bill within two or three inches of the place where the axe fell. It seemed just as if he wanted his bill chopped off.

Jack could talk a little. He could say "pretty," "what," and "yes, sir." When hungry, he would come round to the kitchen-door. There he would keep up a loud chattering, till food was given him to eat.

Jack was shy of Marcus, the dog. But, while Marcus was eating his dinner, Jack would steal up, and seize a bone from the plate. Then he would run off and hide it.

I believe that all magpies are thieves. I know that Jack was a sad thief. He would carry off almost any thing he saw lying about. One day he was caught in the act of carrying off the gardener's pipe.

It was fun for Ernest and Edith to watch him at his mischief. All summer they made much of him. Now, in October, though the trees are still green and the wild flowers are not gone, we have had in our Colorado home a taste of winter.

The ground has been white with snow. Jack is still with us, and seems quite happy. Edith and Ernest may stay here all winter. Perhaps I may tell you something of their winter sports. Would you like to hear it?

PORTRAITS FOR LITTLE FOLKS.

This is Master Baby, Paying a morning call, Sitting so good upon his chair, But speaking not at all. Listening to every word, The funny little man! Wondering at the news he hears, Thinking all he can.

This little lady, I'd have you know, Is Miss Mary Vernon, With cheeks in a glow. She has a doll Bella, Quite dear to her heart, And takes her to ride In a nice little cart.

This is Tommy Trip: Bubbles he can blow; When a bubble breaks too soon, Tommy cries, "Don't go!" Older folks I know, Who their fine schemes make, And, when any fine scheme fails, Cry, "Oh, do not break!"

'Tis the winter cold, All the ponds are ice; Susan loves the winter cold, Calls the weather nice. Warm with muff and coat, She can go and skate; She can glide along the ice At a merry rate.

This is Mary Jane, See! she has a saucer: To her cat she says, "Give me up your paw, sir. I've some fresh, nice milk You will relish greatly." Pussy then put up her paw; All this happened lately.

This is Baby May: She looks out to spy If her own dear papa comes On the road near by. Yes, she sees him now, He is coming fast; For he loves his Baby May, Loves her first and last. K. G.

AMONG THE HOLLY-BUSHES.

It is my niece Clara. She has been out with her brothers and the men to gather holly and evergreen for Christmas. First they cut down a little pine for the Christmas-tree. It was not so very little either; for it was twenty feet high.

There was snow on the ground, and they had a sledge on which to pile the hemlock-boughs, the evergreens, and the holly. Clara saw a squirrel run up a tree, and called to her brothers to look; but they were not quick enough to see it.

Then she spied a hollow place by the side of a hill, and going to look at it, she found it was a little pond of ice. It was smooth as glass, and she and her brothers had a nice time sliding on it.

Clara was sorry when it got to be twelve o'clock, and it was time to go home. The sledge was piled up with boughs, and the oxen wanted their dinner. Yes, they must go.

But when Clara was nestled in her little bed that night, and had said her prayers, this was her thought, "Oh, I never shall forget this happy, happy day; the bright, bracing air, so sweet and clear; the mild, soft sunshine; the smell of the pines; the frolic on the pond; the ride on the sledge; the little snowbirds that came in a flock when I began to feed them. Oh, I never shall forget it; no, never, never-r-r, nev—;" And with this last word half