WHAT THE COAL SAYS.

I

AM as black as black can be,
But yet I shine.

My home was deep within the earth,
In a dark mine.

Ages ago I was buried there,
And yet I hold

The sunshine and the heat which warmed
That world of old.

Though black and cold I seem to be,
Yet I can glow.

Just put me on a blazing fire,

Then you will know.

When I sing my very sweetest,

As I always try to do,

She covers up my cage, and says,
"Oh, what a great ado!

- Selected.

I'm sure I shall be deafened!"
Then she starts and runs away,
And I see no more of Kitty
Through all the weary day.

My bath is always empty now,
And I've very little seed;
When I've had a lump of sugar
'Twould be hard to tell, indeed.

My cage is quite untidy,

But Kitty heeds it not;

And I call her, oh! how vainly —
For alas! I am forgot.

I've trilled my sweetest melodies;
Alas! 'tis all in vain.

I'll fold my head beneath my wing
And never more complain.
"My heart is broken, Kitty,
But I'll forgive you, dear;
And I'm sure you will be sorry
And will shed for me a tear."

When Kitty heard the mournful strain, Her heart was full of grief.

She left her Dollies then in haste,

And ran to his relief.

She put fresh paper on the floor,

And seed within the cup, And water in the tiny bath, Then took poor Birdie up,

And gently stroked his yellow wings, And whispered words so low,

I think he must have understood,
For this I surely know:

He opened wide his bright, black eye,
Then on his perch he flew,

And poured such tide of melody

As mortal never knew.

— E. V. S.

THE LITTLE KITTENS.

WO little kittens, one stormy night,

Two

Began to quarrel and then to fight; One had a mouse, the other had none, And that was the way the quarrel begun.

"I'll have that mouse," said the bigger cat. "You'll have that mouse? We'll see about that." "I will have that mouse," said the elder son. "You won't have that mouse!" said the little one.

I told you before 'twas a stormy night
When these two little kittens began to fight;
The old woman seized her sweeping broom,
And swept the two kittens right out of the room.

The ground was covered with frost and snow,
And the two little kittens had nowhere to go;
So they laid them down on the mat at the door,
While the angry old woman was sweeping the floor.

And then they crept in as quiet as mice,
All wet with snow, and as cold as ice;

For they found it was better, that stormy night,
To lie down and sleep than to quarrel and fight.

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THEY DIDN'T THINK.

NCE a trap was baited
with a

With a piece of cheese;

It tickled so a little mouse
It almost made him sneeze;
An old rat said, "There's danger,
Be careful where you go!"
"Nonsense!" said the other,

"I don't think you know!"
So he walked in boldly –

Nobody in sight;

First he took a nibble,

Then he took a bite;

Close the trap together

Snapped as quick as wink,
Catching mousey fast there,
'Cause he didn't think.

Once a little turkey,

Fond of her own way,
Wouldn't ask the old ones
Where to go or stay;
She said, "I'm not a baby,

Here I am half-grown;
Surely I am big enough

To run about alone!"

Off she went, but somebody
Hiding saw her pass;

Soon like snow her feathers
Covered all the grass.

So she made a supper
For a sly young mink,
'Cause she was so headstrong
That she wouldn't think.

Once there was a robin

Lived outside the door,

Who wanted to go inside
And hop upon the floor.
"No, no," said the mother,
"You must stay with me;
Little birds are safest
Sitting in a tree."

"I don't care," said Robin,

And gave his tail a fling, "I don't think the old folks

Know quite everything."

Down he flew, and Kitty seized him,
Before he'd time to blink;
"Oh," he cried, "I'm sorry,
But I didn't think."

Now, my little children,

You who read this song, Don't you see what trouble Comes of thinking wrong? And can't you take a warning From their dreadful fate

Who began their thinking

When it was too late?