But ev-er-y min-ute of the day
I'll spend just as I like, in play."




THE BIRTHDAY PRESENT.


[Illustration]

"Hold it tight, Tom, dear," said May. "Mam-ma will be pleased at her
birth-day gift. I think it is just love-ly." But the words were not out
of her mouth when Tom caught his foot and fell at full length on the
car-pet. Crash! went the vase that was to have been mam-ma's pres-ent
in-to bits.

May burst in-to tears, but she stopped all at once when she saw that Tom
did not get up, and that his face was grow-ing ve-ry white. "Oh! Tom,"
she cried, "is a-ny-thing the matter?"

"My knee," groaned Tom, "it hurts aw-ful-ly."

[Illustration]

May ran at once for pa-pa. He came, and Tom was lift-ed up and put to
bed, and the doc-tor was sent for. It was found that his knee was bad-ly
hurt, and that he must not get out of bed for a month. Hard work it was
for Tom, but May stayed by him all the time, and at the month's end he
was well a-gain.