Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1882-12-30

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we cam don't think 1 could bear a
feeble limitation of the home holiday.
The only way is to forget all about it. >
''Yes, if we only can, put i'll Emmy,
from her sofa, with something like sob
III her voice.
In a moment Aileen was on her knees
beside her. Fragile little Emmy was the
pet and beloved OF the other two.
''After all we have the best thing that
Christmas could possibly bring us, y
cooed Aileen, stroking the soft hair
''you are better
"Yes, think I am, little, admitted
Emmy.
Marian meanwhile held her house
keeping conference i'll the entry.
''You'd like to have turkey to-day,
suggested Mrs. DTkie, i'll a persuasive
tone
mo, / think not, racking her brains
for prosaic suggestion. "Chops, /
think, Mrs. Durkie; and sole, if You
can get a fresh one; and caulitlower
with white sauce; and--mashed potato.
That will do very we'll"
Dear me! it's not a bit like a Christ
mas dinner disappointed tone.
And for the sweet course, Miss Rand ?''
well" said Marian, II 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 speak ; then her face re-
laxed, little sagacious smile shone in
her eyes, and she departed without say
ing more.
The day went by, as hard days will
There was a good deal of laborious
cheerfulness i'll the party. Aileen prac-
ticed stoutly on some difficult music =;
Marian read Froudes Cesar aloud to
Emilia. Neither of the three said a
word about the far-off 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 "We are all SO comfortable as we
are" But | thi 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 that the dreadful 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
ut that moment the door opened and in
came Mrs. Durkie, her face bright with
fire, her eyes with triumph, and i'll her
hands, raised aloft, dish, on which
famed small but symme9ical pudding,
surrounded with blazing brandy. and
topped with a towering sprig of red
berried holly.
Ladies, she said, I've took the
liberty to make you Christmas pudding
i'll our English way, and l hope YOU Il
excuse it, and accept, with my best re-
spects.
1t was a shock, but noblessc obii9e,
and after a single moment of consterna-
tion, the Rands reused to the situation.
''What beauty of q pudding, cried
Ailean.
How very good of you - put in
Emmy. 1--WE are SO obliged, dear Mrs.
Durlie.'
"Well, / couldn't seem to bear your
spending the day so dull like, responded
Mrs. Durkie. "Christmas isn't like it.
self without pudding, to my thinking !;
and my mother always felt SO too. This
is her recipe, and it has got all the things
in it that ought to be.
"All the tlrgs that ought to be !
What do you mean ?" asked puzzled
Marian.
"Oh, I don't mean plums aud such
like, ma'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 thimble.'"
"What 2"
"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 lis sure to have someat left
her i'll the course of a year and day as
legacy like. The ring means hus-
band, of course; and the thimble is
poverty. All, Miss Rand, YOU are laugh
ing, ] see; but I've known it to come
true more times than one. The
pudding seldom misses.
Il 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 foaming wine, while the sisters
curiously explored each slice with a
fork.
Il have the ring" said Aileen, sol
EMMY.
"And | do believe-yes, here is the
sixpence, declared Emmy, fishing the
hot little disk out daintilv from the burn
ing sauce. II am TO be the rich one, it
seems.
81 have nothing at all. That seems
hardly fair, pronounced Marian. At
that very moment her fork encountered
a hard substance the thimble.
"Well, that is the most curious" cried
Mrs. Dmkie. Il never before heard of
all three things being drawn except
there was n 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 y re-
marked Aileen, after she had gone.
eve didn't want a 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 kind heart she has
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