l tried to
climb into a "horn of plenty" to get out of the way.

Mother Hubbard and the two black waiters tried to sing "I love Little
Pussy;" but the tall one in a brigand hat opened his mouth wide,
that the small dollies were afraid they might fall into it. The clown
raised both arms in wonder, and Jack in the Box sprang up as high as
me could to look down into the fellow's throat.

All the baby-dolls in caps and long dresses had been put to bed. They
woke up when the others were at supper, and began to cry. The big doll
brought them some candy, and that kept them quiet for some time.

The next morning a little girl found the toy piano open. She was sure
the dolls had been playing on it. The grown-up people thought it had
been left open the night before; but they do not understand dolls as
well as little people do.

VIOLA ROSEBOROUGH

GRANDMA'S CHRISTMAS GIFTS.

Grandma Burns sat knitting busily in the sun one bright morning the
week before Christmas. The snow lay deep, and the hard crust glistened
like silver. All at once she heard little sighs of grief outside her
door. When she opened it there sat Peter and Jimmy Rice, two very poor
little boys, with their faces in their hands; and they were crying.

"My patience!" cried grandma. "What can be the matter with two bright
little boys this sunny morning?"

"We don't have no good times," sighed little Peter.

"We can't slide. We haven't any sleds," whimpered Jimmy.

"Why, of course boys can't have a good time without sleds," said
grandma, cheerily. "Let us look about and see if we can't find
something." And grandma's cap-border bobbed behind barrels and boxes
in the shed and all among the cobwebs in the garret; but nothing could
be found suitable.

"Hum! I do believe this would do for little Pete;" and the dear old
lady drew a large, pressed-tin pan off the top shelf in the pantry.
A long, smooth butter-tray was found for Jimmy. Grandma shook her
cap-border with laughter to see them skim over the hard crust in their
queer sleds. And the boys shouted and swung their hands as they flew
past the window.

"I do expect they'll wear 'em about through," murmured grandma; "but
boys must slide,--that's certain."

And the pan was scoured as bright as a new silver dollar and the red
paint was all gone off the wooden tray when Peter and Jimmy brought
their sleds back.

Grandma knitted faster than ever all that day, and her face was bright
with smiles. She