pretty pine grove, then he will know where to find us."

"That will be a good way," said Rebecca; "for I remember when Mrs. White, who lives in our house in town, was here last week, she told mamma that many persons had called there since we left, and asked for Mr. Payson. Now, if the people do not know that we have moved away, Santa Claus may not; so he may go there and slide down the chimney, and, without asking any thing about it, put all the nice things, which he has in his pack for us, in Tommy and Jenny White's stockings."

"I will write to Santa Claus," said Joshua, "as soon as I can find time."

Joshua said this in rather of a large way, for he wished to talk like a man of business.

"I will run and get your slate now," said Rebecca; and she soon came with the slate and pencil.

They all sat down and Joshua took the pencil to write; but he found he could not do much, as his mamma was not there to spell the words for him.

"Let us ask papa to send word to Santa Claus," said Rebecca.

"And let us ask Mrs. White," said Newton, "to watch, and, when Santa Claus comes to her house, tell him where we live."

"But Mrs. White might watch all night, and then not see him," said Rebecca; "for I think Santa Claus never makes any noise till he is just going out of sight; then his eight tiny reindeers jingle their bells as they scamper away with the sleigh full of toys."

Mrs. Payson came into the nursery, and the children told her what they had been saying.

"Santa Claus shall be told where to find you," said Mrs. Payson, "and you will have a happy Christmas if you are happy in your own hearts. You shall have a Christmas tree, and we will invite some friends to come and enjoy its fruits with us. But I wish you to remember, my darlings, if you have naughty thoughts you can not have a happy Christmas."

"But if some naughty thoughts come, what can we do?" asked Rebecca.

"Try to think about something good and pleasant," said Mrs. Payson, "and ask God to help you. Yesterday, when I heard Joshua telling Newton, in an angry way, that he hoped Santa Claus would not bring him any thing, I thought my dear boy's thinker was wrong."

"I know, mamma," said Joshua, "that I wish to be good. But, if God lets me be naughty, what good does it do to ask him to help me?"

"God will help you if you ask him in the right way, and if you watch yourselves," said Mrs. Payson. "If we wished to be happy ourselves we must do something to make others so; and even little children can do much good if they try."

"When we are trying to make others happy," said Joshua, "we shall have good thoughts."

"A little verse which you repeat," said Mrs. Payson, "says truly that

Now I wish to hear what you, my children, have to do before Christmas."

"We must get our gifts ready for the tree," said Rebecca.

"And we must learn our lessons, every day," said Joshua.

"And I must learn all my letters, so papa will give me a rocking-horse," said little Newton.

"That is all right," said Mrs. Payson; "but have you not something more to do?"

"O, yes!" said Joshua, "we are to ride to town and invite our visitors to come and have a nice time with us in the holidays."

"But, are there not others whom you can help to be happy and good?" asked Mrs. Payson; "those whom we always have with us?"

"I don't know," said Joshua, "as there are any persons that