Cousin Charlie's Visit.

[Ill.u.s.tration:]

"I have a surprise for you, dears," said mother, coming into the nursery one morning, followed by a bright-looking boy about ten years of age. "Here is your Cousin Charlie come to spend the day with you."

Dolly and May were delighted, and Mother said they might stay out all the morning. For the first hour they were very happy--there were so many new things to show Charlie; but he was one of those restless boys who get tired of everything very quickly.

"What shall we do next?" he kept saying. They tried hunting for eggs in the barn, but he soon called that "slow."

"Let's go and pick blackberries in the upper field," said little May.

So they started off and had only picked a very little while when Charlie suddenly asked: "Whose orchard is that just across the next field?"

"It's Farmer Giles's," said Dolly.

"Let's climb over and get some apples," was his next idea.

Dolly and May opened their eyes very wide. "That would be stealing,"

they cried, both together.

"Nonsense," said Charlie. "That's just like girls--always afraid to do anything. I mean to get a pocketful, so you can wait till I come back."

They waited and waited such a long time, but he never came, so they went slowly home. It was nearly tea-time when nurse came and said: "Farmer Giles has brought Cousin Charlie back." And a very miserable-looking boy he was.

When he had filled his pockets and meant to come down, he saw Rover, the savage farm dog, waiting for him below; so he had to stay in the tree, and might have had to remain all night, only the farmer happened to ride by and heard the dog barking.

Dolly and May were very sorry for him, and their mother did not scold him as she meant to do, because, she said, "the fright had been punishment enough."

_F. Clifton Bingham._

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE PICNIC PARTY.]

Dan's Picnic.

It was one of Dan's birthdays. He had had a party on the 1st of every month since the time that he was born, which happened to be New Year's Day. And if you asked Reggie and Flo they would tell you that Dan quite looked forward to his monthly parties, and, what is more, enjoyed them. You see, a whole year is a very long time. Boys and girls may grow to be old men and women and have lots of birthdays; but a doggie's life is comparatively short, so the more festivals they can squeeze into it the better.

Now, on this particular September 1st of which I am going to tell you, it was arranged that the milkman was to take Reggie and Flo and Dan home with him in his cart directly he had delivered the morning's milk, and bring them back again at tea-time. This he did: and how Reggie and Flo did enjoy themselves, to be sure!

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The milkman had two little friends staying with him, named Reuben and Jane. Reuben led the way into the woods carrying a kettle and a box of tea-things; while Reggie and Jane and little Flo followed with buns and tarts. Dan was useful too, for he helped to gather sticks with which to boil the kettle. He played hide-and-seek with the children, saw a real live rabbit for the first time in his life, and thought it was a new kind of cat; so in one way he had a very good time, but I am very sorry to tell you that the children quite forgot that Dan could not drink tea or eat jam tarts, and, as for buns, they knew he hated them. So poor Dan got nothing to eat at his own party. And when good-bye was said, and when the kind milkman dropped the three down on the steps--just like the milk-cans--Dan raised a feeble little "bow-wow" to Reggie's mother, and said as plainly as a little doggie could: "O, missis, missis! It's been _my_ party and I've had nuffin'

to eat. All I got was an empty nut-sh.e.l.l--'bow-wow'--which somebody called a squirrel--'bow-wow'--dropped into my mouth--'bow-wow'--while I was looking up a tree--'bow-wow-wow'!"

Reggie's mother must have understood, for she gave Dan a good supper, and he slept right soundly till morning.

_Mary Boyle._

Bringing home the holly.

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With hearts as light as snow-flakes fall, With cheeks like sunset glow, And ringing shouts of joy and fun, Away the children go.

Away! to where the holly-tree, With berries gleaming bright, Stands like a shivering giant in Its glistening cloak of white.

There's Roy, to take the sledge in hand And pilot through the snow.

"The girls don't understand," he says.

(Just like a boy, you know!)

Then back they bring the loaded sledge, With fingers p.r.i.c.ked and sore.

But what care they? They'll go again To-morrow for some more.

For children love the Christmas-time, When everything is jolly; And all must help to deck the house In mistletoe and holly!

And then comes good St. Nicholas, With loads of books and toys.

Yes, Christmas is the _dearest_ time For happy girls and boys.

_Ellyn Hall._

[Ill.u.s.tration: BRINGING HOME THE HOLLY.]

THE DANDELION CHILDREN

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"What little darlings we are!" said the children one day.

They were all sitting fluffed up into one little downy ball on the top of a long stem.

"It is very nearly time for us to go into the world," said they. "O, how wide and how sunny it is, and what fun it will be! Our wings are all ready to fly, and we are so light and happy! Then the whole world will be ours, and we can choose our own place in which to take root and grow.

"I will grow in a lovely garden," said one.

"I mean to be seen, wherever I am," another declared.