“Oh, the sun is shining!” Allie jumped up, and ran out of the room to ask her mother if she would let her go to Miss Davies’s.  While she is gone I will tell you briefly who she is.  Her name is Allie Harris, and she is a bright little girl, only apt to be dull on dark days.

Her mother gave the desired permission, and after wrapping herself up warmly, she took the well-filled basket that her mother had prepared, and set out on her errand of mercy.  She soon reached Miss Davies’s tiny cottage.  She knocked, and a cheery voice bade her enter.  She walked into a neat room, barely but cleanly furnished.  At one end of it, beside a window, around which an ivy was growing, sat a bright-faced little woman sewing.  She looked up and greeted Allie pleasantly.  Allie shyly made known her errand, and stayed with Miss Davies all the afternoon, singing and reading aloud while Miss Davies sewed.

When it began to grow dark she bade Miss Davies a cheerful good-by, and went merrily home.  She said to her mother, “I have learned the true secret of happiness at last.”  By doing good to others you will forget your own unhappiness, and be made happy in return; while, if you mope and try to be disagreeable, you will be miserable.

F.H.

[Illustration:  “H’M!  DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW YOU’RE OUT?” (Drawn by a Young Contributor.)]

THE LETTER BOX

Our beautiful new cover was designed and drawn by Walter Crane, of London, who made all those lovely pictures in “The Baby’s Opera.”  Our readers will remember what we said of him last month, and that, though a great artist in other ways also, he has done his best and most famous work in drawing for the little folks.  It would have been impossible, therefore, to find a hand more skillful in the kind of art desired, or better fitted to put upon the cover of ST. NICHOLAS just the things to suit the best tastes and fancies; and of Mr. Crane’s success we think that no one who really studies the new cover can have a doubt.  It seems to us fully worthy both of the artist and the magazine; and, believing that our young readers will all agree with us, we leave them the delight of discovering and enjoying for themselves its special beauties.

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There is a beautiful custom in England—­which is to be hoped will yet become general in America—­of sending around Christmas cards, dainty things with lovely pictures and hearty verses upon them.  Friends and lovers send them to one another, children send them to their parents, parents to their children, and the postman, as he flies from house to house, fairly glows with loving messages.

And now ST. NICHOLAS presents to one and all the sweet little card on page 91, which was drawn by Miss L. Greenaway, a London artist, who has drawn many beautiful pictures of child-life.  A companion card will be given next month.