Well, that day no more crumbs were scattered; and Ernest did not get a prisoner, though he kept a bright lookout for one. But the next day he got one; and this is the way it happened. Papa said he would like an apple. Eva brought him one; and, while he was paring and eating it, he dropped some of the peel on the floor. In an instant, to his great dismay, he was arrested and locked up; and he might have languished in jail full five minutes, if Ernest had not been such a kind jailer that he let him out in two. Papa thinks that the next time he makes a rule he will be careful not to break it. L. P. A. [Illustration] THE SONG OF THE KETTLE. MY house is old, the rooms are low, The windows high and small; And a great fireplace, deep and wide, Is built into the wall. There, on a hanging chimney-hook, My little kettle swings; And, in the dreary winter-time, How cheerily it sings! My kettle will not sing to-day-- What could it sing about? For it is empty, it is cold: The fire is all gone out. Go, bring to me, to fill it up, Fresh water from the spring; And I will build a rousing fire, And that will make it sing! Bring white bark from the silver birch, And pitch-knots from the pine; And here are shavings, long and white, That look as ribbons fine. The little match burns faint and blue, But serves the fire to light; And all around my kettle, soon, The flames are rising bright. Crack, crack! begins the hemlock-branch, Snap, snap! the chestnut stick; And up the wide old chimney now The sparks are flying thick. Like fire-flies on a summer night, They go on shining wings; And, hark! above the roaring blaze My little kettle sings! The robin carols in the spring; In summer hums the bee: But, in the dreary winter, give The kettle's song to me. MARIAN DOUGLAS. [Illustration] CLARENCE'S KITTENS. CLARENCE is a little boy who loves to read "The Nursery," and often laughs at the funny stories in it. Where Clarence lives, there are two kittens. He calls them kittens; but they are both _grown-up_ kittens, and the elder of the two is a full-grown cat. One is named Ring, because she has such a pretty white ring about her neck; and the other is named Daisy. Now, Daisy is Ring's aunt, and is sometimes very cross to her niece. Being a sedate cat herself, she tries to stop Ring's fun; but Ring is a happy kitten, and always tries to have a good time. One day, after coming from church, Clarence's aunt was reading, when the dinner-bell rang. So she left her book on the window-sill, and laid her spectacles upon it.