The Mistletoe.

the profane . The ceiling , too , had disappeared , and given place to the canopy of heaven , Avhilst its fretwork of oaken beams seemed to have recovered their former shape as the spreading -aud weatherstained branches of the sacred oak which stood in the midst of the enclosureand

, just above my head huug the mystic Mistletoe from one of the huge tAvin sidebranches , Avhich I perceived Avere trained aud trimmed crosswise ; here and there , too , on the gnarled and knotty trunk were carvings , Avhich I recognized as the sacred

" Tail . " Almost to my feet reached the great shadow of the tree , and on the cross thus formed there seemed to depend a figure , which I soon found to be caused b y that of the Archdruid , who , staudimg on a stone pedestal on the eastern sidewith

, arm uplifted , brandished the golden knife Avith Avhich he was about to sever the sacred stem . Close underneath stood the vestals in a roAV , their pure Avhite robes upheld to catch the bough as it was detached from its foster-parent branch . The old refrain

seemed still to linger in my ears , aud it Avas not for some little time that I realized that this Avas not the effect of fancy , but that the Avords Avere being recited to the

soft accompaniment of an antique harp by another venerable Avhite-robed and Avhitebearded figure standing upon a smaller pedestal on the south of the sacred tree : Avhilst back to me , and between me and the tree , and on its western side , I

perceived a third figure similar to the others , standing on a pedestal midAvay in size betAveen the other tivo , and bearing in his hand some tool or badge of office . , A little space the Archdruid paused ' ere , as " Priest of the woman ' s promised seed , " he

cut the Misletoe ' s stem , and as the soft chaut of his felloAV died a-vay , the deep tones of his voice fell upon my ear as he unravelled the symbolism of the mystic b ragh : — "Long , long ago , my children , Avas it

promised by our common Father , that the heavenborn in earthly shape should suffer and should . lie , and as His sacred blood out poured (' Avithout Avhose sacrificial shedding no sin could be remitted , ' ) should crush the head and of evilTo Him

power . , 'the Messiah , ' points this sacred mark , 'the Tau . " Of Him , ' the Man , ' < the Branch , ' this mysterious plant is typical . Comes it not from above , from heaven ? and does it not grow on a tree of earth 1 T / uIy by

the engrafting of that heavenly ¦ branch upon this earthly tree , is shown , that heaven and earth , sin-severed , are at one once more , and beneath its shade is fitly given , in token of reconciliation , the kiss of pardon and of peace . "

Tims spoke the Archdruid , and as he ceased , tho uplifted knife did its work , and the severed bough fell from its lofty

eminence . Here then , at last , thought I , is the home of peace ; but onee more I Avas destined to bo deceived , for as I followed the procession from Avithin the circle , my ears Avere pierced Avith the shrieks of victims perishing in the roaring flames .

Alas ! what mockery , I thought , to talk of peace , whilst' immolating felloAv-mortals thus—how cruel , how desperately Avicked ! and in tho name of religion , too ! Once more , however , I caught sight . of my mentor , the bough , and my mind wandered

down the stream of time , and ever and again' were my ears assailed Avith the erica of victims perishing in God ' s name . Now it Avas the blazing faggot of old Smithfiold , Avhen tho hated Lollard died ; thou the fire of ancient Balliol , papist-li ghted ; next

" the Dreamer ' s" soul sighing for liberty in his river-washed ceil in 0 use ' s stream at Bedford ; and yet , again , the strife of rival churches , nay , of conflicting sections of the same communion . Where , then , is "peace on earth" ? where " goodwill ' mongst men" ?

My soul sank within me at the apparent impossibility of getting an ansAver to my question , Avhen my eye lighted once more on my beloved bough ere it passed for good and all from my sight . Once more the scene changed—gone were all the

stones of the Druids , gone the mystic circle , gone the sacred oak—but , instead , in the dark still ni ght , I found myself surrounded , on the bleak hillside , by a few solitary flocks guarded by their shepherds . Ere I could do more than take this in Avith

a rapid glance , I perceived in the East a brilliant spreading light , Avhich , as it increased seemed peopled with myriad seraph-forms hymuiug the well-known , old refrain : —

" Peace on earth , good will ' mongst men . " That done , they bid us seek the Prince of Peace , in lowly guise , yet Lord of Love . No need of my mentor now , for the mission of the mystic branch was accom-