flashed in the north, as, muffled up and
loaded down with rugs, we emerged from
the reverend squire's, and made our way
across the snow-bound lawn to the sleighs.
Great barge-like sleighs were they, whose
backs rolled round at a comfortable curve,
and they were soon, by our efforts, well
padded with buffalo-skins and huge woollen
rugs. The squire himself, his wife, his
youngest daughter and I, occupied one, the
other would only hold my chum Tom, and
Ellen Maria, between whom there was a
"kinder sorter likin','' as the good folk
remarked, and who arranged matters with
exceeding cunning to this end. The sturdy
farm-horses had been harnessed for the
occasion; and the long festoons of bells
which hung across them began to chatter
and jingle all merrily as the parson's
cheery " Hud up, old Phil! Go 'long,
Nancy!" resounded in the still, sharp air.
It was some three miles to Hodges's, and
as we came to the cross-roads and
turnpikes, the procession of sleighs constantly
became longer and merrier, parties from
all the neighbouring farms joining us and
hailing us with hearty " How-d'ye-dos!"
and " Goin'-to-the-ball, I 'spose!" Then,
when the party had become numerous, and
friends whirled along " nip and tuck"
with friends, a song would swell out in the
clear dry air, with its strong rustic bass
and high tenor, and full maiden soprano:
a music untaught by rule, yet just adapted
to the scene and time.

At last we whirled up to Hodges's,
and there was of a sudden a great bustle
and confusion of getting out from the
midst of the skins and rugs, and there
were screams, and titterings, and
coquettings on the part of the maiden
merrymakers, as Josh and Obadiah helped them
out, and gave them a hearty lift from the
sleighs to the ground.

Hodges's was one of those cheerful, cozy,
wood-built taverns which are to be met
with, everywhere, in rural New England.
Along its front, ran a wide, roofed verandah,
in which were rows of wooden benches, now
deserted indeed, for the bleak season drove
the village gossips within doors; but in
summer a famous place for huddling together
and discussing politics and crops. At one
side were long sheds for the horses and
waggons, and a barn beyond for winter use. On
this night the modest tavern was dazzlingly
lighted up, albeit only with home-made
candles; we had seen the glimmering lights
from the brow of the hill half a mile off, and
they had given us new inspiration. Hodges
himself, portly, rubicund, loud-voiced,
received us at the door, and welcomed us in
burly tones. He himself helped the girls
to unravel themselves from the buffalo robes,
and the boys to put up their horses and
sleighs in the barn.

"Up-stairs, girls, 'n take off your things,"
said he. " Take any room you like; they
are all lit up; 'n thar's a fire in every one
on 'm." The girls were not slow to take
the hint, and went noisily up, chatting and
laughing and rubbing their hands.

"Now, boys," said lusty mine host, when
the male portion of the party had put up
their horses and came blowing and
frosty-breathed within doors, " Now, boys, I'm
all ready for you. Come into the bar-room,
every one on ye. Darned if the hull
kentry aint here, though. Hullo, Bill Judkins,
's that you? When did yeou come to
town? College folks, be they? Well,
gents, hope you won't stick up yeour noses
at old Hodges's toddy."

There was no danger of that; for when
we got into the bar-room, with its neat
white-sanded floor, its fly-stained
lithographs of presidential portraits and
prize-fighting scenes; and its narrow bar, adorned
at the back by unique many-coloured bottles
and glasses, there, upon the counter, stood as
hot and savoury a bowl of " flip" as
frost-bitten Yankee ever tasted. We gathered
about, a cold and frosty group, and Hodges
ladled out to each a great steaming glass of
the liquor, meanwhile carrying on little
jerky conversations with this or that
acquaintance among his guests. The flip
which one gets in winter at a Yankee tavern,
is the very best of blood circulators, and one
is infected by it with a genial steaming
warmth symbolised by the bowl of liquor
itself. It speedily set us laughing and
chatting, and it was while we were in this
comfortable humour that Hodges came around
amongst us, saying:

"Neow, boys, shell eout. Two dollars
a-piece all round; pays for ball 'n liquor 'n
everything. Ladies pay nothin'. Supper
at ten o'clock, and a darned good 'un, sure
as yeou live! Marm Hodges down stairs
gettin' it up neow. Forgot your money,
did you, Steve? Wall, never mind, you're
good, you are. Guess I aint 'fraid o' Steve
Brooks. Two dollars, young man from
collidge— heow d' you like our kentry, sir?
Ring-tailed roarin' winter, aint it?"

The ball-room was a long, rather low
apartment on the first-floor, which, to tell the
truth, usually did service as the tavern
dining-room. It had been fitted up for the
present occasion with all the elaboration
which the landlord's resources would allow.