Tales of the Toys, Told by Themselves

m not much of a hand at telling stories, and can't find words to say what I would, but I'll do my best. My first start in life is very e

carpenter. But he had been disabled from active work by a fall from a window which he was cleaning, and after that, had been sorely put to it, in order to earn a living. I am sure he must have had two little children at some time or other, and no doubt lost them from some of the countless illnesses which lie ready in waiting, like great flocks of wolves, for the poor children

rd, something of the same kind they make hat boxes of. These pieces he bought in large quantities cheap, and cut to suit his purpose. The floors were made of more solid wood, and the walls were papered with odd scraps of wall paper, sample patterns

'it would make it more comferble like, and make both ends match. But I can't do it for the money no how. I

rticle of what Joe could do when he liked. I had more room than Joe generally measured out to his usual kitchens, and having been originally papered with an especially neat and "beco

one like him. This here, you see, is my adver-tise-ment. I couldn't afford to sell one like it for less than fourpen

tcher's daughter to her burly father, as he was leisurely wandering out

he rosy little petitioner, and giving her an airy ride on his

ild, 'a kishin-old man g

s, when grazing peacefully in their meadows, and then catching sight of Joe in the distance, ran h

he fat child, 'a booful one with a f

e, seeing they were good customers; 'this here ain't

,' pouted the c

?' asked the butcher. 'Don't be c

nother just like it to-night, and it will be fourpence; I can'

w,' whined Phoebe, hiding her red,

' said her father, positively, 'and if you won'

on it so, I'll go back and fetch t'other one now. Will that do, little Missee? And if you are a good girl, and do

to his dark, cold room, he found his one friendly visitor waiting for him, but only begged her to sit down and wait for him a little while so that he could run back to the child with the toy. He was more than rewarded, even in very profitable ways, for not only did the little girl, who had been eagerly watching for him on the

to lose to speak of, cos I always has a crust of bread and cheese, leas

-day,' laughed the butcher; ''tis pr

means furnished. Nor was he the only one to benefit by it, for many a tea-cupful of what was proudly called "broth" did Joe spare to one or two starving mothers hard by, for their ailing little ones. But old Joe had a visitor to-day, his long lost wife's blind sister, and

and I think I shall get on by degrees, you know, werry slow, to make some better-most kinds, and sell the bigger ones at f

r bit of proud satisfaction, too, for she had brought Joe a pretty little square basket, with a lid to it, which had been the work of her own poor, unguided fingers. She had been placed by a very charitable la

ey were most of them poor hard-working drudges, who were very grateful for his help, and indeed often brought him their own poor scraps of food to cook for their little invalids, while they earned a few pence by washing, or hawking flowers, or fire papers. And the kind-hearted old man would stir and simmer the scanty scraps in his solitary saucepan, and take a world of care and pains with the "broth" to make it relishing for the poor sickly little babes. He would often put it into the cracked mug or pie-dish,

way many months in a slow decline, was found by her mother (who had gone to the dispensary for some medicine for her), lying back on the heap of straw, cold and lifeless, with the treasured kitchen, the one toy of a long miserable childhood, cuddled fast in the thin stiff arms. Old Joe cried over

hat could raise twopence was ready enough to buy one of the kitchens. And as times did get a little better, Joe was able to add the long wished-for wooden table, which gave a great finish and air of reality to his little cons

, and I'll ask her if she can't save us up a few bits and scraps of print and

ll ye what, you and mother come up some afternoon, and we'll se

the floor carpeted with a piece of print, while scraps of muslin stood for curtains. Liza had manufactured some square cushions of a suitable size, which did duty for ottomans, and a round piece of card board, glued on a pillar leg, composed of an empty cotton reel painted brown, did duty for a centre table. Then Joe decorated the centre of the back wall with what he considered a splendid likeness of a grand drawing room grate. He looked at his work with great satisfaction, and was never weary of point

es, I'm uncommon obliged to you for your help, which great it is, and well I shall do b

ins every bit as well as mother can. And as for the ottomy's, I'll make you a dozen or two when I'm home, and I'll bring '

he old woman, 'and Joseph

an offering to Liza. I am very much afraid the glory of those horrid little new parlours had quite put him out of conceit with me. Liza had been as good as her word, and furnished Joe with a pocket full of ottomy's, all covered with gay shreds of chintz. The nurs

I became a member of your circle, my friends, and have had the honour of being called on to amuse you in my turn. I believe, from a few words I heard nurse let fall some time ago, that my old master is still

h is quite as interesting as any we have heard this evening. And now I