XIII.

A LEGEND OF TEA.


At a wave of little Lucy's wand the shining, golden Santa Claus floated
away as he came. When he next appeared--and it seemed but a moment or
two after--he bore a salver that was gorgeous to see. Upon it, sending
up clouds of steam, was a wonderfully beautiful pitcher that his mistress
never before had seen, encircled by some exquisite small black cups,
inlaid and encrusted heavily with gold, each with a perforated cover.

"Sky-High presents to his mistress, the Moon Lady of the Christ Child
Night," the little fellow said in his best flowery English, "and to her
friends, the Stars of the Midnight, the mandarin tea in the mandarin
cups of his country--they will please to 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.