Land Sakes! den I must sholy tell Dat story to you, Honey! Well,

One Christmas-eve long time ago
Ole Santa Claus was pow'ful po'
An' say he couldn't bring no toys
To my three little gals an' boys.

So I jes 'lowed as how I'd sell
My weddin'-ring fer a dress fer Nell!
An' den my Nell she
an' say
She'd do widout to give to Ray!

up

Den Ray he up an' say he'd go
Widout new shoes, an' give to Joe!
Till pretty soon we all agree
To use our love to trim dat tree!

So up we set it by de bed

An' kneelin' 'round, our prayers we said.

Den laughin' gay we made like we

Was tyin' bundles on dat tree!

Den, Honey, when we'd gone to sleep, A little spider 'gin to creep;

'Cause in his heart he say wid glee: "I'll hang my love, too, on dat tree.”

So den a web he 'gin to spin
A-creepin' 'round, an' out an' in,

Till pretty soon dat tree was drape
Wid webs all dark like mournful crêpe.

Den I riz up an' scole him hard
Fer ruinin' dat green Tree-o'-Gawd!
He look at me an' droop his head.
"My web was all I had!" he said.

An' den I seen a wondrous light!
De Christmas-angel shinin' bright
Step in dat room and touch dat tree,
An' such a sight you never see!

Fer when he touch dem webs like coal,
Dey turned to shinin' threads o' gole!
An' dat is what you see to-day
A-hangin' on de Christmas-tree.

Fer eve'ything dat's gave wid love De Christ-chile blesses frum above. Hit's only love dat counts, my chile, Fer hit's de onlyest gif' wu'th while!

-HELEN S. WOODRUFF.

JUST

INDITED

UST why should the actor indite
group of lame verses, in spite

Of his obvious unfitness,

As here you may witness

In the faltering Limerick I write?

-OTIS SKINNER.

LIFE'S LOGIC

HE logic of life is so simple.

THE

It leaves all the theories behind; It's just to be honest and kind, lad, Just to be honest and kind.

-WALT MASON.

A

THE SPRING BONNET

FAIR lady bought a fine bonnet in May, Intending to wear it each sunshiny day, "But," she argued, "Fair weather or foul may destroy it,"

So indoors she now wears her out-of-door toilet.

-AMY BROOKS.

FOR THE SPELLING CLASS

ONE night an obstreperous leopard

Was fired at twice by a sheopard.

Next morning was found,

Lying dead on the ground,

The leopard the sheopard had peopard.

-FRANCIS E. LEUPP.

WHEN I GROW UP

THEN the circus comes to town

WHEN

I begin to think I'll be a clown. P'raps I'll be an acrobat

Over the elephants on to the mat.
Fun to ride a bareback horse
An' tame lions-but o' course

When I grow up an' the circus comes,
Cymbals an' cornets an' beatin' drums,
I'll be too old like Pa, I s'pose,

Who says

he's glad when the circus goes!

JAMES BARNES.