He did like it, my benevolent old bird; for he rustled his great wings, as if he wanted to clap them, if there had only been room; and every feather shone as if a clearer light than that of my little fire had fallen on it as he spoke. 'You are a literary woman, hey?' he said suddenly, as if he'd got a new idea, and was going to pounce upon me with it. 'Ahem! I do a little in that line,' I answered, with a modest cough. 'Then tell people about that place; write some stories for the children; go and help teach them; do something, and make others do what they can to increase the sabbath sunshine that brightens one day in the week for the poor babies who live in shady places.' 'I should be glad to do my best; and, if I'd known before'--I began. 'You might have known, if you'd looked about you. People are so wrapt up in their own affairs they don't do half they might. Now, then, hand me a bit of paper, and I'll give you the address, so you won't have any excuse for forgetting what I tell you.' 'Mercy on us; what will he do next?' thought I, as he tweaked a feather out of his breast, gave the nib a peck, and then coolly wrote these words on the card I handed him: '_Church of the Disciples. Knock and it shall be opened!_' There it was, in letters of gold; and, while I looked at it, feeling reproached that I hadn't known it sooner, my friend,--he didn't seem a stranger any more,--said in a business-like tone, as he put back his pen, 'Now I must be off. Old Ben reads an article on the "Abuses of the Press at the present day," and I must be there to report.' 'It must be very interesting. I suppose you don't allow mortals at your meetings?' said I, burning to go, in spite of the storm. 'No, ma'am. We meet on the Common; and, in the present state of the weather, I don't think flesh and blood would stand it. Bronze, marble, and wood are sterner stuff, and can defy the elements.' 'Good evening; pray, call again,' I said, hospitably. 'I will; your eyrie suits me: but don't expect me to call in the daytime. I'm on duty then, and can't take my eye off my charge. The city needs a deal of watching, my dear. Bless me! it's striking eight. Your watch is seven minutes slow by the Old South. Good-night, good-night!' And as I opened the window, the great bird soared away like a flash of light through the storm, leaving me so astonished at the whole performance that I haven't got over it yet. _TILLY'S CHRISTMAS._ 'I'm so glad to-morrow is Christmas, because I'm going to have lots of presents.' 'So am I glad, though I don't expect any presents but a pair of mittens.' 'And so am I; but I shan't have any presents at all.' As the three little girls trudged home from school they said these things, and as Tilly spoke, both the others looked at her with pity and some surprise, for she spoke cheerfully, and they wondered how she could be happy when she was so poor she could have no presents on Christmas.