all the church music and voluntaries I
could find at hand, read a number of psalms aloud, and as far as
possible for one person I went through my Christmas exercises.

If a certain longing for things and people far away came near possessing
me, I would not allow it to make me miserable, for longing is not
necessarily unhappiness, and I had set my mind like a flint against
being dissatisfied with my present state. With what knowledge I possess
of the laws of auto-suggestion, I have so far since my arrival in Alaska
managed the ego within most successfully, and tears and discontent are
not encouraged nor allowed.

We are creatures of voluntary habits, as well as involuntary ones, and
habitual discontent and discouragement, gnawing at one's vitals are
truly death-dealing. The study of human nature is, in Alaska,
particularly interesting in these directions, to the one with his mind's
eye open to such things, and I am resolved, come what will, that I will
keep the upper hand of my spirit, that it shall do as I direct, and not
harbor "blues" nor discouragement.

About two in the afternoon in came M. and one of the visiting Swedes,
after having walked from the Home, where they had attended the Christmas
party, and they were well covered with icicles. I prepared a hot lunch
for them, and ate something myself. Later a native was sent by Mollie to
fetch me over to the hotel to dinner, it being dark, and as I was
already dressed for the occasion, I went with him.

When I arrived at the dining-room they were just seated at table, and
the waiters were bringing in the first course. Twenty-five persons sat
at the Christmas board, at one end of which sat the captain as host with
his wife and little Jennie at his left. At his right sat the young
musician, who had entertained us at the Mission several times with his
singing, and the storekeeper, but with a place between them reserved for
me.

After a quiet Christmas greeting to those around me, I took my seat, and
the dinner was then served. A bottle of wine was ordered by the host for
me, and brought by the waiter, who placed it with a glass beside my
plate. At each plate there had already been placed the same
accompaniments to the dinner, with which great care had been taken by
the two French cooks in the kitchen, and upon which no expense had been
spared by the captain, who was host. While the waiters were serving the
courses, and conversation around the table near me became qui