O

fingers briskly clap, clap, clap, See the blacksmith strike while the arms behind you head upright See the drummer drum

on his

iron is hot;

big bass drum! Let us step to

Little boy wake up from your drowsy nap. gether left foot, right.

Here we all stand up clapping merrily,
Let us raise our hands-clap once again.
See the sawyer saw at the big wood pile

How it makes the blood run through each vein.

We are standing yet, and our hands stretch up,
Downward, upward, quickly the elbows draw;

See the schoolboy driving his hoop along-
Ha, ha, ha, ha!-Hurrah! Hurrah!

THE BLACK SHEEP

Once upon a time, and it was a very long time ago as long ago as when your grandma was a little girl-there was a farmer who had a big flock of sheep in his pasture. There were a great many white sheep, and just one old black sheep; and there were a great many little lambs, all of them snowy white except one, and it was as brown as brown could be.

All day long the sheep and lambs nibbled the tender grass, and the lambkins played about with each other and had fine times.

The old black sheep stood watching them one day, and she noticed that the little black lamb did not play with the rest, but stood all alone by herself. "Poor Little Black Lamb!" said Old I think I will go and com

Black Sheep; "I fear she is unhappy. fort her."

Old Black Sheep went over to where her little friend was standing, and this is what Little Black Lamb said: "Oh, dear! why was I made a black lamb? Why did I not have pretty white wool like the rest? I am only a homely little black lamb, and I can never make any one happy just because my wool is black! dear!"

Oh,

"Don't say that," said the Old Black Sheep, "for it isn't true. I have lived a long time and I know black sheep are useful."

So little Black Lamb took courage and ate her grass and waited. By and by the Summer was gone and the cold Winter came, and one day the farmer and his boys came into the pasture and drove all the sheep down to the great sheep barn back of the farmhouse, and there they staid all Winter nice and warm. In Spring, when the warm days came, they were all driven back to the pasture again. The little lambs that had played there before were now great sheep, and long wool hung down from their sides.

One hot day in the early Summer the farmer and his boys came again to the pasture. This time they drove all the sheep down to the stream, where they caught them, one at a time, and ran into the water with them, and gave them such a scrubbing that they were frightened nearly out of their wits. Big Black Sheep kept close to Little Black Sheep to comfort and encourage her. "Now you shall see," said Big Black Sheep, "the time will soon come when you will be glad your wool is dark brown."

There was no time for Big Black Sheep to say any more, for just then the farmer caught him up in his arms and dashed into the stream with him. Little Black Sheep was carried off by the farmer's boy, who said to himself: "I shall not need to wash this sheep very clean; he is so black no one will ever know." But just at that minute the farmer called out: "My son, wash that black

sheep just as carefully as any of the rest, for we mean to use his wool."

By and by all the sheep were washed and sent back to the sunny pasture to dry. Next day they were again driven to the great sheep barn where the farmer and his boys and some farmer neighbors were ready for them.

The sheep were put into a pen from which they were taken one at a time to the men, who with long, sharp shears quickly clipped off their soft, fleecy coats. By and by it came the little black sheep's turn. He was so frightened he didn't make a sound as the farmer's shears went clip, clip, clip, all over his little body, and his long brown coat fell in a fleecy mass to the floor.

He was returned to the pen, where he eagerly watched from his corner to see what was to be done with his coat. Most of the wool was made into bundles and put into great sacks to be carried to the mill. One little white fleece and his own brown coat were folded into neat little bundles and laid side by side on the table, when the farmer's little daughter came running in with her mam

ma.

"Oh, Papa!" she cried, "What are you going to do with that pretty brown wool ?"

"You will have to ask your mamma that," he said, "for it was she who asked me to save the little brown lamb last Spring, and she must have had some good reason for her request, I guess."

"Well," said mamma, I thought that brown wool with this white fleece would make such pretty cloth woven in little brown and white stripes, and that pretty cloth would make such a nice dress for the dearest little girl in the world.”

"Oh, goody! goody!" cried the little girl, as she danced up and down with pleasure. "I must kiss you for thinking of it, and run and thank the little black sheep for his wool." So she ran to the pen and put her arms around the little black sheep's neck, and patted him and thanked him for his coat; and my! but wasn't the little black sheep happy! And from that day to this the little black sheep and the little girl have been the best of friends and the happiest.-Edith Carol Pinneo.

THE HARE AND THE TORTOISE.

Once upon a time a Tortoise was sunning herself on the seashore, when a Hare walked by. Seeing her, he stopped a moment. "If you are trying to warm yourself, your house?" asked he with a smile. that way."

why don't you come out of "You will never get warm

"The reason why," answered the Tortoise, "is that my house is fastened to my back, and I have to carry it always."

"What!" cried the Hare, "do you mean to say that when you run about for food you have to carry it always?"

"Certainly," replied the Tortoise.

and she began to crawl away.

"But I don't mind it;"

When he saw her moving off at such a slow pace the Hare began to laugh, which was very rude, and annoyed the Tortoise.

"What are you laughing at?" she demanded, turning round. "I beg your pardon," said the Hare, "but you do move slowly that I cannot help it."

"Well, you need not laugh! I could beat you in a race to the woods any day," returned the Tortoise, now very angry to think that Hare was making fun of her.

"Do you really mean that? Did you ever see me run?" asked the astonished Hare.

"Of course I have seen you run; but I mean every word I say. I will beat you in a race to the woods if you are willing to try." And the Tortoise looked him straight in the eye.

"Why, I am always willing to try anything as easy as that," said the Hare. "Just wait a moment. I'll run off and ask my friends to look on." So he darted away like a flash, and at the same time the Tortoise went back to the sea to ask some of her friends.

Turtles can swim faster than they can walk, so very soon she returned with ever so many of her friends. They were the green turtles in large numbers, flying fish, and oysters, clams, mackerel, and other creatures of the sea; and while they were selecting good places along the line, so as to see it all, the Hare appeared followed by a great crowd of his friends from the woods. When they saw the Tortoise they all looked rather disappointed, and the rabbits, who were cousins of the Hare, said: "It won't be very much fun to see this race, for we all know that you will win."

"Don't be too sure of that," said a wise old owl. "I know both parties well, and it is my opinion that the Tortoise will win;" and as he said this, she flew in a slow and stately way over to the friends of the Tortoise, who were greatly encouraged at having such a wise creature on their side.

The eagle was appointed judge, and the crow the starter, on account of her loud, clear voice. She was to cry, "Caw, caw, caw!" which meant, "Go, go, go!" and at the third "caw" the two were to start, but not before. Then a certain rock in the road was chosen as the starting point, and of course both the Hare and the Tortoise had to be close to that rock when they began-neither behind it or in front of it, but exactly in line with it.

When all was ready, and the crow had shouted "Caw, caw,"