up her book. Soon Uncle Ralph came
back.

"Where's your game, Ralph?" asked Aunt Mary.

"Will you believe it," said he: "I got within thirty feet of them; had
the fairest shot that a fellow could possibly have, but somehow I missed
my aim--didn't so much as graze one of them."

"Well, I'm not sorry for it," said Aunt Mary. "We shall enjoy our
luncheon under the trees all the better."

I looked at her, and laughed, but she checked me with a "Hush!"

ALBERT MASON.

FAITHFUL DANDY.

MR. BAXTER, a poor laboring-man, was the owner of a fine dog, whose name
was Dandy. Having to remove from one village to another in the State of
Maine, Mr. Baxter hired a small wagon on which his furniture was packed.
Then he led the horse, while Dandy followed behind.

When he came to the place where he was to stop, Mr. Baxter unloaded his
wagon, but was sorry to find that a chair and a basket were missing
from the back-part of the wagon, and that Dandy, also, could not be
found. The day passed; and, as the dog did not appear, the poor man
feared that something must have happened to him.

[Illustration]

The next day, as Mr. Baxter was on his way back to the old cottage to
take away another load, he heard the bark of a dog, which sounded very
much like Dandy's. Judge how glad he was when he saw by the roadside,
not only his lost property, but his faithful Dandy, seated erect by the
chair and basket, keeping strict guard over them.

They had fallen from the wagon when Mr. Baxter was not looking; but
Dandy had seen them, and, like a good dog, felt it his duty to stay
behind and guard what belonged to his master.

Although left for so long a time without food, the faithful creature had
never quitted the spot where the chair and basket had fallen. But, when
he saw his master, how glad was poor Dandy! He leaped up, put his paws
on the man's shoulders, and barked with joy.

"Good Dandy! good Dandy!" said Mr. Baxter: "you must be hungry, old
fellow! Come along: you shall have a good dinner for this. While I have
a crust of bread, I'll share it with you, you noble old dog."

UNCLE CHARLES.

LEARN YOUR LESSON.

YOU'LL not learn your lesson by crying, my man,
You'll never come at it by crying, my man;
Not a word can you spy, for the tear in your eye,
Then put your mind on it, for s