44T fiY (It WWhl)' IT lf o mil a A cPlKC, Editor and Publisher. 'HE 18 A. FREEMAN WHOM THE TRUTH MAKES FREE, AND ALL ARB SLAVES BESIDE. Terms, S2 per year. In advance. OLUME XT. EBENSBUI1G, TA., FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21. 1S77. NUMBER 47. m. m GENTS ' WANTED I rR pAnTlCULABS ADDRESS h SEWING MACHINE CO'Y, "'T4r, N'kw York Citt ; ' in.; Nkw inn. i:ass, I.A.; vHaaU". ' orSAK Fiuci8co, Cal. ' !? . iniariiod). Weekly an1 Monthly, ''p. Jer l W''.l. with .Mam- -r-Mm'fitVr.. Address P. O. It lii I'saf u-. Ma'"'" TTiTTTlI tl. Notice to Aitentt. New Or '!,'' . . Ir'O II. W. 5. i'lano l-vjnuiy !" ' eiiy. ,;,nj;ion. "aid. L. J U.N fcS tt. CO., N assa u, N. V . , i Wet Vlrsfinia Cheap. Send stamp kr circular to .T. H. liruior, Martins- MES FVNCY CARDS, all New Styles, niili nnnie. IoCksts, polt-pald. vTivn ( .,lleskiil. N . Y . i Hi Ml beautiful Imported Ohromo -. Vnt Mtiad Tisitlmr Cards. 2ie. 50 . 'r,. i.rotuo. KOYAL. UAH D LO Port -;. , Y . t f presorl ; tion of one of the most em m t!ie iuadi:-al faculty. Is now ol- i-atilic a a radical cure for Co.nsimp- II it Ini-reiises the s trenijth anil deep . . r.t ii.u i.olo lih.iiil It checks Nlfht "i ,-ii n a f'Tt lirht. It subdues the Chills :'t.j It liimlnnlies Expectoration. Iteau 'ii'iiA rfn-hliig sleep. It invigorates the . ill the ir.ralld gains fleih rapidly. i1o4 is beyond souiparlsou the best - na m fur nniiipl and all a flee ,; .it Tukoat, Lungs and Nervous Sts- rvufroin 1 Pliers frnm I'astoriof litirclica. V-I'iVA ) my (lnuhtor'a life. -Rev. E. rion, N. Y. s i .1 f. r Ihe beni'flta we roor-lvel from .f 1I.LMUNA. Hut. P. W urreu. Can i r t ho I rcmincnilfld It to haa benefit f. rv i:t ui'j. liev. C. D. Ilumphrej , Us '."'i.VA n-.Hv he oMalnod thro' Tni(firlts, xav I Vut to I iSL'A K O. MUSKS, l'ro : : t:. r'lan'i' :rwt, New York. Price, :. "r in !'.;ih'8 f.ir V iar 0' titii.niim atlvire t'T tha treatment H'i've lui'ntlunwd. certificmea of (.urie. rj full rt iculnrs cf eaes :.y trea-e.i will bof'jut frae to applieauts. ti win iTRt (iisM'.'irrios. ir tot WAr to nJ.Y r;wG TO A CIRCUS, :'.:?. F.run Lamp, daring th corninar "iv scj'.l'e sure aai subsoribo fcir thj ivKFAST TABLE. .. I) uc? t-r.e dead, and All your :. i-ii'i'.r. h'-al;!i!jl mirth. M -mic paper, full of itale, tliin jokai " : : :r ? 1m t a l:v. fn-ah. spicy, airy fjm. an orinmnl httiunruua feature rr; oi i:i every respect, full of : r tt ; t.trai!y circle, pure in tone i t.:u: ;u t9tiene. Its artielta are copied ' , it.rrv by paper that do not print I' f, iht ,:tt nofil no rcommf-iida-h. ,.,a. jr (J a sri?(.i forty-olKht col f I'. iiic nitiy printed. Ask your newg ' -r tx-.men c.py. or tend three cent tamp i :.ri j:Sce ar.'i (t will be tent by return i "-nt fre or.t year to all persons ' 1 iu' (if fire or over, In addition te E l'. liKijWN CO., Pul,i;a?ier. Clf.I.N ATI. OHIO. T: BHKtriaT Table nnd the Camri 1 bis lurn ahed at the low price of f '.cnli in a lvwpe, which l. a reduc'.ion of t n the tub;riptlun ratta of the two i- c; ,!.::y. AT PHI VAT K SALE -' ap'i-ri'cm'l ifFT9 at private ale S j,-r.)(.rtl, fo wt, . A ,rftct of jand .r HiHir c.unry, l'i miles Iroin V'..'-'"3',1""1 acres, well Improved, r...n .,j, t,,c U).PtM)lry fa,m ,u,i.iinit. t":'livi,ie'l into two or three parti, v'( M irii.an, it n,,t sold before the ' li- h i.pjt. it will then be renteil. larm on which I now reclde, in Loan .V -Kiic fr.,m Altoona. 1 h.s property ultiVHtion and has a splemlld other bniblinirs thereon erected. of I'npmred land giluaied partly .... ii v i uilinilHIIK A I "3 11 'Trt la tln.l..-- .i u I . I ;4... -.. .. 11 T7 1.. - 1 - . ,'ter1 with timber, and has a - ,V'.' n .rPa,1y f"r ihipninir coal. . '" be Hold as a wliole or divided, 'ri V? ?'''!t PTchaceis. or will exchantje in perty. For further Infjrma- W'.M. JiECKEK. Box Stl9, Altoona. F'KL I'KOPKI-tY and FARM ' The tindersipwed oflHrs ' ti liberal terms the well known ..."J-'e.two 'bvrs west or the Pa. K. K. ;.r.,"r'1r","fh of l.illitzln. This property Jv'"ja'1 "ell designed as a hotel and vi ti - ii i n-v one wlshinar to secure a "ill find it here. .l.,."'1'1 on lr"s equally satisfactory i ' 7- a "2 Urn, .Rv .i, n'' Wth a ootn for table HOUSE 'rU.' n',0,,;'!l',n', "fherpnrtlcularscall Gallirtln. P. fjKTTo PKOPEKTY at PRI- The uinleraigned often " 'iRtlt-v-!10 'ln', on fa"y 'erms TWO well improved, in Iretto '.., "hJs Tected a eomtortnble an 1 - "wki.mno IIoi SK. 18x30 feet. as well as a "ul- ' Dppnitar I Ii tui'II Tt- ir. s, , M''oori the premise!, which are . tV,r"V " !rr' t. be principal thor : Jn ,;" i"' !U,r'inir r-iardot choice -ri - i !"'''""' t excelletit water. For l. cal' "n or addrtss Fbancis 'viutj ln ,HCt r,)r U.;AVisr l "tt.' rneee 0-t. i: PA Til If t' itritrv i l7-.-3m. -!t . '9' persons arc 'V .tci:'"" l aeainst inifrfriri! in "n." i 'l """Wolf described pnopertv, ..r " '(.,"'','n-s sale and left with Si- ' a l i, .7' ,(,w'"hlp. diiriiiK my plea 1 "" 'irr . r. K- ' ,,r wheat, rve, corn f'kn i r,,,, "d flour. Also, one " '! bought by tue at pri- t tn the H.iinu , rtt. ":t& . ' HAI;LEfe ANNA. r-(7:.-st. iViiVl;1' Strayoil from th ;? 5" or ai.. . .V" f "l'ieiiann .'h t" r I APri. with whli ' f tL, 5, r,Jun'1 the tail r lie iiplt.inn!) lilte unMer the , . i r'junii ha toil n an . I.-. 1 ut-nT mt.it- inr cipi, tifi(f(i'livtTi"n 'tlny to his recovery U) rfPvf.l ftnrl ...lt.l l.. - - - mi'i auiraoiv rewnro r-,!.;. J 'St lH FAUAUAUUII. L U n. nks . IA wood iioop MIA 2,'r:n'rV.,'on, "nplovment ran be .'"'.nt T hV w' Iy cash and Knar. i'-'-'-na i-L'1"' nt "noe to DirHt tx i:o., . 1 .It r..i, ' or Ht Duncansville, Blair -r: i." ;ror perison. iERTAIT.M. D.. Phy- si. ; auiroaune, janj- it crtl thivuld t.a made at a-n,W.-tf.J A lllltlftTn AM HYMN. Welcome to Thee, lieav'nly Strangef, Ola.laoine aball Thy advent he ; Tho' Thy hirth-plare" was a manger, Katun aaw her (Jol in Thee : Whilat Thy lowly home was wanting All that earthly joys could hring. Seraphs hymns ot joy Wera chantiiie. Unto Thee, earth's new-born King. In Thy stable birth-place lor. ly, Angels waited Thy behest; Whilst Thy mother, maiden holy, Clasp'd Thee to her fpotless breast ; Shepherds who llieir thicks were tending In IiHthlehetn's lonely plains by night ; Saw the hrav'nly host descending, Filled with wond'ring, strange delight ; They their flocks left unprotected, Waud'ring o'er the plains afar, Through devious ways to Thee directed, Hy Thy radiant natal mar. Wiae men, too, with presents laden, Jewels rare and perfumes sweet, From lands afar rich robes array 'd in, Came to worship at Thy feet." And in adoration kneeling On Thy happy natal day, We like them to Thee appealing : "Turn not Thy sweet face away ; God and God-like, condescending, Ah the day that naw Thy birth, Mercy, (wilh Thy justice blending), Show unto us, sons of earth !" Lighten Thou the load of sorrow, .Ease, of pain the piercing etnart ; Lt us hope and comfort borrow From th love that fills Thy Heart, M-n'ti tierce passions all assuaging, O'er the earh let discord cease ; The ''liriter part" let man engage iu, Guided by the hand of peace. MEliRY CHRISTMAS. On Christmas eve the bell! were run!? ; The ilnmsel donned her kirtle sheen ; Forth to the wood did merry men go To iralher in the mistletoe. The heir with roses in his shoes Tlmt mylit roiuht viihtuo partner chose; All hitileil with uncontrolled deliifht na Keneral vuicv the bappy niRlit That to the cottajf, a the crown. Itroiiirht tiilinirs of talva(ion down. The hui-e hall-table's o-.iken face. Scrubbed till it shone, the day to (race, It'. re then upon its massive board No murk to purt the squire and lord. Then tlii iirim hoar's li" l frowned on high, f rowned with bays and rosemary. The wassnil round, in irolden bowis, (jarnished with ribbons, blithely trowls; Then the hure sirloin reek-jd : hard by Plumb-pnrridjre stood, and Chnstmus py? ; Nor fulled of Scotland to produce At i-uch hi in tide tier savory uimsc F.ritflind was merry FdIiiimI, when Christ mas broujrht his sports nirain. 'Twns Christinas broache 1 tne miihtien ale, ' 1'was l.'hrist mas told the merriest tale; A Christmas .raiiibol oft would cheer The poor nian's heart through half the year. The practice of using gicen branches for the decoration of chuiches and houses at C'biistmas time is of very remote (late. In eaily carols the holly and ivy are both spoken of, but the foinier more frequently than, the latter ; ivy, however, became one of the plants regularly used with holm and bay, to which goodly company tho mistle toe was afterward added. Rosemary and laurel were also among the favorite Christ mas evergreens, and chaplets of them were made and worn on the head whence came the expressions, "To kiss under the rose," and "Whjspei ing under the mistletoe." The j uio-log is of very ancient use. I3e fore chimneys were invented, the fire was built in the middle of the room, the smoke escaping through the roof. On Christmas eve, a huge log, the yule-log, was put upon the fire and each member of tho family in turn sat down upon it, and sang a yule song, and drank to a merry Christmas and happy new year. The sitting ou the log had to be abolished when fireplaces wcie invented, And in these days the log itself has fallen into disuse by reason of the modern improvements of Latrobe stoves, furnaces, etc. ilenick, in his Ceremonies for C'hriitmasM, mentions the yule log : Come, tiring mo with a noise, Mr merrie. merrie boyes. The' Christmas losr to t lie flroing: While my irood dame, she Hnl.s ve all be free. An t drink to your hearts desfrlpff. Wilh the last yeere's brand bialit the new block, and For irood success In his speuding-, n your psalteries play, 'I hat sweet luck may Come while the log Is tcendmar. One osVlbe earliest customs was the was sail .bowVd one universally patronised. The first wassail is said to have been as follows : Rowena, the daughter of Hen gist, presented the British k'ng Vortigern wilh a bowl of wine, saluting him with, "Lord king, wtcs heil," to which the king (as previously instructed, the legend says) replied, "Drinc heile," and saluted ber aftei the theu fashion. Being much smit en by her charms, the king married the fair cupbearer, to her and ber fathers great satisfaction, and the Saxons obtained .what they wanted. This form of saluta Hion is found, however, to be much older than this romantic scene, and to have been used by the Saxons yeais before, borne accounts say that the Britons had their wassail bowl as late as the third century. The followers and worshippers of Odin and Tlior drank deeply in honor of their gods, and when converted contiuued the practico iu honor of the one God and his saints, aud it required much patient labor among the early missionaries to abolish it. Dancing was a favorite Christmas amuse ment. William of Malmesbury tells us quaintly of a party of young folk who were dancing in tnc churchyaid, one Christmas eve, and by their laughter and soncs dis t ui bed a piiest who was saying his Mass in the church. He begged and entreated them iu vain to desist and allow him to complete his duties undisturbed; they only danced the more and sane the louder, until, the priest's patience becoming ; hausud, be prayed that they might ( never cease dancing. This prayer was beaid. and they o.itinued their dance all through the year. Neither heat nor cold, hunger, ,hfr.,or fatigue, affected them Then- r. lends made every f""".-t t?p.tAhr Tv' lit brother of one or the girls took her by the a.m. and Lied by force to bring her away, the limb came off in bis hand w.tbo it ap parently causing any pain or distress to the dancerwho lost not a s.ngle s ep v i the performance, and went on as stea It y M before. At the end of the year B si op Hubert came to the place, and, abso v.ng the party; ti e dancing ceased borne or them died rightaway ; terH, after a deep of three days and nights, went lound tell ing of thii miracle. Unfrs of From the earliest times, the , kinga ot Kngland celebrated Christmas and be sue cecdineholiday" with royal feas ngs In rM t ; but bMido. tbattucy bad dill-gruut, karumpie, and tuaupigyrum. These names convey to modern ears very little idea of what was the real nature of each com pound. Dillegrout roust have been some thing very remarkable, for the tenaut of the manor of Addington, in Surrey, held it by tho service of making a mess of the delicacy on the day of the coronation. With what anxiety must not the ingred ients, which were almold-milk, the brawn of capons, sugar and spices, chick eus par boiled and chopped fine, been put together! A liltle too much of one, too little of another, an instant's too long cooking per haps, aud the goodly manor was bestowed upon a greater artist or more lucky indi vidual. Maupigyrum was the same dish with the addition of fat. Of the Christ mas drinks were hippocras, ale, mead, and claim. The English infearly days were celebrated for their pre-eminence in driuk ing. lago says, in reference to this char acteristic : "Yoiir Dane, your German, and your swag-bellied Hollander are noth ing to your English," The Saxons drank wine, mead, cyder, ale, pigment, and mo rat, to which the Normans added clane, garhiofilac, and hippocras. Of course, these drinks were aside from the wassail bowl, which still held its own. Morat was made from honey and mul berries ; claret, pigment, IiippocraSj and garhiofilac (from the girojle, or cloves con tained in it; were different preparations of wine mixed wilh honey and spices. Henry III. ordered his wine keepers to deliver to the sheriff of York white and red wine to make garhiofilac aud claret for the next Christinas ; and in the twenty-sixth year of his reign directed the sherifl of Gloucester to cause twenty salmous to be bought and put into pies for Christmas, and the sheriff of Sussex to buy ten brawns with the heads often peacocks, and other provisions. Im agine the Lord High Sheriff of eitherof the above counties receiving 6uch an order now a days from Queen Victoria! To the crane, as tho Christmas dish, succeeded, about this time, the boar's head, and it was always brought in with gieat ceremony, preceded by musicians and an usher, and welcomed with shouts and hurrahs. Under Edward III., Christmas was held in great style ; there were revelli'.igs, m ask ings, and dancing, the masks one year taking the form of birds, dragons, etc., and the next of elephants and ot her frolicsome beasts. During the reign of Richard II. in 13'.)3, two hundred tons of wine were drunk and two thousaud oxen eaten on this feast, to say nothing of other dishes. Thesw were royal Chi istmases indeed. This kino; also had his pageants or masking.s ; but, in stead of birds or animals, theie is on one occasion in the wardrobe accounts a charge for twenty-one linen coifs for "counterfeit ing men of the law" in the king's play at Christmas, Richard was murdered on Twelfth day, 1400, and so ended all his earthly Christ mases. During the wars of Henry V. in France, he always ceased hos tilities on Christmas day, and during the siege of Rouen offered food to those of his hungry euemies who would accept it from hi:n At the seig of Orleans iu 1428, a like truce was proclaimed, and the English and French exchanged gifts. When Hen ry VII. ended the wars of the Roses Christ rras was celebrated in a most magnificent manner. In 1493, on Twelfth-night, there was great banqueting and wassail. The king made the usual offerings of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, and in the even ing wore his crown and royal robes ; kirtle sin coat, furred hood, and mantle with loug train, and his sword borne before him ; his armills of gold set with rich stones, and his sceptre in his right hand. The wassail was introduced in the evening with great ceremony, the steward, treasurer, and com p-roller of the household going out for it with their staves of office ; the king's and the queen's servershaving fair towelsround thei. necks and dishes iu their hands, such as the king and queen should eat of; the king's aud queen's carvers followed in like manner. Then came in ushers of the chamber, with the pile of cups the king's the queen's, and the bishop's with the butlers and wine to the cupboard, or side board as it would now be called, and squires of the body to bear them. The gentlemen of the chael stood at one eud of the hall, and, when the steward came in wilh the wassail, he was to cry out three times, "Wassail, wassail, wansail !" to which they answered with a good song no doubt a wassail-song or a carol, as they were preva lent at that time. Henry VIII., in the early part of his reign, did not neglect the Christmas merry-making ; plays, masks, pageants, and similar diversions weie fre quent and splendid, for Henry was young, gay, and light-heaited in those days. Iu his third year at Greenwich, there was a pageant arranged before the queen in which he himself took part; but after he grew corpulent, encumbered with his wives and interested in the established religion, these meii'y-makings fell off aud gradually ceased altogether at court. At this period, the Christmas festivities of the Inns of Court bad become celebrated aud afterward far surpassed those of the court in faucy, if not iu splendor : nor is this surprising, considering the talents that must always exist iu these communities, some fresh from the universities imbued with classic lore, others fraught with the knowledge acquired in many years, with wit sharpened by constant intercourse with wits as keen as their own; and peihaps few are better able to appreciate true wit and humor than ihose who turn to it from deep and wearing mental labor. There was a rule which required the attendance of all who lived in the Inns at theso merrymak ings, under the penalty of being disbarred, a threat actually held out iu the time of James I., nt Lincoln's Inn, because the of fenders did not dance on Christmas day, according to the ancient order of theso cicty, and some were iudeed put out of Commons by decimation. Imagine a law yer coming into court to attend a trial of importance stopped atfthe door and for bidden to enter because he did not dance with his opponent's counsel on Christmas eve ! Dugdale gives a programme of tho performances at one time : "First, the solemn revella (after dinner and the play ended) are begun by the whole house; judges, serjeants-at-law, benches, the utter and inner bar, and they led by the master of Ihe revells ; one of the gentlemen of the ntter barr is chosen to hing a song to the judees, serjeants, or masters of th bench, which is usually performed ; and in default thereof there may be a amerciament. Then the judges and benchers take their places and sit down at the upper end of the ball. Which done, the. ntter barristers and inner barristers perform a second solemn revell before them. Wliicb ended, the utter bar risters take their p'aces and sit down. Some of the irntleinen of the inner barr do present the house wilh dancing, which is called the post revells, and coatinne their dances till the judges or bench think meet to rise aud depart." Lincoln's Inn celebrated Christmas as early as the time of Henry VII. ; but the Temple and Gray's Inn afterward disputed the palm with it, and indeed on some occa sions seem to have surpassed the other Inns of Court. The first particular account of any regulations for conducting one of these grand Christmases is in the nibth of Henry VIII., when, besides the king for Christ mas day, the marshal and master of the revels, it is ordered : "That the king of the cockneys on Christ mas day should sit and have due service, aud that he and all his officers should use honest manner and good order, without any "waste ordestrnction making in wines, brawn, chely, or other vitails, ana also that be and his marshal!, butler, and const able-marshall should have their lawful and honest com mandments by delivery of a'.l the officers of Christmas ; and that the said king of the cockneys uor none of bis ofticers meddle in the buttery, nor in the steward ot Christmas, his office, upon pain of forty shillings for every such meddling. . . . That Jack Straw aud all his adherents should be thenceforth utterly bansht, and no more to be used in this house upon pain of forfeit, for every time 5 to be levied on every fellow happening to oft'end against this rule." Who this Jack Straw was, or what bis offences were, does not appear. In order to divert the mind of the young king, Edward VI., from the grief he felt at the condemnation of the Duke of Som erset, the most magnificent revelling on record were prepared. George Ferrers, of Lincoln's Inn, a gentleman of rank, was appointed lord of misrule, or master of the king's pastime, and acquitted himself so well as to a (bud great delight to many and Some to the king, but "not in proportion to his heaviness." He seems to have been well adapted to his lesponsible office, being not only a man of rank, but a person of de cision and determination to cany the thing through in the proper spirit and display. He required of the master of the revels, Sir Thomas Co warden, that John Smyth should be allowed him as his clown ; besides jug glers, tumblers, fools, etc. A new fool's coat with a hood was made for John Smyth, who, from his being mentioned by name, must have been a well-known court fool. The dress of this clown will show that no expense was spared even about the officers of this grand lord of misrule. He had a long fool's coat, of yellow cloth-of-gold, fringed with white, red, and green velvet, containing yds., at 2 per yd., garded with plain yellow cloth-of-goid, 4 yds., at 80s. 4d., with a hood and pair of buskins of the same figured gold, containing 2 yds., at 5 ; and a girdle of yellow sarcenet, of yd., at 16d. The wliole value 26 14s. 8d., a goodly sum for the dress of a jester. Tho dresses of the lord of misrule himself must be mentioned to give some notion of the style in which this celebrated revelling was can ied on. Ou Christmas day aud dur ing that week, he wore a robe of white bauilokin (a rich stuff, made of silk inter woven wilh gold thread), containing fJ yds., at lGs. a yd., garded with embroidered cloth-of-gold, wrought in knots, 14 yds., at lis. 4d. a yd. ; having a fur of red feathers with a cape of camlet thrum. A coat of flat silver, fine works, i yds., at 50s., with an embroidered gard of leaves of gold and. silk, containing 15 yds., at 20s. A cap of maintenance, of red featheis and camlet thrum, very lich, with a plume of feathers. A pair of hose ; the breeches made of a yard of embroidered cloth-of-gold, 9 yds. of gardiug, at 13s. 4d., lined with silver sar cenet, out ell, at 8s. A pair of buskins of white baudekin, 1 yd., at lGs., besides mak ing and other chaiges, 8s. more. A pair of pantacles, of Bruges satin, 3s. 4d. ; a girdle of yellow sarcenet, containing J yd., at lGs. He had different but equally mag nificent suits for 2sew Year's aud Twelfth day. These dresses were supplied from the king's stores, and must have satisfied any one. Taking, too, in account that lie was attended by the members of his court, and all handsomely dressed, it was enough to turn any moderate man's bead. His suite was composed of his heir-apparent, John Smyth, counsellors, pages of honor, gentlemen ushers, a sergeant-at-arms, pri vate marshal, undei-maislial, lieutenant of ordnance, heralds, and trumpeters, an ora tor, interpreter, jailer, footman, messenger, an Irishman, an Irishwoman, six hunters, jugglers, etc. The lord of misrule chosen in the fourth year of Elizabeth's reign was Mr. Henry Helmes, and his title was as fol lows : "The High and Mighty Prince, Henry, Prince of Purpoole, Archduke of Stapulia and Brnaidia, Duke of High and Nethon Holborn, Marquis of St. Giles and Tottenham, Count Palatine of Bloomsbury and Clerkeu well, Great Lord of the Can tons of Islington, Kentish Town, Padding ton aud Knightsbridge, Knightof the most heroical order of the Helmet and Souvereign of the same." The revels of these grand Christmases continued throughout the Tvhole twelve days ; Christ in as day, New Year's day, and Twelfth-day being more particnlaily dis tinguished. On Twelfth-day, the lord of misrule, with one hundred followers, made his progress through London iu the morn ing, and arrived at the temple in time for breakfast, at which were served brawn, mustard, and malmsey. The dinner, of two courses, was served in trie hall, and after the first course came the master of the game, diessed in grccu velvet, and the ranger of the forests, iu green satin, bear ing a green bow with arrows, each of them having a buuting-hom about his neck ; after blowing throe blasts of venery, they paced three times round the fire, which was then placed in the middle of the hall. The mas-er of the game next made three courtesies and kuelt down, and petitioned to be admitted into the services of the lord of the feast. This ceremony having been performed, a huntsman came into the hall with a fox and a purse-net with a cat, bo;h bound at the end of a staff, aud niue or teu couples of hounds, the horns blowing. The fox and cat were then set upou by the hounds and killed. This charming spori being finished, the marshall ushered all in their proper places to the dinner, and, after the second course, the oldest of the masters of the rev Is sang a song, with the assistance of others present ; after some repose and further revels, supper of two courses was served ; and, when finished, the marshal was boine in by four men, on a sort of scaffold, and taken three times rouud the hearth, his bearers crying out, "A. lord, a lord I" after which lie came down and danced. The lord of misrule then addressed himself to the banquet, which ended with minstrelsy, mirth, and dancing. There was a cessation of spotts from Twelfth-night to the fiist of February, the priu.ee being supposed to be absent in Russia on public affairs. On that day, he was received at Blackball, as if on his re turn, and that and the following day were spent in revelling and feasting;. Christmas was always, however, consid ered the commemoration of a holy festival, to be observed with devotiou as well as cheerfulness. The services of the church were attended before the merry-makings began. But in 1642 the fiat went forth that there must be no more celebration of Christmas; people were to go to heaveu after the fashion of the Puritans, with long faces and short hair. Iu 1C47, some parish officers were Sued and imprisoned for al lowing tniirsters to preach ou Christmas day and for permitting the adorning of the chuich. The parliament, by an order dated 24th of December, 1G-V2, diiected "that no observation shall be bad of the five-and-twentieth day of December, com monly called Christmas day ; nor any so lemnity used or exercised iu churches upon that day in respect thereof." Evelyn states in his memoirs that, as he and his wife, with others, were taking the sacrament on Chi U: mas day, 1G57, the chapel was sur rounded by soldiers, and the assembly taken into custody for celebrating the nativity of their Saviour agaiust the ordinance of the com moo weal th . When the "Merrie Monarch" came back to bis good subjects, the revival of the Christmas festivities was attempted, with but ill success. The spirit had been checked, and could with difficulty be resuscitated. Neither were the court displays as splen did as before ; the spirit was wanting there as elsewhere. But the Chri.st-kindschen is represented by a young person dressed :u white, with a gift, crown upon the head, a wand in one hand, and a bell in tho other, whose post is behind the tree, where he or she is but dimly seen, owing to the glare of the lights upon it. In other parts of the country, the Christ-child is never rep resented ; the children are told that he has provided the Christmas-tree, and knows through Pelznichel of the conduct of each, but his existence is an article of faith, not an ocular demonstration. As most of us can testify from eaily re collections, however, St Niklas, or St Nicholas, as we call him, is not unknown to the children of this countiy smly here he generally puts bis good things in little stockings hungup for the purpose, instead of arranging tlitm on a Christmas-tree. Just when this custom of haiiging up little stockings and these visits of the good old saint began on this side of the Atlantic we leave to learned antiquarians to decide. The following jolly desci iption, however, of what a little New Yorker witnessed about the year I7S4, puts beyond doubt the fact that be used to go his rounds, in this city at least, long before any of us ever received A VISIT FUOM ST. NICDObAS. 'Twas the niirht before Christinas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; The stockings were uutijf uy the chimney with erf re, Tn hopes i hat St. Nicholas soon would lie there; Th3 children were nestled nil snujr in their beds, While visions of sugar plums danced in their heads ; And mamma in hor kerchief and 1 in rrr c;ip Had just settled our brains lor a lunir'wiuter imp - When out on the lawn there arose such a clat ter, I spiantf from my bed to see what was the mat ter. Away to the window I flew like n flash. Tore open the shutters, and threw up the sash. The moon, on the breast of the new-fallen snow liave u lustre of midday to objects below ; When what to my wondering- eyes should ap pear rtnt a miniature sleigh and eitJir tiny reindeer, Wilh a little old driver, so lively ami quick, I knew in h moment it must tie St. Nick ! More rapid than eagles his coursers they came. Aud he whistled aud shouted and callu'd them by name : "Now, Dislicr! now, Dancer! now, Pranccr and Vixen ! On! Count, ou! Cupid, tn! Douder and Blit- Z'-ll To the top of the porch, to the top of the wall I Now, dash away, u ash away, dash away, all !' As dry leaves that before the wild turricauc tl.v. When i hey meet with nn obstacle, mount to the sky. So up to the house-top the coursers itaey flew. With the sieigh lull of toys and St. Nicholas too. And then in a twinkling-1 heard on the roof The prancing ami pawing- of e.ich little hooT. As I drew in my head ami was turning- around, Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound : He was dressed ail in fur from his head to his loot , And hiselothes were all tarnished with asbes and soot ; A bundie of toys he had flunir on his back. And he looked like a poller just opening his pack. His cjes. how they twinkled I his dimples, how merry ! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry ; His droll hit le month was drawn up likea bow. And the beard of his chiu was a white us Ihe snow, The Mi. nip of n pipe lie held tiyht in his teeth. And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath. He ban a oroad face and a little round belly That shook, when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly. He was chubby and plum p a right jolly old elf; And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of my fcei l. A wink or his eye an J a twist of his head. Soon rare me to know I had nothing to dread. He spoke hot a woid, but went straight to Ins work And filled all the stockings; then turned with a J rk, And. laying- his flns-er aside of his nose. And Kivinir a nod, up the chimney he rose; He sprang to bis sleigh, to his team he gave a whistle. A nd away they flew like the down of a thistle ; Hut I heard hun exclaim as hi) drove out of sight i " Hepiu Chriittmas to all, and to all a good ni'yfit.'" Ry Clement C. Moore, born In New Y'nrk, July 15, 17;a. CdtioliclFoifd, January, ls71. Christmas Hints. The New York Tri bune gives some sensible advice to its readers in regard to the observance of the great Christmas festival now almost at hand, from which we extract the following, not having space for the article entire : "Remember the poor," not by sending a turkey to one hungry family, or a ton of coal lo another, anil then dropping the whole class out of your mind for thej rest of the holidays, but by actually taking thought how to help them substantially. Lastly, and above all, let us all remeinler in Christmas week, before we give a dollar away, to pay every dollar of our debt. We have no right to give to rich friend or to starving seamstress the money which actu ally l longs toother people. If we cannot be honest, let us attract no false credit in ourselves by pretending to be generous. We shall not. be likely lo deceive our neigh bors any more than God ; and money hon estly earned and hones'ly paid, is twice a3 iive aud useful as mouey given iu alms. The book of most general circulation and the one to which reference is tnobt frequently made, is the pocket-book.' II AN 4 j I P HAKV'S MO( IiIN;. Hang tip baby's stocking He sure you don't fortret The lear little dimpied darling ! She ne'er saw Christinas yet ; But I told her all about it. And she opened her big blue ejeJ, And I'm sure she understands it, She looks so funny and wise. Dear ! what a tny stocking ! It doesn't take much to bold Such little pink toes as baby's Away from frost and cold. But then, fo- tha baby's Christmas It wiil never do at all ; Why Sania wouldn't be looking For anything half so email ! I know what we'll do for the babr I've thought of the very best plau I'll borrow a stocking of grandma, Tho longest that ever t can ; And you'll hang it by mine, dear mother, Bight here iu the corner, so, And write a letter to Santa Aud fasten it ou the toe. Write : "This is the baby 'a stocking That hangs in the corner here ; You never have seeu her, Santa, For she only came this year ; But she's just the blossedest baby And now before you go Just cram her stockings with goodies From the top clean down to the toe." CHRISTMAS IX OR WA Y. The great festival of tho year in Norway, as among all Germanic nations, is Christ mas. Whether it owes all its sanctity to its association with the birth of the Saviour is, however, an open questiou ; for many customs still kept alive in the remoter val leys seem to point beyond the beginning of the Christian era, to the time when ihe Norsemen ae horseflesh in honor of Odin aud Thor and Frey. The festival, as the retaining of the old name indicates, is as yet strongly tinctured with leminisccnces of the old pagan Yule. Tracing the char acter of Christ and His apostles as they ap pear iu many popular mnrchen and legends, the conclusion lies near that the people .e, consciously or not, transferred much that was dear to them in tho old gods to the new tiiety, and thus, by a sort of com promise between the old faith and the new, have produced a divine type which is, at all events, sufficiently nation.il to appeal strongly to their Norse hearts. The na tionalizing of one's divinity is. of emu so, not peculiar to Norway ; it would have been more singular if Norway had shown no trace of it. The prepaiation for the Yuletide, in the way of provisioning the house, would, to American eyes, look peifectly cnoi inoiis. B.iking and brewing and butchering keep the whole household busy during tho las: three weeks preceding the festival. And the fact that the process is repra'cd year after year probably proves that it is neces sary. Every man, woman and child who conies within stone's throw of the house during the holidays (which usually last un til a week aflcr Nc.v Year) must be invi ted in and uiged to cat and diink without regard f ircmif rt. Even the bitds are to have their share of the Christinas joy. As soon ns the chinch bells have "rung in the feast"' at five o'clock in the afternoon of Christmas I've, the father of the house takes his richest sheaf of oats or barley and attaches it to the end of a pole, which is nailed to the gable of the barns or the storehouses. The mother and the children stand by enjoying the sight of the happy birds fluttei ing around thesheafs, while ti e father w ill perhaps quote the passage about God's care even for the sparrow, w lieiefoie it is right that the sparrow, too, should re joice on the day when Christ was born. Among the many evening visitors which are sure to drop in to taste the Chiistmas brew, some are apt to bo disguised in gro tesque masks and othei wise fantastically accoutred. These are called Yulebucks, possibly because the most common mask may have been that of a goat or some other horned creature. At present I do not know that any special kind of iMsguise is preferred. The title seems to he tho moie grotesque the better. The German custom rf having poor children wander about on Christmas Eve carrying a large lighted star of canvas, representing the star of Bnthleham, pre vails also in Norway. No one can bear their shrill, liny voices iu the snow under his window, singing the dear, familiar car ols, and refuse them their well-earned penny. iScribner for January. ST. y I CIIO LAS. What Citkistmas Mkaxs. Christmas tide is here again, and every year the pre parations for it grow more rr:arn:fieent. The shops are full of costly furs, costly silks and velvets, costly toys. The book sellers display books sumptuously tx-ntid ; and the picture shops are full of gayly framed pictures, great and small. But in the midst of so much hurry and bustle, so many temptations for the puise, so much parade of the external Chiistmas, there is a growing danger that the Christmas of the beau will be forgotten the Chiistmas that means peace and good-will, faithful love, forgiveness of sins, human bioilicr hood. Would you lay a gift upon the Christmas altar, the old rule holds still, 'First be reconciled by thy brother, an 1 then conic and offer thy gift." This life is all too short for misunderstandings or contention; and why should we, poor, foolish, frail, imperfect children of one Father, be bitter or sclfiols or coll to ench other we, for all of whom alike came the first blessed gift of Chi istn.as ? Let there be less costly present making, and more human sympathy and consideration. Even if Flora McFlimscy be our nearest friend, to add another jewel to those that glitter on her pretty, helpless fingers is hardly worthwhile. "Christmas is not fitly kept by gifts like that. Better. ti 1 a poor woman's empty tea caddy, a poor family's empty coal bin better teach some "lie hu man sou! the sweet lesson that all we ai brelhem" than drop new gifts into eu c less hands that are over full already. Hu man help and human brotbei lnod, irmctn- bering the all loving, all pitying I atnei who helps us ali that in hat Cbiiatinas means. BHo u 3!n th !t. The New York Sun, which f.r severa! mouths has been beating its rajs licrct-ly down upon questions of "love and mar riage," advises young men to be careful how they marry women older than them selves. It says : "A year or two or so sometimes is no harm, but a decade is bad. A young mau at fc'.btand twenty is prfrtty likely to soon fiud out' his mistake if be marries a woman of eibt aud thirty. t. Nicholas, as all the world knows, is; the patron of childieti, with whom he is the most jxipnlar s.iiut in the calendar. Bish- y op of Myra, in I.yci.i, in the time of Con- m stantine the Gieat. according to the Romau,nre .r breviaiy, he supplied three desti nte ma. more or ens with dowries by secietly .leaving a ':rifJtM""'f'l"he liage portion for each at their wiitinsn ; the-e Heuce the jupular fiction that be i -ntaiuiusr veyor of presents to children on CIm Eve. He usually mikes his appear. ir, the ....u.h an old mau with a venciable bca 1 : tin nee nori h dressed as a bishop, either iditig ; JE' horse or an ass, and carrying alarge-s. a" torch ; on his arm, and a bundle of rods rncc south 7 band. In some parts of Bohemia h'f'i.'.XrX pears dressed up in a sheet instead of ..--ulit.u' surplice, wilh a crushed pillow on his bei.d instead of a untie. Ou his calling out, "NY lit thou pray?" all the chiMicu fall upon their knees. wheir;upoii ho lets fall some fruit upon the ll ior and disappear s. In this manner he goes fiom bouse lo house, sometimes I ioging a bell lo announce his ariival, visits the nurseries inquiiea into the conduct of the children, praises or admonishes them, as ihe case may !, dis tributing sweetmeats or rods accordingly. St. Nicholas is the Santa Chins of Hol land, and the Smiklausof SwitZ'-ilaiirt, and the 5outior Ktas of Heligoland. In 11. o Voiarlberg he is know n as Zeinmiklaa, w ho threatens to put naughty clnidten into his hay-sack; iu Nether Austiiaas Niklo, or Niglo, who is followed by a masked feivatit called Kiampus ; while in th Tyrol be goes bj' the name of the "Holy Man," and shares the patronage of his office with St. Luco, who distributes gifts among the gills, as be among the boys. Sometimes he is accompanied by the Christ-child. In nianj' pails of Switzerland, Germany, and the Netheilatids, St. Nicholas stiM dis tributes his presents on St. Nicholas Eve the 5th of December instead of on Christ mas Eve. Iu the Nethei lauds and adjoin ing provinces bo is especially ipulr, und is perhaps the only saint who lias main tained his full credit, even among the Pro testants. For daj-s loeriotia to his ex pected advent busy housewives have been secret ly conspii ing with the bakers in gild ing nuts cakes and gingei breau, ahd tor turing pastry, prepared with Hour, sugar, honey, spices and sec meats, into the most fantasitcal forms, from which the good saint may from time totime replenish his supplies. As to the children, St. Nich olas or Sunder Klass in the burden of their prayers, the staple of their di earns, and tha inspiration of their song. As they imtxir tune him to let fall from the chiuiuey-tup some pretty gift into iheir little aprons, they go on singing with childish fervor : "Fuiider Klitss du irode Itloot ! Ilrcnir mi N ot nn .uckcrhi o.1, Nicht to vcel on inch l m:tia Smict in mine Scuorten iu !" In Belgium, on Jl:e eve of Ihe cod bish op's serial voyage in his pastoiul visitation of his bislioj i ies of chimney-tops, the cbil dien polish their shoes, and al.er filling them with hay, oats or cairns for the saint's white horse, they put them n a table, or set them iu tl.e tii--plare. The room is then carefully cl'-stri and ihe door locked. Next morning it is opened in the presence of t he assembled household, w hen miribi'c ih', (u .' iho fui uiture is found to be tinned topsy turvy, while the little shtes, instead of horse's f-u.ige, are filled wilh sweetmeats and tojs for the god children, and with rods for the bad ones. In some places wooden or China shoes, stockit.gs, barkets, rups and saucei s. avd even bundles of hay, aie i-l.-ifd in the chinmej', or by the side of the bed, or in a coiner of the room, as the favorite receptacle of St. , Nicholas's present. CHRISTMAS I)i:CORA TIOXS. The custom of decora'ing with ever gieens at Chiistmas is far from being a modern one. The Romans two thousand years ago did tl.e same thine. Indeed it is more than probible tha the origiu of adorning our homes with ivy, holly, and bay must be sought for in the Roman sat urnalia, held eveiy year towatd the end of December. Foinierly the decorations of rooms consisted of a few. blanches of ever green stuck hcie and there ; but now I hey arc of a much more complicated character. To make effective and pictty designs re quiies goHl tjiste, pr:ic ice, skill, and a geneial knowledge? of ;he mateiials to ne employed. Although holly, ivy, and mis tletoe aie pi iucip.i'i! y used, 'bete are Tnnr.y other plants admirably adapted to inter sperse wilh the ab'.ite. Among il,t;n are aibutus, aucuba, bay. enooyiuus, gold and silver holl.es, ivies f I'iflereiit colors, lau rels. 1-iimist inns, Poitual laurel, spruce and silver firs, yew, a -d to f.ntb; alo; branchlcts of arbor-vita-, cypress, deodar, juniper, thuja, or auj- other ornamental slu nbs obtainable. Aceoi.itug to ihe style of decoration, s the foundation must be selected. For g.ail..ms, wiie or slrorg cord should tie ucd : the. l.Utei is prefeia b'e, however, as it is not so li.Jde to twist as wire ; and, for what aie called uptight wreaths or j-ancls, lh;e i.i u io1j aie tl.e best. For ornamental devices, pet f( dated zinc sbor.ld be u-ed , for it ltcis, sti..ng brown pajer; foriianow headings, wbeie single leaves only aie ( u pli'U'J, lupe wire; for crosses, piclurc-fin.rs, Itits, and so foilh, ll.it laths oi ha. l iods ; for wreaths, strong wiie ; ai.il, for small grrlnnds fine twine is serviceable. In aid it ion to the above, several balls of hemp twine, ripe and coarse, la'ge titcd'.ts, and strong linen thread, o.uk green r black, a pair of scissors, I e: knife, ai.d lee of b nd ug wire, intit also be at baud; and one f the most imp'.i.nt tilings f be Mipplicil wilh is A st long i. air of kid glovs to pio tect the bands. HhVoh .Vy ;.'.'.. V- Tl!E afiVcti ui of bras' s :;rd fowls for n'.iu is a matter of food. Ttic Halifax C'tv ,'?, says : "Whenever a ceitain old gentleman approaches the pond at the Public tianleus and calls 'Bobby, a goose will leave tl.e jwiul i:d -it be' iile btm,jnd, when he leaves to g home, will follow close at l:i feet to the fate, and sonetiii.es i:i1n tho stici t, when it Ins t be forcibly tail back, to its manifest distrust, for it goes ott" t- its native clement twisting its tail with indignation, and giving vert to sundry discoid.-mt squeaks. The oM gen tleman m;s he has bevcr feu if. or pitted it in any r.y, w 1 iob tnnkes it more is. maskable ; but we were tol l by a fieqnent er of the gardens tlmt abou two or tbiee yeatsago; a man used to como there anil lei -1 this identical ?- regularly, ait we arc inclined to think M at it is a c!-se iif mistake u identity on tLt j it .-f bib giue-bbip,'2 0
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers