he drenched her all over.

Then Mr. Pitman untied the dogs, and, taking some dry grass, gave Leda a
good rubbing till she felt warm and brisk.

Then she began to bark at Neptune, and to caper round him, as much as to
say, "Did you not serve me a pretty trick, sir? But I shall not let
Master Fritz tie me to you again. Never, never!"

ALFRED SELWYN.

MY KITTEN.

I WANT to tell you about my kitten, and some of her funny ways. She is
black and white, and her name is Beauty.

I have great sport making her run up and down the room after my ball.
But a little piece of string is the best plaything for her. She will
jump right up on my shoulder to catch it.

If I throw a newspaper on the floor, she will jump upon it, and tear
holes in it, making believe that she hears a mouse under it. This she
seems to do to amuse me; for, as soon as I stop looking at her, she will
go away and lie down. But she is growing fast, and soon will be a grave
old cat.

[Illustration]

VIOLA DAY.

[Illustration]

A LESSON IN FLYING.

BIRDS have their trials as well as little boys and girls. To be sure
they don't have to stand in a line, and shout "Twice one are two" at the
top of their voices; but they have to learn to fly, and I think it very
likely that they take singing-lessons, although I am not sure as to
that.

One day last summer I was picking flowers in the woods, when, happening
to look up, what should I see perched on a twig just in front of me but
a cunning little bird!

At first I kept very quiet, lest I should frighten him away; but, as he
showed no sign of moving, I ventured nearer and nearer, until I even
covered him with my hand.

"Why, dear me! he's nothing but a baby-bird, and can't fly," I said to
myself; and then I sat down on a mossy mound near by, and waited; for I
knew the mother-bird was not far off, and I wanted to see what was going
on.

It was not long before I heard a gentle whirr in the leaves overhead,
and, looking up, saw two birds circling around the twig, but at some
distance above it. Then one of them, the mother, of course, drew nearer
and nearer in smaller and smaller circles, at the same time calling to
her baby in encouraging little chirps.

Birdie on his perch seemed very much excited, turning his head from one
side to the other in the cunningest way. But when his mother came c