oduces useful hints about household duties--such as bed-making,
sweeping, care of lamps, etc. The book is adapted to beginners, for its
recipes contain fuller detailed directions than cook-books usually give.
Solids and sweets are treated of in common-sense proportion, and waste is
guarded against with tasty dishes prepared from remnants. The book is
illustrated, and is published by Messrs. Jansen, McClurg & Co., Chicago.

* * *

CHILD MARIAN ABROAD, by William M. F. Round, is a little book with eight
full-page pictures. It gives a lively and interesting account of a bright
little girl's adventures during a tour in Europe with her uncle and aunt.
She sees many great people and grand sights, plays with a princess, gets
into comical scrapes,--some with the help of a little American boy named
Harry,--and, altogether, has a delightful trip, very pleasant to read
about.

* * *

A CORRESPONDENT, having read in the November number the poem "My Girl," by
Mr. Adams, sends us this clever imitation:

MY BOY.

A little crib in "mother's room,"
A little face with baby bloom,
A little head with curly hair,
A little woolly dog, a chair.

A little while for bumps and cries,
A little while to make "mud pies,"
A little doubting wonder when
A little pair of hands is clean.

A little ball, a top to spin,
A little "Ulster" belted in,
A little pair of pants, some string,
A little bit of everything.

A little blustering, boisterous air,
A little spirit of "don't care,"
A little tramping off to school,
A little shrug at woman's rule.

A little odor of cigar,
A little twilight talk with Ma,
A little earnest study then--
A little council grave again.

A little talk about "my girl,"
A little soft mustache to twirl,
A little time of jealous fear,
A little hope the way to clear.

A little knowledge of the world,
A little self-conceit down hurled,
A little manly purpose new,
A little woman, waiting, true.

A little wedding gay at eve,
A little pang the home to leave,
A little mother lone at dawn,
A little sigh--my boy was gone! L. R. I.

* * *

E. I. S.--We believe that some consider it not quite certain whether
"thumbs up" or "thumbs down" was the sign of mercy. But Appleton's
"American Cyclopaedia" says that,