Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: May 4, 2025
And in the midst of these old men, a little septuagenarian, dainty, powdered, flicking his lace shirt frill if a speck of dust settled there, pinching his Spanish tobacco from a golden snuff-box, with a diamond monogram, eating his "amber sugarplums" from a Sevres bonbonniere, given him by Madame du Barry, and adorned with the donor's portrait this septuagenarian conceive the picture, my dear Sir John dancing with his pumps upon that mattress of human flesh, wearying his arm, enfeebled by age, in striking repeatedly with his gold-headed cane those of the bodies who seemed not dead enough to him, not properly mangled in that cursed mortar!
This article of furniture, in which the old creature was floating down the river of life, was not unlike the encyclopedic bag which a woman carries with her when she travels; in which may be found a compendium of her household belongings, from the portrait of her husband to eau de Melisse for faintness, sugarplums for the children, and English court-plaster in case of cuts. Jules studied all.
"But there are the churches and the charities, and all those long-named Societies I thought that was what they were for," declared Bertram, still a little aggrievedly, his worried eyes on Billy's tired face. "Oh, but the churches and charities don't frost cakes nor give sugarplums," smiled Billy. "And it's right that they shouldn't, too," she added quickly.
He came with his pockets stuffed full of toys and sugarplums, which he drew out from time to time, and gave to his best-loved child, Merry Christmas, to distribute amongst the children, who gathered eagerly around their little cousin, saying: "Christmas comes but once a year, But when she comes she brings good cheer."
Agnes, colored red and yellow to the very life no doubt; and the old Cheap John had saved her a cage for the starling; and the tinker had a cream cheese for her in a vine-leaf, and the sweetmeat seller brought her a beautiful gilded horn of sugarplums, and the cobbler had made her actually a pair of shoes red shoes, beautiful shoes to go to mass in and be a wonder in to all the neighborhood.
But run no risks; do not look for needless trouble, for your day for sucking sugarplums is past." Whereafter, raising both his hands, the young fellow had softly let them sink again upon the woman's bosom as he added triumphantly: "These breasts could feed all Russia!" Then, and only then, had the woman smiled a long, slow smile.
Instantly, Stephanie would run to him with the lightness of a fawn. She was now so accustomed to see him, that he frightened her no longer. Soon she was willing to sit upon his knee, and clasp him closely with her thin and agile arm. In that attitude so dear to lovers! Philippe would feed her with sugarplums.
"We must hang their stockings all up by the great kitchen chimney, and put sugarplums and picture books in!" She was going back eagerly into her child life rather into the life her childhood wist of, but missed and would live it all over, now, with these little ones, taken already, before even they were seen or found, out of their strangerhood into her great, kindly heart!
Calico did his part with only a few excusable blunders, and she was so pleased that he got the apples and sugarplums which usually rewarded the grays. The galled shoulder healed, but the lame leg developed into an incurably stiff joint. Three nights later Calico, to his great joy, left the band-chariot team forever, to find himself on the light ticket-wagon and regularly entered as a ring horse.
On its branches they hung little nets cut out of coloured paper, each full of sugarplums; gilt apples and nuts hung down as if they were growing, over a hundred red, blue, and white tapers were fastened among the branches.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking