54 CHILDREN'S BOOK FOR SABBATH HOURS

 So mamma wrote the letter and told bethought himself and so stopped just in
papa all that the children had said, and time, and Susie could not possibly think
he laughed very hard, under his brown what it was. They had to go to Aunt
beard, when he read it. Papa was so Hattie to know what to give to mamma,
fond of his little Susie and Freddie that and she carried them to have their pic-
he was always very anxious to get home tures taken and then had them framed
again, whenever he went away. I be- very prettily-Susie's in red velvet and
lieve he thought there never were any Freddie's in blue. It was very hard not
other children quite so pretty as his own. to tell mamma about them ; but Susie
It was strange, wasn't it ? For every had so much to do to watch Freddie that
papa is apt to think his little boy or girl she managed to keep the secret herself.
the best and sweetest. Ask your papa, So the days went by, and papa came
if he doesn't think so, and see what he home from New York with a large parcel
says that looked very tempting, and finally it
 There were two whole weeks before was really Christmas Eve, and the time
Christmas, and Freddie and Susie could for disclosing all the secrets was at hand.
hardly wait for the time to go by; but "I'm goin' to watch for Santy," said
they were busy shopping with mamma, Freddie, as he and Susie got into their
and helping her think what to put into little white bed in the nursery, after care-
papa's stocking, which was so very large fully fastening their stockings to the bed-
that it took a great deal to fill it," Susie posts. But the sand-man came around
said. Then they had to be very secret just the same as usual, and Freddie's
about their little gifts to each other, and eyes had to close after that, and so nei-
Freddie almost told Susie that he was go- their he nor Susie woke up until it was
ing to give her "a little don-," and then Christmas morning.




 PLEASE, SIR." you take a tract? and please, sir, will
" I--R, do you want to know how you read it ?' Tracts I always hated
 I was converted, I, an old tracts and such things, but that Please,
 gray-headed sinner ? said a sir,' overcame me. I could not swear at
 good old man to his min- that kind spoken 'Please, sir.' No, no;
ister. "I was walking along one day, and I took the tract, and I thanked the little
met a little boy. The little boy stopped boy, and read it, and the reading of it
at my side. 'Please, sir,' he said, 'will saved my soul."