San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-08-21
THE COLD CREAM ISLANDS.
A CHRISTMAS STORY.
BY REBA GREGORY PRELAT.

Written for the LIGHT.l
Letitia sat by the fire in the room
which was still called the nursery
although she was ten years old, and
quite too large a girl to own such an
apartment. She was talking to Nora
who took the place of a French maid
only that she happened to be Irish
and spoke with a brugue instead OF
an accent. She had taken off Lett
tia's hat and furs, for they had just
come in from a long walk in the park.
at don't seem a bit like Christmas
Eve" the little girl said rather sadly.
Everything In the house is upside
down, mamma Is not a bit like her.
self and Aunt Mildred Is as cross as
two sticks when she isn't crying.
Even papa sits and looks at the car
pet with the funny big dents, that
come in his forehead when he is an
cry. What can be the matter, Nora?"
II can't tell, Miss Letitia, guess
it's half in your own head. Let me
put the cold cream on your hands
and lips, or they will be all chapped.
Remember 1 have TO dress you for
dinner at six O'clock
"What is cold cream good for any
way" Letitia questioned idly as the
soft stuff was rubbed upon her.
80! it makes the skin all smooth
again and heals up like pleasant
words when people are having
fuss, " replied the maid with rare al
tempt at imagination.
Letitia lay back in her chair and
presen fly the most wonderful thing
She had been partially
of the winter twilight steal
ing into the room, and the warmth of
the fire in all her veins, but now she
found herself suddenly sailing over a
blue ocean. The sky was as blue as
the water, and the air was full of the
breath of summer meadows and clo-
yer flowers. She was sailing in
most extraordinary little boat all
made of gold and waited along by
sails of pink silk, just like the ball
dress Aunt Mildred had worn to the
German.
90, my goodness gracious!" thought
LetItia: "this is all very nice, but
wonder where am going to-" Just
then tackled up on the mast she saw
a silver sign board, bearing the in
scriptiOn ITO the Cold Cream Is
lands.n
"Well,n said Letita to herself. Il
never knew they got cold cream from
Islands. 1 knew that Canaries
came from the Canary Islands
and capes from Cape Verde
Islands and sandwiches from the
the Sandwich Islands, but this
does beat everything.N There was no
land in sight, and yet she did not feel
afraid-even the large fish spoke to
her. and were very polite. The
whales stopped spOuting for fear OF
hurting the pink sails-the sword-tish
said he would not cut her on any con-
ditiOn and the devil fish tried to look
as pleasant as possible. At last the
boat ran ashore on the prettiest little
island, covered with tall trees that
waved like feathers, and connected to
several other islands near by, with
bridges OF nbows. A small gentle
man with a crown on, came to assist
her to land. He had steady blue eyes,
anu such a lovely gray mOustache
that Letitia was reminded at once of
her godfather. "All awfully nice old
gentlemen must have gray mOustach-
es, :" she thought, but felt as if that
would hardly do, as an opening re-
mark in the conversation. She has |
spared this, however, for presently he
spoke, II have sent for you, my dear,
on this Christmas eve, as a sort of
charity patient. / am going to give
you some of my magic cold cream
n nd 70 foil of n M n i.h
goes with it,"
81 am very much obliged to YOU"
said Letitia, but we have never been
charity patients, you know, or ally
thing of that kind, besides I have
money enough in my own tin bank to
pay for gallon.
The old gentleman smiled al superior
sort of smile. You cant help your
self" he said, "for this is really with
Ut money and without price, Then
he held up pretty little bOnbOniere,
tor all the world like one that Letitia
wore on her chatelaine. 1t was full
of ordinary cold cream, and the child
felt disappointed. 1t did not look like
fairy stuff at all.
Are you going to have pleasant
Christmas continued the old gen.
tleman.
Letitia's bright face darkened
little. 80! shall get a great many
presents, l suppose" she replied, but
some how or other the family seem
worried about something. Everybody
is -
playing at cross purposes, you
mean,n interrupted the old gentle
man. Don't cry about it, for it was
just to heal all this, that I sent for
you. Whenever you see any of them
very unhappy, you must Just put a