RRIES.

Readers of _Chatterbox_ will remember a story which told how a child
saved a German town; here is another tale of a siege in which children
played an important part.

One morning, during the siege of Hamburg, a weary merchant was slowly
returning to his house. With other business men, he had been aiding in
the defence of the walls. So severe had been the fighting that he had
not taken off his clothes for a week.

He reflected bitterly that all his labour was in vain, for by the
following day famine would have compelled a surrender. Passing through
his garden, he found himself admiring his cherry-trees, which were
loaded with fruit. The mere sight was refreshing, and a thought occurred
to the merchant. He was aware that the enemy were suffering from thirst.
How glad they would be of that juicy fruit! Could he not by its means
purchase safety for his city?

There was no time to lose, and he speedily made up his mind. He
collected three hundred small children belonging to the city, had them
all dressed in white, and loaded them with cherry-branches from his
orchard. Then the gates were opened, and they were sent forth in the
direction of the enemy.

When the commander of the besieging force saw the white-robed procession
passing through the gates he suspected some trick, and prepared for
battle; but when the children came nearer, and he saw how pale and thin
they were from want of food, tears filled his eyes, for he thought of
his own little ones at home.

As the thirsty--and, in some cases, wounded--soldiers received the juicy
fruit from the children's hands, a cheer arose from the camp. Love and
pity had conquered. The little ones returned accompanied by waggons of
food for the famished citizens, and an honourable treaty of peace was
signed the next day.

For many years, the anniversary of the day on which this deed was done
was kept as a holiday, its name being 'The Feast of Cherries.' The
streets were thronged with children, each one carrying a cherry-branch.
Then they ate the cherries themselves, in honour of their brave little
forerunners, the saviours of their city of Hamburg.

[Illustration: "He loaded the children with cherry branches."]

[Illustration: "One pig went squealing down the road."]

TOO CLEVER.

Jim Brown stood at the farmer's door--
'I want a job,' he said.
'Well, lad, have you done aught before?'
But Jim just shook his head;
An idler boy he'd