y help about
remembering his poor hard-worked mother and his sick sister. I don't
doubt Mary thought of 'em too, but she was too polite to say a word
after all you have done for them. But poor little Myron didn't know it
wasn't polite, so he just goes ahead and keeps part of his treat. If
there are any cookies in Master Tommy's pockets, they will never get as
far as his house."

"Well, I think he _is_ selfish," said Rosanna regretfully. "But, Minnie,
we must take some good things to that Gwenny. I think grandmother would
want me to."

After the supper things were all packed away in the hamper, everybody
sat around and wondered what to do next. Then Rosanna had a fine idea.

She seated herself next the shy little Myron and suggested that
everybody should tell a story. Tommy and Myron looked rather wild.
Rosanna saw the look, and said that she thought they ought to commence
with Helen, because she looked as though she knew lots of stories.

Helen said she didn't know so very many, but she was willing to try.

"This is a really truly story about a little, little boy. He did not
have any brothers or sisters, and he was very lonely and unhappy
although he had nice clothes and plenty to eat. So he thought if he just
had a little kitten or a dog to play with and live with he would be a
good deal happier, and perhaps he would even get to be as happy as he
could be. But his mother did not like to have dogs or cats around
because they tracked up things, so she wouldn't let him have them. And
somebody wanted to give him a canary but his mother thought it would be
a lot of trouble to feed. And once he 'most got a pair of white rats
with his Fourth of July money, but they simply wouldn't let him. So
there he was; and he grew lonelier and lonelier and he used to sit on
the top step and stare down the street and wish he might whistle at the
dogs he saw, but he wouldn't for fear one of them might be looking for a
home and then it would be so disappointed after he had patted it and
been kind to it, if it had to go on again.

"Well, one day there was a picnic down the river. The people went by
boat and then landed at the picnic grove, and spent the afternoon. The
little boy, whose name was Peter, went with his mother and aunt, and
when they got to the grove his mother said to his aunt, 'I don't see any
reason why Peter shouldn't walk around and amuse himself and play with
some of those children.' And his aunt said, 'Yes, if he does