ODDS AND ENDS. 



CHRISTMAS IN A RICH FAMILY. 



MARIE CONRAD-RAMLO. 

 If the walls in the old city of 

 Hamburg had been transparent or, 

 at least, if people could have 

 looked in at the windows the 

 general verdict of all the curious 

 would have surely been, "the 

 Kaunitz home, the house of the 

 rich wholesale dealer, looks cer- 

 tainly the nicest. Everything ar- 

 ranged so thoughtfully, in such a 

 sweet way in one word incom- 

 parable!" 



One would not at first sight have 

 given credit to the little, insignifi- 

 cant looking Prau Kaunitz for so 

 much inventive power, such capa- 

 bility to appreciate and utilize the 

 humorous side of life and sbove all 

 for the infallible taste and tact with 

 which she arranged everything. 



She did not copy the custom of 

 most families, where a large table 

 stands in the center of the room 

 with a large Christmas tree upon it 

 while under the glistening branches 

 lie the presents in ugly, prosaical 

 heaps as though they were on the 

 counter of a store. 



No, in this house, the entire 

 place was like an immense Christ- 

 mas table. Halls and stairway, 

 every room, sometimes oven the 

 stable was utilized for the placing 

 of presents. The most precious 

 gifts, however, were invariably 



hidden in the mother's boudoir a 

 room that led from the salon 

 through a door curtained with rich 

 and heavy draperies; this the chil- 

 dren knew and waited with all-dis- 

 guised impatience for the moment 

 when the velvety portieres would 

 be drawn aside and the long de- 

 sired love-token of their mother 

 would be found. 



In this same way the Christmas 

 tides of many years were greeted 

 as long as the two children were 

 at home. 



Then all at once things changed, 

 the house became silent. Amalie, 

 the blond, pretty daughter, was 

 betrothed to an immensely wealthy 

 ship builder of America, while the 

 son Bruno went to a celebrated 

 college. 



Longingly the mother sought 

 for the expression of bliss in her 

 daughter's face, for brimful eyes 

 and quivering lips. She did not 

 find it. With dry, questioning 

 eyes the girl looked at her mother. 

 "Are you happy my child, ' ; wrs 

 the tearful inquiry. 



'"'I hope to become happy. I 

 shall live like a queen. I shall 

 possess all a human heart can 

 desire and my betrothed loves 

 me." 



"Yes, yes, he loves you, he wil 

 make life happy for you." Bu* 

 Prau Kaunitz knaw thit nona of 



