Father scolded, mother whipped, But every day away he slipped. Brothers three, and sisters two, Cried and cried, as off he flew. Sore-sore-sore was the sobbing, Wild-wild-wild was his race; Only the woods to echo his footsteps, Only the winds his hiding place. After the introduction, come the stories of his adventures; and the pictures of them. Oh! but you would be so sorry for him if you could see the cow, and the goat, and the pony that scared him nearly out of his small wits! And then the conclusion! Ah me, the sad ending of it all! Do you suppose he wishes his home to see, His sisters two, and his brothers three? Would he like to lie down in his own little bed? And does he recall what his father said? [Illustration: OFF HE FLEW.] There! I mustn't tell you any more, or the whole story will be out. Buy it, my darlings, and read it for yourselves; it is in nice clear print. Or, if you haven't quite managed that business of reading yet, let me whisper a word in your ear: those wise old brothers and sisters of yours, who have known how to read these five years, and are ciphering in fractions, and writing essays on "Spring," will be willing to read the story, just to please you, you know, not for their own amusement, at all; oh no! Try them. Now who do you think wrote it for you? Who but Margaret Sidney herself! the author of "Five Little Peppers," which you liked so much; and the author of "Kensington Junior," and you know how many more nice things. Of course you will want the book. The price? Oh yes, surely, I had almost forgotten. Why, it has a special price on purpose for the wee P. S. Blossoms. Only sixty cents. Think of it! [Illustration: PROSPECTUS WIDE AWAKE 1886] A mother, whose five children have read WIDE AWAKE in her company from its first number to its latest, writes: "_I like the magazine because it is full of Impulses. Another thing--when I lay it down I feel as if I had been walking on breezy hill-tops._" _SIX ILLUSTRATED SERIALS:_ =I. A MIDSHIPMAN AT LARGE.= =II. THE CRUISE OF THE CASABLANCA.= Every boy who sailed in fancy the late exciting races of the _Puritan_ and the _Genesta_, and all lovers of sea stories, will enjoy these two stories of Newport and Ocean Yachting, by CHARLES REMINGTON TALBOT. =III. A GIRL AND A JEWEL.= MRS. HARRIET PRESCOTT SPOFFORD, in this delicious White Mountain Romance, writes her first young folks' magazine serial. =IV. DILLY AND THE CAPTAIN.= =V. PEGGY, AND HER FAMILY.= MARGARET SIDNEY writes these two amusing Adventure Serials for Little Folks. Thirty-six illustrations each. =VI. A Six Months' Story= (title to be announced), by CHARLES EGBERT CRADDOCK, author of _Down the Ravine_. =ROYAL GIRLS AND ROYAL COURTS.= By MRS. JOHN SHERWOOD. This series, brilliant and instructive, will begin in the Christmas number and run through the year. =A CYCLE OF CHILDREN.=