ts back; but,
as soon as we were well on, the calf kicked up its heels and ran away,
saying, "Bah!" and leaving brother and me on our backs on the soft turf.
We were not hurt at all, but had a good laugh.

Buttercup soon came back for more corn; and uncle said, "Give it to her
in the ear;" but I said I thought her mouth was the best place to put it
in. Then uncle laughed, and said that was a joke. Do you know what he
meant?

HARRY C. MATHER.

AUNT MARY'S BULLFINCH.

"NOW be sure and not frighten it, children," said Aunt Mary as she left
the room.

John and Lucy lifted the handkerchief from the cage, while Paul and
Richard, with anxious eyes, stood by to get a sight of the piping
bullfinch, of which they had heard so much.

This little bird had been presented to Aunt Mary by a German lady to
whom she had been kind. It could whistle two or three tunes in a way to
surprise all hearers. While the children were looking at it, it began to
pipe.

"I know that tune," cried Richard. "It is 'Coming through the rye!'"

"And now the tune changes to 'Merrily every bosom boundeth,'" said Lucy.
"What a wonderful little bird!"

"But how did it learn to whistle these tunes?" asked Paul.

Aunt Mary, coming in at that moment, explained to the children that in
some of the small towns of Germany are persons who teach these little
birds. It takes about a year for a bullfinch to learn a tune. But some
of them learn more quickly than others: so it is with some children.

[Illustration]

The birds are at first kept in a dark room; and when they are fed, a
tune is played or whistled. They associate this tune with the act of
feeding; and gradually seem to find out what is wanted of them.

The price of a bird that can pipe a tune in good style is from fifty to
one hundred dollars. A good deal of time and trouble has to be spent in
teaching the birds. Sometimes a child is employed to play a tune on a
little hand-organ; and this the little bird learns after hearing it many
times.

When the bullfinch learns well, he is praised and petted, and this he
seems to enjoy very much. Even birds, you see, like to be praised and
petted.

DORA BURNSIDE.

KING DRAKE.

"I'M king of the rock," said a silly old drake;
"And no one must dare my claim to partake.
I shall punish severely whoever comes near