"I will run and get your slate now," said Rebecca; and she soon came with the slate and pencil.
They all sat down and Joshua took the pencil to write; but he found he could not do much, as his mamma was not there to spell the words for him.
"Let us ask papa to send word to Santa Claus," said Rebecca.
"And let us ask Mrs. White," said Newton, "to watch, and, when Santa Claus comes to her house, tell him where we live."
"But Mrs. White might watch all night, and then not see him," said Rebecca; "for I think Santa Claus never makes any noise till he is just going out of sight; then his eight tiny reindeers jingle their bells as they scamper away with the sleigh full of toys."
Mrs. Payson came into the nursery, and the children told her what they had been saying.
"Santa Claus shall be told where to find you," said Mrs. Payson, "and you will have a happy Christmas if you are happy in your own hearts. You shall have a Christmas tree, and we will invite some friends to come and enjoy its fruits with us. But I wish you to remember, my darlings, if you have naughty thoughts you can not have a happy Christmas."
"But if some naughty thoughts come, what can we do?" asked Rebecca.
"Try to think about something good and pleasant," said Mrs. Payson, "and ask God to help you. Yesterday, when I heard Joshua telling Newton, in an angry way, that he hoped Santa Claus would not bring him any thing, I thought my dear boy's thinker was wrong."
"I know, mamma," said Joshua, "that I wish to be good. But, if God lets me be naughty, what good does it do to ask him to help me?"