Various

“ Rose and Marguerite were playing in the nursery when they heard a queer bumping noise down in the back yard.
"What's that?" asked Rose, stopping to listen.
"That's Stubby, kicking his heels against the settee. He's awful cross today," said Marguerite, and kept right on making the doll's bed. In a second Rose had her head out of the window. There sat Stubby, kicking his heels against the settee and looking dreadfully cross.
"Why, Stubby dear, what's the matter?" she called sweetly.
"Nuffin'," said Stubby.
"Why don't you play with the things in the garden?" ”

“ The afternoon of the party came, and Dilly, with her doll, watched the gay little folks gather on the lawn in front of Mildred's home. She soon became interested in their play, and quite forgot that she was not one of them, in her excitement over a game of hide-and-seek. ”

“ Rose said, drawing her head in.
"How can you play with that cross, cross Stubby?" asked Marguerite. "He isn't sick, and we've done everything to please him all day. He's just plain cross. And if you play with him we can't finish arranging the playhouse before five o'clock."
"Mother said I might stay till six," said Rose gently, "and I've thought of something to keep him busy. Come!"
Marguerite gave Rose a bear-hug and soon Stubby saw them coming across the lawn. Rose stopped under the apple tree to look for green apples.
"Muvver says not eat green apples," shouted Stubby. ”

“ Mildred found Dilly at home a few minutes later, folding away a little, ragged doll's cap, and drenching it with tears.
Mildred put her arms around Dilly's neck. "Oh, Dilly," she said, "it was so beautiful of you! Aunt Lou saw it all from the window. I'm so 'shamed to think how I've treated you. Do you think you could forgive me? If you could I'd love you all my life."
Dilly forgave her, and, all in her ragged dress, went home with Mildred. Every little girl kissed her, and she stopped to tea. ”

“ A few mornings afterward, Ralph went to his mother, saying:
"Mother, dear, will you take a stitch in this ball for me? I ripped it playing with Frank Danver. Will you do it now? because I'm in a hurry."
"I did not rip the ball, and so I see no reason why I should mend it," Mrs. Fletcher said. "You did the damage; you must repair it."
"Oh, mother—" Ralph began, then stopped suddenly.
"Yes. It is not quite as nice a rule for others to work by, is it, Ralph?"
"No; and it won't be nice for me after this, if I can help it," Ralph replied with a blush. ”

“ THE "BITER'S" WAGON. By Mary E.Q. Brush.
I am sorry to say that little Chalmers Ashton was afraid of things! And you know there was really nothing to be afraid of, for he lived in a safe, comfortable house in the best part of town, and there were father and mother and grandpa and Uncle James, Tilly the maid and Billy the hired man to look after him—to say nothing of Mr. O'Brien, the burly policeman in blue coat and brass buttons, who used to stroll up and down the street after nightfall.
But Chalmers used to "imagine things"—"think them up in his mind." ”

“ Gilbert had often held Billikens up to play with the electric light cords, and once when the kitten had pulled just right, the light flashed out. Afterward, it became a kind of game to take him round to the brackets, and let him light up.
"I'm afraid we'll have to stop his doing it," Gilbert's mother said. "I doubt if you can teach a cat that what is done in play mustn't be done in earnest."
"That's too bad," Gilbert was quite grieved. "It's such fun to see him put on the lights. He almost laughs, himself. ”

“ But Jenny was her especial favorite, because grandpa had brought her up from a calf and she was so gentle that she had let Jean take many a ride on her back. Jean had just given her a good hug when grandpa came by leading Prince to pasture. "Please put me on her," she begged.
"All right," he answered. "Take hold of the strap round her neck and don't ride far."
"No, I won't. Jenny always stops for me to jump off when I want to."
Copyright by Underwood & Underwood, N.Y.
But when grandpa came back there was no little girl, no Jersey cow anywhere to be seen. ”

“ Gilbert was a thoughtful little chap. Now he said, "I learned, didn't I, mother? Grandfather liked to have me pull his whiskers when he was awake, but once I pulled them when he was taking a nap, and he didn't like it one bit. I never did it after that."
DILLY AND HER DOUBLE-FACED DOLLY.
"I think you ought to invite Dilly to your party, Mildred," said Mrs. Fuller. "She lives so near us, and you've invited every other little girl on the street."
"Why," said Mildred, "she'd be sure to bring that dreadful doll that she loves so much. Some of the girls wouldn't come if she were invited. ”

“ Some little boys and girls picked the cotton out, and then some men put it in a machine and took the seed all out of the soft white stuff, and then it went to another big house and was made into thread, and then into a beautiful piece of cloth, and mother and auntie made your pretty dress out of the seed babies' cotton blanket. Isn't it nice that everybody helps Ruthie girl to have pretty things. ”

“ Not long after, a beautiful doll came to Dilly. It was Mildred's gift, and all the little girls who were at the party helped to dress it.
Dilly loves it dearly, and though it will never take the place of the dear, double-faced doll, she is very happy, for Mildred is her loyal friend.
—Selected.
A good cure for discontent—count your blessings every day.
WHAT JENNY SHOWED JEAN. BY ADELE E. THOMPSON.
It was a happy day for Jean when the cars started that were to take her and Big Sister all the way to Grandpa's. ”