HENRY W. LONGFELLOW.

I will dig me a garden and plant it with seeds,
I will hoe and water it and keep down the weeds;
Then perhaps some of these bright summer days,
To mamma I can carry big boquets.

CARYL'S PLUM.

"He put in his thumb
And pulled out a plum."

So sang Caryl over the stairs.

"Now if HE pulled out a plum, why shouldn't SHE?" she said to herself,
halting a bit by the landing window. "And a good big plum too--nice and
juicy. O Aunt Sylvia, Aunt Sylvia!"

She fairly hugged herself in glee, then drew one long breath and dashed
on to her own poor little room.

"Oh, you here, Viny?" she exclaimed in surprise as she flung open the
door.

A small figure rose to a perpendicular position in front of the old
bureau, while a shoving-to of the under drawer proclaimed some attention
having been paid to the pretty laces, ribbons, and various other
adornments packed away for safe keeping.

Caryl remembered leaving the key in the drawer after taking out a bit of
lavender ribbon the night before for Aunt Sylvia's cap.

"What have you been doing?" she asked sharply; and taking hold of the
small wiry shoulder, she looked down into a little black face whose eyes
were staring solemnly into the farthest corner of the room.

"Ben doin'?" repeated Viny, scared almost to death inwardly, but
preserving a cool exterior. "Nothin', only shettin' the draw'; plaguey
thing wouldn't stay put. Tore my dress," she added mumblingly to fill
out the pause.

"Where?" said Caryl, looking sharply at her.

"Dar," said Viny, with a violent twist, so that she could compass the
back breadths of her blue gingham frock, and she pointed abruptly to a
cat-a-cornered rent.

"Oh, no, you didn't," contradicted Caryl, looking her through and
through, and giving her a small shake, "tear that either; I heard Maum
Patty scold you yesterday for letting Jip bite it and snip out a piece."

"Well, somefin tore," said Viny. "I donno whar 'tis, but it's somewhars.
A mighty smart tare, too, Miss Ca."

"I'll lock, and lock, and lock," declared the young girl, now down on
her knees before her precious drawer, "before I run the chance of your
rummaging fingers getting here again. Now then, Viny!"

"Yes'm," said the little black girl obsequiously, and rolling her eyes
to all quarters; "Oh, yes'm!"

"We are going to move, Viny," said her young mistress, taking the key
out of its lock, and tu