e a good share.

[Illustration]

TOMMY AND THE BLACKSMITH.

_Tommy._--Do you shoe horses here, Mr. Blacksmith?

_Blacksmith._--Yes, little man: that's my business.

_Tommy._--Well, I want my horse shod.

_Blacksmith._--How much can you pay for the job? It will take a good
deal of iron to shoe such a big horse as that.

_Ruth._--He wants you to do it for nothing, Mr. Blacksmith.

_Blacksmith._--Every trade must live, my little lady. If Tommy can
afford to keep a horse, he ought to be able to pay for having it shod.

_Tommy._--I will pay you next Christmas.

_Blacksmith._---Never run in debt, my lad. If you can't pay for a thing
on the spot, do without it. Shun debt as you would poison.

_Ruth._--That is just what my grandfather says.

_Tommy._--Well, when I get some money, I'll come again, Mr. Blacksmith;
for this horse must be shod, if there's iron enough to do it with.
Good-by!

_Blacksmith._--Good-by, Tommy! Good-by, Ruth!

ARTHUR SELWYN.

DOWN ON THE SANDY BEACH.

DOWN on the sandy beach,
When the tide was low;
Down on the sandy beach,
Many years ago,
Two of us were walking,
Two of us were talking
Of what I cannot tell you,
Though I'm sure you'd like to know.

Down in the water
A duck said, "Quack!"
Up in the tree-top
A crow answered back,
Two of us amusing,
Two of us confusing:
So we had to give up talking,
And just listen to their clack.

"Quack!" said the little duck,
Swimming with the tide;
"Caw!" said the saucy crow,
Swelling up with pride,
"I'm a jolly rover,
And I live in clover:
Don't you wish that you were here,
Sitting by my side?"

"Quack, quack!" said the duck,
Very much like "No."
"Caw, caw!--ha, ha!"
Laughed the silly crow:
Two of us delighting,
Two of us inviting
To join the merry frolic
With a ringing ho, ho, ho!

Crack!--and a bullet went
Flying from a gun!
Duck swimming down the stream,
We on a run,
Wondered why or whether
We couldn't be together
Without another coming in
And spoili