
and light the candles and ring the
bell for the first mass; midnight is
nearly here and we must not be late"
This conversation was held one
Christmas eve, in the year of our Lord
10, between the reverend Dom Bal
aguere former prior of the Barna-
bites, at this time hired chaplain OF
the sfres Of TrinqUelague, and his lit
tie assistant Garrigou Or at least, the
person he believed to be his assistant:
for as you shall see, the devil, on
this night, took on the round face and
uniformed features of the young sac
ristan to better tempt the reverend
father, and make him commit the
frightful sin Of gluttony.
Therefore, while the pretended Gar
rigOu (hum. humid made all the
chimes OF the seigneurial chapel ring
out loudly, the holy father donned his
chasuble in the little sacristy, and,
already disturbed by all the CASTRO
nomic descriptions he had just heard,
repeated to himself while dressing:
Roast turkey golden carp-trout
as long as that"
Outside the music of the bells was
borne about by the night wind, and
soon lights appeared on the side of Mt.
FentOuX, whose summit was crowned
by the old tower of Trinquelague. The
farmers and their families were on
their way to the midnight mass. They
climbed up the slopes singing, in
groups of fOurs and fives, the fathers
ahead with lanterns, the women
wrapped in large cloaks, under which
the children found shelter. In
spite Of the cold and the
hour, all these good people
walked along briskly, sustained by the
thought that, after the mass, tables
would be spread for them down in the
kitchen of the chateau. Occasionally a
seigneurs sedan-chair would pass
preceded by torch-bearer. mule
trotted along, shaking its bells and, by
the light Of their lanterns, the farmers
recognized their bailiff and saluted
him as he passed:
Good evening, Master ArnotOn."
Good evening, good evening, child
rem.
The night was clear and the
stars shone brightly. The north wind
stung, and fine frost covering the
clothing of the farmers preserved the
appearance Of the traditional Christ
mas white with snow. The chateau
doomed up on the top of the hill, an
enormous mass of towers and gables
its belfry piercing the dark blue sky
with any number of little lights
twinkling from the gloomy pile, re,
sembling sparks flying about in the
cinders of burnt paper.
The courtyard was filled with sedan
chairs and Wallets bearing torches
From the kitchen could be heard the
ereaking of turnspits, the rafting Of
s&ucepans, the clinking Of glasses anC
silver. A warm mist, freighted with
the odors Of roasting meats and pun.
gent herbs, hung over everything, anC
seemed to say to the farmer to the
chaplain, to the bailiff, to everybody
What reVeillon there is going t
be after the midnight mass"
II.
"Ting-aling-ling, Ting-a-ling-lin
The mass began. In the chateau
chapel, miniature cathedral will
arches crossing each other and oal
wainscoting reaching to the top of tn,
walls all the tapestries had been hung
all the candles lighted And such
collection of great people as Their
waSl and such costumes! First of all
seated in the carved pew in front o
the choir, was the Sire de Trinquelague
in coat OF Salmon-colOred taffeta, am
near him sat all the invited seigneurs
Opposite, on velvet-covered prayin.
stools, were the old dowager Marquise
IN a gown of fiame-colored brocade
and the young Dame de TrinqueIague
With tall head-dress OF lace, decke
out according to the latest court fash
ion. Farther back, garbed in black
with great pointed wigs and SMOOTH
S1aVen faces, sat the bailiff, Thoma
Arnotcn, and the scriyener, two melan
choly notes in the music of color. The
came the maiOr-domO. the mage,