, in abundance; in the midst of all a
large goose pie, which seems to say 'Come and cut again.'

"After supper the party return to the card room, sit there for two or
three hours longer, and afterwards make the best of their way home, to
take a good long nap, and prepare for the same scene the next night.
At these 'feasts' intoxication is entirely out of the question--it
never happens.

"Such are the innocent amusements of these people."

"With gentle deeds and kindly thoughts,
And loving words withal,
Welcome the merry Christmas in
And hear a brother's call."[86]

PROVISION FOR THE POOR ON CHRISTMAS DAY.

[Illustration: THE GIVING AWAY OF CHRISTMAS DOLES.]

By the will of John Popple, dated the 12th of March, 1830, L4 yearly
is to be paid unto the vicar, churchwardens, and overseers of the poor
of the parish of Burnham, Buckinghamshire, to provide for the poor
people who should be residing in the poorhouse, a dinner, with a
proper quantity of good ale and likewise with tobacco and snuff on
Christmas Day.[87]

This kindly provision of Mr. Popple for the poor shows that he wished
to keep up the good old Christmas customs which are so much admired by
the "old man" in Southey's "The Old Mansion" (a poem of this period).
In recalling the good doings at the mansion "in my lady's time" the
"old man" says:--

"A woful day
'Twas for the poor when to her grave she went!

* * * * *

Were they sick?
She had rare cordial waters, and for herbs
She could have taught the doctors. Then at winter,
When weekly she distributed the bread
In the poor old porch, to see her and to hear
The blessings on her! And I warrant them
They were a blessing to her when her wealth
Had been no comfort else. At Christmas, sir!
It would have warmed your heart if you had seen
Her Christmas kitchen; how the blazing fire
Made her fine pewter shine, and holly boughs
So cheerful red; and as for mistletoe,
The finest bough that grew in the country round
Was mark'd for madam. Then her old ale went
So bountiful about! a Christmas cask,--
And 'twas a noble one!--God help me, sir!
But I shall never see such days again."

[Illustration]

THE ROYAL CHRISTMASES

In the reigns of George IV. and William IV., though not kept with the
grandeur of earlier reigns, were observed with much rejoicing and
festivity, and the Royal Boun