l it be about?"

"Bout Moses."

"Moses in the bulrushes?" asked mamma.

"No; bout Moses and the olange."

The lady thought a minute before she could remember what he meant. Then
she smiled, and said, "O, yes, I'll tell that. Do you like to hear
stories, Nelly?" she asked.

"I don't know," answered Nelly. "Maria sometimes tells me pretty ones."

"Well, you may bring the cricket, and sit down by Frankie. I think you
will like to hear about Moses," said aunty. "He was just as old as you
are, Nelly; and like you, he was an only child. His father and mother
were very fond of him, and loved to do every thing to make him happy. I
don't mean that they always let him have his own way, or allowed him to
do what was wrong, for that would have made him grow very selfish and
wicked.

"The day before he was six years old, his mother thought she would let
him have a party. So she asked his father to bring from the city some
oranges, and figs, and nuts, that the little folks might have a feast.

"When papa had gone to town, which he did every day, because his store
was there, she went to the kitchen, and helped the cook make some light
sponge cake for Moses to have for his party.

"The little fellow knelt in a chair close by the table, and watched her
sift the sugar and beat the eggs; then, when she put in the lemon, and
took a clean spoon to taste a little to know whether it was seasoned
right, Moses said, 'I should like to taste too.'

"By and by the cake was done, and smelled so good that Moses asked for a
piece; but his mother told him to wait until his cousins were there to
eat it with him.

"Then the carriage came up to the door, and James, the hostler, rung the
bell to let his mistress know he was ready to drive her out. She dressed
her little boy in his new suit, and told him he might go with her.

"They drove first to aunt Mary's, and mamma invited George and Walter,
and little Katy. Then they went a mile farther, to uncle John's, where
Susy, William, and Grace gladly promised to come. On their way home,
they called upon three of their neighbors, where the number was
increased to eleven.

"When his father came home from the city, he brought a basket in one
hand, and two large bundles under his other arm.

"Moses ran to meet him, and said, 'Let me carry the basket, papa. It
isn't too heavy for me.'

"Before he put it on the table, he peeped in, and said, 'O, what nice
oranges, papa!' The little boy was very f