Christmas, which was another stated time when they had agreed each to write if possible, and it was to be on St. Stephen's-Day, that they might be able to tell how Christmas-Day had been spent. They had not indeed anything very remarkable to relate in these letters, but it is always pleasant, and may be useful, to have examples of the way in which those who are seeking really to serve God, act upon the same principles, and are made happy by the same things, under very different circumstances; and we may find some such examples in the letters of the three sisters.

We will begin as before with Mary's letter, first saying in explanation of it, that she had been lately engaged at times to help in the nursery, in the family of Mr. Mills, the clergyman of Stoneburn. Mrs. Mills was now spending Christmas with her sister, who had lately returned froin India with her husband, Captain Edwards, who was a brother of the clergyman in whose family Alice was living.

MARY'S LETTER.

"My dear Sisters,

"Applethwaite Cottage,
"St. Stephen's Day.

"I think you will be surprised by the date of my letter, for you would not expect me at least Sarah would not to be from home. I was delighted when Mrs. Mills said that she wished me to go with her, and take care of Master Edward, when she went to spend Christmas with Captain and Mrs. Edwards.

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You know how happy I always am with Mrs. Mills, and how very kind she is; and I like so much to help to nurse little Master Edward. Besides, I had never taken

a journey before, so that sometimes I felt almost too happy, while we were getting ready, to set off.

"I cannot write much about our journey, though the snow made it a very tedious one, and sometimes rather alarming, or I shall not have time to tell you the rest of what I want to say. We got on so slowly, however, that it was dark when we stopped at the Applethwaite Station, which is about a mile from the village. There was a carriage waiting for us, and a gentleman was on the platform when we stopped, who said, 'Is this Mrs. Mills?' so I knew it was Captain Edwards. We made haste to the carriage, and it still seemed a long way that we had to go, for the snow was deep in the lane, and the horses could not go fast. At last we came to the village, and just after we passed the Church, the carriage drove through a garden, up to the door of the house. It is a very pretty house, not very large, but not at all like a cottage, though it is called so. We saw the bright fires and lights through the windows, and Mrs. Edwards was in the hall when we stopped. I could fancy what the meeting must be, when I thought, suppose after several years Sarah should come home? It made the tears come into my eyes, and I must not begin to think about it now.

"The baby was asleep still, so we went at once into the nursery, and how surprised I was when I saw the nurse! She came from India, with Mrs. Edwards, and she is an Indian, and wears the dress they do there. She always has on a very large sort of white shawl, which covers almost all the rest of her dress, and comes over her head. They call it a chaddah, or something like that. When I went in and saw her with her dark face, all in this white dress, it almost startled me; and she speaks so little English, that I should have been quite puzzled at first about things, only Mrs. Edwards's maid was there, and she generally stays in the nursery, and as she has been in India, she understands the nurse, and can speak her language too.

"After we had had tea, it was not long before we had to go down to prayers, and then we went to bed. I could hardly sleep at first, it seemed all so strange.

"We spent Christmas-Eve very pleasantly, but there was a good deal to do, of course unpacking and putting things in order; and at first the baby did not seem very happy, and was quite frightened whenever he looked at the nurse, though now he will even go to her.

"Mrs. Edwards has three children: two little boys, called Arthur and Frederick, who are eight and six years old, and a little girl called Louisa, who is only two. They seem very nice, good children, but they are so pale and slender-so unlike our little Master Edward. Every body says he is a real little English rose. His little cousins are very much pleased with him. The family are staying, you know, with Captain Edwards's father. I believe his wife died a long time ago. He seems a very kind, good old gentleman, and is so very much pleased with all his grandchildren. He calls our baby his grandson too. There was afternoon service in the Church, and most of the party went to it. Mrs. Mills did not go, for she was tired; but she came into the nursery, and heard me read the Psalms and Lessons, and explained things to me so kindly, as you know she always does; and she told some stories to Master Arthur and Frederick, and the nurse listened to it all, though I suppose she could not understand much that she heard. When she went out of the room for a little while, Mrs. Mills told me something so very nice, and that surprised me so much! This was that the nurse was to be baptized the next day; for it was only while they were on the voyage home, that she had really resolved to become a Christian. Mrs. Evans (Mrs. Edwards's maid) told me more about it after; and she told me how very good and kind her master and mistress were, and what pains they had taken in India with all their servants, and what a joy it was to them all, even to the children, that their nurse was to be a Christian. And then to think that such a happy thing was to be on such a day as Christmas-day!

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Very early in the morning, the village-school children came into the garden and sang the hymn we always sing, "When shepherds watched their flocks by night, All seated on the ground,"

and wished us all a merry Christmas, and I am sure it was a merry one-or, perhaps, such a very happy one, is what I should say for it was more than being merry, you know. When Mrs. Mills came into the nursery before breakfast, she gave the children some pretty little Christmas presents, and she was so very kind as to give me one too—a beautiful prayer-book, which I shall keep for my best, of course; but I took it to Church with me that morning. It was a beautiful bright day, and the snow was frozen quite hard, and hanging so thick upon the trees, and the evergreens in the garden. You may be sure I thought of you all, and how beautiful it would look at Stoneburn; but, dear Sarah, I could not tell how to fancy where you were, or what any thing would be like; but I knew you would see no snow. Still it would be Christmas to you, and you would think of the same things that we did.

"I was so glad that Mrs. Mills contrived to let me go to Church. She said she wished as much as I did that I should be there, and see the baptism of the Hindoo nurse. She said that when Mr. Mills told us things about the heathen, and the Missionaries who go to teach them, I should like it and understand it far better now, when I had seen one of those poor people, from such a far country, brought into the fold of Christ.

"The font was very near where I was sitting with the other servants, so that we could see the baptism quite well. It was after the second Lesson in the morning Service. Captain and Mrs. Edwards, and Mrs. Mills were the sponsors, but the nurse spoke the answers herself, and said them very clearly, though in a very low soft voice. Mrs. Edwards had taken great pains to teach her to say them, and to know what they meant, as well as to understand the whole service; and the clergyman, Mr. Johnson, had several times talked to her, by the help of Mrs. Edwards; and I cannot tell you how earnestly she both listened and spoke; and so I thought every one else did. Surely nobody could help it. Master Arthur, and Master Frederick stood close by, next to their mamma and aunt, and looked so grave and earnest,

fixing their eyes upon their dear nurse, for they are very fond of her, and she seems to love them like her own children. Her own name was Piarri, (perhaps I have not spelt it right) and they gave her the same Christian name; and it was a very fit name for a Christian, Mrs. Edwards said, because it means beloved. I think it sounds pretty too.

"When we came home from Church, the two little boys came with us, and as soon as we got into the nursery, the eldest put his arms round her neck, and kissed her a great many times, and said, 'O dear Piarri, how glad I am that you are a Christian!' Then his little brother did the same, and then little Miss Louisa ran and kissed her, though she could not know why; and I could not help giving her a kiss too, I was so glad. And Mrs. Evans shook hands with her, and so did all the rest of the family afterwards, when they came from Church; and Mrs. Edwards said some words to her in her own language, Mrs. Evans told me they meant 'Now you are our sister indeed!' Then Piarri could not keep in the tears any longer that had been very often in her eyes before.

"But I must not write so much, and yet there is a great deal more that I could tell you-about our Christmas dinner, and how a great many old people out of the village came to dine, and some more came to tea, and supper, both because it was Christmas-day, and the christening day. Then there was afternoon service at Church, of course; but Piarri and I stayed with the children, and were so happy, though we could hardly talk to each other, at least I was, and I am sure she must have been, though she looked so grave; but she smiled very often too.

After dinner, Captain and Mrs. Edwards, and Mrs. Mills, and each of the children, gave a little Christmas present to Piarri-it was when we took the children down after dinner, and the presents were all ready on the table. They were mostly things to wear-for books would not be of use to her yet-and a little work-basket (she can work very nicely), and Mrs. Mills put half-a-crown for her into the baby's little hand;