' cried May, when she saw the green ribbon; and she was
so excited she could hardly stand still while she held the garland and
Alice tied it on.

The other children were full of admiration, and May's happy little face,
with the hug she gave her kind sister, quite repaid Alice for her hard
work the evening before, and for getting up with the sun to prepare for
a joyful maying.

M. H.

[Illustration: "She could hardly stand still while Alice tied the ribbon
on."]

[Illustration: "The empty branch bore a label."]

NOT THE SAME THING.

At a college in Cambridge there was once a master who was extremely fond
of figs. He watched his fig-tree very closely and tenderly, for he held
that in the existence of a fig there was but one fit and proper moment
at which the ripe fruit should be eaten. To eat a fig either before or
after that supreme moment was, said the master, a neglect of an
opportunity and a sad mistake.

One year, for some reason, the tree produced only one good fig; and one
day the master's examination of this solitary fruit led him to the
conclusion that it would be at its best on the day following. Then he
did an exceedingly foolish thing--considering that there were
undergraduates about! He wrapped his precious fig in a piece of silver
paper and labelled it 'The Master's Fig!'

At what he judged the exactly right moment of the next day the master
went to the tree, anticipating a brief but exquisite pleasure. Alas! the
fruit had vanished, and the empty branch bore a label with these words;
'A Fig for the Master!'

H. J. H.

INVITATIONS.

The daffodils are nodding;
There's a swaying of the trees;
The playroom window rattles
To the fragrant summer breeze.
There is sunshine in the garden,
And the bees are all a-hum.
Oh, hark, the invitation:
'You must come, come, come!'

The butterfly is glancing
On his wings of golden hue;
Ah! see where now he loiters
O'er that bed of pansies blue;
A moment since he hovered
At this very window-pane,
To see if we were coming
To the garden and the lane.

Hats! hats! for those who want them;
Boots! boots!--oh, lace them, _do_!
Fling open doors and windows,
To let the sunshine through!
When birds and bees and blossoms
Invite us out to play,
Oh, who could well refuse them
Upon so bright a day?

JOHN LEA.

JAPANESE P