ks. In some cases the former had had scarves or cloth
for suits, and the latter dresses or shawls. Whatever the Christmas
presents may be, here they are, arranged upon tables in two long
lines, in the servants' hall. To this holly-decorated apartment the
expectant youngsters are brought, and their delighted gaze falls upon
a huge Christmas-tree laden with beautiful toys. Everybody knows that
the tree will be there, and moreover that its summit will be crowned
with a splendid doll. Now, the ultimate ownership of this doll is a
matter of much concern; it needs deliberation, as it is awarded to the
best child, and the judges are the children themselves. The trophy is
handed to the keeping of Miss Thomas, and on the next 1st of May the
children select by their votes the most popular girl in the school to
be elected May Queen. To her the gift goes, and no fairer way could be
devised. The Princess Beatrice always makes a point of knowing to whom
the prize has been awarded. Her Royal Highness is so constantly a
visitor to the cottagers and to the school that she has many an
inquiry to make of the little ones as they come forward to receive
their gifts.

"The girls are called up first by the mistress, and Mr. Andrew Blake,
the steward, introduces each child to the Princess Beatrice, to whom
Mr. Blake hands the presents that her Royal Highness may bestow them
upon the recipients with a word of good will, which makes the day
memorable. Then the boys are summoned to participate in the
distribution of good things, which, it should be explained, consist
not only of seasonable and sensible clothing, but toys from the tree,
presented by the Queen's grandchildren, who, with their parents, grace
the ceremony with their presence and make the occasion one of family
interest. The Ladies-in-Waiting also attend. Each boy and girl gets in
addition a nicely-bound story-book and a large slice of plum pudding
neatly packed in paper, and if any little one is sick at home its
portion is carefully reserved. But the hospitality of the Queen is not
limited to the children. On alternate years the old men and women
resident on the estate are given, under the same pleasant auspices,
presents of blankets or clothing. To-day it was the turn of the men,
and they received tweed for suits. The aged people have their pudding
as well. For the farm labourers and boys, who are not bidden to this
entertainment, there is a distribution of tickets, each representin