at night; and, before
seven o'clock, he ran to the kitchen to ask Patty to put the coals in
the pan. Patty took a shovel, and first put in some hot ashes. "What is
that for?" said Harry.

"So the sheets will not be burned," said Patty. Then she put in some
glowing coals, and told Harry that the warming-pan was ready.

Harry called his mamma; and they went up to the square front-room. Patty
gave the cold sheets a good warming while mamma was unbuttoning the
little shoes and clothes; and, when Harry had got on his night-gown, he
said, "Now for a good jump,--one, two, three, four, and away!"

Then he sprang into the warm nest; and such a shout as the little fellow
gave made even grandpa start from his rocking-chair. "Oh, goody! oh, how
_jolly_! oh, how splendid!" said Harry. "I thought grandpapa's house
was splendid in the summer; but it is a great deal _splendider_ in the
winter.

"But, mamma," continued he, "won't I have a nice story to tell Charlie
and Susie when I get home, about this big pop-corner?"

MAMMA.

WHAT DEMPSEY IS PROUD OF.

"WHAT are you proudest of?" said Mattie to Bertie. "I'm proudest of my
new red-top boots," said Bertie. "_I'm_ proudest of my new black hat,"
said Clay. Mattie was proudest of her muff and boa. Little Bell was
proudest of her wax doll.

But Dempsey had the queerest pride of all. He had no boots or mittens;
and his clothes were coarse and worn. What had he to be proud of? This
is what he said, "I'm proudest of my papa's wooden leg." The other
little people were too polite to laugh at him; but they looked at him
with wonder.

"Let me tell you," said he, "why I'm proud of my papa's wooden leg. One
time when there was a war, and men were wanted to help fight the
battles, my papa took his gun, and went into the army. And when there
was a great battle, and men were shot down all around him, my papa stood
beside the man that held the flag. And, when the man was killed, my papa
would not let the flag fall, but took it in his own hands. Then the
soldiers on the other side fired at the flag with a big cannon; and the
ball took off my papa's leg. He was sick a long time; but he got a
letter from his commander that said he was a brave man, and had done
his duty nobly. This is why I am proud of my papa's wooden leg."

Mattie and Bertie and Clay and Bell all thought that this was a pretty
story; and Clay said, "Dempsey is r