Polly called, as loud as she could, "Here, Blackie, Blackie; here, Banty, Banty; here, Gyp, Gyp," and as quick as a wink the animals came running up to her. At first she sat down, but all three of her pets got in her lap until you could scarcely see Polly behind them. That would not do, of course, because it was Polly's picture that was the most important. Finally, she stood up and made her pets stand up, too. Then she had more trouble, for Gyp wanted to stand next to her, and so did Banty, and so did Blackie, but she told them if they were not good and did not stand just where she put them, they could not have their pictures taken at all. She even said she would get the little pig that could not find his way home, and would have her picture taken with _him_. They did not like that, so they promised to be good. She stood Banty on one side of her, and Gyp on the other side, and then she put Blackie on one end next to Banty. But Gyp and Blackie jumped around so lively that Brother Ned ran into the house and brought out Polly's toy cow, and stood her next to Blackie, and that kept _him_ quiet, because he was afraid the cow would hook him with her horns--he did not know it was not a _real_ cow. Then Ned brought out Polly's toy lion and put him next to Gyp, and that kept _him_ quiet, because he thought the lion would eat him up,--he did not know it was not a _real_ lion. So, after they were all nice and quiet, Ned called out: "Ready! Look pleasant! One, two, three--all over!" And here is the way they looked in the picture that Ned took that morning: [Illustration] IDLE BEN Idle Ben was a naughty boy (If you please, this story's true), He caused his teachers great annoy, And his worthy parents, too. Idle Ben, in a boastful way To his anxious parents told That while he was young he thought he'd play, And he'd learn when he grew old. "Ah, Ben," said his mother, and dropped a tear, "You'll be sorry for this, by-and-by" Says Ben, "To me that's not very clear, But at any rate I'll try." So idle Ben, he refused to learn, Thinking that he could wait; But when he had his living to earn, He found it was just too late. Little girls, little boys, don't delay your work, Some day you'll be women and men. Whenever your task you're inclined to shirk, Take warning by idle Ben. THE HOLE IN THE CANNA-BED BY ISABEL GORDON CURTIS One evening in May, Chuckie Wuckie's papa finished setting out the plants in the front yard. Into one large bed he put a dozen fine cannas. They looked like fresh young shoots of corn. He told Chuckie Wuckie that when summer came they would grow tall, with great spreading leaves and beautiful red-and-yellow blossoms. "Taller than me, papa?" asked the little girl, trying to imagine what they would look like. "Much taller; as tall as I am."