a
corn patch in mother's garden, and every two weeks I cut it and
give it to my goat to eat. I began to study French last winter,
and I finished the introductory course last night. I am ten years
old.

MATTIE P.

* * * * *

NEW YORK CITY.

I thought perhaps the boys and girls would like to hear about my
Polly. It is just beginning to talk. Its only bad habit is that it
will learn slang words. The other day a lady came to see us, and
Polly cried out, "Bully for you, old fellow, come in!"

We use YOUNG PEOPLE for a reader in our school.

N. D.

* * * * *

PLEASANT HILL, MISSOURI.

Two little birds have built their nest in a tree in front of our
porch. It sounds so much sweeter to hear them sing out of a cage
than in one, especially when they are wild birds. When the
raspberries get ripe, our missionary society will have a lawn
party in our yard, because it is very large. I am eleven years
old.

GRACE C.

* * * * *

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

I have a little bird. It is a beautiful singer and a great pet. It
is a very funny little fellow. It used to escape from its cage so
often that we had to tie the door. We call it Dick. The other day
mamma had given Dick a bath, and tied the cage door securely, as
she thought. She left it alone in a room with the windows all
open, and about an hour afterward she went to put seed in, and the
cage was empty, and Dick nowhere to be seen. She hunted about a
long while, until at last she found him sitting on the round of a
chair. She had only to put the cage down, and Dick hopped in.

FANNIE S. M.

* * * * *

AUBURN, CALIFORNIA.

I have a pet cat named Dido, and our neighbor has a cat named
Jacko. Dido and Jacko are great friends, and play together a great
deal. Mamma is Dido's "meat man," and one night when she was
taking Dido to feed him, Jacko began to cry, as though he did not
want to be left. Then Dido ran back and put his nose up to
Jacko's, and it looked as if they were kissing each other
good-night. Then Dido turned and followed mamma.

RUSSIA L.

* * * * *

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

I am in the Soldiers' Orphan Institute, an