The children thought it strange of him
      To pin it up upon the wall;
    “We haven’t any skates,” said Jim;
      “It isn’t any good at all.”

    But Jack looked wise.  “Oh, yes,” said he,
      “I’ve thought of just the very thing;
    These railway trucks do splendidly—­
      We’ll tie them on our feet with string.”

They did, and all began to skate. 
But Jack, I fear, was rather rash;
He would start off at such a rate
That down he tumbled with a crash!

He wasn’t hurt.  “I’m quite all right,”
He cried, and scrambled up again;
And on they skated with delight,
Forgetting all about the rain!
—­Selected.

* * * * *

Why Betty Changed Her Mind

By Marie Deacon Hanson

[Illustration]

Each day, on her way to school, Betty called for Robbie Porter.  There were two reasons why she did this.  One was that she had promised Mrs. Porter she would, the other was that the little boy’s mother always gave Betty a cooky, or a piece of candy, or sometimes a penny.  Betty never wanted anyone to know about this second reason, which made her feel ashamed of herself, whenever she thought of it.

“Just as if you couldn’t do a kind thing for your neighbor without expecting to get something for doing it,” she would say scornfully to herself.

One afternoon, Mrs. Porter met Betty in the grocery, and said to her:  “Deary, shall you mind calling for Robbie about ten minutes earlier in the morning?  I want to go to the city on the eight-thirty train.”  And before Betty could answer, she added.  “Of course, Robbie could go by himself now that he has learned the way, but he does so enjoy going with you.”

“And I don’t mind one bit calling for him,” Betty hastened to assure Mrs. Porter.  “I’ll come early in the morning.”

On the way home from the store.  Betty saw her cousin, Julia Norton, coming eagerly to meet her.

“Betty,” Julia cried, “mother sent me to ask you to stay all night.  Cousin Lottie has come, and mother says we can pop corn and have a good time.  And you must be sure to bring your books so you can go right to school in the morning from our house.”

“That will be lovely,” Betty exclaimed delightedly.  There were few treats she enjoyed more than going to her aunt’s home.

Julia ran off to speak to another girl, and Betty following, suddenly remembered Robbie.  How could she call for him if she were at her aunt’s?

The latter lived on the other side of the village, and it would be far out of Betty’s way to call for Robbie.

[Illustration:  “I’m sorry I can’t call for Robbie in the morning.”]

“I just won’t bother about him,” she decided.

But even as she did so, she remembered that she had not only promised to call for Robbie in the morning, but to call for him earlier than usual and his mother would depend upon her.