ell you briefly who she is. Her name is Allie Harris, and
she is a bright little girl, only apt to be dull on dark days.

Her mother gave the desired permission, and after wrapping herself up
warmly, she took the well-filled basket that her mother had prepared,
and set out on her errand of mercy. She soon reached Miss Davies's tiny
cottage. She knocked, and a cheery voice bade her enter. She walked
into a neat room, barely but cleanly furnished. At one end of it,
beside a window, around which an ivy was growing, sat a bright-faced
little woman sewing. She looked up and greeted Allie pleasantly. Allie
shyly made known her errand, and stayed with Miss Davies all the
afternoon, singing and reading aloud while Miss Davies sewed.

When it began to grow dark she bade Miss Davies a cheerful good-by, and
went merrily home. She said to her mother, "I have learned the _true_
secret of happiness at last." By doing _good_ to others you will forget
your _own_ unhappiness, and be made happy in return; while, if you
_mope_ and try to be disagreeable, you will be miserable.

F.H.

[Illustration: "H'M! DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW YOU'RE OUT?"
(Drawn by a Young Contributor.)]

THE LETTER BOX

Our beautiful new cover was designed and drawn by Walter Crane, of
London, who made all those lovely pictures in "The Baby's Opera." Our
readers will remember what we said of him last month, and that, though
a great artist in other ways also, he has done his best and most famous
work in drawing for the little folks. It would have been impossible,
therefore, to find a hand more skillful in the kind of art desired, or
better fitted to put upon the cover of ST. NICHOLAS just the things to
suit the best tastes and fancies; and of Mr. Crane's success we think
that no one who really studies the new cover can have a doubt. It seems
to us fully worthy both of the artist and the magazine; and, believing
that our young readers will all agree with us, we leave them the
delight of discovering and enjoying for themselves its special
beauties.

* * * * *

There is a beautiful custom in England--which is to be hoped will yet
become general in America--of sending around Christmas cards, dainty
things with lovely pictures and hearty verses upon them. Friends and
lovers send them to one another, children send them to their parents,
parents to their children, and the postman, as he flies from house to
house, fairly glow