as Emily found out that Kitty was locked up, she ran to Miss
Eliza and mamma, and asked them to let her out; but they said, "No," for
they knew that, if she got out of the schoolroom, she would surely run
into the dining-room, and drink up the baby's milk. So she had to stay
there all night.

Early next morning, Miss Eliza went into the schoolroom to let Kitty
out; and what do you think she saw? There was Kitty, fast asleep in
Willie's little wagon, and four little kittens lying by her side, fast
asleep too.

When Miss Eliza went back to the nursery, and told the children what she
had seen, Eddie, May, Emily, Sadie, and even "Little Lalla" set up a big
shout, and, bursting out of the nursery, ran shouting and laughing to
the little wagon in the schoolroom, where, sure enough, there they were,
four little ones. Three were gray and white, and one gray and black.
Kitty looked so pleased and so happy! You ought to have seen her. Wasn't
that a nice surprise?

May chose the one that looked most like Kitty: Emily and Sadie each
chose one of the gray-and-white ones, and Eddie took the gray-and-black
fellow.

To-day is Emily's birthday. She is seven years old, and may have a
little party. If she _does_, how I would like to have you all here to
play with her! However, at some future time I may write, and tell you
all about it.

But it is time for me to run home, and get some dinner: so good-by.

"DOC."

[Illustration]

[Illustration: DRAWING-LESSON BY HARRISON WEIR.

VOL. XXI.--NO. 4.]

A STORY OF A SEAL.

"THE seal is an amphibious quadruped."

"Oh, come now, Aunt Emily, do not puzzle us with your hard names," cries
Johnny.

"But, Johnny, a lad seven years old ought to know that _amphibious_
means 'capable of living on land or water;' and that _quadruped_ means
'having four feet.'"

"Oh, now I understand," said Johnny. "But does the seal have feet?"

"It has a sort of feet; but they are so wrapped up in the skin, that
they are not of much use on land, except to help it to creep, after a
fashion. So the seal passes most of its time in the sea, coming on shore
only to bask and sleep in the sun, or to suckle its young ones. It is
covered with a close thick fur and is a very good swimmer."

"But let us have the story," said Jane.

"The story is this: once a fisherman, after harpooning an old seal,
found one of its young ones on the sand, a