FOR YOUNG FOLKS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IX, Issue 745, 13 February 1915, Page 6

FOR YOUNG FOLKS.

THE LITTLE MOUSE. Here is a little poem by a schoolbo; ken from the "Perse Playbook N« n . There's a naughty little mouse Who's very fond of play, He's always out at night time And sometimes in the day. But lie's a careful little mouse,, And softly does lie run, So nobody can hear his feet, That's why ho lias sucli fun. .We cannot shoot liim if wo try, For he runs very fast, And soon lie's in his little liolo, And all the danger's past. He often bobs his little head \ Out through liis little hole, But if liei sees you in ho goes, I The crafty little soul. THE RESCUE.

Tlio boy handed the letter to Joan, one of the rough soldiers at the prison door. It was for the head man of tho prison, but Jean turned it over and over as if he thought there was something- wicked in it. "While ho did so, tho boy could see a face looking at liim behind tho grating of tho window close to the door—a pale, anxious faco. It was his father's. 110 had been three weeks in prison, because his enemies had been too strong for him. And to-morrow lie would lie tried, and they would tell all sorts of lies, and say ho was guilty ; and alter tho trial lio would bo killed. His son Mark was only twelve, but he had a wonderful head to think things out. lie used to come every day and talk to tho soldiers, and malco friends with them, and they never guessed who ho was, or that it was hia father ho was really talking to whilo Lo seemed to bo chatting to them. The second soldier, Pierre, was very fond of taking a dozo when tho sun was very warm; and to-day the sun was very hot indeed, and lie was sleepy. So when ho had waked up to find it was only Mark, ho got sleepy again. "I'd better take you to tho head man myself," Jean said; and that was just what Mark wanted. When they reached tho head man's room they found liei wasn't in; so Jean told Mark to wait while ho wont to find him.

As soon as Joan was out of sight, Mark was'flying down tlio passage towards his father's cell. In a moment ho had drawn tlio bolt and opened the door.

"Quick, father!" ho whispered. * c Thero is only Pierre outside. Ho will be asleep."

Very carefully Mark unbolted the outer door and pooped out. As he expected, Pierre was dozing in tlio sun. Tlrey stole past him softly. Behind a wall, two horses, which Mark had brought, were standing ready saddled. So when Jean returned to the gate teri mimites afterwards, expecting to find Mark talking to Pierre, ho found nobody but Pierre, who was still asleep. And that was how Mark roscucd his father.

PASSING IT ON. When littlo Bob bumped his head, tlnclo Jim gathered the youngster in his arms and said: "There! I'll kiss it, and the pain will all bo gone." Cheerfully smiling, the youngster oxclaimed : "Como down into the kitchen; the cook has the toothache." : "What are you doing, dear?' 'asked the little girl's mother, a s she pan sod to look at some very ■ strange _ marks the child was making on a piece of paper. "I'm writing a letter to Lillio Smith," was tlvo answer. "Hut. my dear," laughed the mother, "you don't know how to write." "Oh, that doesn't matter, mother! Lillio doesn't know how to road." Teacher: "Johnny, can you tell me how iron was first discovered?" Johnny: "Yes, sir. I heard my fatli--6r say yesterday that they smelt it. Dorothy (after watching a spider capture a fly in its web): "Oh, mam ma, como quick! A spider is putting » fly to sleep in its hammock!" Teacher: "And now who can tell mo Itvliy we should always he neat and clean?" „ .. ~, Littlo Lizzie: "In caso of accident. OUR QUEER TONGUE. (When tlio English tongue wo speak, OVhy is "break" not rhymed witto , "freak?" . iWill you toll mo why it b true iWo say "sew," but likewise few? [And the maker of a verso Cannot cap liis "horse" with "worse? *'Beard" sounds not tlio samo as i : "heard;" ■"Cord" is different from "word; ""Cow" is cow, but "low Jf "Shoo" is never rhymed with foe. fThinlc of "hose" and "deso and (Thin o k°of "comb" • and "tomb" and "bombi." "Doll" and "roll;" and "homo" and <j£X» -w * a*" 4 WhTnot "»?■" If"*' .Wo tor. "Mood" and "toed" "MotUI" fa not pronounced !>& ■^pould.' B