A Christmas At The Foot Of The Rockies.

is the first contingent of our visitors , as a spring waggon drove up full of men , women , and children . We went out to greet them . The stars were shining biightly , already tho moon had risen , and the great giants of the snowy range stood out above their lesser brethren in the clear moonlight like

sentinels at their posts . Everyone was ready to be amused , and inclined to be happy . "We chose Christmas purposely , " said one lady , when Eveline had asked her in the most orthodox fashion to come right in and lay off her hat , "for wo knew you thought a lot of the day . For us ,

we have Thanksgiving , you know , but I ' ve read how you keep to-day in tho Old Country , so we thought yon might be lonesome , thinking of your folk , ' so wc allowed to give you a surprise to-day would cheer you up . " " Don't you keep Christmas ? " asked Eveline .

" Not any , was the reply , as the speaker fastened on a huge gold brooch , "but I had an English boarder once , who died of flic consumption . I guess he came out West too late . He thought powerful much of tbe season , I will allow , an' when he went up I

concluded that I'd keep Christmas in future for the sake o Jack . So each Christmas Day I give the dumb creatures on the ranche a double portion o' food , from the chicken upwards , " and having finished " prinking , " as she herself termed it , Mrs . Gardner was ready to return to the company .

A strange way of keeping Christmas , certainly , yet as I thought of tho poor animals who had to " wrestle " for food through a western winter , I considered I had heard of many wor-se . Our visitors had all , at last , arrived . The accommodating babies had all been put to sleep in heaps on Eveline ' s bed , where , I am bound to say , they remained

the whole evening , as good as gold ; and being thus disposed of stippei was taken in hand . All the women-kind helped to get it ready , each producing ample food for their own party . It was mostly a simple repast enough—bread and butter , cake ( such cake , too !) , and pie .

Also what went by tho name ot a " relish , ' which consisted in this instance of slices of cheese , and any amount of small encumbers , pickled green . Not an extensive repast by any means ; but it , was all of the good kind , and the bread and cake of most exceeding excellence .

Such quantities of tea and coffee , too— "Arbucklo" coffee , and " uncoloured Japan" tea , drunk out of thick white cups , guiltless of saucers or handles . Thanks to the Colonel , who was a host in himself in the matter , the kettles were never empty or the fires low . The same practical gentleman stood by with a steel , and sharpened knives at intervals .

much to the joy of two ot onr parly , who were fold off to cut bread and butter . It looked very strange to me at first , lo see several of the ladies tie aprons on , and prepare to wait , on the company , the menfolk included ; but , after all , perhaps ( he old Saxon word , " lady , " or " loaf-giver , " had most significance in a country where the lady of tho house not only baked the loaf , but distributed it .

And as T considered that the presence of one unimportant individual was not sulllcicnt to cause a resolution in social fashions in a big country , I borrowed an apron from Eveline , and helped too , much to the disgust of a friend of ours , who , newly arrived from home , thought we were much demeaning ourselves in waiting on other people .

Then , supper being finished , and the dishes put away , the real business of the evening , i . e ., the candy pulling , begun . The pans of molasses and butter were ; , et on the stoves , and when ( hey were of tolly-like consistency the pulling began . Each gentleman , having previously well-buttered his hands filled them with the hot mixture , and , sitting down opposite his

A Christmas At The Foot Of The Rockies.

partner , she pulled the candy towards her till it became a dark brown rope . Then he doubled it up again , and it was pulled backwards and forwards for a time , till the rope of cand y became quite light coloured , and began to look like a skein of cream-coloured

silk . The li ghter you could get it the better , and when it hardened so that it could not be pulled any longer with ease , it was broken into lengths of about an inch or so long , and the fair candy-pnller ate it at her leisure . " ' .

1 he "boys seemed much to enjoy the "pulling" process , having , with much deliberation , chosen the prettiest girls ^ in the room to pull with .

Everyone , in fact , pnllcd candy , from our host and hostess down to the Cit y Sheriff , who pulled a long skein with Mrs . Gardner , whose shrewd kindl y face showed quite as much interest as the "boys" and girls .

There is a Colorado saying that— " Frontier life is hard upon women and cattle , " and , looking at some of the faces , one quite realised the truth of it . For some of the women there—who were tho wives of the first pioneers of the West—looked as if they had had hard times enough . Mrs . Gardner herself was one of themand

, when wc could get her to toll us yams of the old days—which was seldom enough , we used to listen in breathless interest . Stories of old "Colora , " the Indian chief , riding over tho very bluff amongst which we lived , before ever the "Rio Grande" drove its cars through the Ranche .

So the evening passed on till all the candy was pulled , and it was time for our visitors to say good-bye . Then came the bnstle of packing them up for their long cold drive , mostly down hill to the little town . The women and children lay down in the bottomof the waggons

on the horses fodder , covered over with comforts , and were well covered over in their turn , whilst the men sprung on the spring seals in front . Buggies with happy couples set off gaily , for whatwas a long winter ' s ride , even below zero , when the driven ? were young , and content in each other ' s company . Nay : a " devoted boy " had

driven bis " best girl " over in a " backboard . " But the necessary fight packing up in a buffalo robe of the two , onl y seemed to give an added zest to the proceedings , and a love that can survive a twelve miles ride on a backboard , on a cold winter ' s ni ght , is indeed woith the bavin " !

_ And as the last waggon moved off in the brilliant moonli ght , its drivers struck up the quaint plantation song" 'Way down upon the Swancc ribber , " and Ihe chorus floated back to us through the crisp frosty air" All the world am sad and weary , Ebberywhcre I roam ;

Oh . darkies ! how my heart grows dreary , Far from do ole folk at home . " It was in the Far West we were living , under tho shadow of the Rockies . Before ns lay the great snowy range , Pike ' s and Long ' s Peaks standing out far above ( he rest in the clear winter ' s ni'dif .

l et Eveline and I grasped each other ' s hands ; the folk at home , what , were they doing now Y And as we gazed with dim eyes at the white mountains , thev

faded away , and we saw two old grey houses nestling amongst trees in an English village . Five o ' clock a . m . in ( lie dear , old country , and a grey winter ' s dawn rising in the eastern sky . A new day was breaking for the old folk at home ! And as we turned to go in , the same unspoken prayer rose to the lips of all— " God make each day a very happy one . "

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