"Why don't you try?" said somebody.

"Eh?" asked Jimmieboy, with a sudden start, for he had supposed he was
alone.

"I say why don't you try?" replied the strange somebody.

"Try what?" queried Jimmieboy, who, not having spoken a word on the
subject of drawing pictures, was quite sure that the question did not
apply to that matter--in which certainly he was very much mistaken, as
the strange somebody's next remark plainly showed.

"Try drawing pictures yourself?" said the voice.

"I can't draw," said Jimmieboy, peering over into the corner whence the
voice came, to see who it was that had spoken.

"You can't tell unless you try," said the voice.

"A man might do a million things
If he would be less shy,
That all his life he never does,
Because he will not try.

"Why don't you try?"

"Who are you, anyhow?" asked Jimmieboy. "Tell me that, and maybe I will
try."

"Why, you know me," said the voice. "I am the Quill-pen over here on
your mamma's table. Don't you remember how you nearly drowned me in the
ink yesterday?"

"I didn't want to drown you," said Jimmieboy, apologetically. "I wanted
you to write a letter for me to my Uncle Periwinkle, asking him to send
me everything he thought I'd like as soon as he could."

The Pen laughed. "I'll do it some time--along about Christmas, perhaps,"
he said. "But about this picture business. I think you could make
pictures."

"Can you make 'em?" queried Jimmieboy.

"I never tried, so I don't know," answered the Pen.

"Then you try, and let's see how trying works," suggested Jimmieboy.
"I'll get a piece of paper for you."

"I'm afraid we can't," said the Pen. "I'm very dry, and don't think I
could make a mark, unless you get me a glass of ink.

"For just as skates are not much use
Without a skating rink,
So pens--of steel or quills of goose--
Are worthless without ink."

"Oh, I'll get plenty of ink," returned Jimmieboy, "though I think water
would be saferer. Water would look pleasanter on the carpet if we upset
it."

"I can't make a mark with water," laughed the Pen.

"How do you know?" asked Jimmieboy. "Did you ever try?"

"No, I never tried. Because why? What's the use?" replied the Pen.

"I do not try to touch the sky
Or jump upon the stars;
I do not try to make a pie
Of rusty iron bars;
I do not try to change into
A baby elephant,
Because I know--and always knew--
'Tis useless, for I can't."

"T