ut he was in none of these places.

Then great-aunt Hannah opened the cupboards, and pulled out the drawers,
as though she expected to find the "grand-boy" rolled up in a napkin,
and tucked away in a corner.

There was a high state of flutter when mamma peeped round the edge of
the open dining-room door, and said, "Come with me."

She was so smiling, that every one knew the search was up; and a row of
tall people and short people, headed by little mamma, and ended by tall
aunt Hannah, streamed out and over the green, across the road. There
they were stopped, and told by mamma to go softly and look in one of the
barn-windows.

What did they see? A good load of sweet-scented hay piled on a wide
hay-cart, two big oxen yoked to that, standing in the middle of the
barn-floor, with their two great heads held down very low.

In front of them was little chubby Percy, in his clean white frock,
swinging a tiny pail, that would hold a teaspoonful of berries, in one
hand, and with the other holding out a berry to the oxen, as they put
their great mouths down to be fed.

AUNT EMMIE.

[Illustration]

PET RABBITS.

MANY of my little readers have owned tame rabbits; but I doubt if they
ever had for a pet the little wild rabbit who lives in the woods, and,
at the South, builds his nest above ground.

On a warm, sunny afternoon in May, two little rabbits, whose mother had
been killed by a dog, were brought home in a gentleman's pocket, and
given to my little boys. They were not old enough to feed themselves: so
we put some milk in a small bottle, and tied a piece of sponge to the
neck of it, and in that way the little things sucked up the milk.

The children had a large, old-fashioned fireplace in their room, and,
after taking out the andirons, they covered the bricks with fresh clover
and grass, making a safe and snug home for the rabbits at night. Several
times a day they were allowed to run about the lawn, and crop the sweet
white clover; and often at night, they would jump out from their home in
the fireplace, and run about the room.

They were named George and Mary Rabbit, and always used to sleep side by
side. But after a few weeks they must have felt tired of their humdrum
life; for one bright morning they ran away. I hope they are living
happily together in the fragrant woods from which they were brought.

CHARL