IV.

Tomorrow is St Valentine's day," said . "Whom can I send a to, Mama?" "Who is the nicest little you know?" asked . Jack tried to think. "I guess it's the one in the big brick ," he said. "Her hair is curly, and she gave me an when I climbed the for her . Her name is Kitty, too, and that's a pretty name."

o Mama took a sheet of and painted all around it, with two little at the top; and Jack wrote a verse in the middle, with pictures—like this story. "Dear Kitty; The is red, the blue—I like so I like you. Yours truly, J." Then he put it in an and went out to send it. went too.

f course Jack could not carry it himself, or Kitty would know who sent it. So he tied it around 's neck. When they reached Kitty's house he set him down on the and rang the bell. Then he ran and hid behind the .

he opened quickly, for Kitty was just coming out with her sled. She looked all around but she could only see , busy picking a bone her had left there. Then she caught sight of the , and untied it. She dropped her and the slid down the steps and away to the gate. Jack jumped out and caught it. "Oh, what a pretty !" cried Kitty. "Thank you, Jack." "No, no!" said in a hurry. "You mustn't know it's me." "Well, then, thank you, Jimmy," laughed . "Now let's go sliding." "All right," said Jack. He put on the sled and off they all went.

DROPPING STITCHES.