He has spent all the few daylight-hours in telegraphing for it to every station on the line; in telling several home-truths to the porters at our own station, which--it being Christmas-time, and they consequently all more or less tipsy--they have taken with a bland playfulness that he has found a little trying; and, lastly, in writing a long letter to the _Times_.

And I, meanwhile, being easy in my mind on his score, knowing that he is happy, am at leisure to be happy myself.

In company with my brother, I have spent all the little day in decorating the church, making it into a cheerful, green Christmas bower.

We always did it at home.
The dusk has come now--the quick-hurrying, December dusk, and we have all but finished.

We have had to beg for a few candles, in order to put our finishing touches here and there about the sombre church.