When I came to my present field of work it had been the immemorial custom to have a tree and a treat for the children of the school. After a year or two of competition with other schools in making it "worth while" for children to attend our own, we "braced up" and put the question to vote whether we would make the Christmas festival a feast for ourselves or a feast for others; whether we would have our school at this time a dispenser of sweetmeats and ourselves the beneficiaries, or dispense a gift instead to some more needy servants of the Master, who had no parental pocketbook to tap; no good things to give away. To the surprise of all the vote was unanimous against the old, and in favor of the new, way. There was much misgiving as to results. Many confidently predicted that the offerings (each class was invited to bring its own in a sealed envelope) would be microscopic. It was distinctly understood that no money--not the smallest sum--was asked from those who disapproved the plan. Teachers were urged to dissuade their classes from perfunctory gifts. Inquiring next for a suitable object, we were advised by the Home Missionary Society of a poor servant of theirs in a Western State, whose poorer and more to be pitied wife was the mother of seven children. We put her to vote, and she was promptly and unanimously chosen. With the introduction into the plan of a personal element, enthusiasm began, and it became evident at once that there was to be sharp rivalry between the classes as to the size of their gifts. At length came the Christmas Eve concert, and with it a bright, full company of children. They never looked so happy, and every one of them knows that he never was so happy on such an occasion, as when, class by class, the offerings were handed to the Superintendent. With each of these a passage of Scripture was recited. It became only too evident, as the pile within his hand increased, that the prognostications of those who were sure that an old Sunday-school could not be taught new tricks were false. We are a small school--only 80 scholars--but the class offerings on this occasion footed up twenty-eight dollars and some cents. A letter was accordingly written and the money inclosed to the wife (this was the best part of it, for we were sure that the minister could not then, as ministers will, mistake the remittance for a portion of his salary), who was asked to purchase with the amount some article or articles of which she was individually in need. The letter which came back to us after a week made those who heard it read in open school clear their throats and wink away an inevitable tear. It revealed (among other things) the fact that this poor servant had hitherto made all the clothing for seven children with the bare needle. Now she has a sewing machine. We all think, but none more fervently than the children, that the memory of a few oranges, more or less--oranges eaten three years ago--would not compensate for the glad