o be accepted from the Santa
Claus."

From the pitcher he poured the bubbling water in the mandarin cups, when
an exquisite fragrance filled the rooms, as of apple-blossoms.

While the guests sipped the priceless tea from the priceless cups, at
the request of his mistress the little Chinaman related a Buddhist
legend.

THE DHARMA'S EYELASHES.

More than four hundred and a thousand years ago, O Madame my Mistress,
the great Dharma came to China to teach the people. He ate only fruits,
and he slept but little; he gave his time almost entirely to meditation.

The Dharma ate less and less, and slept less and less, and all things
were beginning to appear clear to him within, when a drowsiness came
over him, and it increased day by day.

One day his eyelashes became too heavy for his eyes; they hung like
little weights on his eyes, and he fell asleep.

He awoke after a long time. The inner light had gone. He felt that he
had committed a great sin.

"It is you, my little eyelashes," he said, "that weighed me down, and
I will punish you. I will cut you off."

Then the great Dharma cut off the little black eyelashes, and strewed
them upon the ground. As he did so he had the inward light again.

He meditated. As he did so the little eyelashes on the ground turned
into wee shrubs, and began to grow.

They were tea.

The Dharma ate the tea. The shrub filled his heart with joy and
gladness. So tea came into the world. Drink it--it will fill your heart
with joy and gladness.

The Rector's wife gave the Santa Claus a seat by her side that he might
share with the company the pleasure of the Good Will story his mistress
was next to relate; and little Lucy, too, and Charlie came and sat
near-by, for they loved their mother's stories, and could always
understand them.

XIV.

MRS. VAN BUREN'S CHRISTMAS TALE.

The most beautiful story Mrs. Van Buren had found in her search during
the year for a tale to tell her friends around the Good Will tree was
one in the German tongue. She had translated it during the summer, and
now called it by a title of her own as she told it.

RED MANTLE, THE HOUSE SPIRIT.

There was a German pedler who traveled from city to city by the name
of Berthold. He grew in wealth, and at last carried portmanteaus of
jewels of great value. He usually traveled only in the daytime, and
so as to arrive early in the evening at the town inns b