A CHARADE
FAITHFUL LITTLE RUTH
CHRISTMAS,--A MOTHER'S EXCUSE

ABOUT SOME SCOTTISH CHILDREN.

CASTLE AND COTTAGE
A CHARADE
JAMIE'S FAITH
A CHARADE

ABOUT SOME IRISH CHILDREN.

THE TRUE LORD
A REBUS

STORY OF A FRENCH SOLDIER.

THE CONSCRIPT
A CHARADE

ABOUT SOME SWISS CHILDREN.

THE DRUMMER-BOY
A REBUS
LITTLE CARL'S CHRISTMAS-EVE
A CHARADE

ABOUT SOME ITALIAN CHILDREN.

GIUSEPPE AND LUCIA
A CHARADE

HOME STORIES.

MY PET FROM THE CLOUDS
A CHARADE
THE TWO GEORGES
A CHARADE
THE LITTLE WIDOW'S MITE
A COUPLE OF CHARADES
BESSIE RAEBURN'S CHRISTMAS ADVENTURE
A CHARADE

ABOUT ENGLISH CHILDREN

HOW WE ACT; NOT HOW WE LOOK.

"O Tommy, what a funny little woman! come and see!" cried Harry Wilde,
as he stood at the window of his father's house, in a pleasant English
town. Tommy ran to the window and looked out, and laughed louder than
his brother. It was indeed a funny sight to see. In the midst of a
pelting rain, through mud and running water, there waddled along the
queerest, quaintest little roly-poly figure you can imagine. It was a
dwarf woman, who, though no taller than a child of seven or eight
years, wore an enormous bonnet, and carried an overgrown umbrella. Her
clothes were tucked up about her in a queer way, and altogether she was
a very laugh-at-able little creature. As she passed, she looked up,
and such an odd face as she had! The nose was large and long, as
though it had kept on growing after the other features gave out.
Indeed, it was so big that the eyes had got into a way of looking at it
constantly, which did not improve their beauty. The hair was bushy,
and of a lively red, but the mouth was quite sweet and good-humored,
and the little crossed eyes had a merry, kindly twinkle in them.

"Well," said Harry, "if I were such an absurd looking body as that, I
wouldn't show myself. I 'd hide by day, and only come out by night,
like an owl, would n't you, Tommy?"

"Yes," said the little boy, and then asked, "Did God make her, Harry?"

"Why yes, He made what there is of her, and then I suppose He concluded
it wasn't worth while to go on with her!"

"Harry! Harry!" cried the mother of the little boys, "you must not
talk so; it is wicked. That poor little dwarf may be of much use in
the world, and do a great deal of good, if she has a kind heart; and
she looks as though she had."

"I should like