ordering them about, for they did not
believe she even knew how to boil a potato." Poor Ella felt very much
hurt, for she had tried to speak kindly though firmly, and she had
flattered herself that they had not discovered her ignorance. That
evening's entry in her diary was--

"My first attempt at asserting myself a failure. Decided that managing a
house is not my vocation."

In spite of all these difficulties, however, the time passed very
quickly, and Ella had the happiness of feeling that she was really
useful. As Christmastide approached, a fierce struggle went on in her
mind; she had never thought of being away from home on Christmas Day,
and it would be very lonely and dull at Hapsleigh, so different from the
merry party who always met at home on that day; but her mother had
written that she must judge for herself if it would be right to leave,
and when she thought of her aunt, who was beginning to look to her for
entertainment and company, and of the quarrels certain to arise between
the other members of the household, her mind was soon made up, and,
although with a very heavy heart, she wrote that she thought she must
stay.

The answer came promptly, and was full of praise and warm encouragement,
which comforted and helped her.

"If your happiness cannot be with us, my child," her mother wrote,
"remember that we celebrate the season when our Lord left His Father and
His home to bring happiness to mankind, and you are treading closely in
His footsteps just now. Let your Christmas joy this year be in making
joy for others, and you will find a depth of happiness you never
imagined before."

A short time before Christmas Ella was sitting in her aunt's room,
putting the finishing touches to sundry little presents she was making
to send home, when her aunt interrupted her: "I shall want you to go
into town for me to-morrow, Ella," she said; "you had better write the
things down as I tell you them. You will find a pencil and half sheets
of paper in that little drawer in the table."

Mrs. Wilson loved to make unexpected presents, and her circle of
charities was wider than anyone guessed. She had that spirit of
thoughtful generosity which is as rare as it is valuable, and she was
never tired of finding out and relieving those who, from poverty or
friendlessness, were likely to be overlooked in the general rejoicings
at Christmas. This year her illness made her private gifts difficult to
manage, and Ella had to b