"Come," said Old Glory, and he led them inside.
You must get your father or mother to tell you what they saw there.
Just before they left, a dirty little hand touched Old Glory and a shrill little voice said: "I'd like to leave my flag here. May I?"
"And may I?" said another.
Old Glory looked around and saw the same wish in the other faces.
"You forget," said he, "that the flags are not yours. It would not be right to keep them. What did the people call Mr. Lincoln? You don't know? Well, I'll tell you. It was 'Honest Old Abe,' and Uncle Sam wants you to be like him."
Again the merry bells tinkled, again the proud horses, with their flowing manes and tails, sprang into the air, and before the moon had said "good-night" to the earth, they were back at the flag shop.
The very moment they reached it, horses and sleigh, cushions and robes, melted away and the children saw them no more.
TWO FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS
(Exercise for the Schoolroom)