fulness that
filled the heart of every person in this story, when thought arose of
that vessel which was so mercifully drifted into port.

THE END.

[Illustration]

JOHNNY'S LOST BALL.

BY LLOYD WYMAN.

Johnny had a silver dollar.

Johnny also had a good friend in the schoolmaster who, in various ways,
had so interested the boy in natural philosophy that he desired of all
things to possess a book on the subject, that he might study for
himself.

Therefore, on the very first spare afternoon Johnny had, he rolled up
his silver dollar in many folds of paper, tucked it snugly away in a
lonesome corner of an old castaway pocket-book, and started for the
village book-store; but, when he found the many nicely bound volumes
too dear for his pocket, he choked, and nearly cried for
disappointment.

"Hold on!" said the book-seller, as he slipped his lead-pencil behind
his ear, and stepped briskly to a little shelf of rusty-looking books.

"Here are some second-hand copies of Comstock, Parker and Steele, any
of which you can have for seventy-five cents,--have your pick for six
shillings. Comstock and Parker are in the best repair, and are finer
print; but for _me_, give me Steele! In buying second-hand books,
always choose the banged-up fellows. Comstock and Parker tell
everything that everybody knows or guesses. Steele biles his'n down.
But do just as you've a mind to: it wont make a bit o' difference to me
one way or the other."

Johnny took Steele, handed over his dollar, and received twenty-five
cents in change.

Before the money was fairly stowed away in his wallet his eye fell upon
a beautiful rubber ball, painted in various brilliant colors, which lay
in the show case. The book-seller tossed it upon the clean-swept floor,
and up it bounded to the ceiling.

"The last of the lot," said he; "filled with air; that's why it bounces
so; been selling at thirty cents; will close this out at twenty-five;
every boy ought to have one; children cry for 'em; just the thing for
'hand-ball,'--what d' y' say?"

"I'll take it," said Johnny; and he took his book and ball and hurried
home, "dead broke" financially, but happy, nevertheless.

Being open-hearted, he told his folks about his purchase, and they were
inclined to find fault with him, though I do not know why. He seemed
never to tire of his book and ball, but would change from one to the
other, and for some days was as happy as a king is supposed to be.