and jumping rope time, but also windmill time, when every child carried a whirling windmill— pinwheel perhaps you call them. Not every one could make them well, and not any one had so fine a stock of colored papers as Nimpo. So that all she made were very choice, and eagerly sought after.

The year before my story, she and Rush had much fun, and made quite a little pile of pennies by selling them.

At recess she talked it over with Anna, and at night they were ready to begin.

"I'll get the boards, and rig up the store," said Rush, as they hurried home from school.

"Oh no!" said Nimpo, "we won't let any body know till we get lots of things made, because you know there'll be a rush at first, and we want it to look real pretty too."

"Oh, of course!" said Anna. "I can make nice fly-boxes, too."

"Yes, and fish noses," said Rush.

"And little crosses," added Nimpo. "But in school this afternoon, I wrote a paper for us

all to sign, so we won't have any trouble you know."

"Let's see it," said Anna.

"Well, come in, on to the front steps," said Nimpo, for they had just reached the door, "and I'll read it."

They all sat down on the steps, and Nimpo took from her book a half sheet of foolscap paper, folded long-like a deed, or other legal document. On the outside was written,

Articles of agreement drawn up by Nimpo Rievor, and agreed to by Anna Morris, and Rush Rievor.

"But perhaps we won't agree," said Rush. "Wait till I read them," said Nimpo beginning

Name of firm to be Rievor and Morris

because there's two of us.

RULES OF THE FIRM.

1st. That each member of the firm must do its half or 3d

according to the number of parties in said firm.

2d. That each must do their allotted work faithfully.

3d. That Rush M. Rievor is to make all sticks cut off all

heads of pins, and put them in said sticks.

4th. That Nimpo Rievor is to cut all things out, and put them on said sticks.

5th. That Anna B. Morris is to help her.

6th. That each member of the firm is to receive theyr just share of the profits.

7th. That each member of the firm is to spend a certain time agreed upon in making or selling, and as much time as they can spare otherwise.

8th. That if there is any disagreement that can not be settled, that the firm must dissolve immediately, each receiving an equal share of the store property.

9th. That each week the profits shall be divided.

Signed, NIMPO RIEVOR.

"That's fair," said Anna; "I'll sign it," and she took a pencil from her pocket, and wrote her name under Nimpo's.

"It don't tell who shall furnish paper," said Rush, as he wrote his name, under Anna's.

Why, I'll have to furnish colored paper of course," said Nimpo, "and Anna can furnish white paper for fly-boxes and such things, and you, Rush, must furnish sticks."

"Who'll get the pins?" asked Rush.

"Oh, all of us," said Nimpo.

"Let's hunt now," said Rush, starting up and running around to the back door, where he could get in. Nimpo and Anna followed, and then commenced an energetic hunt. The way that bureaus and sofas were pulled out from the wall, bedsteads and washstands shoved out of the way (and left so), would have driven a housekeeper crazy. Upstairs, down-stairs, in the cracks, at the edge of the carpets, under the edge of oil-cloth and zinc, every corner and crevice of that house was searched. The result was a goodly pile of pins, some bent and discouraged by their experience of life, some worn smooth and brassy by long and faithful service, and some bright and straight as when they came from the paper.

Perhaps you wonder why they did not go to their mother's big brick pin-cushion, and help themselves; but that's another thing I must tell you about the windmill business. At first they did so, and when they had a box full of pins and needles, for this trade was carried on by pins and

not by pennies, they took them to mother to buy. They found out how many pins go to a paper, and they charged her full price for them, just as though they were all fresh and new.

Well, when the pins got so numerous that Mrs. Rievor found she too was in the business, she began to impose conditions. First, that every pin must be straight, and every needle have a point and an eye; and secondly, that they must find the pins for their outfit, themselves.

When they had collected enough pins to begin with, Rush started for the barn to find a piece of soft wood, Anna went home for white paper, and to search their house for pins, and Nimpo went to her bureau drawers to rummage for paper.

You girls whose fathers keep dry-goods stores, won't need to be told where she got her bright papers, and droll little ribbons; but for the benefit of others I will tell, that when her father had new goods come, he opened them at night, after the store was closed, and Nimpo and her mother always went down to see the things,—Mrs. Rievor to select what she wanted, and Nimpo to secure