at its baptism.

It lay in her arms often during the day, and slept at her bosom during
the night. It had grown to know its nurse, and to recognize her presence
and caresses by those soft, low sounds, half cooing and half complaining,
with which very young babes first try to utter their emotions or their
wants.

Now, as she took little Marie Perdue from the cot, the child greeted her
with sweet smiles and soft coos, and nestled lovingly to her bosom. And
peace deepened in Salome's heart.

She sat down in a low nursing-chair, fed the child with warm milk and
water until it was satisfied, and then rocked it and sang to it in a low,
melodious voice, until it fell asleep.

She was still rocking and singing when the rosy-cheeked and cheery young
Sister Felecitie came in.

"Our holy mother was going to send your dinner in here, Miss Levison; but
I think it must be so dismal to eat one's dinner alone on Christmas day,
so I pleaded to be allowed to plead with _you_ that you will come
and dine with us young sisters at the second table, which is just as
good as the first, I assure you, only it is served an hour later. Will
you come? Say yes!" urged the merry and kind-hearted girl.

"I will come, thank you; though I did too moodily decline the invitation
of the abbess," said Salome, rising and placing her sleeping charge upon
its little cot.

"Now! what did I tell you about the children and the dolls! Look there!"
gleefully exclaimed Sister Felecitie, pointing to a row of cots where
about a dozen infants lay asleep, clasping their dolls tightly.

"Yes, the tiny mimic mothers really do love their doll babies," Salome
confessed with a smile.

As they went out of the dormitory they passed into the children's
day-room, where about twenty infants, from one to two years old, were at
play--some sitting on mats or creeping on all fours, because they could
not yet stand; some walking around chairs and holding on to support
themselves; and some running here and there, in full possession of the
use of their limbs.

All rejoiced in the possession of little dolls.

"Look at them!" exclaimed Sister Felecitie, gleefully.

"We tried the least little ones with other toys: but, bless you, nothing
else pleases them so well as dolls. We once tried the little yearlings
with rattles, which we thought, it being noisy nuisances, would please
them better; but save us! If any one doubts the doctrine of original sin
and total depravity, they