A few mornings later the mother came into the room where the two boys slept.

they looked in their little white beds!

How pretty

"My sweet children," said she to herself. Then she tiptoed to Gustavus and awakened "Sh-h-h! do not awaken Frederick," said Gustavus crept out of bed and dressed himself, while the mother awakened Alvina.

him. she.

When the two children were dressed and

down-stairs, they cried, "What is it, mother,

what is it?"

"Run into the garden," said she. Their flowerbeds were in bloom!

Mine are all pink," cried Gustavus.

"Oh, mother, how sweet they smell," cried Alvina.

"May we have some of your pinks for the breakfast table?" asked the mother.

"Yes, indeed!" cried the children, and gave

her their two little handfuls.

"Where shall we set the flowers?" asked she, filling a glass with fresh water.

"O, I know," cried Alvina, clapping her little hands, "by Frederick's plate!"

Politeness is to do and say

Adapted.

The kindest thing in the kindest way.

WHICH LOVED BEST?

BY JOY ALLISON

"I love you, mother," said little John.
Then forgetting his work, his cap went on,
And he was off to the garden swing,
Leaving his mother the wood to bring.
"I love you, mother," said little Nell,
"I love you better than tongue can tell."
Then she teased and pouted half the day,
Till mother rejoiced when she went to play.
"I love you, mother," said little Fan.
"To-day I'll help you all I can.”

To the cradle then she did softly creep,
And rocked the baby till it fell asleep.
Then stepping softly, she took the broom,
And swept the floor and dusted the room;
Busy and happy all day was she,
Helpful and cheerful as child could be.

"I love you, mother," again they said
Three little children, going to bed.
How do you think that mother guessed
Which of them really loved her best?

THE FOOLISH WEATHERCOCK

BY MRS. NORDLAND

An iron cock stood on a steeple. When the wind blew he turned round and round. He was a weathercock.

Every day the sailors would look at the weathercock. If he turned to the east they would say, "We must stay at home to-day."

If he turned to the west they took their boats and went out to catch fish.

The weathercock began to notice that the sailors looked at him every morning. "How important I am," thought he. "I tell them when to go to sea and when to stay at home."

At that moment the wind blew him around so that he could see the fields.

"Yes," said he to himself, "the farmers, too, ask me if rain will come. Yet, never a sailor nor a farmer has said 'Thank you' to me."

The more the weathercock thought about this the more angry he became. Why should I work

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for these people? They care nothing for me. I

shall stop."

Again the wind blew, but the weathercock did not turn. The wind blew harder.

Off snapped the weathercock.

ground.

He fell to the

"Now," said he, "they will see how important

I was.

To-morrow they will not know what to

do." All night he lay on the ground.

The next morning the sailors came out. "Why, the weathercock has blown down in the night!" said they. "But see the smoke from the chimneys! It is all blowing west. We shall have a clear day." So they went out to sea.

Then the farmers came out. They, too, saw that the weathercock was gone, but the breeze was stirring the leaves. "We can cut wheat today," said they.

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How miserable the weathercock felt! The people did not need him so much after all. shall just be thrown aside into the rubbish heap," he cried.

In the afternoon a man came and mended him.