At nine o'clock we were invited to breakfast in the Brothers' dining room. At each "cover" was a box of bonbons from Brother Director and our letters from home. Dear Ma! I was so surprised I cried. I opened your dear letter first, really I don't know how to thank you and dear Papa. Aunt Lucy and Uncle Carroll sent me ten dollars, Uncle Dick, five. I feel as rich as a millionaire, with my twenty-five dollars. * * * * * JANUARY 20. _Dear Mamma and Papa_: As I was writing the above, Monsieur Le Curé sent for me to go with him to Quebec. You may be sure I jumped at the offer. We put up at the Sulpician Seminary. We went to see several beautiful churches. Notre Dame de Victoire, built in the time of Louis XIV as a votive offering in thanksgiving for a victory gained over the English. The very same flags and trophys captured then are still preserved in this church. We saw the ice palace, on the summit of a hill, it was illuminated by electricity, and reminded me of Aladin's Castle in the fairy tale. No one was allowed to go into it, but you could look in at the windows and doors, and see the wax figures dressed in fancy costumes. You should have heard the joy bells, and the booming of the cannon from the citadel ushering in the New Year. There was no discordant clang, no ear-splitting fog horns as in New York, but most of the churches having chimes, made an inspiriting melody. The Basilica played the Te Deum, Adeste Fidelis, and the National Anthem. We had midnight Mass in the Seminary, and no one went to bed until near morning. I must tell you about a little girl we met in the street. She was carrying a doll in her arms when she slipped and fell; the doll was broken to pieces, the poor little thing knelt on the pavement and looked sadly at it, then bursting into tears and raising her eyes to heaven, she cried out: "Sainte Vièrge mon seul enfant est mort!" (Holy Virgin, my only child is dead!) It went to my heart to see her, so I picked her up, and tried to comfort her; I took her to the nearest shop and bought another "child," when I placed it in her hands, her eyes fairly danced with delight. "Oh, mesieu! I tank yo! No English speak." Monsieur Le Curé gave her his blessing. As she was leaving the store she took up the broken doll, we asked her what she wanted with the old, broken thing. "Ah, mesieu, one does not throw away dead children; they must be buried." The people here are so full of faith; you will see well-dressed gentlemen and ladies stop to say the Angelus in the street if they hear the bell ring. I pray our dear Lord, that you, Papa, and all I love may have a happy New Year. Your affectionate son, B. ALLEN. After Christmas holidays it was difficult for the boys to settle down to study. The good Brothers, who had not forgotten their own boy-life, understood this and did not draw the reins of discipline very tight for the first few days.