am a very obedient "manager," I do as I am
told.

At half past twelve we go into the dining-room, where we have "a picnic
in the woods." The big table represents a shady grove, the sideboard is
a hill, a large ivy at one end of the room is a summer-house, and we sit
on rocks and fallen trees. This gives us a little change of air, and, as
everybody knows, change of air gives people a good appetite.

When our picnic is over, we go to work again, and as we are all in
pretty high spirits, we are very funny and witty, if not very wise. We
relate anecdotes, recite short "pieces," sing, guess riddles and
conundrums, we play "our minister's cat," and other games, and, as Louis
says, "we have jolly old times.".

Speaking of picnics reminds me of something that happened at our last
meeting. The Saturday before, I had told my little friends about the
French apple-tarts my grandmother used to make for me--"little pies,"
she called them. And as every member of the club wanted to know how they
were made, I wrote nine short recipes, so that they would be sure to
remember.

This gave me a good idea for "a secret."

When we went to the dining-room last Saturday, the children were
surprised to find the table covered with a red cloth which was evidently
hiding something.

Then I made a little speech: "We will not have a picnic to-day, but we
will eat our lunch quietly on the top of our shady grove. Guess what I
have for you."

"And guess what we have for you," answered nine little voices.

Instead of guessing, I lifted the cloth, while they opened their
lunch-baskets. Then we all stared, and said, "Oh!"--a great big Oh!--for
in a moment the table was all covered with apple-tarts, and in the
middle of the tarts there was a large round apple-pie. You see, I had
made the big pie for the children to eat, and several tarts to be taken
home to their mothers; and _they_ had all tried my recipe, and made
tarts for the children, and some for me. So we had fifty-six tarts and
the pie!

It would take too long to tell you everything about our little club; but
so far it has been a success; and we have learned by experience how much
pleasure can be given to others with a little trouble, and a great deal
of goodwill.

As we shall not be able to do much sewing when the warm weather comes,
we intend to do garden-work, and send plants and flowers to our little
friends who have no gardens of their own. We are already making
delightful plans f