This name was not handed down to them from their grandfathers and grandmothers, I am sorry to say; for that is so respectable; but was only "picked out" for them by a little girl, because she thought it suitable.

There were in the family Mr. and Mrs. Dolliver and their three adopted children-Grace, Diomed, and the little Dulcamara, besides Mäuselein, a German Fairy.

Monsieur Eugène Dolliver, the head of the family, was a magnificent creature, from Paris. He had bright black eyes, curly hair, and a long mustache most beautifully waxed and twisted. He could open and shut his eyes if you pulled a wire; also his head could be turned from one side to the other.

Frau Wilhelmina Dolliver was a lovely German person, with yellow hair and clear, round, blue eyes.

"Blue like the sky," Mr. Dolliver used to say when he first had the pleasure of her acquaintance; but he had forgotten all about it now. She had not much beauty of expression, to be sure; but she looked very fresh and clean. That was partly because she was made of porcelain, and could be washed freely.

She was somewhat taller than Mr. Dolliver. Indeed it was clear that they were never made for each other; yet they lived along very smoothly, owing principally to Mrs. Dolliver's even

This was the whole family.

THEIR HOUSE.

They lived in a pleasant and convenient house in the corner of the nursery.

It was about as high as your head if you are six years old.

On the first floor were the dining-room and kitchen.

In the dining-room there was a dining-table, of course, and chairs, of course. There were, besides, pictures, and a handsome sideboard.

In the kitchen there was a cooking-stove, tubs, flat-irons, a coffee-pot, a gridiron, and every thing that a cook could wish.

Next came the parlor. This was a wonderful room. The carpets were white, with crimson flowers.

On the mantel-piece there were candlesticks with wax-candles in them, and beautiful vases of very natural artificial flowers.

The walls were covered with the most brilliant paper. Flowers of gold on a white ground.

When the candles were lighted it was almost dazzling. There were pictures, and comfortable stuffed chairs, and all that could be needed.

The rooms above had pretty painted furniture, and neat white counterpanes, ruffled pillow-cases, and chintz curtains.

THEIR COMFORTS AND DISCOMFORTS.

The Dollivers were, as a family, very happy at night, but in the daytime it was quite different. They were happier at night because then they were free, and could do what they pleased; but in the daytime they became helpless and speechless, and were subject to a Queen. Their Queen's name was Fanny Dale.

She was what you and I would call a nice little girl. She had a great deal of leisure to attend to the Dollivers, and that was the reason their days were not sure to be pleasant. She was mild and kind to them, but so uncertain. They never knew what to expect. For instance, she would sometimes undress them all in the morning, and put them to bed, and then go out and forget them; and there they must stay all day long, for they were helpless till night

came.

FANNY DALE.

And this was the harder because Mr. Dolliver was the only one of the family who could go to sleep. His eyes would shut if you pulled a wire, so he did not mind it so much. But Mrs. Dolliver and all the rest of the family had very wide-open eyes, and could not go to sleep if they wanted to, and did not want to if they could.

However, as soon as the witching hour of half past ten arrived, and their Queen and her family were asleep, they could get up, and that was a comfort.

Another source of discomfort was their dress. Mr. Dolliver usually wore a black velvet suit, made for him in Paris, patent-leather shoes, and a cap with a gold band.

Mrs. Dolliver, a rich maroon silk, with a green sash; and she had other nice dresses.

Miss Grace wore generally a beautiful, gauzy evening dress. White, with pink trimmings. Low in the neck, and short in the sleeves. Flowers in her hair, and a Roman scarf on her shoulders.

Captain Diomed wore a handsome uniform. Gray, with scarlet trimmings, and brass buttons. He had, besides, a gun and a sword.

The little Dulsy wore always a beautiful blue dress. Her clothes were sewed on; that was a comfort.

Imagine, then, Mr. Dolliver's distress when he was obliged to exchange his handsome suit for a flowered dressing-gown, made for him by his Queen, with her own hands. Tight across

Her hands were small, as a Queen's should be. Her thimble would not stay on, and her needle always pricked her finger.

Poor Mr. Dolliver was wrought to despera

tion.

He said, "I prefer an Emperor to a Queen. 'Woman lacks originality and genius.' Give her power, and she becomes bold, arrogant, tyrannical, and full of folly.' Mrs. Dolliver could have done better herself, and she is nothing at the needle in comparison with a Parisian seamstress."

He would have torn his hair, only he knew no one in this country could ever curl it again.

He said, "Wretch that I am! Why did I leave Paris ?" And he said, besides, that in that dressing-gown he had "the air of a pig;" only he said it in French, so it sounded better.

Also imagine Mrs. Dolliver's distress to find herself in an unbecoming gruel-colored morning dress.

And poor Miss Grace in a long-sleeved apron, to keep her neck and arms warm, when they were not cold.

8

But there was one comfort-she did not like them herself as well as their nicer clothes; so they were not often obliged to wear them.

THEIR PAST LIVES.

Mr. Dolliver was, and always had been, a gentleman. He had never made the least exertion in his life.

Mrs. Dolliver, on the contrary, had played, had danced, had sung, besides doing many other things.

Miss Grace had always been the same beautiful young lady.

Captain Diomed was bred a soldier. He was not jointed, so he was particularly adapted to the duties of a sentinel. Pacing back and forth.

Then there was the little Dulcamara, whose life seemed to be a mixture of bitter and sweeta succession of good lucks and bad lucks, so to speak.

For example. She was a foundling. And there it is. First, she was lost; but then, on the other hand, she was found.

THEIR FUTURE PLANS.

to pierce his heart through and through with glances from her clear, glass eyes.

Captain Diomed meant to go to the wars, if possible.

And little Dulsy meant to grow tall and large, so she could have dresses that would put on and take off, instead of having one dress all the time, and that sewed on.

THEIR BEREAVEMENT.

They had met with one great loss. Cynthia, the flower of the family, a walking-doll-the only one of the family who could walk by day as well as by night. Cynthia -- was gone! Where, no one could tell. But she had gone there by water.

Would they ever see her again? was the question.

This was the way it happened. Queen Fanny's mamma had taught her and her friend Minny to gather rushes, and tie six or eight together at the ends, and then spread them and weave one or two across to make a sort of boat or canoe.

When they had learned to make one of these little boats nicely they wished to send some of

Mrs. Dolliver meant to continue to do the best she could for poor Mr. Dolliver (who was rather out of his sphere) and the children.

Miss Grace knew what she meant to do, but the handsome young man next door did not at all.

THE DEPARTURE

his head in the most alarming manner, so that at last his Queen was obliged to conclude that he was a little out of order, and must be left at home. Mrs. Dolliver was left at home to take care of him.

Miss Grace's dress was not suitable for a voyage.

Captain Diomed was not jointed, so he could not sit properly in a boat.

Little Dulsy was too young, and besides, her dress would fade; and then she was a foundling, and might get lost again. So the charming Miss Cynthia was the one to take the first trip.

She wore a walking dress, and that would do very well

for the water.

"She'll need her sun-shade," said Queen

Fanny.

"And her tooth-brush," said friend Minny. 66 And her blue veil."

"And her thick shawl."

"And her handkerchief."

And they gave her a box of matches, and a basket with four pea-nuts, three gum-drops, two pop-corns, and an oyster cracker in it.

While they were preparing she was looking somewhat sadly at her friends.

It was daytime, so they could not speak to her. She saw her respected father, with his eyes rolled up in his head, his head almost turned around, and his arms quite stiff at his sides, apparently in a fit.

Her

But she was not alarmed. Oh, not at all. She knew why he did it. He had tried it successfully before. She had never been frightened since the first time. Her mamma sat by him, with her sister Grace and little Dulsy. brother, the Captain, had accidentally tumbled down in a corner, and his Queen was too busy to set him up again. She took a last look. She knew she might never come back. She would not have chosen to go, if it had been left to her, but it was one of those events over which we have no control. She might have a pleasant trip, and come back safely after all. She would have liked to see young Waldemar Dollskovitsh once more, but he was far away across the water. Perhaps she was only going out to meet him. Oh, that would be joyful! So she bravely walked down the river-bank and allowed herself to be seated in the boat, with her blue veil over her face, her sun-shade open, the basket of refreshments on her arm, and her handkerchief in her hand.

The Queen said, "Good-by, dear Dolly; a pleasant voyage to you," and pushed the little boat off, and the wind blew against the sunshade, and carried her far away to the middle of the river. She looked down deep and saw the fishes, and was almost frightened; but the motion of the boat was pleasant, and perhaps Waldemar was on the water at that very moThe current was fast taking her down

ment. the stream.

When the little Queen saw her so far away she was sorry and began to cry, but it was too late for regrets. They could only hope that a friendly breeze would bring her back some time. When night came there were many tears shed in the Dolliver family.

Mr. Dolliver said, "Mark my words! The glue will get wet, and her head will come off." Mrs. Dolliver said, "Others have gone out upon the water, and have come back safely," but she wiped her eyes as she said it. Miss Grace said, My sister, oh, my sister," and wept in silence, though she was only an adopted sister after all.

66

Captain Diomed said, "Ye gods of war! This is worse than to be slain on the battle

The little Dulsy said, "Oh dear! oh dear!" It was a sorrowful time.

But that was long ago.

Full two months.

Mäuselein went down to the shore several nights to make inquiries of the newly arrived Frogs, but they all said, "Gone below! Gone below!" and that was so dreadful that it was almost worse than nothing. So he gave it up, and, as a last effort, went out one dark night, caught a fire-fly to light the way, searched till he found a four-leafed clover, threw it into the river, and came home, feeling that he had done all that could be done.

THEIR ENEMIES.

They had several.

The most powerful and dangerous was, I am sorry to say, Flossy-white-kitten-to-her-majesty Queen Fanny.

Her visits were a terror to them, and Mäuselein was constantly trying to invent some way to keep her out. Time was helping them, not by cutting her down, but by making her grow too tall and stout to crawl in their door.

When she did come she made nothing of lying on her back on their parlor carpet, and rolling from side to side, clawing at the piano, the curtains, the pictures-every thing-in the most reckless and horrible manner.

Mrs. Dolliver was a neat housekeeper; and it was bad enough to have white cat's hairs worked and rolled into the crimson flowers of the carpet, to say nothing of the more serious mischief.

Besides this, Flossy would often waylay

rands. This was not a serious matter, to be sure, as Mäuselein was not afraid of Flossy, and had nothing to do but to take the form of a large dog in order to put her to an ignominious flight. But it often caused delays, and delays are dangerous. We all know that

"She that will with kittens jest
Should bear a kitten's joke."

But here was an instance of those who would not "with kittens jest," and who yet were put to the same inconvenience.

Their other enemies were the Spider and his grandfather, Long Legs.

The Spider annoyed them by spinning his webs in the corners, and, in fact, all over their house; and his grandfather, Long Legs, made their blood run cold by walking over them in the daytime, when they could neither move nor speak.

A SURPRISE PARTY.

A ray of hope at last! Mäuselein had found a friendly Frog, who, in consideration of the fact that Mr. Dolliver was a Frenchman and fully appreciated Frogs, had undertaken to carry a letter across the water, and put it in the hands of the lost Cynthia, if she could be found-if not, destroy it.

It was decided that the letter should be composed of a few lines from each of the family.

When their Queen was asleep Mäuselein brought pen, ink, and paper, and Mr. Dolli

ver wrote: