I had known Mr. Peggotty’s quaint house very well in my childhood, and I am sure I could not have been more charmed with it if it had been Aladdin’s palace, roc’s egg and all. It was an old black barge or boat, high and dry on Yarmouth sands, with an iron funnel sticking out of it for a chimney. There was a delightful door cut in the side, and it was roofed in, and there were little windows in it. It was beautifully clean, and as tidy as possible. There were some lockers and boxes, and there was a table, and there was a Dutch clock, and there was a chest of drawers, and there was a tea-tray with a painting on it, and the tray was kept from tumbling down by a Bible, and the tray if it _had_ tumbled down, would have Smashed a quantity of cups and saucers and a tea-pot that were grouped around the book. On the walls were colored pictures of Abraham in red going to sacrifice Isaac in blue, and of Daniel in yellow being cast into a den of roaring green lions. Over the little mantleshelf was a picture of the “Sarah Jane” lugger, built at Sunderland, with a real little wooden stern stuck on it—a work of Art combining composition with carpentry, which I had regarded in my childhood as one of the most enviable possessions the world could afford. —_Charles Dickens._ _From the author’s condensation of David Copperfield._ _Buff says Buff._ Buff says Buff to all his men, And I say Buff to you again; Buff neither laughs nor smiles, But carries his face With a very good grace, And passes the stick to the very next place! _Hark, hark! the Dogs do Bark!_ [Illustration] Hark, hark! The dogs do bark, The beggars are coming to town; Some in rags, Some in jags, And some in velvet gowns. APRIL. [Illustration] The wild and windy March once more Has closed his gates of sleep, And given us back our April time, So fickle and so sweet. Now blighting with our fears—our hopes, Now kindling hopes with fears— Now softly weeping through the smiles, Now smiling through the tears. —_Alice Cary._ THE TABLE AND THE CHAIR. I. Said the Table to the Chair, “You can hardly be aware, How I suffer from the heat, And from chilblains on my feet. If we took a little walk, We might have a little talk; Pray let us take the air,” Said the Table to the Chair. II. Said the Chair unto the Table, “Now you _know_ we are not able: How foolishly you talk, When you know we _cannot_ walk!” Said the Table with a sigh, “It can do no harm to try. I’ve as many legs as you: Why can’t we walk on two?” III.