"Because you spoke my name aloud," said Halicora. "My father heard you, and he says there can be no friendship between land and sea people; and so I must go up to the Arctic Sea, among the ice and polar bears, to stay with my aunt Rytina Borealis until I forget you."
Then she said good-by, and went down into the water, and 'Nardo never saw her again. He often goes to the shore, hoping she may have come back; but though the other mermaids come and take the offering, Halicora has never returned, and so 'Nardo knows that she has not forgotten him.
THE HOME OF AUNT RYTINA BOREALIS.
Now that vacation is over, we shall expect to hear from our girls and boys about their school affairs. Let us know which of you have been promoted, and tell us how you like the new teachers, the new scholars, and the new studies. We are sure you mean to take hold of school work heartily after having had the splendid summer holidays. What do you do mornings and evenings to help mother? What do you mean to be when you shall be grown up? Some of you are sorry that your letters are not published in Our Post-office Box. It is impossible to publish all, because we have such a crowd of correspondents; but we try to select the letters which will be most entertaining to everybody, and if you will remember this, and when you are writing tell us something interesting that has happened in your home, or something droll that your pets have done, or some bright thing that the little ones have said, you will very likely see your letter in print.