“I sha’n’t clean up that old woman’s pig-pen, nor anybody’s pig-pen,” shouted Corny, with a vicious hack at the log; “no, _sir_!” “Very well, sir,” cried Jack back again, “then I’ll do it alone.” He didn’t say, “I would if I were you,” or anything of the persuasive sort, knowing that by no such ways could he manage Cornelius. He simply let him alone, as he always did, and did his own duty. The consequence was, the chubby young wood-chopper presently turned around, and said complacently, “When I get this log chipped up for mammy, I’ll join you.” “If you don’t come till that log is done, I’ll have Widow Brown’s pig-pen in apple pie order,” cried Jack, in high good humor. ONLY A LITTLE MÄDCHEN. [Illustration: G]RETCHEN VAN CORTLANDT was a little German _mädchen_, as you see by her name, and she lived in the great city of Berlin. She and her mother occupied two rooms in a tenement house on “Steinstrasse,” as her father had died when she was very young. Gretchen had very few play-things, and spent much of the time in helping her mother earn what little money she could. One Sunday Gretchen went out for a walk, and while going along the crowded street, reached a large brick building, from which came the sound of singing. Above the door there was a sign which she spelled out, and found to be, “_Wilkommen!_” As that meant “Welcome!” to a little German girl, Gretchen hesitated, and finally pushed open the door, and walked in. It was a large room, with seats full of people, many of whom were poorly and even raggedly dressed. At one end was a desk, and behind it stood a man who was reading something out of a big book. “Even Christ pleased not Himself.” “My!” thought Gretchen, “I wonder why!” But the man was talking. There was a good deal he said that the little girl could not understand, but she found that there was once a very good Prince, the son of a good and great King, who had come from his palace and had gone around, through a great deal of trouble, trying to save people from harm. He did nothing to please only Himself, but wanted to please his Father and those who loved Him. Gretchen understood one other thing—that every one else could do as this Prince did, and help other people as He had done, because He loved them so. If they did this they would be pleasing Him. So when she reached home, Gretchen told her mother what she had heard, and asked her to explain it. “Truly, child,” said the Frau Van Cortlandt, “I remember very little that I used to hear about it, but it’s all true—what he said.” “But, mother, how can we all, or a poor little _mädchen_ like me, please this great Prince?” asked Gretchen. “Ach, child!” said the good Frau, “I remember very little about it, but this I know—that every little boy and girl in the Fatherland, no matter how poor or small they are, can please this Prince, and the King, His Father, by doing something good and kind.”