A QUARREL BETWEEN TWO WOMEN

            There were once two women who lived in the same house. They each had a child. It happened that one of the children died one night. Its mother took the other women's child, and put the dead child in her bed instead.

            The next morning they had a quarrel.

            "This is my child. The dead child is yours," said one.

            "No, the dead child is yours. This living one is mine," said the other.

            Each one said the living child was hers, but no one could tell who was its true mother. And they went to see Solomon, the wise king of the Jews.

            When King Solomon heard their story, he said, "cut the child into two and give each woman one half."

            "That is a good idea," said the dead child's mother.

            "Give her the child. Let it be hers. But do not kill it," said the living child's mother.

            "Give the child to this woman," said the king. "She is its true mother.

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MOLLY'S DREAM

            Molly was a young woman who worked for a farmer on his farm. One day the farmer gave her a pail of milk. He told her to sell it and keep the money for herself.

            Molly was very much pleased. She put the pail of milk on her hand and went to market.

            As she walked along, she said to herself, "I shall get some money for the milk. With the money I will buy a few hens. The hens will lay eggs and from the eggs I shall get more hens. I will sell the hens, and with the money I will buy a new dress.

            "how beautiful I shall look in my new dress! The young men will ask me to walk with them, but I will not walk with them. They will ask me to dance with them, but I will not dance with them. They will want to marry me, but I will toss my head, and refuse them all."

            So she tossed her head. Down came the pail and milk and all.

            Her fine dream was all over.

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A CROSS-EYED COLONEL

            The colonel of a certain regiment was a cross-eyed man. When he spoke to someone, he looked at the other as if to speak to the latter. So it was very difficult to know whom he was speaking to.

            One day three new soldiers joined his regiment. He gave an interview to them at the same time. He told them to stand in a row in his presence, and said to them one by one.

            "What is your name?" he asked the first.

            "Johnson, sir," replied the second.

            "I did not ask you," he shouted angrily to the second, why did you say yourself?"

            "I have not said a word, sir," said the third.

            "I did not ask you," he shouted more angrily to the third. "Why did you say yourself?"

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