hristmas tree]." Betty, the littlest girl, began to
cry--two [tears] ran down her cheeks. [Pepper the parrot] sat on her
perch cracking a [nut]. When she heard the outcry, she dropped it and
screamed "Jimmy Crow, Jimmy Crow! Oh, oh! Oh, oh!" "Oh, naughty
[Jimmy Crow]!" said Mama. "He has hidden them. Pepper is telling
tales. Run, [children], and hunt! We'll play a new game, 'Hunt the
[candle].'"

Eight pairs of [feet] ran "up stairs, down [stairs], in my lady's
chamber." At last Betty tipped over a [basket], and out rolled the
[candles]. The littlest girl had won! So [Mama] held her up, and she
lit the Christmas Tree. [Edith Francis Foster]

[AFTER THE SNOW STORM.]

JIMMY CROW.

III.

Just after Christmas there was a great [snow] storm. The drifts were
higher than the [fence]. When it cleared off, [Jack] put on [his cap]
and reefer, [mittens] and rubber boots, and went out. [Jimmy Crow]
went with him. First, Jack took [shovel] and [broom] and made a wide
clean path to the [gate]. This was "working for Mama." Jack likes to
work for Papa and Mama. Then [friends] came to play with him, and they
had a fine frolic. They rolled big [snowballs], and built a [snowman].
They put an old [hat] on his head and the [shovel] over his shoulder.
Then Jack rang the [bell], and Mama came to the door. "Here is a man
with a shovel," he said. "Don't you want him to shovel paths for
you?"

"I might," laughed [Mama], "but somebody has been ahead of him--and
here are four hot [donuts] for that smart somebody." Jack gave the
other boys [donuts], and they all sat down on the [steps] to eat them.
[Jimmy Crow] sat on the [fence post]. He begged till each boy gave him
a [piece].

Then they made a pile of [snowballs] to throw at the snowman. Just as
Bob threw one, Jimmy Crow lit on the shoulder of the [snowman], and
the [snowball] knocked him off into a deep drift! [Jimmy Crow] was not
hurt, but he was angry. He flew at [Bob], and carried off his [cap] in
his [beak], and dropped it into that same deep [snowdrift]. Then [Bob]
had to wade through snow over his [boots], to get his cap again. And
Jimmy Crow perched on Jack's [head], flapped his wings, and laughed
"C-a-w, c-a-w, c-a-w!" [Edith Francis Foster]

["THE ROSE IS RED"]

JIMMY CROW.

IV.

"Tomorrow is St Valentine's day," said [Jack]. "Whom can I send a
[card] to, Mama?" "Who is the nicest little [girl] you know?" asked
[Mama]. Jack tried to think. "I guess it