Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-02-03

worn hDOut tue Ihr-OH nome OF winch all
were thinking. Toward night the rain ceas-
ed, and Marian, leaning out to close the
blind announced the moon to be visible.
Don't let's dress for dinner" she said.
''We are all so comfortable as we are" But
l think her object was to discard even 80 COM
monplace an observance, 10 make the day, as
it were, even less than ordinary days.
Dinner came up, and was eaten with an ac-
compartment Of chat which grew happier
now that the dreaded holiday was fairly past
The white 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, her face bright with fire, her
eyes with triumph, and in her hands, raised
aloft, a dish on which famed a small but
symmetrical pudding, surrounded with blaz-
ing brandy, and topped with towering sprig
Of red berried holly.
Ladies, she said, "Fve took the liberty
of making you a Christmas pudding in our
English way, and hope you'll excuse it, and
accept, with my best respects"
1t iods a shock, but nObLeSse Obliqe, and af-
ter single moment Of CONSERVATION, tine
Rands reused to the situation.
what a beauty of a pudding!' cried
Alieon.
How very good Of you !" put in Emmy.
eve are so obliged, dear Mrs. Durkie."
well, l couldn't seem TO bear your spend
ing the day so dull like" responded Mrs.
Durkie. Christmas isn't like itself without a
pudding to my thinking and my mother
she always felt so too. This is her recipe,
and it has got all the things in it that ought
TO be-"
IAN the things that ought to be What do
you mean ?" asked the puzzled Marian.
"Oh, don't mean plums and such like,
mi Eyary r,udIny hoe than, OF oil
sous Of the year But the Christmas pudding
is the only one, you know, which has the
ring the sixpence, and the thimble'
"What ?"
The ring, the si1pence, and the thimble,
ma'am. It's for luck, you understand. 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 a year
and day as a legacy like. The ring means
husband of course and the thimble is
| poverty. Alb Miss Rand, you are laughing,
l see but I've known it to come true more
times than one The pudding seldom
misses"
~ call this exciting" said Aileen. 'Now,
Mrs. Durke, carve the pudding for us, and
| give each a slice, while l open this bottle of
Champagne We must all drink one anoth-
er's healths in honor OF your wonderous
present"
The pudding was carved, aud Mrs. Durkie,
nothing loath, slipped her glass of pink foam
ing wine, while the sisters curiously explored
each her slice with fork.
II have the ring" said Aieen, solemnly.
And l do beleve-yes, here is the six
pence" declared Emmy, fishing the hot little
disk out daintily from the burning sauce. 81
am to be the rich one, it seems"
II have nothing at all. That seems hardly
| fair" pronounced Marian. At that very mo-
ment her fork encountered hard substance
the thimble.
"Well, that is the most curious, " cried Mrs.
! Durkie Il never before heard of all three
thingsibeing drawn except there was large
party, and the whole pudding was served.
Well, I'm sorry you've got the thimble, Miss
| Rand but there's some sorts of poverty that's
as good as riches, they say, and hope your
sort will be Of that kind"
| "What good creature that is :" remarked
| Aileen, after she had gone. 1--WE didn't want
pudding, and we didn't mean TO have a
| pudding but, after all, l am glad she made
US one, if only to show what a kind heart she
has. The English are very nice, think"
$50 they are, and it was really jolly idea
to put those things in. I never heard Of such a
custom before. 1t makes a plum pudding
really interesting"
1T is all very well for you, who did not
/
Marian, severely. II am not sure that find
the pudding so interesting. 'Poortith cauld
is an old acquaintance; l don't care to have
him freshly introduced TO me-"
Altogether, what with the surprise and the
| fun, the pudding was a great success, and the
Christmas in lodgings" ended much more
cheerily with the Rand sisters than it had be-
| gun.
The next week drifted by, and now it was
| Twelfth-Night, festival with little meaning
to American ears With ehe Rands the day
was chiefly remarkable for the expected ar
rival of a belated American mail. Marian
went to the post in the afternoon, and return
ed rosy and elated, with quite bundle of
letters.
Three letters for you, Aileen, two for me,
with lot of newspapers, and for you, EN-
my this thick blue envelope, which looks
business-like. wonder who can have sent
| it," Then she tore open her own letters,
and soon became too much absorbed to notice
the faces of her companions, till a double ex-
clsmation caught her ear, and made her look
up suddenly.
Marian what do you think-the pudding
has come true" cried Emmy.
"Oh, Marian-the pudding see what has
come of it! exclaimed Aileen. Then they
stopped, and regarded each other with won
dering eyes.
what is it ?" demanded the astonished
Marian.
II don't know what Aileens news may be,
but listen to mine. Only think-I drew the
sixpence, you know, and here is a letter from
old Mr.. Wickham, the lawyer, to say that
Cousin Emilia Storrs is dead, and has left me
twenty thousand dollars, because of my being
named after her."
Twenty thous- Why, that is news!'
cried Marian. ''Why, my darling darling,
HOlO you can go to the Riviera, just as we
wished! How delighted l am! You will get
well there in just one minute; l am sure of it.
Aileen, how queer you look Have you had
fortune left you too2"
mo, not fortune" replied Aileen, slowly
81 didn't draw money, you know. l drew
the ring"-blushing most beautifully.
''Yes. Well what is it? What are you
growing so red about? Aileen, speak don't
keep us in suspense"
"Girls, said Aileen, II am going to con-
fess something that will surprise you good
| deal. You won't be vexed with me, will you
Promise in advance that you won't"
Every we'll, we promise; only make haste
and tell, " said Marian, on fire with curiosity.
"Well, then, when Jim Chauncey went to
China, three years ago, promised to marry
him whenever he was able to come home and
ask me-"
The sisters stared at her speechlessly.
1T seems mean never to have let you
know" went on Aileen, rapidly. But it
was a very far away sort of dream to me- and
Just then-iust after he sailed-came the be-
ginning of mothers long sickness, and then
Emmy fell i'll, and there seemed so much to
think about and worry over that couldn't
bear to add this to the rest or make you feel
that had any hopes or plans apart from
yours Aud in fact hadn't. 1t might be for
years, or it might be forever, for all 1 could
tell, before Jim would be in a condition to
claim my promise. But here he writes that
all is suddenly changed. The New York part
ner of the firm is dead, and they have de-
cided to send Jim back to take his place. He
will have an ample income, and-and, in
short, we must go home, dears, as soon as
| Lha u.arna .uaathar ia fairlv nnma- and II ia