le
boys with black eyes, and who obey their
mother. Well, my eyes are very black; and I
love my mother dearly, and try to obey her.

My name is Francis Lincoln Noble: I live at
214, South 8th Street, Williamsburgh, L.I. The
house is quite high; but, dear Mr. Santa Claus,
I think your nimble deer can climb to the top
of it.

You can put the little goats right down through
the chimney in ma's room. I will take away the
fireboard, so they can come out at the
fireplace. Oh, how happy I shall be when I wake
in the morning, and see them! I shall say,
"Merry Christmas!" to everybody; and everybody
will say, "Merry Christmas!" to me.

But dear, good Mr. Santa Claus, if you cannot
get to the top of the house to put them down
the chimney, please to bring them up the
front-steps, and tie them to the door-knob; and
then blow your whistle, and I will run right
down to the door; and, dear Mr. Santa Claus,
could you not stop long enough for me to say,
"Thank you!" for my mother says all good boys
say, "Thank you!" when they receive a present?

FRANCIS LINCOLN NOBLE.

THE BOY AND THE NUTS.

A BOY once found some nuts in a jar. Like all boys, he was fond of nuts,
and was glad to hear that he might put his hand _once_ in the jar, and
have all the nuts he could then take out. He thrust his hand down the
neck of the jar, and took hold of all the nuts he could. When his hand
was quite full, he did his best to draw it out of the jar.

But the neck of the jar was small, and his hand was so full of nuts,
that he could not draw it out. He felt so sad, that tears fell from his
eyes. His friend who stood near told him to let go half the nuts. He did
so, and then drew out his hand with ease.

We shall find it so in life: men lose all, if they try to get too much.

T. C.

[Illustration]

EDDY'S THANKSGIVING.

LAST year Eddy spent Thanksgiving Day at his grandpa's. For a week
before the time came, he chattered about going. He wanted to take with
him his drum and his rocking-chair, and Frisk his dog. But mamma said he
would have plenty of playthings and playmates without them.

You would have thought so too, if you had seen the