and as to candles, we have enough left from last year. We will all learn
that beautiful carol we had sent us by mail yesterday. Our good Beda,
she must not be disappointed. I have my uncle's last present to me in
money, which I shall share with her, and give her the dress from my aunt
that I have not yet made up for myself. The rest of aunty's present will
do to make Christmas cheery for the poorhouse people and the
hard-pinched folks in the parish, who look for a little from us at this
time. So now all those troublesome matters are blown away. As for the
interest on the old debts, that is not to be paid until January; and we
will leave that to the loving Lord, who has given us so many blessings,
and see now after the sermon with cheerful, thankful hearts. Come, dear;
now I am ready to hear about it."

And they did begin on the sermon, and it was the best the pastor had
ever written. Something of the sweet cheerfulness and loving gratitude
of the wife had made its way among the sound theological quotations and
the judicious condensations. There was new life in the whole, which now
came really from the pastor's uplifted soul, and would find its way to
the stirred hearts of the hearers.

Christmas morning came, and little Elsa was early at the poorhouse. She
had a present for Johanson. It was but a bit of work on perforated
paper, done by her own hands--a lamb outlined in gay silk; but it was a
_lamb_, and she felt that meant something between her and Johanson, and
it did.

He was moved when he took it, and thanked her with good wishes for
Christmas from the depths of his heart.

"I am so happy, Johanson," she said, "for papa and mamma are so glad. I
heard them say, 'Now the past is all wiped away, and we can begin the
new year as free from care as the birds.' I have often heard mamma say
that the past is all, all wiped away when we are sorry for what we have
done and want to do better, and I am always so glad about that. But
this, I am sure, meant something different; for they said something
about a letter, and then they looked together at a paper as if they
could kiss it, and said, 'We must thank God for it, and ask Him to bless
an unknown friend with His best blessings.' And they just talked to God
where they sat, as they do sometimes. Papa has been sorrowful lately,
but he really looked to-day like mamma when she is the happiest."

The child had found Johanson bowed, sitting with his head in his hands,
while his