argoo ghee!_"
They're great friends so soon, you see.

They have secrets, Nell and Nan,
Laugh and coo, and crow together;
Nan wants Nell to stop all day
Playing with her on the shawl.
Must she go? How short the call!
Come again this sunny weather.
Hear the little darling say,
"_Argoo, kee ee! gar goo, gay!_"
Shake your hand, Nan, too, "_Day-day!_"

MARY L. BOLLES BRANCH.

"HE DID IT FIRST."

There were once two sheep who lived in a field. One was black, and one
was white. In the same field lived a horse and a cow. Now, the black
sheep was not at all good. But, where he chose to go, the white sheep
would go; and, what he did the white sheep would do.

So they both did what they ought not. And when the white sheep was asked
why he did what he ought not, he would say, "The black sheep did it
first!" One day, a boy went through the field, and did not shut the
gate. The black sheep saw it, and ran out of the field with great glee.
The white sheep saw it too, and they both went some way.

But soon they met a large dog, who knew that they ought not to be out in
the road. He ran at them, and bit them, and tore some wool off their
backs. They were glad to run back to the field; and the white sheep was
quite ill with fright all the rest of the day.

"But why did you go?" said the old cow. "The black sheep went," said the
white one. "He did it first."

Well, the gate was shut; but one day the black sheep found a way out of
the field through a hole in the fence. He crept through the gap; and, of
course, the white sheep crept through as well. They got out on the moor,
and thought it fine fun to be there, with no one in sight.

Soon the black sheep, who was first, came to the edge of a deep pit. He
gave a great jump, and leaped in.

The white sheep did not stop to think. He gave a great jump, and leaped
in too. Down, down, down he fell, on to a heap of great sharp stones.
Both he and the black sheep were much hurt. They could not get out, and
were forced to lie there in great pain. By and by some men came by, and
saw the sheep in the pit. The men got them out, and took them back to
the field, and sent for some one to see what could be done for them.

The horse and the cow, in great grief, came and stood by the side of the
white sheep as he lay on the grass. They were fond of him in spite of
all his faults. "Oh, why!" cried the cow, with tears in her eyes (and
t