t his wings clipped, so that he could not
fly far. When I went out for a walk, I generally took him, either in my
arms or perched on my hand; and thus I and my pet became known all over
the neighborhood; and, when my little playmates invited me to visit
them, an invitation was always sent for "Lillie and her pigeon."

He followed me everywhere. If I was reading, he rested on my chair; if
playing on the piano, he would listen attentively: indeed he acquired
such a taste for music, that the only time he ever seemed willing to
leave me was to perch upon the foot of a gentleman who was singing very
finely.

I taught him a number of tricks, such as bringing me any thing that he
could carry, lying down very still till I told him to get up, and
running over the piano-keys to make music for himself.

During the two years that Pidgy and I enjoyed so much together, he never
fed from any hand but mine; and once, when I staid from home over night,
he would not eat at all, but pecked at my mother and sister so that they
were quite provoked with him. On my return, he flew to meet me with an
angry "coo," his feathers all ruffled up, as if trying to reprove me for
my neglect.

What finally became of my pet I never knew. I had him out on the porch,
one day, and, as I ran into the house for a few minutes, the door was
blown to, so that he could not follow me. A boy caught him up, and was
seen running away with his prize. Every effort was made to find him; but
I never saw my dear little pigeon again.

ANNE PAGE.

EIGHTH LESSON IN ASTRONOMY.

HOW shall I make such little folks understand that the sun and the stars
really stand still, when they seem to take a journey across the sky
every day? Perhaps the best way will be to make a little game of it. We
will explain it with boys.

I want a boy to represent the earth, and as many as can be found for sun
and stars: there is no danger of too many. Now, the fattest boy of all
must be the earth, and stand in the middle. We want him fat and round,
because the earth is as round as an orange. (We need not mind about the
size of the stars: they always look small, they are so far off.)

All the other boys must stand about him, and stand still. If they are
not satisfied with their places, they must not move; for they are fixed
stars. That is right. I can imagine you now just as you are, the fat
boy in the middle.

But _you_ must not