sparks of fire, I was saying to myself, 'I have not quite done my duty
to the boys and girls in Soitgoes.' You and I," said he, rather sadly,
putting the locket in his purse and pressing the gold ring gently down
on it, "you and I have no children. But I sometimes feel like adopting
all the boys and girls in the parish; and when I saw that great troop of
them come out of the school-house last week, I felt a little reproach,
that, while looking after their fathers and mothers, I had not done more
for the children."

"I am sure you gave the town that great new school-house," said Kindly.

"Yes, that's nothing. I furnished the money and the general idea; Eliot
Cabot drew the plan,--capital plan it is too; and Jo Atkins took the
job. I paid the bills. But how will you arrange it for Christmas?"

"Well," said Kindly, who had an organizing head, "we'll have a
Children's Party. I'll ask all under fifteen, and if some older ones
come in, no matter; I hope they will. Of course the fathers and mothers
are to come and look on, and have a real good time. We will have them
in the New Hall. I wonder why they call it the New Hall; there never was
any old one. We will have some plain cake and lemonade, music, dancing,
little games, and above all a CHRISTMAS TREE. There shall be gifts on
it for all the children under twelve. The people who are well to do will
give something to buy the gifts for the children of their own standing,
and you and I will make up what is wanting for the poor ones. We'll have
little games as well as a dance. Mrs. Toombs,--Sally Wilkins that used
to be,--the minister's wife, has a deal of skill in setting little
folks to play; she has not had much use for it, poor thing, since her
marriage, six or seven years ago. What a wild romp she used to be! but
as good as Sunday all the time. Sally will manage the games; I'll see to