a paw of wondrous bulk,
With secret claws to match,
And puts a charm in all its play,
The pat, the box, the scratch.

I have not heard how cats are made
Within their furry veil,
But rather fancy Tippo's thoughts
Lie chiefly in his tail.

For while in every other part
His portly person sleeps,
That bushy tail, with steady wave,
A ceaseless vigil keeps.

[Illustration]

A LARK IN A CRICKET-GROUND.

A few days ago I was passing through
Sonning, an old English village on the
Thames, when I was attracted to a field near
the road by hearing the merry sounds of the
village school at a game of cricket. I could
not resist the pleasure of pausing to watch the
boys at play. Before long my curiosity was
aroused by shouts of "Look out!" "Take care!"
"Mind where you're going!" whenever any
boy approached a certain spot, which seemed
to be within a few yards of one of the wickets.
I asked one of the party what such outcries
meant. He replied--"Oh, that's our lark,
sir!" On inquiry I found that some weeks
before, the boys discovered a titlark's nest
in the ground close to their cricket-piece.
One of the boys seems to have made the suggestion
that the school should take the lark
under their special patronage. The proposal
was adopted, and it became a daily
business to see, before settling to their
play, that all was right with the lark.

[Illustration]

HELPING MOTHER.

I shall help mother when I am grown big;
When I am old enough, oh! wont I dig,
Plough with the horses, and call out "Gee-ho!"
Plant the potatoes, fell timber, and mow?

Then I shall fetch the cows home to the byre,
Carry such fagots to make mother's fire,
Reap and make hay--Hush! who calls? I shant go!
Its only to play with the baby, I know.

A boy who is seven is too big to do that,
Can't mother nurse her, or give her the cat?
Oh, what a bother! She's calling me still--
"Come and take the baby off my hands, Bill."

"I _must_ get your father's socks finished to-night,
And I can't while the little girl pulls the thread tight;
There--lift him up, play at ball or Peep-bo--
You will help mother then very greatly you know."

Bill waited a moment. Then into his mind
Came a thought,--"Little boy, if you don't feel inclined
To help mother now, when you easily can,
I'm afraid you won't do it when you are a man."

So he brightened his face till the baby smiled too;
Hid himself in the cupboard and called out "Cuckoo."
And on his