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GOOD AND BAD CATS
By FREDERICK WHITE
MOW WOULD YOU LIKE
A LITTLE CAT
Vo SIT UPON A CHAIR,,
^ND„IN A HAPPY
* CHILDISH WAY,
VO COMB AND BRUSH
HER HAIR ?
®UT WOULD YOU LIKE IT
IF THIS CAT,
Dnstead of being GOOD,
Should scream and
scratch and
THROW THINGS
DOWN %
0 00 NOT THINK YOU WOULD
BABY LAND
By CONSTANCE JOHNSON
Wouldn't you like to go onco more
To wonderful Baby Land?
Tou can Just peep through the magic
door
Holding some baby hand.
Everything strange and everything
new—
Oh, what a world to atay with!
Everywhere thlngi that were made for
you.
Toys for your handa to play with!
Wouldn't you Ilka to know once more
The very flrat flow'r anil tree?
Think of the rose never seen before.
The robin's Oral melody!
Picture the very first nursery rhyme
Tou hardly could understand;
Oh, blesscdost, happiest fairy time
In wonderful Baby Land!
THE APPLE TREE
By EMILY WILLIAMS
THE VOYAGER
By MARY DOBBINS PRIOR
O UR baby stands weeping, each
evening at ala,
On the ahorea of the Dreamland
sea.
Of her bonnle brown eyes, until pres
ently she
"Papa, will you put out the nursery
light?
"I think that our babtr'a asleep for
the night!”
For the Wide-Awake Land la a beauti
ful place,
Ard 'tls where she fain would be.
But a funny old man. who aita on the
beach.
Keeps throwing the soft yellow sand
Into each
la as rosy and soft and as warm aa
can be.
And mamma fwho'e coma down to the
shore with her girl)
Seys softly (while kissing a damp
IHIlo curl);
E DWARD had built a board plat
form In the big apple tree and
made a bench along one side of
It. The next morning, soon
after breakfast. Brother and Betty
came running In to Mamma. "Can
we live up In the apple tree all day?"
shouted Brother. "And send up our
dinner in a basket?" added Betty.
Mamma said yes, and found them a
qlec basket. Then they started for
the tree again. Brother had the bas
ket In one hand with a long piece of
twlno to let it down and pull It up by.
In the other hand .was his book about
Indians and In tho front of hla blouse
he had stored a banana and seven
peanuts. Betty carried her second
best doll. Annaballa Florence, and a
small trunk containing her clothes,
two graham crackers and two lemon
drops.
When they had climbed into
the tree Edward took away
the little ladder and raying
he'd put It back In time for them
to go In to supper. Then Brother
fastened the string to the basket and
practiced letting It down and pulling
It up again while Betty dressed Anna-
bells Florence in her blue dress and
pink sunbonnet and prepared a slight
lunch of the provisions they had
brought with them.
“I wish there were some apples on
this old tree,” said Brother.
"I guess It Is 'moat dinner time, any
way." answered Betty.
"Let's play wa were up here hiding
from Indians," began Brother, but
Just then the kitchen door opened and
Moggie came toward' the tree with
home again, much pleased with hla
Joke. But Betty made a nice bed for
Annabella Florence out of the bottom
of tho box and Brother hung the red
cover from a branch of the tree as a
signal of distress. Mother answered
It by waving a white flag from her
something in her hand. Brother hur- bedroom window. Then she came
rled to let down the basket. "Let acr oss the grass carrying a bowl^if
me,” said Betty. "All right,” saidj soapsuds and two pipes. Brother had
Brother, "you're a girl and hot vqry j m pull up the basket very carefully
strong, so yoij can let It down when so ag no t to spill the soapsuds. It
It’s empty and I'll pull It up when It's j only spilled out once, n little. It was
full." When the basket came up they i great fun to blow the bubbles and re
found In it half a doxen ginger snaps, them float slowly down to tho grass,
which BIcegle had Just baked. "Now," l By K nil by they saw that Maggie
said Brother, "let’s play that we orej v/a:; getting supper. They could look
shipwrecked sailors and have climbed' through the dining room window and
Into this tree to escape from roaring watch Iter setting the table, and from
lions. I’ll divide up the food and
weil cat so much each day. then wc
can be rescued Just after we’ve fln-
lahcd the last cooky and are alpwly
dying of hunger."
Soon after the noon whistle blew
they saw Maggie coming out of the
kitchen again with her hands full.
■'Ship ahoy!” shouted Brother; "now
we're going to be rescued." Betty let
down the bosket and Maggie put In
some chicken sandwich?*, a bottle of
milk, a tin cup and a big pile of bread
and Jam. After Brother and Betty
had bad their dinner Betty gave An-
nabclta Florence here and put her to
take a nap.
Then they saw the boy next door
getting through the fenee. He had
been watching them from hla yard
most of the morning. He was carry
ing a pretty red box. "I wonder what’a
In It,” said Betty. "Marbles p'r'aps."
answered Brother. "Or eooklea." ad
ded Betty. "Let down the basket!"
called the boy as he got near the
tree. Then he stood there with a grin
to watch them open the box. There
was just nothing st all In It. The
boy turned two somersaults and ran
the- kitchen came a deliciouB cmoll of
toast. It was almost time to go home.
So Betty dressed Annabella Florence
for the Journey, while Brother packed
all tile things Into the basket. But
how could they get i^own? Where was
Edward with the ladder? Pretty soon
Mother oAtne out and called “Come to
supped, dears.” “We can't get down,"
they shouted back. Mother called Ed
ward several times, but he didn’t
answer. Betty began to cry. “Oh,
dear, ob, dear, we've got to stay up
hero all night and there aren’t any
beds." “Don’t cry, Betty," said
Brother. "I'll be one of those trapeze
men at the circus and awing'myself
down to tho ground. Then I can And
Edward right off. I guess he’s down
In the meadow and has forgotten all
about us.” Betty held her breath aa
she watched Brother climb down to
the lowest branch and swing himself
down from It with both hands, then
he let go and dropped to tho grass! It
really wasn't so very* very far. In
a minute he was off toward the barn
shouting for Edward aa loud aa he
could.
At that moment they heard "Toot,"
toot!" and through the gate rams
Uncle Jim in hla new automobile.
Whrn Mother told him what the mat
ter was. he stopped the automobile
right under the apple tree house, stood
up and held out Ills arms. First Betty
gave him Annabel!" Florence and then
be lifted Betty down and put her on
the seat beside him. Meanwhile
Brother had climbed la from the other
side. When they were all safely settled
Uncle Jim took them twice around the
square In tho automobile and I {t
Brother blow the horn seven times-
They enjoyed It very much, especially
Annabella Florence.
THE TRUANT
: better
S OLOMON STORK, on a fine * um *
mor day,
Thought the country ws*
than school.
Where, most of his time, with dune
cap on his head,
Ke had to stand up on a stool.
So he bounded away, had a right J'"f
time,
Felt as uprightly and goy as fl “ '
Till, rounding a corner, ho r “ a
nsalnst *
Mr. Headmaster Hippo himself.
How Solomon shook ar.d shivered
sighed,
When he found what a plight he •
The punishment
je*.
set he is working
Twos to eat up ills coup—with ■
Bobby:—Father, what are trial mi*
rlagcs?
Father:—All of them, my son.
Beyond.
they are at last!" cried »
cherry voice that certainly was not
Mrs. Qlews', and then they ran Into
n crowd of people on the front lawn,
such a dear, good kind of people, moth
ers and fathers and aunts and uncles
and cousins, who did not care a bit
for battered appearances—who would
scarcely have recognised tho children
hnd they como home In all the clean.
Starched splendor of the afternoon-
but who now welcomed them heartily
with rapturous hugs.
“We came to surprise you,” tald
Peggy's mother.
“You didn't think thore’d be a Fourth
of July without a celebration, did you?”
naked Archie’s father,
“No, sir. that Is, we didn't know,
papa," said the astonished boy. "and
so Peggy and me, we celebrated, any-
ay." '
r O be starched stiff was Mrs. Qlews't
Idea of the highest earthly hap
piness for children. Yet Peggy
Whlttmore and her cousin Archie
Gray, standing freshly dreased In their
clean garments, looked anything but
happy. Peggy's ruffled white muslin
spread In starched billows about her
plump knees; nnd Archie's white linen
suit, with 'baggy trousers and spot
less Russian blouse, crackled aa he
walked.
It was bad enough to be living In
the country with Mrs. Clews on com
mon days, but It was a hundred times
worse to be living with Mrs. Glews
on the Fourth of July, with nothing
to remind them of the noisy city cele
bration that was going on at, home
but the whirr of Insects and' the drone
of bees, that mads It all the lonelier.
Not a firecracker was to be had,
nor the least sign of a torpedo, and no
hopes*o{ fireworks for them that year;
but they were dressed In their most
uncomfortable clothes to go to a little
party, give* by Mrs. Glews's niece,
who lived half a mile from the farm-
. house where the children were staying.
Mrs. Glews, their nurse, had helped
to get them ready; and they now stood,
forlorn ami clean, waiting to receive
her parting words.
“Be careful of your clothes; don’t
either of you climb trees; keep your
hats on—and stay In the shade as
much as you can. Your clothes ought
to look as nice when you get home as
they do now."
"Yes’m.” said Peggy, dolefully.
"They'll have firecrackers at the
party, won't they?" questioned Archie,
"No, sir," said Mrs. Glews, decided
ly; “It's Just a play parly for little
children. Fire crackers are danger
ous."
"But It's the Fourth of July,"
Archie spoke without hope, merely
stating the occasion.
"Oood-bye," railed Mrs. Glews as
, they started down the path: "don’t
mu.-ia your clothes—both of you—re
member."
“Yes'm." replied tho cousins, without
; enjhuslasm.
Never before hid their parents for
gotten them on a holiday, but although
It was now afternoon on the Fourth
i of July not a cracker had been sent;
no, not even a Img of candy, and
neither of them had received a letter
for over u week. But aa they walked
quietly down the country road, little
by little the primness that they had
acquired from Mrs. Glows began to
slip from them.
Peggy Sighed with relief when the
By BESSIE R. HOOVER
house was out of sight, untied the pre
cise bow of her white muslin list, ab
sently twisted a hard little knot on
the very ends of the starched strings,
and then hung the hat’ down her back,
with the knot under her chin. That
was the way she always wore It on
warm day* before she came to live
with Mrs. Glews, and she had quite
forgotten her nurse's Injunction to
keep the hat on her head.
"What do youssuppose is In here?"
questioned Archie, smelling of the
package that Mrs, Glews had given
him.
"Cream puffs.” replied Peggy; "they
are for the supper; I saw hcr i make
'em."
"Om-mm!” grunted Archie. "I hate
to give 'em up and have all the'other
kids eating ’em; there won't bo moro'n
a taste tor anybody."
A country lane, with Its flve-barred
gate Invitingly open, stretched dimly
Into a beautiful young oak woods.
"I say, Peggy, cried Archie, "let's
cut down this lane; It'll bring ua al
most to the house where they're hav
ing the party. I’ve been through here
with the hired man.”
"She might not like It," said Peggy,
hesitatingly, /In reference to Mrs.
Glews.
She never said a word against It."
replied Archie.
By commop consent they turned Into
the pleasant woods, and In Its cool
shade almost forgot their starched un
easiness.
Bluebells nodded tbclr silken flowers
on the edge of tho lane, Hnd delicate
maidenhair ferns spread like a green
gauze ■ everywhere under, tho gloasy
oaks, while black-eyed Susans! with
brilliant orarice-yeilow petals and dark
centers, sauntered In bright groups
here nnil there among the ferns, and
one bold black-eyed daisy stood de
fiantly In the middle of the lane.
Tho children forgot their clean,
white, starched elcthes, and ran.
laughing nnd scouting. grabbing off
wholo families of bluebells at once,
and tugging breathlessly at tough
black-eyed Suonn stalks.
'he lane led .through that woods,
then down Into n little creek valley
and up into another woods. When
they reached the eide hill above the
•reek, panning and laden wilh flowers,
t wild desire took possession of
Archie to run down the steep hillside
just as fast ns ho could, instead of
keeping In the line.
"Come on,” h" nhouted to Peggy.
‘I'm going this way," nnd off he
started through a tangle of dewberry
vines, green briers, wild roses nnd
crowding weeds and June grass.
Peggy followed willingly after the
flying figure of Archie, her yellow
curls fluttering In tho wind, her em
broidered muslin hat bobbing violently
at her back, her skirts flaring out like
Ilttlo balloons' aa she dashed down
th<s uneven hillside, clasping the blue
bells and daisies tightly to the
starched white flounces above her
quickly beating heart.
"Ditch!" yelled Archie, Just In time
to save himself, as he jumped over a
narrow cut In tho marsh.
But Peggy did not hear him
enough to avoid It, and. though she
gave a desperate leap, one foot missed
the bank and one white kid
stuck fast In tho black mud
bottom of the ditch, and her white
stocking was smeared from toe
knee.
"Oh-h!" cried Peggy, who did not
know whether to laugh or cry. If she
had been at home, a little mud like
that would not have made much dif
ference, but nt Mrs. Glews’s It was
dreadful thing.
Lying flat In tho rank marsh grass,
Archie fished In the ditch with a
crooked stick for the slipper.
■‘The only way to get It," sho said,
"Is,to Jump In after It. I'm going
pull off my shoes and stocklpgs right
new; the mpd ain’t deep " And he
was soon pattering about In the warm
ooze.
"I say, Peggy, why don't
too?"
"I don’t dare,” said Peggy,
■Right not like It.”
They generally spoke of Mrs. Glews
as "she.”
."Yes, you dare.too," returned Archie,
politely Ignoring Mrs. Clews. "Tnke
oft your stockings, and we'll wash
tho muddy one and dry It in the sun
with tho slipper—then we'll go to the
party; you can't go with such look
ing feet ns you’ve got now."
Peggy was soon In the ditch, and
they waded down to the little creek,'
which was but a few rods beyond,
and washed the mud from her stock
ing and scrubbed the white kid slip
per with dock-leaves In tho warm
creek water. •
"I don't care much for their old
party.” remarked Archie: "wu won't
know hardly'anybody there.”
"I don't want to go.” said Peggy;
"It won’t be any fun."
“Let's have a Fourth of July cele
bration right here." cried Archie. "It's
’most too late now to go to the party."
"And my stocking, won't be dry for
Peggy Was Soon
time between the fleecy clouds n ke ,
great, golden, all-seeing eye t i, al
gloried In their childish happiness, but
now sent long, slanting rays that lost
themselves In the woods before they
reached the little cousins, and painted
the .sky above them In beautiful bands
of pink and bluo that glowed brightly
and then changed slowly Into violet
The yellow snapdragons began to nol
sleepily In the light breeze; the blue
flags, all that were left among their
stiff leaves, were mere bluru of un
decided color; the birds stopped sing
ing:. and only twittered drowsily „
they settled themselves for a night's
rest; and right behind Peggy | n the
march graescs there sounded the baes
drum of a frog.
"Oh," cried the frightened little g M
“It’s night; It’s getting dark."
"Lot's go home," said Archie, ab
ruptly, beginning to dry his feet with
dock-leaves.
"What will she say?" lamented Pey.
gy, at once remembering Mrs. Gktci,
as she drew on tho damp stocking
and crowded her fat foot Into the
shrunken kid slipper. •
“But you couldn’t go to the parly
all mud," comforted Archie.
The open space In the creek bottom,
that had seemed such a delightful ploy!
ground, suddenly looked strange; deep
shadows began to lurk about the
bushes, gnd two or three old frogs,
tuning up for the evening’s concert,
boomed away every few minutes; thru
a wholo regiment of young frogs be
gan to babble In chorus, till the marsh
was alive with their music.
Tha timid children hurried up the
lane, each carrying an armful of
flowers.
"I couldn't bear to leave a one,"
panted Peggy, " 'cause It must he Just
awful to atay In tho marsh oil night
alone. I'm glad we picked 'em.”
They took hold of hands, Mr com
fort, and ran on through the dim.
gloomy woods.
"Aro there any bears here now!”
whispered Peggy.
"Aw, no," answered Archie, bravely,
but his hoart beat faster at the very
thought.
How good it seemed to leave the
dusky lane behind and to be In the
main road again; they were not a bit
afraid of the growing dark any more;
but, oh, what would Mrs. Glews say?
"And we haven't had a bit of real
Fourth of July fun," said Archie,
dolefully.
Dragged and mud-stained, with limp
clothes that had once crackled wit's
starch now hanging In dirty folds
about them, and still earning big
bouquets of heavy-beaded flowers with
dripping stems, the little cousins, hand
hand in hand, turned Into Mrs. Clews'
hours; It's Just as wet as sop now,”
said Peggy.
“Then we'll celebrate/' cried Archie,
throwing his hat on the grass and
rolling up his sleeves; for ther,q was
npt going to be any trouble about
clothes In his celebration If he could
help It.
And how they did celebrate! The
dainty ruffles of Peggy's white skirts
took on, a dork, frlngy appearance,
and Archle’a linen suit grew 'dirtier
every minute.
First they dug little wells In the wet
sand by the creek- and filled them
with their wilting bluebells and daisies,
then went In search of more flowers.
Blossoming blue flags bordered the
creek, and great colonies of yellow
snapdragons crowded among the flags
at the water's edee. ar.d far out In
the marsh the brilliant spikes of the
cardinal flower lured them on. They
picked a bouquet of flags and snap
dragons, burying their sticky stems
beside tho bluebells, then ran through
the harsh marsh grasses and seized
tho bright cardinals. And one lone
blooming wild rose, high above their
heads on a sweetbrter, was captured
by Peggy, while Archie sat obligingly
on a branch of tho bush, bearing it
to the ground. After they wore gone
there fluttered a length of ruffle that
tho swectbrler had torn from Peggy’s
dress.
The cream puffs, six In number, dis
appeared from tho neat paper package.
and somebody grinned guiltily but de
lightedly at somebody else when the
last crumb' was gone.
The sun beat down on their bare
heads as they paddled to their heart’s
content In the warm, shallow waters
of tho creek, entirely forgetting Mrs.
Glews. But when they grew tired of
this they sat on a fallen log and made
mud gloves on <(he!r hands and mud
shoes on their feet. While all the time
the birds sang and the Insects chirped,
and white clouds floated lazily over
tho blue of the sky. that' was hedged
about on all sides by the sheltering
woods.
But the shadows began to creep over
their marsh .world. The sun no longer
looked down upon them from time to