After
drill, we sing songs, tell jokes, and _play_ jokes
upon each other, but we don't forget, in doing
this, that we are _gentlemen_.

"Oh dear mother, I am crazy to be in action! I am
afraid, if we don't have a battle soon, I shall
get motheaten. Our General is a glorious fellow,
and is just as anxious as we are to have it over;
peace will come all the sooner. Hollo! Here comes
"Tapp," and I must blow out my half inch of tallow
candle, and go to bed.

"Good-by, all my dear ones. Love and pray for your
affectionate son and brother, GEORGE."

"Ah!" sighed the children, as the mother folded up the letter. Then they
were silent, thinking of the dear brother who wanted so much to be in
the dreadful battle; and the little mother was looking very mournful
when there came a ring at the bell.

The servant handed in a package, which proved to be a story from "Aunt
Fanny." It came very fortunately; and the mittens grew fast, as the
little mother read the interesting history of--

THE PARTY LILLIE GAVE FOR MISS FLORENCE.

THE PARTY LILLIE GAVE FOR MISS FLORENCE.

"OH, mamma, please _do_ buy me a new doll," said Lillie, one day in
June.

"Why, how you talk!" answered her mother. "What has become of your large
family?"

"Oh, mamma! Minnie, the china doll, has only one leg, and my three wax
dolls are no better. Fanny has only one arm; both Julia's eyes are out;
and the kitten scratched off Maria's wig the other day, and she has the
most dreadful-looking, bald pate you ever saw! Instead of its being made
of nice white wax, it is nothing but old brown paper! I think it is
very mean not to make dolls' bald heads like other people's! Then I
could have dressed Maria up in pantaloons, and made a grandfather of
her. But now she is fit for nothing but to be put in a cornfield to
scare away the crows."

Lillie's mother laughed, and kissed her lovely daughter, who had not met
with any of the terrible misfortunes that had befallen her wax and china
family. _She_ had both her round and chubby white arms; and two pretty
and active legs, that made themselves very useful in skipping and
jumping from morning till night; and just the prettiest golden brown wig
you ever saw. It was fastened on so tight, that the kitten, with all her
scratchings, could never twitch it off; in fact, every sin