"'Pining souls, come nearer Jesus;
Come, but come not doubting thus:
Come with faith that trusts more freely
His great tenderness for us.'"

And Mrs. Murray came. The promise, "Ask and it shall be given you,"
was verified to her. When the sun of that Sabbath set, the dove of
peace sang in the tired woman's heart. She had the secret of victory.
Her brow was almost as placid as Aunt Deborah's.

Monday morning brought the usual work and bustle, "Mary," said Aunt
Deborah, "Satan is twice as active Monday morning as other days;
perhaps he thinks we get the start of him on the Sabbath. Forewarned
is forearmed. Here is my rule when provoked: To shut my lips tight
and lock them till a pleasant word feels like coming."

"Yes, Aunt Deborah, Christ helping me, I shall make an entire
revolution in this household." And she looked bright and courageous
as she had not in years.

"To begin, then: Go out of this kitchen and come when you are
called," said Aunt Deborah, briskly.

There was much work accomplished that day. A valuable servant was
soon secured and installed in the kitchen; then Mrs. Murray went in
and out the stores. No one in all the busy throng was more
enthusiastic than she, as with joyful eagerness she selected some
little gift for each, adding to her purchases a little stock of
evergreens and flowers to brighten up with on the morrow, for this
coming Christmas was to be no common one. Aunt Deborah engaged in the
business of tying and festooning evergreens with all the gusto of a
girl; the two made the parlour into a bower of beauty. When the short
winter day drew to its close, the whole was pronounced complete, and
Mrs. Murray went to her room to dress. She was strongly tempted to
put on the same old gray dress she had worn all winter, and brush her
hair straight back as usual; but self and ease should not be
consulted, so she shook out her still handsome locks and arranged
them in the style her husband used to admire, in loose waves about
her forehead; then she donned a neatly fitting black dress, with lace
cuffs and collar, fastened with a bright ribbon. When she went down
to the parlour, Aunt Deborah looked over and then under her
spectacles.

"Child," she said, as she surveyed her, "it does matter how you
look."

Father, son, and daughters, all came in together to-night.

"Girls," said Ralph, advancing first into the dining-room and getting
a