trees, where the city
people are spending their summer.

They pass many boats on the way, filled with ladies and gentlemen, who
give them a gay salute; and Madie waves her handkerchief in one hand,
and her little flag in the other, as they go by. Sometimes they go
ashore in a shady cove; and Aunt Clara fills her basket with ferns and
moss, while Madie picks up shells and gay-colored stones on the beach.

[Illustration]

But these lovely summer-days go by quickly. October comes, and with it
Madie's mamma, to claim her little girl, who is so tanned and rosy, that
mamma calls her, "Gypsy," and thinks papa will hardly know his little
"sunbeam" now.

So Madie kisses everybody "good-by" a great many times,--even the
bay-colt in the pasture, and the four smutty kittens at the barn,--and
goes back to her own home. But, when the sweet June roses bloom again,
she will go once more to Bay View, which she thinks is the nicest place
in the world.

MERLE ARMOUR.

WHAT I OVERHEARD.

ONE day last summer, at the great Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia,
I overheard a conversation that interested me very much. The subject of
it was a queer little animal called a "gopher," which sat stuck up in a
case with its comical little head perched up in the air; for it wasn't
even _alive_, but was a poor little stuffed gopher.

In front of the case I noticed two farmers, who were talking about my
little friend in a very earnest way: so I listened to their remarks.

"Yes," said one, "I tell you he is a dreadful creature to dig. Why, he
makes us a sight of trouble out our way! can't keep anything that he can
dig for, away from him."

"Is that so?" said the other man.

"Yes. Why, I pay my boys five cents for every one of 'em they catch; and
it's lively work getting 'em, I tell you! See his nose, now! doesn't
that look sharp? I tell you, when that fellow gets hold of a job, he
_keeps right at it_! There is no _giving up_ in him."

"Dear me!" thought I, "how nice of little gopher! Ugly as he is, I quite
fall in love with him." And I drew nearer, and showed, I suppose, my
interest in my face; for the speaker turned around, and addressed me.

"Yes, ma'am, he steals my potatoes, and does lots of mischief. Just look
at those paws of his! Doesn't he keep them busy, though!"

"Are gophers so very industrious, then?" I asked.

"Industrious, ma'am! Well, yes: they've got the _work_ in