the bottom of the box containing them was a _top_--a rare thing in
a Carmelite convent. My companions remarked: "What an ugly
thing!--of what use will it be?" But I, who knew the game, caught
hold of it, exclaiming: "Nay, what fun! it will spin a whole day
without stopping if it be well whipped"; and thereupon I spun it
around to their great surprise.

Soeur Therese was quietly watching us, and on Christmas night,
after midnight Mass, I found in our cell the famous top, with a
delightful letter addressed as follows:

_To My Beloved Little Spouse_

_Player of Ninepins on the Mountain of Carmel_

_Christmas Night, 1896._

MY BELOVED LITTLE SPOUSE,--I am well pleased with thee! All the
year round thou hast amused Me by playing at _ninepins._ I was so
overjoyed that the whole court of Angels was surprised and
charmed. Several little cherubs have asked me why I did not make
them children. Others wanted to know if the melody of their
instruments were not more pleasing to me than thy joyous laugh
when a ninepin fell at the stroke of thy love-ball. My answer to
them was, that they must not regret they are not children, since
one day they would play with thee in the meadows of Heaven. I told
them also that thy smiles were certainly more sweet to Me than
their harmonies, because these smiles were purchased by suffering
and forgetfulness of self.

And now, my cherished Spouse, it is my turn to ask something of
thee. Thou wilt not refuse Me--thou lovest Me too much. Let us
change the game. Ninepins amuse me greatly, but at present I
should like to play at spinning a top, and, if thou dost consent,
thou shalt be the top. I give thee one as a model. Thou seest that
it is ugly to look at, and would be kicked aside by whosoever did
not know the game. But at the sight of it a child would leap for
joy and shout: "What fun! it will spin a whole day without
stopping!"

Although thou too art not attractive, I--the little Jesus--love
thee, and beg of thee to keep always spinning to amuse Me. True,
it needs a whip to make a top spin. Then let thy Sisters supply
the whip, and be thou most grateful to those who shall make thee
turn fastest. When I shall have had plenty of fun, I will bring
thee to join Me here, and our games shall be full of unalloyed
delight.--Thy little Brother,

JESUS.

* * * * * *

I had the habit of constantly crying about the merest trifles, and
this was a source of great pain to Soeur Therese.