entations
had been heard without the portals of his dressing-room.

Esmeralda presented Bridgie with a card of hat-pins; Bridgie had knitted
woollen gloves for the boys, and the most exciting presentations were
those which Mademoiselle had thoughtfully brought with her--dainty lace
ties for the sisters, which were received with a rapture almost too
great for words, and the grey Suede gloves which were Jack's happy
inspiration. Dark and threatening as the day appeared, on went gloves
and tie, when it was time to start for church, and Esmeralda at least
was proudly conscious of her stylish appearance, when half-way along the
muddy lane the Trelawneys' carriage bowled past, and the laughing eyes
of the stranger met hers once more. The mud flew from the carriage-
wheels, and she held up her skirts with a great display of grey-gloved
hands, and backed up against the hedge, frowning and petulant--my Lady
Disdain in every gesture and expression.

Mademoiselle had never before attended a Christmas service in an English
church, and though it was impossible to resist some pangs of
homesickness, she was still interested and impressed. The little
building was tastefully decorated, and the beautiful hymns were sung
with delightful heartiness and feeling. The O'Shaughnessys themselves
would have constituted a creditable choir, for Pat's still unbroken
voice was a joy to hear as he joined in the air with Bridgie and Pixie,
the Major rolled out a sonorous bass, Jack sang tenor, while Esmeralda's
alto was rich and full as an organ stop. They sang with heart as well
as voice, as indeed who can help singing those wonderful words? First,
the heralds' call to Christendom to greet the great festival of the
year, the birthday of its Lord: "Christians, awake! Salute the happy
morn."--It must be a cold heart indeed which does not thrill a response
to that summons; then the description of the angelic joy at His coming,
"Hark, the herald angels sing"; and last, and perhaps most beautiful of
all, the summons to the saints on earth to join in that praise, "Oh,
come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!"

The service passed in a glow of exaltation, and the softening influence
continued throughout the long walk home, when the younger members of the
family walked on ahead, and the two older girls followed sedately in the
rear. Bridgie's eyes glowed as she looked after her "children", Pat and
Miles, tall and graceful even in this their hobblede