“Papa, I have thought it all out for Hattie. You know I have been saving up a little money to buy me a little iron bank--but I can wait for that. I have saved up fifty cents--don’t you think that will be enough to buy a nice little dolly for Hattie, and let me keep my babies?” Dr. Smithson knew that Mary had long been planning for the bank. So he asked: “Are you quite sure that you want to spend your money in this way?” “Yes, papa, I’m very sure,” said Mary with a smile, though there was a hint of sadness in her eyes. Dr. Smithson and Mary bought Hattie a pretty doll. Hattie was overjoyed when she saw it. Mary went back home, glad that her papa had understood how she loved her dolls, and glad to find that not one of her beloved children was missing. JAKY TOLBERT’S PLAYMATES. “Well, Johnnie, where are you going this morning?” asked Mrs. Jones as her little boy started towards the gate. “I’m goin’ over to Jaky’s, mamma; you know I must go over to Jaky’s every day.” “What do you find at Jaky’s to make you so anxious to go over there every day almost before you are out of bed good?” “Oh, mamma, Jaky has the nicest playmates over to his house you ’most ever saw.” “Who else goes over to Jaky’s besides you?” asked Mrs. Jones. “Jaky don’t have no reg’lar visitor but me,” said Johnnie proudly. “Me an’ Jaky is the whole thing.” “Well, you are saying a good deal for yourself when you say that Jaky has the nicest playmates in the world--don’t you think so?” [Illustration: “I’M GOING OVER TO JAKY’S, MAMMA.”] “I didn’t mean me,” explained Johnnie. “Jaky’s playmates ain’t folks at all. Jaky’s playmates is animals--just animals, but I do believe that they have got as much sense as some folks I know.” “What kind of animals?” asked Mrs. Jones, becoming interested. Then Johnnie went on to explain. He said: “Jaky’s got chickens and dogs and cats and birds. He’s got names for all of ’em, and they all know their names and they just run to Jaky when he calls them. The chickens and birds, too, will just walk right up and eat out of Jaky’s hand. And his trained dogs and cats are just the funniest things I ever saw. His little dog, Trip, can carry a gun and obey the commands, “Carry arms!” “Present arms!” “Parade rest!” just like a little soldier. One time at a fair he saw trained dogs and horses, elephants, and even lions. Then he decided that he would train some animals himself. And, mamma, he has done well. Why, he’s got a cat that can spell some words. Jaky printed some letters of the alphabet on separate cards, and he’s got a cat that will pick out the right ones every time. One of his little dogs can play the fiddle. It may seem strange, but he certainly can do it. He can hold the fiddle, and draw the bow across it just the right way, and he can play a little tune. Jaky calls it a dog tune, and I think he ought to know.