Page:Round the Yule Log.djvu/38

14 town and down at the ' home ' whom I see with such cloaks in church at Christmas time." The children, who had expressed considerable fear and un- easiness during the latter part of the story, declared they would not hear any more such terrible stories. They had crept up into the sofa and on the chairs, but still they thought they felt somebody plucking at them from underneath the table. Suddenly the lights were brought in, and we discovered then to our great amusement that the children had put their legs on to the table. The lights, the Christmas cake, the jellies, the tarts, and the wine soon chased away the horrible ghost story and all fear from their minds, revived everybody's spirits, and brought the conversation on to their neighbours and the topics of the day. Finally our thoughts took a flight towards something more substantial on the appearance of the Christmas porridge and the roast ribs of pork. We broke up early and parted with the best wishes for a Merry Christmas. I passed however a very uneasy night I do not know whether it was the stories, the substantial supper, my weak condition, or all these combined, which was the cause of it ; I tossed myself hither and thither in my bed and got mixed up with brownies, fairies, and ghosts the whole night. Finally I sailed through the air towards the church,- while some merry sledge bells were ringing in my ears. The church was lighted up, and when I came inside I saw it was our own church up in the valley. There were nobody there but peasants in their red caps, soldiers in full uniform, country lasses with their white head-dresses and red cheeks. The minister was in the pulpit ; it was my grandfather, who died when I was a little boy. But just as he was in the middle of the sermon, he made a somersault — he was known as one of the smartest men in the parish — right into the middle of the church ; the surplice flew one way and the collar another. " There lies the parson, and here am I," he said, with one of his well known airs, " and now let us have a spring-dance I " In an instant the whole congregation was in the midst of a wild dance ; a big tall peasant came towards me and took me by the shoulder and said : " You'll have to join us, my lad 1 "