gainvillaea, ivy, and other creeping plants; while in
every available corner were placed, vases, bowls, and soup-plates,
containing flowers. If not exactly 'gay with holly-berries,' so dear
to English hearts from their association with yule-tide at home, the
general appearance of the cabins was highly satisfactory. In the
meantime they had been busy in the kitchen and pantry departments,
preparing all sorts of good things for dinner, and pretty things for
dessert, in order that the crew and servants might enjoy a more
sumptuous repast than usual. A Christmas tree, a snow man, or an ice
cave, for the distribution of presents, was not within the limit of
our resources; but we decorated our tables and sideboards with bright
shawls and scarves, and wreathed and divided the surface of each with
garlands of flowers, placing in every division a pretty Christmas
card, bearing the name of the recipient of the present, which was
hidden away among the flowers beneath.... For the men there was plenty
of tobacco, besides books and useful things; for the children toys;
and for ourselves, slippers and little remembrances of various kinds,
some sent from home to meet us, others recent purchases. The
distribution over, one or two speeches were made, and mutual
congratulations and good wishes were exchanged. Then the crew and
servants retired to enjoy the, to them, all-important event of the
day--dinner and dessert. After our own late dinner, we thought of
those near and dear to us at home, and drank to the health of 'absent
friends.'"

A MISSIONARY'S CHRISTMAS IN CHINA.

In a letter from Tsing Cheu Fu Chefoo, December 24, 1887, the Rev. A.
G. Jones, Baptist missionary, says:--

"Mr. Dawson asks how Englishmen spend Christmas in China. Well, it
depends. Some spend it at the ports dog-racing and eating
pudding--having a night of it. The missionaries generally take no
notice of it. In our mission we hold one of the semi-annual
dedication-of-children services on Christmas. We think it a very
appropriate day for the recognition of the sacredness of the gift of
trust of children. The idea is a Chinese one, originating with one of
our Christians, and we adopted it as the day for the custom.
Tomorrow will be Christmas Day, and I have come out twenty miles
this evening to hold a service of that kind with the semi-annual
communion as it happens. It will be a cold, cheerless room in a
clay-built cabin down in the corner of a bare valley in a