[Illustration:  Mary Jane]

    This is Mary Jane,
      See! she has a saucer: 
    To her cat she says,
      “Give me up your paw, sir. 
    I’ve some fresh, nice milk
      You will relish greatly.” 
    Pussy then put up her paw;
      All this happened lately.

[Illustration:  Baby May]

    This is Baby May: 
      She looks out to spy
    If her own dear papa comes
      On the road near by. 
    Yes, she sees him now,
      He is coming fast;
    For he loves his Baby May,
      Loves her first and last.

K.G.

THE BASKET OF APPLES.

[Illustration:  THE BASKET OF APPLES.]

I.

Albert is a bright little fellow.  He is not three years old; but he can read ten words in “The Nursery.”  These words are, cat, dog, cow, horse, bird, mother, father, brother, sister, apple.

One day, John the gardener left a basket of apples at the top of the garden-steps.  Albert saw it, and knew it was meant for the house.  “I will take it in,” said he.  “I am strong.”

[Illustration:  Albert II]

II.

But the basket was not so light as he had thought.  Indeed it was quite heavy.  Perhaps this was because it was full of apples.  The gardener had just picked them from a fine old tree in the orchard.

Albert was a stout little fellow; but the basket was too much for him.  In trying to lift it, he upset it; and some of the apples rolled out down the steps as fast as they could go.  Perhaps they saw it was a good chance to run away.

[Illustration:  Albert III]

III.

Albert did not cry.  He knew that crying would do no good.  What was now the first thing to be done?  Albert thought for a while, and said to himself, “The first thing to do is to set the basket upright.”

He did not find it hard work to do this.  All the apples had not run out.  Some were still in the basket.

Albert picked up one, smelt of it, and then put it back.  He next placed the basket upright.

[Illustration:  Albert IV]

IV.

Having done this so that the basket stood firm, he said, “What is the next thing to do?  The next thing to do is to put back the apples; and I am the boy that can do it.”

And he did it well.  He did not once think of keeping any of the apples for himself; nor did he even take a bite of one of them.  He was a good boy, and too honest for that.

If any one had said to him, “Give me an apple,” Albert would have said, “The apples are not mine to give.”

[Illustration:  Albert V]

V.