to a cart. For a time the little fellow
was quiet enough, but he got very inquisitive
when being driven towards the
city, and wanted to have a look round. I
managed to quiet him by giving him pieces
of lump-sugar. He arrived safely at the Crystal
Palace, and has lived in an aviary till the
beginning of last month, when he was put
into his new bear-pit. The little fellow has
grown twice the size he was when he first
came. He is very playful, but sometimes
he shows his teeth when he is teased.

[Illustration]

THE PLAY-GROUND.

The lessons are learned, and now we
all join hands, and march to the play-ground.
And a nice play-ground we have,
and every day when it is fine we enjoy
ourselves very much. Some like to swing
round the great pole, others join hands and
form a large ring, and then we try to see
which side of the ring can pull the hardest.
Others like to run a race, and try who will
run three times round the play-ground first.
When it is wet we march round our large
school-room, keeping time with our feet.
And then we have such splendid fun
playing "Tag," first one, and then the
other, racing round over benches, and
under and around the desks, until we are
fairly tired out. Then we hear the bell
ring, and we march in, two by two, to
commence our lessons again.

[Illustration]

[Illustration: U]

Unicorn root,
Good at times for the health.

[Illustration: V]

A beautiful Vine,
All alone by itself.

[Illustration: W]

Wheat in the field,
Gently waved by the wind.

[Illustration: X]

Xanthic flowers, which
Are a bright yellow kind.

[Illustration]

THE STORY OF TOPSY.

Topsy had four kittens, but as it was
settled that we could not keep more
than one, and little Milly Knight wanting
one, the other two had to be drowned. So
Milly came one day and selected a nice little
black and white one. We were very sorry
when Tom took the little creatures and put
them in the pond at the bottom of the
garden. As they were very young and
could not feel much, we thought Topsy
would soon forget them. Well, on the
evening that they were drowned, while the
cook was in her pantry, with the window
open, she saw something come rushing
along, and, in another minute, Topsy leaped
through the window, carrying in her mouth
one of the kittens, dripping wet, which she
laid on the mat and began to lick with all
her might. And how she licked it! Over
and over, and over again, till, as the cook
said,