A LITTLE BOY AND A LITTLE GIRL. 
sther by the hand, kissed the roses and looked up into the blue sky, talking 
way all the time. What glorious summer days were those! how delightful it 
vas to sit under those lovely rose. trees which seemed as if they never intended 
‘0 leave off blossoming! One day Kay and Gerda were sitting looking at their picture: 
wok full of birds and animals, when suddenly,—the clock on the old church tower was 
ust striking five, - Kay exclaimed. “Oh, dear! what was that shooting pain in mv heart ' 
nd now again, something has certainly got into my eye 1” 
The little irl turned and looked at him. he winked his eyes—no, there was nothing 
to be seen. ot 
“I believe it is gone,” said he : but gone it was not. It was one of those glass 
splinters from the Magic Mirror, the wicked glass which made everything great and good 
reflected in it to appear little and hateful, and which magnified everything ugly and mean, 
Poor Kay had also received a splinter in his heart, it. would now become hard and cold like 
lump of ice. He felt the pain no longer, hut the splinter was there. 
“Why do you cry?” asked he: “you look so ugh when you crv! there is nothing the 
natter with me. Fie!” exclaimed he again, “this rose has an insect mn it, and just 
‘ook at this! after all they are ugly roses | and it is an ugly box they grow in!” Then he 
sicked the box and tore off the roses. 
** Oh, Kay, what are you doing 2” cried the little girl, but when he saw how it 
grieved her, he tore off another rose, and jumped down through his own window, away 
‘rom his once dear little Gerda. 
Ever afterwards when she brought forward the preture-book, he called it a baby’s 
wok, and when her Grandmother told stories, he interrupted her with a du, and sometimes, 
vhenever he could manage it. he would get behind her, put on her spectacles, and speak 
ast as she did © he did this in a very droll manner, and so people laughed at him. Very 
soon he could munic every body in the street. All that was singular and awkward about 
them could Kay imitate, and his neighbours said, “What a remarkable head that boy has!’ 
Rut no, it was the glass splinter which had fallen into his eve, the glass splinter which had 
sterced into his heart it was these which made him regardless whose feelings he wounded 
nd even made him tease the little Gerda who loved him so fondly. 
His games were now quite different from what they used to be, they were so rational 
One winter's dav when it was snowing, he came out with a large burning glass in his 
hand, and holding up the skirts of his blue coat, let the snow-flakes fall upon them. 
* New, look through the glass, Gerda!” said he, returning to the house. Every 
inow-flake seemed much larger, and resembled a splendid flower, or a star with ten points: 
they were quite beautiful. “See, how curious!” said Kay, *“these are far more interesting 
han real dowers, there is not a single blemish in them : they would be quite perfect if onh 
they did not melt.” 
Soon after this, Kay came in again, with thick gloves on his hands, and his sledge 
slung across his back : he called ont to Gerda, T have got leave to drive on the great 
quare where the other bows play '™ and away he went. 
The boldest boys in the sauare used to fasten ther sledges firmly to the waggons of 
he country people, and thus drive a cond wav along with them : this they thousht par-