falsetto；　like　the　notes　of　a　split　reed；　he　quavered　forth　a　quaint
  old　ditty。
  Now　Christmas　is　come；
  Let　us　beat　up　the　drum；
  And　call　all　our　neighbors　together；
  And　when　they　appear；
  Let　us　make　them　such　cheer；
  As　will　keep　out　the　wind　and　the　weather；　etc。
  The　supper　had　disposed　every　one　to　gayety；　and　an　old　harper　was
  summoned　from　the　servants'　hall；　where　he　had　been　strumming　all
  the　evening；　and　to　all　appearance　comforting　himself　with　some　of　the
  squire's　home…brewed。　He　was　a　kind　of　hanger…on；　I　was　told；　of　the
  establishment；　and；　though　ostensibly　a　resident　of　the　village；　was
  oftener　to　be　found　in　the　squire's　kitchen　than　his　own　home；　the　old
  gentleman　being　fond　of　the　sound　of　〃harp　in　hall。〃
  The　dance；　like　most　dances　after　supper；　was　a　merry　one；　some　of
  the　older　folks　joined　in　it；　and　the　squire　himself　figured　down
  several　couple　with　a　partner；　with　whom　he　affirmed　he　had　danced
  at　every　Christmas　for　nearly　half　a　century。　Master　Simon；　who　seemed
  to　be　a　kind　of　connecting　link　between　the　old　times　and　the　new；　and
  to　be　withal　a　little　antiquated　in　the　taste　of　his
  accomplishments；　evidently　piqued　himself　on　his　dancing；　and　was
  endeavoring　to　gain　credit　by　the　heel　and　toe；　rigadoon；　and　other
  graces　of　the　ancient　school；　but　he　had　unluckily　assorted　himself
  with　a　little　romping　girl　from　boarding…school；　who；　by　her　wild
  vivacity；　kept　him　continually　on　the　stretch；　and　defeated　all　his
  sober　attempts　at　elegance：…　such　are　the　ill…assorted　matches　to
  which　antique　gentlemen　are　unfortunately　prone！
  The　young　Oxonian；　on　the　contrary；　had　led　out　one　of　his　maiden
  aunts；　on　whom　the　rogue　played　a　thousand　little　knaveries　with
  impunity：　he　was　full　of　practical　jokes；　and　his　delight　was　to　tease
  his　aunts　and　cousins；　yet；　like　all　madcap　youngsters；　he　was　a
  universal　favorite　among　the　women。　The　most　interesting　couple　in　the
  dance　was　the　young　officer　and　a　ward　of　the　squire's；　a　beautiful
  blushing　girl　of　seventeen。　From　several　shy　glances　which　I　had
  noticed　in　the　course　of　the　evening；　I　suspected　there　was　a　little
  kindness　growing　up　between　them；　and；　indeed；　the　young　soldier　was
  just　the　hero　to　captivate　a　romantic　girl。　He　was　tall；　slender；
  and　handsome；　and；　like　most　young　British　officers　of　late　years；　had
  picked　up　various　small　accomplishments　on　the　continent…　he　could
  talk　French　and　Italian…　draw　landscapes；　sing　very　tolerably…　dance
  divinely；　but；　above　all；　he　had　been　wounded　at　Waterloo：…　what
  girl　of　seventeen；　well　read　in　poetry　and　romance；　could　resist
  such　a　mirror　of　chivalry　and　perfection！
  The　moment　the　dance　was　over；　he　caught　up　a　guitar；　and；　lolling
  against　the　old　marble　fireplace；　in　an　attitude　which　I　am　half
  inclined　to　suspect　was　studied；　began　the　little　French　air　of　the
  Troubadour。　The　squire；　however；　exclaimed　against　having　any　thing　on
  Christmas　eve　but　good　old　English；　upon　which　the　young　minstrel；
  casting　up　his　eye　for　a　moment；　as　if　in　an　effort　of　memory；
  struck　into　another　strain；　and；　with　a　charming　air　of　gallantry；
  gave　Herrick's　〃Night…Piece　to　Julia。〃
  Her　eyes　the　glow…worm　lend　thee；
  The　shooting　stars　attend　thee；
  And　the　elves　also；
  Whose　little　eyes　glow
  Like　the　sparks　of　fire；　befriend　thee。
  No　Will　o'　the　Wisp　mislight　thee；
  No　snake　nor　slow…worm　bite　thee；
  But　on；　on　thy　way；
  Not　making　a　stay；
  Since　ghost　there　is　none　to　affright　thee；
  Then　let　not　the　dark　thee　cumber；
  What　though　the　moon　does　slumber；
  The　stars　of　the　night
  Will　lend　thee　their　light；
  Like　tapers　clear　without　number。
  Then；　Julia；　let　me　woo　thee；
  Thus；　thus　to　come　unto　me；
  And　when　I　shall　meet
  Thy　silvery　feet；
  My　soul　I'll　pour　into　thee。
  The　song　might　or　might　not　have　been　intended　in　compliment　to
  the　fair　Julia；　for　so　I　found　his　partner　was　called；　she；　however；
  was　certainly　unconscious　of　any　such　application；　for　she　never
  looked　at　the　singer；　but　kept　her　eyes　cast　upon　the　floor。　Her
  face　was　suffused；　it　is　true；　with　a　beautiful　blush；　and　there　was　a
  gentle　heaving　of　the　bosom；　but　all　that　was　doubtless　caused　by
  the　exercise　of　the　dance；　indeed；　so　great　was　her　indifference；　that
  she　amused　herself　with　plucking　to　pieces　a　choice　bouquet　of
  hot…house　flowers；　and　by　the　time　the　song　was　concluded　the
  nosegay　lay　in　ruins　on　the　floor。
  The　party　now　broke　up　for　the　night　with　the　kind…hearted　old
  custom　of　shaking　hands。　As　I　passed　through　the　hall；　on　my　way　to　my
  chamber；　the　dying　embers　of　the　Yule　clog　still　sent　forth　a　dusky
  glow；　and　had　it　not　been　the　season　when　〃no　spirit　dares　stir
  abroad；〃　I　should　have　been　half　tempted　to　steal　from　my　room　at
  midnight；　and　peep　whether　the　fairies　might　not　be　at　their　revels
  about　the　hearth。
  My　chamber　was　in　the　old　part　of　the　mansion；　the　ponderous
  furniture　of　which　might　have　been　fabricated　in　the　days　of　the
  giants。　The　room　was　panelled　with　cornices　of　heavy　carved　work；　in
  which　flowers　and　grotesque　faces　were　strangely　intermingled；　and　a
  row　of　black…looking　portraits　stared　mournfully　at　me　from　the　walls。
  The　bed　was　of　rich；　though　faded　damask；　with　a　lofty　tester；　and
  stood　in　a　niche　opposite　a　bow　window。　I　had　scarcely　got　into　bed
  when　a　strain　of　music　seemed　to　break　forth　in　the　air　just　below　the
  window。　I　listened；　and　found　it　proceeded　from　a　band；　which　I
  concluded　to　be　the　waifs　from　some　neighboring　village。　They　went
  round　the　house；　playing　under　the　windows。　I　drew　aside　the
  curtains　to　hear　them　more　distinctly。　The　moonbeams　fell　through
  the　upper　part　of　the　casement；　partially　lighting　up　the　antiquated
  apartment。　The　sounds；　as　they　receded；　became　more　soft　and　aerial；
  and　seemed　to　accord　with　the　quiet　and　moonlight。　I　listened　and
  listened…　they　became　more　and　more　tender　and　remote；　and；　as　they
  gradually　died　away；　my　head　sunk　upon　the　pillow；　and　I　fell　asleep。
  THE　END
  。