Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-01-07
WHAT TEE PUDDING BROUGHT,
By STSlS COeLfDGE.
Prom Harper's Bazar.
A Christmas starr.

not the cold brilliant midnight that We are
wont to associate with the holy eve. but soft
and band, with mild airs moving i'm from the sea.
and misty moon struggling through faint
! clouds. On the cliff the surf iapse,i and broke
| with deep-toncd muTuur. The high chalk
downs above still Wore a garment of turf almost
! summer green Grecner Vet was the trinity cut
grass where tiny Bonc!,urch lay buried in tree
| shadows so deep a. to shut out every ray Of
moonlight; and all the lovely, lovely Isle of
! Wight seemed wrapped in a deep repose OF uni
rersal sleep.
| Not quite all. Half a mile away from Ron
| church the mo0n. pecpu. through the yews re-
yeaied knot of dark figures collected under the
| WINDOWS of small house. and presently, after
| some preliminary notes on a tuning-fork voices
| broke forth in Christmas carol. These were
! the waits beginning their tuncfui round
| They had come. first Of all, to Mrs Durke's
because of her dodgers. American ladies, to
whom the custom might probably be q novelty
| and thereby provoke larger dole than the per
formers were in the habit of getting from more
! accustomed listeners.
| The American dodgers were not particularly
charmed to be thus reused from their first sl,,,D
by strains which. though we'll meant we're
rather the reverse of harmonious.
| Good gracious, what is it - demanded
Alleen, the fTst to wake. Then, her clOuded
senses gradually clearing themselves Emmy |!
Ii mist he the carol-singers"
''Oh. dear! why did they Gomez" protest ed
sleepy Fanny. 81 was just so nicely asienp!''
| But she sought cut wrapper and slipper, in the
dark, and presently joined Ailecn at the win
dow, FROM which the waits could he seen stand
Ing in the shadow Of the yews. with their music
books and lanterns, no unpicturesaue group.
Another moment and the inner door opened,
admitting Marian, the third and oldest sister OF
the trio.
What are those horrible sounds?" she
asked. They woke me out of q sound sleep
and such nice dream thought we were at
home again, and spending Christmas at Nestle
down 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 thew wait till to-
morrow They look rather pretty, too. out
there in the moonlight" admitted Marian. peep
ing over Emmys shoulder. But why don't
they keep better time? There. did you catch
that high note? Half tone fiat And what is
| the instrument that tall man is playing. which
makes such extraordinary discord now and
| them"
A flute. I think; only it's always half bar
| Isl" -
al object to it altogether, said the fair stately
! Alleen. What right have tbese-well. very
doubtfnlly 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
forget' You know We agreed not to speak the
very name OF Christmas even, or give any pre-
sents or do anything different from any other
day of the year"
I'VE didn't reckon on these crotcheters and
quaverers," remarked Emmy ''What's that 2''
That was low knock at the door,
| Ladies, do You hear the carols ?" asked the
voice OF their laRdlady, mOdulated to q cautious
whisper.
why. of course we do. Mrs. Durkie. how
can we help hearing them?" said Marian with
rather an exasperated accent of voice.
1.-THE music walked us up," said Emmy 'Mrs.
Dnrkie, are we expected to give something to
the singers? You must tell u.s.
| We'll, it is usual, admitted Mrs DurkIe.
Aileen, could you lay your hand on your
purse in the dark"
al think so. Yes here it is."
Ten minutes later the waits departed, made
glat with nan 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 drilling rain
which soon began to fall. The little sittinr-
room, which the sisters hat taken SO much mains
to make home-fke on their arrival a month
before, was at its worst always i'm such weather.
| The sea view, its chief advantage was biotted
out ana Mrs Durkies chimneys never drew well
| with southeast wind. The three breahfasted
almost IN silence; Emmy looked pale Aieen
~
church, but Emmy was not up to the rainy
walk, and Aileen would not leave her
| MIS- Durkie came for the days orders Her
eontented, rosy face and MERRY Christmas
rather Jared on the homesick three
Don't, for PHYS sake, order ANYTHING unnat-
urai for dinner" said Aiieen. ..Let us make
TIE day as unlike Christmas as we can I DOM
think | could bear feeble imitation IN.
home holiday The oGly way is to forget all
| about it, '
W Il only we can" put in Emmy. from her
! So.i. with something like sob in her voice
/ In a moment Aileen was on her knees he
side her. Fragile little Emmy was the pet and
best-beoved of the other two
| after all, we have the best thing that Christ
mas could possibly bring u.s." cooed Aileen.
! stroking the soft ha!r-''yOu are better"
Eyes. think l am a little" admitted Emmy.
Marian meanwhile held her Housekeeping
conference in the entry.
You'd like to have a turkey TO-DAY snpoae-
| tea Mrs. Durkle, In a persuasive tone
| NO, think nOt''-racking her brain for a
prosaic suggestion. Chops, think. Mrs.
Durke; and sole, If you can get a fresh one:
and caaliflower with white sauce; and
mashed potatoes. That will do very wen'
| Dear me. it's not fbit like Christmas din
ner'-in disappointed tone. And for the
sweet course, Miss Rand?'
We'll" said Marian, Il think we won't mind
! ABOUT that to-day, None Of US care much for
sweets"
Mrs. Durkie looked deeply, darkly doubtful
She shook her head. and seemed about to sneak
then her face relaxed. a little sagacious smile
shone IN her eyes, and she departed without
saying more.
The day went by. as hard days viii. There
was good deal OF laborious cheerfulness i'm the
party. Aileen practiced stOutIy on some diff
cult music; Marian read Froudes Cesar aloud
To Amelia. Neither said word about the far
OF home OF which all were thinking. Toward
night the rain ceased, and Marian. leaning ont
10 close the blind. announced the moon to be
| visible.
Don't let's dress for dinner" she said. ssWe
are ali so comfortable as we are" But think
Her object was to discard even SC COMMONPLACE
an observance, to 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
| whlte-capped maid removed the plates, and
| swept the last crunh from the table
That's 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 ter hand raised aloft, dish
on which famed small but symmetrical, pud-
ding, surrounded with blazing brandy. and top
ped with towering sprg of red-berried holly.
ladies she said, Five took the liberty of
| making CuriStnaS in, II.