Well, dear, the Postmistress thinks those were very naughty hens. The other day she was reading about a great man, named Bishop Thirlwall. The good Bishop was very fond of animals, and very kind to them. In a pond on his grounds were three pike, which are rather savage fish. One morning when the Bishop went to look at them there were only two fish there. Mr. P. had devoured his wife, and was swimming about with his daughter. A day or two after, Miss P. shared her mother's fate. The Bishop wrote sadly to a friend: "I shall never look at the pike again. I can not endure a monster who would eat up his own family." Your dog must be quite musical, but we fancy at times your papa would prefer somebody else to sing to his accompaniment. The Postmistress hopes that you will acquire the gentle ways of the Friends, and imitate their quietness and patience, since you have them for teachers. Be sure and send the answers you find to the puzzles next time.
MILLIE'S DREAM.
BY J. L. R. (AGED TWELVE).
"I don't believe it ever will be spring, the flowers take so long to bloom; but I am going out into the woods to see if I can just find a few," said Millie Horton to her bosom-friend Dora Merton.
"I'm not going," said Dora. "We will only get tired out. Our feet will be muddy. There are no flowers yet."
"Well, I'm going. I'll see how near they are to blooming." And Millie turned and walked away in the direction of the woods.
She walked on and on, and after reaching the woods and going a little way in, she saw a number of little crocus flowers.
"Oh, you lovely little darlings!" she cried. "I knew I would find some of you in bloom, and here you are, yellow, purple, and white."
She gathered them all, and ran on until she found some violets, then some pussy willow near a little stream, and then under some pine needles the sweet trailing arbutus. At last, tired out, she seated herself upon a log, and fell asleep.