"Some creatures have been here," answers little madam, indignantly,--"huge, ugly monsters, with horns; cows, I believe they are called. They have torn up the reeds, and muddied the water; and, if you will believe it, Dabchick, one of them nearly walked right over me; then I flew in his face, and gave him a good fright, I can tell you. But the whole thing has upset me very much, and I am determined to leave the place."

"Very well, my love," says the dutiful Dabchick. "Whatever you say is always right!"

Accordingly, when she has finished her dinner, Mrs. Grebe puts one foot into the water, and paddles her raft away as skilfully as if she were an Indian in a birch canoe. She steers it round the corners, and paddles on and on, till she finds another quiet nook, where there is no sign of any "creatures." Then she draws in her paddle-foot, and broods quietly again, while Mr. Grebe, who has followed her, goes to explore the new surroundings, and see what he can pick up for supper.

After a time the muddy brown eggs crack open one by one, and out come the young Dabchicks, pretty, little, fuzzy brown b.a.l.l.s. They shake themselves, and look at each other, and say how-d'-ye-do to their mother and father; and then, without any more delay, pop! they go into the water. "Hurrah!" says one. "I can swim!"

PRETTY POLLY PRIMROSE.

Out here papa finds her, Lifts her tenderly, Carries her safe home again,-- Never once wakes she.

[Ill.u.s.tration: {POLLY ASLEEP UNDER A TREE.}]

When the breakfast all is o'er Polly opes her eyes.

"Surely, mamma, I did dream,"

Says she in surprise, "That I went out to the Park, Where the birdies sing."

Mamma smiles; how can she chide The winsome little thing!

AMANDA M. DOUGLAS.

[Ill.u.s.tration: {A PAIR OF BIRDS.}]

LOOK AT THE BABY.

This way and that way, one, two, three.

Come if you want a dance to see; With his chubby hands on his dress so blue, See what a baby boy can do.

One foot up and one foot down; See him try to smile and frown; He would look better, I do declare, With some more teeth and a little more hair.

One, two, three, chick-a-dee-dee!

This I take the fact to be, That there never was, on sea nor sh.o.r.e, Such a queer little dance as this before!

AN UNLUCKY SAIL.

When little Sam was six years old, he began to go to school. His teacher gave him a merit card whenever he was good all day. But sometimes he whispered, or made a noise in school, and then he did not get one.

"I will give you a penny whenever you bring home a card," said Sam's father.

After that Sam was very good, and brought home a card almost every day. He saved up his pennies, and when he was seven years old, he bought a pretty toy boat.

Sam's sister Hattie went with him to the duck-pond to see him sail the boat. But soon she grew tired, and went back to the house.

"I wish I had something to put into my boat," thought Sam.

He looked around and saw Hattie's doll under a tree. Hattie had forgotten it when she went to the house. It was a pretty wax doll, with long flaxen hair, and blue eyes that would open and shut. It was dressed in pink silk, and had a little straw hat with a pink feather.

[Ill.u.s.tration: {SAM AND HIS SAILING BOAT, AND WHAT HAPPENED TO MISS DOLLY.}]

"I will give Miss Dolly a sail," thought Sam.

He put the doll in the boat, and pushed it out on the water.

"Hattie, Hattie!" he cried, "come and see your doll taking a sail."

Just as he spoke an old duck swam against the boat, and gave it such a push that Miss Dolly fell off into the water. Before Sam could reach her with a long stick she sank to the bottom of the pond.

Hattie cried until she had no tears left to shed, and Sam felt like crying, too. He knew he ought not to have taken his sister's doll.

He went on saving his pennies just as he had done before he bought the boat. And when he opened his tin bank on his next birthday he found that he had nearly three dollars. What do you think he bought? I am afraid you would never guess, so I will tell you. He bought a new doll for Hattie, and it was even prettier than the one he had drowned in the duck-pond.

FLORENCE B. HALLOWELL.

[Ill.u.s.tration: {HATTIE AND SAM AFTER THE SINKING.}]

TO STRAWBERRY TOWN.

A dear little maid, with sun-bonnet red Tied carefully over her little brown head, With two little bare feet, so active and brown, Has started to travel to Strawberry town.

"And pray where is that?" Oh dear! don't you know?

It's out in the field where the strawberries grow; Where papa, and Henry, and Sue, in the sun, Pick the sweet, big, red berries so fast, one by one.

[Ill.u.s.tration: {THE MAID AND HER KITTENS.}]

"It's a very great ways," says the dear little maid, "To Strawberry town, and I'm so afraid."

And so as companions, to keep her from harm, She takes two fat kittens, one under each arm.

She trudges along with brown eyes opened wide, The kittens hugged sociably up to each side; With ears sticking up and tails hanging down, She carries them bravely to Strawberry town.

MARY A. ALLEN, M.D.