"Cuckoo, cuckoo!" And over the bird, on the top of the clock, a
little man started up in a red coat, with sabre and musket complete, and
began to march backwards and forwards.

Henry did not look up to see the bird and the little man; for he wanted
to be out in the garden at play with his sister, instead of trying to
write a theme on the "Flight of Time."

At last Henry finished his theme in these words: "Time does not fly at
all fast for me when I am trying to write a theme. On the contrary, it
seems very long indeed. We ought to improve our time. We ought to work.
Life is short. My theme is ended. And now, having written the required
number of words, I will go out in the garden, and see if any peaches
have fallen during the night."

So Henry ran out in the garden; and he and his sister had a good frolic
among the flowers and the fruit-trees. Whether he got a good mark, the
next day at school, for his theme on the "Flight of Time," I cannot tell
you.

CARL HEINSMAN.

[Illustration]

IN THE MAPLE WOODS.

IN the early spring, when the snow melts, thousands of men in the
Northern and Western States are busy making maple-sugar. If you have
seen only the dirty-looking brown cakes of maple-sugar sold in many
places, you know very little about it. I have seen it as white as snow,
although it is generally brown. Then there is the nice sirup; and did
you ever eat any maple-candy? Well, I will tell you a story.

Willy and his sisters lived in Vermont, where a
great deal of maple-sugar is made. One spring,
when their Cousin Leonard came to see them,
they thought it would be fine fun to go to the
maple woods, where the men had been making
sugar, and try to make some candy. It was a
bright day, not very cold, although some snow
was still left upon the ground.

"Mother," said Willy, "may we go to the woods
to-day, and make some maple-candy?"--"Yes,"
said his mother, "only be careful not to wet
your feet."--"Oh! what a nice time we will
have!" said the two girls; and they all clapped
their hands for joy.

In a few minutes their mother had put them up a
nice luncheon. Then they took a small kettle,
two or three tin cups, three spoons, and a
hatchet. These things they packed upon a
hand-sled; and, when all was rea