The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-03-23
,GbildPeDis Column

ner 10 WORK; put she felt very helpless
over it all.
| She had to find all the capitals of
Europe, and mark them upon her map,
and learn their names by heart There
was Athens, which would not be
found. III the geography book had
not stated so decidedly that it was in
Greece, Milly would have felt quite
sure that it must be in some other
country. She supposed, however, that
the man who wrote the geography
hook was right, after coming to which
opinion she looked at the clock and
sighed Five minutes past four, and
she had to work till five!
She fell to hunting once more for
Athens. II seemed to her very long
time that she had been wandering
over that corner of Europe known rs
Greece, when she again glanced at the
clock. Seven minutes past four.
Only seven minutes past fourl And
had thought at least ten minutes
must have passed.
She began her search for Athens
once more. At last she found it, and
then she looked at the clock anew.
Three minutes more had passed, that
was oil. Milly stamped her foot
augrily, ''It is too horridr she said
aloud, as if speaking to the bronze
man who held up the clock. "The
time will never go!''
She glanced listlessly at her lesson
book. She could not remember the
names of those stupid capitals at all.
They went out Of her head as quickly
as she found them on the map. Why
did countries want capitals? Only to
make another horrid hard lesson for
little boys and girls. That was all;
she was sure Of il.
Milly drummed her fingers on the
table for few moments after settling
this point and gazed YEARLY ut the
clock. Then she took a resolve.
She would be wise, good girl. She
would read tine names of the capitals
ten times over without stopping, and
never look at the clock once until she
had done. Depend upon it, when she
had finished her task, ever so much
time would have passed.
She started. Once-twice-thri
| -iuolcI-luSleI- luSler tlu sue rehu
over the names of those capitals
which always managed to escape her.
BY the time that she was going over
them for the tenth time her speed was
almost equal to that of an express
train.
Then she looked at the clock again
She did so with delightful feeling Of
hope. More than hope; she felt sure
that the hands must have moved on q
long way. She looked and looked
again, and then she sat and stared at
it with grief and anger.
o bad untrustworthy clock-its
hands had barely moved on five
minutesl
Barely five minutes! Impossiblel
1t must have stopped. Yes, that was
the reason it showed so little progress.
There was but little doubt.
Milly crossed the room, and putting
her ear close to the clock, she listened
hopefully. Alas! Alasl 1t had been
wrongfully accused. 1t was doing its
duty faithfully. ck-tick-tick-it
was going as fast as its works and
time would allow it to.
The hour would never PASSENGER
-never-never! Milly sat on the
hearth-rug and burst into tears. IT
was Just at that moment that her
mother came into the library.
"Why, Milly, child, what is wrong9"
she asked, raising her from the floor
and kissing her.
''The time won't CO." she sobbed,
'and / am so tired of doing lessons"
'Where have you been working?'
said her mother. ''Oh, see," she
added, as she glanced at the books on
the table. 81 see," she repeated, then
added, snow want you to be very
rude Z"
Every rude" Milly said with sur.
prise. "Why, you are always very
angry when / am rude"
''Yes, but want you to he SO now, "
her mother said, smiling. "You know
I have often told You that it is not
polite to turn your back upon any one;
but wish you to do so now. l wish
you to turn your back uron this
bronze gentleman who holds the clock
think that you will work much
better and the time will go much
faster"
So Milly did as her mother wished,
and she was quite surprised when tea.
time came and the hour was over.
..It really was very. very fnony,
mother" she said. ''The time went
80 slowly at first, and so quickly after!
1t must have been because when be.
gan / had my face to the clock and
afterward hal my back to it"
"That was it," replied her mother.
"And il one is feeling idle, and more
inclined for play than lessons, it is
much better TO work with ones back
to the clock. It is wonderful how il
shortens the time. Youths Com
panion.
Birds Made to Order.
The Japanese are ruthless in the ir
tampering with nature. If they de.