s Cousin Paul about his way of passing Christmas
morning:--

"I wish you and Harry and the girls had been with us; for we had a good
time on the ice. I'll tell you what we did. As soon as we had
breakfasted, I got out my sled 'Dauntless,' and told Mary to wrap up,
and bring her skates along.

[Illustration]

"She got ready, and took her seat on the sled. Tiger began to bark; for
he saw that a frolic was on foot. Off we started to the pond. A dozen
boys and girls were there before us. They had made a fire on an island
in the middle of the pond. It was a cool, bracing day; but the wind
didn't blow.

"Our island we called 'The Isle of Refuge,' Julia Peters named it. She
has a knack at inventing names. The island is fifteen feet long by
twelve wide; and it has a rock that makes a capital fireplace.

"We had a fine time. All the girls could skate well. Nobody broke
through the ice; but some of us had falls. No harm done. We thought of
you, and wondered what you and the rest of our cousins in California
might be about. I hope you will write me as you promised."

Well, Paul _did_ write; and here is an extract from his letter: "We all
woke early; for father had been out in a boat with some friends all
night, and we were expecting them back. We dressed, and went down to the
beach; and there, right in the face of the sun, we saw father's boat.

"Harry had a spyglass; and he knelt on the beach, and spied out father
on the deck of the boat. Mother and the girls waved their handkerchiefs,
while I jumped and shouted.

"It was a mild, lovely, morning,--so mild, that we wore our straw hats
and light clothing. We thought of you; and I said, 'Wouldn't Richard
like to be here, where Christmas morning opens as soft and warm as a day
in June?'

"But Harry cried out, 'Don't you believe it! Richard is either coasting
or skating; and I wish I were with him. How I would enjoy a high old
time on the ice, and then a coast down hill over the snow! That's the
fun for me!'

"'Well,' said mother, 'I am well content with this bright sunrise and
this delicious air. I shall not sigh for the snow and ice.' 'Nor I!'
'Nor I!' shouted Laura and Kate: so you see Harry was in a minority.

"Father soon landed in his boat; and then we all went back to the house
and had breakfast. After breakfast we had a merry time at croquet, and
then a still merrier time at foot-ball.

"As Kate will write her Cousin Mary all about the Christmas-tree, and
the t