Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1892-04-14

firlned that she was sweeter tempered and
more oblising. At home also she was
the fayorite. Her father idolized her, her
brothers dolnineered over and pstteI her:
even the mother made an unconscious
difference between the girls: She admired
Norma more-was pronder Of her, but
she depended upon Blanche. Noraia saw
the difference and sometimes it 'vexed
her, but generally she was Indifferent to
it. Her people did not understand her;
she was not like them; when barn door
fowls unwittingly Matched elglets it was
natural that the phenomenon should b.
beyond their comprehension and that
their ignorance should prefer the tanner
members of their brood Not that Norma
actually instituted such comparison and
deliberately set herself above her kin
dred; she simply acted upon the hypothe-
isunconsciously. and when the warmest
family affection settled around, Blanche
felt sure that it was due to natural diff
ference and could be no fault of hers
Little Blanche. in her deep content
with her new surroundings. wondered
how she could ever have been so be-
sotted as to object to the move. The
place, the people, the mode of life were
all delicious to her, and for the family
at Lanarth her enthusiasm was touch
ing. Mrs. Mason was just her idea Of
Mrs. Washington, or Cornelia, or Lldy
de Bourgainville," she explained TO Nor
ma, mixing history and fiction. as usual
and was laughed at for her pains.
/ Pocahontas never laughed at her-at
least not Extensively, or in a way to
make her feel her Ignorance. She
thought sometimes that her foolish So
ciety was preferred by her new friend to
that of her clever sister; certainly the
quaint old tales which Pocahontas
poured unreservedly into her delighted
ears We're never told to Norma. What
impression lay in the girls mind of
handsome Berkeley Mason had best re-
main uncanvassed. 1t is i'll work, vio-
lating feminine sanctuaries unless the
need be urgent; an empty coat sleeve,
carelessly carried, is a powerful agent for
converting man into IA hero.
Christmas, the grand high FESTIVAL of
the year, was approaching, and all the
community was stirred with deep desire
for its worthy celebration. Sociability
ceased, or at best was sustained in limp,
half hearted fashion by the men. The
ladies had other things to think of; for
on them rested the sole responsibility of
the Christmas preparations-the provid-
ing of copious lodging for expected
guests. the bedecking of rooms with
| eve aud hA11x. ba oh aarnfiAra Of
storeio orn and kitchen. the never ending
consultations with the cocktail the
wonderful Vaccinations, the deep mys-
teries and incantations which would re-
suit in glittering hospitality later on.
Realizing this, they suffered lesser mat
social converse. intellectual pleasures or
intelligence Of church or state Women
might elope, men embezzle, dynasties
fall, ministries change or public faith be
broken, and they viewed the result, if
indeed they noted it, with absolute com
posture. But let eggs be unattainable,
jellies become murky, the fruit in cake
or pudding sink hopelessly to the bot
tom. and Rachel weeping for her chill
dren could not have made more wild ac-
claim.
At Lanarth, the week of preparation
good old Virginia housekeepers always
allowed week at least and Mrs. Mason
adhered to the time honored custom)
passed busily Everything turned out
unusually well. and the storeroom was a
picture Iellies. in slender glasses. gilt
tered in exquisite amber perfection, or
glowed warmly crimson, with points of
brighter hue where the sun fell ON them.
Heaps of old fashioned "snowballs" hid
golden hearts under pure white frost
ing, and cakes. baked in fantastic shapes,
like Turks heads and huted melons.
were rich. warm. brown. or white and
cleaning as Christmas snow. The
pastry showed all shades from palest
buff to tender delicate brown, and for
depth of tone there were their rich in
teriors of dark mincemeat and golden
custards OF the pleasures of this beau
tiful world not the least is the sight of
beautiful food.
And il was Christmas eve.
The shadows were gathering and the
sun cCudiAS III no itoAo hattcH " t4AN
night, when Pocahontas, tying ON her
pretty scarlet hood and wrappings, armed
herself with a small basket of corn, and
proceeded to the poultry yard to house
her turkeys for the night. They usually |
roasted in an old catalpa tree near the
back gate earlier in the season; but as
Christmas approached Pocahontas found
it expedient to turn the key upon them,
since leaving them out caused weaker
brothers to offend. As she passed the
kitchen door she called to little Sawney,
whose affection for his grandmother in
creased at Christmas, to come out and
help her.
The little fellow had that morning been
invested by doting parent with a par
O. sto' boots, purchased entirely with
reference to the requirements of the fu-
ture. They We're many sizes too large
1 NJ.