|I am the mother of three little children, not three chickens. I am
quite sure the little chickens would be easier to take care of, for all
they wish is plenty to eat and drink, and a warm nest to sleep in.
[Illustration: 0032]
I never heard of a chicken that wished to be amused or played with. They
never say, "Mamma, what can I do no!" I wish to help the little girls
and boys, who, like my own, are sometimes at a loss what to do. I must
first of all ask one question. Can you use scissors?
I wish you to make a book, not to write it, but to make it all of
pictures. This is the way to go about it. Ask your mother and friends
for illustrated papers and books which they would be willing to give
you to cut the pictures from. Black and white pictures are as good as
colored, and the two look well together.
[Illustration: 0033]
Cut these out neatly and carefully, with smooth edges. Torn and worn-out
picture-books usually have something left which will do to cut out,
and thus save from being wholly lost. Then there are the Christmas,
New-Year, and Birthday cards, of which nearly all of us have some.
Take for the pages of your book paper, muslin, or common glazed cambric;
cut this into pieces ten inches long and eight inches wide. Three or
four pages will make a book large enough to begin with. The cambric may
be all white, or any color you prefer; pink, blue, red, or a part of
each color.
On these pages paste the pictures neatly, on both sides, using your
taste as to which pictures look well together and fit in nicely.
For the covers, take light pasteboard covered on both sides with cambric
and sewed together over and over, or, what is better, in buttonhole
stitch with colored worsted.
Then with the scissors make holes through all, and tie the covers and
pages together with a narrow ribbon or twisted worsted. Children like
this kind of book very much, as it is full of variety, and every page
gives many a new thought.
It is also very strong, so that mischievous little hands cannot easily
tear it, and so light that feeble and weary little hands can easily
hold it. To the poor little children in hospitals nothing could be more
welcome.
All it costs is patient and loving work. Then there is the pleasure of
doing it. There are the happy moments spent in making a really useful
and pretty thing. To this may be added the well-known pleasure of
giving.=
````For God has placed us side by side
````In this wide world of ill,
````And that Thy followers may be tried,
````The poor are with us still.
````Mean are all offerings we can make;
````But thou hast taught us, Lord,
````If given for the Saviour's sake,
````They lose not their reward.=
--M. F. K.