s share the treat!"

One little chick seized the straw in his bill,
And was just preparing to eat his fill,
When the other chick
Stepped up so quick,
He hadn't a chance for a picnic pick.

They pulled, and they tugged, the downy things;
And, oh, how they flapped their baby wings!
"Ter-wit, ter-weet!
Something to eat!
Just please let go of this bit of wheat!"

Fiercer and fiercer the battle grew,
Until the straw broke right in two,
And the little chicks
Were in a fix,
And sorry enough for their naughty tricks.

For a saucy crow has watched the fight,
And laughs, "Haw, haw! It serves you right!"
So he snatches the prize
From before their eyes,
And over the hills, and away, he flies!

JOSEPHINE POLLARD.

ROMEO THE SHIRK.

SIXTY years ago, when grandpa was a boy, he had a dog called Romeo, who
was made to do the work of churning butter. I never saw a churn that
went by dog-power; but it must have been a clumsy affair.

The task could not have been an agreeable one, and I do not wonder that
Romeo did not like it. One morning, when the churn was taken out, and
the cream was all ready to be made into butter, there was no Romeo to be
found. Long and loud were the calls made for him; but he did not answer
to his name.

The churning was done that day without his help. Nothing was seen of him
until just before dark, when he came into the house with the air of a
prodigal son. He did not walk up like an honest dog to get his supper,
but slunk under a table.

[Illustration]

The family had agreed to neither chide him nor caress him; but
grandfather, who was then a little boy, slyly carried him some supper.
Romeo ate it greedily, but looked unhappy all the time as though he knew
he had done wrong. It was plain that his conscience was smiting him.

The next week, when churning-time came, Romeo did not try to get away.
He stood by watching while the cream was made ready; and, when his
master whistled for him to take his place at the churn, he came forward,
wagging his tail, as much as to say, "I am not going to be a shirk. I
was not half so happy the day I ran away as I should have been if I had
done my wor