's
going on in it. I was reading the Testament this morning, and I was
impressed with the Master's manner of living and teaching. It is not
certain that he ever preached more than twice in a church during all his
ministry on the earth. And the children! how much he loved the children,
and how the little ones loved him! And why shouldn't they love me, too?
Why shouldn't they? I'll make them do it! yes, I'll make them do it! The
lambs of my flock shall love me." And with these brave words Parson
Whitney bundled himself up in his warmest garments, and followed the
deacon downstairs.

"Tell the folks that you won't be back till night," called the deacon
from the sleigh; "for this is New Year, and we're going to make a day of
it," and he laughed away as heartily as might be--so heartily that the
parson joined in the laughter himself as he came shuffling down the icy
path toward him. "Bless me! how much younger I feel already!" said the
good man as he stood up in the sleigh, and with a long, strong breath
breathed the cool, pure air into his lungs. "Bless me! how much younger
I feel already!" he repeated, as he settled down into the roomy seat of
the old sleigh. "Only sixteen to-day,--eh, deacon?" and he nudged him
with his elbow.

"That's all, that's all, parson," answered the deacon gayly, as he
nudged him vigorously back; "that's all we are, either of us," and,
laughing as merrily as two boys, the two glided away in the sleigh.

Well, perhaps they didn't have fun that day, these two old boys that had
started out with the feeling that they were "only sixteen," and bound to
make "a day of it!" And they did make a day of it, in fact, and such a
day as neither had had for forty years; for, first, they went to
Bartlett's Hill, where the boys and girls were coasting, and coasted
with them for a full hour,--and then it was discovered by the younger
portion of his flock that the parson was not an old, stiff, solemn,
surly poke, as they had thought, but a pleasant, good-natured, kindly
soul, who could take and give a joke, and steer a sled as well as the
smartest boy in the crowd; and when it came to snow-balling, he could
send a ball further than Bill Sykes himself, who could out-throw any boy
in town, and roll up a bigger block to the new snow fort they were
building than any three boys among them. And how the parson enjoyed
being a boy again! How exhilarating the slide down the steep hill; how
invigorating the pure, cool air;