215 



gone fifteen times in fifteen minutes, a 

 fat red squirrel, hair brushed and tail 

 curled, not scolding or chattering here, 

 he seemed to suspect himself out of place, 

 for, taking a side seat on an outreaching 

 branch, he would frisk ofif when bidden to 

 go, but back clgain and again till he had 

 his fill. 



Of course the last bird to leave the tree 

 at night was the Sapsucker, but when he 

 and all his family were gone, and the sun 

 out of sight, we found a swarm of big 

 yellow bees bustling about the high seats, 



and fancied that when at last their work 

 was done the night moths and bats would 

 have their turn, and perhaps some brisk 

 little owl would take the squirrel's perch 

 for a night lunch, getting away just be- 

 fore the sunrise concert opened another 

 day of eating, drinking, and being merry 

 at the white tree table. 



Elizabeth Reed Brownell. 

 (The Yellow-breasted Sapsucker men- 

 tioned in the story is the eastern relative 

 of the Red-breasted Sapsucker of our il- 

 lustration. — Editor.) 



THE MOON-BABY, 



There's a beautiful golden cradle 



That rocks in the rose-red sky; 

 I have seen it there in the evening air 



Where the bats and beetles fly, 

 With little white clouds for curtains 



And pillows of fleecy wool, 

 And a dear little bed for the moon-baby's head. 



So tiny and beautiful. 



There are tender young stars around it, 



That wait for their bath of dew 

 In the purple tints that the sun's warm prints 



Have left on the mountain blue; 

 There are good little gentle planets, 



That want to be nursed and kissed, 

 And laid to sleep in the ocean deep, 



Under silvery folds of mist. 



But the moon-baby first must slumber. 



For he is their proud young king; 

 So, hand in hand, round his bed they stand, 



And lullabies low they sing. 

 And the beautiful golden cradle 



Is rocked by the winds that stray, 

 With pinions soft, from the halls aloft, 



Where the moon-baby lives to-day. 



Pall Mall Gazette. 



