such a trip again. The result was that Jack never again ventured out of the house, and Rosie has found other ways to punish him for misbehavior.

THE DECEMBER WOODS.

BY JESSICA NELSON NORTH (AGE 10).
(Silver Badge.)

I ROAMED in the woods in winter

When the trees were blank and bare;

When the gusts of wind blew the snow in heaps, In the path of the hurrying hare.

A few leaves clung to the tree-tops,

But those were old and brown;

And the winter breeze shook the snowy trees, And blew the dead leaves down.

I gathered a bunch of ivy-leaves,
Still bright with autumn's glow;
I picked a cluster of berries red,
All sprinkled with feathery snow.

"BEAR." BY FLORENCE LANG, AGE 12. (SECOND PRIZE, "WILD-ANIMAL PHOTOGRAPH.")

The dull gray clouds had parted, And faintly I could see

That the early setting winter

IN the firelight's fitful glow
Shadowy pictures come and go-
Pictures that I love to see,
For they bring sweet thoughts

Thoughts of childhood's careless play
In the heaps of odorous hay,
In the fields where daisies grew,
Freshened by the sparkling dew.

from them he carved me and my house. I remember that as he was putting me into my abode, little Gertrude snatched me-and dropped me! Since that day I have

had a little quiver in my voice.

"Soon your mother, who was traveling in Germany, bought me, to take me across the sea.

a few

"I made this clock of the lucky tree's wood,' murmured Richard, as he made me ready for sale; shillings-and that is all my luck!'

"Years have passed since then. But what do you think? Two years ago, when the full moon was shining into your study, on a cold December night like to-day, I looked through the window and saw a young man and a girl walk by your house.

'Alas! I heard the former say, 'why did I come to this country to seek my fortune? I have no hope to find it here, and we are all alone. Let us return to

"Far away in the Black Forest there stood a mighty oak-tree. It was rumored among the peasants that, being fairy-haunted, it would bring great luck to him who had its wood.

"When this tree was hewn down, the cutters gave the superfluous pieces of wood to young Richard, and

"A MOUNTAIN TOWN." BY WILLIAM WARDEN BODINE, AGE 13. our home!' I cried my name to announce the ninth hour. Suddenly the young man turned around, and looked into this room.

Oh, Gertrude!' he cried, 'did you hear the quiver in that cuckoo's note? Do you remember the day you dropped the bird I had carved? Surely in that upper room hangs the first clock I made.'

"He stood still, then said with emotion:

"The voice of that cuckoo is like a greeting from home. I have found a native friend in this country. Gertrude, we shall stay!'

Since then they have passed your window many a night, and yesterday Gertrude said:

See our good cuckoo! To him you must thank your fortune. Now a hundred laborers are working in your clock factory. The oak-tree's wood has brought you luck, after all.'"

THE time of mists and glowing leaves,
October, full of joy, is past;
And Winter with his snow and cold
Now walketh in our midst at last.

The trees are tossing long, bare arms,
The snow falls whirling swift to

And over all the white-clad world

There rings the sound of children's mirth.

The wind doth sing the livelong day, And glad its song, and sweet, though wild;

It telleth of a little Babe

Of long ago, the Manger-Child. The mem'ry of that little Child

Brings peace and joy unto all men, And helps them to be good and true Until the Yule-tide come again.