ils, and all those little things--everybody knows
that. But the main things, beside food, the things, too, that some
little girls fail in, are air, sunshine, water and smiles. Elsie had
all these and therefore she looked clean and fresh and pretty.

She had on a dress too, naturally, but I don't know just what kind of
a one it was, for that is a small matter compared with the body
itself. I think it was some kind of a calico, made for vacation
frolicing, for Elsie was a city girl staying in the country for the
summer, and almost anything was good enough for that.

So Elsie, fresh and clean, dancing and singing up the lane, swinging
her pail of crystal water, the loveliest sight in the whole lovely
landscape, came in view of the house where they were staying. And no
sooner had she caught a glimpse of her mother on the porch than, eager
to tell her funny experience, she ran forward in pleasant excitement,
crying out:

"Oh, mamma! Such a queer thing--Oh, Oh, it was an engine, the biggest,
biggest you ever saw--and--and it stepped on my nose--I mean it was
only a bumble-bee and--it--it almost ran right over me--"

"Isn't my little girl somewhat mixed in her speech!" smiled her mother
as Elsie paused for breath.

"I--I guess I--I am!" Elsie faltered. "But then, I'm so excited!"

"Yes, you are excited," smiled her mother, putting her arm around her
shoulders and walking with her to the kitchen. "And when you are calm
you may tell me all about it."

So Elsie carried the pail of water to the sink and set it on its
shelf. And when she had worked off her surplus energy in this way she
felt sober enough to tell her story clearly, and she did so, snuggled
in her mother's arms in the hammock on the porch. She finished by
saying:

"Wasn't that a funny thing, mamma, that I should dream that the
bumble-bee was an engine just going to run over me!"

Then the really important part of the story began. Her mother
answered:

II

WHAT THE BEE WANTED OF ELSIE'S NOSE

"Yes, it may seem funny, but it is natural. When you were asleep you
heard the bee buzzing and rumbling, and the sound reminded you of an
engine, so you began to picture an engine in your mind, and with the
queer mixture of fact and fancy that are common to dreams you thought
it was coming right at you. And it was only a bumble-bee taking a look
at your little red-and-white nose."

Elsie clapped her hands and laughed. Then she asked:

"What did the bee