pple to offer.

"Yes, my little dear," said the old woman, sweetly. "Come in and rest,
and then I will take you there."

[Illustration]

But the moment he was inside, she caught hold of him, took off all his
pretty clothes, and dressed him in old rags, and would have cut off his
curls, but the yellow-haired girl said the scissors were rusty, and she
must wait till they were sharpened.

Trotty was dreadfully frightened, and thought he should never get home
again; but when it grew dark the old woman went to sleep on a bed in the
corner, and then the girl with yellow hair dressed him in his own
clothes again, opened the door, and let him run away.

Trotty ran along in the dark until he saw a light, and found it came
from a large house, and all around the house grew beautiful evergreen
trees.

[Illustration]

"Dis must be Santa Tlaus's house," thought Trotty, "for there are the
Tismas trees." So he trotted up to the door, and knocked. It was opened
by a big man with bushy whiskers.

"Is you Santa Tlaus?" asked Trotty.

"Bless us!" said the man. "And if I am, what do you want?"

"I wants a jumping-jack," sobbed Trotty. "And oh! I's tired, and I wants
my supper."

"Bless us!" said the man again. But he caught Trotty up in his arms,
carried him in, and set him in a high chair in front of a great bowl of
bread and milk.

Trotty went to eating right away, for he was very hungry; but before he
came to the bottom of the bowl his head nodded, his eyes closed, and he
was fast asleep.

He never knew how long he slept; but when he woke up he was in his own
little white bed at home, and papa, mamma, and nurse were hugging and
kissing him.

But on the pillow by his side lay a beautiful new jumping-jack; so he
knew he had found the house in the garden of Christmas trees, and seen
good old Santa Claus himself.

BIRDIE'S VANITY.

BY C. L.

Pussie and Kittie strolled out one day
Into the garden to walk and play;
They rolled on the grass, and jumped so high
That the old drake "quacked" as he passed by.
Said he, "I wish I could hop so light,"
And on he hobbled with all his might.

Above, little Susie's Birdie swung;
His cage from a lofty window hung.
As soon as he heard the drake's lament,
His head on mischief was quickly bent.

"Oho, Mister Drake, you soon shall see
That Mistress Puss can not outjump _me_;
And although my legs are short and thin,
I'll wager that in a race I'