days to his old home, where his father still lives.

In the little brown house stands Hirschvogel, tall and splendid, with
its peacock colors as beautiful as ever,--the king's present to Hilda;
and Karl never goes home without going into the great church and
giving his thanks to God, who blessed his strange winter's journey in
the great porcelain stove.




THE BABES IN THE WOOD

"Nature and life speak very early to man."--FROEBEL.


A great many years ago three little girls lived in an old-fashioned
house in the East. They had a very lovely home, and a kind father and
mother, who tried to make them happy. All through the summer they used
to roam over the hills and fields, catching butterflies, watching the
birds and bees at work, and studying the flowers and trees in the
beautiful meadows and woods. Then when winter came, and the days grew
cold, they went to school; and in the evening, when the fire was
burning brightly, they read and studied in books about all they had
seen in the summer.

Besides all these lovely things, and perhaps best of all, they had a
very large yard to play in, so large that it took up a whole block,
and seemed like a little farm in the middle of the town. There was a
lovely lawn and flower beds; a vegetable garden, barnyard and stable;