Salome had not mistaken her vocation.  To serve these forsaken and suffering children was to her a labor of love; to relieve them, a work of joy.

She never left her charge, except to go to chapel, or to her meals, which she took at the nuns’ table, in their refectory.

On Christmas Eve, as she returned from dinner, Sister Francoise invited her to look into the work-room and see the Christmas presents in process of preparation.

To please the kind sister, she followed her into a long hall, furnished with little tables, at each of which sat two or three of the nuns at work.

As Salome, with her conductor, walked down the room, she saw that on one table was a pile of children’s illustrated books of great variety to suit little ones, from three years old to thirteen.  The two nuns seated at the table were busy writing in the books the names of those for whom they were intended.

Another table was piled with woolen scarfs, socks, gloves, and night-caps for the aged men and women, which the two nuns seated there were employed in rolling up into separate little parcels, and labeling with the names of the intended recipients.

Still another, and a longer table, was bright and gay with party-colored scraps of silk, satin, velvet, ribbon, muslin, lace and linen, with which half a dozen young nuns seated there were cheerfully engaged in making dresses for a basket full of dolls, for the Christmas gifts to the infants.

The blooming young nun Felecitie presided at this table.  Seeing Salome approach with Sister Francoise, she accosted her: 

“Our holy mother told us that you would come in and help us dress these dolls.”

“And so I would have done, only I found some living and suffering dolls to dress and feed,” said Salome, smiling.

“Yes, I know, the babies of the Foundling.  Well, we are dressing these dolls for your babies,” said the smiling sister.

“But do you suppose my tiny little ones will care for dolls?” inquired Salome.

“Be sure they will; from six months old, up, boys or girls, sick or well, babies will love dolls.  I have seen a sick baby hug her doll, just as I have seen a sick mother clasp her child,” answered the sister.

“These are the recreations of charity the holy mother told me of,” said Salome, as she passed out of the work-room and went back to her own sphere of duty.

On Christmas morning after matins, the Christmas gifts were distributed in every one of the asylums, and every inmate was made happy by an appropriate present.

At ten o’clock high mass was celebrated in the chapel of the convent, and all the sisterhood assembled in their screened choir.

Three priests in their sacerdotal robes, and a dozen boys in white surplices, were expected to serve at the altar.  The chapel was profusely decorated with holly, and the shrines were dressed with flowers.  The pews were filled with a congregation of a rather better social position than usually assembled there in the convent chapel.