Chapter II: Part 2

When we were having some jolly fun Susan called out, "You bad, wicked children, you've got your ma's best shawl for a curtain."

We did n't know it was her best shawl. It didn't look nice. Papa said it was camel's hair. We never thought camels had such queer hair.

We didn't play circus any more.

We went in the garden and camped out. We played the trees were high mountains. I was on the Alps. My sister in the grammar school told me about the Alps.

Edgar was in the same tree on another limb.

He called his "The Catskills." He went to those mountains once. We had a splendid time. Pretty soon Grandpa came out and said, "Here, you young rascals, come down, you will shake off all my nice fruit!"

There don't seem to be any place for boys.

I told Susan so, and she said boys were always in the way.

If we could only leave things around it would be better.

It spoils vacation when some one keeps saying, "Don't do that!" or, "O, dear, those boys!"

Edgar says clothes are hateful things. His mother wants him to look pretty. He wants to roll on the grass, but he can't. My mother lets me. I have some overalls and stout shoes, and I roll.

My papa says boys have to climb and roll and keep busy if they want to grow strong.

When we got tired of our mountains we went fishing. I tumbled in and spoiled my straw hat. It was not deep, only the mud.

Vacations would be nice if it wasn't for the big folks. They want you to do as they do.

My papa and mamma don't, but grandma and aunties and my big cousins do. They make you feel prickly all over telling you about proper things.

I tell you it's real hard to feel full of fun and not let it out. It's hard to be a boy in vacation unless you can go off in the country or down by the sea.

--KATE TANNATT WOODS.

THE VOYAGE OF THE BLUEBELL.

|One rainy day papa made two ships for his little girls. They were about a foot long. They had little white sails, and tiny flags floating from the tops of the masts. They were gayly painted.

Sixon put his nose into the paint pail, so he was painted too. But it soon wore off.

Mabel's ship was decorated with blue, so she called it "The Bluebell."

Nelly's was bright with scarlet trimmings. A fine sounding name would be best she thought She named hers "The Pride of the Seas."

When the pleasant weather came again, they had fine times sailing them. As they were always careful they were allowed to go down to the lake. There was a little cove, with a bright sandy beach where they played. They sent the ships across this cove from one side to the other. Back and forth they went, in safety, for a while.

There is sometimes danger for ships, however. This the children soon realized. One day a stray breeze caught the little "Bluebell."

She did not sail across to the other side as she had done before, but out by the point, and away into the great, wide lake.

The wind was strong; the blue streamers fluttered bravely in the sunshine. She sailed far away, and at last was quite out of sight.

"Let's play she has gone to California," said Kelly, as they stood watching her.

"She will come back some time with a load of gold," added Mabel.

"The Pride of the Seas" stuck fast on a mud bank. John, the hired man, rescued her.

THE TWINS.

````Do you know our Peter and Polly,

`````So pretty, so plump, and so jolly!

```One with merry blue eyes and lips like a cherry,

``And one with dark hair, and cheeks brown as a berry!

```Then this is our Peter and Polly!=

````Do you know our Polly and Peter?

````One a little and one a great eater;

```One with jews-harp and whistle and hammer

```Just making a houseful of clamor;

````And one with her dollies and stories

````And lapful of blue morning-glories?

```Then this is our Polly and Peter!=

J. P. R.

THE EVENING LESSON.

````Let me show you, babies dear,

````How to act when Puss is near.

````In this manner run to hide:

````Dodge around and jump aside;

````Don't be slacking in your pace,

````Thinking she'll give up the chase.

````You may scamper as you will,

````She 'll be close behind you still.

````When she tries to use her claws,

````Then be lively, never pause;

````Though you leave your ears behind,

````Squeeze ahead and never mind.=

````Now, Suppose the cat were here,

````Show me how you'd disappear.

````Are you ready? One, two, three!

````Good enough! she'll hungry be

````Ere she catches you or me.=

--PALMER COX.

DORA'S HOUSEKEEPING.

|One morning Dora's mother was going away to the next town. She was going to bring grandma for a visit.

The carriage was waiting before she was quite ready. "Now I shall not have time to finish my work," she said. "I will let you sweep the sitting-room, Dora. You did it very nicely last week, and I know you want to help me."

Dora was pouting because she could not go in the carriage with her mother. She thought it was very cruel that she must stay at home when she wanted to go so much. So she did not answer, but sat by the window pouting till the carriage was gone. Then she said to herself, "I don't feel like sweeping, and don't care how I do it. I think 't is too bad that I can't go to ride!"

So she swept the sitting-room in a very heedless manner. She did not get the dust-pan and take up the litter; she only brushed it together and left it under the hearth-rug.

When her mother came home she praised her for making the room so neat. Grandma praised her too. She said, "I like to see children do their work well. Then I feel sure they will do their work well when they are grown up. I am glad if our little girl is going to be a good house-keeper."

O, how Dora felt! She was so ashamed of what she had done. She felt worse because they praised her. She kept thinking of the litter under the hearth-rug. She was afraid some one would move the rug and see it. She was unhappy all the rest of the day. When she went to sleep at night she dreamed that she could not find the dust-pan.

She woke very early the next morning and went down stairs alone. She found the dustpan and brushed up the litter as carefully as she could. It seemed easy enough to do it now. She wished that she had done it at first; then she would have deserved praise from her mother and grandmother.

Dora remembered this for a long time. I am J not sure if she ever forgot it; and it taught her a good lesson. She found that wrongdoing made her very unhappy. When she grew older she learned to be a neat housekeeper.

--M. E. N. HATHEWAY

OUT IN THE RAIN.

Down in the meadow, one summer day, Went two little cousins, Clarrie and May.

```Pitty-pat, patter, came drops one by one

```Two little cousins beginning to run.=

```Over the stubble the little feet go,

```Rain-drops are drenching from top to toe.=

```Dripping and tired, they enter the gate;

```Two watching mothers the little strays wait.=

```Wet skirt and jacket are off in a trice,

```Two little cousins are soon dry and nice.=

```Down in the meadow, when ceases the rain,

```Two little cousins will frolic again.=

--LUCY RANDOLPH FLEMING.

THE LITTLE CHIMNEY-SWEEPS.

|One rainy day Tommie was standing by the window watching the great drops roll down the window-panes. He did n't like rainy days.

All at once he heard a great noise in the fireplace. Such a chattering! The screen was taken down, and there were four poor little swallows clinging to the sides of the chimney. Tommie called them "chimney-sweeps," and tried to catch one. It clung so fast to the chimney sides that he could scarcely pull it off.

There was no nest to be seen. Tommie and his mamma thought the poor little sweeps must have been frightened by the storm.

Tommie wondered what he could do with them. They could not go up the chimney, and the old birds would never come down. If he put them in the yard the cat would catch them.

Then Tommie told his mamma that he could carry them to the observatory on the house-top, and got his papa to put them in the chimney. He got a little basket, caught the poor little birds, and put them in it. His mamma tied a handkerchief over the top of the basket to keep the birds in. By noon the sun was out, and Tommie's papa came home to dinner. They went to the observatory, Tommie carrying the basket of "chimney-sweeps."

The little boy held the basket while his papa put the birds in the chimney-top, one at a time. They clung to the bricks and began to cry again.

Tommie was held up to see the little birds, and then they went down stairs, so that the old birds might take care of their little ones and not be frightened.

After Tommie had gone, the mamma and papa birds came up and showed the little ones how to get to their nest again.

--AUNT NELL

"ROCK-A-BYE BABY ON THE TREE TOP."

One day last summer, down in Texas, there was a fearful storm. It was a windstorm. The wind was so strong that it earned roofs of houses, and such things, a great way.

When it was over, some men set out to follow the track of the storm. One of them told this true story. They thought they might find things that the wind had dropped; and they might find some one hurt and in need of help.

It was near night, and quite dark in the woods, when they heard a cry. They stopped to look heard the cry and then they saw some dark thing up in a tree.

"It is a panther!" said one. "Stand off! I will shoot!"

"No; stop!" said another; "it is not a panther. I will climb up and see what it is."

Up he went; and what do you think he found, lodged in the tree!

A cradle with a dear little baby in it! The fearful wind had blown down the baby's home. It had carried off baby, cradle and all. The cradle was caught by a branch of the high tree.

Then the wind blew against it so hard that the cradle was wedged in a crotch of the tree. It was so fast that the men had to saw away the boughs to get it down.

There was the dear baby, all safe and sound, in its cradle nest No one knew where the baby's friends were, or where its home had been. The men carried it to their home, and a kind woman took care of it.

Are you not glad that the poor little baby was saved in the tree? If the cradle had fallen to the ground, you know, the little one might have been killed. Was it not a good thing that the men heard the baby cry?

--MRS. D. P. SANFORD

THE BLIND BASKET-MAKER

|Henry, the basket-maker, is sitting at the door of his house. He is now nearly sixty years of age. With Fido his dog, and Lucy his granddaughter, he goes from place to place and gets work. Lucy finds it very tiresome to go every day with her grandfather, but Fido is very fond of going.

The old man has not seen the sun, or his own face, or the trees, or anything at all, for more than twenty years. He does not know what Lucy looks like. He only runs his fingers through her golden ringlets and calls her his Sunshine.

.

He can make a basket in one morning. He makes it of willow branches that are of several colors. How does he do that? Why, Lucy puts all the willow that is of the same color in one pile, and then tells him. He says Lucy is his eye. Lucy would rather play than sort willow.

If Fido could only be taught to know colors, would it not be nice? There, that basket is done, and off walks the old man, cane in hand, and the basket on one arm. Lucy leads him, and Fido follows close.

--R. W. LOWRIE.

"GO HALVES!"

|Little Fred Mason's father took him to an exhibition of wild animals. After they had looked at the elephants, lions, tigers, and bears, they went to see the monkeys. On the way, Mr. Mason bought two large oranges and gave them to Fred.

There were six cages of small animals. One of them was for the "happy family." Fred thought the creatures in it must be called the "happy family" because the dogs, cats, and monkeys were all the time teasing and plaguing one another. One monkey had a rat in his lap. He tended it as a mother does her baby. The monkey was happy, but Mr. Mason did not think the rat liked it very well.

Fred put one orange into his side pocket He could not wait until he got home to eat the other. As he walked along among the cages he seemed to care more for the fruit than for the animals. He sucked the orange with all his might, till he came to a cage with three monkeys in it.

One of them looked very sober and solemn. One opened his mouth and seemed to be laughing. All of them looked at Fred and held out their hands. They could not talk; if they could, they would have said, "Go halves!"

The orange was nice and sweet; Fred did not wish to "go halves." he turned away, for he did not like to be asked for what he was not willing to give. The monkeys put their hands out for some of the orange, but Fred looked the other way.

Fred should have looked at the monkeys, for the one nearest to him put out his long arm and snatched the orange from his hand. Fred tried to get it again. While he was doing so, the solemn monkey reached down and took the other orange from his pocket Fred did not think how near he was to the cage.

Fred began to cry. The laughing monkey had no orange. He was afraid of the solemn monkey, but he chased the one that had stolen the orange Fred was eating, all over the cage. He got it at last.

Fred's father bought two more oranges for him, and he did not go so near the cages again.

--MARY BLOOM.

A Nice Orange.=

````"If you don't think so, smell of it!"=

FREDDIE'S BAGGAGE.

|The ship "Ocean Queen" sailed into Finnport harbor and anchored a little way from the wharf. It looked very grand with its tall masts.

A boat rowed to the wharf, bringing Uncle Robert. He was master of the ship, and a nice man he was. All the boys liked Uncle Robert. He always brought them queer things from China and Japan.

One day Freddie climbed up on his uncle's knee and asked if he would not take him to sea. Uncle Robert stroked the little boy's curly head and said, "Yes, Freddie boy, you shall go some time." Every night Freddie dreamed he was sailing on the water. Every morning he would look to see that the "Ocean Queen" had not gone and left him.

One day Freddie thought he must get his baggage ready. So he took his mamma's rag-bag and emptied all the rags under the sewing-machine. He took his little nightdress from under his pillow and put it into the bag. Then he put in a ball of knitting-cotton. That was for fishing-lines. He took some pins and bent them into hooks. Lastly he put in his little Testament.

Then he started for the wharf. He called at several stores on the way, and said lie was going to "ship to sea." The men laughed, but Freddie went along all the same.

On the way he met his uncle, to whom he said, "I'm all ready; here is my baggage, nighty and Testament, and a whole lot of string and pin-hooks to catch fish."

Uncle Robert looked into the bag, and sure enough Freddie was "all packed."

"Well, Freddie," said his uncle, "I am not going now. When you are older you shall go."

Freddie did not at first want to give up the idea. Uncle Robert talked kindly, and gave him a gold dollar. So Freddie behaved like a good little boy, and waited until he was older.

--ELIZABETH ORR WILLIAMS.

MAKING MAPLE SUGAR.

|Let's go down in the wood-lot," said John to his little brother Tim, one day, "and tap a tree and make maple sugar. I can't find the gimlet, but I've got a big nail and the hammer."

So down they went. John pounded the nail into a tree, and pulled it out again, till he had made quite a hole. Then he made a little wooden spout for the sap to run in, and hung his pint kettle upon it.

"By to-morrow," said he, "that kettle ought to be full of sweet sap, a lot nicer than any honey the bees ever thought of."

"O," cried Tim, "I thought it would be full of maple sugar, all ready to eat!"

"You _didn't_ suppose that maple sugar ran out of a tree all ready made, did you, Tim?" said John. "You don't know much. You ought to study trees and things. You see the sap runs out when you tap the tree. Then you build a fire and boil it down. When it's cool, there's your sugar, sir."

"We'll boil it down to-morrow," said Tim.

But it was a long time till to-morrow! Tim and John went to bed early and got up early. As soon as school was done they ran to the wood-lot to boil the sap down. But there was not a drop in the little kettle! Tim almost cried. "What a stingy tree!" he said.

Miss Smith, who was gathering autumn leaves in the woods, came along while they were talking. "Are you tapping for maple sap?" she asked. "This is the wrong season of the year, John, you know."

John didn't know.

"The spring is the time, when the sap runs up. And when you want to make maple sugar, you must tap a maple-tree. This is a birch! You ought to study about trees, John."

And they went home, sadder and wiser boys.

--MARY N. PRESCOTT.

WEEZY'S SAMBO.

|Little Weezy Haynes had more dolls than she could take care of, and they were always falling into mischief.

Her china twins had but one leg and one arm between them, and not a sign of a head. Her pretty wax Rosa was without a nose.

And as to her guttapercha baby, it was so wrinkled and ugly that Weezy rubbed the window-panes with it when she played at cleaning house. Phebe Redlan cut paper dolls for her by the hour, but these frisked out of the window or into the fire; and of Weezy's large family there was left only one sound child.

This was little Sambo, knit of worsted; black face, scarlet jacket, yellow trousers, and all. When he tumbled into the wash-bowl Weezy squeezed him out, and dried him over the register. When lie ravelled mamma darned him, and made him as good as new.

O, he nicest kind of a doll! and from his white sewing-silk teeth to his black stocking-yarn toes, Weezy loved every inch of him. Yet she did love to punish him. One morning when she found him in papa's boot she shook him till one of his bead eyes dropped out.

"What for Sambo run away and hide?" cried she. "Now mamma mus' tie Sambo, 'cause Sambo did n't mind."

She looked about the hall for something to tie him to, and saw papa's overcoat on the hat-tree. The buttons on the back of it were just within her reach.

"There! Sambo must be tied till he is a good boy," said she, winding the ends of his tiny scarf round one of the buttons.

Then, leaving the poor doll hanging by his neck, she danced off to the kitchen to tease Bridget for "two big plums."

Pretty soon Papa Haynes came out of the sitting-room to go down town. It was rather dark in the hall, and he put on his overcoat without seeing the doll. Next he drew on his gloves, and walked briskly into the street with Sambo bobbing up and down from the button at his back.

It was funny enough! One little boy laughed so hard that he rolled off the doorstep. Some school-children on the corner shouted, and clapped their hands. Papa Haynes wondered what all the noise was about. He could n't see anything to laugh at.

He might have gone on right through the village with Sambo's yellow legs dancing a jig behind him, if the minister had n't called to him.

"Sir?" said papa, wheeling in front of the minister's gate so suddenly that the doll bounced against him.

"Why, what is this?" he went on, reaching his hand behind his back.

"Something that belongs to Weezy, I fancy," laughed the minister, unwinding Sambo's scarf.

When Papa Haynes saw the doll he could n't help laughing too.

"Well, I must say I've cut a pretty figure," said he, with a very red face. "No wonder the boys shouted!"

He felt like tossing Sambo over the fence, but then he thought of his little daughter.

"I suspect Weezy is crying this minute for her lost baby," said he, cramming Sambo, head first, into his pocket. "I'll take it home to her this time, but she must look out how she ties it again to my coat-button!"

--FENN SHIRLEY.

O, HOW IT RAINS!

`````The wind it is roaring,

`````The rain it is pouring,

```And Sissy and I have been out for a walk;

`````But is n't it lucky,

````We both are so plucky,

```The rain cannot scare us from laughter and talk?=

`````I am her big brother

````(She hasn't another),

````And she's all the sister that ever I had.

````No girl could be nearer,

````Or sweeter, or dearer:

````She's my little lassie, I'm her little lad.=

`````It was in December

`````(We both can remember)

```I drew her about o'er the snow on my sled.

`````But all fun won't be going,

`````For though it's not snowing,

```There's rain to be kept from my wee Sissy's head.=

ROVER AND THE CATS.

|Rover was a large black Newfoundland dog. He weighed one hundred and sixty pounds. But he knew more than he weighed.

When he wanted to come into the house he would ring the front door bell The knob pulled down, so that he could press on it with his paw. How many times black Sally brushed her hair in a hurry and ran to the door! There she would find Rover, who said "Bow-wow" very politely. It is a pity, but Sally was not always as polite as Rover. Sometimes she said cross words to him.

One day Thomas, the gardener, shot a woodchuck on the hill back of the house. He brought it down to the garden, where the four children were playing with Rover. The little ones flocked about him, greatly pleased to see the strange animal. Then Master Minot spoke up, and said he thought there ought to be a grave for the woodchuck. He would be captain, he said, and they would all march to the grave and bury the animal.

* A small burrowing animal, a pest to farmers in America.

And so they did. Thomas dug the grave near where the beans grew. The woodchuck was put in an old raisin-box. Minot was captain, but then he drew the woodchuck in his little cart. He also played a tune on his tin whistle. Thomas went first, and then the children. Rover marched behind. The raisin-box was put in the hole near the beans and covered up. An old shoe was set up as a tombstone. Then the children all scampered back to where they had been playing "I spy."

But Rover sat by the grave a long time. After dinner he went there again. Two or three times in the afternoon Thomas found him there. At supper time he was nowhere to be seen. "Dear old Rover," Captain Minot said, "has he run away?"

To bed they all went, but there was 110 Rover to watch over them. The first thing in the morning the children heard him barking in the with a dear little pussy cat which he had killed. He had brought it to the place where the woodchuck lay the day before. Captain Minot scolded Rover, you may be sure, the cruel dog that he was! And then they buried poor kitty. But that night Rover was gone again, and in the morning he brought another dead pussy. And so he did for three or four nights. Then he stopped, for there were no more cats near by.

You see, poor Rover loved to march after Captain Minot. He knew no better way to make Captain Minot march than to bring home something to bury. This was very bright of Rover; but it was cruel, and a very bad example for other dogs.

--C. BELL.

HOW THE TEAKETTLE WENT TO PARIS.

|The children had been playing house out in the back shed. Joe and Susie were Mr. and Mrs. Primrose, Nellie was Aunt Daisy, and Pink and Ducky were the little Primroses.

Susie had a real cooking-stove, and a teakettle. She saved all the burnt matches for firewood. They had hot water and sugar for tea. Toasted crackers did duty for beefsteak, hot rolls, and potatoes. The very brown ones were chocolate cake.

They had a merry feast' until Mrs. Primrose's health failed. Then Mr.

Primrose thought they had better take a trip to Paris.

There was a brook at the bottom of the garden, with two boards across it for the children to walk over. On the other side was Paris.

Mrs. Primrose said they ought to take the furniture, but she left it all behind except the teakettle. She was sure to want some tea on the voyage.

Ducky had fallen asleep, and they concluded to leave him at home. He was only three years old, and could not enjoy the sights. Joe put him in the hammock, and the rest started on their journey. Aunt Daisy was to take care of Pink, who was four years old, and as playful as a kitten.

The family reached the other side in safety, except poor Mrs. Primrose and her teakettle. When she was about half way across, Ponto, the great house-dog, came rushing down the hill to go with them. He struck against Mrs. Primrose, and over she went into the brook; but her beloved teakettle flew over to the other side of the stream.

Just then there was a dreadful clap of thunder. It frightened the children so, that they ran up to the house as fast as they could. Susie did not remember until the next day what became of the teakettle, but it had reached Paris in safety.

--ANNIE D. BELL.

THE CAPTIVE BUMBLE-BEE.

````In a milk-white prison, with only one

````Round window opening to the sun,

````Raving and raging in vain despair

````Like a wounded lion in his lair,

````I have a captive. He can't get out,

````For I hold the door with my fingers stout.=

`````"But how can you hold this captive wild,

````You, who are only a little child?"

````Ay, that's the riddle, how can I, say?

````And I had another yesterday..

````You'll never guess, I'll have to tell;

````You don't read riddles very well.=

````By the garden-walk I chanced to see

````In a foxglove flower a bumble-bee;

````And when he was fairly sipping the honey,

````I fastened him into this prison funny.

````It's long and hollow and flat, you see,

````The very jail for a bumble-bee!=

````Yes, it is a pity to shut him up,

````Though his jail is a lovely foxglove cup!

````So I 'll toss the flower that I picked, away,

````And I won't catch another bee to-day;

````For he beats so fiercely his prison-wall,

````I know that he doesn't like it at all!

--MRS. KATE UPSON CARLSON

LONDON TOWN.

```Which is the way to London Town?

```'Over the hills, across the down;

`````Over the ridges,

`````Over the bridges,

```Over the hills, across the down,

```That is the way to London Town."=

```And what shall I see in London Town?

```"O, many a building, old and brown,

`````Many a neat

`````Old-fashioned street,

```And many a building, old and brown,

```You 'll be sure to see in London Town."=

```What else shall I see in London Town?

```"Many a maiden in silken gown;

`````Pretty pink faces

`````Tied up in laces,

```Many a maiden in silken gown,

```You'll certainly see in London Town."=

```Then onward I hurried to London Town;

```Over the hills, across the down,

`````Over the ridges,

`````Over the bridges,

```Over the ills, across the down,

```Until I found me in London Town.

--ALBERT H. HARDY.

LOOK AT BOTH SIDES.

|Two horsemen met near the statue of a knight with a shield. One side of the shield was of gold, the other of silver. One said the shield was gold; the other that it was silver. They got angry about it and fought till both were badly hurt. An old priest came along and told them they should have looked on both sides of the shield. We should always look on both sides of the question.

ABOUT A QUEER MAN.

Many hundreds of years ago lived a very strange man whoso name was Diogenes. His home was in the city of Athens, in Greece. The people of Athens were very polite; but this strange man took pride in being very impolite. He made himself very disagreeable.

People stared at him and laughed at him. This was just what pleased Diogenes. Many people called him a great man. This pleased him more yet. He was so odd, and behaved so strangely, that after a while a good many tried to imitate him and to act as strangely as he did. This pleased him, perhaps, most of all.

Sometimes Diogenes slept in the sand, and sometimes on the verandas of houses or in doorways. Sometimes he used to take a tub around with him. When night came he would curl himself up like a kitten and go to sleep in the tub.

One bright sunny day, when the city was full of people, he took a lighted lantern and walked down the street. He looked as if he were hunting for something. "What are you looking for, with your lantern in this bright daylight?" the people asked. "I am looking for an honest man," growled Diogenes.

At this time there lived a great warrior and emperor who had made himself more famous than any one else in the world. Great crowds followed him, and threw up their hats, and cheered. His name was Alexander. Perhaps he was really the greatest man in the world. So he was called Alexander the Great.

One day Alexander marched by where Diogenes sat sunning himself in the sand. The people were cheering as usual and making a great noise. But Diogenes sat quite still, caring nothing about the emperor. When Alexander passed before Diogenes he noticed this. He wondered why this poorly clothed man paid him no attention.

Then he turned to Diogenes with a frown, and said in a very haughty manner, "Do you know that I am Alexander?"

Everybody thought that Diogenes would turn pale and be very much confused. But he only looked up and answered with as much pride as if he were an emperor himself, "Do you know that I am Diogenes?"

Perhaps we may all admire his independence as much as Alexander is said to have done. Diogenes always lived this queer sort of a life. He was an old, old man when he died.

CHARLES T. JEROME.

TRADE.

````In the village sell your hay;

```Then for food and clothing pay.=

BETTY AND BRINDLE.

|Betty was a nice little girl about six years old. She lived in the country on a pleasant farm. She went out to the barn every day and helped her brother scatter com to the hens and turkeys. She liked to give handfuls of hay to the horses when her father was close by her, but she did not dare to go near them when she was alone.

One day Betty was in the orchard picking up apples.

Below the orchard there was a field where the cows were feeding. One of the cows was named Brindle. She stood with her head over the fence as if she wanted something to eat Betty saw her, and she thought, "Poor old Brindle is tired of grass; she wants me to bring her some of my apples."

So she filled her apron with sweet apples and went up to the fence. Brindle took the apples from her hand and seemed to think they were very good. The fence was low and broken where she was standing, and she pushed against it hard because she was so glad to get the apples. She wanted more and more, and pushed against the fence till it was almost thrown down.

When Betty saw the fence falling she felt frightened a little, and stepped away. Brindle had not got apples enough, so she jumped right over the fence and came towards Betty. Then Betty was frightened a good deal, and she started to run as fast as she could.

When Brindle saw her going off she began to run after her. She did not wish to hurt or frighten Betty, she only wanted to get what she carried in her apron.

Betty was very much afraid, so she ran faster and faster. By and by she let go of her apron and the apples rolled down to the ground. Then Brindle stopped and went to eating them. She was quite satisfied now, and did not go any farther.

So Betty got away and was not harmed at all. She found her father and told him about it, and he drove Brindle back to her pasture. Then he put up the fence so that she could not get out again.

--M. E. N. HATHEWAY.

JACK AND JIMMY.

|Almost every morning last winter, unless it was very cold indeed, I looked out of my window hoping to see Jack and Jimmy. I wanted to find out, if I could, what they were doing.

If I saw them first at one end of the garden, on a fence, this was the very reason for thinking they would soon be at the other end. Their little legs were seldom at rest, and carried them about very fast.

They did n't get up very early. After their breakfast, when the sun began to get warm, and they were once out in the fresh air with the warm gray coats that covered them all up, they were wide-awake enough. They never went to school, and they were such funny little fellows I am sure I don't know what they would have done with themselves if they had gone.

But they knew things that not even the brightest little boys know. Though they did run about so much they were not idle, but worked hard sometimes. I know they must have done so last autumn. And what do you think they did? They picked up nuts, and hid away enough to last all through the long, cold winter.

Have you guessed who my little friends were? Did you think they were boys? Why, no! They were two gray squirrels with great bushy tails. As I have n't any little boys to have a good time with them, I was glad to have such bright, frisky, graceful creatures to watch and talk to every sunny day.

--MARY L. HALL.

BESSIE IN THE MOUNTAINS.

|Bessie Lee was six years old when she went to the mountains of North Carolina with her father.

What Bessie liked best of all were the nice donkey rides every morning.

The poor donkeys didn't get much rest, for the little folks kept them busy all day. Bessie was kind to them, but some of the children were not. Bessie liked a donkey named Kate best of all One day Bessie's father put her in the saddle, and Kate kicked up. When Bessie was lifted off, and the saddle removed, a great bleeding sore was found on the poor donkey's back.

Bessie felt very sorry for poor Kate, and said, "Papa, I don't want to ride to-day, but please do not send Kate back to the stables."

"Why not, Bessie?" said Mr. Leo.

"O, papa, the man will let her to some of the rough boys, and they will hurt her back."

Mr. Leo was pleased to see his little daughter's kindness to the poor dumb donkey; but he wished to know if Bessie would deny herself for Kate.

"Well, Bessie," said her father, "if you have any money, give it to the man when he comes for the donkey. Tell him you wish to keep Kate all day."

"I have the money you gave mo for ice-cream," said Bessie. "Will that pay the man?"

It was enough, and was given to the man. Bessie kept the donkey all day. She led Kate to the greenest places in the yard, and let her eat the grass. She divided her apples with Kate, and carried her a little pail of water.

At night Bessie told her father she had been happy all day. He made her still happier by telling her she could keep Kate every day while she was in the mountains.

Bessie kissed her father and was soon fast asleep. She dreamed of riding in a little carriage drawn by six white donkeys.

--AUNT NELL.

SCAMP'S RIDE WITH BUTTERCUP.

|I was sitting at the window one day.

My master had gone out He told me to be a good pug-dog while he was gone, so I was trying to mind him. I was good at first, for when I saw two cats cross the street I only barked at them, master's married sister drove up to her carriage.

When Buttercup saw me she called out, "Scamp!"

I ran out to the door to see her. Buttercup' mother sent for me, and the waiter, Wyatt, carried me out and put me in the carriage. I sat on the seat next to Buttercup. I was so proud, I curled my tail twice as tight as usual It has a double curl anyhow.

As we drove down street everybody looked at me.

When the carriage stopped,

Buttercup's mother got out open. I was next to it, so I jumped out after her.

But I did not follow her. O no! I ran up the street I had on a new collar with big bells, and it made a noise. Buttercup's mother heard it and turned around.

She saw me running away, so she ran after me.

I ran as fast as I could; so did she, up one street, down another. At last I came to a butcher's shop. I saw some meat inside and ran in. A nasty big dog was sitting at the back of the shop. He scared me, and I ran behind the counter.

The big dog started to follow me. He would have eaten me up, I know. Just then Buttercup's mother came in. She left the door called to the butcher to stop his dog. The butcher caught him just in time to save me. Then Buttercup's mother took me from under the counter, where I lay trembling. She carried me in her arms to the carriage. Buttercup was crying, for she thought I was lost.

When we got home my master talked to me. He spoke so kindly that it made me ashamed of my wicked deeds; so I have come into this dark room to think over my bad ways and to try and be good.

--JOHN S. SHRIVER.

THE BOY AND THE BIRD.

```Boy.--Dicky-bird, dicky-bird,

`````whither away?

```Why do you fly when I wish you to

`````stay?

```I never would harm you if you would

`````come

```And sing me a song while you

`````perch on my thumb.=

```Bird.--Boy, I will sing to you

`````here in the tree,

```But pray do not come any

`````nearer to me;

``For your open mouth and eyes big and bright

```So fill my poor heart with

`````the wildest affright.=

``Boy.--I love you, dear dicky, why should you fear!

```If you'll come with me, my sweet pretty dear,

```You shall live in a house of silver so gay,

````And feed on a lump of white sugar each day.=

```I love the fresh air, the sunshine so free,

```My swing in the rose-bush, my home in the tree.

```My birdies are calling me, so I must fly,

```And sing as I leave you, Good-by, good-by.=

--NELLIE M. GARABRANT.

SCAMP'S SURPRISE.

|I had a surprise to-day. When I got up I was surprised too. It is Christmas, so my master tells me. I expect Christmas means having a good time. Don't it mean that?

The first thing I saw when I came into the parlor was a big tree all full of pretty things. It's funny to see a tree all fixed up like that. Then my master said, "Scamp, come here, I have got a surprise for you." What do you think it was? Why, a big box. It was marked, "To Mr. Scamp." My master told me it came from New York. Now my cousin Amy lives in New York. Of course, she is not my cousin, only my master's; but it is all the same. I knew she sent me the surprise.

My master opened the box and took out the surprise. What do you think it was? Why, a blanket for me. It was all trimmed with ribbons, and inside it was all fur. My master put the surprise on my back and tied the ribbons. The fur tickled me, and I laughed. They all thought I barked, but I did not; I was laughing.

My master said I looked so fine he would let me go out on the sidewalk.

When we got out of the house, a boy came along the street, with a tin horn. He blew it right in my ear, and it scared me so I fell off the pavement into the snow-drift. I rolled over and over. I felt myself going down, down, down, and I barked. My master whistled to me, but I could not get out.

At last he came and lifted me from the snow-bank. You should have seen "the Surprise." It was all wet, and the fur was spoiled. My master, as he took me into the house, was saying something about "Pride getting a fall." My name is not Pride, but Scamp.

--JOHN S. SHRIVER.

CHARLIE'S RIDE IN THE PARK.

A TRUE STORY.

|Charlie visited a park with his mother and younger brothers. It was a pleasant place. There was a high tower, and stands, and pavilions, and it was well shaded.

It was just as he was ready to leave the park that he saw a deer. The deer came towards him.

He seemed very tame. He licked Charlie's hand and the hands of the others. He seemed delighted at being caressed.

But somehow he really seemed to be most pleased with Charlie's attentions.

He rubbed his head against Charlie, as if he wanted to say, "I love you." Sometimes his manner was a little too earnest to be quite agreeable. There was, perhaps, just the least hint in the world of bunting; but Charlie thought it only the deer's way of showing his love. "O mamma," he cried, "he loves me better than any of you!"

Then mamma and the children walked slowly towards the gateway. Charlie followed, still playing with the deer. She was startled by a sudden sharp cry of distress: "Mamma, mamma, help me!" All looked. There was the deer bounding off at full speed with Charlie on his back. And Charlie could not even held on to the deer's neck, for he was riding backwards.

The deer was frightened, and was making his best jumps. He went like the wind. No one laughed, for it was a very dangerous ride. In a few seconds Charlie was thrown. Over and over he went, and struck on the edge of a muddy pond.

Luckily he was not badly hurt; but he was very much surprised at his ride, for he had not expected it at all.

The deer had suddenly "bunted" under him while he stood facing him. As he threw up his head Charlie was thrown on the deer's back, facing backwards. And then the ride. The deer was frightened. Charlie was frightened. Mamma and the children were frightened. But what a laugh, all at Charlie's expense, after it was over! A laugh that broke out again and again for hours after. And how many times Charlie's words were repeated with laughter.--"Mamma, he loves me better thar any of you!"

--CHARLES T. JEROME,

PAWS AND MILK.

````The dogs Fern and Fan

````Are a lovely young span,

```With their ears just as soft as silk.

````But queer little Fem,

````O, when will she learn

`````To eat as a puppy ought,

`````And not

```Put her paws in the basin of milk?=

````Fan growls her advice,

````And declares "You're not nice!"

```Goes back and sits down in disgust;

````Yet of all things to eat,

````Paws and milk are a treat

````To her sister, Fern by name;

`````For shame!

```Shall we send her to bed with a crust?=

--LAVINIA S. GOODWIN.

A PIG CAUGHT IN A SLY TRICK.

|My story is about a potato field in "Old Virginia." It had around it "a stake and rider fence." The potatoes grew and grew, in sunshine, dew, and rain. They were now as big as liens' eggs.

The owner of the field saw that there was something wrong with his potato patch.

The vines were tom up, and the potatoes were gone. But who was the thief? By watching, maybe, the robber might be found out.

The farmer hid himself among some bushes. But he saw nothing, except one of his own little pigs. Piggy was coming slowly, slowly along the big road. He was rooting all the way, and grunting at every step. Did the pig know where he was going?

One corner of the rail fence rested on a large hollow log. That log was just like the elbow of a stove-pipe. One of its ends was outside and one was inside of the potato field.

The sly pig went straight to that log! With a grunt, he crawled in at one end of it, and, with another grunt, he crawled out at the other end, into the field. There he began, at once, to root up the nice potatoes, and to eat them.

The farmer jumped over the fence. In a trice the bars were put down. There was a loud call, "Here, Rover, Rover, seek him! seek him, sir!" And the dog chased the thieving rascal squealing from the field.

The farmer said to himself, "I 'll fix things all right." Then he turned the log so that the elbow was in the field, and both of its ends were on the outside.

Then the farmer hid and watched again. Mr. Pig came along a second time. He thought everything was right. He crawled into the log once more. He crawled through it. But he was still on the outside of the fence!

The pig grunted. He lifted up his head. He looked all around in great surprise. He wondered what was wrong. Then he grunted louder, and tried once more. Again he failed. And he failed as often as he grunted and tried.

The merry farmer laughed loudly at the wicked and astonished pig.

Thieves are sometimes caught in their slyest tricks!

--UNCLE LEE.

WHAT HAPPENED TO BETTY'S DOG.

My cousin Betty had a shepherd dog whose name was Scott. He was a beauty. He followed Betty in all her walks and rides.

He would chase her about until she ran into the tallest tree in the yard; and there she would stay until Scott went home.

One day Scott was out in the street having a frolic with two other dogs. He was run over by a wagon, and one of his legs was broken. Betty and her brother and Bridget all cried when he went limping into the house.

Bridget hid her face in her apron and said, "Sure, the poor beast will be a cripple for life."

Betty soon wiped away her tears, and said she was going after the doctor. The doctor came home with Betty. After looking at the broken bone he said he could set it He thought in a few weeks his leg would be all right again.

Scott whined and looked very pitiful while the doctor was at work on the leg; but it was very soon bound up, and he was put on the lounge, with his head on a pillow. Betty made a johnny-cake and some porridge for him every day.

Sometimes Betty thought he was going to have a fever. But her brother told her as long as his nose was cold there was no danger of a fever.

Betty took such good care of Scott that he was able to walk out with her very soon. It was some time before he could have much fun frolicking with dogs or chasing cats.

THE LIGHT-HOUSE

```Where the solemn waves the whole day long

```Seem saying, "Never! Never!"

```As they creep to the feet of the hollow cliffs,

```Fall back, roll in, forever,

```There stands a light-house, white and tall,

```That like the house in parable

```Stands "on a rock," and braves the shock

```When tempests beat and torrents fall.

```Ghost-like at early dawn it looms

```Above the gray cold ocean;

```And, dull and chill, stands gloomy still

```When wakes all else to motion.

```But when the evening shadows sink,

```And all the lonesome stony coast

```Is lost to sight, while through the night

```Drives in the storm-clouds black as ink,

```'T is then that from that silent pile

```Darts far a ruddy dawning,

```Lighting the gloom, where the breakers boom,

```In priceless, ceaseless warning!=

--F. H. COSTELLOW.

AN ODD BABY.

|It is ten years, and more, since John and Sue Bent went out West to live: they were quite small then. On the way out, in the cars, they had two things to talk about.

John was so glad to hear that they were to go in a boat, "up the great river with a long name," as he said.

Sue added, "O, I do hope we shall see some Indians, out West!" When they came to the river, they found that the boats could not run. It was spring, but the ice was not yet gone; so they had to go up the river in a _sleigh-stage_, on the ice.

John did not like this; no one liked it, for it did not seem safe. All were glad when they were on land once more.

"Well, John," said little Sue; "we did not go in the boat; but maybe we shall see some Indians now!"

This made the rest laugh, for no one thought Sue would have her wish. But, as they rode up the street of the town, some one cried out:

"Why, little girl, there goes an Indian, to be sure!"

"Yes, and his squaw is behind him. Look, Sue! Look, John!"

"The squaw has her pappoose on her back, too!" cried John.

As they came up to the Indians, how they all did laugh! For the squaw had a little dog on her back, in place of a baby, or pappoose, as they say. It rode in a fold of her blanket, as snug as could be.

The old Indian did not turn his head as the sleigh drove past But the squaw gave John and Sue a look, as much as to say, "I know why you laugh!"

Was n't it odd of the squaw to carry her dog like a pappoose?

If it had been a child, I dare say she would have had it strapped to a board. The Indians treat their babies so to make them hardy, they say.

I think the dog had the best of it: don't you?

--MRS. D. P. SANFORD.

TESSA'S HAPPY DAY.

|Tessa was a little Italian girl. She lived with her grandfather, who was an organ-player. They did not have any home. They wandered about from town to town, and Tessa danced while her grandfather played on the organ. In this way they earned all the money they had.