The Republican journal., 1882-01-19

the ar-off home of which all were think
ing. 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 al, SO comfortable as we are
But think her object was to discard even
so commonplace an observance, to make
the day, as it were, even less than ordi
nary days.
Dinner came up, and was eaten with an
accompaniment of chat which grew hap
pier now that the dreaded holiday was
fairly past. The whitechpped maid re-
moved 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 alotl, a dish on which tam
ed small but symmetrical pudding, sur
rounded with a towering sprlgo Of red ber-
ried holly.
Ladies'" she said, "I've took the lib
erty of making you a Christmas pudding
cuse it, and accept, with my best re-
spects."
1t was shock, but n0bicSSe 0bliqe, and
after a single moment of CONSERVATION,
the Rands reused to the situation.
| "What beauty Of a pudding" cried
Alice en-.
How very good of you !" put in Emmy.
ave are So obliged, dear MIS-. Durkit,"
"Well couldn't seem to bear Your
spending the day ST. dull like" respond
ed Mrs Durkie. "Christmas isn't like it
self without d pudding, to my thinking ;
and my mother She always felt 50 TOO.
This is her recipe, and 1t has got all the
things in 1t that ought TO be"
"All the things that ought be. What
do You mean I" asked the puzzled Marian.
"Oh, don't mean plums and 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
mas the ling, the sixpence, and the thin
| Uen
What"
The ring, the siXpence, and the thin
| Die, ma am. Its tor luck, You understand.
| The siXpence means money, You know
| The one OF you that gets that III her Slice
IS sure 10 have some'at lett her i'll the
course of year and a day as lrgacy
| like. The ring means Il husband, OF
course; and the thlnble is poverty. All,
| Miss Rand, You are laughing, | see; but
| I've known it to come true more times
than one. The pudding seldom misses. -
Il call this exciting" said Ailten.
Nov, Mrs Dul kle, carve the pudding
| Tor us, and give each a slice, while open
this bottle of Champagne. We must all
drink one anolher's healths in honor OF
your wondrous present"
| The pudding was 'caryed,' and Mrs.
Durkie, nothing loath, slipped her glass
Of pink toaming wine, While the sisters
cuIiously explored each her slice with a
fork.
Il have the ring" said Alleen, solemnly
| "And do believe--yts, here is the sin
pence" declared Emmy, fishing the hot
little disk out daintly from the burning
sauce, II am to be the rich one, il seems. "
II have nothing at all. That seems
hardly fair" pronounced Marian. At
| that very moment her fork encountered
a hard substance-th thimble.
"Well, that is the most curious,' cried
Mrs. Durkle, "Inever before heard Of all
three things being drawn except there
was large party, and the W hole 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 a good creature that is Y re
marked Alleen, after she had gone. 1--WE
didn't want pudding, and didn't mean
to have pudding; but, after ALL 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. lnever heard
of such a custom before. 1t makes a
plum pudding really interesting
alt is all well for you, who did not hap
pen to draw the thmble," remarked Ma
rian, severely. II am not sure that find
the pudding so interesting. 'Pourtlth
cauld' is an old acquaintance don't
care to have him intl reduced to me-"
Altogether, with the surprise and the
fun, the pudding was great success, and
the "Chrlstmas in lodgings, ended much
more cheerly with the Rand sisters
than it had begun.
The next week drfted by, and now it
was Twelfth Night, a festival wi h little
meaning to American ears, With the
RandS the day was chi fly roma kable for
the expected arrival OF d btlated American
mail. Marian went to the post i'll the after
| noon and returned rosy and elated, with
quite a bundle Of letters.
Three letters fnr you, Aileen, two for
me, with lot of newspapers, and for YOU,
Emmy, this thick blue envelope, Nhich
| 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 com
| panionS, till double exclamation caught
her ear, and made her look up suddenly.
Marian, what do you think-the pud-
ding has come true !" cried Emmy
"Oh, Marian-the pudding. see what
has come of it, exclaimed Aieen. Then
they stopped and regarded each other
with wondering eyes.
"What is it 7" demanded the astonish
ed Marian.
IL don't know what Aileen's news may
be but listen to mine. Only think Il
drew the siXpence, yon know, and here
is a letter from old Mr.. Wick ham. the
lawyer, to Say that Cousin Emilia Storls
is dead, and has lett Inc twenty thousand
dollars because | was named after her.
Twenty thous-Why that is news
cried Marian. "Why, my darling, now you
can go to the Riviera, just as we wished
You will get well there in just one minute
| am sure OF it. Aieen, how queer You
look Have you had Il fortune left you,
too 2"
"No, not a fortune" replied Aileeu
slowly; 81 didn't draw money, you know
| drew-the blushing most beau
lifully.
Eyes. Well, what is it? What are
you growing so red ab,uta Aileen,
speak don't keep us in suspense"
"Girls," said Aleen, 81 am going to
confess something that will surprise you
good deal. You won't be veXed with
me, will you? Promise me in advance
that you won't"
Very well, we promise; only make
haste and tell" said Marian, on fire with
curiosity.
"Well, then. when Jim Chauncey went
to China, three years ago, pr omised t.