than a minute; its just as easy as
knitting-work."

Prudy thought for a few seconds, and then recited the following lines
in a sing-song tone:--

"When the sun
Had got his daily work done,
He put a red silk cloud on his head,
(_For a night-cap you know,_)
And went to bed.
He was there all sole alone;
For just at that very time the moon
(_That isn't a very nice rhyme, but I can't help it,_)
Was dressed and up,
And had eaten her sup-
Per. 'Husband,' said Mrs. Moon, 'I can't stop to kiss you good by;
I've got to leave you now and go up in the sky.'"

"O, how pretty!" said Dotty; "how it jingles! Did you make that up in
your own head?"

"Yes, indeed; just as fast as I could knit once round. I could do a
great deal better if I should spend more time. I mean to take a slate
some time and write it all full of stars, and clouds, and everything
splendid. I shall say, 'What a pity it is that a nice husband and wife,
like the sun and moon, can't ever live together, but have to keep
following each other round the sky and never get near enough to shake
hands!' I'll pretend that it makes the moon look very sober indeed, but
the sun isn't so tender-hearted; so he can bear it better. O, Dotty,
don't you let me forget to put that into poetry! I can jingle it off,
and make it sound beautiful!"

"I should think you might put my verse into poetry, too. Can't you say
'a pill rolled down hill?'" said Dotty.

"O, I can make poetry of it easier than that. You don't need to change
but one word:--

'There was a little boy going down hill,
He leaped, he foamed, he struggled;--and all was _still_.'"

Dotty repeated it several times with much delight. "That's beautiful,"
said she, "now honest; and I did almost the whole of it myself!"

After this she began to grow drowsy, and, forgetting her troubles, fell
asleep, to the great relief of poor sister Prudy, who was not long in
following her.

Next morning Prudy awoke at nearly the usual time; but her sister was
still in the land of dreams, and she stole out of the room without
disturbing her.

"Grandmamma," said she, "Dotty has had an awful night! I've had to be up
with her, and trying to pacify her, most of the time."

"A whole hour," said grandma, smiling.

"O, grandma, it was nearly all night, but there didn't anybody know it;
we talked low, so we needn't disturb you."

Grandmother and Aunt Maria smil