Connecticut western news., 1886-12-22
Mrs. Burke's Pudding.
BY MARY N. PRESCOTT.

dainty at other seasons. "Why should we keep all the good things to ourselves she used to ask, 'cat plum-pudding whenever we fancy it, and this poor, hardworking woman never know the taste of such a morse.?" It was also the custom of the house Ito build," as Harry Capulct used to say, several of these rich buildings at the same time; they would keep for weeks or months without spelling, and there they were, at moments notice, if dinner company arrived unexpectedly on washing or iron ing days, when it was inconvenient to concoct nice desserts. When Mrs. Harry Capulct took the man. agement of affairs after his mothers death, her husbands cousin, who had been regent during the inter- regnum, said to her at Christmas time: 'I hope, dear, you will continue Mrs. Burke's pudding; she has received it for so many years, she will feel injured, Pm afraid, unless you do."
 "Oh, certainly" answered Mrs. Harry, who was of an economical turn of mind; 'I shall give Mrs. Burke pudding, but not one of these. What arc you think ing about-waste all these dclicacics on char woman?"
 "Gingerbread pudding, with few raisins added, will satisfy her quite as well," put in Mrs. Harry's sister.
 "What they call poor mans pud- ding?" asked Mrs. Harry.
 "Ycs--the very thing"
 "Bus, my dear," expostulated Sue Capulet, 'tMrs. Burke will know; she has been accustomed to the best. l bave made it principle to send her as good as kept; hated to scrimp her at Christmas timc."
 "Oh, you're too extravagant, Cousin Sue. Besides, you give an old ignorant char-woman credit for all your own vir- tues and tastes. I don't think it worth while to waste so much money upon her :; a poor mans pudding is more appropri- ate for the circumstances"
 "Noblesse ob.ige," insisted Sue. But Mrs. Harry laughed, and ordered the poor mans pudding to be baked the same size as her own plum buildings.
 q can hardly tell them apart, cook has given them all such rich brown. Surely the proof of the pudding is in the baking as we'll as the eating"
 But Sue sighed. 'Alrs. Burke is English. You won't be able to deceive her about an English plum pudding"
 'l'm not going to label it, and she can take it or leave it. Beggars shouldn't be choosers, I've heard," cried Mrs. Harry, who couldn't keep her temper as well as she could keep other things.
 "That scas puddingw said Mrs. Burke, one morning after Christmas, having come in for some work. Mrs. Harry looked at Sue. "I think" con tinued Mrs. Burke" ''they grow nicer every year, Mrs. Capulet. This on' just melted in your mouth; it was tot good for poor folks"
 "Thcre!" cried Mrs. Capulct, as sool as Mrs. Burke's back was turned, "wha did tell you, Sue! After cducatin! Mrs. Burke up to the English plum pudding! This is all the good it doe to educate the lower classes, you sec."
 'T hope it isn't blarncy in Mrs Burkc," hazarded Sue.
 "A man convinced against his will,
 I of the same opinion stilI."
 quoted Mrs. Harry.
 After this, whenever Sue and Mrs Harry disagreed, her sister would say Remember Mrs. Burke's pudding, Sue." However, the matter faded ou of their minds In time, and perhaps the , would never have thought of it again
 Mir. Gus Bake hadn't happened to dro in upon them. Now, Mir. Blake w; somebody worth while in Miss Lily eyes. She had met him here an there danced with him Ut germans v yachted with him, p,cnicked with hin lunched with him; once he had eve
 sent her some flowers; she had some them now, pressed in a book of To,
 sonnets He was one of those corGii . people who shake hands as if they we, . mal1ing love. Miss Lily was more ths fond of his society; she intended
 marry him. But it was pity th
 he should arrive on the only day in Il
 week when they had picked-up di
 ner.
 "Therc is one of the Christmas pu
 dings left, at any rate" said Mrs. Harr, ; "that will redeem the dinner" Mr. Gus Blake was very affablc
 usual. He and Lily sang duets togeth
 before dinner; she had also to show hi over the grounds, the view of the rive the eagles nest; they hunted for fou
 leaved clovcrs together, and she told l
 fortune with a daisy. He was comp mentary and gallant. Lily felt as if ," crisis was at hand. They met Sue, wi
 her hands full of wild flowers, comil ). from school.
 k "A neighbor7" he asked, with l k most indifferent manner, as she just no
 dsd and hurried by.