boy on earth. Emilie has been a good friend to me, may
God bless her, and bless you all for your patience and
kindness to.

JOS. WHITE.

Pray do not ask me to come back to you to night, I
cannot indeed. I am not unhappy, but since my illness
my spirits are weak, and I can bear very little; your
kindness has been too much.

J.W.

The contents of the little box were now displayed. It was the only
costly present on that Christmas tree, full as it was, and rich in love.
The present was a little silver inkstand, with a dove in the centre,
bearing not an olive branch, but a little scroll in its beak, with these
words, which Emilie had suggested, and being a favourite German proverb
of hers. I will give it in her own language, in which by the bye it was
engraved. She had written the letter containing the order for the plate
to a fellow-countryman of hers, in London, and had forgotten to specify
that the motto must be in English; but never mind, she translated it for
them, and I will translate it for you. "Friede ernährt, unfriede
verzehrt." "In peace we bloom, in discord we consume." The inkstand was
for Mr. and Mrs. Parker, and the slip of paper said it was from their
grateful friend, Joe White. That was the secret. Emilie had kept it
well; they rather laughed at her for not translating the motto, but no
matter, she had taught them all a German phrase by the mistake.

Where was she gone? she had slipped away from the merry party, and was