ad she was that she had not left those scraps of paper for mamma to
pick up! It is always safe to listen to the little inward voice that
says, "Do right."

"Do tell me a story," "What can I play?" "What shall I do next?" the
little folks cry to the grown-ups, and all these things take time to
attend to. If the children who are too small to do any work to "help
mamma," would oftener amuse themselves, as Alice did, they would help
much more than perhaps they think.--_Written for Dew Drops by Mary
Harris_.

* * * * *

OUR SKATING RINK.

The wind blew shrill, the sky was gray:
"Oh, dear," sighed Molly, "how it rains!
Let's think of some new game to play,
I'm getting very tired of trains."

"I know," said Jack: "it will be fun!"
And seized some paper, pen and ink;
"Look, look," cried Susie, "what he's done:
He's written, 'To the Skating Rink!'"

The children thought it strange of him
To pin it up upon the wall;
"We haven't any skates," said Jim;
"It isn't any good at all."

But Jack looked wise. "Oh, yes," said he,
"I've thought of just the very thing;
These railway trucks do splendidly--
We'll tie them on our feet with string."

They did, and all began to skate.
But Jack, I fear, was rather rash;
He _would_ start off at such a rate
That down he tumbled with a crash!

He wasn't hurt. "I'm quite all right,"
He cried, and scrambled up again;
And on they skated with delight,
Forgetting all about the rain!
--_Selected_.

* * * * *

Why Betty Changed Her Mind

By Marie Deacon Hanson

[Illustration]

Each day, on her way to school, Betty called for Robbie Porter. There
were two reasons why she did this. One was that she had promised Mrs.
Porter she would, the other was that the little boy's mother always
gave Betty a cooky, or a piece of candy, or sometimes a penny. Betty
never wanted anyone to know about this second reason, which made her
feel ashamed of herself, whenever she thought of it.

"Just as if you couldn't do a kind thing for your neighbor without
expecting to get something for doing it," she would say scornfully to
herself.

One afternoon, Mrs. Porter met Betty in the grocery, and said to her:
"Deary, shall you mind calling for Robbie about ten minutes earlier in
the morning? I want to