THE HAPPY HOUR.

[Original]

VERY night just before bedtime Toots and his mamma had a happy hour together.

Sometimes a friend or two would share the pleasures of this evening hour, and Toots enjoyed it much more if Bessie or Flossie, or some of his mates, could hear mamma's stories or verses written expressly for children. When Toots was quite small he was rude enough one day to strike his nurse, and after mamma had heard all the story, she read these lines about

JOHNNIE'S TROUBLES.

My mamma's sorry, now, she is;

I don' know what I'se done;