When they arrived home, they gave him some milk and bread, and then took him into the sitting-room, and played with him. "Beg, sir!" said Nelly; and at once Spot stood upright on his hind-legs, and put out his fore-paws. Then Julia rolled a ball along the floor; and Spot caught it almost before it left her hand. "Now, die, sir, die!" cried Nelly; and, much to her surprise, Spot lay down on the floor, and acted as if he were dead. When papa came home, and saw what a good, wise dog Spot was, he told the children they might keep him till they could find the owner. A week afterwards, they saw at the railroad-station a printed bill offering a reward of thirty dollars for Spot. He was restored at once to his master, who proved to be a Mr. Walldorf, a German. But the little girls refused the offered reward; for they said they did not deserve it, and Spot had been no trouble to them. Three weeks passed by, and then there came a box from New York, directed to Nelly and Julia. They opened it: and there were two beautiful French dolls, and two nice large dolls' trunks filled with dolls' dresses and bonnets,--dresses for morning and evening, for opera and ball-room, for the street and the parlor, for riding and walking. The present was from Mr. Walldorf; and with it came a letter from him thanking the little girls for their kindness to his good dog, Spot, and promising to bring Spot to see them the next time he visited Boston. UNCLE CHARLES. [Illustration: On A High Horse] ON A HIGH HORSE. On a velocipede Harry would ride: Quickly the splendid steed Set him astride. Now for a jolly time! Now for some sport! Hold on!--the little chap's Legs are too short. Harry can't touch the peg, All he can do; Though he may stretch his leg Out of his shoe! What can we do for him? This much, of course: Let down the rider--or Let down the horse. Many a hobby-horse Small boys must ride, Ere such a steed as this They can bestride So, little Harry dear, Don't look so cross When you are taken down From a high horse. JOSEPHINE POLLARD. CELEBRATING GRANDMOTHER'S BIRTHDAY. There were three little sisters and one little brother; and their names were Emma, Ruth, Linda, and John. And these children had a grandmother, whose seventieth birthday was near at hand. "What shall we do to celebrate our dear grandmother's birthday?" asked Emma, the eldest. "Get some crackers and torpedoes, and fire them off," said Johnny. "Oh, that will never do!" cried Linda. "Let us give her a serenade." "But we none of us sing well enough," said Ruth; "and grandmother, you know, is a very good musician. Let us do this: Let us come to her as the 'Four Seasons,' and each one salute her with a verse." "Yes: that's a very pretty idea," cried Linda. "And I'll be Spring; for they say my eyes are blue as violets."