who were by far the foremost
scholars in the Sunday School.

Then followed two New Testaments and two Psalters, equally brown, for
the next degree. Sophy had begged for stories, but none were to be had
within the appointed sum, except Hannah More's Cheap Repository Tracts,
really interesting, but sent forth without wrappers in their native
black and white. Then there was a manufacture by the busy fingers,
frocks made of remnants of linsey and print, of sun-bonnets of pink or
blue spotted calico, of pinafores, and round capes, the least of all
these being the list tippet, made of the listing of flannel, sewn on
either in rays upon a lining, or in continued rows from the neck,
leaving rather the effect of a shell. There were pin-cushions,
housewives, and work-bags too, and pictured pocket-handkerchiefs, and
Sophy would not be denied a few worsted balls for the very small boys,
and sixpennyworth of wooden dolls for the lesser girls, creatures with
painted faces, and rolls of linen for arms, nailed on to bodies that
ended in a point, but all deficiencies were concealed by the gay print
petticoats which she constructed, and as neither toys, nor the means of
buying them were plentiful, these would be grand rewards.

The Christmas-tree had not yet begun to spring in England, magic
lanterns were tiny things only seen in private, and even such
festivities as the tea had not dawned on the scholastic mind. So, on
the afternoon of Christmas Day, all the children were assembled in
school before Mr Harford, the ladies, and the schoolmistress, while the
table was loaded with books and garments, and beside it stood a great
flasket brimming over with substantial currant buns, gazed on eagerly by
the little things, some of whom had even had a scanty Christmas dinner.
Such a spectacle had never been seen before in Uphill, and their hungry
eyes devoured it beforehand.

Mr Harford made them a short speech about goodness, steadiness, and
diligence, and then the distribution began with the two prime Sunday
scholars, and went on in due order of merit, through all degrees, down
to the mites who had the painted dolls, and figured handkerchiefs with
Aesop's fables in pink or in purple, and then followed the distribution
of buns, stout plum buns, no small treat to these ever hungry children,
some of whom were nibbling them before they were out of school, while
others, more praiseworthy, kept them to share with "our baby" at home.

Johnnie