  When on the barn’s thatch’d roof is seen The moss in tufts of liveliest green; When Roger to the wood pile goes, And, as he turns, his fingers blows; When all around is cold and drear, Be sure that Christmas-tide is near. When up the garden walk in vain We seek for Flora’s lovely train; When the sweet hawthorn bower is bare, And bleak and cheerless is the air; When all seems desolate around, Christmas advances o’er the ground. When Tom at eve comes home from plough, And brings the mistletoe’s green bough, With milk-white berries spotted o’er, And shakes it the sly maids before, Then hangs the trophy up on high, Be sure that Christmas-tide is nigh. When Hal, the woodman, in his clogs, Bears home the huge unwieldy logs, That, hissing on the smouldering fire, Flame out at last a quiv’ring spire; When in his hat the holly stands, Old Christmas musters up his bands. When cluster’d round the fire at night, Old William talks of ghost and sprite, And, as a distant out-house gate Slams by the wind, they fearful wait, While some each shadowy nook explore, Then Christmas pauses at the door. When Dick comes shiv’ring from the yard, And says the pond is frozen hard, While from his hat, all white with snow, The moisture, trickling, drops below, While carols sound, the night to cheer, Then Christmas and his train are here. |
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