"Hurry up, boys, it's three o'clock, and Uncle Fritz likes us to bepunctual, you know," said Franz one Wednesday afternoon as abell rang, and a stream of literary-looking young gentlemen withbooks and paper in their hands were seen going toward themuseum.

Tommy was in the school-room, bending over his desk, muchbedaubed with ink, flushed with the ardor of inspiration, and in agreat hurry as usual, for easy-going Bangs never was ready till thevery last minute. As Franz passed the door looking up laggards,Tommy gave one last blot and flourish, and departed out thewindow, waving his paper to dry as he went. Nan followed,looking very important, with a large roll in her hand, and Demiescorted Daisy, both evidently brimful of some delightful secret.

The museum was all in order, and the sunshine among thehop-vines made pretty shadows on the floor as it peeped throughthe great window. On one side sat Mr. and Mrs. Bhaer, on theother was a little table on which the compositions were laid assoon as read, and in a large semicircle sat the children oncamp-stools which occasionally shut up and let the sitter down,thus preventing any stiffness in the assembly. As it took too muchtime to have all read, they took turns, and on this Wednesday theyounger pupils were the chief performers, while the elder oneslistened with condescension and criticised freely.

"Ladies first; so Nan may begin," said Mr. Bhaer, when the settlingof stools and rustling of papers had subsided.

Nan took her place beside the little table, and, with a preliminarygiggle, read the following interesting essay on

"THE SPONGE

"The sponge, my friends, is a most useful and interesting plant. Itgrows on rocks under the water, and is a kind of sea-weed, Ibelieve. People go and pick it and dry it and wash it, because littlefish and insects live in the holes of the sponge; I found shells in mynew one, and sand. Some are very fine and soft; babies are washedwith them. The sponge has many uses. I will relate some of them,and I hope my friends will remember what I say. One use is towash the face; I don't like it myself, but I do it because I wish to beclean. Some people don't, and they are dirty." Here the eye of thereader rested sternly upon Dick and Dolly, who quailed under it,and instantly resolved to scrub themselves virtuously on alloccasions. "Another use is to wake people up; I allude to boyspar-tic -u-lar-ly." Another pause after the long word to enjoy thesmothered laugh that went round the room. "Some boys do not getup when called, and Mary Ann squeezes the water out of a wetsponge on their faces, and it makes them so mad they wake up."Here the laugh broke out, and Emil said, as if he had been hit,

"Seems to me you are wandering from the subject."

"No, I ain't; we are to write about vegetables or animals, and I'mdoing both: for boys are animals, aren't they?" cried Nan; and,undaunted by the indignant "No!" shouted at her, she calmlyproceeded,

"One more interesting thing is done with sponges, and this is whendoctors put ether on it, and hold it to people's noses when theyhave teeth out. I shall do this when I am bigger, and give ether tothe sick, so they will go to sleep and not feel me cut off their legsand arms."

"I know somebody who killed cats with it," called out Demi, butwas promptly crushed by Dan, who upset his camp-stool and put ahat over his face.

"I will not be interruckted," said Nan, frowning upon the unseemlyscrimmagers. Order was instantly restored, and the young ladyclosed her remarks as follows:

"My composition has three morals, my friends." Somebodygroaned, but no notice was taken of the insult. "First, is keep yourfaces clean second, get up early third, when the ether sponge is putover your nose, breathe hard and don't kick, and your teeth willcome out easy. I have no more to say." And Miss Nan sat downamid tumultuous applause.

"That is a very remarkable composition; its tone is high, and thereis a good deal of humor in it. Very well done, Nan. Now, Daisy,"and Mr. Bhaer smiled at one young lady as he beckoned the other.

Daisy colored prettily as she took her place, and said, in hermodest little voice,

"I'm afraid you won't like mine; it isn't nice and funny like Nan's.But I couldn't do any better."

"We always like yours, Posy," said Uncle Fritz, and a gentlemurmur from the boys seemed to confirm the remark. Thusencouraged, Daisy read her little paper, which was listened to withrespectful attention.

"THE CAT

"The cat is a sweet animal. I love them very much. They are cleanand pretty, and catch rats and mice, and let you pet them, and arefond of you if you are kind. They are very wise, and can find theirway anywhere. Little cats are called kittens, and are dear things. Ihave two, named Huz and Buz, and their mother is Topaz, becauseshe has yellow eyes. Uncle told me a pretty story about a mannamed Ma-ho-met. He had a nice cat, and when she was asleep onhis sleeve, and he wanted to go away, he cut off the sleeve so asnot to wake her up. I think he was a kind man. Some cats catchfish."

"So do I!" cried Teddy, jumping up eager to tell about his trout.

"Hush!" said his mother, setting him down again as quickly aspossible, for orderly Daisy hated to be "interruckted," as Nanexpressed it.

"I read about one who used to do it very slyly. I tried to makeTopaz, but she did not like the water, and scratched me. She doeslike tea, and when I play in my kitchen she pats the teapot with herpaw, till I give her some. She is a fine cat, she eats apple-puddingand molasses. Most cats do not."

"That's a first-rater," called out Nat, and Daisy retired, pleased withthe praise of her friend.

"Demi looks so impatient we must have him up at once or he won'thold out," said Uncle Fritz, and Demi skipped up with alacrity.

"Mine is a poem!" he announced in a tone of triumph, and read hisfirst effort in a loud and solemn voice:

"I write about the butterfly,

And flies about like the birds,

"First it is a little grub,

And then the butterfly

"They live on dew and honey,

They do not sting like wasps, and bees, and hornets,

"I should like to be a beautiful butterfly,

But I should not like

This unusual burst of genius brought down the house, and Demiwas obliged to read it again, a somewhat difficult task, as therewas no punctuation whatever, and the little poet's breath gave outbefore he got to the end of some of the long lines.

"He will be a Shakespeare yet," said Aunt Jo, laughing as if shewould die, for this poetic gem reminded her of one of her own,written at the age of ten, and beginning gloomily,

"I wish I had a quiet tomb,

Where birds, and bees, and butterflies,

"Come on, Tommy. If there is as much ink inside your paper asthere is outside, it will be a long composition," said Mr. Bhaer,when Demi had been induced to tear himself from his poem andsit down.

"It isn't a composition, it's a letter. You see, I forgot all about itsbeing my turn till after school, and then I didn't know what tohave, and there wasn't time to read up; so I thought you wouldn'tmind my taking a letter that I wrote to my Grandma. It's gotsomething about birds in it, so I thought it would do."

With this long excuse, Tommy plunged into a sea of ink andfloundered through, pausing now and then to decipher one of hisown flourishes.

"MY DEAR GRANDMA, I hope you are well. Uncle James sentme a pocket rifle. It is a beautiful little instrument of killing,shaped like this [Here Tommy displayed a remarkable sketch ofwhat looked like an intricate pump, or the inside of a smallsteam-engine] 44 are the sights; 6 is a false stock that fits in at A; 3is the trigger, and 2 is the cock. It loads at the breech, and fireswith great force and straightness. I am going out shooting squirrelssoon. I shot several fine birds for the museum. They had speckledbreasts, and Dan liked them very much. He stuffed them tip-top,and they sit on the tree quite natural, only one looks a little tipsy.We had a Frenchman working here the other day, and Asia calledhis name so funnily that I will tell you about it. His name wasGermain: first she called him Jerry, but we laughed at her, and shechanged it to Jeremiah; but ridicule was the result, so it becameMr. Germany; but ridicule having been again resumed, it becameGarrymon, which it has remained ever since. I do not write often, Iam so busy; but I think of you often, and sympathize with you, andsincerely hope you get on as well as can be expected without me.Your affectionate grandson,

"THOMAS BUCKMINSTER BANGS.

"P.S. ? If you come across any postage-stamps, remember me.

"N.B. Love to all, and a great deal to Aunt Almira. Does she makeany nice plum-cakes now?

"P.S. ? Mrs. Bhaer sends her respects.

"P.S. ? And so would Mr. B, if he knew I was in act to write.

"N.B. Father is going to give me a watch on my birthday. I am gladas at present I have no means of telling time, and am often late atschool.

"P.S. ? I hope to see you soon. Don't you wish to send for me?

T. B. B."

As each postscript was received with a fresh laugh from the boys,by the time he came to the sixth and last, Tommy was soexhausted that he was glad to sit down and wipe his ruddy face.

"I hope the dear old lady will live through it," said Mr. Bhaer,under cover of the noise.

"We won't take any notice of the broad hint given in that last P.S.The letter will be quite as much as she can bear without a visitfrom Tommy," answered Mrs. Jo, remembering that the old ladyusually took to her bed after a visitation from her irrepressiblegrandson.

"Now, me," said Teddy, who had learned a bit of poetry, and wasso eager to say it that he had been bobbing up and down during thereading, and could no longer be restrained.

"I'm afraid he will forget it if he waits; and I have had a deal oftrouble teaching him," said his mother.

Teddy trotted to the rostrum, dropped a curtsey and nodded hishead at the same time, as if anxious to suit every one; then, in hisbaby voice, and putting the emphasis on the wrong words, he saidhis verse all in one breath:

"Little drops of water,

Mate a might okum (ocean),

"Little words of kindness,

Make a home a hebbin,

Clapping his hands at the end, he made another double salutation,and then ran to hide his head in his mother's lap, quite overcomeby the success of his "piece," for the applause was tremendous.

Dick and Dolly did not write, but were encouraged to observe thehabits of animals and insects, and report what they saw. Dick likedthis, and always had a great deal to say; so, when his name wascalled, he marched up, and, looking at the audience with his brightconfiding eyes, told his little story so earnestly that no one smiledat his crooked body, because the "straight soul" shone through itbeautifully.

"I've been watching dragonflies, and I read about them in Dan'sbook, and I'll try and tell you what I remember. There's lots ofthem flying round on the pond, all blue, with big eyes, and sort oflace wings, very pretty. I caught one, and looked at him, and Ithink he was the handsomest insect I ever saw. They catch littlercreatures than they are to eat, and have a queer kind of hook thingthat folds up when they ain't hunting. It likes the sunshine, anddances round all day. Let me see! what else was there to tell about?Oh, I know! The eggs are laid in the water, and go down to thebottom, and are hatched in the mud. Little ugly things come out of'em; I can't say the name, but they are brown, and keep having newskins, and getting bigger and bigger. Only think! it takes them twoyears to be a dragonfly! Now this is the curiousest part of it, so youlisten tight, for I don't believe you know it. When it is ready itknows somehow, and the ugly, grubby thing climbs up out of thewater on a flag or a bulrush, and bursts open its back."

"Come, I don't believe that," said Tommy, who was not anobservant boy, and really thought Dick was "making up."

"It does burst open its back, don't it?" and Dick appealed to Mr.Bhaer, who nodded a very decided affirmative, to the littlespeaker's great satisfaction.

"Well, out comes the dragonfly, all whole, and he sits in the sunsort of coming alive, you know; and he gets strong, and then hespreads his pretty wings, and flies away up in the air, and never isa grub any more. That's all I know; but I shall watch and try to seehim do it, for I think it's splendid to turn into a beautiful dragonfly,don't you?"

Dick had told his story well, and, when he described the flight ofthe new-born insect, had waved his hands, and looked up as if hesaw, and wanted to follow it. Something in his face suggested tothe minds of the elder listeners the thought that some day littleDick would have his wish, and after years of helplessness and painwould climb up into the sun some happy day, and, leaving his poorlittle body behind him, find a new lovely shape in a fairer worldthan this. Mrs. Jo drew him to her side, and said, with a kiss on histhin cheek,

"That is a sweet little story, dear, and you remembered itwonderfully well. I shall write and tell your mother all about it;"and Dick sat on her knee, contentedly smiling at the praise, andresolving to watch well, and catch the dragonfly in the act ofleaving its old body for the new, and see how he did it. Dolly had afew remarks to make upon the "Duck," and made them in asing-song tone, for he had learned it by heart, and thought it a greatplague to do it at all.

"Wild ducks are hard to kill; men hide and shoot at them, and havetame ducks to quack and make the wild ones come where the mencan fire at them. They have wooden ducks made too, and they sailround, and the wild ones come to see them; they are stupid, I think.Our ducks are very tame. They eat a great deal, and go pokinground in the mud and water. They don't take good care of theireggs, but them spoil, and "

"Mine don't!" cried Tommy.

"Well, some people's do; Silas said so. Hens take good care oflittle ducks, only they don't like to have them go in the water, andmake a great fuss. But the little ones don't care a bit. I like to eatducks with stuffing in them and lots of apple-sauce."

"I have something to say about owls," began Nat, who hadcarefully prepared a paper upon this subject with some help fromDan.

"Owls have big heads, round eyes, hooked bills, and strong claws.Some are gray, some white, some black and yellowish. Theirfeathers are very soft, and stick out a great deal. They fly veryquietly, and hunt bats, mice, little birds, and such things. Theybuild nests in barns, hollow trees, and some take the nests of otherbirds. The great horned owl has two eggs bigger than a hen's andreddish brown. The tawny owl has five eggs, white and smooth;and this is the kind that hoots at night. Another kind sounds like achild crying. They eat mice and bats whole, and the parts that theycannot digest they make into little balls and spit out."

"My gracious! how funny!" Nan was heard to observe.

"They cannot see by day; and if they get out into the light, they goflapping round half blind, and the other birds chase and peck atthem, as if they were making fun. The horned owl is very big,'most as big as the eagle. It eats rabbits, rats, snakes, and birds; andlives in rocks and old tumble-down houses. They have a goodmany cries, and scream like a person being choked, and say,'Waugh O! waugh O!' and it scares people at night in the woods.The white owl lives by the sea, and in cold places, and lookssomething like a hawk. There is a kind of owl that makes holes tolive in like moles. It is called the burrowing owl, and is very small.The barn-owl is the commonest kind; and I have watched onesitting in a hole in a tree, looking like a little gray cat, with one eyeshut and the other open. He comes out at dusk, and sits roundwaiting for the bats. I caught one, and here he is."

With that Nat suddenly produced from inside his jacket a littledowny bird, who blinked and ruffled his feathers, looking veryplump and sleepy and scared.

"Don't touch him! He is going to show off," said Nat, displayinghis new pet with great pride. First he put a cocked hat on the bird'shead, and the boys laughed at the funny effect; then he added apair of paper spectacles, and that gave the owl such a wise lookthat they shouted with merriment. The performance closed withmaking the bird angry, and seeing him cling to a handkerchiefupside down, pecking and "clucking," as Rob called it. He wasallowed to fly after that, and settled himself on the bunch ofpine-cones over the door, where he sat staring down at thecompany with an air of sleepy dignity that amused them verymuch.

"Have you anything for us, George?" asked Mr. Bhaer, when theroom was still again.

"Well, I read and learned ever so much about moles, but I declareI've forgotten every bit of it, except that they dig holes to live in,that you catch them by pouring water down, and that they can'tpossibly live without eating very often;" and Stuffy sat down,wishing he had not been too lazy to write out his valuableobservations, for a general smile went round when he mentionedthe last of the three facts which lingered in his memory.

"Then we are done for to-day," began Mr. Bhaer, but Tommycalled out in a great hurry,

"No we ain't. Don't you know? We must give the thing;" and hewinked violently as he made an eye-glass of his fingers.

"Bless my heart, I forgot! Now is your time, Tom;" and Mr. Bhaerdropped into his seat again, while all the boys but Dan lookedmightily tickled at something.

Nat, Tommy, and Demi left the room, and speedily returned with alittle red morocco box set forth in state on Mrs. Jo's best silversalver. Tommy bore it, and, still escorted by Nat and Demi,marched up to unsuspecting Dan, who stared at them as if hethought they were going to make fun of him. Tommy had preparedan elegant and impressive speech for the occasion, but when theminute came, it all went out of his head, and he just said, straightfrom his kindly boyish heart,

"Here, old fellow, we all wanted to give you something to kind ofpay for what happened awhile ago, and to show how much weliked you for being such a trump. Please take it, and have a jollygood time with it."

Dan was so surprised he could only get as red as the little box, andmutter, "Thanky, boys!" as he fumbled to open it. But when he sawwhat was inside, his face lighted up, and he seized the long desiredtreasure, saying so enthusiastically that every one was satisfied,though is language was anything but polished,

"What a stunner! I say, you fellows are regular bricks to give methis; it's just what I wanted. Give us your paw, Tommy."

Many paws were given, and heartily shaken, for the boys werecharmed with Dan's pleasure, and crowded round him to shakehands and expatiate on the beauties of their gift. In the midst ofthis pleasant chatter, Dan's eye went to Mrs. Jo, who stood outsidethe group enjoying the scene with all her heart.

"No, I had nothing to do with it. The boys got it up all themselves,"she said, answering the grateful look that seemed to thank her forthat happy moment. Dan smiled, and said, in a tone that only shecould understand,

"It's you all the same;" and making his way through the boys, heheld out his hand first to her and then to the good Professor, whowas beaming benevolently on his flock.

He thanked them both with the silent, hearty squeeze he gave thekind hands that had held him up, and led him into the safe refugeof a happy home. Not a word was spoken, but they felt all hewould say, and little Teddy expressed his pleasure for them as heleaned from his father's arm to hug the boy, and say, in his babyway,

"My dood Danny! everybody loves him now."

"Come here, show off your spy-glass, Dan, and let us see some ofyour magnified pollywogs and annymalcumisms as you call 'em,"said Jack, who felt so uncomfortable during this scene that hewould have slipped away if Emil had not kept him.

"So I will, take a squint at that and see what you think of it," saidDan, glad to show off his precious microscope.

He held it over a beetle that happened to be lying on the table, andJack bent down to take his squint, but looked up with an amazedface, saying,

"My eye! what nippers the old thing has got! I see now why it hurtsso confoundedly when you grab a dorbug and he grabs backagain."

"He winked at me," cried Nan, who had poked her head underJack's elbow and got the second peep.

Every one took a look, and then Dan showed them the lovelyplumage on a moth's wing, the four feathery corners to a hair, theveins on a leaf, hardly visible to the naked eye, but like a thick netthrough the wonderful little glass; the skin on their own fingers,looking like queer hills and valleys; a cobweb like a bit of coarsesewing silk, and the sting of a bee.

"It's like the fairy spectacles in my story-book, only more curious,"said Demi, enchanted with the wonders he saw.

"Dan is a magician now, and he can show you many miraclesgoing on all round you; for he has two things needful patience anda love of nature. We live in a beautiful and wonderful world,Demi, and the more you know about it the wiser and the better youwill be. This little glass will give you a new set of teachers, andyou may learn fine lessons from them if you will," said Mr. Bhaer,glad to see how interested the boys were in the matter.

"Could I see anybody's soul with this microscope if I looked hard?"asked Demi, who was much impressed with the power of the bit ofglass.

"No, dear; it's not powerful enough for that, and never can be madeso. You must wait a long while before your eyes are clear enoughto see the most invisible of God's wonders. But looking at thelovely things you can see will help you to understand the lovelierthings you can not see," answered Uncle Fritz, with his hand on theboy's head.

"Well, Daisy and I both think that if there are any angels, theirwings look like that butterfly's as we see it through the glass, onlymore soft and gold."

"Believe it if you like, and keep your own little wings as bright andbeautiful, only don't fly away for a long time yet."

"No, I won't," and Demi kept his word.

"Good-by, my boys; I must go now, but I leave you with our newProfessor of Natural History;" and Mrs. Jo went away well pleasedwith that composition day.