Old Christmas Recalled - online book

Washington Irving's description of Old Christmas, Illustrated

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	CHRISTMAS DAY                              115
	than oil and wine. When the Squire had retired the merriment increased, and there was much joking and laughter, par­ticularly between Master Simon and a hale, ruddy - faced, white -headed farmer, who ap­peared to be the wit of the village; for I observed all his com­panions to wait with open mouths for his retorts, and burst into a gratuitous laugh before they could well under­stand them. The whole house indeed seemed abandoned to merriment. As I passed to my room to dress for dinner, I heard the sound of music in a small court, and, looking through a window that com­manded it, I perceived a band of wandering musicians, with pandean pipes and tambourine ; a pretty coquettish housemaid was dancing a jig