hat other is Bright Eyes."

"At home, we are three," said the child, "myself and two sisters. Mother
says that we are pretty children, and she loves us."

To this the little larks replied: "Oh, yes, OUR mother is fond of us,
too."

"Good mother lark," said the child, "will you let Tiny Bill go home with
me and play?"

Before the mother lark could reply, Bright Eyes said: "Yes, if you will
send your little sister to play with us in our nest."

"Oh, she will be so sorry to leave home," said the child; "she could not
come away from our mother."

"Tiny Bill will be so sorry to leave our nest," answered Bright Eyes,
"and he will not go away from OUR mother."

Then the child ran away to her mother, saying: "Ah, every one is fond of
home!"

CORNELIA'S JEWELS

BY JAMES BALDWIN [3]

[Footnote 3: From Fifty Famous Stories Retold. Copyright, 1896, by
American Book Company.]

It was a bright morning in the old city of Rome many hundred years ago.
In a vine-covered summer-house in a beautiful garden, two boys were
standing. They were looking at their mother and her friend, who were
walking among the flowers and trees.

"Did you ever see so handsome a lady as our mother's friend?" asked the
younger boy, holding his tall brother's hand. "She looks like a queen."

"Yet she is not so beautiful as our mother," said the elder boy. "She
has a fine dress, it is true; but her face is not noble and kind. It is
our mother who is like a queen."

"That is true," said the other. "There is no woman in Rome so much like
a queen as our own dear mother."

Soon Cornelia, their mother, came down the walk to speak with them. She
was simply dressed in a plain, white robe. Her arms and feet were bare,
as was the custom in those days; and no rings or chains glittered about
her hands and neck. For her only crown, long braids of soft brown hair
were coiled about her head; and a tender smile lit up her noble face as
she looked into her sons' proud eyes.

"Boys," she said, "I have something to tell you."

They bowed before her, as Roman lads were taught to do, and said: "What
is it, mother?"

"You are to dine with us to-day, here in the garden; and then our friend
is going to show us that wonderful casket of jewels of which you have
heard so much."

The brothers looked shyly at their mother's friend. Was it possible that
she had still other rings besides those on her fingers? Could she have
other gems besides those which s