"Miss Trot, Master Toddles," said she, "you are to have tea down-stairs with mistress to-day."

Toddles and Trot looked surprised; but they jumped up quickly from the floor, forgetting for the moment all their aches and pains.

"Do you think," whispered Toddles to Trot, as they walked slowly down-stairs, "that there will be two kinds?"

Trot nodded her head. "I hope so," she said.

And there were.

BUTTERCUP LAND. They sailed away in a paper boat,
Nellie and Flo and Dan did,
Wondering how they managed to float,
For rather unsafe is a paper boat,
Better it is to be candid!
And after a voyage across the seas
They came to an island of flowers and trees.
And, wishing to feel rather more at ease,
They anchored their craft and landed!
A bright little Fairy cried out from the strand,
"You're welcome my darlings, to Buttercup Land!"
They gazed around on a lovely scene,
Nellie and Dan and Flo did,
Golden the leaves of the trees, not green,
No wonder they thought it a lovely scene,
Happiness surely it boded!
And buttercups grew on each inch of ground,
No room for a pin could between be found,
They gathered, and gathered, you may be bound,
Till pinafores all were loaded!
The bright little Fairy said, "Isn't it grand
To rule o'er the kingdom of Buttercup Land?"
"Alas!" they cried, "it is late, so late,
Home we must all be sailing!"
Sorrowful they that they could not wait,
But they were good darlings 'tis right to state,
Duty was ever prevailing!
And so they embarked in their paper boat,
And soon on the sea were again afloat,
A merry cheer rang from each childish throat,
Tho' tears down their cheeks were trailing!
The bright little Fairy cried, waving her hand,
"Come soon again, darlings, to Buttercup Land!"
At last they came to their native shore,
Nellie and Flo and Dan did,
Noticing what they'd not noticed before,
That beautiful too was their native shore,
Better it is to be candid!
Then one to the other remarked, "I say
I think that the sun must be hot to-day!
I've been fast asleep, and sailed far away,
Where I on an Island landed!"
They laughed for they lay, gather'd flow'rs in each hand,
Mid buttercups sweet as in Buttercup Land!
E. Oxenford.

[LINK TO ILLUSTRATED PAGE]

"TEASING NED."