noon
That the party was intended to be a truly jovial one there was no room for doubt . A large bough of mistletoe had been brought from the woods that day , and suspended in the hall of the bachelor 's home . Holly and ivy had followed in armfuls . From six that morning till past noon the huge wood fire in the kitchen roared and sparkled at its highest , the kettle , the saucepan , and the three-legged pot appearing in the midst of the flames like Shadrach , Meshach , and Abednego ; moreover , roasting and basting operations were continually carried on in front of the genial blaze . As it grew later the fire was made up in the large long hall into which the staircase descended , and all encumbrances were cleared out for dancing . The log which was to form the back-brand of the evening fire was the uncleft trunk of a tree , so unwieldy that it could be neither brought nor rolled to its place ; and accordingly two men were to be observed dragging and heaving it in by chains and levers as the hour of assembly drew near . In spite of all this , the spirit of revelry was wanting in the atmosphere of the house .