orning of the twenty-fifth of December, and right heartily was
the old fellow welcomed. His advent had been announced at daybreak, by
discharges from an old-fashioned field piece which Bridoon (with the
permission of his old commander) had mounted on a wooden carriage to
commemorate his Peninsular victories, while the Bell Ringers rang out a
merry peal from the belfry of the quaint old church in the little
village hard by. Then came troops of merry, laughing children, singing
and chanting old Christmas Carols, and were rewarded by the old
housekeeper with a piping hot breakfast of mince pies, etc., etc.

After morning service in the church, which was numerously attended, the
laborers and many of the poorer tenants of the estate were regaled with
roast beef and plum pudding, good old October ale and mighty flagons of
that cider for which Devonshire is so justly celebrated. During the
evening there was a dance and supper in the servants' hall, to which
many of the small farmers with their wives, sons and daughters, had been
invited, and a right jovial time they had of it. Dancing, songs, scenes
from the magic lantern, hunt the slipper, blind man's buff, kissing
under the mistletoe, and many other Christmas gambols were the order of
the evening,--and, if one might judge from the bursts of mirth and
laughter that prevailed, this was very much to the satisfaction of all
present.

The worthy Baronet, attended by Edith and Arthur, visited his work
people during the dinner in the great barn, addressing words of welcome
and kindness to all, nor did he absent himself from the merry-makings in
the servants' hall.

"Attention, form a line there!" shouted old Bridoon, the lodge keeper,
who was the Sir Oracle of the hour, and had seated himself in a large
arm chair beside the enormous fireplace, wherein the Yule logs burnt
brightly, darting out forked flames of blue, yellow, and crimson, and
sending forth great showers of sparks up the huge old-fashioned chimney
like fire-works on a gala night.

"Make way there for the Brigadier and his handsome aides-de-camp." The
sharp eye of the old campaigner had caught sight of the party from the
drawing room, which had halted in the door way and was looking on highly
amused at the merry groups that were footing it bravely, and with
untiring energy through the mazes of Irish jigs, Scotch reels and
English country dances. On entering, the mirth ceased for a moment out
of respect to Sir Jasper