"Hurrah!" said Charley, and he pulled up the line with a jerk. Was there a fish on it? Not a bit of one. But the bait was all gone. "Never mind!" said Charley, "I'll catch him next time." He baited the hook, and threw it out again. The sport was getting exciting. Pretty soon the cork bobbed under, as before. "Now I have him!" said Charley. He pulled up once more, and this time with such a jerk that he tossed the hook right over his head, and it caught in the weeds behind him. But there was no fish on it. "The third time never fails," said Charley, as he threw out his line again. He waited now until the cork was pulled clear under water; then he lifted it out, without too much haste, and, sure enough, he had caught a fish. How long do you suppose it had taken him to do it? Pretty nearly all the forenoon. No matter! he had one fish to carry home, and he had had a real good time besides. Charley has caught many a mess of fish since then; but I doubt if he has ever enjoyed the sport more than he did in catching that one fish. UNCLE SAM. [Illustration] A SLIGHT MISTAKE. A DONKEY walking with a lion, fancied himself a lion also, and pretended not to know his own brother. [Illustration] THE HEN-YARD DOOR. WHEN careless Tommy fed the fowls, He did not shut the door; Out came the rooster and the hens; Out came the pullets four; Out came old Speckle-wings, with six Bewitching little Bantam chicks. At once the hens began to cluck, The cock began to crow, And here and there, and everywhere, They seemed possessed to go; They pecked the turnips; in a patch Of spinach they began to scratch: And when to drive them in we tried They straightway to our neighbors hied. [Illustration] Upon our right, a new-made lawn Was just with grass-seed sown; Upon our left, a garden-plot With pinks and lilies shone. In rushed our right-hand neighbor's son, With flaming face, and said, "'Shut up your hens,' my father says, Or he will shoot them dead." Our left-hand neighbor wrote a note,-- "I all the spring have toiled To rear the lovely flowers I find Your roving fowls have spoiled." To get them home, the livelong day We tried, till evening gathered gray: Then back to roost returned the cock, But some were missing from his flock. Four hens were with him; where were two? Perhaps our right-hand neighbor knew! Back came the pullets, having fed On dainty pinks, and roses red; Back came old Speckle; of her six The cat had caught three little chicks. We shut the door, and made it fast; We all were glad the day was past: We'd lost our hens, and lost our friends; Our neighbors smile no more; And all because our careless Tom Forgot to shut the door! MARIAN DOUGLAS. [Illustration]