Pages for Laughing Eyes | Page 6

and hast-ened back to give them to her moth-er.
"May I not beat them up for you, with the whirl-i-gig beat-er, moth-er, it is so much fun?"
"Yes, you may, An-nie, and it will be quite a help to me."
So on through the morn-ing the lit-tle girl found man-y a use-ful and plea-sant thing to do. When the work was all done and an out-ing had been planned for the af-ter-noon, Mrs. Brown said to An-nie, "This lit-tle verse comes to my mind. I think one of my old-er chil-dren once learned it at school. It is,
"Work while you work, Play while you play, That is the way To be hap-py and gay. All that you do Do with all your might; Things done by halves Are nev-er done right."
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THE LOST SKATES.
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"Oh, I'll go and see if the ice is firm," said Robin to his friend Marjie, one winter's morning.
He went off carrying his skates, and when he reached the ice he laid them on the bank, and then thought he would have a slide.
Marjie, who had followed Robin to the pond, caught up the skates and went behind a tree and put them on, and was soon skating across the pond. After a while she went to Robin, who was standing by the bank, looking full of dismay.
"Why, Marjie!" he cried, "I never saw you come! I've lost my skates! I left them on the bank and they are gone!"
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"Some wicked person must have taken them!" said Marjie.
"I would like to catch him," said Robin.
"Then catch me, Robin!" said Marjie.
Robin gazed at her. Then a light broke over his face.
"Oh, I see!" he cried: "you put them on while I was sliding! Well, now we can take turns with the skates!"
Marjie thought, as she gave Robin a hug, that there was never a dearer friend than he!

NO JOKE AT ALL.
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"Ha!" thought Tommy Purr one day, "Here's a chance a joke to play; See him drop upon the floor All those books, and hear me roar!"
Chuckling to himself in glee, "I do love a joke," said he, Pushed poor Whiskers, just for fun-- Down the books came, every one.
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But the biggest book of all, Happened on his crown to fall; Tommy roared with might and main, Not with laughter but with pain.
Tommy now has gone to bed With a big bruise on his head; Vinegar and paper brown Cover up his aching crown.
There in sorrow Tommy lies, Wishing he had been more wise; For although those books did fall, His joke proved no joke at all.

WINTER HOLIDAYS.
O it's merry in the winter When the holidays come round, When the air is crisp and frosty And the snow is on the ground.
Though Jack Frost may nip your noses, There is nothing that I know Like a jolly game of snowballs, Making feet and fingers glow!
You can take your baby sister For a voyage in a sleigh; You can build a monster snow-man That will pass the time away.
Then there's hanging up the holly And the Christmas mistletoe, Roasting chestnuts in the firelight, When you can't go out, you know.
If you try, you can be happy In a score of different ways. O, it's wonderful how pleasant Are the winter holidays!
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WHEN I GROW UP.
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"When I grow up my dress shall be All made of silk and lace, My hair I'll wear in some fine style That best will suit my face; With rings upon my fingers, too, And bracelets on my arms, I'll be the finest lady out, With wondrous mighty charms.
"When I grow up, you understand, I'll always dine at eight, And go to dances and 'At homes,' And sit up very late. I'll never touch rice-puddings then, But pastry eat, and cheese, And always do just what I like And go just where I please.
"When I grow up I'll have no nurse, Nor yet a governess; And lessons will not bother me When I grow up, I guess. I'll pay no heed to proper nouns, Nor yet to mood nor tense"-- Here nurse put in: "When you grow up Let's hope you'll have some sense!"
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THE TEA PARTY.
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Little Miss Betty has had a tea-party Everyone came with an appetite hearty; Animals, dollies, and toys were invited; Bobby was good and our Baby delighted; And when it was over they ran and asked mother If they might to-morrow have just such another!

TOMMY THE TEASE.
"Here's a pie I found cooling on the bench under the pantry window!" said Tom Sommers. "I'm going to eat it all myself!"
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"That is the cook's pie. I saw her making it," said wee George.
"Won't 'ou div me some pie?" asked little Ella.
"No, I won't give you one single bit. This pie is full of plums and juice, I know. Ah! but it will have a good taste! No, Nancy, Susanna,