in leafy tree-tops,
Squirrels frisked without a fear.

In his ear his baby-brother
Baby-wonders tried to speak,
And the kiss of a fond mother
Rested on his dimpled cheek.

Zephyrs from the fragrant lilacs
Fanned his little rosy face,
And the heart's-ease, gemmed with dewdrops,
Smiled at him with gentle grace.

Gliding back with fairy footsteps,
Willie, dropping on his knees,
Softly prayed, "Dear God, I love you!
Make it always happy, please!"

SQUIRRELS.

How pretty little squirrels look perched in the branches of a tree! I
like to watch them as they nimbly run up the trunk or spring from
bough to bough. One or two are generally to be seen in a clump of
great old beeches near a house in the country where I usually spend
some happy weeks in summer; and I will tell you a story of a little
squirrel whose acquaintance I made there last summer.

I happened to be up very early one morning, long before breakfast was
ready or any of the family were down, and I went out into the garden
to enjoy the fresh, sweet smell of the early day. The cows were
grazing in the field beyond, and now and then lowing a friendly
"good-morning" to each other. Some ducks were waddling in procession
down to the pond, quacking out their wise remarks as they went. The
little birds were singing lustily their welcome to the new-born day.
Even the old watch-dog came yawning, stretching, blinking and wagging
his tail in kindly dog-fashion to bid me "good-day" in the summer
sunshine.

As I stood under the great beech trees, taking in with greedy eye and
ear the sights and sounds of country-life so refreshing to a Londoner,
I heard something fall from one of the trees, then a scuffle, and
immediately afterward a white Persian cat belonging to the house
bounded toward me in hot pursuit of a dear little squirrel. I was just
in time to save the poor little animal by stepping between it and the
cat. The squirrel passed under the edge of my dress and made off again
up another tree; so pussy lost her prey.

Soon afterward, when we were at breakfast, the butler told us that one
of the little boys of the village, who had lost a pet squirrel, had
asked if he might look for it in the garden of the house. It had first
escaped into some trees in the park, and he had traced it from them
into the garden. It at once occurred to me that this must be the
little creature I had saved fro