ere taken down, one by
one. Then such a noise was heard--drums beating, horns tooting, children
shouting. You should have heard it.

[Illustration: The mother is surprised as Squeaky escapes]

"See our new doll's house!" cried one child.

"See my new train! How fast it goes!" cried another.

"And see my beautiful dolly!" cried another. "She can open and shut her
eyes."

By and by the mother took the box from the tree. "Come here, Teddy," she
said. "Here is a scare box. We will have some fun. Watch me open the
lid."

Teddy stood by his mother and watched closely.

"Are you ready?" asked his mother. "Well, let us count. One, two,
three!"

The lid flew open, and out jumped the man with the black hair and black
whiskers. And with a squeak of joy, out jumped the mouse.

"Ee-ee-ee!" he cried, as he ran away.

"Ee!" said the Jack-in-the-box.

"Whee-ee-ee!" cried the boy with delight.

"Oh,--a mouse! a mouse!" cried the mother. Then she threw the box on the
floor and jumped up on her chair.

"Where? where?" cried all the children.

But they saw only the tip of Squeaky's tail as he ran across the hall to
the pantry. Another moment and he was safe in the hole in the pantry
wall.

The children's father laughed as he helped their mother climb down from
the chair.

"Well," he said, "how did _you_ enjoy Teddy's scare box?"

--GEORGENE FAULKNER.

THE GLAD NEW YEAR

It's coming, boys,
It's almost here.
It's coming, girls,
The grand New Year.

A year to be glad in,
Not to be sad in;
A year to live in,
To gain and give in.

A year for trying,
And not for sighing;
A year for striving
And healthy thriving.

It's coming, boys,
It's almost here.
It's coming, girls,
The grand New Year.

--MARY MAPES DODGE.

[Illustration: The goose and the hen]

MAKING THE BEST OF IT

"What a dreary day it is!" grumbled the old gray goose to the brown hen.
They were standing at the henhouse window watching the falling snow
which covered every nook and corner of the farmyard.

"Yes, indeed," said the brown hen. "I should almost be willing to be
made into a chicken pie on such a day."

She had scarcely stopped talking when Pekin duck said fretfully, "I am
so hungry that I am almost starved."

A little flock of chickens all huddled together wailed in sad tones,
"And we are so thirsty!"

In fact, all the feathered folk in the henhouse seemed cross an