Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-25

ing to bed seemed unnecessary to
Esther, who contented herself with
slipping off her dinner dress, putting ON
a loose robe, and throwing herself
down on q lounge which was drawn
close at the low open window. From
it she could look out on the tropical
night, aDlaze with stars, and discern ny
their light. the dim outlines of the
mountains surrounding her. AS she
was resolving not to sleep, her eyes
shut themselves softly. and she lost all
sense Of the world until the saluta-
ton:
"Chrismus gif.' Miss F,sta. Miss Mary
she say you mus get upn dcss, dry
done gwinc to go now" of her little
maid, Angelina, fell npln her slowly
awakening ear.
Raising herself on her elbow. she
looked uut into the Guir, world befor"
her and uttered IN eEo lalnation of de-
light The house stood on the slope
Of orc of the foothills, and all about
it, gray in the early dawn, rose what
seemed mountains until compared with
the giants IN the distance whose tops
We're family silvared by a fading
moon. The stars. many times as large
as those looking down on Northern
ChrstmaSeS. seemed bright worlds, re-
jOicing in the coming day, even though
it brought to them cffacement. Down
the hillsides, here and there, crcpt a
tiny stream of water. white against
the darkness which would with daylight
show green of all sorts and shades.
The Christmas sounds of the locality
could already be heard, laughter in the
distance, the occasional discharge Of a
foWling piece. the pop of crackers at
the negro cabins belonging TO the es-
tate. In two places. along the side Of
the mountain. she watched tiny zigZag
lines Of flame. discovering them to De
burning sticks which some foot-pas-
Senger was shaking from side to side
to light him in his climb or descent
1t seemed to her impossible to tear her
self away, but the little maid was ur
gent, and at last she joined the party
waiting on the lawn.
Surely never before had Christmas
morning such Il fairy setting as that
through which the jewellers walked in
the early roSy-gray dawn. On one side !
of them grew the Victoria Regia, whose
tiny green leaves quite refused to hide
the green beans nearly two feet long
and the brilliant. Haunting scarlet
III. sssoms Near at hand were the
pincnto trees, with their Slittering
black Lerrios and aromatic leaves. one
of which Captain James pulled off and
gave Esther that she might twist it in
her fingers and inhale its pungent odor
Avocado pears bright green and
larkest purple, grew close beside deli
Achees. bright red, shining black. and
yellow-wax white, which the green
leaves turned back the better to dis
play: and Cushoes by the hundred
Leaving this wooded sire tcll. the party
climbed down terraccd barbecues,
smooth as a billiard table. acre after
acre. ready for the drying Of coffee
berries; and walked under great
plaintain trees while all about them
was the delicious, suggestive-of-bri bridal
days, perfume of orange blossoms.
Suddenly a brilliantly lighted house
loomed before them, "springing up at
some giants bidding" Billy Grosvenor
suggested and they were III the midst
of a merry crowd. all shouting Merry
Christmas" at one and the same mo-
ment, while they We're being ushered
into rooms gay with towers, and with
great golden oranges hanging about as
the Boston girl had been used to sec
ing the holly and mistlctcc. Then ap-
pearcd the excuse for tho unusual
festivity, big bowls of punch. earned
about by grinning servants. each with
his or her cheerful. familiar "ChriSmuS
sif, Massa," "Chrismus gif, Missy
| The punch, simple though it was. set
| off by an accompaniment Of tl1nncst
| bread and butter. and daintiest little
cakes, proved great success with the
unromantically hungry guests. ana II
was with difficulty that at last Mr.
| Graham carried off his party that the
walk home might be accomplished be-
fore the sun had risen too nigh for
| comfort.
[ The walk back in the fresh carly
morning. the grass still cool with dew.
was a fit prelude for a brief service at
church. then home, where Esther al
| most resented the shower of glfts
which brought back to them the usual
conventional Christmas. and fled as
| soon as possible to bed. for a long
| dreamlesS sleep.
The day had nearly gone when the
| reIceSReO party tSStiiiUltu assam VI q
drive to Kingston. where the Grahams
and all their guests had been bldden
for dinner and a Christmas ball at the
town house of Tom Graham's father.
Esther, only half awake when tncH
started, was fully so when the!
reached Kingston and she found her
self in streets thronged with car
riagcs. the Sidewalks crowded with ne
groes. some black and some brown, a!
in holiday attire. the women's head:
gay with tleir best tardana han6kcr'
chiefs. their bright skirts high killed
smiling and bowii1g to the passcrsDy
carrying their heads. "ne and all. Wiz
case and grace of born burden bear
erS.
The long dinner at an end. tn
guests trooped up stairs to don thel
evening finery. but Esther had come il
g white chiffon, garlanded with holly
} a gift a few days before. from he