There were no mice for kitty, and what could she do? She could not sit still. She saw the little soft white chickens running about in the grass, and she thought she would try to catch one.

So she crouched down, and, without making a bit of noise, was getting ready for a spring.

But the chickens had a dear mother who loved them. When she saw kitty creeping along, she knew that they were in danger: so she flew at kitty, and made a dreadful noise that scared her away.

Then kitty saw a great butterfly flying along in the air. By and by it flew down upon a flower. Kitty sprang and caught it in her mouth.

Then she saw a pretty bird on a bush, singing as hard as he could sing. Kitty crept along under the bush, like a sly little rogue. But the bird saw her coming, and flew away.

One day a bee was coming home with honey. Kitty saw the bee, and caught it in her mouth. I think she will not try to catch any more bees. Can you guess why?

W. O. C.

MINDING BABY

Nurse

Rock the cradle Just a minute; Rock it gently, Baby's in it. If he's sleeping, Do not wake him; If he rouses, Nurse will take him. Sing him now Some little ditty, Sweet and bird-like, Low and pretty. He will hear it In his slumbers, And will feel Its soothing numbers. Sound and sounder He'll be sleeping In the angels' Holy keeping; For they always, Darling Carrie, Near to infants Watch and tarry.

Carrie

Baby, baby, Stop your play now, And to sleep-land Go away now. As the bee's rocked In the lily, I will rock you, Little Willy. As the May-bough Rocks the nest-bird, I will rock you, Mother's best bird. Boys, at play there, Hush your clatter! Don't wake baby With your chatter! In the garden Do not play now: Go and frolic On the hay-mow. I am minding Baby-brother; For, you see, I'm Little mother.

George Bennet.

LITTLE MISCHIEF

VIII

Bessie went into the parlor one day, and noticed that the clock did not tick. "I must wind it up," thought she. "It must be very easy, for you only have to turn the key round and round."

So Bessie began to turn the key. At first it would not move; but then she tried it the other way, and it went round and round quite easily. She was determined to do it thoroughly while she was about it: so she went on winding and winding, and was charmed to hear it begin to tick.

But all at once it made a noise,—burr-r-r-r,—and then it stopped ticking.

IX

The hands, too, that had been going so fast, stood still. What could be the reason of it? Had it really stopped? Bessie put her ear quite near, and listened. Yes, there was not a sound.

She began to feel frightened, and to think that perhaps, after all, she had better have left it alone. Her mother came into the room and said, "What are you doing, Bessie? You must have broken the mainspring of the clock."

"I saw it was not going, mamma, and so I wound it up," sobbed out Bessie: "I did not mean to break it." That was all she could say.

DEEDS, NOT WORDS

Benny says he'll be a soldier: He will march to fife and drum, With a musket on his shoulder; Never stouter heart nor bolder, Where the shots the thickest come. (Yet I've seen the speckled hen Put to rout brave Captain Ben!) Willie longs to be sailor: He will cross the farthest seas; 'Mid the terror and commotion Of the dark, tempestuous ocean, He will pace his deck at ease. (Storms are certain when we scrub Willie in his bathing-tub.) Nellie hears with awe and wonder Of the perils they will seek; Weeps at thought of cruel slaughter; Prays for seamen on the water; Blushes for her courage weak: (Yet the best thing, Nellie dear, Is to do the duty near.)

A. D. W.

HOW THE WIND FILLS THE SAILS

"What makes the vessel move on the river?" asked little Anna one day of her brother Harry.

"Why," said Harry, "it's the wind, of course, that fills the sails, and that pushes the vessel on. Come out on the bank, and I will show you how it is done."

So Anna, Harry, and Bravo, all ran out on the lawn. Bravo was a dog; but he was always curious to see what was going on.

When they were on the lawn, Harry took out his handkerchief, and told Anna to hold it by two of the corners while he held the other two.

As soon as they had done this, the wind made it swell out, and look just like a sail.

"Now you see how the wind fills the sails," said Harry.

"Yes; but how does it make the ship go?" asked Anna.

"Well, now let go of the handkerchief, and see what becomes of it," said Harry.

So they both let go of it; and off the wind bore it up among the bushes by the side of the house.

In order to explain the matter still further to his sister, Harry made a little flat boat out of a shingle, and put in it a mast, and on the mast a paper sail.

Then they went down to the river and launched it; and, much to Anna's delight, the wind bore it far out towards the middle of the stream.

Bravo swam out, took it in his mouth, and brought it back; and Anna was at last quite satisfied that she knew how it is that the wind makes the vessel go on the river.

Dora Burnside.

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