The lady went out but the dog smelled me and was determined not to give me up so he ran to the big giant with dresses on and whined and whined until she came in again and said: “Well, Zip, I guess there must be a mouse here since you insist on it.” So she went out and got a long stick with a lot of straws on the end of it (she called it a broom), and with that she poked around all over the pantry, and the funny thing with long, white wool and sharp teeth kept smelling around and clawing at the glass jars till I thought I should die of fright. “It must be behind those jars, the way Zip acts,” she said; and she took the broom and knocked over all the jars with a crash. Well! I thought my time had surely come. My eyes filled with tears and my heart almost broke as I thought of my dear mother and all my sisters and brothers so happy at home. But just in that terrible moment I happened to remember what my mother had said about running into that other hole in case anything should happen, so with one bound I was on the floor and the funny thing with long, white wool and sharp teeth made a grab for me. I could feel his hot breath close upon me and I could almost feel his sharp teeth when I heard the big giant with dresses on say: “Catch him, Zip.” But surely a kind fate must have been with me for I was too quick for them. I never ran so fast in my life. I fairly flew till I found the hole behind the door and jumped in and ran along till I found myself once more at home, where all the family were frightened almost to death at my absence. After that terrible experience I shall always do what my mother tells me to, for after all, she knows best. Jessie Juliet Knox. ABOUT A SPARROW.