"But are you not tired with walking so far?" "A little tired, madam," she said; "but I do not mind, for Marie will be so pleased with these flowers, and baby will clap his hands and laugh when he sees me coming. Then mother will take this fagot and light the fire, and give us our supper, and we shall be very merry. "There is my home," she said, pointing to a small brown thatched cottage under a hill not far away. "Will you not come to see us some day, madam?" I promised to do so, and when I kept my word soon after, I found all as she had said. Though they were poor, and the mother had to work hard, their home was so neat, and all seemed so happy in it, that it was a pleasure to go there. I repeated my visits many times, carrying dainties for the invalid, who was soon quite well and strong; and I shall never forget bright, cheery little Fanchette. ANNA LIVINGSTON. [Illustration] [Illustration] SWEET GOOD-DAY. "WE are fading, little children; One by one, we flutter down; For the winds are harsh and chilly, And the meadows, bare and brown. We are fading," leaves of purple, Leaves of amber, softly say; "But we'll meet you in the May-time, Our merry, merry play-time: Little children, sweet good-day!" "We are going, little children," Sigh the flowers in the sun; "Oh! we soon shall end our singing," Lisp the brooklets as they run; And the birds, with silver warble, Long before they wing away, Pipe, "We'll meet you in the May-time, Our merry, merry play-time: Little children, sweet good-day!" GEORGE COOPER. [Illustration] MY GARDEN. WHEN fields are green, and skies are fair, And summer fragrance fills the air, I love to watch the budding rose That in my pleasant garden grows; But when old Winter, fierce and free, Has hushed the murmur of the bee, And all the fields and hills are hid Beneath his snowy coverlid, Oh! then my only garden-spot Is just this little flower-pot. X. V. Z. [Illustration] [Illustration] OLD JACK. "DEAR me!" exclaimed Mrs. Smith, as she looked from the kitchen-window of her farmhouse; "there are uncle Joe, and aunt Peggy, and all the girls! They have come to tea, I'm certain, and I haven't a speck of green tea in the house. Uncle Joe can't drink any thing else, and he must have white sugar in it too. "Here, Mike, Mike! take a basket, jump on old Jack, and go to the store just as fast as you can. Get a pound of the best green tea and three pounds of white lump sugar. Now mind you are back in half an hour."