Last Christmas was a year ago Says I to David, I-says-I, "We're goin' to mornin' service, so You hitch up right away: I'll try To tell the girls jes what to do Fer dinner. We'll be back by two."

I didn't wait to hear what he Would more'n like say back to me, But banged the stable-door and flew Back to the house, jes plumb chilled through.

Cold! _Wooh!_ how cold it was! My-oh!

Frost flyin', and the air, you know-- "Jes sharp enough," heerd David swear, "To shave a man and cut his hair!"

And blow _and_ blow! and _snow_ and SNOW, Where it had drifted 'long the fence And 'crost the road,--some places, though, Jes swep' clean to the gravel, so The goin' was as bad fer sleighs As 't was fer wagons,--and _both_ ways, 'Twixt snow-drifts and the bare ground, I've Jes wondered we got through alive; I hain't saw nothin' 'fore er sence 'At beat it _anywheres_ I know-- Last Christmas was a year ago.

And David said, as we set out, 'At Christmas services was 'bout As cold and wuthless kind o' love To offer up as _he_ knowed of; And, as fer _him_, he railly thought 'At the Good Bein' up above Would think more of us--as he ought-- A-stayin' home on sich a day And thankin' of him thataway.

And jawed on in an undertone, 'Bout leavin' Lide and Jane alone There on the place, and me not there To oversee 'em, and p'pare The stuffin' for the turkey, and The sa.s.s and all, you understand.

I've always managed David by Jes sayin' nothin'. That was why He'd chased Lide's beau away--'cause Lide She'd allus take up Perry's side When David tackled him; and so, Last Christmas was a year ago,-- Er ruther 'bout a week _afore_,-- David and Perry'd quarr'l'd about Some tom-fool argyment, you know, And pap told him to "Jes git out O' there, and not to come no more, And, when he went, to _shet the door!_"

And as he pa.s.sed the winder, we Saw Perry, white as white could be, March past, onhitch his hoss, and light A _see_-gyar, and lope out o' sight.

Then Lide she come to me and cried.

And I said nothin'--was no need.

And yit, you know, that man jes got Right out o' there's ef he'd be'n shot-- P'tendin' he must go and feed The stock er somepin'. Then I tried To git the pore girl pacified.

But gittin' back to--where was we?-- Oh, yes--where David lectered me All way to meetin', high and low, Last Christmas was a year ago.

Fer all the awful cold, they was A fair attendunce; mostly, though, The crowd was 'round the stoves, you see, Thawin' their heels and scrougin' us.

Ef't 'adn't be'n fer the old Squire Givin' his seat to us, as in We stompted, a-fairly perishin', And David could 'a' got no fire, He'd jes 'a' drapped there in his tracks.

And Squire, as I was tryin' to yit Make room fer him, says, "No; the facks Is I got to git up and git 'Ithout no preachin'. Jes got word-- Trial fer life--can't be deferred!"

And out he put. And all way through The sermont--and a long one, too-- I couldn't he'p but think o' Squire And us changed round so, and admire His gintle ways--to give his warm Bench up, and have to face the storm.

And when I noticed David he Was needin' jabbin', I thought best To kind o' sort o' let him rest-- 'Peared like he slep' so peacefully!

And then I thought o' home, and how And what the girls was doin' now, And kind o' prayed, 'way in my breast, And breshed away a tear er two As David waked, and church was through.

By time we'd "howdyed" round, and shuck Hands with the neighbors, must 'a' tuck A half-hour longer: ever' one A-sayin' "Christmas-gift!" afore David er me--so we got none.

But David warmed up, more and more, And got so jokey-like, and had His sperits up, and 'peared so glad, I whispered to him, "S'pose you ast A pa.s.sel of 'em come and eat Their dinners with us.--Girls 's got A full-and-plenty fer the lot And all their kin." So David pa.s.sed The invite round. And ever' seat In ever' wagon-bed and sleigh Was jes _packed_, as we rode away-- The young folks, mild er so along, A-strikin' up a sleighin' song.

Tel David laughed and yelled, you know, And jes whirped up and sent the snow And gravel flyin' thick and fast-- Last Christmas was a year ago.

W'y, that-air seven-mild ja'nt we come-- Jes seven mild scant from church to home-- It didn't 'pear, that day, to be Much furder railly 'n 'bout three.

But I was purty squeamish by The time home hove in sight and I See two _ve_hickles standin' there Already. So says I, "Prepare!"

All to myse'f. And presently David he sobered; and says he, "Hain't that-air Squire Hanch's old Buggy," he says, "and claybank mare?"

Says I, "Le's git in out the cold-- Your company's nigh 'bout froze." He says, "Whose sleigh's that-air a-standin' there?"

Says I, "It's no odds whose--you jes Drive to the house and let us out, 'Cause we're jes freezin', nigh about."

Well, David swung up to the door And out we piled. At first I heerd Jane's voice; then _Lide's_--I thought afore I reached that girl I'd jes die, sh.o.r.e; And _when_ I reached her, wouldn't keered Much ef I had, I was so glad, A-kissin' her through my green veil, And jes excitin' her so bad 'At _she_ broke down, _herse'f_--and Jane _She_ cried--and we all hugged again.

And David--David jes turned pale!-- Looked at the girls and then at me, Then at the open door--and then "Is old Squire Hanch in there?" says he.

The old Squire suddently stood in The doorway, with a sneakin' grin.

"Is Perry Anders in there, too?"

Says David, limberin' all through, As Lide and me both grabbed him, and Perry stepped out and waved his hand And says, "Yes, pap." And David jes Stooped and kissed Lide, and says, "I guess Your mother's much to blame as you.

Ef _she_ kin resk him, _I kin_ too."

The dinner we had then hain't no Bit better'n the one to-day 'At we'll have fer 'em. Hear some sleigh A-jinglin' now.--David, fer _me_, I wish you'd jes go out and see Ef they're in sight yit. It jes does Me good to think, in times like these, Lide's done so well. And David he's More tractabler 'n what he was Last Christmas was a year ago.

_James Whitcomb Riley._

_As It Fell Upon A Day._

"A handsome hostess, merry host, A pot of ale and now a toast, Tobacco, and a good coal-fire, Are things this season doth require."

_Poor Robin._

[Ill.u.s.tration: Ready for the Feast]

A CHRISTMAS "NOW."

So, now is come our joyful'st feast, Let every man be jolly; Each room with ivy-leaves is drest, And every post with holly.

Though some churls at our mirth repine, Round your foreheads garlands twine; Drown sorrow in a cup of wine, And let us all be merry.

Now all our neighbors' chimneys smoke, And Christmas logs are burning; Their ovens they with baked meats choke, And all their spits are turning.

Without the door let sorrow lie; And if for cold it hap to die, We'll bury 't in a Christmas-pie, And evermore be merry.

Now every lad is wondrous trim, And no man minds his labor; Our la.s.ses have provided them A bagpipe and a tabor; Young men and maids, and girls and boys, Give life to one another's joys; And you anon shall by their noise Perceive that they are merry.

Rank misers now do sparing shun; Their hall of music soundeth; And dogs thence with whole shoulders run, So all things there aboundeth.

The country folks themselves advance For crowdy-mutton's come out of France; And Jack shall pipe, and Jill shall dance, And all the town be merry.

Ned Squash has fetched his bands from p.a.w.n, And all his best apparel; Brisk Ned hath bought a ruff of lawn With droppings of the barrel; And those that hardly all the year Had bread to eat or rags to wear Will have both clothes and dainty fare, And all the day be merry.

Now poor men to the justices With capons make their arrants; And if they hap to fail of these, They plague them with their warrants: But now they feed them with good cheer, And what they want they take in beer; For Christmas comes but once a year, And then they shall be merry.

Good farmers in the country nurse The poor that else were undone; Some landlords spend their money worse On l.u.s.t and pride at London.

There the roysters they do play, Drab and dice their lands away, Which may be ours another day; And therefore let's be merry.

The client now his suit forbears, The prisoner's heart is eased; The debtor drinks away his cares, And for the time is pleased.

Though other purses be more fat, Why should we pine or grieve at that?

Hang sorrow! care will kill a cat, And therefore let's be merry.

Hark! how the wags abroad do call Each other forth to rambling: Anon you'll see them in the hall For nuts and apples scrambling.

Hark! how the roofs with laughter sound!

Anon they'll think the house goes round: For they the cellar's depth have found, And there they will be merry.

The wenches with their wa.s.sail bowls, About the streets are singing; The boys are come to catch the owls, The wild mare in is bringing.

Our kitchen-boy hath broke his box, And to the dealing of the ox Our honest neighbors come by flocks, And here they will be merry.

Now kings and queens poor sheep-cotes have, And mate with everybody; The honest now may play the knave, And wise men play at noddy.

Some youths will now a mumming go, Some others play at Rowland-ho, And twenty other gameboys mo, Because they will be merry.

Then wherefore in these merry days, Should we, I pray, be duller?

No, let us sing some roundelays To make our mirth the fuller.