What Happened At A Christmas Gathering.

" Bass , " clear and amber-coloured , Avell-up , has many charms , not only for a " thirsty soul" aud to " soothe the savage breast , " but for many very civilised bipeds to boot , it was my lot to be invited to spend a Christinas—some time ago , alas !

UOAVin Avhat Mrs . Hemans terms one of the " ancestral homes of England . " It Avas a fine old place , with a noble hall , and tapestried chambers , ancl a haunted room . It had many goodly features for inmates and visitors . Jemmy Miller , a

young hero of the day , Avhom I met there , ancl of Avhom I knew something , said it Avas a " rum old place , and as for that haunted room , " he added , " euough to frighten a felloAV , you know ; they say , my old boy , it is a Avoman , AVIIO Avalks in and out of your bedroom and looks at

you and points at you , and goes to the right about and vanishes into thin air . One of our fellows Avho Avas here said he had his bedclothes taken off ; but between you and me and the Avail , I think he had been 'liquoring up . ' I like Avomen in

general , ancl one in particular , but I strongly object ou principle to a female ghost . For you see , " he concluded speaking confidentially , " you don't knoAV Avhat to make of her . " Now , I have quoted these frank words

of one of the dramatis personse because I think they Avell handle so spectral a subject . Well , Ave had gradually assembled at the old hall ; a large party , too , from east and AA est , and north and south . There Avere some male and female

parents ; there were some pleasant married couples , some very pretty girls ancl plenty of young men , and altogether it Avas one of those Christmas gatherings you sometimes share in which are not Avithout their sunny side : not so much a family partyas a miscellaneous collection

, of people who kneAV something of each other , and have met , not having a Christmas of their OAVU to keep , to spend a merry Christmas in some hospitable mansion . There ivereof courseone or t \ A'o bores

, , , male or female ( what party is Avithout them 1 ) , but still we had all reached our haven at last , one cold , raw , dreary , in hospitable clay outside , aud were Avelcomed warml y Avithin , as was ever their wont , by

our kind host and hostess . The ladies are all gathered in a magic circle , in the long picture gallery , round the pleasant fire ; and the gentleman , AVIIO formed the " outer ring , " were standing or lounging about , as men will do , receiving gratefully warm

cups of tea from the hands of the ladies ; and then , being a little thawed , we all begin to talk . " I ' m blessed , " said old Jorum to me , " if I ever heard such a chattering . They declare Avomen are magpies , but I'll hack men to gossip against them . " But I don't think that old Jorum is

quite impartial m the matter , being very much under the influence of Mrs . Jorum , Avho has made him give up all his bachelor opinions . Young Miller comes up to me and says , sotte voce , " Deuced fine woman Mrs . Jorum , but she is better horse a long Avay j" and here the young rascal winks sagaciously at me aud plunges into an animated conversation with the eldest

Miss Barnstaple . After Ave had all talked ancl got cosy , and even yawned—and one or two actually dozed—Ave all dispersed incontinently to our rooms , Avhence , after having duly dressed for dinner , we redescended into

the hall . When dinner Avas announced Ave all Avere marshalled in order and marched in double file , a manoeuvre which required no little tact on the part of our hostess , Avho was , hoAvever , equal to the occasion . We Avere allat last

, , comfortably seated in the cheery diningroom , and prepared to enjoy a good dinner . I had two very agreeable neighbours , as the Irishman said , " on each of my tAvo sides , " Mrs . Jorum being one of them , and so I took stock of the company ,

as I Avas doing so Avell myself and the coup deed was quite charming . Among other things vrhich I noticed I saw that Jemmy Avas making himself very pleasant , as they say , to a very pretty young woman on his left , ancl was going ahead , she being ,

as the Germans say , evidently " zukommend . " But I also thought I observed that this innocent flirtation was not at all agreeable to the fair Laura ' s right-hand neighbour , a ponderous and prosaic old gentleman—Avhat mammas call a " safe man "—AVIIO was smitten with that fascinating gipsy , ancl Avas evidently thinking , 2 A 2