) HOPPY'S GARDEN. 0: OW, Hoppy dear, it is almost time you were off; I heard eleven o’clock |, strike some time ago. I should like {-) you to be in time to meet father as \“ he comes out of the works. Take his hand nicely, and then he will remember all we talked of yesterday, and his promise about your window garden. There are your crutches: go along the shady side of the streets, and don’t get over-heated. Father will carry you home, I know.’ Mrs. Somers helped her poor little crippled boy to set off and stood watching at the door, her hand shading her eyes, for some time ; then, sighing, she turned in to set about her work, and get rather an ' extra-good dinner ready, for this was Saturday, and a particular Saturday, too, as you will hear. Her sigh was not all for Hoppy, for that was the cripple’s name. Not that I think he was christened so, but the rapid way he managed to move about on his crutches had won him that name among the street children, and somehow his parents had at last got to call him so too. No, the sigh was most for Hoppy’s father. A wondering sigh, to know whether he would really carry out the promise he made yesterday of com- ing straight home from work, or whether, when his wages were paid, he would follow. the other workmen’s example and fall into his old plan of dropping into the ‘ Bricklayers’ Arms,’ always so invitingly open. If so, good-bye to the pleasant afternoon he had promised Hoppy, and good-bye to the flower-garden too. It was no use fretting, however. Mrs. Somers had done her best in sending Hoppy to meet her husband. He was devoted to the child, and now she was determined to have everything about the ' house looking as bright as possible to greet them on their arrival. Mr. Somers was a hard worker, and earned large wages, but somehow, these large wages had never seemed to do Mrs. Somers or Hoppy any good—or Somers either, for the matter of that. The ‘ Brick- layers’ Arms’ got the benefit of most of it. Mr. Somers, at last, had begun to think so himself, and yesterday, when his wife was regretting that she had not the means of getting a tidy suit of clothes for Hoppy to go to school in, he felt rather guilty, and then and there declared he would no longer stay away on Saturdays, but come straight home, and they should all spend and enjoy his earnings together. ‘If it would only once come true, I should feel it almost too good, thought Mrs. Somers. ‘How I should enjoy a walk in the Park—me, and him, and Hoppy! Why, it must be full a year since I had my best gown on!’ ~ Such thoughts filled her mind as her busy arms scrubbed, and blacked, and brightened everything within reach. How was:Eloppy meanwhile getting on? His poor little limbs got rather wearied this hot day. How- ‘minutes late. ever he dragged himself bravely on, thinking of the nice box his father was to put outside his window, and of the sweet flowers going to be bought that very afternoon to fill it. At last he came to the gate leading to the works, and then looking up to the big clock he found to his amazement that he was ten All the workmen had cleared off, and his father was nowhere to be seen. At last he spied a boy he knew, who told him where Somers was'to be found. ' ‘Bricklayers’ Arms!’ The very place mother was in dread of. What good could poor Hoppy do now ?: He hardly knew which way to turn. Home he did not like to go to, mother would be so vexed at seeing him alone. Should he just give one look inside that swing door, and see if father was any- where within reach? He might, perhaps, persuade him to come home yet. Brave little heart, you shall not be disappointed ! . Across the road poor little Hoppy went. Not far off was the ‘ Bricklayers’ Arms.’ Inside the door pushed the little man, and there, sure enough, he caught sight of his father, talking loudly with a number of men. Hoppy made his way through the throng, his father’s quick eye spied out the little lad in a moment, and he was lifted up into his strong -arms while he finished his harangue. The rough voices would have frightened timid Hoppy had he not felt so safe up there. However, he soon found out that the men were only trying hard to persuade Somers to stay drinking with them, which he was determined not to do. Hoppy was so glad to hear him say at last,— ‘Well, good-bye till Monday, mates; don’t let’s have angry words over it. You stay drinking if you like, but I’m going home.’ And with these words Somers quitted the ‘ Bricklayers’ Arms,’ and made his way along the street, feeling as if he had been in battle and come out the conqueror. Home was soon reached, and Mrs. Somers’ good dinner enjoyed, and whilst happy with his wife and crippled boy that day, I know Somers made many resolutions not only to avoid the ‘Bricklayers’ Arms’ next Saturday, but every other Saturday in his life. ‘Won't I, Hoppy ?’ And Hoppy does hope he will ! C. A. F. s. THE ‘CITY OF RAGUSA.’ ‘0. HIS grand-sounding name was = _ given by her owners to a little boat only 19 feet long and 6 feet wide, which sailed across ® 6000 miles of the roughest sea, viz. from Liverpool to Boston, in 90 days in 1870, and back from New York to Liverpool in 884 days in 1871. The little boat, as you see in the picture, was navi- gated by two men, viz. N. Primoraz and E. R. W. Hayter, in company with a brindle bull-terrier dog.