One day I went into my room; and there were Coosie and Carrie jumping up and down upon my spring-bed. I sat down and laughed heartily; and the lambs kept on jumping, and looked as if they were trying to laugh too. But I could not have such saucy lambs about the house any longer: so they were driven to the meadow with the rest of the flock. Auntie and I laughed again, to think of the lambs' frolic; and I said, "O auntie! how I wish they would eat out of my hand now! Do you think they will?" "I am afraid not," said she. "They have been with the flock a whole year, and I suppose are no longer tame; but you can try. Take some apples to them." So, with some apples in my hand, I went out, calling "Co-nan, co-nan!" The sheep were afraid, and walked away, crying "Baa-a-ah;" and the little lambs answered, "~Baa-a-ah.~" [Illustration] I followed slowly; and at last one sheep stood still. I went up close to her, calling "Coosie, Carrie!" for I knew it must be one or the other. She ate the apples out of my hand, and let me pat her head, and feel her soft wool. The next time I went out with apples, two sheep came to my call. They looked exactly alike to me; but Mary told me which was Coosie, and which was Carrie. After that, they did not wait to be called, but came running up as soon as they saw me. When the sheep were driven away into the meadow-lot again, I stood near the gate to see them go. The old sheep walked along quietly; but the lambs jumped and frisked about, and kicked up their heels in a very funny way. The sheep called out "Baa-a-ah!" and the lambs answered, "~Baa-a-ah!~" and sometimes it sounded like "~Maa-a-ah.~" Coosie and Carrie ran up, and licked my hand as I said good-by. Now, were they not dear little pets? A. F. A. [Illustration] THE FOURTH OF JULY CAKE. _Fred._--Oh! look here, Bessy and Maggy: come and see the splendid Fourth of July cake that mother has made! _Bessy._--You must not touch it, Fred: mother will be displeased if you touch it. _Fred._--I want to see if she has salted it well. Look at the currants and the raisins! _Bessy._--And how nicely it is sugared and frosted! _Maggy._--Me see; me see! _Fred._--There! Maggy has put her whole hand in. What will mother say? _Bessy._--It will do no harm now for me to taste it. _Fred._--Isn't it nice? [Illustration] _Maggy._--Me want plum. _Bessy._--Maggy mustn't stick her hand in. She will spoil mamma's nice cake. _Maggy._--Me want taste. You and Fred taste. _Fred._--Hark! I hear mother's step on the stairs. Now scatter, all three! Lick your fingers clean, and run. _Bessy._--I wish we hadn't touched the cake. (_Enter_ MOTHER.) _Mother._--What's this? Who has been at my cake,--my cake that I took so much pains to make handsome? _Bessy._--Fred wanted to see if it was properly salted.