ut
a piece of bread every day, and he petted her and now Topsy is very
gentle, and never runs away."

"Tell about Tiger," said the girl.

"Well, Cousin Eleanor," said the child, "you know Tiger, our big dog.
He used to be a bad dog, and when Dr. Fairchild drove up to the house he
jumped up and bit at him. Dr. Fairchild used to speak kindly to him, and
throw out bits of meat, and now when he comes, Tiger follows behind and
wags his tail. Now, give me a kiss."

The girl had to give her a kiss, right up there before every one, and
what a stamping the boys made. The larger girl blushed and hurried back
to her seat, with the child clinging to her hand.

There was one more story, about a brave Newfoundland dog, that saved
eight lives by swimming out to a wrecked sailing vessel, and getting a
rope by which the men came ashore, and then a lad got up whom they all
greeted with cheers, and cries of, "The Poet! the Poet!" I didn't know
what they meant, till Mrs. Wood whispered to Miss Laura that he was a
boy who made rhymes, and the children had rather hear him speak than
any one else in the room.

He had a snub nose and freckles, and I think he was the plainest boy
there, but that didn't matter, if the other children loved him. He
sauntered up to the front, with his hands behind his back, and a very
grand manner.

"The beautiful poetry recited here to-day," he drawled, "put some verses
in my mind that I never had till I came here to-day." Every one present
cheered wildly, and he began in a sing song voice:

"I am a Band of Mercy boy,
I would not hurt a fly,
I always speak to dogs and cats,
When'er I pass them by.

"I always let the birdies sing,
I never throw a stone,
I always give a hungry dog
A nice, fat, meaty bone.

"I wouldn't drive a bob-tailed horse,
Nor hurry up a cow,
I"

Then he forgot the rest. The boys and girls were so sorry. They called
out, "Pig," "Goat," "Calf," "Sheep," "Hens," "Ducks," and all the other
animals' names they could think of, but none of them was right, and as
the boy had just made up the poetry, no one knew what the next could be.
He stood for a long time staring at the ceiling, then he said, "I guess
I'll have to give it up."

The children looked dreadfully disappointed. "Perhaps you will remember
it by our next meeting," said the president, anxiously.

"Possibly," said the boy, "but probably not. I think it is go