St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1907-12-21
Christmas
in the
OMen Times
By Sir Walter Scott

ZAP on more wood!-the wind
FMasAN But let it whistle as it will,
ys.kg1lss Well keep our Christmas
SH%4k merry still,
@T|k.GB Each age has deemed the
| III newborn year
49, The fittest time for festal
! cheer:
/ Even, heather yet, the savage Dane
At Iol more deep the need did drain:
High on the beach his galleys drew,
And Toasted all his pirate crew;
Then in his low and pine-built hall,
Where shields and axes decked the wall,
They gorged upon the half-dressed steer;
| Caroused in seas of sable beer;
While round in brutal jest, were thrown
the half-knawed rib and marrow-bone:
Or listened all, in grim delight
| While scalds yelled out the joys Of fight.
Then forth in frenzy would they HE,
| While wildly loose their red locks fly;
And, dancing round the blazing pile,
They make such barbarous mirth the
while,
AS best might to the mind recall
The boisterous joys of Odin's hall
And we'll our Christian sires of old
Loved when the year it's course had
| rolled
And brought blithe Christmas back again
With all his hospitable train.
Domestic and religious rite
| Gave honor to the holy night:
On Christmas eve the bells were rung;
On Christmas eve the mass was sung:
That only night, in all the year,
| Saw the stoled priest the chaiice rear.
The damsel donned her kirtle sheen;
| The hall was dressed with holly green;
| Forth to the wood did merry-men go,
| To gather in the mistletoe
| Then opened wide the baron's hall
/ To vassal, tenant serf and all;
Power laid his rod of rule aside,
And ceremony DOTTED her pride.
! The heir, with roses in his shoes,
| That night might village partner choose,
| The lord underogating share
| The vulgar game of post and pair
All h&iled, with uncontrolled delight,
And general voice, the happy night
| That to the cottage, as the crown,
| Brought tidings Of salvation down.
The fire, the well-dried logs supplied,
Went roaring up the chimney wide;
| The huge hall-table's oaken face,
| Scrubbed till it shone, the day to grace,
Bore then upon its massive board
| No mark to part the squire and lord.
Then was brought in the lusty Drawn,
| BY old blue-coated serving man;
Then the grim boar'shead frowned on
high,
| Crested with bays and rosemary.
Well can the green-garbed ranger tell
| How, when, and where the monster fell;
| What dogs before his death he tore,
And all the batting of the boar.
| The wassail round, in good brown bowls,
| Garnished with ribbons, blithely trowls.
There the huge sirloin reeked; hard by
p, fum-porridge stood. and Christmas pie;
| Nor failed old Scotland to produce.
At such high-tide, her savory goose.
| Then came the merry maskers in,
| And carols roared with buthsome din:
If unmelodious was the song,
| 1t was a hearty note, and strong.
| Who lists may in their mumming see
| Traces of ancient mystery;
White skirts supplied the masquerade.
And smutted cheeks the visors made:
| But, o. what maskers richly Digit
Can boast of bosoms half so light!
! England was merry England, when
| Old Christmas brought his sports again.
Twas Christmas preached the mightiesl
| ale;
Twas Christmas told the merr:est tale:
A Christmas gambol oft could cheer
The poog mans heart through half the
year.