we raced across the yard,
And though I ran as swift and hard
As Cousin Will, yet some way he
Got to the place ahead of me.

Will says to lose is no disgrace,
That trying really makes a race.
Twas trying, he says, made the fun,
That all we wanted was the run.

ALICE TURNER CURTIS.

A BIG PLAYFELLOW

It's lots of fun down in the grass,
A-watching all the things that pass!
You won't come too? I wonder why
It's fun a-playing with the sky!

I guess you are too tall to see;
If you would come down here with me,
And just _ungrow_ a little, you
Could see just what you wanted to.

Such big cloud-ships with sails spread out
To catch the breeze that's all about!
And big gray birds with soft cloud-wings,
And wolves and bears and tiger things!

Just lying down here in the grass,
I've seen about a million pass;
They creep and run and sail and fly--
It's fun a-playing with the sky!

[Illustration: A Big Playfellow]

HAYING TIME

In haying-time my grandpa says
I'm lots of use to him;
I take my nice new wheelbarrow
and fill it to the brim;
The big team comes out, too, and
takes the hay-cocks one by one,
And that and my new wheelbarrow
soon get the haying done.

F. LILEY-YOUNG.

NOBODY

"Nobody b'oke it! It cracked itself;
It was clear 'way up on the toppest shelf.
I--p'rhaps the kitty-cat knows!"
Says poor little Ned,
With his ears as red
As the heart of a damask rose.

_Nobody_ lost it. I carefully
Put my cap just where it ought to be
(No, 'tisn't ahind the door),
And it went and hid,
Why, of course it did,
For I've hunted an hour or more.

"_Nobody tore it_! You know things will
Tear if you're sitting just stock stone still!
I was just jumping over the fence--
There's some spikes on top,
And you have to drop
Before you can half commence."

Nobody! Wicked Sir Nobody!
Playing such tricks on my children three!
If I but set eyes on you,
You should find what you've lost!--
But that, to my cost,
I never am like to do!

[Illustration: Nobody]

MY GARDEN

I have a little garden
All edged with four-o'clocks;
And some of it is sunflowers,
And some is hollyhocks.

And all around the border
I've planted little stones--
A lot of round beach pebbles--
To keep out Rover's bones.

And then, as