own, and which he named Carrie. She
always stood very still while being milked, and that was one reason why
he liked her better than any of the rest.

After milking, he helped John to carry in the milk, and his mother often
gave him a mug full. Oh, how nice it was!

W.T.O.

[Illustration]

ROLY-POLY.

Roly-Poly is three years old,
Three years old, and a trifle over:
Roly-Poly is round as a ball,
Jolly as larks, and sweet as clover.

Roly-Poly has stars for eyes,
A heavenly chin with a dimple in it,
Peaches for cheeks, the bud of a nose,
And a tongue that is never still a minute.

Roly-Poly gets up in the morning,--
Morning, quoth I? it's the crack of the dawn!--
Dresses himself in a boot and a stocking,
Flies to his sister as swift as a fawn.

Pulls at her eyes with his fat little fingers,--
Crazy for stories, that's all the matter!--
"Oh! I am sleepy and cross," she cries;
"You, Roly-Poly, disperse and scatter!"

But Roly-Poly's a resolute tyrant;
Father and mother are captives wholly:
So what can a poor big sister do
But yield to a king like Roly-Poly.

Roly-Poly's a man of business:
He canters to market on grandpa's cane,
Orders a breakfast of peppermint-candy,
And gallops his pony home again.

Roly-Poly's a man of pleasure:
Sorrow and care are for grown-up stupids:
Pictures and kisses, toys and caresses,
Fondling and fun, for dimpled Cupids.

After the sun has gone out of the south,
The night comes down on his eyelids slowly;
He topples asleep with his thumb in his mouth,--
What an iniquity, Roly-Poly!

OLIVE A. WADSWORTH.

ELSIE'S DUCKS.

Elsie was the daughter of poor parents, who lived on the borders of a
lake. Once, when she was very ill with a fever, a good neighbor made her
a present of three young ducks. Elsie was much pleased, and she soon
began to get well.

Her mother would bring a large tub of water into the room where the
little invalid lay; and the three ducks would swim about, and swallow
the crumbs which Elsie threw to them.

As soon as she got well, she would drive the ducks down to the lake, and
let them swim. They were so tame, that they would come out of the water
at her call.

Sometimes her fa