"Well, I won't make a speech before such an audience," cried Mr. Jack, as he stepped down from his pulpit.
Then everything was in confusion from top to bottom of the basket, and suddenly Millie felt herself lifted up, and heard her father saying, "She is found." She opened her eyes, and saw the stars twinkling, and she knew that it was night.
She was too tired to tell anything that night, but she related her dream the next day, and they laughed at her; but still Millie feels quite sure that she did hear the flowers talk.
Racine, Wisconsin.
At the Taylor Orphan Asylum, where I live, I have very nice times. Christmas we had a lovely tree, all lit up with candles, and a great many presents on it. I got a very large bag of candy and a book. My brother and sister gave me something too.
We have a new little baby here, a little boy. He is a very brave little boy. When he falls down he begins to laugh as hard as he can. He is so funny! He was brought here a week ago, and seems very happy to be here. When he comes down to his meals he begins to scream out and laugh.
I am getting along nicely in school studying Long Division, and can do the examples very well. I have learned all of the United States and Mexico, and most all of British America.
There is a very large pond out here, and we have so much fun on it! Sometimes we chase each other all over. By-and-by we take off our skates, and run around and play. We enjoy ourselves ever so much. They are all very kind to me here. We have not had any snow this winter. When snow is on the ground they take us out sleighing in a big sleigh. Some of us have little sleds, and we coast down hill on them. In summer we play house out-of-doors, and we go out riding too in a big wagon with a seat all round it. Sometimes we go nutting, and we get the old lumber wagon full of nuts, and then coming home we put the horse-blanket over the nuts and some large boards across, and we all sit on the top. When the horses go up hill, we all get off and run behind. Last winter we had ninety bushels of nuts.
I learned the States of Central America in school to-day by heart; then I had three columns of spelling. This afternoon I worked my examples; then I began this letter to you.
We have Harper's Young People every week, and at night some of the large girls read to us out of it. We like the paper very much, and hope we shall always have it. I think the big girls are very kind to read to us. I hope you will like my letter.
Maggie S.
Your letter is very interesting, especially the part about the new baby boy. He is very young to be an orphan, and we are glad that he and all the other children whose parents are dead are living in so pleasant a home as you describe. The secret of happiness, after all, is in being unselfish.
Little deeds of kindness,
Little words of love,
Make our earth an Eden,
Like the heaven above.