the amusement they afforded Faith was
not small. The houses were too many here to have time for a _visit_ to
each,--a pause at the door, and the leaving of some little token of
kindness, was all that could be attempted; and the tokens were various.
Faith's loaves of bread, and her pieces of meat, or papers from the
stock of tea and sugar with which she had been furnished, or a bowl of
broth jelly for some sick person,--a pair of woollen stockings,
perhaps, or a flannel jacket, for some rheumatic old man or woman,--or
a bible,--or a combination of different things where the need demanded.
But Faith's special fun was with the children.

When they first entered the hamlet, Mr. Linden brought forward and set
at her feet one basket of trifling juvenile treasures, and another
filled more substantially with apples and cakes and sugarplums; and
then as all the children were out of doors, he drove slowly and let her
delight as many of them as she chose. What pleasure it was!--those
little cold hands, so unwonted to cakes and that could hardly hold
apples,--how eagerly, how shyly, they were stretched out!--with what
flourishes of bare feet or old shoes the young ones scampered away, or
stood gazing after Jerry's little dust-cloud of snow;--ever after to
remember and tell of this day, as one wherein a beautiful lady dressed
up like a pussy cat, gave them an apple, or a stick of candy, or a
picture book! Faith was in a debate between smiles and tears by the
time they were through the hamlet and dashing out again on the open
snow, for Mr. Linden had left all that part of the business to her;
though the children all seemed to know him--and he them--by heart.

And good note Faith took of that, and laid up the lesson. She had been
a very good Santa Claus the while, and had acted the part of a sunbeam
indifferent well; being just about so bright and so soft in all her
dealings with those same little cold hands and quick spirits; giving
them their apples and candy with a good envelope of gentle words and
laughter. Seeing that she had it to do, she went into the game
thoroughly. But once she made a private protest.

"Do you know, Endecott, these things would taste a great deal sweeter
if your hand gave them?"

"I know nothing of the sort! Sweeter?--look at that urchin deep in
peppermint candy,--could anything enhance the spice or the sweetness of
that?"

"Yes," said Faith shaking her head--"and look at that little girl
before him,