woods. Here the old man showed him how to use it. All this had taken up a
great deal of time, and it was midnight before he reached home.

11. "Where in the world have you been?" said his wife. "Here I have been
waiting and waiting, and we have no wood to make a fire, nor anything to
put into the porridge pot for our Christmas supper."

12. The house was dark and cold; but the poor man bade his wife wait and
see what would happen. He placed the little hand mill on the table, and
began to turn the crank. First, out there came some grand, lighted wax
candles, and a fire on the hearth, and a porridge pot boiling over it,
because in his mind he said they should come first. Then he ground out a
tablecloth, and dishes, and spoons, and knives and forks.

13. He was himself astonished at his good luck, as you may believe; and
his wife was almost beside herself with joy and astonishment. Well, they
had a capital supper; and after it was eaten, they ground out of the mill
every possible thing to make their house and themselves warm and
comfortable. So they had a merry Christmas eve and morning.

DEFINITIONS.--l. Tri'-fling, of small value. 5. Hand 'mill, a mill turned
by hand. 6. At-tract'ed, drawn to, allured. 7. Perplexed', puzzled. 8.
Fra'grance, sweetness of smell.



IV. WHY THE SEA IS SALT. (32)
(Concluded.)

1. When the people went by the house to church, the next day, they could