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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1903-12-24, Page 6• ON CHRISTMA.S. EVE: ay a. 0. YOUNG, When the gate oreaked that October night, Marion Hartley, wife of the un- eneeessfal auther-playwright, was tor- turing her wits afresh for a way to se- loretev induce some theatrical manager to roe-elm:ea her husband's genies, tier flush fe4ed ae she heard admitted a nian jet"slet; a slow voice and a deliberate step, Both were unpleasantly familiar. "Good evening," he said, bowing studiously, Tall, broad and potty dressed, he possessed a face only spoil- ed byit expression. "Is ho accessible? Ah, yee, 1 eee his light iu there Afraid 171111St disturb his Manhattan, then, "Indeed? Be is -very busy, she Sine - ply said. "Of course." He eat down. "Er— mite. 1 ask how the great May progress- es?" No answer, It had come back that morning for the foruth time—declined. She pretended to sew until the posi- tiou grew unbearable and then rose "eV MERE!" and tapped at the door of that inner room in which her husband spent more hours than she liked to total. No reply. "G-ilbert, dear, don't start," was whispered fearfully "He is here again e --that Mr Mainwaring What shall"— Why, he was not aoribbling away fe- verishly His head had fallen forward asleep? When she touched him, he slowly roused to state past her with eyes so dilated that she almost shame- • "Gilbert, don't!" She was uncon- sciously on her knees now. "Oh, give it 'up, if it's killing you! I'll work, hue - band l" ' "Eh? There! I was dreaming—my plot was lust coming to me, and you— you disturb mese!" he said, putting her arms away "Lf 1 lose grip of it this time, it—it—may mean madness I Mar- lioa, it was sublime 1 Only go away— do He famed his pen and started. Awed, apprehensive, too, she hung there as though hesitating whether to obey or snatch his precious manuscript away Finally she stole out and stood guard at •his door, "My husband cannot see you to- night." "Oh, very good, madam! Half this :house was furnished with the £100 he coolly borrowed through me—before 1 knew, of course Sympathy means for- bearance As you don't want it, I'll sell hini up now!" " You—you will notl" She ran and caught his arm, "I did not know it I simply say --if you bat know how he has elaved and tried! Let me tell you something. Wait—and his play will be accepted. Yesl Tonight he has found his plot—the great idea he has missed for months. There!" "Found his plot?" He stared increcta- lonely, appearing to weigh the chances. "Bahl .That was to have thrilled crea- te:in long ago. I will call once again next week, and then"— He went one without finishing it, In a sort of stupor Marion sat down and waited—waited hour after hour. Then at last Gilbert came groping out, one baud pressed to his head, his taco haggard, but ecstatic. Not even her ,white and hopeless face struck his at- tention. "Done itrhe gasped. "I was coining Ito wake yon, They—they say that ev- ,ery man is capable of ono stroke of gen- ins. Listen to this—bat the room seems '—why, Marion, 1-1'— Th s manuscript fell. She realized 'something and sprang forward. Ho had ;swayed and then toppled down. Twelve hours later found him in the heat of unmistakable delirium. And the 1playl It was lying neglected upon his ,study desk. Weeks would pass, the bluff old doctor mid, before his sanity could return. 11 moat that the home must Orailish bit by bit—but what of that? :Night and day she hovered,over him. He had tried and failed. Only to save his reason I Thee she would my herself. In the first excitement she quite for- igot Mainwering, and his last veiled threat, until, precisely seven days after his previous visit, the girl informed her that that gentlemen and a "friend" 'were waiting in the sitting room. Both frlgbtened and desperate, she went dowu as far as the doorway. "He is ill," she said, her face a study in opplientica "He knows nothing— parttime never will again," "There!" hlainwaring's teeth snap - •ped. " What did I say? A planned af- fair I My friend here wants his money- • or some equivalent. There is the agree - went, I stay until 1 eee your husband." Marlon managed to got "Then you must etay" past the lump it her throat. Thea she ran back and looked • the bedroom door. "They've gone, ina'am," came through the keyhole et last "They • Mumbled away her a time, and then they were suddoely quiet. I think they Mete frightened, They almost crept out " Marion, sitting back from Gilbert's •I 'Wild state, found temporary relief in • Sire= of tears. The fleet gleam of Sunshine came at ' ;the oted of three Mittel Week& Hattley, •phyele,ally tee, could clues his bedroom, • Only 11 terrtftecl het to ge8ftz that he Wee lint a lieettretuteneettole. *Week& and the mysterious Benner thawed no signs at lifting. And when he orept down etaS's again it VMS only to sit staring vacantly through the hours, And Quietism was close at hand—deer, joyous Christmeal "It's most strange," said the doter •one day. "I've been thinkiug—what mild excitement would bo likely to MUSD him?" "Ole, the theater—the play," the an• swore:a-mechanically. "Then take nine. Hera There's matinee advertised for tomorrow al the Jollity --some new ansi wonderful drama to be tried. The very thing!" • Gilbert, never seeming to wonder where the money Caine from, assented, and accordingly that next day, Christ. alas eve, found them both seated in the Jollity. If this failed— The play commenced, butMarion her. self had not come to bo thrilled. Hold- ing her husband's hand tightly, she sat stealthily watching for a sign of dawn- ing comprehension In vain. During the first and second stets his expression re. muffled all but lifeless. Suddenly, how, ever, Marion almost cried out. His thief fingers had been quileriug. Now, hall way through the last act, they closed upon her own crushingly The lights were low, but she could see his eyes di lming Only too thankful that every one appeared engrossed by the play, she whisperingly implored: "Try, try and keep calm dear! It's nearly over." "My plot—my play I" he said. "You —you have let them steal my brains!" For the moment she was stupefied. Then, "Nonsense, dear," she whispered back. "It is safe." "hly very words," he gasped, no heeding "Let nie go. I've been rob bed, robbed! I'll shout it all over the city i" Then, indeed, she stared and tried to realize the play, but he was struggling past. There would be a scene. So, hold Ing his hand still, she followed him me iuto the corridor. Before sho.could pre, vent it he had gripped an attendant': shoulder, "Your manager—at once!" he breath, ed, "Your manager!" he repeated, as swell of applause drowned the man's reply. "The manager? In that box ovei there. What name shall I say?" "Gilbert Hartley—the author of this play I" They followed him round winding corridors and up to the door of a box. Two gentlemen were just emerging laughingly when the white faced man and whiter faced woman barred their way. "Not yeti I deinand," said Gilbert, pointing, "the identity of the man who writes himself the author of that play." "Why," said ona coolly, "1 happen to be the author. Anything amiss?" "Your Hartley, looking like one just risen from the grave, put out two working hands. "Come here! Look me in the face. I wrote it—almost as it stands. If my manuscript is gone, you —have stolen it." The finale was at hand. The audi. mem, little dreaming of that side clrlfma, sat spellbound. Theu—then a crazy, unmistakable cheering rose to the root "Anther! Authorl" went np. The situation was oritioal, the manager stu- pefied. The "author, " with Marion's wide, pleading eyes upon him, hesitated, Then he blurted out: "No fraud at all! I bought that man- uscript in a crude state from a man who claimed to have produced it There is nothing discreditable"— "His name?" "I—I cannot give it He was here just now. Prove that he stole it, and I am willing to divide all"— The oriel for "Anther" wore groWing deafening, when Marion gave that little 'cream of realization and said: "He was here—Gilbert, look—atftin- waringl Ho came for hie money that day! Ile stole the papers for spite, thinking you might never know! Deny that name if you can!" she finished breathlessly, staring into the other man's; eyes. "Madam, 1 can't." Swallowing a lump, he gripped Hartley's band. "Sir, my reputation is at stake I must ap- pear with you as joint author, but I promise you two-thirds of all royalties." * . • . * • • The audience was upon its feet, star- ing about in wonderment when the cur - "I WROTE se." tain waved Two mon stood bowing in the footlight glow, and the foremost was Gilbert Hartley. Neither ventured a speeele and not a few people were puzzled afresh when next day a joint authorship was publicly annouliced, but the play itself was unanimously voted a thrilling success, mid that was enough Enough—yes! Later that day, when the belle were pealing, Marion crept up behind her 'husband and placed a twias. ad sprig of holly upon Ma tired head. "Laureled 1" she whispered. "A little allitevation, der—my king, me' king, crowned on Chtestreste eve!" And Malewaring? Well, they simply allowed Ms to slip into oblivion. A Ring eve' up the ladder of literary from, and olintbing still, Gilbett Hertley can (sadly affetd to be retreifnl to the man Who tried to topple him off the fine rung, PREPARING THE CHRISTMAS 'PUDDING. A CHRISTMAS EXPERIENCE. An Incident In the Life of an Observing Traveler. Several winters ago I had arrived at Odessa from Asiatic Turkey. The un- lucky yellow flag. hoisted by command of the visiting surgeon of the port, com- pelled the brig 1 was in to toss about in the roadstead for a week before it was admitted to the quarantine harbor Then 1 was required to send my clothes for fumigation, and at 'ha end of sm- other week the authorities permitted nee to land and take up my quarters in the lazaretto for 14 days more, "on sus- picion of plague." The Odessa lazaretto is built in the form of a quadrangle Each room is separated from its neighbor by a double wall, between which a sentinel takes his station to see that neighbors holcl no communication with each other. There is a small courtyard in front of each room, and e. double iron grating— GUARDED lir TWO SOLDIERS. one row of grating a few feet before the other—keeps the prisoners from any personal contact with the outer world, represented by the restaurateur and his nide, the surgeon and the chaplain. In tho room adjoining mine were con- fined a Greek and a young woman, who passed a portion of their time in sing- ing to the music of a guitar and occa- sionally a tambourine. Much of the rest was spent in eating, drinking and sleep- ing, to judge from the long intervals of silence. But there Were noisy episodes which conveyed strong proofs that the lady could scold as well as sing, and sometimes the quarrels rose to a terri- ble pitch, a thump, followed by a scream, furnishing the blimax. It was Christmas day. The MOW fell heavily, deadening the sound of the °Minh bells, which, through a broken pane, remind- ed mo of the holy festival. I expected to hear my neighbors sing hymns. My own hate was devoted to nay books— the only relief to an enforced solitude. Toward evening, while the guard slept, I distinctly heard the voice of the man Greek. He seemed to be growling nether than speaking, and in the inter- vals of his salience I heard the female sob. Not a very "merry Christmas," thought 1 Sometimes oue voice rose above the other. The one was shrill, tho other loud and angry. Then there was a souffle; then all was tranquil. Night had fallen, and 1 had hoped tho parties had gone to sleep. But again the mur- murs, the expostulations, the outbursts, disturbed my gaiet And now the wore. an became voluble, and spasmodic burets of grief alone interrupted 1110 10510011 of hor eloqueuce. Often the man called out what appeared to be "Silent:lel" adding a few words, none of which wee dis- tisset enough to be caught, in tt minatory tone. Then came another sthuggle, words, bitter Words, stifled cries, a heavy fall, a, scream, silence again, could not sleep, What had been the tsetse of the last quarrel? Had the "peace and good will" taught by the Redeemer, whose natal clay the outer Christian world was celebrating, MU - mately prevailed, and ware the recent autagouists illustrating the Horatian maxim that the falling ont of lovers is the renewal of love? Or had the last fall tie stunned the feeble of the two individuals as to reinter the revival of either love or anger temporarily itapee- was not long in doubt It VAS pest, midnight when 1 was awakened by don °roes cries and heavy Sobs, Vehement protestations end earnest apoetrophes in the Voice of the man, 1 knocked lotully at the wall to suggest silence He esti - deed), did net heed the ImOking. 1 ogled ont in good Italian, "Be quiet I" It was of no avail. 1 roused up the guard and asked him what wee the mat- ter with the gentlentan. My custodian suggested he was drunk. I could not, however, divest my mind of the idea that a deed of darkness had been perpe- trated. The night wore away. I could not sleep. I no longer heard the voice of the woman. Even the man's voice was hushed. Bat instead of the usual sounds my ear was assailed with knockings on the floor and a noise as of a saw or file at work. When the restaurateur came round in the morning to take orders for breakfast, 1 told him what 1 hod heard and suggested that the lady might be 111 and need medical aid, He went next door, but was sent away with the inti- mation that nothing was wanted. Two or three more days elapsed. The time had arrived for my release. On the very day indeed when 1 was to be emanci- pated my neighbors were also eo be freed. I heard the officers arrive next door. Some words were uttered, follow- ed by an altercation. Then the man cried bitterly. What could be the matter? More officers came. The man was fetter- ed and taken away. Where was the wo- man? He had stabbed her in his anger, and ander some absurd notion that her existence would bo forgotten by the au- thorities he had taken np two Menke and deposited the dead body of the poor girl beneath them. This explained the operations which followed upon the si- lence. When I WAS released, I saw my gaoled= neighbor sitting in a veranda of the place where I went to reclaim my fumigated apparel, guarded by two sol- diers. He was a little old man of ma- lignaet aspect,I remembered having seen him at the harbor with a handsome young Greek whom. I supposed to bo his child, No one knew exactly what their relative position was, It was enough that he had shed her blood on Christmas eight W. A, Gilman. The Treating Habit. It TM Pope Telesphorus, who died before tho year 100 A. D., who insti- tuted Christmas as a festival, thqugh for some time it was irregularly held in December, April and May But for cen- .n tues before there had been a feast of Yule among the northern nations whose great enjoyment VMS in drinking the wassail bowl or cup. Nothing gave them so much delight as indulgence iu "carousiug ale," especially at the Sea. son of short days when fighting was ended. It was likewise their custom at all their feasts "for the master of the house teen a large bowl or pitcher, to drink out of it first himself, and then give to him that sat next, and so it went around," This may have been the origin of that popular Araerloan custom known as "treating." It is certain that upon our Christian observance of this glorious day have been iugrafted habits taken from rude and barbarous people, Tho I)Ifferenee,. First Goose—What's the difference between a Christmas turkey and a Christmas girl? Second Goose—I dueled First Goose—Why, one is dressed to kill, and the other is killed to dress. Reminder 'of an Old Custom. , Hundreds of old couutry people, cape. oially of Irish birth, Will remember the Christmas candle which is lighted and placed in the window at midnight of Chrietmas eve and allowed to burn there on the successive nights until it is all consumed, It is one of the most inter- esting of all the customeasseciated with the re! igious celebration of the Christian feEttival. It is symbolios of course, of the "Light of the World," brie some hold that With the mistletoe, the holly and the festive practiCes of 010On:son it pas back to Druid or pope origin and is derived from some olden syntholiem of the retaining warmth of the san, Hove, ever tide may be, 11 is not generally knoem that the onstom bas bath pre- eerved in Canada to this day by a few old cotintry pooplet comparatively spittle. ing, to whom Chnsentas Would not bear its holy message without the tall wont candid shining in their wilidota cnausTmAs idlusTs. OLD TIME DINNERS OF AMAZING PRO PORTIONS. great house was most linposing, for was not brought without a procession. First name a runner 10 a horsonum's ' cot with it boar spear in his hand. Then a huntsman in green with a naked and bloody swovd. Then two pages in &menet, oaoh with a Moos of mustard, and last the bearer himeelf, chasm fin his WED and strength, proudly holding the huge silver platter on which the boar's head lay. n Such was the plaineet procession that - entered, always with ninsie, for a Christmas oral was alwase Rung. What :I tho inaguificence of the wealthiest !mem was may be imagined from the fact that 1 King Henry 11, having caused his eon to e be crowned duriug his own lifetime, himself served as bearer of the boar's bead at his sou's table and was preceded by the royal trumpeters as he entered. The splendor of these ;umlaut feasts would doubtless seem barbaric; now, but the profusion of the viands seems won- derful. In, comparison our modern spreads seem sinall, and one wonders if iu the elder clay all men wore like the one who died only lately and who made a roputatiou by a single remark, "The turkey is an excellent bird with one serious fault—ha is Inc big for one p‘o erson, to eat and not big enough for two." DAV1D A. CURTIS, What They Used to Ent In the Daye of King Arthur—Boar`s Head Served With Oeremony—An Anolent Dinner to the Poor. It is almost impoesible to say ivlse the custom began of celebrating Christ mas with a sumptuous feast, It is cer lain, however, that the observance ha never taxied since English history be gam Whistleoraft, a writer who delver deeply among the traditions and record of the reign of King Arthur of the Round Table, describes the Christmas dinner of that day in verse; They served up siihnon, venison and wilt boars Oy hundreds and by dozens and by seem. Hogsheads of honey, kilderkins of mustard, Muttons and fatted beeves and Moon swine, Herons and bitterns, peacock, swans and bus tard, Teal, mallard, pigeons, widgeons and. in fine Plum puddings, pancakes. apple pies and sus • turd. And therewIthal they drank good Gascon wino With mead and ale and cider et our own, For porter, punoh and aligns were not known. This bill of fare is doubtless more poetio than accurate, yet it is not far oat of the way Ouo notable O1015.5100 is that of the wassail bowl, for wassail, though it MS a driuk of the ancient Druids 01 1110 third century and prob. ably earlier, was for many hundred years a favorite British drink and came to be a distinctive feature of Christmas feasts. It was first mado of ale, or what was then cousidered ale, sweetened with something that did duty for the more modern sugar Just what that was is today unknown, but it was sweet. Then there was toast, and there were roasted crabs, put hissing hot into the bowl—a queer drink, but such as it was it was liked. As time went by the recipe was va- ried till, perhaps 1,000 years or so later, the wassail bowl was filled with wine, well warmed and spiced, with toasted bread and roasted apples, If wine were not obtainable, ale was used, but the apples were deemed indispensa. Me and really Wein to have been an improvement on crabs. Doubtless it was the white pulp of the apples that gave wassail its nickname of "lamb's wool," and it was therefore an anach- ronism that crept into the account of King Arthur's feast when the boy with the mantle cast a spell over the table, for it is told that on that occasion only one knight found hie sword sharp enough to carve the boar's head or his hand steady enough to lift the lamb's wool without spilling it, It will be noticed that King Arthur had neither turkeys nor geese, though both of them are now distinctive fea- tures of the Christmas feast. The tur- key was not taken to England from the east till the sixteenth century, and, though the goose was known before, his gastronomic value seems not to have been discovered, But if Arthur's feast seems gargan- tuan it was a frugal repast compared with those that came later, Germs) Markham describes a "moderate din- ner" of about A D. 1600 that would answer for Christmas in the following amazing way: "The first course should consist of 16 full dishes—that is, dishes of meat that are of substance and not empty or for show—as thus, for example; First, a shield of braun with mustard; second- ly, a boyl'd capons. thirdly, a boyl'd piece of beef; fourthly, a chine of beef rosted; fifthly, a neat's tongue roeted; sixthly, a pig rested; seventhly, ohew- ets baked; eighthly, a goose rested; ninthly, a swan rosted; tenthly, a tur- key rested; the eleventh, a haunch of venison rosted; the twelfth, a pasty of venison; the thirteereth, a kid with a pudding in Ilia belly; the fourteenth, an olive -pyo; the fifteenth, a couple of capons; the sixteenth, a oustard or dow- sets, Now, to these full dishes may be added Stellate fricases, quelque ohoses and devised paste, as many dishes More, which make the full service no less than two and thirty dishes, which is as much as can conveniently eland on one table and in one mess. And nap: this manuer you may proportion both your sound sad third eourses, holding ful- ness on one half of the dishes and show in the other, which will be both frugal in the splendour, contentment to the guest and much pleasure and delight to the beholder." Surely a "moderate dinner" like that would make a lord mayor's banquet seem stingy, yet there is ample evidence that such feasts were not uncommon "in . that elder day." Not every one, however, set each a table, even when he could afford it, for Pepys records a din. nor given to the poor by 511' GOOMO Downing ono Christmas at which noth- ing was served but beef, porridge, pad - Oleg and pork. It may have been better than the recipients usuelly hael for everyday faro, but they voted it a mean entertainneeet for Christmaa The boar's head, as is web known, Was for hundreds of years the pleas de resistance of every well regulated Brit- ish Christmas feast, and it has been hold by some writers that it became the favorite because of a general desire to proteet against the Jewish prohibition of pork, A room probable.reason is that the boar Was the fiercest of all the wild beasts of the country, and killing hint Was the highest achievement of the huntstaan. Then, again, his head its very good to eat. Whatever the reason, the great dash was served with greet pomp. It WAS served in style, A forgotten poet wrote; If yon would end up tho brewheis head, Sweat rosemary and bays nrOund it spread, His fawning Maks let seine large pippin grade, Or midst Mose thundering spears an °rouge piece. Sauce, like himself', offensive 10 1110 ftieti, The roguish mustard dengerouli tb the nose Seek Md the well apieed ttlppeeres, the wine the bowl with rodent vitae& into FOrridge With phials and turkeYs with the chine, The Mere dressing of the dish dicl not MAO, however, The deremenY bringing it into the banged hail sfd Bootie. Claus In the South. 111. 141 1 7,t, , , "Whewl What would the children say if they saw ino in this rig?" The Useful Holly. If we believe Pliny, the Romau his- torian and naturalist, the holly is a po- tent tree, exclusive of its Christmas privileges. As far back as his time it was planted near dwelling houses to preserve them from lightning. The learned philosopher uot only tells us this, but says that its flowers cause wa- ter to freeze, and that if a staff of its wood bo thrown at any animal, even if it fall short of Watling it, the animal will be so subdued by its influence as to return and lie down by ite As the Amerioan holly blooms in ,Tuhe it will be easy to try the effect on water. Holly has also found a place in medi- cine, but it involves such heroic treat- ment that I fear the faculty vill scaroe- ly approve it. In many districts of Eng- land the country people advise you to thrash your ohilblains with holly leaves and assure you that it is a perfect cure. It may be. There it has also been reo- =mended in a decoction of the leaves for rheumatism and for intermittent fever. Lonicierus recommends it for a pain in the side commonly called "a stitch, " Sheep and dear will eat holly in hard winter, and branches are fed to cattle for fodder in France when other food is scarce. The holly of Europe and the belly of the United States each will grow to be a tree of some 40 feet in height. The wood is even grained, white as ivory, except in tho heart of old trunks, and takes an exquisite polish, It bee been much used for "inlaying." Many arti- cles' said to bo of ebony, such as the handles of teapots, eto. , are holly stained, Santis Clans. Once upon a midnight dreary, as I pondered weak and weary over all tho Christmas presents that a boyish Sauey draws, while with sleep I tried to ease slo, tried with all my might and mus- cle, suddenly 1 heard a rustle, like the noise of Santa Claus, Though with fright 1 fairly shuddered, for fright I bad no causo—it was only Santa Claus, Then 1 listened moro intently to the sound that crept up gently to my cham- ber, where my wonder almost caused my inert to pause, and I heard the can- dy spilling, as the stocking ho was fill- ing, and 1 wished I'd left a shilling there for dear olcl Santa Claus, And the noise I heard so plainly in the room stel. joining pa's was only Santa Clans. Anxious now to get a peep, dowu the stairway did I creep, all impatient for a glance, although against the laws, and it tilled my heart with dread, as wits sudden fear hp fled and jumped luta mamma's bed—imughty, naughty Sants Claus! And the stories that we hem each year are as thin as summer gauze Fraud stupondoutt--Santa, Claus! A Christmas Gift. • Cl (7.1 Stettlieg appearance 10 'Match on the Snciday after Christinae of Uncle Hirinel in the new oVereeat iSa city °engine reeetiliM, eeeeeeeeeeee ODD CHRISTMAS DIMES PLUM PUDDINGS MADE WITH PRUNES. Plum Porridge Was e. 'Favorite Dish With Our Fore- fathers. Plums, Rimer and spices honed In a rich mentbroth—that was the ear.- Hest traceable form of our meat po puler Gimlet/nes dish. It was known as "plum -broth," and was served as the arst course of every Chriettnas banquet until about, the middle01 the seventeenth century, says Lon- don Answers. A flor the days of the Common- wmath, when Charles 11, came to the throne, and good living increased in the lance wheat was added to the broth, and it became "PlembelMr ridge." The very earliest mention of plum -padding that is known is one spoken of by Southey in his "Onmiana," anti this, curiously enough, is not' in English, but in French. It is quoted from the me- moirs of the Chevalier d'Arvicaux, and its date is about 1605. 71 is probable, however, that this French- man borrowed his recipe from this country, for he went a voyage on a; British forty -gun war -ship in the year 1658, A century and a half after that date plum -porridge seems still to have flourished, for a writer named Brand gives an account 'of a Christ- mas breakfast served at the Royal chaplain's house in tho year 1801, iivuhscofoeutsampitfimrsIbt_pdothwevgeh.s„ "rich and PLUM -PORRIDGE had become very elaborate long be- fore that date. Here is a recipe tak- en from "Oartor's Compleat Cooke'. published he 1780: "First make a good stock of broth of beef and mutton—no veal; maks it strong; season it with some whole pepper, cloves, mace, cinnamon, gin- ger, and a pinch of sweet lierbs;, boil Tithodnotbvioillwooff11,sotttuncol gsotrotatinp rittnefc'sv, lipulpa. and strain them out. Into your broth; then grate some kitchen bread into it, and stove that and your prunes together. "Then put in a bottle of claret. Then put in raisins pickod and cur- rants washed (a good many), and stove them off while plumpt. Sea- son it well with sugar. Some put in inuelc and sack and amber prepar- ed. Lay on Soma boiled prunes, and Mace round some slices of lemon, having first squeezed a lemon over it." The mixturo. sounds nasty, and must have been very costly, for so late as 1801_ the prices of materials for plum -pudding were very expen- sive. Currants were ninepence 10. Stead Of twopence half-pemly; sugar was one and threepence a pound, as against three halfpence to -day. The prunes and French plums, which ori- ginally gave the dish its name, were tonpence and a shilling a pound, and raisins fetched roar times their pres- sent price. A pudding which ' costs four to 11Ve shillings in 1202, must have been worth twenty to twonty- two shillings in 1800. • Probably there are many house- wives and cooks who are not aware how very 'useful prunes are as an in- gredient of the MODERN PLUM-PUDDINO. Raisins do not agree with everybody, and there are many, persons who do not like them. The average house- hold plum -pudding is made with a pound 'of raisins, a pound of eurran LS and half a pound of sultanas. Tim raisins may bo left out, and the sul- tanas redueod to a quarter of e pound if, instead, One and a hall pounds of good 'names are used. Ths pudding so made is very derk in color, light in texture, and extremely wholesome. Another plum -pudding hint worth remembering is that a largo apple should always bo used in the mix- ture. It makes the pudding very light. If an apple is not 'easily pro- curable, two ounces of carrots will (10I.tjuisst qattgli i two epo.ssible to make good plum -pudding without eggs, Hero is the recipe. One ponnd of raisins, half a pound of suet, one pound of flour, four ounces of broaderumbs, a pint of milk, spices, and three des- sertspoonfuls of treacle. Lha vary pest plum -puddings of ail are made with bread and a little flour, . They have ton ler a dozen eggs, half a pint of milk, and four wino-glassfule of brandy, Here again an °crummy 15 possible by diminishing the brandy to one glass and Increasing the ainount of milla --a- LINEN l'RESENTS. Colored Embroidery on Colored Linen, • In a hanclsomi sot ot liners .tho tablecloth was round and of pale 131110 linen, instried with medallions of ecrti guipure lace, The serviettes had small central medallions and a 1101.1.0t5' lino of lace just inside of the stitched borders. Among a bewildering collection of examples of tine ad kilo*. are shown some very pretty table coulees. A delightful one in pale colal linen had appliect manna; in st convention- al design, their dull green ICOX08 011- froanlog the irregular edge 0.8 if they had been real flowees laid upon it. A cot cover WUS cervied out isi the game materials mei hues, but in a diftereat pattern; here the poiu15d 100.008 1001 over the poppies' 1100(10 like cliereble wings. Another mum - al flower idea WOG es tablecloth Strewn with multi -colored Sweet pale. • A pair ot eplondid peetierce we; e carried out on linen in flax thros.d , a beautiful bold design of old. fashioned flowers, Eitiggestive of same pities in their quaint form and color- ing. The execution of this piece of work was. extraordinarily aesured and free. A. littlt. tray,- shamrock gimped had a Woven thenireek-green bordor, and into tho tro. Lusa 0. tiny trotoilbrrinklod NA& ilia /eat that Minna 'luck.