Christmas party may
be detained indefinitely in one of these remote islands, should the
weather prove unfavourable. At Christmastide, a former Laird of Westra
"collected a numerous party from all the neighbouring islands to
celebrate the christening of his eldest son." His hospitalities cost
him dear. A storm arose; his guests could not get away; instead of
enjoying their society for a few days, he was obliged to entertain
them at a ruinous expense for many weeks. His larder, his cellar, and
his barns, were by degrees exhausted. His farm stock had all

been slaughtered, except the old bull, which he was reserving as a
last resource, when at length the wind abated, and a calm delivered
him from this ruinous situation.

Thus it appears that in these remote islands of Scotland Christmas is
not forgotten. But a writer in a well-known Scotch journal says the
surest sign of the general joy is "Christmas in the Workhouse":--

"Christmas was gay in the old squire's hall,
Gay at the village inn,
Cheery and loud by the farmer's fire,
Happy the manse within;
But the surest signs of the general joy,
And that all the world was happy--very,
Were the sounds that proved at the workhouse door
That even 'the paupers' were merry."

A REMARKABLE CHRISTMAS GATHERING.

The Greenwich Hospital for Sick Seamen of all Nations presented on
Christmas Day, 1880, a remarkable gathering of national
representatives. There were 179 sailors, representing 31
nationalities, belonging to ships of 19 distinct nations. They were
summed up thus:--England, 77; Wales, 3; Scotland, 9; Ireland, 11;
Norway, 10; Sweden, 9; Finland, 6; United States, 5; Denmark, 5;
British India, 4; France, 3; Germany, 3; Nova Scotia, 3; Russia, 2;
Austria, 2; Italy, 2; Cape de Verd Islands, 2; Chili, 2; Jamaica, 2;
Barbadoes, 2; St. Thomas, 2; Spain, 1; Portugal, 1; Canada, 1; New
Brunswick, 1; Transvaal, 1; Gold Coast, 1; Brazil, 1; St. Kitts, 1;
Mauritius, 1; Society Islands, 1. The mercantile marines represented
were no bad index to the proportion of the carrying trade of the world
each nation undertakes:--England, 96 vessels; Ireland, 3; Scotland,
16; Wales, 4; Norway, 7; Sweden, 5; United States, 6; Denmark, 2;
France, 2; Germany, 3; Nova Scotia, 7; Russia, 2; Netherlands, 4;
Channel Islands, 2; New Brunswick, 2; Italy, 1; Zanzibar, 1; Spain, 1.

The early morning brought warm Christmas wishes to the patients. Each
found by his bedside a pac