im!

[Illustration: There seated in a row were his cousins!]

"We've come to spend the day with you and we thought we'd hide and
surprise you!" cried Sharley, while Marjory added. "Oh, isn't this wagon
the jolliest old place to play in! You must have lots of fun with it."

"Well, I'm going to have some fun with it now," Chalmers replied as he
climbed up to take a seat beside her.

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Ruth's Pretty Dress.

"My dress _is so pretty_," said Ruth, smoothing its soft fold and
patting her own curls as she looked at her pretty reflection in the big
mirror. "Yes," said the mother, "your dress _is_ pretty, dear, and let
mother tell you something about how many helped to make your dress.

"First, a little brown seed baby was put into the ground and it grew up
to be a plant with flowers on it. Then the flowers dropped off and
little green pods came in their places. These pods made a nice little
house for the seed babies, but when the little seeds got ripe they burst
their house open and it was all full of soft, white cotton. Some little
boys and girls picked the cotton out, and then some men put it in a
machine and took the seed all out of the soft white stuff, and then it
went to another big house and was made into thread, and then into a
beautiful piece of cloth, and mother and auntie made your pretty dress
out of the seed babies' cotton blanket. Isn't it nice that everybody
helps Ruthie girl to have pretty things."

--_Written for Dew Drops by Francis McKinnon Morton._

OUR LESSON.--For August 23.

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PREPARED BY MARGUERITE COOK.

* * * * *

Title.--The Wedding Feast.--Matt. 22:1-14.

Golden Text.--O Jerusalem, how often would I have gathered thy children
together, even as a hen gathereth her own brood under her wings!--Luke
13:34.

_Golden Text for Beginners._--_We love him, because he first loved
us._--1 John 4:19.

Truth.--The great love of Jesus is for even those who would harm him.

1. Jesus told a parable about the kingdom of heaven.

[Illustration]

2. He said it is like a king who made a marriage feast for his son.

3. When the feast was ready he sent messengers to ask his guests to come
to the feast.

[Illustration]

4. Some did not listen to the invitation, and others went about their
work.

[Illustration]

5. Stil