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An Old-Fashioned Christmas Eve.
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gables and towers, with weathercocks and latticed windows, as a monument of the architecture of the time of King Christian the Fourth. The Swan looked then as now a most respectable and sedate bird, with its gold ring around the neck, its spur-boots and its wings stretched out as if ready to fly. 1 was about to plunge myself into reflection on imprisoned birds, when 1 was ' f disturbed by noise and laughter proceeding from some children in the adjoining room, and by a gentle, old-maidenish knock at my door. On my requesting the visitor to come in, the elder of my land- ladies. Miss Mette, entered the room with a courtesy in the good old style ; she inquired after my health, pjid invited me without B .?
