[Illustration]

Our Band.

[Illustration:  R]ub-a-dub, rub-a-dee,
  Oh, such jolly fun! 
I’m Signor Blowmore,
  And he’s Herr Bertrun.

Rub-a-dub, rub-a-dee! 
  Do we make a noise? 
That’s the very thing you know
  Pleases little boys.

Rub-a-dub, rub-a-dee! 
  Full of young life’s joys,
Playing with the horn and drum,
  Best of all the toys.

Rub-a-dub, rub-a-dee! 
  Music now hath charms;
You can blow and beat away,
  And it no one alarms.

[Illustration]

THE SWAN AND THE DRAKE

Slowly, in majestic silence,
  Sailed a Swan upon a lake;
Round about him, never quiet,
  Swam a noisy quacking Drake.

“Swan,” exclaimed the latter, halting,
  “I can scarcely comprehend
Why I never hear you talking: 
  Are you really dumb, my friend?”

Said the Swan, by way of answer: 
  “I have wondered, when you make
Such a shocking, senseless clatter,
  Whether you are deaf, Sir Drake!”

Better, like the Swan, remain in
  Silence grave and dignified,
Than keep, drake-like, ever prating,
  While your listeners deride.

W.R.E.

[Illustration]

Upsetting baby’s milk.

“Ponto,” the dog, who was longing for a run with nurse and baby, came up into the nursery to see if they were nearly ready for their walk.  Nurse had gone out of the room, leaving baby fastened into her chair with a saucer of milk on the ledge in front of her.  Ponto would not have taken the milk without leave—­he knew better how to behave than that; but he wanted baby to give him some, and did not know how easily the saucer would be upset:  one great paw put on the little shelf sent it over, broke it, and spilt the milk.  You see the baby is not at all afraid of the dog, and she is too good-tempered to cry about the milk being spilt; but she holds her spoon out of Ponto’s way and says, “Naughty, naughty!”

[Illustration]

Clever tray.

I want to tell you a true story about the terrier dog you see having a game at hide-and-seek with our two children.

One evening, nurse had put baby to bed, and tucked her in quite snug and warm.  Having to do some shopping, nurse went out, and, in going along the street she felt something pulling her skirt, and on looking down discovered Tray with her skirt in his mouth.  Nurse thought he was only playing, and tried to shake him off, but he began to bark and whine, and seemed to say, in his doggish way:  “Please do attend to me; do come back with me!” that at last, just to see if he would leave off, she began to walk home.  And oh, how delighted Tray was!  When they reached the house Tray ran up-stairs, and nurse discovered baby sitting up in bed, and screaming sadly.  The little thing had awoke, and finding herself alone, began to cry; and the faithful dog had heard her, and set off directly to find nurse.