The hen sat quietly at home,
The male sang merrily;
And all the little robins said,
'Wee, wee, wee, wee, wee, wee.'

One day--the sun was warm and bright,
And shining in the sky--
Cock Robin said, 'My little dears,
'Tis time you learn to fly;'
And all the little young ones said,
'I'll try, I'll try, I'll try.'

"I know a child, and who she is
I'll tell you by and by,
When mamma says, 'Do this' or 'that,'
She says, 'What for?' and 'Why?'
She'd be a better child by far,
If she would say, 'I'LL TRY.'"

When Uncle Morris paused, tears stood in Jessie's eyes, and a bright smile
played round her lips. Putting her hand into his, she said:

"And I'll try, too, Uncle. I'll try till I conquer."

CHAPTER VII.

Jessie's First Great Victory.

After dinner Jessie went to her room and sat awhile, on a cricket with her
head leaning on a chair. She was thinking. I cannot tell you exactly what
passed in her mind, while she was in that brown study, because she never
told me. You can guess, however, when I tell you that after thinking some
five minutes, she rose up, and going to her table, took a pencil and wrote
these words in big letters, on a sheet of note paper:

"I will not go out to play again until I have finished my quilt. This is
my strong resolution, and I mean to keep it, in spite of the little wizard
that tempts me so. He has beaten me a great many times, but he shan't do
it again, as true as my name is Jessie Carlton."

Taking the paper from the table, Jessie held it between her finger and
thumb, read it, and then left the room, saying to herself--

"There, that's a good resolution. I'll keep it in sight all the time; and
if the little wizard comes near me, I'll spear him with it just as Uncle
Morris says the fairies pierce the gnats with their bodkins. Let me see.
How long will it take to finish my quilt? Only two more rows of squares to
sew on. Well, I can sew one row this afternoon and the other to-morrow
morning. Oh good! I'll ask ma to get it into the quilting-frame to-morrow
afternoon, and have it finished while I work the slippers. Won't it be
nice if the quilt and slippers are both ready by Chr