THE Ucty Duguina. It was gloviows summer weather in the ceumiry, and the golden corn, the green oais, and the haystack piled up in the meadows looked lovely. On his long sod legs the stork walked about, while he chatiered in the language of Egypt which is mother had taught hin. Tn a bright suany spot stood a farmhouse, ad not far off under some great burdeck leaves, sata duce waiting for her eggs to hatch. She was beginning to get tired, for the young ones were 1 long ime coming out of ther shells and very few viscrs came tose her. AUIS one shell Broke, and then another, and living eres {ure eame aut of each exying “peep, een” The ile duckings ‘guearonndthem sndeied “How large the world is” ‘Do yout think this i the whole weld?” thee mother athe wait til you ec the“Well, and how sre you getting ‘on sadam old duck js tll the largest ag not hatched” said the duck “Let me look at the egg that will not hatch” suid the old duck “Yes, as T thought, it is a tarkey’s 9, be advised by me, leave it alone, and teach your other dilsea swim” “T ‘hike T wil sk on it Title Tanger” sid the duck ‘Ar last the largess egg cracked, and out came the young one. Tt was very big aud very uly. “We shall find out whether is a tuskey when we go to the water” sid the mother duck The next day the ducklings were taken down 10 sham eater ad one bycay, andthe gy aicllng coum % on “Hoi oo ley eto wn Me is my oom hd, and when you ove ek wt him popedly hei ht se teyeg Dee, deizong ear em ten fhe feud to be case aay tiger, sa teed your et wide pas he Pes dee The ducklags El ws ey me et bet he dec ote york trl thm, an one wat th ly dicing and psd he ede ela igo oi” sald te pn dock ‘Ay by day went ot the gor dlng wo td come cut bis int al wa gute erable ben wan uy. He Was dven abou eer one re is mera st wae ory ‘he had ever been bom. So at Jast he flew over the fence frightening the tte ee fn hte “Ty ae ‘fghsol tee Tea 98 ugly.” he said and he flew on till he came to a moor where wildst at : se Kato ol you? Vou ace extemely pt ‘ugly, bat that wont matter ‘if you do act want to mary any of us” The poor duckling! He was not thinking ‘of marrying. he’ only wanted to stay among the reeds on the moor, ‘When he had been there two days, to wild geese came, they were very young and very saucy. “We like you" they sail, “Yor you are so very ugly, if you wish you may go with us to another moor aot far from here. ‘There are some pretty wild goese there, not anyof them marie You may have a chance of ging a wi you are 50 ugh “Pop, pep sounded in the ait. and down among the rushes fal those two gese dead. *Pop. pop” sounded everywhere about, for sportsmen were all around with guns and dogs. The poor ducing was drescil'y frightened, anv big dog thrwst his nose quite ease to him, bu went splash into the water witout touching him “Oh how thankfal Iam shat Lam so ugly. fr even a dog, will not bite tee" sail the dueling although ewan late fn the day before all ‘became quit and then dhe ducing hhatenel fom th a orm arise and he could hardly struggle on. Ar last he came to « etage, The door was not quite Sosed 50 the duckling slipped in and sheieral for the nigine A ‘woman, a cat, and a hen lived in moor, But 1008this cottage and in the morning they discovered the stranger “Oh, what a prizn” sid the woman, A hope Tshall have some duck’s eggs” For her sight was not very good, and she thoughe the duckling wasabig duck. Now the cit and the hen always. We and the world” for they thought they were quite half of the world and the better half toa “Can yo lay eggs?” asked the hen of the duckling. “Can you pure?” said the ‘at, “No! thea you com have no opinions” So the poor duckling sat in corner feeling very dull ard longing to have a swim. But when, hhe anid this they said he must be crazy. “What an absurd idea” said the hen. “Ask the cat if he would like to swim about on the water, tsk our mistress, Do you think she would like wo swim or dive T advise you to Jeara to purr or lay eggs 9 quickly es possible” Bue the duckling fle Ihe mast go out again ino the word so he left the cottage and soonfound water, but all animals avoided him because he was so ugly, Then Autumn came and wine drew near and the raven stood on the fence and croaked. But ove evening there came a flock of beautiful dirds. They were swans, The duckling bad never seen such before. They sent Gnth a pocliar ery a2 they few off to ‘warmer counts over the sen As they rose the ely ding fia vey seengr unanien H eh rod ead round in the water uttering such a curious ery that he ft quite frightened He knew he could never forget those lovely birds, and longed to be as beast a¢ they tthe aveiber- gre oe ool Ak a gaa I. jx A peasant who was going by sew the poor creature and tookIhim home where the warmth revived him. But the duckling was ightened when the children wanted ‘0 play with him, and in his terror he futtered fist into the mille-pan and then into tbe four bin. The woman struck at him with the tongs but he managed to eccape through the open door. All the misery the poor duckling alfered would be too sad tw relate, He awoke one morning to find himsolf on a moor. The warin sun veas shining, and he Sle that his wings were strong a3 Ihe rote high into the sic, They carried him into 2 lange garden. ‘All around was beautiful for ie was early spring. Then swimming slong came three lovely sansE will Ay to these kingly binds”, he said, “perhaps. they will Kill me because Tam so ‘ugly, and dare to go near them, Dut that would not matter, it would be better te be killed by them than pesked by the duces boasted by the hens, and driven away by the maiden who feeds the povluy, or dying of cold and hunger in the winter.” So he flew to the water and swam towards the beautiful creatures ‘As coon as they sew the stranger theawans came quickly towards him with outstretched wings, “The poor duckling bent hie Hood expecting death. But what did he see reflected in the clear waters? Tt was his own image, not any loager a dark, grey, ugly bird, bat a lovely graceful swan Being born in a duck nest does not mater to a bind if he is hnatched from a swan's egg. He ‘now felt glad that he had suflered sorrow and trouble, for it caused him 9 enjoy 9 much ‘more all the pleasure and happiness sound him for the lovely swans swam about the newcomer, aid they stroked his nece with their bale welcoming him. Presently some children came into the garden and threw bresdinto the water, and they capped their hands joyously shouting “A new swan has come, and he isthe most enuf of al, he ic so young and pretty.” Then the happy bied did not know sthat to do, be felt ss overjoyed, hut he did not feel proud, He had always been bnudly treated because he was so ugly, and now he heard that the was the most lovely of hirdk Then he rusted hie feathers and ‘carved hk gracefal neck and from his heart he ciied. “I did not dream of such happiness as is when T was an ugly duckling