HARRY AND HIS BLACK FRIEND JUMBO. g HEN Master Tom's father was captain of a Queen's ship, he landed on the African coast one day, and saw under a bush a black child who appeared dying. He had fallen ill, and would have been killed, but the slave-dealers were so frightened at the sudden appearance of the vessel that they fled, leaving the poor boy to perish of disease and hunger. Captain Jenkins had him carried on board, put under the doctor's care, and long before they reached England Jumbo was strong and happy. He became a great favourite of Tom's, and, indeed, of the family, being so good tempered and grateful. He is often employed as seen in the picture, and likes playing at cock-horse as much as Master Tom. TIME ENOUGH. E. WO little squirrels out in the sun; One gathered nuts, the other had none; "Time enough yet," his constant refrain, "Summer is still just on the wane." Listen, my child, while I tell you his fate: He roused him at last, but he roused him too late ; Down fell the snow from a pitiless cloud, And gave little squirrel a spotless white shroud. Two little boys in a school-room were placed; One always perfect, the other disgraced; "Time enough yet for my learning," he said; "I will climb by-and-by from the foot to the head." Listen, my darling: their locks are turned gray; One as a governor sitteth to-day; The other, a pauper, looks out at the door Of the almshouse, and idles his days as of yore. Two kinds of people we meet every day; Tell me, my child, if the squirrels have taught The lesson I longed to impart in your thought; Answer me this, and my story is done, Which of the two will you be, little one? Child at Home. NEPTUNE AND MISS TABBIE. NE day Cousin Bob called his large Newfoundland dog, whose name was Neptune, and asked him if he would like to go for a run with him across the common as far as the pond. Neptune, delighted, did all that he could, by frantic barks and violent wags of his bushy tail, to show that he accepted his master's invitation. So the two started off together for their favourite walk to Furze Green, where a nice little pond was to be found, in whose rather turbid water Neptune generally had a swim and a good deal of fun; for all Newfoundlands love the water and are never so happy as when they are splashing and dashing about in it. Robert used to throw his walkingstick in, and Neptune, watching eagerly from the bank by his side, only waited until it touched the water; then dashing in after it, swam rapidly across the pond until he reached it and seized it in his mouth; turning round and swimming slowly back, he gained the bank on which his master stood, laying it gently down at his feet, while he looked up in his face with honest eyes that seemed to say, "Am I not a good and clever dog?" When they reached the pond, my cousin caught sight of some small black creature struggling feebly in the water. He could not see clearly what it was, but he felt sure that it was alive. So he pointed it out to Neptune, saying, "Hi, Nep! fetch it out, good dog." Immediately Nep dashed in, and seizing it gently in his strong jaws, brought it carefully back to his master. It was a poor little half-drowned kitten, and when my cousin saw it lying helpless at his feet, he felt very much puzzled to know what to do with it. However, he had not sent his good dog in to save it for nothing. So picking it up in his arms, he started off for home, running with it all the way. When he got in he ran downstairs with it to the kitchen, and showing it to the cook, begged her to put it in a comfortable basket in front of her hot fire, and also to give it immediately some warm milk to drink. But when they offered it to her the poor kitten was too ill to take any; so then Bob mixed a little weak brandy and water, which they put into the milk, and between them they opened her mouth and poured a spoonful gently down. When they had done this once or twice, she opened her large green eyes and looked round. 66 'Now, if we give her a little more warm milk I think she will do," said the cook, who was anxious to get back to her work. So they put her down in her basket, and left her to go to sleep in peace. The kitchen fire was hot, and soon dried her fur; but still pussie slept on and on, until it was time even for cook to go to bed, and the house was shut up for the night. But before she went upstairs a saucer of milk was placed beside the kitten, so that in case she awoke in the night she might easily find means of satisfying her hunger. It When the servants came down early next morning, they found this saucer licked clean and pussie skipping about the kitchen quite lively and well. She ran up at once to the cook, rubbed her head against her dress, and purred loudly in a grateful, contented sort of way. seemed as if she were trying her best to say "thank you" for the kind manner in which she had been treated the night before. She was also very grateful to Neptune, and always appeared to know that he had fetched her out of the water, and thus had saved her life. But one day, some months after pussie's arrival, a terrible scrimmage took place in the garden. Neptune had unfortunately brought in a friend of his, another large Newfoundland, and this dog, who had a great dislike to cats, no sooner caught sight of pussie (who was quietly helping herself to some of Neptune's dinner), than he made a savage rush at her, barking while he did so in the most furious manner. Poor pussie, frightened nearly out of her life, had only time to dash up a tree which fortunately grew near; while the angry creature, disap to come down; but when she did so she saw that he too was bleeding from many savage bites, which strangely disfigured his kind old face. After this the love between the two animals grew stronger than ever, and it was a pretty sight to watch them playing together or sharing their meals out of the same plate. Neptune was always good to her, even when she grew saucy and pulled his ears or played with his bushy tail. Pussie lived for many years in my cousin's house, and as long as she and Neptune were alive they were always about together, and the best and dearest of four-footed friends. THE DREAM. A. M. G. HE bright summer sunshine was casting its cheerful beams upon the ivy which covered the porch of Gurlay Lodge, and sending its rays through the windows into little Cora Gurlay's bright schoolroom, but the room looked empty and deserted. The 31 fact of the matter was, that, a very dear friend of Mrs. Gurlay's having come to pay her a visit, little Cora had been granted a holiday, and even now was wending her way towards the swing, carrying with her everything that she thought was needed to help her to spend a pleasant morningnamely, a new picture book, her little black kitten Topsy, and a wee Japanese parasol; for, with the perversity of children, she preferred taking the trouble of holding up her sunshade to wearing a hat. The swing had been placed in a warm but sheltered position between two tall oak trees, and Cora spent some time in swinging most pleasantly, while Topsy, quite accustomed to her little mistress's queer proceedings, sat composedly upon her shoulder. Presently Cora slipped down from the swing, and lay on the grass, lazily turning over the leaves of her book, when suddenly a tiny sharp voice at her side said "Dear me, what a useless little girl you are!" Cora, much surprised, turned round, and beheld, seated upon a blade of grass, a most lovely little lady dressed in white gossamer. She held a wand tipped with one large diamond in her hand, and a glittering star with a wreath of forget-menots on her bright hair. She was too much astonished to say anything for a few moments, until the fairy (for a fairy she certainly was) repeated her words, and then Cora answered quickly "Indeed, I'm not one bit more useless than Katie, or Minnie, or any other little girl I know of." 66 Katie, indeed!" said the fairy, with a little angry whisk of her wand. "Why, Katie is one of my best children. Do you know what my name is, little one? It is Fairy Workall; and just to show you how my good girls behave, I will take you with me to pay some visits; " and springing up, she touched Cora with her wand. 66 "There now," she said, you are invisible; now come with me." And Cora felt herself rising in the air; a moment more, and she was flying in the wake of the fairy with great swiftness. Cora was rather frightened, but at the same time it certainly was great fun, and she was only a little surprised at finding |