CHRISTMAS, 1877.

Inangahua Times, Volume V, Issue 11, 19 December 1877, Page 2

CHRISTMAS, 1877.

[contributed.] " Only six days to the holidays now, t my boys ! I say, won't it be jolly to be able to lie iv bed in the mornings, instead of being routed up by that blessed old bell, and Having to dress against time, and cut away down to Big School." Thus we read in . one of the books of the season furnished by our townsman, Mr Cohen, for the delectation of our rising generation of Reel'ton. Old as we are, and perhaps naughty too, the lines quoted brought back memories — almost evanished— of the days when we were young; ; when even amongst the anticipatory visions of tli3 rhhly browned goose, the traditionary roast beef and plum pudding, to say nothing of mi:ice pies aad custard, cum multis aliis, even then, whilst we were as happy as sons of Kings, our heartiness was tinctured with a kind of fear wheu looking forward to how many blanks the iN'ew Year would show in each of our forms. Still, boy like, and as elastic as the India rubber balls, of the present day — we ■were up again, and merry would the welkin ring over Mie^axam : papers and " themes," we had written during the " last half,' 1 and tljen consigned to the flames, .•/In one of Strachan's(^Mc^ora/J^w brand) we recognise a strain of the old public school element. Speaking of " Old Rugby," the youngster writes: — "Here's the sohoolhouse, who dares go before her To cricket, run, read, lenp or spar ? "Where'er we may be, we'll adore her, We are jolly fellows, wo are ! And Acre's to old Rugby for ever ! May she flouvish in peuceor in war! No diafinicft thai tie can dissever, We Btill uro llujjbians, wo are ." Another alumni writes a house-supper song— which we cannot resist giving the first verse. The chorus, which, regarding the entente cordiale between the Old Country ( and young England over the Atlantic is strikingly appropriate. "This is how it went,:— Pibamu* vinum optimum Quod fluifc opud Rhenomj Et gui r.on vult, cavefe hunc ; " In cornu habot fronum !" Sit suum cuique pooulum, Et plenum, sempei' plenum; ITro fumus desit Baecfhjjcug Ut omne eit serenum ! Chorus : Ynnlceo doodlp, doodlft do Yankee doodle dandy ! Cheor for Harvard and for Yale And toast 'em both in brandy." ■Those who have not; read " Prom Rugby to the Worlds ifiad " by an old Rugby boy, bare as cheery and as enjoyable a story as well could be imagined. Those who have read it will have appreciated it as much as we have. What could be prettier than this, which closes Chap. 11. " And as the roar died away there came stealing over the silent sex, as it lay sleeping in the moonlight, the soft chimes of silver bells ; and then a choir sf sweet voices, that sounded as if the ingols who proclaimed the first Christmas ivero come back to earth, once more, broke forth into song :— "He died for us erewhile on earth, He lives for us on High, Looks down to share our Christmas mirth, And calls us to the sky. Then praise we Sim at whoso right hand We'll meet no more to sever ; I Guests in a holy, heavenly land; Where Christmas reigns for ever,"