er one autumn afternoon.

"I never saw one," said Eunice, whose duties as housekeeper had kept her
rather closely confined at home for some years.

"Oh, I have. When I was at Altona last fall, the church was decorated
with grain and grasses and fruits, and even vegetables. It was just
lovely!"

"I should think it might be," said James; "and I don't see why we should
not have one if Mr. Morven has no objection. But it will be a good deal
of work to carry it through successfully, and I hate that sort of thing
when it's a failure."

"I don't mind work," said Etta. "I want something to do--something for
the church, I mean; and the girls do, too--something to take the place
of our readings and talks. Sometimes I wish it were not all over, but
there were something still to look forward to."

"Do you mean that you are sorry that you are really admitted to the
communion of the Church, and have openly placed yourself on the Lord's
side?"

"No! Of course not," said the girl, blushing. "But things are getting
flat. I want something new; you know I always did."

"Yes," said her brother; "we all know, Etta. But, seriously, I trust my
little sister will never be tired of the blessed service and fellowship
into which she has been so recently admitted. You know what is written
about those who put their hands to the plow and look back."

"Oh, I don't mean to look back; I don't want to. I'd rather belong to
the church and work for Christ than anything else in the world. What I
want is work. Don't you see?"

"Well, dear, if you think you can manage the work I'll find the money,
though I don't suppose it will cost a great deal."

So it came to pass that those bright autumn Saturday afternoons were
spent by Etta and her girls in the woods, where, with the aid of such
boys as could get away from their work, a store of scarlet, golden, and
variegated autumn leaves was laid in, with late ferns and hardy
brackens, curious bits of moss, seed-vessels, and dried grass being
added to the store. These were all taken to Mrs. Robertson's, whose
large garret was offered for their reception and preservation, and after
tea the girls ironed and varnished the leaves which could not be
detached from the boughs, and pressed the smaller ones between the
leaves of newspapers, which were collected for the purpose from
neighbors, the younger Sunday scholars who were not in the mill being
thus employed.

Then, on Wednesday evening, at Miss Eunice's