r New Hampshire home.

WILLIE AND HIS DOG DIVER

BY H. N. POWERS

Willie was a very little child and lived near a mill. One day he saw a
big cruel boy come along and throw a little puppy into the mill-pond,
and then run away. Willie cried out: "O Papa, Papa, do come here!"

"What is the matter?" said his papa.

"Oh, Papa! I want the little doggie! Please get him for me. He will be
drowned!"

His papa took a long pole and put it under the puppy's neck and pulled
it out of the water and gave it to Willie. He was very happy with his
dog, which, by next year, grew to be a big, strong, shaggy fellow, and
was named Diver. He used to go with Willie everywhere the boy went, and
he loved Willie very much. Everybody said: "What a beautiful dog!" and
Willie was proud of him.

One day when the nuts were ripe, Willie took his basket and went to pick
hazelnuts. One big bush full of nuts hung over a deep place in the
mill-pond, and, as Willie reached for the top branch, he slipped and
fell in the water out of sight. But when he came up, Diver jumped in,
took him by his collar, and brought him safe to land. So if it was good
for Willie to save the dog's life when he was a little puppy, it was
good for the dog to save Willie's life when _he_ was a little boy.

And that was Diver's way of thanking Willie for saving his life. It was
a very good way, too! And Willie and Diver were always the best of
friends.

GORDON'S TOY CASTLE ON THE HILL

BY EVERETT WILSON

Last Christmas little Gordon Bruce had a fine, large Christmas tree and
lots of toys, just as a great many other nice boys and girls had. The
tree was up in his playroom, a great, big, sunny room that used to be
called the "nursery" when he was a baby.

A few days after Christmas, Gordon's mother said: "Now, Gordon, I think
we will have to take down your Christmas tree, for it is getting all
dried up, and the little pine needles are dropping all over the floor,
and the maid has to sweep them up every day."

Gordon was sorry to have the tree taken down, for it looked so bright
and Christmas-y, and he knew it would be a whole year before he would
have another Christmas tree, so he asked his mother if she wouldn't wait
just one day more. I think that is the way almost all the girls and boys
feel. And his mother said she would wait until to-morrow.

It was a rainy day, and as none of his little friends were with him, he
began to play with all his toys one after the