Arizona republican., 1900-12-23
ENGLAND'S CHRISTMAS.
It Will Be at Least Brighter Than the
 Last One.

London, Dec. 22.-England is agog with preparations for the proverbial Merry Christmas which unpleasant tidings from Africa will not be al- lowed to interfere with this year Ito the extent of putting a black note of Sad ness into everything, as was the case last year. The holiday trade has been brisk and all things considered. there appears to be no valio reason why this Christmas should not be celebrated in the good, old-fashioned way, with pres ents for everyone; abundance of plum pudding for the Christmas dinner, and gorgeous and wonderful pantonlirnes for the children. The crly cloud to cast a. shadcw over the bright pros pect of f2Stivity and merry-makng arises from the persistent rumors con- corning the failing health of the queen. Despite -le official danials, the belief gains ground that the venerable sov- ereign is al last succumbing to the in- firmities of age. At tFie present. time, however, her majesty's hsaIh is not such as to excite alarm, and curing the present week Christmas preparations at the court have been going on as usual.
 Representatives of all the large toy jewelry and fancy s.ores of the me tropolis have vf.fted the castle in re- @ponse to the royal summons, and the queen, assisted by the Princess Be- atrice, who is her cGnstanI5 companion, has spent several hours inspecting the new wonders of toydom, and selecting gifts to be sent to her grand- children and great tgranG-children ct the courts Of Sl.. Petersburg, Berlin. COburg Bulk harest and elsewhere. Choice pieces of sculpture and ether works of art have also been selected and are now on their way to the queens adult relatives, in- cluding her grandson, the German em- peror, the cZar and czarina and others.
 La.'t year, on account of the war; her majesty passed iife Christmas season at Windsor. instead of alt Oso0rne, it being the first time in many years that she departed from her custom This year the celebration is to be one of the old-fashioned kind, though l9lere are not so many youngsters of the royal family to enjoy the Christmas tree at Osborne House as there were several years ago. Tine young Duke of Al bany was one of the merriest members of the Christmas party at Osborne, but now has left England to succeed his uncle to the dukeGrCm of SaXe-COburg and Gotha, while his royal cousins and playmates have many of them out grown the age of candies and toys. There are several of them, however, still in short dresses and knickerbOck- CTS, whose merry-making will serve to enliven Christmas day for the queen. It is the custom for this day only to allow the youngsters to play not only with their new toys, but with those used by their parents anl grandpar- ems before them. Among the collec- ton are spades, rakes, h0es, wheelbar- rows. and mechanical animals which formerly rejoicad the hearts of Elm press Frederick. Princess Alice and the other girls, and guns, toy soldiers and fortresses which were once the pride Of the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Leopold.
 At Windsor today the chefs, bakers and scullions of the royal kitchens are up to their eyes in work. Puddings as many as 2Os of them. are being baked, and will be sent to relatives and friends of the queen. Mince pies. enough to feed an army, are being compounded by the royal cooks, together with all kinds of dainties for the Christmas dinner. If curious visj,or might be permitted to get q glimpse of the inte- rior of the castle kitchens, he would probably see roasting at the kitchen fire the baron of beef, which is also as- sociated with the queens Christmas dinner. Whether the queen is at Os- borne or at Windsor this portion of the feast is invariably prepared at the lat ter place. The great joint, when cold. is garnished wl,h the royal and imperial monogram in shredded horse radish, with a boarHs head and a game piece. This great roast and the equal ly large and savcry plum pudding, which story books say is so large that it takes half dozen men to carry it, are the two principal features of adOrnment on her majesty's side-board on Christmas day.