private telephone," he said.

"Now, shall I get whatever I ask for?" said Fanny.

"Not if you ask for impossible things," replied her papa.

"But what are impossible things?" asked Fanny.

"Well," laughed papa, "I think if you should ask for the moon you would
not get it."

"But I don't want the moon," said Fanny.

"Ask for something before I go down-town," said papa.

Fanny thought a moment, and then spoke up quite distinctly:

"Please send me some peppermints, and some new shoes for my doll, and
a bunch of pansies for my mama, and a new bicycle for my papa,
and--and--that's all this time. Good-bye."

"That's a very good order," said her papa, "but kiss me good-bye, for I
must be off."

About half an hour later the front door-bell rang. Very soon the
maid appeared with a package directed to Miss Fanny Desmond. In great
excitement, Fanny opened it. It was a box of peppermints. The child's
delight was great, but when, in another half hour, there came a bundle
which proved to be a new pair of shoes for her doll, she was too happy
for words. But that surprise was hardly over when another package was
brought her. She opened it in great excitement, and behold there was a
bunch of beautiful pansies.

"They are for you, mama," she cried, "and now everything has come but
papa's new bicycle."

Just then she looked out of the window, and there was her papa coming up
the drive on a fine new wheel. She rushed down to meet him, exclaiming,
as she threw herself into his arms:

"Oh, papa, papa, I did get everything; my telephone is beautiful, and
the man at the other end is just lovely!"

"Ah," said papa, "I am delighted he is so satisfactory."

THE RAINDROPS' NEW DRESSES.

"We're so tired of these gray dresses!"
Cried the little drops of rain,
As they came down helter-skelter
From the Nimbus cloud fast train.

And they bobbed against each other
In a spiteful sort of way,
Just like children when bad temper
Gets the upper hand some day.

Then the Sun peeped out a minute.
"Dears, be good and do not fight,
I have ordered you new dresses,
Dainty robes of purest white."

Ah! then all the tiny raindrops
Hummed a merry glad refrain,
And the old folks cried: "How pleasant
Is the music of the rain!"

Just at even, when the children
Had been safely tucked in bed,
There was such a rush and bustle
In the dark