any length of time.

Well, the happy company stayed till nine P.M., when they departed with
many pleasant and loving words, I being thankful every minute of the
time, even when I see 'em drive off. You know sometimes as glad as you
are to have company, and as well as you like 'em, you are kinder glad
to set down quiet, and think over all the happy time, and rest your
head.

Well, the next day after Thanksgivin', early in the afternoon, Josiah
said he had got to go over to Jonesville, and proposed that I should
ride over with him. He said the mair kinder needed shuein', and sez
he, "We might bring Tommy home with us, for there wuzn't any school
Saturday, and he could stay over Sunday with us."

It duz seem now as if we can't help settin' a little more store by
Tommy than we do by the other grandchildren. But it better not be told
I said it, it would make feelin's amongst the rest.

Well, we made lovely calls on the children, and got Tommy, who wuz
more than willin' to come, and returned home about ten a.m., Tommy
settin' between us and drivin' the mair, Thomas J. and Maggie sayin'
they would drive over Sunday night after him and take tea with us.

We stopped at the post-office, and Tommy run in and got three letters
for me, two on 'em which I opened and read when I first got home,
whilst Josiah and Tommy drove over to Deacon Henzy's on a errent. As I
say I read two on 'em, but of the third one more anon. One of my
letters wuz from Cousin John Richard, who had gone back to Victor
workin' for his Lord in his own appointed way, teachin' the young,
comfortin' the aged, and exhortin' the strong, helpin' to bear the
burdens of the weak, and doin' it all in the name of Him who is
invisible, waitin' patient till the summons should be sent him to go
home to his own land, for the Bible sez that "them that do such things
show plainly that they seek a country."

Fur acrost that dark continent from another oasis like Victor
beginnin' to be illuminated with the white light beamin' from the
uplifted cross, come a message to me from another consecrated
missionary and child of Heaven, Evangeline Noble. She told me of the
blessed work she wuz doin' in Africa and how happy she wuz in it, for
her Master wuz with her tellin' her what to do from day to day, and
she happy in carryin' out that work and seein' the light from heaven
stream into dark minds and souls.

How much store I set by her, I lay out to send her a barrel of things