ers thirty men, all of whom are French,
excepting her engineers, who are Americans, and the discipline
maintained on board is that of a French man-of-war.

THE NEW YEAR'S ERRAND.

"What are those children doing?" asked the clergyman of his wife a few
days after Christmas.

[Illustration: WHAT BECAME OF THE CHRISTMAS TREE.--DRAWN BY C. S.
REINHART.]

"I really can not tell you, James," was the reply, as his wife peered
anxiously over his shoulder, and out of the window. "All that I know
about it is this: I was busy in the pantry, when Rob put his head in,
and asked if he could have the Christmas tree, as nearly everything had
been taken off of it; so I said 'Yes,' and there he goes with it, sure
enough. I do hope the wax from the candles has not spotted the parlor
carpet."

"Don't be anxious, wife; 'Christmas comes but once a year, and when it
comes should bring good cheer.'"

"Yes," said the careful housewife, "I suppose I do worry. But there! it
is snowing again, and Bertha perched up on that tree on Rob's sled, and
she so subject to croup!"

"The more she is out in the pure air, the less likely she is to take
cold; but where are they going?"

"I really do not know, James. Did you ever see a dog more devoted to any
one than Jip is to Rob? There he goes, dancing beside him now; and I see
Rob has tied on the scarf Bertha knit for him; that is done to please
her. She did work so hard to get it finished in time before he came home
for the holidays."

"She is very like her own dear little mother in kindness and care for
others," was the reply.

The mother gave a bright smile and a kiss for the compliment, but a
little wail from the nursery hurried her out of the room.

Christmas at the parsonage had been delightful, for, first of all, Rob's
return from boarding-school was a pleasurable event; he always came home
in such good spirits, was so full of his jokes and nonsense, and had so
many funny things to tell about the boys. Then there was the dressing of
the church with evergreens, and the decoration of the parlor with
wreaths of holly or running pine, and the spicy smell of all the
delicacies which were in course of preparation, for Sally was a famous
cook, and would brook no interference when mince-pies and plum-pudding
were to be concocted.

But the children thought the arrival of a certain box, which was always
dispatched from town, the very best of all the Christmas delights. This
box came from