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children. And being a. book for very young child- ren. cunnining in a condensed form the milk of literature, who would have hangin- ed that in ever could have b{) my bility become the mean- o! the gunman confusion and vexatiou to I Emmi-Up? But it did. Iffimuellu hldou, am that grown-up. And 1 am thu authur, or nearly the suthor (under the ablrst supun‘ision, I frankly_confeu.) of that First Reader. IV “In” 3W0]. “we a book. his. mama A Fin; Rondo: in 3 book for very young Tho way it came about was thin. I have shay- been- pauiomtely {and of chilclnn. When but I decidedly null I cimeu of humanity myself I adored all t 10 smaller upecimenl with whom I chanced tn meet. At the tender age of six, them being then no bub st. my own home, I dolibcutoly enter the home of our washer-woman one day, knowing her to be absent at the time, and stole her l'wo‘mnutha-nld Puma from the cradle in which he was "mum-fully sleeping, and in who of his icks and yelll. when he uwnlm tu tlw situation, 1 mansged to carry him safely to our housewfortmmto- 1y not far distant/wand p 3 him in the arms of my very much am» liedmother. And when he was recluime dud carried away again by his right wner, I but me down on the floor thabang, and (mom-ll my mouth to itl utmost. width, and lifted up my voice to its ulmusb height. and refused most emphatically tn bu utvmfux‘tcal. “ Ami pray “m may that task he 'l” asked I, wumluringly. “ The prefnu'ntiun of a First Reader,” he replied. “ I dn not expect the pecuni- ary results to be princely, though no doubt yuu \Vuuld rn. lizn enough to campnmnlu you fur whatemr timeyuu might expend ; but the practice Would be execllent for you, and perhaps 0 en the way for better paying literary wor .” “ Literary work," repeated I . “ Why, I never even dreamed of such a thing.” “ Did you nut ’3" he said, with a smile. “ Well. _\nn am nut the first perm-n wlm lma l'ullmlllcd in ignorance of his or her particular tulvnt until a friend discovered n. lint :u'n yull willing to give me a helping hand with the bunk ’I" “ Most willing,’ said l. “ Tell me plainly what I am to «lo, a to try to do, and i will begin this very evening.” This love of little ones did not dimininh in the least as I grow in stature and in years. ()n the Contrary, it seemed to in- crease, and it, became as natural for me Lu talk baby talk to and make baby rhymes fur every W00 darling that. came in my way as it was for me m breathe. And for the uldur youngsters 1 had always u story readywaomu simple thing abuuc simple things, but, by virtue of creation, my :m’ll. And having Contnved to be an un- observed listener to several of these stories, and having also learned from Sm“, his little l|l\‘(‘L‘, that l “ made up out of my mm lmul " tlw jingch with which she ufu-n .‘mllgllt tn mtertain him, Mr. Erick- slm‘ nur schmalâ€"masterâ€"aml a Very clever And 1 (lid begin that \tcry evening. and oxtn-mcly glad I was tu (ln so. For 1 had already, although April had scarcely net in, trimmed my usual amount-0f spring hats and bunncts, whichâ€"our community not fullnwing strictly, for good and nulli- cicnt reasons, the decrees of fashion~ulw included must vf the summer ones, there- by cutting ull‘ that suurco of income fur four ’or five months. And it had been highly necessary that mmthor source should be (llSClH'L‘X‘Cd immediately. From which statement you will naturally infer that the Golden filmily was golden only in name. It was. Otherwise. uf course Mlnw t00~~8£lid tn me one nftémnun, “ Mias Golden, I have undertaken a task in which 1 thinkmâ€"mfy. l mu sureâ€"Ahab you mu. if yuu will, )0 vi grgatnssistance VUU C I .m‘ to me. ’ MY FIRST READER. task he 1 mean in a money some. it In nickelly. sud not that. w a great at uncut u do- liable. Fatherâ€"well. In: Undo! My bui- mmmedtodluqucvithhtlmzm- I“ uentl he contributed to our Ill y by trend starts. Daniel. our. boy, worked tnithhnll u an uni-ant hook-keeper in a pu ' 3 home in New York city. and not nearly half hie celery to mother the flat 0! every month. George, our punth boy. in clerk Iith a hope o! some day becoming one o the (inn) lt the Willwood genenl wore ; end I. u l have intimated nbovo. In the Willwood milliner. But work u‘hord u we might. Daniel, George, end I. we could do no more. even with the inter- mittent help: from father, than teke care of ourselves Ind the rent of the family in the humble» \uy. (The rent of the “mil consisted of motherâ€"n darling-«run - motherâ€"another darlingâ€"and three oi the Iweetcst, cunningeet little girll. two, tive, and six years old, thet chr needed to be taken care of.) So, as you run Well inaginc, l was not only dolignte , but extremely delighted, to get the chance of assisting Mr. Erickson with the Render. And I confided as much to Matt Brewatcr when we were coming home from church together the next Sunday evening. “ Be- cause. you see, Matt," said I, “ if l we- ceed with this, maybe I can go on writing until "â€"â€"~and I caught my breath at the boldness of the ideaâ€"â€"“ 1 am found Worthy of a place in the juvenile nmguzines. and, its asucccssful writer, I could help the family much more than 1 can now. for literary work is for oil wagons, and mil- linoi‘y only for two or three months out of the whole year.” “ You forgét.” said Matt, “your rich uncle who is coming hero from Australia soon, and who will. no doubt. so arrange thiugfs that tho familfv will need no help at a] from your ham 5." ' “ Oh dear !" said I, “ 50 I did. But he “ Well, yes, 1 will, since your heart seems to be set upon it,” I promised, though I wondered at the time why he was so anxious that I should become a favorite of I'ncle Sam’s. “ ['11 do every- thing: but givo up the Reader." Matt Brewster was chief prolirictor of the store where my brother George was clerk, and ho was also my acknowledged lover. The latter fact made me the envy of half me girls in Wildwuod, for. Matt. was Considered the. handsoan and most fascinating young bachelor in tho place. He was tall and slender. with very ism hair, light blue eyes, a. straight nose, and a small mouth. Mrs. Leroy, the vnung wife of 01d 03;» min Leroy~~10ukcd up to with great re- spect by three-fourths of the population uf Wildimud, because she had her bonueba and gluves straight from l’aris,--gavo it as her opinion that his brow was too narrmv. and his chin too retreating. “ Give me,” she said, calm) y and coully', “ the school- mashrr, auy'day,‘ in preference. ‘ He is Hut, quite as tall, but his shoulders are I can't keep him in mind. And we are not mrb that. his Gaming will benefit us any. He may be a Cranky old man, and very hard to please. It is more than likely he is, for father (with whom he could never agree, though he is his nuly bruthor) tells me he was an unusually cranky young mm.” ‘ Sam ’ all her life !" “ But you will do your best to get int“ the old chap‘a good graces, won’t yOu ‘I” said Matt, coaxingly?“ ()u ac}: a. wuaum’s' hem THE FARMERSVILLE ltEPORTEi. u my surruw,” I assented. Hunt :1 name to give an 1 baby I If it hadn't been ‘ Ella,’ what would I have ééruin Inna}? look And {my shout ii. that in utwry Lacking in Mr. Mathew Brow-tor.” _ Sumac u it my fipou. I did not fuel as indignant at thin ddv'om criticism of my betrothed (by-thew”. I lud otipulat- ed “the time of our ougngomnt no- two months old, tlut We :50 not be thought of for 3t lent two your.) u some of the other girls did. Nettle Haley, for installerâ€"dusk“: 0! Halo, the boulder, with a In little fortune m hot own right, inherite from her mother-â€" wus pgrticularly _wrotl|. hinder, I) in hip (grew. sud j» A “ She only talks tint way,” the aid, referring to Mrs. Leroy, “become Iho wantowuem difl'oront from everybody else, fast as she sends to Put from thin ouc~o -tho'wn.y (“logo for he: Manon 811d gloves. Why. thoro'o no oompu’ilon bo- tweon the two men. Mutt dance. bunti- quy; Mr. Erickson don't dance ; the . Mott sings lovely ; Mr. Erickwn con on y f'nin in a ban. Matt has a complexion ike a girls; and Mr. Erickwn bu one likwâ€"likow" had been hastily dressed at news of his approach, were as hastily withdrawn tn the kitchen whet: he arrived. Pno!‘ little darlings, we got them away just in time, for their lips had begun to quiver and their eyes to grow pig with frightened surprise. “They Will get used whim by degrees," whispered my mother, as ] gave each of them a ro-auuriug kiss. “ And now, Ella dear; go back and do your best to entertain him until your fuller comes in, wl.ilo I see about lhe dinner. ” ‘ “A mun," l Iuggestod, mischievous- ly, “(the pqulod {53g} comparilpn. “ ()h, pohaw, Ella, what a tune you am 1 And about. {our own beau, too ! But I don't really olieve you know "â€" md here the heaved a deep Iighâ€"“ what a. 159k; gig-l you are._” ‘ Wei-LVI Began the Bender, and won basaltic no abootbed in my work that e erything I cut eyes upun instantly re- lulvod itself into I. Fth Lennon. Did the butcher stop at the door, “I we a man; he is a. butcher; a butcher sell: meat," iuunediatcl flashed through my brain. Did one o my intimate friend- cull, 1 greeted her in in mind with, “I see a. girl ; her name is ay " (or Lib, or Molly, whichever it might. be); “she comes to tell some newn." My very dreams Were haunted by like uxmnplea. I saw ihc_que_exest__ things. :I‘lxeir names “DEAR. SARAllr-quur bruther-iwluw starts for Wildwood in a few days. I trust that he will arrive safely, and bring you permanent relief from your pecuniary troubles. You will find him much chang- ed in )crzsonal appuarunce~ the result. of sevcra hard fights in which he has been uugaged~~slncu you last saw him. Never handsome, he is nowâ€"~peculiat-looking. 1 mile this capecially to warn you, and to have you warn the others, not. toalludu in the slightest way to the physical blemishes it will ‘be impossible for you not to observo, us any such allusion would have the. ell'ect of rousing him to furious anger. With love to Samuolla. upon whom he seems inclined to look with favor, and kind remembrances to the rest, I am yours faithfully, TOM.” And nut very long after tho reception of this letttr Uncle Sam made his appearâ€" ance. He was “ peculiar-looking," to use a favorite remark of one of our oldest citizens, “ with a vengeance.’ “is head was bald in spots, as though the hair had boon pulled out by great handsful, and his face, was all awry. Add tn this the eximessiou of an ogre, and you win not won er that the children, who were ibbérish. The flayed strange and ridicn pus pranks. uh for all thatâ€"â€" perchance in consequence of all thatâ€"Abe book pro reamed rapidly, and the first hundred canons were nlmmt completed. when m‘ thor received a. letter from a cousin of hers, dated fmJn the same place in Australia from which Uncle Sam’- had come. It road at; follows: Iroumud to the: pix-Int. I out. do" oppodto our vimur. I found I dawn! (mutation in his unsymmetrical (m. I could not remove my cm from is. 1 «used to oped, but baton my mouth in may open Uncle Bun hunt 1m than] bxon and growled. “ And .0 you're Sam, are you ‘3 And what do you we that you our» in flint yuy And thou the spirit of that First Radar, in spite o! I" that. I could do (0 resist it. took complete pomion of mo. l rc- liod slowly and distinctly : “l we a man; 0 in a queer-looking man ; he has a ermkod no”; he has: a crooked mouth; ha ha: a crooked chin ; ho bu crooked eye: ; he has an awful acul’l ; he in a rich nuns. l nun 3 poor gitl. I Would rather be a petty your gu-l than a rich crooked nun. ’ The fame that comm: from hanging is but hcmp‘t‘io hunur. And that tn the last. of our expects tiom from Uncle Sam. Ho arose, thundor- ed forth some word: which I can not, re~ peat. broke all the mantel ornaments at one fell "troop, and loft tho hnuw never to return sgun. I’ll just add, to whom it may concern, that noun that the bores of a fortune from my godfather wow hus destroyed, my engagement. to Matt Brewster was broken, am that young guutloumu married Nettie Inlay: A Story of a Pork-t. A fire broke out in adwclling house the other night, and afwr the man and his wife had safely rczwlmd the street the latter said that. than: was $50 in He pocket. of her dress, hanging in a Swnnd-stury back room. , ‘ The flames raged furiuusiy, and the man did not return. At the vxpiratinu of an hour the fire was extinguished and the back building caved. Firunun amped their way up the rear stair» thrnugh water and blinding smoke. and found the man in the closct still fumbling at his wife's dress. looking fur the money. He was nearly suffimutod with smoke, but‘had strength enough u,» any that he thought he wuu‘d have «'md the pocket inside of two lmurm t: never occurred £011th to seize the dress and rush out with that. Some men get so excited and nervous in time of fire. A; for me, [was “luck ” mum"): to become the Imp w wife of 01m Eric son. And our First header proved a perfect success. The uhio bio and eccentric physL cinn, Dr. onsey, who lived in Sir Itnh- ert \Valpole’s time, took so keen e de- light in drawing teeth by this particular process tint, in the absence of a patient with s. fee for the service. he would some- times be his own dentist, and operate nn himself from a pure love nfnrt. The pm. con win this. Reund the with tn be dnwn the dnctnr fastened securely a :tmng piece of t‘attgut, tn the other end of whicha bullet. was attached. A pistnl having been charged with this bullet. and a full measure of pnwder. the nperutinn was performed etl‘ectunlly um] speedily. The doctor enuld rarely prevnil nn his friends to let him rcmnve their teeth in this singular and startlingly simple man- ner. Unce ngentlenian, whn had agreed to make trial of the nnVelty, nnd had even allnwed the apparatus tn be adjusted, turned creven at the last moment. “Step! stop!" he exclaimed, “l've changed my mind.” “But i haven’t changed mine, and you arqa onward fnr changing ynurs," answered the ductor, pulling the trigger. Even at this distance nl time it. nnuld be pleasant to discnwr that the patient of this Cumedy was his grnee of (Bruitnn, and that, tn avenge himself for the has nf a place in the lnnl ehamherlnin'n gift, thenpemtor attached the catgnt tn the wrong tooth.- leisure llnur. “ I’ll go for it," said the ln1.-.hmnl,'-and helglungcd into the-bgrnfinq _1)uilding. ‘ Tooth Drawlng Extraordinary. oo<~--> Oohâ€""w"