PAGE 1 "THESE THREE." 81 and tightened his loose mortar. He could stand his ground now twice as well as before. "You make me young again," blushed the worm-eaten Beam (being wood, you know, he must needs blush green). This was just the tint of my fine-flavoured leaves! sighed the Tea-box to himself, though he could not have had a very good eye for colour to have said so. I wonder what the thing is !" He wouldn't ask, you see, because he came from the Celestial empire, and declined intercourse with his inferiors. So the moss was welcome everywhere, even to those who would not acknowledge it; even to the flower-pot, though it said nothing. It was troubled with a sort of As you please" feeling,-that was the fact. Indifference as to what any one could do, or that could possibly happen henceforth for ever. Meanwhile the days rolled after each other as before, and the moss reached the broken side of the pot. This is bad indeed," it whispered; but crept on steadily all the same, stealing over the sharp, G