EDITOR’S PORTFOLIO.

We think that the present number, both in its pictorial and its literary contents, will please our host of readers, young and old.  The charming little story of “The Little Culprit,” in its mixture of humor and pathos, has been rarely excelled.

The drawing lessons, consisting of outlines made by Weir from Landseer’s pictures, seem to be fully appreciated by our young readers, and we have received from them several copies which are very creditable.

Remember that for teaching children to read there are no more attractive volumes than “The Easy Book” and “The Beautiful Book,” published at this office.

The pleasant days of spring ought to remind canvassers that now is a good time for getting subscribers, and that “The Nursery” needs but to be shown to intelligent parents to be appreciated.  See terms.

The use of “The Nursery” in schools has been attended with the best results.  We have much interesting testimony on this point, which we may soon communicate.  It will be worthy the attention of teachers and school committees.

Subscribers who do not receive “The Nursery” promptly, (making due allowance for the ordinary delay of the mail), are requested to notify us immediately.  Don’t wait two or three months and then write informing us that we have “not sent” the magazine, (which in most cases is not the fact):  but state simply that you have not received it; and be sure, in the first place, that the fault is not at your own Post-office.  Always mention the date of your remittance and subscription as nearly as possible.  Remember that we are not responsible for the short-comings of the Post-office, and that our delivery of the magazine is complete when we drop it into the Boston office properly directed.

“Every house that has children in it, needs ‘The Nursery’ for their profit and delight:  and every childless house needs it for the sweet portraiture it gives of childhood.”—­Northampton Journal.

[Illustration:  The dog who lost his master.

THE DOG WHO LOST HIS MASTER

Spot was a little dog who had come all the way from Chicago to Boston, in the cars with his master.  But, as they were about to take the cars back to their home, they entered a shop near the railroad-station; and there, before Spot could get out to follow his master, a bad boy shut the door, and kept the poor dog a prisoner.

The cars were just going to start.  In vain did the master call “Spot, Spot!” In vain did poor Spot bark and whine, and scratch at the door, and plead to be let out of the shop.  The bad boy kept him there till just as the bell rang; and then he opened the door, and poor Spot ran—­oh, so fast!—­but the cars moved faster than he.

Mile after mile poor Spot followed the cars, till they were far out of sight.  Then, panting and tired, he stopped by the roadside, and wondered what he should do, without a home, without a master.