When Carl was four years old, he passed a summer in the country.

One day when mother was busy, Carl climbed up into the big wagon to play. The wagon stood under a tree, near the barnyard gate.

While Carl was sitting in the wagon, building houses of corn cobs, the geese came up from the pond. They were tired of swimming and hunting Now they wanted to sit in the shade

for worms.

and rest.

Just to be friendly, they put their heads through the fence and stretched their necks and called. Do Do you know how geese call?

Carl thought that they were asking for him. He peeped over the side of the wagon.

"I am in the wagon," he said.

When the geese saw his little brown head,

they called again. Then Carl was very much afraid.

"In the wagon," he said, and began to cry. He looked toward the house. If he could only reach mother, he would be safe.

He could hardly see through his tears, but he climbed down as well as he could. Across the yard he ran as fast as his little legs could go. "Why do you cry, Carl?" asked his mother. "What made you run to the house?"

"I was afraid of the geese," said Carl. "They put their heads through the gate and asked where I was. Why did they want to know where I was, mother?"

"My little boy," said mother with a smile, "I am afraid you do not understand what geese say. They were not calling for you. They were only saying how glad they were to sit in the shade."

But now, when mother hears the geese call, they seem to say, "Where is Carl? Where is Carl?"

Baby May lay in her little white bed. The lights were out, and everything was still. It was seven o'clock, and May should have been asleep.

But she could not sleep. Can you guess why? She had a sore thumb. It was the thumb that she put into her mouth when sleepy time came.

To-night, when the sleepy eyes began to close, the thumb found its way to the little pink mouth. Then, oh, how the thumb did hurt! Brown eyes were wide awake once more, and it must all be done over again.

"Mother," she called at last. "Come tell story. May's thumb hurts."

Mother came into the room. She lay down beside May, and took the little hand in hers.

"Birds and bees are safe at home," said mother, very softly. "Little chickens are under

their mother's wings. Stars shine in the blue sky above us.

"Now the Sand Man comes to see if the children are all in bed. His hands are soft and warm. He touches the sleepy eyes, and down fall the little eyelids. He calls the Dream Man from the land of dreams.

"On one arm he carries a bag of sand; and when all is still, he opens the bag. He dips up the sand and pours it on. He dips up the sand and pours it on. He dips up the sand and pours He dips up the sand and pours it on." By this time May was fast asleep, and the story was never ended.

it on.

Can you end the story?

Hush-a-bye, birdie, in the warm nest.
The sun goes to sleep in the golden west;
Mother's soft feathers cover your head,
The wind blows softly around your wee bed.

Stars shine out in the dark blue sky,
Mother moon rests in the clouds near by;
Lambs fall asleep in the meadow below;
Mother rocks baby and sings soft and low:

Rock-a-bye, baby, in the tree top.

When the wind blows, the cradle will rock. When the bough bends, the cradle will fall, And down will come baby, cradle and all.

-Selected.