“And that’s twopence,” cried a queer little voice that seemed to come from the chimney.

The housewife filled the saucepan again and set it over the fire.  It had not been there more than two minutes before it boiled over and was burnt and smoked as before.

“The pan must be dirty,” muttered the woman, who was very much vexed.  “Two full quarts of milk have been wasted.”

“And that’s fourpence!” added the queer little voice from the chimney.

The saucepan was scoured; then it was filled with milk the third time and set over the fire.  Again the milk boiled over and was spoiled.

Now the housewife was quite vexed.  “I have never had anything like this to happen since I first kept house,” she exclaimed.  “Three quarts of milk wasted!”

“And that’s sixpence,” cried the queer little voice from the chimney.  “You didn’t save the tinkering after all, mother!”

With that the Hillman himself came tumbling from the chimney and ran off laughing.  But from that time, the saucepan was as good as any other.

—­JULIANA H. EWING.

[Illustration:  The Hillman running off from the fire]

[Illustration:  The Elf and the Dormouse under the toadstool]

THE ELF AND THE DORMOUSE

  Under a toad stool
    Crept a wee Elf,
  Out of the rain
    To shelter himself.

  Under the toad stool
    Sound asleep,
  Sat a big Dormouse
    All in a heap.

  Trembled the wee Elf
    Frightened, and yet
  Fearing to fly away
    Lest he get wet.

  To the next shelter—­
    Maybe a mile! 
  Sudden the wee Elf
    Smiled a wee smile;

  Tugged till the toad stool
    Toppled in two;
  Holding it over him,
    Gayly he flew.

  Soon he was safe home,
    Dry as could be. 
  Soon woke the Dormouse—­
    “Good gracious me!

  “Where is my toad stool?”
    Loud he lamented. 
  And that’s how umbrellas
    First were invented.

—­OLIVER HERFORD.

[Illustration:  The elf flying away with the toadstool as the Dormouse watches]

THE BELL OF ATRI

I

Good King John of Atri loved his people very much and wished to see them happy.  He knew, however, that some were not; he knew that many suffered wrongs which were not righted.  This made him sad.

One day the king thought of a way to help his people.  He had a great bell hung in a tower in the market place.  He had the rope made so long that a child could reach it.

Then the king sent heralds through the streets to tell the people why he had put the bell in the market place.  The heralds blew their trumpets long and loud, and the people came from their homes to hear the message.