"He meant that in spite of rain, little boys can be happy, just as the
birds are, and can carry smiling faces to show they have singing
hearts."

Francis laughed happily. "I'll try to have a singing heart. Oh, the
sun's out, and I'm going out to find the robin."




THREADING NEEDLES.


Mrs. Sargent's sunny sitting room was a very busy place that Wednesday
afternoon.

Four long sticks with their corners fastened together by wooden pegs,
and placed on the backs of chairs, made a large frame in the center of
the apartment. On this frame there were basted, first, some strips of
pale blue cheesecloth sewed together, then cotton wadding was arranged
evenly over this, and over all another large square of cheesecloth of
dainty pink, was placed.

Now, I dare say that all you little readers know what this meant. It was
a quilting-frame, of course, and the half-dozen ladies gathered around
it were busily engaged in tying a comfortable; and, more-over, that same
comfortable was to be sent to a good missionary out on our Western
frontier.