f. This the bee at once did, and very glad she was to find herself
safe once more.

Not long after this, a sportsman, who was roaming through the woods for
game, saw the dove flying about, and lifted his gun to shoot her. But,
just as he was taking aim, something happened, that checked him in the
act.

The bee, whose life had been saved by the dove, was going about from
flower to flower in search of honey, when she saw the sportsman taking
aim at the good dove that had befriended her in her time of need. "That
dove once saved my life, and now I will save hers," thought the bee to
herself.

With that she flew at the sportsman, and stung him on the lip. The poor
fellow dropped his gun with a loud cry of pain, which so startled the
dove, that she flew away; and the man did not have another chance to
shoot her. "Surely one good turn deserves another," thought the bee, as
she turned merrily to her work.

LEONORA.

A LETTER FROM TEXAS.

_Dear Children_,--I am writing this letter at my office-desk in San
Antonio, Texas, a long way off from some of you who will read it. I am
the big brother of a lot of little ones, and they call me "Doc."

We take "The Nursery," and the little folks think it is splendid. As
soon as it comes, mamma reads the stories, and shows them the pictures.

They crowd around her to listen: some of them sit down on chairs like
little ladies; some sit on the floor like beggars; and some--I am sorry
to say--lie flat down on the carpet, like--certainly not like ladies and
gentlemen.

What do you think, children, of boys and girls who lie on the floor, and
kick up their heels in the air? _You_ would not do so, would you?

[Illustration]

Now listen! I want to tell you something about our cat. When we first
got her, she was a tiny kitten, and we fed her on milk in a saucer. You
ought to have seen her lap it up with her little tongue! Don't you think
it is a pretty sight to see a kitten drinking milk? I do. But our cat
isn't a kitten any longer, but a great, big, grown cat.

Well, the other night she got locked up in the schoolroom. You know Miss
Anna and Miss Emma teach a big school in our house, and Willie,
Pressley, Eddie, May, and Emily go to it. Sadie, "Little Lalla," and
baby are too young for school yet. These are my little brothers' and
sisters' names. There are eight of them mentioned here. See if you can
count them.

As soon