It is Christmas-day, 186-.  Jane Hogarth is busy making arrangements for a quiet family dinner party, in her pretty house, not far from Melbourne, a little annoyed because the season is so backward that no fruit is to be had for love or money; but, on the whole, certain that things will go off very well without it.  Francis has succeeded very well in Victoria.  His talents and industry made him very valuable to the mercantile house he went into.  In the course of a few years he put his capital into it, and got a partnership, which, now that the principal was absent on a visit to England, was on equal terms.  The Brandons and Hogarths exchange Christmas visits with each other, and this year it is Jane’s turn to be the entertainer, and Elsie with her husband and children have come down from the bush to have a little gaiety in Melbourne.

This occasion was one to be especially remarked on, for there was a bride to be honoured in the person of pretty Grace Forrester, whom Tom Lowrie, now a rising engineer, had succeeded in winning as his wife.  All the Lowries had made good colonists; the eldest girl had married respectably; the second assisted her aunt in the shop, which she had recently enlarged and improved; but Tom’s prospects were better than those of any other of the family, and fully justified Jane’s hopes and expectations.  There is no saying where he may stop in his colonial career.  Peggy, now called Miss Walker universally, except by one or two old friends, was to accompany her nephew and his wife.  Is it really Peggy whom we see at Mrs. Hogarth’s door with the dress of rich black silk, destitute of crinoline, and the bonnet, in these days of tall bonnets, flattened down in contempt of fashion, but still of excellent materials?

She is a better-looking woman in her older days than when she was younger.  Brandon declares that in time she will turn out quite a beauty, and takes more interest in the caps that his wife makes as a regular thing for Peggy—­four every year (nobody can make them to please her as Mrs. Brandon can do)—­than in any other of her attempts at millinery.

Another member of the party was Mr. Dempster, who had just come over from Adelaide.  He had been seized on by Francis, and begged to accept of a little corner of their somewhat crowded house.  There are a number of very bright faces collected round the table.  How many recollections of early difficulties faithfully wrestled with and overcome, throng upon our friends at such an hour of meeting!

Peggy was disposed to improve the occasion.  “Well,” said she, “to think of us all being together in this way after all we’ve come through!  I’m not speaking of you, Mr. Dempster, for I know none of your harassments—­but when I mind of the night when Miss Jean and Miss Elsie sat in my little room, so downcast, and so despairing, and I told them about all my troubles just to hearten them up a bit, and to show what God had enabled me to win through, little did I think of how the Almighty was leading us all!  You mind well of how I spoke of Miss Thomson that night, and of the money she gave for my help when I was in sore straits how to provide for my bairns.  And to think of my Tam being married on her niece!  It’s no for worms like us to be proud, but to be connected with such as Miss Thomson is a cause of thanksgiving.”