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Montreal, December 22.â€"Estimating that twelve thousand meals will be served on Christmas Day in dining, cafe and buffet cars of the Canadiam National Railways, W. W. Swinden, general superintendent of the sleeping and dining car department, has ordered dinner accordingly and promises that turkey, cranberry sauce, plum pudding, mincemeat and all necessary "fixings" will be available on System trains between Atlantic and Pacific Coasts for ali travellers that day. Consider how the world is ransacked for the ingrediénts of this toothsome dish; currants from Greece or California (they camie originally from Corinth, whence their name); sultanas from sunâ€"baked Smyrna; stoned â€"raisins from torrid Spain, faraway Australia and elsewhere; spices from the famed Spice Islands of the East Indies; Demarara sugar giving rise to thoughts of merry Aunt Jémimas and singing negroes:; brandy from France, Ausâ€" tralia, South Africa, etc.; rum from the romantic Spanish Main: and beer, according to a prominent living scientist, one of the three B‘s that make up an ideal balanced diet if used in proper proportions: bread, beef, and beer. Steamed Christmas pudding is no Christmas pudding at all. It must be boiled in a cloth, boiled and cooled, left to ripen, then boiled again. Only in this manner is the fullest measure of firm.â€" ness of texture assured. Steaming it, as some decadents are accused of doing, makes it fluffy and crumbly, and destroys the luscious flavour. It tastes stale and steamy in place of being rich, smooth, and delightsome to the palate, when properly preâ€" pared. There is altogether too much fuss made nowadays of easyâ€"digestible food. A good load of solid food now and again does both a man and his stomach good. : Here is the recipe of the "King‘s Empire Pudding". It is not a formula for wartime toâ€"day but byeâ€"andâ€"bye, who knows, we may ail be eating it. Recipe: 2!% lb. currants, 2% lb. sultans, 2% lb. stoned raisins, 34 lb. minced apple, 2‘% lb. bread ‘crumbs, 2% lb. beef suet, 1 lb. cut candied peel, 1%4 lb. flour, 1%4 lb. Demarara sugar, 10 eggs, 1 oz. ground cinnamon, % oz. ground cloves, 34 oz. ground nutmeg, !4 gill brandy, 1 gill rum, and 1 quart wellâ€"« matured beer. Did you ever hear of the "King‘s Empire Pudding?" It employs all the usual ingredients of the Christmas delicacy, with adâ€" ditions. For example, it calls for brandy,,rumâ€"and beer. Christâ€" mas pudding is no Christmags pudding without brandy, we know. Ambrosia, fabled food of the gods, may equal Christmas pudding well laced with rum; but pudding with brandy, plus rum, plus beer, well, it gives one something to live for, doesn‘t it. When boreâ€" dom grips one, here is a thought to lay hold of to carry him through anxious fedâ€"up war years: pudding plus rum, plus beer. "Roses for the Christ Chiid," she exclaimed, as she stooped to pick a handful. With these in her hand she gaily entered the inanger and carried her floral ofifering to the Babe. The Child in the manger dropped the golden gifts of the Magi and with a smile reached for the shining flowers. since then, the legend says, the Christmas Rose has never failâ€" ed to hloom at Christmas time. The sense of wellbeing that steals over one after he has had two or three helpings of Christmas pudding is an important part of the festive period. Peace on earth, goodwill to all men folâ€" lows naturally after such fare. Pipes and cigarettes arelit, easy talk circulates, and a.comfortable feeling is diffused of!being on good terms with everyone and everything. Much of the oftâ€"quotâ€" ed "Spirit of Christmas" comes from generous portions of Christâ€" * ‘sutppnd sew "I have no gift," she sobbed when her brother called to her to follow him. With tears flowing she cast her eyes down, and, lo, there at her feet were blooming some lovely white flowers. According to a story King George V heartily damned the Kaisâ€" er and all his silly work when he found that wartime food restricâ€" tions cut off in large measure supplies so essential to the making of his favourite Christmas pudding. Evidently George V liked nis Christmas fare, but then this is no more than might be exâ€" pected. He was a typical English gentleman, blunt and direct, with an honest liking for the really good things of life. There is a legend of much beauty about the young sister of one of the shepherds of Bethilehem. This little girl had followed her brother and the other shepherds to the door of the Manger, but felt she could not enter because she had no gift for the Babe. ~Even in the tropics Christmas pudding is eaten piping hot and enjoyed. With the thermometer climbing through the upper 90‘s. it must seem rather funny to an onlooker to see a gathering eatâ€" ing hot, solid pudding and sweating profusely; but the point is that it is enjoyed despite the heat and humidity and it rounds out the Christmas fare in the traditional manner. | There is no recorded history of the ‘Christmas pudding: it seems to be like Topsy: it just grew. Like so many of the really important institutions of life it doubtless started off in comparâ€" atively humble circumstances and gradually achieved the fame and prestige that has swept it from its original narrow surroundâ€" ings into encirclement of the world. ; Among the thoughts evoked by the: magical word UNPISUIa4® not the least is that of the succulent pudding so intimately assocâ€" iated with this festive occasion. To most boys and girls, and many grownâ€"ups too, Christmas would be no Christmas without the hot, luscious and delightfully solid pudding that tops off the big meal of the day. It is an axiom with most kids that no matâ€" ter how good the fare may be, "room for the pudding" must be left. It would be a disaster of the first magnitude if a second or even. a third helping hat to be declined. This catastrophe never happens however; by hook or by crook they get through with it. If we grownâ€"ups were aschonest as the kids we would confess to identical leanings. (By S. M. J.. Timmins.) The road to Bethlehem, how far? This blessed Christmastide O‘er rough and stony highways, Where pain and suffering are? No, the road to Bethlehem Is light and pepce and love For hearts that seek in pleasure The Christ Child from above. The road to Bethlehem, how far‘ Jiust bend the knee, adoring fallâ€" In fancy free, before the stall, Wherein is love, that heals all hurt, And from God‘s son receive, His love that speaks of peace divine His way of life retrieve Christmas on National Railway The Road to Bethlehem Trencherman‘s Tribute Legend of the Flowers by the magical word Christmas â€"Hamish Duff + #. * uen aLeclncie ciastacle oie ds ote atadte ate atecie ateote sieate ihe atests sto *#*o # + res*s *4 #4 * #\ #4 w # *# *4 * «> #* 4 *4 +. # #* # #+ # # *#* * * * .0 *#* +, #4 C SX 3 ...'. * + *4 + * #,. * *# #4 *# # #4 # L *# *# + #* * #© *4 * < #* * # ## *# # #* * # @+ + *3 *# .. * _%._% * 0.'0 ## # + #4 @ #% *4 #4 + *s # .0 ¢46 # L #+ # #% *4 < .. *, * o **** # t ## “.0 *# .0 *# ® .0 @ ‘0 @ # #4 # # #4 *# # #,. % "0 0.00 o_ _% _% 0’“'“‘ .0 12 Third Avenue, Timmins