mily service, tell the story of content and cheer better than it can be set down upon

How delighted are the children with he sight of the feast, exchanging smiles elegraphing sly signals all around the

How interestedly they watch the carvnd disjointing of the fowls, as the white -meat falls away in such enticing slices the sharp blade, and the anatomy of the et becomes more and more palpable! the preserves that have been brought forth their dark hiding-places, - -plum and pear currant, — the jelly and sauce, too, how tickle their youthful tastes even before ct, raising a livelier relish in their imtions!

ard by, on a sideboard conveniently d, that is a perfect miracle and puzzle of ers and doors and out-of-the-way aparts, are arrayed the bountiful rations of y and dessert. A large pudding and a er one, of custard and plum; together manifold samples of the pies baked on day previous, - mince, apple, squash, pkin, custard, and cranberry, and a very

platter of tarts to match. The effect of his side display is nowise lost upon the ger ones in the family party, nor indeed

do the good housewives intend it shall p unobserved of the elder participants of festival. And there is tea as well, sending its savory steams from the little side-stand, a waiting to be poured into the quaint little cu that are a genuine part of the homestead f nishing.

And thus this high feast of New E
Knives and forks make a br

land goes on.
clatter, and voices mingle and ring all over t
room. All faces are lighted with the joy whi
all hearts sincerely feel. It is busy work, for
time, what with the eating and talking
gether; and the poultry carcasses show sig
of giving out; while the puddings and pi
melt away in turn; and, at last, the table e
hibits but the wreck of the fat feast und
which it so recently groaned. The childr
testify to their sense of surfeit by pushi
back in their chairs and drawing difficu
breaths. The older ones play with their kniv
or their tumblers, and essay short stories th
require no great concentration of the faculti
they have nearly put to sleep. Or the thrif
wives compare domestic receipts for this artic
and that, talking pints and pounds, sugar a
juice, water and jars, till the snarl of househo
learning is hardly to be disentangled.

e evening brings its own pleasures again. the old-fashioned family games begin,man's-buff, puss-puss in the corner, snapound the chimney, forfeits, and their many ic congeners. The rooms all over the old are lighted, and the echoes flock merrily tairs and down. Grandfather has a y story in his corner for such as choose to r round and listen; while Grandmother e centre of admiration for all the daughand daughters-in-law assembled. And keep it up till late bed-time. It is glee out limit or qualification. The hour is with two figures, when the embers are d on the hearth, and the lights are extined before the windows, and the crescent 1 stoops low and virginal toward the westorizon.

it what a flood of happiness has swelled very heart under the roof! Not a single

is laid upon its pillow, but is filled with thoughts of the endless and inexhaustible ghts of Home. Not a heart but beats more ngly with genuine love for those simple and ely pleasures which mere wealth can nei give nor take away.

OLD

66

have passed through, eager to make it pear that the burden of this world's woes fallen entirely upon themselves. The "1 war" was a great deal harder to put up w than any boy's affair of these times; the mous September Gale" has never been a proached, for blowing capacity, by any temp of more modern days; there never was, a never will be, such a depression of the pub spirits as during the year of the "embargo and old-fashioned Winters have not been pa alleled by the dismallest spells of cold weath that have latterly frozen men stiff and stark, high noon, by the road side.

As far as downright hard winters go, it more than likely they are in the right. Suc snow-piles as they used to wallow and di through, or ride upon when once safely en crusted, we do not chance to stumble int in these days, sure enough. Then they ha

ghing four months on a stretch; whereas, e can get even four weeks of it, the season ugh, we brag as lustily as if we had been osed to trials as tough as any that encomsed the oldest inhabitants. Our mercury Es sink pretty low, there's no denying it; these "dreadful cold snaps" are never exted to endure for more than three days, en all the weather prophets assure us the d has "got to its height," can go not one f degree further if it would, and must of cessity make way forthwith for a relaxing utherly rain.

We walk in "slosh" and mud, where our chers went in whitest snow up to their knees. rozen ice crunches under our tread, where the d settlers used to make the trodden snowvement squeal and squeak beneath their urdy cowhide soles. Round-robin snow is ough to delight the children of this day; hereas their grandparents, at their age, would out on the bleak country roads, helping the en "break out" with ox teams of a dozen nd twenty to a string. In short, this is the illennial day of furnaces and double windows, f salted sidewalks and soft fur collars. In ther times, they got warm out of doors, made riends with old Winter by defying him to do