head to foot in complete new suits of clothes, and
Elsie was holding with tender devotion a fine doll, while Tottie rejoiced
in a horse and cart which he was maneuvering under Betty's
superintendence.

The little princess had pleased herself in getting up all this tableau.
Doing good was a novelty to her, and she plunged into it with the zest of
a new amusement. The amazed look of the poor woman, her dazed expressions
of rapture and incredulous joy, the shrieks and cries of confused delight
with which the little ones met their mother, delighted her more than any
scene she had ever witnessed at the opera--with this added grace, unknown
to her, that at this scene the invisible Shining Ones were pleased
witnesses.

She had been out with Betty, buying here and there whatever was wanted,--
and what was _not_ wanted for those who had been living so long without
work or money?

She had their little coal-bin filled, and a nice pile of wood and
kindlings put behind the stove. She had bought a nice rocking-chair for
the mother to rest in. She had dressed the children from head to foot at
a ready-made clothing store, and bought them toys to their hearts'
desire, while Betty had set the table for a Christmas feast.

And now she said to the poor woman at last:

"I'm so sorry John lost his place at father's. He was so kind and
obliging, and I always liked him; and I've been thinking, if you'd get
him to sign the pledge over again from Christmas Eve, never to touch
another drop, I'll get papa to take him back. I always do get papa to do
what I want, and the fact is, he hasn't got anybody that suited him so
well since John left. So you tell John that I mean to go surety for him;
he certainly won't fail _me_. Tell him _I trust him_." And Miss Florence
pulled out a paper wherein, in her best round hand, she had written out
again the temperance pledge, and dated it "_Christmas Eve, 1875_."

"Now, you come with John to-morrow morning, and bring this with his name
to it, and you'll see what I'll do!" and, with a kiss to the children,
the little good fairy departed, leaving the family to their Christmas
Eve.

What that Christmas Eve was, when the husband and father came home with
the new and softened heart that had been given him, who can say? There
were joyful tears and solemn prayers, and earnest vows and purposes of a
new life heard by the Shining Ones in the room that night.

"And the angels echoed around the throne,
Rejoice!