ing party, and returning found their home on fire. Every effort had been made in response to the agonizing appeals of the father to save the child—and now here she was, safe and sound, laughing in her mother's arms.

And the hero? He opened his eyes.

"Did I bring her froo all right?"

"Yes, yes," said the father, "and how can we ever thank you for what you have done?"

"Nebber min' 'bout dat, boss. Ef she's safe dat's nuff for me -and he closed his eyes.

Dead? Yes, dead and gone to heaven in a chariot of fire!

MY

THE MATCH-MAKING MAMMA.

Y married daughter could you see, I'm sure you would be
struck;

My daughters all are charming girls, few mothers have such luck.
My married one, my eldest child, all hearts by magic wins;
And my second so resembles her most people think them twins.

My married daughter spoils her spouse; she's quite a pattern wife ;
And he adores her-well he may-few men lead such a life!
She ne'er had married mortal man had he not won her heart,
And my second treasure's just the same; they're seldom known
apart.

Her husband oft has pressed my hand while tears were in his eyes, And said: "You brought my Susan up with you the credit lies."

To make her a domestic wife, I own was all my aim;

And my second is domestic, too, my system was the same.

Now, do you know, I've often thought the eldest of the two
(She's married, so I may speak out) would just have suited you!
You never saw her? How shall I my eldest girl portray?
Oh! my second is her counterpart, and her you'll meet to-day.

66

'I

A WOMAN'S HATE.

HATE you,

I hate you!" the maiden said,

And her eyelids drooped and her face grew red, And she turned from her lover and hung her head.

The flush crept up to her rich brown hair,
And she plucked to pieces a rosebud fair,
As she stole a glance at her lover there.
And he-these men are so full of guile;
His eyes a-glistening with mirth the while-
Looked calmly on, with a doubting smile.
"I hate you, I hate you!" she said again,
And she tapped her toe on the carpet then,
As if each tap were a stab at men.

Her lip was a-quiver, her eyes in mist,
Her cheek and throat, as the sun-gods kissed,
Were bathed in the essence of amethyst.
And then her lover, with a startled look,
Grew serious quite, and his face. forsook
The confident glow which it erstwhile took.
And "Oh, very well," as he rose to go;
"And if it please you to have it so,
Why, so it shall be, as you doubtless know."

He took one step, but a-sudden turned-
Oh, much the sweetest is bliss unearned !—
And looked in the tear-wet eyes that yearned.

No word she spoke, but her arms entwined
Around his neck. Oh, a woman's mind
Is a puzzle, to which no key you'll find.

Upon his shoulder she laid her head,

And he kissed her cheek, which was still rose-red;

"You know I hate you!" was all she said.

BRER RABBIT AND THE LITTLE GIRL.

JOEL CHANDLER HARRIS.

"ON

NE time, after Brer Rabbit done bin trompin' 'roun' huntin' up some sallid fer ter make out his dinner wid, he fine hisse'f in de neighborhoods er Mr. Man's house, en he pass 'long twel he come ter de gyardin gate, en nigh the gyardin gate he see Little Gal playin' 'roun' in de san'. W'en Brer Rabbit look 'twix' de gyardin palins en see de colluds, en de sparrer-grass, en de yuther gyardin truck growin' dar, hit make he mouf water. Den he take en walk up ter de Little Gal, Brer Rabbit did, en bow, en scrape his foot, en talk mighty nice en slick.

666

Howdy, Little Gal,' sez Brer Rabbit, sezee; 'how you come on ?' sezee.

"Den de Little Gal, she 'spon' howdy, she did, en she ax Brer Rabbit how he come on, en Brer Rabbit, he 'low he mighty po'ly. En den he ax ef dis de Little Gal w'at 'er ра live up dar in de big w'ite house, w'ch de Little Gal, she up'n say 'twer'. Brer Rabbit he say he mighty glad, kase he des bin up dar fer ter see 'er pa, en he say dat 'er pa, he sont 'im out dar fer ter tell de Little Gal dat she mus' open de gyardin gate so Brer Rabbit kin go in en git some truck. Den de Little Gal she jump 'roun', she did, en she open de gate, en wid dat, Brer Rabbit he hop in, he did, en got 'im a mess er greens, en hop out ag'in, en w'en he gwine off he make his bow, he did, en tell de Little Gal dat he much 'bleege, en den atter dat he put out fer home.

"Nex' day, Brer Rabbit he hide out, he did, twel he see de Little Gal come out ter play, en den he put up de same tale, en walk off wid an'er mess er truck, en hit keep on dis away, twel bimeby Mr. Man, he 'gunter miss his greens, en he keep on a-missin' un um, twel he gotter excusin' eve'body on de place er

'stroyin' un um, en w'en dat come ter pas', de Little Gal, she up❜n say:

666

My goodness, pa!' sez she, you done tole Mr. Rabbit fer ter come en make me let 'im in de gyardin atter some greens, en ain't he done come en ax me, en ain't I done gone en let 'im in?' sez she.

"Mr. Man ain't hatter study long 'fo' he see how de lan' lay, en den he laff, en tell de Little Gal dat he done gone en disremember all 'bout Mr. Rabbit, en den he up'n say, sezee:

"Nex' time Brer Rabbit come, you takʼn tu'n 'im in, en den you run des ez fas' ez you kin en come en tell me, kase I got some bizness wid dat young chap dat's 'bleeged ter be 'tend ter,' sezee.

"Sho nuff, nex' mawnin' dar wuz de Little Gal playin' 'roun', en yer come Brer Rabbit atter his 'lowance er greens. He wuz ready wid de same tale, en den de Little Gal she tu'n him in, she did, en den she run up ter der house en holler:

"Oh, pa! pa! Oh, pa! Yer Brer Rabbit in de gyardin now! Yer he is, pa!'

"Den Mr. Man he rush out en grab up a fishin' line w'at wuz hangin' in de back po’ch, en make fer de gyardin, en w'en he git dar, dar wuz Brer Rabbit tromplin' 'roun' on de strawbe'y-bed en mashin' down de termartusses. W'en Brer Rabbit see Mr. Man, he squot behine à collud leaf, but 'twe'n't no use. Mr. Man done seed him, en 'fo' you kin count 'leven, he done got ole Brer Rabbit tie hard en fas' wid de fishin' line. Atter he done got 'im tie good, Mr. Man step back, he did, en say, sezee:

"You done been fool me lots er time, but dis time yo're mine. I'm gwinter take you en gin you a larrupin',' sezee, 'en den I'm gwinter skin you en nail yo' hide on de stable do',' sezee; 'en den to make sho dat you git de right kinder larrupin', I'll des step up ter de house,' sezee, 'en fetch de little red cowhide, en den I'll take en gin you brinjer,' sezee.

"Den Mr. Man call ter de Little Gal ter watch Brer Rabbit w'iles he gone.

"Brer Rabbit ain't sayin' nothin', but Mr. Man ain't mo'n out de gate 'fo' he 'gun ter sing; en in dem days Brer Rabbit wuz a

singer, mon," continued Uncle Remus, with unusual emphasis, "en w'en he chuned up fer ter sing he make dem yuther creeturs hol' der bref."

“What did he sing, Uncle Remus ?" asked the little boy.

"Ef I ain't fergit dat song off'n my min'," said Uncle Remus, looking over his spectacles at the fire, with a curious air of attempting to remember something, "hit run sorter dis yer way:

"De jay-bird hunt de sparrer-nes',

De bee-martin sail all 'roun';

De squir❜l he holler from de top er de tree,
Mr. Mole he stay in de groun';

He hide en he stay twel de dark drap down-
Mr. Mole he hide in de groun'.'

"W'en de Little Gal hear dat, she laugh, she did, en she up'n ax Brer Rabbit fer ter sing some mo', but Brer Rabbit he sorter cough, he did, en 'low dat he got a mighty bad ho'seness down inter his win'pipe som'ers. De Little Gal she swade en swade, en bimeby Brer Rabbit, he up'n 'low dat he kin dance mo' samer dan w'at he kin sing. Den de Little Gal she ax 'im won't he dance, en Brer Rabbit he 'spon' how in de name er goodness kin a man dance w'iles he all tie up dis away, en den de Little Gal she say she kin ontie 'im, en Brer Rabbit he say he ain't keerin' ef she do. Wid dat de Little Gal she retch down en enloose de fish-line, en Brer Rabbit he sorter stretch hisse'f en look 'roun'."

Here Uncle Remus paused and sighed, as though he had relieved his mind of a great burden. The little boy waited a few minutes for the old man to resume, and finally he asked:

"Did the rabbit dance, Uncle Remus?"

"Who? Him?" exclaimed the old man with a queer affectation of elation. "Bless yo' soul, honey! Brer Rabbit gedder up his footses und' 'im, en he dance outer dat gyardin, en he dance home. He did dat! Sho'ly you don't speck dat a ole-timer w'at done had 'spe'unce like Brer Rabbit gwine ter stay dar en let dat ar Mr. Man sackyfice 'im? Shoo! Brer Rabbit dance, but he dance home. You hear me?"