The Portland daily press., 1882-01-07

[Harpsrs' Bazar.l
What the Pudding Brought.
a Christmas Story.
BY SUSAN COOLIDGE.

1t was the midnight of the Christmas Wig
il, not the cold brilliant midnight that we
are wont to associate with the holy eve, Dut
soft and bland, with mild airs moving in
from the sea, and a misty moon struggling
through faint clouds On the cliffs the surf
lapsed and broke with deep-toned murmur.
The high chalk gdowns above still wore
garment of turf almost summer green.
Greener vet was the trinity cut grass where
tiny Bonchurch lay buried in tree shadows
so deep as to shut out every ray OF moon
light: and all the lovely Isle of Wight
seemed wrapped in deep repose of univer-
sal sleep.
Not quite ALL Half a mile away from Bon
church the moon, peeping through the yews,
revealed knot of dark figures collected I'M
der the windows of a small house, and pres
emily, after some preliminary notes on a
tuning-fork, voices broke forth in Christ
mas carol These were the waits" begin
ming their tuneful round. They had come,
first of all, to Mrs. Durkie's. because of her
dodgers. American ladies, to whom the Gus
tom might probably be a novelty, and there
by provoke a larger dole than the perform
ers were in The habit of getting from more
accustomed listeners.
The American dodgers were not particu-
larly charmed to be thus reused from their
first sleep by strains which, though well
meant, were rather the reverse of harmoni-
ous.
.Good gracious! what is it?" demanded
Aieen, the first to wake. Then, her cloud
ed senses gradually clearing themselves,
EMMY! Emmyr' she cried, edo you hear
that noise? 1t must be the carol-singeis."
ssOh deari why did they comep' protested
sleepy Emmy 81 was just SO nicely asleepp
But she sought out wrapper and slippers in
the dark, and presently joined Aileen at the
window, from which the waits could be seen
standing in the shadow of the yews, with
their music books and lanterns, no unpictur-
esque group. Another moment and the
inner door opened, admitting Marian,
the third and Oldest sister Oh the trio.
ssWhat are those horrible sounds?" she
asked "They woke me out of sound
sleep, and such nice dream. thought we
were at home again, and spending Christ
mas at Nestledown with Aunty Rue. It's
too bad to be walked up. | should like to
sleep all through tomorrow, and keep on
dreaming. Where are you, children, and
what is this extraordinary warbling%
"Hush, Marian, and come and listen.
It's the waits"
"Dear me- why couldn't they wait till to-
morrow? They look rather pretty, too, out
there in the moonlight" admitted Marian.
peeping over Emmy's shoulder. "But why
QO0b blby keep Dett6T Llhlcs lutIt, uAu
you catch that high note? Half tone fiat.
And what is the instrument that tall man is
playing, which makes such extraordinary
discords now and then?'
ga flute, l think; only it is always half a
bar behind the voices. What droll old
custom it isp'
81 object to it altogether" said the fair,
stately Aieen. 'What right have these
well, very doubtful musical people to come
and wake us up, without saying by your
leave and remind us of the very thing we
were doing our best to forget2 You know
we agreed not to speak the very name of
Christmas even, or give any presents, or do
anything different from any other day of
the year."
E"We didn'. reckon on these crotcheters
and quaverers," remarked Emmy. "What's
that?
''That'' was a low knock at the door.
"Ladies, do you hear the carols?" asked
the voice of their landlady, modulated to a
cautious whisper.
sxs'Why, of course we do, Mrs. Durkie; how
can we help hearing them?" said Marian,
with rather an exasperated accent in her
voice.
"The music walked us up," said Emmy.
"Mrs. Durkie, are we expected to give some
thing to the singers? You must tell us"
''Well, it is usual" admitted Mrs. Durkie.
"AiIeep, could you lay your hand on your
purse in the dark?''
81 think so. Yes, here it is"
Ten minutes later the waits departed,
made glad with half crown, and the sisters
were again in bed, and more than half asleep.
The morrow dawned gray and misty, and
was made additionally cherries by driz-
cling rain which soon began to fall. The
little sitting-room, which the sisters had
taken so much pains to make home-like on
their arrival month before, was al its worst
always in such weather. The sea view, its
chief advantage, was blotted out, and Mrs.
Durkie's chimneys never drew well with
southeast wind. The three breakfasted al
most in silence. Emmy looked pale. All
leen was evidently in low spirits. Marian
suggested church, but Emmy was not up to
the rainy walk, and Aileen would not leave
her.
Mrs. Durkie came for the days orders.
Her contented, rosy face and "Merry Christ
mas' rather Jared on the homesck three.
'Don't, for PHYS sake, order anything
unnatural for dinner" said Aileen. "Let
us make the day as unlike Christmas as we
can. l don't think l could bear feeble
imitation of the home holiday. The only
way is to forget all about it."
"Yes, if only we can," put in Emmy,
rom her sofa, with something like sob in
fher voice.
In moment Aileen was on her knees be-
side her. Fragile little Emmy was the pet
and best loved of the other two.
'After all, we have the best thing that
Christmas could possibly bring u.s." cooed
Aileen, stroking the soft hair-"you are bet
ter"
"Yes, think am, little" admitted
Emmy.
Marian meanwhile held her housekeeping
conference in the entry.
"You'd like to have turkey today" sug
gested Mrs. Durkie in a persuasive Tone
"No, / think NOT racking her brains
for prosaic suggestion. "Chops, think,
Mrs. Durkie; and sole, if you can get
fresh one; and a caulifower with white
sauce; and mashed potato. That will do
very WE'LL"
"Dear me! it's not bit like Christmas
dinner''-in disappointed tone. "And for
the sweet course, Miss RANDI"
"Well," said Marian, 81 think we won't
mind about that to-day. None of us care
much for sweets"
Mrs. Durkie looked deeply, darkly doubt
full. She shook her head, and seemed about
to speak; then her face relaxed, a little sa-
gacious smile shone in her eyes, and she de-
parted without saying more.
The day went by, as hard days will.
There was good deal of laborious cheerful
ness in the party. Aileen practiced stoutly
on some difficult music: Marian read
Froude's Caesar aloud to Emilia. Neither
of the three said a word about the far-of home
of which all were thinking. Toward night
the rain ceased, and Marian, leaning out
TO close the blind, announced the moon to
be visible
'Don't let's dress for dinner" she said.
eve are all so comfortable as we are." But
I think her object was to discard 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 that the dreaded holiday was fairly
past. The whitecapped 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, 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, ''Ive took the liberty
of making you Christmas pudding in our
English way, and hope you'll excuse it,
and accept, with my best respects"
If was a shock hut a1ohIeeeo ohTi0e and