Tales of the Toys, Told by Themselves

a story teller. But you know all people of my giddy habits are not much given to serious consideration. We make a bold s

that I first grew on an animal's back as skin, and was then turned into leather, I

of some of the most interestin facts respecting your origin. I should like to know a little more about yo

cts could hardly be very interesting, and I have a great fear of ti

ure I may speak for all the rest of our friends," said he, with a very solemn bow to each member of the party. The Toys,

sture in Denmark. He formed one of the members of a huge flock of sheep, belonging to a well-to-do farmer, whose riches in herds of cattle and flocks of sheep were accumulating for the dowry of his only child Mari. She was the best dowered maiden for fifty miles round, and though young in her teens, made the yellowest butter and firmest cheese for three villages round. Her father was a thrifty, enterprising man, who was especially successful in rearing fine lambs; thereby giving his old bachelor brother

f morocco leather. This is made from the skin of Spanish goats, carefully tanned with oak bark, and then dyed on the grain side. The crimson portion owes its hue to

moothed with hot irons. This came from France, and after all this toil and care bestowed upon it, was beautifully soft and white, as supple as you could desire, and ready to be made into gloves. The other half of my last portion is formed of what is called chamois leather, being made from the skin of a lively little chamois that in vain once fled along Alpine peaks to escape his fleet

London. These were all sold out again to travel once more, some to the glove-making counties; others to great shoe factories; some to makers of dressing cases and purses; others to grocers in town or country for polishing plate and glass. With all this general separation, there were a good many stray pieces, some torn off by accident, others used fo

He drew himself up on tip-toe, for he was, unluckily, rather short for his age, and spoke in the deepest tones he could make his naturally squeaky voice take, which sounded like the chirp of the cuckoo, when "in leafy June, he i

his arm, and walked home. He stopped at the door of a very dingy house, up a dark, dirty court, and opening it, mounted the close, steep staircase. After climbing up two stories, he sat down to rest awhile, to get breath to mount the last one. At last he wearily picked up the box, and, step by step, painfully went up to the door of the back ro

ng rambles in country lanes-dirty with dust and forbidden mud-pies-and hungry for the crust of very dry bread-but healthy from their day's long breathing of pure air. But Sam only exchanged the close city warehouse, with its disagreeable smell of leather, for that of a room in which his mother and sisters breathed most of the day the smo

he youngest, helped as well as she could by making the little bolsters and mattresses for the dolls' bedsteads, which were to form the toys of luckier and younger children. She was a gr

k she had quite used up all her scraps, and had been obliged to use her spare time in helping Jemmie with the bedsteads. So she picked out the colours, and laid

However, to-morrow is blessed Sunday, and you can take your rest

up, 'and we can have another walk in the Park, you know. Only

n't keep your bed; that would break my heart. I hope it'll please Him to spare

re! Oh, they were such grand trees in the forest, mother, they seemed to reach up to the clouds; I'm sure

ng all the time; and teacher was so kind. She lent me her thick shawl to sit on; and how nice i

n more money, we'll have such jaunts into the country;

y were not thought of; for they were darned, patched, and "tidied up," till they were all darn, and only replaced, when some kind friend gave a cast off garment. Jemmie made pretty little dolls' bedsteads, the frames of which, made of white wire, she bent into shape, and strengthened with slender strips of tin. Sam

ther cleared away the tea, and his sister got out the wires. 'A chap o

me this week, and as mother was slack of work, she turned to and made up all the curtains and valances, and I had only to do the w

n't mind, there's lots of work yet in this here feller, all

'if you was to send one of your bedsteads to Mr. Nethersole's little Miss. He's kind to Sam, and

d bringing one out; 'you shall have this here for little Miss. It's the k

ing he set off early to his work, refreshed and brightened by his brief holid

into the room to tell the good news in gasps that frightened Susan out of her wits, and nearly drove his mother frantic. At last, by patting his back, and making him sit in her low chair by the open window, the calmer Jemmie found out that Mrs. Nethersole had sen

ck, mother, that she is! But the best of it is to come, for they had me into the parlour and asked me all about us; and master has riz my wages

h the rest and sent off to the Crystal Palace, where Mrs. Spenser bought me on the bazaar day, and I have