Page:Stories and story-telling (1915).djvu/283

 THE SHOES THAT WALKED MOST

The cobbler sat at his bench. The shoes stood in a row before him.

"Which shall I mend first?" thought he to himself. "I know," he said aloud; "I'll begin with whichever pair has walked most."

At this out toddled baby's shoes.

The cobbler laughed at them. "Why," said he, "baby has been in the world only two years at most. You can't have walked far yet."

"Well," said the shoe for the right foot, "baby's mother says we never stop going until she takes us off at night. We notice that grown people sit down a great deal."

"Well, well," said the cobbler, "have your way." So he waxed his thread and sewed a patch on each small sole.

WHAT O'CLOCK?

Mary and Anna Jane were playing in the fields. Suddenly Mary stopped and said, "I wonder what time it is. Mother said we should go home at four o'clock."

A dandelion spoke up politely. "My head will tell you what o'clock it is," said he. "Blow it off, and, as you blow, count."

"You are very kind, sir," said Anna Jane. Mary was too much astonished to speak.