Fred's Jacket.

RED'S jacket was new and ought to fit,

But something or other was wrong with it;

And so last night, when fast asleep

He lay in his bed, I took a peep

At the little garment just to see,

If I could, what the secret of it might be.

'Twas a little sturdy, gray affair,

Hung on the back of the rocking chair,

While the rest of his clothes were strewed around.

I took it. What do you think I found?

What but pockets, which from the first
I saw were full enough to burst.

I emptied each one carefully.

Freddie had treasures, as you shall seet
A knife with a broken blade; and then
A handful of marbles, eight or ten;
A stick for a handle, on which to spin
Gay bits of paper upon a pin;

A chisel or some such useful tool;

A bit of pencil, an empty spool;

A watch that took no note of time,

And a top long past its humming prime;

A whistle to help in making noise,
And fragments of half-a-dozen toys.

But more than of any other thing,

I found that there were three kinds of string;

There was pink, and yellow, and white and red
In all degrees from twine to thread,

In tangles or knots or in a ball!
What use has the little Fred for all?

I gave one glance at the sleeping face,
Then put each treasure again in place.
The pockets bulged as I hung it there,
So gray and sturdy, upon the chair,
And I thought as I pondered over it,
No wonder the jacket doesn't fit!

1

"Why the Dog's Nose Is Always Cold."

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HAT makes the dog's nose always cold?"

I'll try to tell you, curls of gold,

If you will good and quiet be,

And come and stand by mamma's knee.

Well, years, and years, and years ago—

How many 1 don't really know-
There came a rain on sea and shore;

Its like was never seen before
Or since. It fell unceasing down,
Till all the world began to drown.
But just before it began to pour,
An old, old man-his name was Noah-
Built him an ark, that he might save

His family from a wat'ry grave;

And in it also he designed

To shelter two of every kind

Of beast. Well, dear, when it was done,

And heavy clouds obscured the sun,

The Noah folks to it quickly ran,

And then the animals began

To gravely march along in pairs;

The leopards, tigers, wolves, and bears,

The deer, the hippopotamuses,

The rabbits, squirrels, elks, walrusses,

The camels, goats, cats and donkeys,

The tall giraffes, the beavers, monkeys,

The rats, the big rhinoceroses,

The dromedaries and the horses,

The sheep, and mice, the kangaroos,

Hyenas, elephants, koodoos,

And hundreds more-'twould take all day,

My dear, so many names to say-

And at the very, very end

Of the procession, by his friend
And master, faithful dog was seen;
The livelong time he'd helping been
To drive the crowd of creatures in,
And now, with loud, exultant bark,
He gaily sprang abroad the Ark.
Alas! so crowded was the space
He could not in it find a place;
So, patiently he turned about—
Stood half way in and half way out.
And those extremely heavy show'rs
Decended through nine hundred hours
And more; and, darling, at the close,
Most frozen was his honest nose;
And never could it lose again
The dampness of that dreadful rain,
And that is what, my curls of gold,
Made all the doggies' noses cold!

Dick's Watch.

EAR little Dick, curled up by the fire,

Sat watching the shadows come and go, As the dancing flames leaped higher and higher, Flooding the room with a mellow glow.

His chubby hand on his side was pressed, And he turned for a moment a listening ear; "Mother," cried he, "I've got a watch!

I can feel it ticking right under here!"

"Yes, Dick, 'tis a watch that God has made,
To mark your hours as they fly away;
He holds the key in His mighty hand,
And keeps it in order night and day.

"Should He put aside its mystic key,

Or lay His hand on the tiny spring, The wheels would stop and your watch run down, And lie in your bosom a lifeless thing-"

He crept to my side and whispered soft,

While his baby voice had an awe-struck sound, "I wish you would ask Him, mother dear,

To be sure and remember to keep it wound!