When you see a bumblebee, ain't you 'fraid?"

"No!" with scorn.

"Ain't you 'fraid when it thunders?"

"No," with laughter. "Oh, you silly, silly child!"

"Papa," said Evelyn, solemnly, "ain't you 'fraid of nothing in the
world but mama?"

Afraid to breathe, almost, the returned reveller crept quietly into
his bedchamber as the gray dawn was breaking. Sitting on the edge of
the bed, he cautiously undid his boots. But, with all his care, his
wife stirred in bed, and he presently was all too well aware of a pair
of sleepy eyes regarding him over the edge of the sheet.

"Why, Tom," yawned the little woman, "how early you are this morning!"

"Yes, my dear," replied Tom, stifling a groan, "I've got to go to
Montreal for the firm today."

And replacing his footgear the wretched man dragged his aching limbs
out again into the cold and heartless streets.

A philanthropic New York woman was entertaining, in the spacious
grounds of her suburban residence, a large number of East-Side
children. On her rounds of hospitality she was impressed with one
strikingly beautiful little girl. She could not have been more than
nine years old, but her coal-black eyes flashed with intelligence. The
hostess introduced herself and began a conversation.

"Does what you see here today please you?" she asked. The child eyed
her host in silence.

"Talk away," said the lady. "Don't be afraid."

"Tell me," then said the child, "how many children have you got?"

Astonished at the question, the lady hesitated for a moment, and then
entered into the fun of the situation.

"Ten," she replied.

"Dear me," answered the child, "that is a very large family, I hope
you are careful and look after them. Do you keep them all clean?"

"Well, I do my best."

"And is your husband at work?"

"My husband does not do any kind of work. He never has."

"That is very dreadful," replied the little girl earnestly, "but I
hope you keep out of debt."

The game had gone too far for Lady Bountiful's enjoyment of it.

"You are a very rude and impertinent child," she burst out, "to speak
like that, and to me."

The child became apologetic. "I'm sure I didn't mean to be, ma'am,"
she explained. "But mother told me before I came that I was to be
sure to speak to you like a lady, and when any ladies call on us, they
always ask us those questions."

A gentleman who had married his cook was giving a dinner party and
between the courses the good lady s