eam.
He ran home, and showed the bird to his sister Edith. They named it
Jack.

Jack was quite a large bird. His body was black as coal; his breast was
white; and his wings and tail shaded off into a dark green. His bill was
long and very strong. He had a shrewd, knowing look. As he was quite
tame, he must have been some one's pet.

He would hop and strut around in such a funny, pompous way, that one
could not help laughing. He would take food from any one's hand, but
would not let any one touch him, except Mr. Hart, the children's father.

To Mr. Hart he seemed to take a great liking. He would hop on to his
hand or shoulder: he would follow him all over the place. As soon as Mr.
Hart came into the house, Jack would stand outside the door, and scream
to him to come out. Indeed, Jack was almost too fond of him.

One day when Mr. Hart was chopping wood, Jack kept laying his bill
within two or three inches of the place where the axe fell. It seemed
just as if he wanted his bill chopped off.

Jack could talk a little. He could say "pretty," "what," and "yes, sir."
When hungry, he would come round to the kitchen-door. There he would
keep up a loud chattering, till food was given him to eat.

Jack was shy of Marcus, the dog. But, while Marcus was eating his
dinner, Jack would steal up, and seize a bone from the plate. Then he
would run off and hide it.

I believe that all magpies are thieves. I know that Jack was a sad
thief. He would carry off almost any thing he saw lying about. One day
he was caught in the act of carrying off the gardener's pipe.

It was fun for Ernest and Edith to watch him at his mischief. All summer
they made much of him. Now, in October, though the trees are still green
and the wild flowers are not gone, we have had in our Colorado home a
taste of winter.

[Illustration: Jack the magpie and the dog.]

The ground has been white with snow. Jack is still with us, and seems
quite happy. Edith and Ernest may stay here all winter. Perhaps I may
tell you something of their winter sports. Would you like to hear it?

AUNT SADIE.

PORTRAITS FOR LITTLE FOLKS.

[Illustration: Master Baby]

This is Master Baby,
Paying a morning call,
Sitting so good upon his chair,
But speaking not at all.
Listening to every word,
The funny little man!
Wondering at the news he hears,
Thinking all he can.

[Illustration: Miss Mary Vernon]

This little lady,