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diff --git a/11374-0.txt b/11374-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8dcb4ba --- /dev/null +++ b/11374-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1103 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 11374 *** + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 11374-h.htm or 11374-h.zip: + (http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/1/1/3/7/11374/11374-h/11374-h.htm) + or + (http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/1/1/3/7/11374/11374-h.zip) + + + + + +FUN AND FROLIC + +PROFUSELY ILLUSTRATED. + +EDITED BY E. T. ROE + + + + + + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + + + + +GRANDMOTHER'S CHAIR. + + + Grandmother sits in her easy chair + Softly humming some old-time air; + And as she sings, her needles keep pace + With the smiles that flit o'er her wrinkled face; + While the fire-light flickers, and fades away, + And comes again like the breaking day. + + From morning till evening she knits and sings, + While ever the pendulum tireless swings + The moments around, with its tick and stroke, + Nor hastes for the festal, nor lags for the yoke. + And grandmother never repines at her fate + Of being the last at the "Crystal Gate." + + Husband, and daughters, and sons all there, + Wearing the "crown and the garments fair" + Singing the songs that will never tire, + And swelling the chorus of heaven's choir; + But patiently, hopefully, bides the time + That shall bring her at last to a fairer clime. + + Grandmother's chair will be vacant soon, + For the rays of life slant far past noon; + But yonder in heaven she'll sing again, + Joining the evermore glad refrain, + Wearing the "crown" and the "garments fair," + While we mournfully stand by her vacant chair. + + + + +HOW GRANDMA SURPRISED ELSIE. + + +Elsie Dean was four years old when she was invited to her first party. +It was Dollie Blossom's fifth birthday, and Dollie's mamma had arranged +for a little party in honor of the event. Of course Elsie's mamma was +perfectly willing she should go to the party, for the Blossoms were very +nice people, and Mrs. Dean was always glad for an occasion of enjoyment +for her little daughter. But alas, on the day before the party was to +occur, Elsie went to a picnic, and was so unfortunate as to tear her +dress--the only one she had which her mamma thought was suitable for her +to wear to the party. "I am afraid you cannot go to the party, my dear, +for now you have nothing fit to wear," said Mrs. Dean to Elsie. The +little girl's eyes filled with tears, and her Grandmamma seemed to feel +almost as bad about it as Elsie. But she did not wish to make the little +girl feel any worse over her disappointment, so she made light of it and +told her that there would probably be another birthday party soon, and +by that time she would surely have a suitable dress to wear. Elsie was +finally comforted, and went to bed in good spirits after kissing mamma +and grandmamma good night. + +What was Elsie's surprise next morning, to find that her picnic dress +had been mended "good as new." She did not need to ask who did it, for +she felt certain that it was grandmamma's work, and so it proved. +Grandmamma remembered that she herself was a little girl once, and that +blessed memory brought her into close sympathy with the grief and joy of +her little granddaughter. And so Elsie, thanks to her grandmamma's tact +and tenderness, went to Dolly Blossom's birthday party. + +[Illustration: GRANDMAMMA WONDERS IF SHE CAN'T MEND IT.] + + + + +GOING TO BED. + + + The evening is coming, + The Sun sinks to rest; + The rooks are all flying + Straight home to their nest. + "Caw!" says the rook, as he flies overhead: + It's time little people were going to bed! + + The flowers are closing, + The daisy's asleep; + The primrose is buried + In slumber so deep. + Shut up for the night is the pimpernel red: + It's time little people were going to bed! + + The butterfly, drowsy, + Has folded its wing; + The bees are returning, + No more the birds sing. + Their labor is over, their nestlings are fed: + It's time little people were going to bed! + + Here comes the pony, + His work is all done; + Down through the meadow + He takes a good run; + Up goes his heels, and down goes his head: + It's time little people were going to bed! + + Good-night, little people, + Good-night and good-night; + Sweet dreams to your eyelids, + Till dawning of light; + The evening has come, there's no more to be said: + It's time little people were going to bed! + +T. HOOD. + +[Illustration: GOING TO BED.] + + + + +THE CAT AND THE PARROT. + + +A lady who lived in New York City owned a pet parrot and a large house +cat. The parrot was just as full of mischief as could be. One day the +cat and parrot had a quarrel. I think the cat had upset Polly's food, or +something of that kind. However, they seemed all right again. An hour or +so after Polly was on her stand, she called out in a tone of extreme +affection, "Pussy! Pussy! come here, Pussy." Pussy went and looked up +innocently enough; Polly with her beak seized her tin of food and tipped +its contents all over the cat, and then chuckled as poor Puss ran away +half frightened to death. + + + + +BABY. + + + Who is it coos just like a dove? + Who is it that we dearly love-- + The brightest blessing from above? + Our baby. + + While silent watch the angels keep, + Who smiles so sweetly in his sleep, + And oft displays his dimples deep. + Our baby. + +[Illustration: POLLY PLAYING OFF A TRICK ON PUSS.] + + + + +THE CAPTAIN'S DAUGHTER. + + + We were crowded in the cabin, + Not a soul would dare to sleep,-- + It was midnight on the waters, + And a storm was on the deep. + + 'Tis a fearful thing in winter + To be shattered by the blast, + And to hear the rattling trumpet + Thunder, "Cut away the mast!" + + So we shuddered there in silence,-- + For the stoutest held his breath, + While the hungry sea was roaring, + And the breakers talked with Death. + + And as thus we sat in darkness, + Each one busy with his prayers, + "We are lost!" the Captain shouted, + As he staggered down the stairs. + + But his little daughter whispered, + As she took his icy hand, + "Isn't God upon the ocean, + Just the same as on the land?" + + Then we kissed the little maiden, + And we spoke in better cheer, + And we anchored safe in harbor + When the morn was smiling clear. + +J. T. FIELDS + +[Illustration: SHIPWRECK ON THE AUCKLAND ISLANDS.] + + + + +FUN FOR THE KITTENS. + + + Our cat she had five little ones, + As every person knew; + Their names were "Flossie," "Snowball," "Smut," + With "Kit," and little "Mew." + + One day on foraging intent, + She leaped upon a cage, + But after sniffing round a while + Vexed thoughts her mind engage. + + "How very sad it is," thought she, + "That every single linnet + Has been removed before we came! + The cage has nothing in it! + + "However, I have dined to-day, + So now for quiet rest; + My children, you may go and play, + For frolic suits you best." + + With folded paws she laid her down, + And meditative look, + While every wicked little cat + Its own diversion took. + + Said Snowball to his brother Kit, + "Get out of this--now do; + For Smut and I, we live in here, + And there's no room for you! + + "And Smut feels rather sick to-day, + He told me so just now; + So off you go, again I say, + Or there will be a row. + + "And Kit, just leave that stick alone; + Come, drop it now at once; + Of all the cats I ever knew + You are the greatest dunce." + + Cried little Smut, "Quick, Snowball, quick! + Or you will be too late; + Here's sister Flossie pushing in; + Come quick, and shut the gate." + + "How strange it seems, when you and I, + Dear Snowball, are so good, + That other cats should be so pert, + Inquisitive and rude!" + + Said mother Puss, "This summer day + I thought to lie at rest, + While my dear children romp and play, + Which seems to suit them best. + + "But really, how they snarl and fight, + And kick, and growl, and riot! + Ah, well! when they are old like me + They'll like a little quiet." + +[Illustration: FUN FOR THE KITTENS.] + + + + +TOMMY GREEN AND TOMMY RED. + + +Tommy Green was a little boy only eight years old when his parents sent +him to "boarding school," where he was thrown into the company of boys +older than himself. It is strange how most all boys enjoy teasing those +who are younger than themselves. + +At Tommy's boarding school all the boys slept in one large room, on cots +conveniently arranged. Tommy was a heavy sleeper. One morning he awoke +with a strange feeling of stiffness about his face, and no sooner did he +sit up in bed than a laugh rang around the whole room. + +"What are you laughing at?", he asked, but the boys only laughed the +harder at his confusion. At last one little boy named Frankie Jones +cried out "Tommy, it's your face." + +Tommy rushed to a looking-glass, and found on his forehead and on each +cheek an enormous dab of red paint. + +"Halloo, Green?" shouted one of the boys, "You're red now, ain't you?" + +Tommy was greatly teased for a while, but kept his temper, and it was +not very long before he was joining with his school-mates to tease some +other small boy in a similar manner. + +Such things are provoking, but it is best to treat them good-naturedly, +as Tommy did, and not lose one's temper. + +[Illustration: PAINTING TOMMY'S FACE.] + + + + +FOND OF CATS. + + +Pussy has always been a favorite in the East, but the country where she +was held in the highest estimation, and treated with the greatest +respect, was Egypt. + +The fondness of the Egyptians for their cats is shown in some of their +ancient paintings where the cat is frequently seen by the side of its +master whilst he entertains company. When a cat died the whole household +shaved off their eyebrows in token of mourning; and its body was sent to +the embalmers, and there made into a mummy, and afterwards buried, with +great lamentations, in the cat-sepulchre adjoining the town. + +Heredotus, the Greek historian, who had himself spent some time in +Egypt, and witnessed the customs of the natives, tells us that when a +house caught fire the only care of the Egyptians was to save the lives +of the cats, utterly regardless of the destruction of their property. + +Bubastis was the sacred city of cats, and there was the temple of the +goddess Pasht, whose statue appeared with the head of a cat. There the +cats reveled in luxury, for they were looked upon as living +representatives of the divinity. The punishment for killing any sacred +animal was death; but woe to the luckless person who even accidentally +killed a cat? for he was set upon by the infuriated people, and torn to +pieces without trial. + +[Illustration: EGYPTIAN SAVING HIS CAT.] + + + + +THE CAT'S QUESTIONS. + + + Dozing, and dozing, and dozing! + Pleasant enough, + Dreaming of sweet cream and mouse-meat. + Delicate stuff! + + Of raids on the pantry and hen-coop, + Or light, stealthy tread + Of cat gossips, meeting by moonlight + On ridge-pole or shed. + + Waked by a somersault, whirling, + Whirling from cushion to floor; + Waked from a wild rush of safety + From window to door. + + Waking two hands that first smooth us, + And then pull our tails; + Punished with slaps when we show them + The length of our nails! + These big mortal tyrants even grudge us + A place on the mat. + Do they think we enjoy for our music + Staccatos of "scat?" + What in the world were we made for? + Man, do you know? + By you to be petted, tormented? + Are _you_ friend or foe? + To be treated now, just as you treat us, + The question is pat, + To take just our chances in living, + Would _you_ be a cat? + +_LUCY LARCOM_. + +[Illustration: "ARE YOU FRIEND OR FOE?"] + + + + +"SCRAMBLE." + + +Doctor Schroeder was a quaint old German physician, who lived in a fine +old-fashioned house near a public play-ground. Connected with the +doctor's premises was an extensive peach orchard, and, sad to say, +naughty boys would sometimes climb over the orchard wall and pilfer his +peaches. To guard against this practice the doctor had the top of his +wall adorned with a row of very ugly iron spikes. Not far from Doctor +Schroeder's place lived a family known as "the Jones's". One member of +the family was a small boy nicknamed "Scramble;" so named, I presume, +from the fact that he was all the time scrambling over other people's +fences and into other people's fruit trees. + +One day "Scramble" got caught on the spikes on top of Doctor Schroeder's +wall, and in spite of all his efforts to get loose, the spikes held him +fast until he was discovered and taken down by the quaint old doctor, +almost frightened out of his wits. That is, "Scramble" was frightened, +not the doctor, But to "Scramble's" great surprise and greater relief, +the old German did not punish him with the terrible cane he held in his +hand, but took him into the orchard and told him to take his pick of the +finest fruit on the place. + +"Scramble" felt greatly abashed over this unexpected kind treatment, and +never again had the heart to pilfer peaches from old Doctor Schroeder. + +[Illustration: "SCRAMBLE" ON THE TOP OF THE WALL.] + + + + +CLEVER GOATS. + + +Goats sometimes do very clever tricks, which almost prove them to be +capable of reasoning. + +A goat and her kids frequented a square in which I once lived, and were +often fed by the servants and myself. Now and again I heard a thumping +at the hall door, which arose from the buttings of the goat when the +food was not forthcoming, and the mother's example was followed by her +two little kids. After a while this grew monotonous, and no attention +was paid to their knocking! but one day the area bell--used by the +delivery men and callers generally, the wire of which passed by the side +of one of the railings--was sounded. The cook answered the bell, but no +one was there save the goat and kids, with their heads bent down towards +the kitchen window. It was at first thought that some mischievous boy +had rung the bell for them, but they were watched, and the old goat was +seen to hook one of her horns into the wire and pull it. This is too +much like reason to be ascribed to mere instinct. + +[Illustration: GOATS KNOCKING AT THE DOOR.] + + + + +KING LEAR. + + +Poor old King Lear, who in ancient times reigned in Britain, having in +his old age turned over all his possessions to his two older daughters, +Goneril and Regan, who professed to love him more than did their younger +sister Cordelia, was by them cruelly deprived of his crown and turned +out of his palace. None dared to give him shelter for fear of the anger +of the two wicked queens. And though he had become blind, he was forced +to wander over the land he once ruled, his only guide being an old and +faithful servant. At last, in his misery and despair, he thought he +would go to his youngest daughter, who had become queen of France, and +see if she would take pity on him. So he crossed over to France. When +Cordelia heard of her father's woeful plight, and of her sisters' +cruelty to him, she wept for sorrow, and at once sent him everything +needful for his comfort. She and her husband then set out to meet him, +surrounded by their soldiers and followers, and brought him in great +state to the palace, and honored him as a king in their land. + +The King of France soon gathered an army and invaded Britain. The two +ungrateful daughters and their husbands were killed, King Lear was +restored to his throne, and when he died Cordelia succeeded him in the +kingdom. + +[Illustration: KING LEAR.] + + + + +THE BRITISH MASTIFFS. + + +When the Romans invaded Britain they found that the natives had a breed +of large fierce dogs, who would fight bravely for their masters; these +animals they called _pugnaces_, or fighting dogs, and from them the +modern English mastiff is descended. + +Soon after the conquest of the island some of the British mastiffs were +sent to Rome, where their sagacity, strength and courage excited so much +admiration, that an imperial officer was appointed to reside in Britain +for the express purpose of selecting the finest dogs to fight with other +animals for the amusement of the vast crowds assembled in the Colosseum. +The strongest dogs previously known to the Romans were the Molossian +dogs of Epirus, which in their native country were trained by their +masters to fight in battle, but when they were matched against the +British mastiffs they were thoroughly beaten. The dogs of Britain were +then pitted against various wild beasts; and it was said that three of +them were a match for a bear and four for a lion. And so famous were +they for courage, that the Gauls imported them, and trained them for +war, and used them in their battles. + +The British mastiff is no longer trained to fight in battle, but his +character for sagacity and fidelity as well as courage, is as high as it +was in the days of the Romans. + +[Illustration: ANCIENT BRITISH SOLDIER AND MASTIFF.] + + + + +ON THE LAKES IN A STORM. + + +Some minutes before sunrise we went aboard our boat and took our places +for a long pull up the lakes. There were two sets of rowlocks, with oars +to match. Fred took one pair and Farr the other. Spot lay down on Farr's +coat behind his master. I took the stern seat and steering oar. Scott +had the bow seat and a paddle. + +"All ready!" cried Fred, cheerily. "Give way! one, two, three, and away +we go!" + +By the time we were fairly out on the lake there was quite a "sea." + +We made for Birch Island. The swells threw us about amazingly. There is +much strength and friskiness in these fresh-water surges. Those were +wild moments. Fred, Farr and Scott were pulling with might and main. The +spray flew over us; the spatters drenched us. I expected every moment +that we should be swamped. And as we drew near the island our case +seemed not much improved. The waves broke against it fiercely. + +"It won't do to let her run on there!" exclaimed Farr. "It will swamp +her." + +"Yes," said Fred; "but it is not deep water. Sit still and pull till I +give the word, then jump out, everybody, and ease her ashore. + +"Now for it! Over with you!" he shouted, a moment afterwards. + +We leaped out, and carried the boat by main strength high upon the +land. + +[Illustration: "NOW FOR IT! OVER WITH YOU!"] + + + + +FRITZ. + + +Fritz is a beautiful light-blue grey cat. He is the especial pet of his +master's little daughter, and therefore has many privileges about the +house not usually accorded to cats. Among these special privileges is +that of having his food in the dining-room. Fritz has many +peculiarities, the chief being that he thinks that he is covering up the +food that remains after he has eaten all he wishes, a habit of wild cats +which is well known. + +He stands over the plate which contains the remains of his repast and +scratches perfectly imaginary dust or mould over it. + +This he does all round the plate, and after a curious look at it to see +that it is all right, and it _is_ covered up, he walks leisurely away. +How strange it is that these traces of a wild state are so often to be +seen in animals which have been domesticated for long generations! Fritz +had no need to cover up his food, even if the dirt or mould were there +for the purpose, for he is sure of getting plenty more when he wants it. +It was simply from the force of habit, a habit not his own, but his +ancestors, that he went through the motions. + +What a forcible illustration of the power of habit! + +[Illustration: FRITZ COVERING UP HIS FOOD.] + + + + +NAUGHTY WILLIE. + + + Willie got punished at school to-day! + What did he do? + Why, he drew on his slate, in a comical way, + Pictures of horses and oxen, and they + Seemed to be dancing a real Irish jig! + Yes, and he, too, had a little wee pig + Down in the corner, as cute as could be; + All of us laughed such a picture to see! + + That was the morning before recess, + When he threw paper balls at sly little Bess; + And one hit her plump on her fat little nose, + And made us all laugh, as you may well suppose; + And he pulled some one's hair as they went out to spell, + But who cried out nobody would tell. + + And then, let me see; why he stepped on my toes, + And balanced his book on the tip of his nose + When the teacher wasn't looking, and then, O, dear me, + He made some whiskers as black as could be + With the cork of the ink-bottle rubbed on his cheek, + And we all laughed till we hardly could speak. + + The teacher caught him, and punished him well; + Not half the words that were his could he spell; + And in the arithmetic he had to guess + Half of the answers and wished they were less. + All he has gained by his actions to-day, + Is a black mark and his ill-timed play. + +[Illustration: NAUGHTY WILLIE.] + + + + +NED BENTLY'S TEMPTATION. + + +When Ned Bently was a boy of about fifteen years of age he lost both of +his parents by yellow fever, in New Orleans. The only remaining relative +he had was a bachelor uncle, living in the mining regions of California. +Ned worked his way on board a ship, as a sailor boy, to San Francisco, +and finally arrived at the diggings where his uncle was engaged in +mining. In those early days of California mine digging the miners were +generally a very rough class of men. So it happened that soon after +Ned's arrival a great gruff "digger" offered to treat Ned to a drink of +liquor, and became very angry because he refused to touch it. + +Ned scarcely shut his eyes all that night, for he was dreadfully afraid +that the miners might yet force him to drink of that which he had been +taught was certain ruin to body and soul. But to Ned's great surprise +and joy, next morning the very man who the night before had offered to +treat him took a bold stand in his defense against the other miners' +attempts to force him to drink. + +"The lad's about right," said the gruff old digger. "If he can live out +here without drinkin' liquor, he'll be able to buy and sell the whole of +ye by'n'by." And so it proved, for Ned held fast to his resolution not +to drink, and became one of the wealthiest mine owners in California. + +[Illustration: NED REFUSING TO DRINK WITH THE MINERS.] + + + + +"HODGE." + + +Many have a dislike to cats; but when boys say they hate cats, it is to +be feared that they mostly do so that they may have an excuse for +hunting and ill-treating them. In some cases, however, there is a +natural antipathy which those who possess it cannot help, though it +seems very foolish and unreasonable. + +James Boswell tells us that he was "unluckily one of those who have an +antipathy to a cat," so that he was uneasy when in a room with one. It +certainly was rather unlucky, for he was writing the life of Dr. +Johnson, and wishing to be as much in his company as possible was +frequently at his house. Now the Doctor had a favorite tomcat whom he +called "Hodge," and Boswell relates how he "suffered from the presence +of this same Hodge." + +He says, "I recollect him one day scrambling up Dr. Johnson's breast, +apparently with much satisfaction, while my friend, smiling and half +whistling, rubbed down his back and pulled him by the tail, and when I +observed that he was a fine cat, saying, 'Why, yes, Sir, but I have had +cats whom I liked better than this,' and then, as if perceiving Hodge to +be out of countenance, he added! 'But he's a very fine cat; a very fine +cat, indeed.'" + +Hodge was well taken care of, and did not have to catch rats for a +living, for the Doctor was in the habit of treating him to oysters. + +[Illustration: DR. JOHNSON AND HIS CAT.] + + + + +APRIL FOOL. + + +Most small boys are fond of April-fooling people. How often on the first +day of April have we seen the small boy wrapping up a piece of wood or +brick in the shape of a parcel bought at the store, carelessly place it +on the sidewalk as if dropped by a passer-by, and then hide himself near +by and wait for some one to be "fooled" by it. + +Dick and Frank Slemmons, one April-fool's day, concluded to get up an +April-fool on a grander scale than usual. They procured an old pair of +pants, a shirt, pair of boots, gloves, a dunce's cap, and a "false-face" +or mask. They took these articles to their father's barn, and by +stuffing them with straw and putting a few extra touches of paint on the +mask, they made a hideous looking Guy. To the back of this figure, near +the shoulders, the boys fastened a string, and when it began to grow +dark they carried it out into the yard and placed it in a sitting +posture on the front fence, to fool people who were passing by. Holding +to the string they hid themselves behind the fence intending when any +one passed to let the figure fall forward as if it were about to drop +from the fence. But they failed to fool anybody, for the first one to +come along was Mike, their father's hostler, who at once discovered the +boys, and, saying "Ah! see the little laddie-bucks over the fince!" he +grabbed the guy and took it along with him. + +So the boys themselves were the only ones April fooled. + +[Illustration] + + + + +IN A STORM ON THE SEA. + + +Little David Loomis, only eight years old, was permitted by his father, +Captain Loomis, to accompany him on a whaling expedition. While out at +sea the body of a dead whale was discovered at some distance from the +boat, floating in the water. Several of the crew manned one of the +smaller boats and rowed away over the glassy sea to secure the carcase. +David was allowed to go with them. Before the boat reached the floating +whale, however, a fearful squall suddenly arose; the wind screamed and +whistled round their little boat; the waves, lashed to sudden fury, +hissed and foamed, breaking over them like a deluge, whilst a terrible +peel of thunder broke right overhead. David was scared almost out of his +senses. He had never before seen such a storm. But he sat still, as one +of the crew had told him to do, looking out, oh! how eagerly, for some +signs of his father's vessel. Nothing was to be seen, however, but a +wild waste of heaving, tumbling billows, over which the boat seemed +actually to fly. Suddenly the clouds lifted, the wind ceased, and all +was as calm as before the storm. Nothing was to be seen of the dead +whale, and the crew was content to let it float where it would, while +they rowed in search of their vessel. Ere long they were safe and sound +on board with Captain Loomis. David could not help repeating from a poem +he had recited at school, the words: "Isn't God upon the ocean, just the +same as on the land?" + +[Illustration: IN A STORM ON THE SEA.] + + + + +THE JAGUAR. + + +The jaguar, or American tiger, as he is sometimes called, is a native of +South America. He is beautifully spotted with rings containing smaller +spots on a deeper ground tint. He is a ferocious and destructive beast, +inhabits the forests, and seeks his prey by watching, or by openly +seizing cattle or horses in the enclosures. His depredations among the +herds of horses which graze on the prairies of Paraguay are vast and +terrible. Swift as lightning he darts upon his prey, overthrows it by +weight, or breaks its neck by a blow of his paw. His strength is so +great, he can easily drag off a full-sized horse. He is an expert +climber, and the prints of his claws have been seen on the bark at the +top of trees fifty feet in height and without branches. He sometimes +feeds on monkeys, but they are generally too active for him; having the +power to swing themselves from branch to branch with wonderful +swiftness, they are soon beyond his reach. After horses, oxen and sheep +are his favorite prey, and his devastations among them are often very +extensive. On account of this, efforts are constantly made to destroy +him. He is hunted with dogs, which run him to bay, or force him to seek +safety in a tree, where he is kept till the approach of the hunters, who +shoot him, or disable him with their long spears. + +[Illustration: THE JAGUAR WAITING FOR HIS PREY.] + + + + +MILITARY DOGS. + + +Big dogs, little dogs; black dogs, white dogs--all sizes and sorts of +dogs are now carefully trained for use in the military service of France +and Germany as messengers, scouts, and sentinels. + +These "dog-children of the regiment" are not chosen from any special +breed of dogs, because that would at once cause then to be recognized, +and so become a target for the foe whenever seen. + +These military dogs are chosen on account of the promise they give of +"individual merit," and their education is begun as early as possible. +All are trained to silence--a most difficult lesson, and only learnt by +long and patient teaching. In fact, it is at all times difficult to +insure obedience when music strickes up, for the training poodles, +fox-terriers, and collies are sorely tempted to give vocal +accompaniment. Dogs selected for this service are thoroughly children of +the regiment. They are never allowed to associate with civilians, or to +let any man wearing an unknown uniform approach them. They must not +attack strangers, but are to keep at a respectful distance from all +such. Thus their fidelity as letter-carriers is secured. + +When on sentry duty they are taught to warn their human companions of +the approach of any strangers within three hundred yards. Each dog has +his regimental number on his collar. + +[Illustration: DOG CHILDREN OF THE REGIMENT.] + + + + +TRUE TO HIS WORD. + + +At the conquest of Susa, Harmozan, a Persian prince, the satrap of +Ahwaz, was taken prisoner by the Arabs. When about to be taken before +Omar, the Commander of the Faithful, he arranged himself in his most +gorgeous apparel, wearing a crown on his head, and his embroidered silk +robe being confined by a splendid jeweled girdle. When his conductors +brought him to the mosque he saw Omar stretched on the ground, taking a +mid-day sleep. When he awoke he asked their business, and they replied, +"We bring you here the king of Ahwaz." + +"Take hence the infidel," said Omar, averting his gaze. "Strip him of +his robes, and array him in the garb of El Islam." + +This was done, and when Harmozan was again brought into the presence of +Omar he wore the striped garments of the Arabs. After conversing a while +he complained of being thirsty; but when a cup of water was brought he +expressed a fear that he might be killed while drinking it. + +"Be of good courage," said Omar! "your life shall be safe till you have +drunk this water." + +Harmozan instantly dashed the cup on the ground, claiming fulfillment of +the Caliphs word. Omar declared that this conduct deserved punishment as +deceitful, but out of regard for his word he pardoned the Persian, who +became a convert to the faith of El Islam. + +[Illustration: "TAKE HENCE THE INFIDEL," SAID OMAR] + + + + +HUNTING A LION. + + +Some hunters near the Cape of Good Hope went in search of a lion which +had carried off a number of cattle from the neighborhood. + +They discovered him in a thicket or jungle, and at once proceeded to +pepper him with slugs and bullets. Regardless of the shower of balls the +lion bounded forward, and in an instant turned the chase upon them. All +took to their horses or their heels. One huge fellow, not nimble enough +to mount his horse in time, was left in the rear, and was speedily run +down by the rampant lion. He had the prudence to fling himself flat on +the ground and lie quiet as a log. The lion sniffed at him, scratched +him with his paw, and then quietly sat down upon his body. His routed +companions, collecting in a band, took courage at length to face about; +and, seeing the lion on the prostrate body of the hunter, they imagined +that their comrade was killed, and began to concert measures for +avenging him. After a short pause, however, the lion resigned of his own +accord his seat of triumph, relieved his panting capture, and retreated +towards the mountains. The party, on coming up, found their friend +shaking his ears, unharmed, except what he had suffered from a very +ungentlemanly piece of conduct on the part of the lion. + +[Illustration: THE LION SITS DOWN ON THE HUNTER.] + + + + +PURSUED BY INDIANS. + + +Two young men who had been attached to an exploring party, out West, but +had unwisely strayed away from their companions, were leisurely riding +along the prairie, trying to track the footsteps of their friends, when +they saw on the brow of a hill in their rear about a dozen Indian +warriors, who were rapidly approaching them. There was not a moment to +lose. The white men were unarmed, save for their hunting-knives, while +the lances of the red men gleamed in the light of the afternoon sun. +Putting spurs to their horses the two young men tried to escape by +flight, but the derisive cries of the enemy showed that the distance was +rapidly lessening between them. Nothing could have saved them had it not +been that, just at the most critical moment, they reached a "windrow," a +strip of ground upon which a storm had hurled down the trunks of trees +in wild confusion. Hastily abandoning their horses to their fate, the +two friends got in among the thick fallen timber, where they concealed +themselves, and listened breathlessly while the Indians with shouts +pursued, and attempted to capture the coveted animals. But they did not +succeed. A cloud of dust heralded the approach of a party of men, who +with shouts and cries galloped into the midst of them. + +It was the exploring party, whose opportune appearance saved their +companions' lives. + +[Illustration: PURSUED BY NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS.] + + + + +THE TRUANT'S SOLILOQUY + + + My schoolmates all are blessed to-day, + Their lessons conning o'er; + O, how I wish that I were now + Within that school-room door! + + My teacher sits beside her desk, + With a smile upon her face, + Until she looks around the room, + And sees my vacant place. + + My heart is aching while I walk + Along the mountain glade; + I love the trees, the rippling stream, + But sigh that I have strayed. + + O, there's no joy in the hours of play, + If snatched from the study-time; + No music in the wild-bird's song, + While I hear the school-bell chime. + + O, then, I'll seek my school again, + My teacher's rules obey, + Nor wander, as a truant boy, + And waste another day. + +[Illustration: "ALONG THE MOUNTAIN GLADE"] + + + + +A QUEER FISH. + + +Little May's father is a fisherman. One day he brought home the funniest +fish May ever saw. She was a little bit frightened and didn't know +whether to laugh or cry. Her papa took her up in his lap, put an arm +around her waist and held her fast with one hand while he kept a tight +hold on the fish with the other. + +"See, May," he said, "what a queer fish this is. Would you think it +followed the same kind of business that papa does for a living?" + +"Oh, papa!" said May; "that horrid thing a fisherman?--surely you are +joking." + +"No, my daughter," said the fisherman, "it is no joke. With that queer +looking rod and line fastened to its nose it angles for other fishes. It +hides amongst the sea-weed at the bottom of the sea, and the fleshy +shreds attached to its nose, floating about in the water, act as natural +bait, and attract the unwary little fishes in its neighborhood, but the +instant one of them makes a bite at the tempting morsel it is whisked +away, and the poor fish is caught in the huge mouth of the fisherman +fish, and crushed up by its sharp teeth." + +"Oh, papa!" said May, "what horrid big eyes it has; what a huge mouth, +and such awfully sharp teeth! Ugh! Put it down, please, papa, for I +really believe I am going to be frightened." + +The fisherman laughed heartily, and threw the queer fish into the +basket. + +[Illustration: A QUEER FISH.] + + + + +A PROUD MONARCH. + + +Theodore, Emperor of Abyssinia, was raised to the throne from a very +humble position in life. He was one of the proudest of monarchs, was +styled "King of Kings," and boasted a descent from King Solomon and the +Queen of Sheba; a fiction devised to flatter the vanity of the royal +house of Ethiopia. + +When this mighty emperor gave an audience he was surrounded by several +large and fierce-looking lions, and he made a great display of his +command over the savage creatures; but, notwithstanding their ferocious +aspect, the animals were said to be in reality as tame as dogs. Anyway, +they must have made a timid ambassador feel rather nervous when first +introduced to the royal presence. + +The Abyssinians are very vain, and King Theodore thought himself greater +than all the sovereigns in the world, and this led to his fall. Thinking +he was not treated with sufficient respect by the British envoy and +other Europeans, he imprisoned them all. In 1867 an expedition was +fitted out under the command of General Napier. After encountering great +difficulties on the march, the British troops stormed and took +possession of Magdala without losing a single man; and the Emperor +Theodore, seeing that all was lost, slew himself to avoid falling into +the hands of the enemy. The captives were liberated, and for his +services in this campaign General Napier received the title of Lord +Napier of Magdala. + +[Illustration: A PROUD MONARCH] + + + + +BABY'S ANSWERS. + + + "Where did you come from, baby dear?" + "Out of the every-where into the here." + "Where did you get your eyes so blue?" + "Out of the sky as I came through." + + "What makes the light in them sparkle and spin?" + "Some of the starry spikes left in." + "Where did you get that little tear?" + "I found it waiting when I got here." + + "What makes your forehead so smooth and high?" + "A soft hand stroked it as I went by." + "What makes your cheek like a warm white rose?" + "Something better than any one knows." + + "Whence that three-cornered smile of bliss?" + "Three angels gave me at once a kiss." + "Where did you get that pearly ear?" + "God spoke, and it came out to hear." + + "Where did you get those arms and hands?" + "Love made itself into hooks and bands." + "Feet, whence did you come, you darling things?" + "From the same body as the cherubs' wings." + + "How did they all just come to be you?" + "God thought about me, and so I grew." + "But how did you come to us, my dear?" + "God thought of you, and so I am here." + +GEORGE MACDONALD. + +[Illustration: "WHERE DID YOU COME FROM?"] + + + + +DEAR LITTLE BROWN-EYED BESS. + +A True Experience of Child-life. + + + I was working in my garden one day in the end of June, + The sun shone high in the clear blue sky, and the clock had just + struck noon; + I mused o'er my earliest childhood--my earliest friends, and lo, + There rose up the picture of a child in the dear dim Long-ago: + She holds in her arms a puppy, and smilingly shows it to me, + Her cheeks they are rosy and chubby, all dimpled with baby glee; + Her hair is dark and wavy, her brown eyes full of fun, + And she wears a blue straw bonnet to shelter from the sun. + + She gathers daisies and kingcups till her pockets are more than + full, + And dreams of the far-away city where she soon must go to school; + Her home it is rustic and lonely in the land of the river Ness, + But she loves her rural dwelling, does dear little brown-eyed Bess. + One time--ah! how well I remember, it seems like yesterday, + Dear Bessie came to visit me, just nine years past last May: + Beneath the hawthorn blossoms, hearts full of childish bliss, + We vowed eternal friendship, and sealed it with a kiss; + And I plucked a bright pink rosebud to fasten in her dress-- + She was six years old that summer, was dear little brown-eyed Bess. + + I remember very little of all she said to me, + But I know we loved each other with childish love and free; + I remember romping gaily around some little ricks, + And fondly giving Bessie a tiny box of bricks; + I remember our long, long parting one autumn afternoon, + And Bessie softly whispering, "Come back and see me soon." + But alas! some wicked fairy was present with us then, + For during the days of childhood we never met again. + + Six years went by, and I happened to look at my toys one day. + When I came across a wooden horse with which I used to play, + A little wooden pony I found in the old toy "press," + That I once had got in a present from dear little brown-eyed Bess + 'Mongst the flowers I was dreaming and thinking--Was I ever to see + her more? + When roused by a sound I looked and saw a carriage before the door + I ran right out of the garden and up the wooden stair, + Till I came to my own pink bedroom where I quickly smoothed my hair; + At my heart came a rush of rapture as I hastened to brush my dress + For who was down in the parlor? 'Twas dear little brown-eyed Bess. + + Once more does our friendship flourish like the flowers in the + garden-bed, + And a tall young stately maiden is in little Bessie's stead. + When I look at this stately maiden I think of the bright pink moss, + I think of a foaming brooklet with a bridge of stones across; + I think of a waste of heather, a collie pup, and a cat, + In the arms of a rosy baby with a blue straw sun shade hat. + When I look at this stately maiden I cannot a smile suppress. + While I bless in my heart the good old times when I knew her + as little Bess. + +JEANIE P. H. SIMPSON + +[Illustration: DEAR LITTLE BROWN-EYED BESS.] + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 11374 *** |