dame; and it was quite
delightful to see how the bowed little old woman kindled and bridled
when the Vidame gallantly protested that she grew younger and handsomer
every year.

A tall ladder stood against the Mazet, and the children were engaged in
hanging tiny wheat-sheaves along the eaves: the Christmas portion of the
birds. In old times, the Vidame explained, it was the general custom for
children to make this pretty offering--that the birds of heaven, finding
themselves so served, might descend in clouds to the feast prepared for
them by Christian bounty. But nowadays, he added, sighing, the custom
rarely was observed.

Other charitable usages of Christmas had vanished, he continued, because
the need for them had passed away with the coming of better times. Save
in the large cities, there are very few really poor people in Provence
now. It is a rich land, and it gives to its hard-working inhabitants a
good living; with only a pinch now and then when a cold winter or a dry
summer or a wet harvest puts things out of gear. But of old the
conditions were sadly different and there was need for all that charity
could give.

In those times, when in comfortable homes the Christmas feast was set,
there would be heard outside a plaintive voice calling: "Give something
from your yule-log to the sorrowful poor!" And then the children
quickly, would carry out to the calling poor one good portions of food.
Pious families, also, were wont to ask some poor friend or acquaintance,
or even a poor passing stranger, to eat the Great Supper with them; and
of the fragments a part would be sent to the poor brethren in the Hostel
de Dieu: which offerings were called always "the share of the good
God."

In many towns and villages the offerings of Christian bounty were
collected in a curious way. A gigantic figure of wicker-work--called
Melchior, after one of the three Kings of the Epiphany--clothed in a
grotesque fashion and with a huge pannier strapped to his back, was
mounted upon an ass and so was taken from door to door to gather for the
poor whatever the generous would give of food. Into the big basket
charitable hands threw figs, almonds, bread, cheese, olives, sausages:
and when the brave Melchior had finished his round his basket was
emptied upon a table at the church door, and then all the poor people of
the parish were free to come there and receive portions of those good
things--while the church bells rang, and while there b