Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1891-07-18
The Story OF One Forgotten
BY MARIE CoRELLI
CHAPTER XXI.
Or

Vs5FzsSS~ O'clock in the nj.
ternoon the weather cleared. The
clouds, which had been Of a dull uni
form grey, began to break asunder and
disclose little shining riffs OF pale blue
and bright gold; the sea looked like a
wide satin ribbon shaken out and SHIN
mering with opaline tints. Flower girls
tr00ped forth making the air musical
with their mellow cries OF "Tlori! chi
vuol fi0ril" and holding up their tempt
ing wares-not punches OF holly and
mistletoe such as are known IN Eng
land, but roses, lilies, jonquils and sweet
daff0dils. The shops were brilliant with
bouquets and baskets Of fruit and
flowers; q glittering show Of etrennes, or
gifts to suit all ages and conditions, were
set forth In tempting array, from box
Of bonbons costing one franc to jew
elled tiara worth million, while In many
Of the windows were displayed models Of
the Bethlehem" with babe Jesus lying
in His manger, for the benefit Of the
round-eyed children-who, after staring
fOndly at His waxen image for some
time, would run of hand in hand to the
nearest church where the usual Christ
mas creche was arranged, and there,
kneeling down, would begin to implore
their ''dear little Jesus" their town
little brother" not to forget them, with
. simplicity Of belief that was as touch
ing Is It was unaffected.
! am told that In England the princi-
pal sights on Christmas Eve are the
shops Of the butchers and poulterers
hung with the dead carcases Of animals
newly slaughtered, In whose mouths are
thrust punches Of prickly holly, at which
agreeable spectacle the passers-by cape
with gluttonous approval. Surely there
Is nothing graceful about such COM
memoration of the birth Of Christ rs
this! nothing picturesque, nothing poetic.
nothing even orthodox, for Christ was
born in the East, and the Orientals are
very small eaters, and are particularly
sparing in the use OF meat. One won
ders what such an unusual display Of
vulgar victuals has to do with the COM
ing OF the Saviour, who arrived among
US in such poor estate that even o decent
roof was denied to Him. Perhaps.
though, the English people read their
gospels In way Of their own, and I'M
6erstand that the wise men Of the East
who are supposed to have brought
the Divine Child symbolic gifts
Of gold, frankincense, and myrrh,
really brought joints Of beef
tarkeys and ''plum pudding" that vile
and iRdigestible mixture ut which an
Italian shrugs his shoulders in visible
disgust There is something barbaric,
suppose, in the British customs still
something that reminds one Of their
ancient condition when the l:omans con-
Quered them-when their supreme idea
OF enjoyment was to have an OK roasted
whole before them while they drank
''wassail" till they groveled under their
own tables In worse condition than
Overfed swine. Coarse and vulgar
plenty is still the leading characteristic
at the dinners OF English or American
parvenus; they have scarcely any idea Of
the re6nements that can be impaired to
the prosaic necessity Of eating-of the
many little graces OF the table that are
understood In part by the French, but
that perhaps never reach such absolute
perfection OF taste and skill as at the
banquets o1a cultured and clever Italian
noble. Some Of these are veritable
''ieasts Of the gods" and would do
honor to the tabled Olympus, and such
an one had prepared for Guido Ferrarl
~ greeting to him on his return from
ROme-0 feast Of welcome and, :.
farewell
All the resources Of the otel ct which
] stayed had been brought into reQuisi-
ton. The chef, o fsmoiS Gordon bleu.
had transferred the work Of the usual
table d'hote to his underi.ngs, and had
bent the powers of his Culinary intelli'
gence solely on the production Of the
magnificent dinner had ordered. The
landlord, in spite Of himself, broke into
ordinations of wonder and awe, as he
listened to and wrote down my COM
mands for dISerent wines Of the rarest
kinds and choicest vintages. The
servants rushed hither and thither to
obey my various behests, with looks
of immense Importance; the head-waiter,
Q superb official who prided himself on
his artistic taste, took the laying out Of
the table under his entire superintend-
dence, and nothing was talked Of or
thought of for the time but the grandeur
of my proposed entertainment
About six o'clock sent my carriage
down TO the railway station TO meet Fer
rari as had arranged; and then, ct my
landlords invitation, went TO survey
the stage that was prepared for one Inn
portant scene Of my dramatic see II the
scenery, side-llghts and general effects
we're in working order. To avoid dissr-
my own apartments, had
chosen for my dinner party o room on
the ground floor Of the hotel, which was
often let out for marriage breakfasts and
other purposes of the like kind; It was
In shape, not too large, and
had had It most exquisitely decorated for
the occasion. The walls were hung with
draperies Of gold-colored silk and GRIM
son velvet. interspersed here and there
with long mirrors which were ornament-
q with crystal cAndelabra In which
tWinkled hundreds Of lights under rose
tinted glass shades. At the back Of the
room, . miniature conservatory was dis
rlayOd 70 view, full Of rare ferns and