The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-01-10
oHn1srmAs WITH the norALI1Es.
Asd. Especially, as II IL Observed By the
Venerable Qneen. HIetorin.

LONDON, Dec. 2s.-Chr.stmas has come AND
gone. q pleasure to few, q torment to many, q
tradition for some. a religion for others. but
still. In spite of the overwhelming majority OF
opinion against its being . season Of ~festivity
and enjoyment. It 10 faithfully kept In many
homes. and nowhere more Loyalty than by
royalty. In most OF the reiGninR houses OF
Europe-be IL Christmas In England, weinacht
In Germany. Natalie In Italy-the day 10 set
apart for certain observances rs stringent as
they used to be when there was In France .
court to celebrate Noel.
Here IL has an almost national character, and
the Queen sets the example Of stanch fidelity to
custom. With invariable recurrence. the
Christmas tree takes Its place OF honor In the
great saloon at Osborne; beside 1t are the tables
laden with presonts, and elsewhere the side
boards are graced with more substantial solsce
for the guests than the gifts presented bv the
Queen to her numerous grandchildren and
great. grandchildren. which she dispenses In
person. Tho royal baron OF beef. the gigantic
plum pudding. mixed at Windsor, boiled again
at Osborne, the noble turkey of immense
weight; the ball for the tenants and servants
of the household. at which her MAjcsty puts In
an appearance. are all inseparable adjuncts OF
the day. The rooms and halls Of the palace are
profuscly decorated with holly and mlstletoe
and made gay with flowers and evcrnreons;
ihuRntcT. mlFtn. nuu RNmes hTo encouraged ny
the aged sovereign. who never looks happier
and better pleased than whom tho little princes
aud Processes are playing or even romping
under her indulgent eyes. Victor Hugo wrote
"L'Ar d'Etre Grand pere. " but Queen Victoria
has put into practice "L'Art d'Etre Grand
mere; ~ and when she fondlcs one of the young
est children Nesting conndingly In her lap. she
seems for q while to bury the grie.s and be-
reavementso of her long life. of which the last
and not the least bitter was tho untimely death
of Prince Horny OF Battenberg. who In love and
devotion had been moro than a son to her.
In the midst Of sumptuous faro tho Queen
herself has n simple diet; she merely tastes the
rich dishes Of the season.. but much prefers
her usual milk pudding and light vanilla cus.
tard. Every year the Emperor William III. and
the Duke OF saxo-Coburg send the famous boar's
head TO Osborne; this season the Emperor Of Ger
many killed the three bears whose most choice
parts were made into the "hure." With II
come the pats dc Beedssines. also q royal dish,
while tho highly ornamentcd Mnrxipan and
various sweets arc sent from Potsdam to their
great.Rrandmotner by the six little princes.
The Emperor of Austria, and, Indeed. most Of
the crowned heads OF Europe send Christmas
gifts to their venerable dopenne.
At the palace In Berlin the Christmas tree is
always lighted. and tho ringing Of q bell Is the
eignai for tho opening OF the doors behind which
the small princes have been impatiently wait
ing. After the distribution OF the presents,
some OF them costly. but others simple. homely.
aud of maternal workmanship. the imperial
family sit down to u dinner strictly composed
OF national dishes. not all. II must DO confessed,
equally palatable to non.Germans. such. for
instance, rs tho carp cooked In beer. and Pfef-
ferkuchen.
In spnin Cbri,tmas 4. e,lsbr,t.a with uor.
Nzlay Aaa aLf
mr., alive with mp.,c .on, n,oc...ion. -, m,m
p.rs and nil ov.r ,b. c,,ia. NJ ,h. ,.ni,.,,. d.
scrminablo suppers ,tretch far into the .holv
night" Al the na,ac. ,hs op..n R.,.,, a.
y,tes IN, president, M IN. Councn ana ,h. Nil
i,ters OF stat, n n hanous, which 4. No., 80
renre.s,t tho mor. nonni.r .t,,uIo,
In Itslv Ones, Nargh.ri,. ho. a,.o ,,,r.s,..,
,he C~hri.tmas tree nj m. opirinal hu, ,h.r.
tho moor ar, admitted. f.d ana ssnt .rsv v,,h
A donation. while IL in in the prlvaov q, thar
APARTMENTS that IN. rov.i coun,s ,h.,,
costly pre,ent, IN. King baIng Iva. .n,inn.
10 shower rift, ON nj, bslovea con.or, In A..
trIa on that dny tho charity NJ tho rmr.ror 4.
1n.x haustIbls. Those who present ,b.m..,v..
at the Hofburc come in for a plentifpI oi.,rih,.
tion Of good thinus and the .maiis., chId h..
his pookets filled with toy. and c.L.. 49,
penbapen and stockboim a, Ath.n. .ra prn.
sells. In palaces and cottage, IN. dav hr,,.. a,
least the illusion OF low and GOOD vii,
A pretty trait 4, recorded of Kino c.or,. =,
Greece. At bom, an on hi, travels n. uL.s m
wander abroad incoonI,o vitbou, .,,.nd.n,.
and so unpreten,iouslv dressed ,ha, h. .,c.n..
recognition. A few weeks AFRO bs WA. taLIng
one of nj. Ionv soII,.rv waIs. wh.n ~. 49,
tIon was attracted nv n corn,a con,,o .io,.,s.
road hand In hand. evidently n young work man
and his sweethearL Under pretext NJ a.ti,g
his way. he entered into oonversa,ion with thew