University of Virginia Library

THE YULE-TIDE MESSAGE.

When baffled travellers go astray,
Perplexed upon the whitened heath,
And cottage lights with feeble ray
Gleam faintly through the misty breath;
When worn-out daylight woos the dark,
And fretful hounds are heard to bark,
And, toiling through the heavy snow,
The muffled waggoner doth go;
When lanes are choked, and woods are bowed,
And streams are hushed in icy shroud,
And whooping owls begin to sail,
And threshers rest the weary flail,
And dormice dream, and birds are fain
To hide them from chill winter's pain;
When noisy school-boys slide the pond,
And whispering lovers grow more fond,
And logs are heaped upon the fire,
And mirth and frolic glee conspire:
Why, then the time doth bring
New joys and call to sing,
Hark around, boys, hark around,
With what a welcome sound
Old Christmas-tide doth blow
His bugles o'er the snow,
And bid us all be merry,
With voices glad and cheery;
Singing, Heigh with a heigho! be merry, boys, be merry!