olly Jones--
She said, the other day.
She'd never had a valentine
In all her life; now say,

"I've half a mind to send her this;
'Twill s'prise her so, you see.
That won't be selfish, for I know
She'll not send one to me.

"And Nelly May won't miss it, for
She'll have so many; so
I'll start right off and mail it now
As quick as I can go."
--_Written for Dew Drops by Helen M. Richardson_.

* * * * *

HOW BLANCA SAVED THE KITTENS.

Blanca was a pretty fox terrier who lived on the fourth floor of a big
apartment house, and the four kittens were her adopted family. For
when the kittens' mother died and left them wee, helpless babies,
Blanca at once proved the kindness of her heart by taking and caring
for them as if they had been her very own.

One day a great danger came to Blanca and her family, as well as to
everyone else in the building. A blue mist began to drift through the
halls, there was the smell of smoke, then someone cried "Fire!" and
the people in the different flats rushed out of their rooms in a
panic.

Quickly a big, shiny, brass fire engine rattled up, followed by the
hose cart, and the wagon loaded with long ladders if they should be
needed. The firemen rushed in, dragging lengths of hose, the smoke
grew thicker and the confusion worse.

Some of the people were so frightened that they did not know what they
were doing. But there was one who did not lose her presence of mind,
and that was the little dog. When the first alarm was given, Blanca
ran down to see what it all meant. But she was not satisfied to be
safe herself, and leave her foster babies in danger. Up she went
again, up the stairways filled with firemen and excited tenants to the
top floor, and down she came jumping over hose pipe, dodging between
firemen's legs, with a kitten in her mouth.

This she carried out and laid down where it would be safe, then
started back again through smoke and flame and heat. Four times she
made the trip to the top floor, and each time she came back with a
kitten in her mouth. Nor did she rest till they were all out of
danger.

All the people who had watched the little dog said how brave she was.
And so we all say. But what made Blanca brave was because she thought
of the kittens instead of herself.--_Written for Dew Drops by Adele E.
Thompson_.

* * * * *

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