GRANDMOTHER'S PETS. 37

 

month ; this month; in a fortnight; next week. Now it did seem as if it were really
coming,

“Dandy,” said Maisie—for she told everything to Dandy and to her doll—« Dandy, it’s
my birthday next week; did you know? and granny is going to give me a present, but I
don’t know what it will be. And I shall have a nice letter from father, and Leah’s going
to make me a cake, ’cause she said so, and I think Hannah is dressing a doll for me, ’cause

‘Tran in and she popped it into a drawer and looked as if she didn’t know nothing. And
I couldn’t even see if it’s got painted hair or real. Oh, Dandy, don’t you hope it’s got real
hair ?--There’s granny, let us run to her.”

“Granny,” said Maisie, “do grown up peoples have birthdays too ?”

“Ves, dearie.”

“Do they have presents on their birthdays, granny?”

“Well no, not often, I think.” :

“Then how do they make them be dey: 2? What do you do to keep your
birthday, granny ?”

“Well, dear, if I want to keep it I do a kindness or make a present to some one else,”
said grandmother.

“Oh! Then I’m glad I am a little girl and not a grown-up people.”

But that evening when Maisie had said her prayers and was lying in bed in that
pleasant time for thinking while you are still not so sleepy but that you can, think your -
thoughts and not your thoughts think you; she began to think that granny’s was not such
a bad way after all. Why should she not keep her birthday in both ways?

“It would make you feel nice,” she thought, “as one does after being good in
Church.” Gs

But what had she got to give? The apples! Yes, she would give away her beautiful
apples.

The next morning Maisie went to her tree. “Those three beauties shall be for
granny,’ she said; “and that for Leah, and that for Hannah, and that for the gardener,
Dandy doesn't care for apples. I,wonder—” and Maisie ran into the house. “Granny,

- can you send apples to India?”
“No, sweetheart, I am afraid not.”

“Then, granny, may I give three of my apples to old Patty, oe three to her
lame boy?”

“Yes, that you may.”

“And may I take them there all myself?”

Granny thought perhaps she might.

Maisie ran back to count over her apples. There would be just three left for herself :
that would do nicely.

“] wish my birthday was to-morrow,” she sighed.

It came at last, and as lovely a day as could be wished. Maisie received charming
presents, and the doll had got real hair, and Maisie kissed her, but Dandy wouldn’t.