Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1882-01-31
PARIS MAINE, TUESDAY JANUARY 81, 1882.


"you are better. 80
Eyes, l think | am, little" admit.
ted Emmy.
Marian meanwhile held her housekeep-
ing conference in the entry.
YOU'D like to have turkey, to-day,
suggested Mrs. Durkie, in persuasive
tone.
mo, think not lacking her brain
for a prosaic suggestion. Chops, |
think, Mrs. Darkie; and sole, il You
can get fresh one and cauliHower
with white sauce; and-msshed potato.
That will do very we'll"
Dear me it's not bit like a
Christmas dinner in disappointed
tone. "And for the sweet course, Miss
Rand ;"
Well, / think we won't mind about
that to-day none Of us care much for
sweets said Marian.
Mrs. Durkie looked deeply, darkly
doubtful. She shook her head, and
seemed about to speak; then her face re-
la1ed, little sagcious smile shone in
her eyes, and she departed without say
ing more.
The day went by, as hard days will.
There was good deal of laborious cheer
fulness in the party. Aileen practiced
s,ou,ly on some difficult music; Marian
read Froude's Cesar aloud to Emilia.
Neither of the three said word about
the far-off home Of which all were think
ing. Toward night the rain ceased,
and Marian, leaning out to close the
blinds, announced the moon to be visi-
ble.
Don't let's dress for dinner" said
she. 1--WE are all so comfortable as we
are" But think her object was to dis
card even so commonplace an observance
to make the day, as it were, even less
than ordinary days.
Dinner came up, and was eaten with
an accompaniment Of chat which grew
happier now ,ha. the dreaded holiday
was fairly past. The whiie.capped maid
removed the plates, and swept the last
crumb from the table.
"There is moth" Marian began; but
at that moment the door opened, and in
came Mrs. Durkie, ber face bright with
fire, her eyes with triumph, and in her
hands. raised aloft, dish, on which
famed a small but symmetrical pudding.
surrounded with towering sprig Of red
ried holly.
"LaGies," she said, "l've took the
liberty of making you Christmas pud-
ding in our English way, and hope you
will excuse it, and accept. with my best
respects"
Ii was a shock, but aoJlesse oblige.
and after single moment Of conster-
nation. the Rands reused to the sltua-
ton.
What beauty of pudding - cried
Aileen.
How very good Of you - put in
Emmy. 1--WE are so obliged, dear Mrs.
Durkie.
"Well. couldn't seem to bear your
spending the day so dull like" responded
Mrs Durkie. Christmas isn't like it
self wi'hou, pudding, to my thinking;
and my mother she always felt so. too.
This is her recipe, and it has 60, all the
things in it that ought to be-
"All the things that ough. to be
Wha, do you mean :" asked the puzzled
Marian.
"Oh, don't mean plums and such
like, a'am. Every pudding has them
at all seasons of the year. But the
Christmas pudding is the only one, you
know, which has the ring, the sixpence,
and the ,himble."
What"
"The ring. the sixpence, and the
thimble. ma'am. It's for luck, you un'
derstand. The sixpence means money,
you know the one Of you that gets that
in her slice is sure to have some'at left
her in the course Of year and day as
a legacy.like. The ring means a hus-
band, of course and the thimble is pow
erty. All. Miss Rand. you are laughing
see; but I've known it to come true
more times than once. The pudding
seldom misses"
II call this exciting" said Aileen.
Now, Mrs. Durkie, carve the pudding
for US. and give each slice, while open
this bottle of Champagne. We must all
drink one another's healths in honor of
your wondrous present"
The pudding was carved" and Mrs.
Durkie, nothing loath, slipped her glass
of pink fosming wine, while the sisters
curously explored each her slice with
fork.
II have the ring said Aileen, SOL
emnly.
And | do believe-yes, here is the
,ixpence," declared Emmy, fishing the
hot little disk out daintily from the burn
ing sauce. II am to be the rich one, it
seems"
- have nothing at all. That seems
hardly fair" pronounced Marian. At
that very moment her fork encountered a
hard sub,tance-thet thimble.
"Well, that is the most curious"
cried Mrs. Durkie. - never before
heard of all three things being drawn ex-
cept there swas large party, and the
whole pudding was served. Well. I'm
sorry you We got the thimble. Miss Rand,
but there's some sorts of poverty that's as
good as riches, they say and l hope your
sort will be Of that kind"
"What a good creature that is !" re-
marked Aileen. after she had gone. "We