s _so_ funny! Stephen just threw his head back and whirled on
his heels, and ran with all his might down the crooked path.

Then the school-bell rang, and Fred's mother kissed him
"good-morning," and he started off with his books, and as he turned
round the corner his white teeth showed prettily as, half laughing, he
said to himself in wonderment, "_Dear little Stevie dog! he just ran
back 'zactly as if he wanted to._"

NOW THE SUN IS SINKING.

Now the sun is sinking
In the golden west;
Birds and bees and children
All have gone to rest;
And the merry streamlet,
As it runs along,
With a voice of sweetness
Sings its evening song.

Cowslip, daisy, violet,
In their little beds,
All among the grasses,
Hide their heavy heads;
There they'll all, sweet darlings!
Lie in happy dreams
Till the rosy morning
Wakes them with its beams.

A RIGMAROLE ABOUT A TEA-PARTY.

Mrs. Dyer
Stirred the fire,
Agnes Stout
Poked it out,
Tommy Voles
Fetched the coals,
Alice Good
Laid the wood,
Bertie Patch
Struck the match,
Charlotte Hays
Made it blaze,
Mrs. Groom
Kept the broom,
Katy Moore
Swept the floor,
Fanny Froth
Laid the cloth,
Arthur Grey
Brought the tray,
Betty Bates
Washed the plates,
Nanny Galt
Smoothed the salt,
Dicky Street
Fetched the meat,
Sally Strife
Rubbed the knife,
Minnie York
Found the fork,
Sophie Silk
Brought the milk,
Mrs. Bream
Sent some cream,
Susan Head
Cut the bread,
Harry Host
Made the toast,
Mrs. Dee
Poured out tea,
And they all were as happy as happy could be.

THE FAIRY BIRD.

"I'm so glad to-morrow is Christmas, because I'm going to have lots
of presents."

"So am I glad, though I don't expect any presents but a pair of
mittens."

"And so am I; but I shan't have any presents at all."

As the three little girls trudged home from school they said these
things, and as Tilly spoke, both the others looked at her with pity
and some surprise; for she spoke cheerfully, and they wondered how she
could be happy when she was so poor she could have no presents on
Christmas.

"Don't you wish you could find a purse full of money right here in the
path?" said Kate, the child who was going to have "lots of presents."