13 



few years ago, and yet we have no more specimens exhibited 

 than at that time. " Bennie" still continues his annual exhib- 

 its, which show how much of his leisure time has been spent ; 

 but we are reminded, b}^ the age attached to his specimens, 

 that his days in the "Children's Department" are fast being 

 numbered. We were glad to see that one girl brought her 

 drawing book, and we have no doubt that many others only 

 needed a little encouragement by parent and teacher to bring 

 equalh' as good specimens. 



Nearly all the work on exhibition is deserving of more or 

 less praise, which Ave would gladly give, mentioning each one 

 separately, did time and space allow. In only a few cases 

 did we think that the age and experience of the child 

 demanded a better article than that which was brought. 

 Articles are seen occasionally, not only in the Children's, 

 but in other departments also, which have the appearance, 

 not only in being of little value, but in careless construction, 

 of having been made simply to " get in on," the contributor 

 meanwhile croaking on the meanness of the Society for not 

 allowing such persons the privilege of choosing their own 

 day for free admission, at the same time declaring that they 

 will never do anything more for the Society as long as 

 they live. However, Ave fully intended not <-o omit any child 

 rightfully belonging to the Children's Department, and in a 

 few cases unwittingly placed gratuities on articles belonging 

 to persons of an age beyond our limits, as Ave afterAvard 

 learned ; but we Avill be charitable enough to suppose that 

 such persons' articles were entered in the Children's Depart- 

 ment through mistake, and that they had not a thought of 

 dishonesty in the matter. 



We are sorry to know, too late to correct the mistake, that 

 a quilt was brought by one little girl and entered in our 



