And his wool so white

Oh, he is my darling, my heart's delight."
And the mother-sheep and the little one,
Side by side lay down in the sun,

And they went to sleep on the hillside warm,
While my little lammie lies here on my arm.

I went to the kitchen, and what did I see
But the old gray cat with her kittens three!
I heard her whispering soft; said she,
"My kittens with tails so cunningly curled
Are the prettiest things that can be in the world.
The bird on the tree,

And the old ewe, she

May love their babies exceedingly,
But I love my kittens there

Under the rocking-chair;

I love my kittens with all my might,

I love them at morning, noon, and night;

Now I'll take up my kitties, the kitties I love,

And we'll lie down together beneath the warm stove." Let the kittens sleep under the stove so warm,

While my little kitten lies here on my arm.

I went to the yard, and saw the old hen

Go clucking about with her chickens ten.

She clucked, and she scratched, and she bustled away,
And what do you think I heard the hen say ?
I heard her say, "The sun never did shine

On anything like to these chickens of mine!

You may hunt the full moon and the stars if you please,
But you never will find such ten chickens as these.

My dear downy darlings, my sweet little things,
Come, nestle now cosily under my wings."

So the hen said

And the chickens all sped,

As fast as they could to their nice feather bed;
And there let them sleep in their feathers so warm,
While my little chick lies here on my arm.

Mrs. Carter.

To parents and

Mrs. June,

friends,

Of the firm of Summer and Sun,

Announces the opening of her school, Established in the year one.

The Junior class will bring,

In lieu of all supplies,

Eight little fingers and two little thumbs For the making of pretty sand pies.

The Senior class, a mouth

For strawberries and cream, A nose apiece for a rose apiece, And a tendency to dream.

The lectures are thus arranged:
Professor Cherry Tree
Will lecture to the climbing class,
Terms of instruction-free.

Professor the Forest Spring
Will take the class in drink,

And the class in titilation,
Sage Mr. Bobolink.

Young Mr. Ox Eye Daisy

Will demonstrate each day On botany, on native plants, And the properties of hay.

Miss Nature, the class in fun
(A charming class to teach);

And the swinging class and the bird's-nest class
Miss Hickory and Miss Beech.

And the sleepy class at night,

And the dinner class at noon,

And the fat, and laugh and roses class,
They fall to Mrs. June.

And she hopes her little friends
Will be punctual as the sun,

For the term, alas! is very short,
And she wants them every one.

Susan Coolidge.

PUSSY'S CLASS.

"Now, children," said Puss, as she shook her head, "It is time your morning lesson was said." So her kittens drew near with footsteps slow, And sat down before her all in a row.

"Attention, class!" said the cat mamma,
"And tell me quick where your noses are
At this all the kittens sniffed the air,
As if it were filled with a perfume rare.

!

"Now, what do you say when you want a drink?" The kittens waited a moment to think,

And then the answer came clear and loud

You ought to have heard how those kittens meow'd!

"Very well. 'Tis the same with a sharper tone,
When you want a fish or a bit of bone.

Now what do you say when children are good?"
And the kittens purred as soft as they could.

"And what do you do when children are bad?
When they tease and pull?" Each kitty looked sad.
"Pooh!" said their mother, "That isn't enough;
You must use your claws when children are rough."
"And where are your claws? No, no, my dear,"
As she took up a paw, 66
See, they're hidden here.”
Then all the kittens crowded about,

To see their sharp little claws brought out.

They felt quite sure they should never need
To use such a weapon-oh no, indeed!

But their wise mamma gave a pussy's "pshaw!"
And boxed their ears with her softest paw.

"Now sptsss as hard as you can," she said;
But every kitten hung down its head.
"Sptsss! I say," cried the mother cat;
But they said, "Oh mamma, we can't do that."

"Then go and play," said the fond mamma;
"What sweet little idiots kittens are!

Ah well! I was once the same, I suppose,"
And she looked very wise and rubbed her nose.

*12*

M. M. D

HUNTING EGGS.

"Who wants to hunt eggs?" shouted Charlie the bord; "Who wants to climb on the hay?”

"Oh, I!" clamored Fannie and Will;

"And I, too," pleaded three-year-old May.

So they rushed to the barn, helter-skelter, and soon
Were driving about with a zest,

In the corners and rafters, the mangers and hay,
To see who could find the first nest.

"And who gets the most eggs shall beg Grandma to bake A cake we can share all around ;

So Fannie suggested; and the boys cried "Hurrah!
We'll have every egg can be found!"

Nimble Charlie went clambering about like a cat,
And soon counted, one, two, three, four!
And then, with the pearly white eggs in his hat,
Slid carefully down to the floor.

"There's a nest!" Fannie cried, from far up on the mow, "Right here in the hay! one, two, three!"

And in her white apron she gathered them up,

As happy and glad as could be.

"Old Speckle's on mine!" shouted Will, but just then, With a cackle, away the hen flew.

"Dear me !" said poor Will, "I was sure I would beat, And here I have got only two!"

"Where's May?" they all questioned; Oh, where has she gone?"

"Here! here I is. I's foun' a nes'!"

And her curly brown head from the manger popped out,
Just under the nose of Black Bess.

"Oh, sit still now, May, or horsie may bite!"

But she counted, " one, two, three, four, five!" And they rushed to her rescue with laugh and with shout; "She's got the most, sure as you live!”

But there she was sitting in sweetest content;
And down in her snug little lap

Five soft little kitties lay rolled into balls,
Contentedly taking a nap.

Zion's Herald.