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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + + +Etext scanned by Dianne Bean with OmniPage Pro software donated +by Caere. + + + + + +CINDERELLA OR, THE LITTLE GLASS SLIPPER AND OTHER STORIES + + + + +Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper +Fanny's Telephone Order +The Raindrops' New Dresses +Sir Gobble +What is It? +John's Bright Idea +A Sad Thanksgiving Party +Guy and the Bee +Mean Boy +Naughty Pumpkin's Fate +Something About Fires +The lee-King's Reign. +Malmo, the Wounded Rat +Mama's Happy Christmas +Cured of Carelessness +A Visit from a Prince +Stringing Cranberries +Christmas in California +A Troublesome Call +Bertie's Corn-Popper +Fire! Fire! Fire! +The Dolls and the Other Dolls +Why Did Mamma Change Her Mind? +Clara's Funeral. +The Chickadee-Dee. +The Children's Party +Brave Tomasso +Tommy Frost Sees a Bear +Myself +Two Strange Sights +A Cat's Instincts +Diliah's New Year's Presents +Night Flowers +The First Snow Storm +Fred's Stolen Ride +A Valentine Party +The Venturesome Rat +The Bear's Feast +Babie's Curls. +The Red Apples +Bubbles +A Horse Who Wore Snow Shoes +The Angry Bobolink +How Hiram Spent His Shrimp Money +The Ant's House +The Foolish Pug +The Silhouette Party +The Snow Birds +A Kind Heart +Towser Talks +Just as She Pleased + + + + +CINDERELLA; OR THE LITTLE GLASS SLIPPER. + +Once there was a gentleman who married for his second wife the +proudest and most haughty woman that was ever seen. She had by a +former husband two daughters of her own humor, who were, indeed, +exactly like her in all things. He had likewise, by another wife, +a young daughter, but of unparalleled goodness and sweetness of +temper, which she took from her mother, who was the best creature +in the world. + +No sooner were the ceremonies of the wedding over but the +mother-in-law began to show herself in her true colors. She could +not bear the good qualities of this pretty girl, and the less +because they made her own daughters appear the more odious. She +employed her in meanest work of the house: she scoured the +dishes, tables, etc., and scrubbed madam's chamber and those of +misses, her daughters; she lay up in a sorry garret, upon a +wretched straw bed, while her sisters lay in fine rooms, with +floors all inlaid, upon beds of the very newest fashion, and +where they had looking-glasses so large that they might see +themselves at their full length from head to foot. + +The poor girl bore all patiently and dared not tell her father, +who would have rattled her off; for his wife governed him +entirely. When she had done her work she used to go into the +chimney-corner and sit down among cinders and ashes, which made +her commonly be called a cinder maid; but the youngest, who was +not so rude and uncivil as the eldest, called her Cinderella. +However, Cinderella, notwithstanding her mean apparel, was a +hundred times handsomer than her sisters, though they were always +dressed very richly. + +It happened that the King's son gave a ball and invited all +persons, of fashion to it. Our young misses were also invited, +for they cut a very grand figure among the quality. They were +mightily delighted at this invitation, and wonderfully busy in +choosing out such gowns, petticoats, and head-clothes as might +become them. This was a new trouble to Cinderella, for it was she +who ironed her sisters' linen and plaited their ruffles. They +talked all day long of nothing but how they should be dressed. + +"For my part," said the eldest, "I will wear my red velvet suit +with French trimming." + +"And I," said the youngest, "shall have my usual petticoat; but +then, to make amends for that, I will put on my gold-flowered +manteau and my diamond stomacher, which is far from being the +most ordinary one in the world." + +They sent for the best tire-woman they could get to make up their +headdresses and adjust their double pinners, and they had their +red brushes and patches from Mademoiselle de la Poche. + +Cinderella was likewise called up to them to be consulted in all +these matters, for she had excellent notions and advised them +always for the best, nay, and offered her services to dress their +heads, which they were very willing she should do. As she was +doing this they said to her: + +"Cinderella, would you not be glad to go to the ball?" + +"Alas!" said she, "you only jeer me. It is not for such as I am +to go thither." + +"Thou art in the right of it," replied they. "It would make the +people laugh to see a cinder wench at a ball." + +Any one but Cinderella would have dressed their heads awry, but +she was very good and dressed them perfectly well. They were +almost two days without eating, so much they were transported +with joy. They broke above a dozen of laces in trying to be laced +up close, that they might have a fine, slender shape, and they +were continually at their looking-glass. At last the happy day +came. They went to Court, and Cinderella followed them with her +eyes as long as she could, and when she had lost sight of them +she fell a-crying. + +Her Godmother, who saw her all in tears, asked her what was the +matter. + +"I wish I could--I wish I could--" + +She was not able to speak the rest being interrupted by her tears +and sobbing. + +This Godmother of hers, who was a fairy, said to her: "Thou +wishest thou could'st go to the ball. Is it not so?" + +"Y--es," cried Cinderella, with a great sigh. + +"Well," said her Godmother, "be but a good girl, and I will +contrive that thou shalt go." Then she took her into her chamber +and said to her: "Run into the garden and bring me a pumpkin." + +Cinderella went immediately to gather the finest she could get +and brought it to her Godmother, not being able to imagine how +this pumpkin could make her go to the ball. Her Godmother scooped +out all the inside of it, having left nothing but the rind; which +done, she struck it with her wand, and the pumpkin was instantly +turned into a fine coach, gilded all over with gold. + +She then went to look into her mousetrap, where she found six +mice all alive, and ordered Cinderella to lift up a little the +trapdoor, when, giving each mouse as it went out a little tap +with her wand, the mouse was that moment turned into a fine +horse, which altogether made a very fine set of six horses of a +beautiful mouse-colored dapple-gray. Being at a loss for a +coachman, Cinderella said: + +"I will go and see if there is never a rat in the rattrap--we may +make a coachman of him." + +"Thou art in the right," replied her Godmother. "Go and look." + +Cinderella brought the trap to her, and in it there were three +huge rats. The fairy made choice of one of the three which had +the largest beard, and having touched him with her wand he was +turned into a fat, jolly coachman, who had the smartest whiskers +eyes ever beheld. After that she said to her: + +"Go again into the garden, and you will find six lizards behind +the watering-pot. Bring them to me." + +She had no sooner done so but her Godmother turned them into six +footmen,who skipped up immediately behind the coach, with their +liveries all bedaubed with gold and silver, and clung as close +behind each other as if they had done nothing else their whole +lives. The fairy then said to Cinderella: + +"Well, you see here an equipage fit to go to the ball with. Are +you not pleased with it?" + +"Oh! yes," cried she; "but must I go thither as I am, in these +dirty rags?" + +Her Godmother only just touched her with her wand, and at the +same instant her clothes were turned into cloth-of-gold and +silver, all beset with jewels. Ah! who can describe a robe made +by the fairies? It was white as snow, and as dazzling; round the +hem hung a fringe of diamonds, sparkling like dewdrops in the +sunshine. The lace about the throat and arms could only have been +spun by fairy spiders. Surely it was a dream! Cinderella put her +daintily gloved hand to her throat, and softly touched the pearls +that encircled her neck. + +"Come, child," said the Godmother, "or you will be late." + +As Cinderella moved, the firelight shone upon her dainty shoes. + +"They are of diamonds," she said. + +"No," answered her Godmother, smiling; "they are better than +that--they are of glass, made by the fairies. And now, child, go, +and enjoy yourself to your heart's content." + +But her Godmother, above all things, commanded her not to stay +till after midnight, telling her at the same time that if she +stayed one moment longer the coach would be a pumpkin again, her +horses mice, her coachman a rat, her footmen lizards, and her +clothes become just as they were before. + +She promised her Godmother she would not fail of leaving the ball +before midnight, and then away she drives, scarce able to contain +herself for joy. The King's son, who was told that a great +Princess, whom nobody knew, was come, ran out to receive her. He +gave her his hand as she alighted out of the coach; and led her +into the hall among all the company. There was immediately +a profound silence, they left off dancing, and the violins ceased +to play, so attentive was every one to contemplate the singular +beauties of the unknown newcomer. Nothing was then heard but a +confused noise of "Ha! how handsome she is! Ha! how handsome she +is!" + +The King himself, old as he was, could not help watching her and +telling the Queen softly that it was a long time since he had +seen so beautiful and lovely a creature. + +All the ladies were busied in considering her clothes and +headdress, that they might have some made next day after the same +pattern, provided they could meet with such fine materials and as +able hands to make them. + +The King's son conducted her to the most honorable seat and +afterward took her out to dance with him. She danced so very +gracefully that they all more and more admired her. A fine +collation was served up, whereof the young Prince ate not a +morsel, so intently was he busied in gazing on her. + +She went and sat down by her sisters, showing them a thousand +civilities, giving them part of the oranges and citrons which the +Prince had presented her with, which very much surprised them, +for they did not know her. While Cinderella was thus amusing her +sisters, she heard the clock strike eleven and three-quarters, +whereupon she immediately made a courtesy to the company and +hastened away as fast as she could. + +Being got home, she ran to seek out her Godmother, and after +having thanked her she said she could not but heartily wish she +might go next day to the ball, because the King's son had desired +her. + +As she was eagerly telling her Godmother what had passed at the +ball her two sisters knocked at the door, which Cinderella ran +and opened. + +"How long you have stayed!" cried she, gaping, rubbing her eyes, +and stretching herself as if she had been just waked out of her +sleep. She had not, however, had any manner of inclination to +sleep since they went from home. + +"If thou hadst been at the ball," said one of her sisters, "thou +would'st not have been tired with it. There came thither the +finest Princess, the most beautiful ever was seen with mortal +eyes. She showed us a thousand civilities and gave us oranges and +citrons." + +Cinderella seemed very indifferent in the matter. Indeed, she +asked them the name of that Princess, but they told her they did +not know it, and that the King's son was very uneasy on her +account, and would give all the world to know who she was. At +this Cinderella, smiling, replied: + +"She must, then, be very beautiful indeed. How happy you have +been! Could not I see her? Ah! dear Miss Charlotte, do lend me +your yellow suit of clothes which you wear every day." + +"Ay, to be sure," cried Miss Charlotte; "lend my clothes to such +it dirty cinder maid as thou art! I should be a fool." + +Cinderella expected well such answer and was very glad of the +refusal, for she would have been sadly put to it if her sister +had lent her what she asked for jestingly. + +The next day the two sisters were at the ball, and so was +Cinderella, but dressed more magnificently than before. The +King's son was always by her, and never ceased his compliments +and kind speeches to her, to whom all this was so far from being +tiresome that she quite forgot what her Godmother had recommended +to her, so that she at last counted the clock striking twelve +when she took it to be no more than eleven. She then rose up and +fled as nimble as a deer. The Prince followed, but could not +overtake her. She left behind one of her glass slippers, which +the Prince took up most carefully. She got home, but quite out of +breath, and in her old clothes, having nothing left her of all +her finery but one of the little slippers, fellow to that she +dropped. The guards at the palace gate were asked if they had not +seen a Prinecess go out. + +They said they had seen nobody go out but a young girl, very +meanly dressed, and who had more of the air of a poor country +girl than a gentlewoman. + +When the two sisters returned from the ball Cinderella asked them +if they had been well diverted and if the beautiful Princess had +been there. + +They told her yes, but that she hurried away immediately when the +clock struck twelve, and with so much haste that she dropped one +of her little glass slippers, the prettiest in the world, which +the King's son had taken up; that he had done nothing but look at +her all the time at the ball, and that most certainly he was very +much in love with the beautiful person who owned the glass +slipper. + +What they said was very true, for a few days after the King's son +caused it to be proclaimed, by sound of trumpet, that he would +marry her whose foot this slipper would just fit. They whom he +employed began to try it upon the Princesses, then the Duchesses +and all the Court, but in vain. It was brought to the two +sisters, who did all they possibly could to thrust their feet +into the slipper, but they could not effect it. + +On the following morning there was a great noise of trumpets and +drums, and a procession passed through the town, at the head of +which rode the King's son. Behind him came a herald, bearing a +velvet cushion, upon which rested a little glass slipper. The +herald blew a blast upon the trumpet, and then read a +proclamation saying that the King's son would wed any lady in the +land who could fit the slipper upon her foot, if she could +produce another to match it. + +Of course, the sisters tried to squeeze their feet into the +slipper, but it was of no use--they were much too large. Then +Cinderella shyly begged that she might try. How the sisters +laughed with scorn when the Prince knelt to fit the slipper on +the cinder maid's foot; but what was their surprise when it +slipped on with the greatest ease, and the next moment Cinderella +produced the other from her pocket! Once more she stood in the +slippers, and once more the sisters saw before them the lovely +Princess who was to be the Prince's bride. For at the touch of +the magic shoes the little gray frock disappeared forever, and in +place of it she wore the beautiful robe the fairy Godmother had +given to her. + +The sisters hung their heads with sorrow and vexation; but kind +little Cinderella put her arms round their necks, kissed them, +and forgave them for all their unkindness, so that they could not +help but love her. + +The Prince could not bear to part from his little love again, so +he carried her back to the palace in his grand coach, and they +were married that very day. Cinderella's stepsisters were present +at the feast, but in the place of honor sat the fairy Godmother. + +So the poor little cinder maid married the Prince, and in time +they came to be King and Queen, and lived happily ever after. + + + +FANNY'S TELEPHONE ORDER. + +Little Fanny Desmond was a dear child, and, like a good many +other little children, she liked to do whatever she saw the grown +people do. + +She would listen with great interest when she saw her mother use +the telephone. She was especially surprised when her mother +ordered things, and later in the day they would be brought to the +house. + +"I wish I had a telephone of my own," she said to her papa. "Mama +just puts her mouth up to that funny thing, and gets whatever she +asks for. Yesterday she asked somebody to send us ice-cream for +dinner, and sure enough, it came." + +Papa laughed. "It does seem a very convenient thing," he said. "I +will try to arrange one for you." So papa took a horn which had +been put away in a closet and hung it up where Fanny could talk +into it. "There, that shall be your own private telephone," he +said. + +"Now, shall I get whatever I ask for?" said Fanny. + +"Not if you ask for impossible things," replied her papa. + +"But what are impossible things?" asked Fanny. + +"Well," laughed papa, "I think if you should ask for the moon you +would not get it." + +"But I don't want the moon," said Fanny. + +"Ask for something before I go down-town," said papa. + +Fanny thought a moment, and then spoke up quite distinctly: + +"Please send me some peppermints, and some new shoes for my doll, +and a bunch of pansies for my mama, and a new bicycle for my +papa, and--and--that's all this time. Good-bye." + +"That's a very good order," said her papa, "but kiss me good-bye, +for I must be off." + +About half an hour later the front door-bell rang. Very soon the +maid appeared with a package directed to Miss Fanny Desmond. In +great excitement, Fanny opened it. It was a box of peppermints. +The child's delight was great, but when, in another half hour, +there came a bundle which proved to be a new pair of shoes for +her doll, she was too happy for words. But that surprise was +hardly over when another package was brought her. She opened it +in great excitement, and behold there was a bunch of beautiful +pansies. + +"They are for you, mama," she cried, "and now everything has come +but papa's new bicycle." + +Just then she looked out of the window, and there was her papa +coming up the drive on a fine new wheel. She rushed down to meet +him, exclaiming, as she threw herself into his arms: + +"Oh, papa, papa, I did get everything; my telephone is beautiful, +and the man at the other end is just lovely!" + +"Ah," said papa, "I am delighted he is so satisfactory." + + + +THE RAINDROPS' NEW DRESSES. + +"We're so tired of these gray dresses!" +Cried the little drops of rain, +As they came down helter-skelter +From the Nimbus cloud fast train. + +And they bobbed against each other +In a spiteful sort of way, +Just like children when bad temper +Gets the upper hand some day. + +Then the Sun peeped out a minute. +"Dears, be good and do not fight, +I have ordered you new dresses, +Dainty robes of purest white." + +Ah! then all the tiny raindrops +Hummed a merry glad refrain, +And the old folks cried: "How pleasant +Is the music of the rain!" + +Just at even, when the children +Had been safely tucked in bed, +There was such a rush and bustle +In the dark clouds overhead! + +Then those raindrops hurried earthward, +At the North Wind's call, you know, +And the wee folks, in the morning, +Laughed to see the flakes of snow. + + + +SIR GOBBLE. + +Bessie Curtis was in a great deal of trouble. She was spending a +year in the country while her father and mother were in Europe. +It was not that which was troubling her. She liked the country, +she loved her uncle and aunt with whom she lived, and she +heard every week from her father and mother. But something +disturbed her. As the summer passed, and the autumn came, she had +moments when she looked very sober. What was the reason? + +I will tell you. + +Early in the spring her uncle had given her a young turkey. + +"There, Bessie," he had said, "that is one of the prettiest +turkeys I have ever seen. I will give him into your care, and on +Thanksgiving Day we will have him on the dinner-table." + +For some time Bessie fed the turkey every day without feeling +particularly fond of him. Very soon, however, he began to know +her; he not only ran to meet her when she brought him his corn +and meal, but he would follow her about just the way Mary's +little lamb followed HER about. + +Her uncle often called after her: "And everywhere that Bessie +goes, the turkey's sure to go." + +Yes, round the garden, up and down the avenue, and even into the +house itself the turkey followed Bessie. + +Then why was she so sad? + +Alas! she remembered her uncle's words when he gave her the +turkey, "On Thanksgiving Day we will have him on the table." + +Thanksgiving Day would be here in a week. + +Now, if Bessie had been like some little girls, she would have +told her trouble to her uncle. But she never mentioned it to any +one, although she cried herself to sleep several nights before +Thanksgiving Day. + +At last the day came, and Bessie, instead of going out to the +fowlyard as usual, kept in the house all the morning. She was +afraid that, if she went, she would not find her beloved friend. +Dinner-time came, and, with a heavy heart, she seated herself at +the table. Her uncle and aunt noticed her sober face, and thought +that she missed her father and mother. + +"Come, come, said her uncle, "we must cheer up; no sad looks on +Thanksgiving Day. Maria, BRING IN THE TURKEY." + +Poor Bessie! she could not look up as the door opened, and +something was brought in on a big platter. But, as the platter +was placed on the table, she saw that it did indeed hold her +turkey, but he was alive and well. + +She looked so astonished that suddenly her uncle understood all +her past troubles. + +"Why, Bessie," he said, "did you think I would kill your pet? No, +indeed, but I told you he should be on the table Thanksgiving +Day, so here he is." + +Then Bessie's uncle struck the turkey gently with his +carving-knife, the way the queen strikes a man with a sword when +she makes him a knight. + +"Behold!" said Bessie's uncle, "I dub you 'Sir Gobble;' you shall +never be killed, but die a natural death, and never be parted +from Bessie." + + + +WHAT IS IT? + +What is that ugly thing I see +Which follows, follows, follows me, +Which ever way I turn or go? +What is that thing? I want to know. + +If I but turn to left or right +It does the same with all its might; +It looks so ugly and so black +When o'er my shoulder I look back. + +Sometimes it runs ahead of me, +Sometimes quite short it seems to be, +And then again it's very tall; +I don't know what it is at all. + +I'll climb into my little bed, +And on my pillow lay my bead, +For when I'm there I never see +That thing in front or back of me. + + + +JOHN'S BRIGHT IDEA. + +Mrs. Meredith was a most kind and thoughtful woman. She spent a +great deal of time visiting the poor. One morning she told her +children about a family which she had visited the day before. +There was a man sick in bed, his wife who took care of him, and +could not go out to work, and their little boy. The little +boy--his name was Bernard--had interested her very much. + +"I wish you could see him," she said to her own children, John, +Harry, and Clara, "he is such a help to his mother. He wants very +much to earn some money, but I don't see what he can do." + +After their mother had left the room, the children sat thinking +about little Bernard. + +"I wish we could help him to earn money," said little Clara. + +"So do I, said Harry. + +For some moments John said nothing, but, suddenly, he sprang to +his feet and cried: + +"I have an idea!" + +The other children also jumped up all attention. When John had an +idea, it was sure to be a good one. + +"I tell you what we can do," said John. "You know that big box +of corn Uncle Sam sent us for popping? Well, we can pop it, and +put it into paper bags, and Bernard can take it round to the +houses and sell." + +When Mrs. Meredith heard of John's idea, she, too, thought it a +good one. + +Very soon the children were busy popping the corn, while their +mother went out to buy the paper bags. When she came back, she +brought Bernard with her. + +In a short time, he started out on his new business, and, much +sooner than could be expected, returned with an empty basket. + +Tucked into one of his mittens were ten nickels. He had never +earned so much money before in his life. When he found that it +was all to be his, he was so delighted he could hardly speak, but +his bright smiling face spoke for him. After he had run home to +take the money to his mother, John said: + +"We have corn enough left to send Bernard out ever so many times. +May we do it again?" + +"Yes, said Mrs. Meredith, "you may send him every Saturday +morning, if you will pop the corn for him yourselves. John, will +you agree to take charge of the work?" + +"Indeed I will," replied John, and he kept his word. For many +weeks, every Saturday morning, no matter what plan was on foot, +no matter how good the coasting or skating, he saw that the corn +was all popped, the paper bags filled, and arranged in the basket +when Bernard arrived. + +People began to watch for the "little pop-corn boy," and every +week he had at least fifty cents to take home, and often more. +And all this was because of John's bright idea, and the way he +carried it out. + + + +A SAD THANKSGIVING PARTY. + +Four hungry-looking animals +All seated in a row; +Why does not some one speak to them? +That's what I want to know. + +They all of them were bidden to +A fine Thanksgiving feast, +And now, it seems to me, their host +Might welcome them, at least. + +'Twas Master Pug invited them, +Why does he not appear? +'Tis plain they think his absence looks +Extremely rude and queer. + +Alas! poor Pug's in trouble sore, +The host he cannot play; +No feast for self or friends has he +On this Thanksgiving Day. + +He saw a turkey, large and fat, +Upon the kitchen shelf. +"That's just the very thing I want," +Said he unto himself. + +He caught the turkey, but the cook +Caught him with firmer grasp, +And shook him till he could not bark +But only choke and gasp. + +Meanwhile, those hungry animals, +Who'd waited there in vain, +Declared they never would be guest +Of Mr. Pug again. + + + +GUY AND THE BEE + +One day a jolly bumble-bee, +In coat of black and yellow, +Got caught inside a window-pane; +The silly little fellow. + +He buzzed and buzzed against the glass, +To Guy's great enjoyment, +Who thought to watch this funny thing +Was just the best employment. + +But soon to touch those gauzy wings, +Became Guy's great desire, +Although mama had told him that +A bee could sting like fire. + +But Guy, silly as the bee, +Paid no heed to mama, +He touched the bee, then gave a howl +Which could be heard afar. + +Mama a soothing poultice mixed, +And on his finger laid. +"Another time you'll be more wise," +Was everything she said. + + + +A MEAN BOY. + +Harry Burton woke one night and heard a strange noise in his +closet. He got out of bed, crossed the floor in his bare feet, +and carefully opened the closet door. The noise stopped, +instantly. + +"Ah!" said Harry, "I knew it was mice made that noise. How I wish +I could catch them." + +The next morning he told his mother about the noises he had +heard. + +"I will get you a mouse-trap," she said. + +"I don't want the kind that kills the mice, I only want to catch +them and tame them," said Harry. + +His mother laughed and told him when he had tamed his mice he +must keep them well out of her way. + +The trap was set, the mice were caught, and sure enough, in a +short time were so tame they would eat from Harry's hand. He made +a little house for them, and kept in it his bedroom. Whenever he +went out, he always shut the door carefully. + +Now it happened that among Harry's acquaintances, there was one +very disagreeable boy. His name was Dick Taft. Harry did not play +with him very often, for he was so ugly it was hard to get along +with him. + +Dick never liked to be beaten at any game, and sometimes made it +very uncomfortable for the one who got ahead of him. + +One day Harry happened to beat him at one of their school games. +Dick called after him when it was over, "I'll pay you for this, +see if I don't." + +Harry only laughed as he walked away going in the opposite +direction from his own house. + +When he was out of sight, Dick ran to Harry's house, made some +excuse to go up in his bedroom, and let in the big cat, who was +eagerly watching outside. + +When Harry came home, the mouse house was open, and not one of +his pets was to be seen. The poor fellow was almost heart-broken. +He asked every one in the house who had left his door open. The +maid told him she thought it must have been that boy he sent up +to his room. + +She described the boy, and Harry knew in a moment that it was +Dick Taft. + +"So that is the way he paid me for beating him at a game," cried +Harry. "Well, never again, so long as I live, will I play with a +boy who is mean enough to do such a trick as that." + +And he kept his word. + + + +A NAUGHTY PUMPKIN'S FATE. + +A queer little pumpkin, a jolly fat fellow, +Stood close to his mother so rotund and yellow. +"What a stupid old place! how I long to aspire," +Cried he, "I was destined for something much higher." + +"My son," said the mother, "pray do be content, +There's great satisfaction in life that's well spent!" +But he shrugged up his shoulders, this pumpkin, 't is true, +And acted just like some bad children will do. + +With a shout and a whoop, in the garden they ran, +Tom and Ned, for they'd thought of the loveliest plan +To astonish their friends from the city, you see, +With a fine Jack-o'-lantern--"Ah, this one suits me!" + +Neddie seized the bad pumpkin, and dug out his brains, +Till he felt so light-headed and brimful of pains; +Then two eyes, a long nose, and a mouth big and wide, +They cut in a minute, and laid him aside + +Until night, when they hung him upon a stout limb, +With a candle inside; how his poor head did swim, +As they twisted him this way, then twirled him round that, +Till at last, with a crash, he fell on the ground flat, + +A wreck of the once jolly, fat little fellow, +Who stood by his mother so rotund and yellow. +Just then a lean cow, who was passing that way, +Ate him up, just to finish HER "Thanksgiving Day." + + + +SOMETHING ABOUT FIRES. + +It was a cold day. Fred was tired of reading, tired of looking +out of the window, and so he poked the fire for a change. + +"I suppose there are a good many different sorts of fires," he +said to his mamma, as he laid down the poker. + +"Yes, indeed," she answered. "It is very interesting to know how +people keep warm in all parts of the world, especially where fuel +is scarce and dear. In Iceland, for example, fires are often made +of fish-bones! Think of that. In Holland and other countries a +kind of turf called peat is dug up in great quantities and used +for fuel. And in France a coarse yellow and brown sea-weed, which +is found in Finistere, is carefully dried and piled up for winter +use. A false log, resembling wood, but made of some composition +which does not consume, is often used in that country. It absorbs +and throws out the heat, and adds to the looks of the hearth and +to the comfort of the room. + +"The French have also a movable stove, which can be wheeled from +room to room, or even carried up or down stairs while full of +burning coke. In Russia the poorer people use a large porcelain +stove, flat on top like a great table, with a small fire inside +which gives out a gentle, summer-like warmth. It often serves +as a bed for the whole family, who sleep on top of it. + +"There are, besides gas-stoves, oil-stoves, various methods of +obtaining warmth by heated air and steam, and, doubtless, other +devices that I never heard of. + +"In some countries, however, no fires are needed. In looking at +pictures of tropical towns you will at once notice the absence of +chimneys." + +Fred looked admiringly at his mamma as she paused. + +"There never was such a little mother," he said; "you can think +of something to say about everything." + +His mamma was pleased at this pleasant compliment. + +"Oh!" she replied, laughing, "I could go on and tell you more +about bonfires, beacon-fires, signals, drift-wood fires, and +gypsy-tea fires; but I have told you enough for to-day." + + + +THE ICE-KING'S REIGN. + +The sun had gone down with promises sweet, +When, keen from the north, the wind +Came blustering along on its coursers fleet, +And left frozen tracks behind. + +Maude stood at the window; the moon shimmered down +On whirling leaves, stiff and dead, +All piteously driven; she turned with a frown, +And soft to herself she said:-- + +"The old tyrant Winter leaves nothing to prize, +Leaves nothing that's bright or fair; +He has stolen the blue from the bending skies, +The warmth from the earth and air. + +"The summer's dear blossoms are withered and dead; +My garden is brown and bare; +The chipper of birds in the nest overhead +Is hushed, for no birdlings are here. + +"The woodlands no longer are shady and sweet, +Dry leafage encumbers the ground; +The pathways, once verdant and soft to my feet, +In fetters of ice are bound. + +"The pride of the barn-yard sits humped with the cold, +One frozen foot under his wing; +And the sheep huddle closely, for warmth, in their fold; +The ice tyrant reigns as king." + +She turns from this picture of ruin and death, +And seeks the broad casement again; +And, lo! from the dews of her wasted breath +Great forests have grown on the pane. + +Such beautiful trees! such ferns! and such flowers! +Such rivers and mountains bold! +Such charming cascades! she gazes for hours, +And worships the ice king cold. + + + +MALMO, THE WOUNDED RAT. + +A poor man saw, by the roadside, a large white rat. It seemed +to be dead. Moving it gently he found it was alive, but had a +broken leg. He took it up and carried it to his lonely home. He +bound up the bruised leg, fed the poor creature, and soon it was +quite well. + +Sam Tills trained the rat to gentle ways, and taught it many +little tricks. Malmo was the only company Sam had. He worked +in a cotton mill, and took Malmo with him. He rode in his +master's coat-pocket. It looked droll to see his white head +peeping out. + +Sundays both went to dine with Sam's sister. Malmo's funny +ways made everybody laugh. When Sam said, "Malmo, go sit in +my hat," he went at once. He curled himself up in it, and nodded +off to sleep. + +When his master said, "Malmo, we're going now; slip in," the +droll pet jumped from the hat, ran up to his pocket-nest, said +good-by in his own fashion, and was ready to start. Evenings, +when Sam was reading or singing from his mother's hymn-book, +Malmo had a nap on his master's head. When it was time to go +to bed Sam stroked Malmo's soft fur. The rat rubbed himself +against his master's hand. It was their good-night to each other. +Then Malmo crept into his basket, and the candle was blown out. +Soon both were fast asleep. + + + +MAMA'S HAPPY CHRISTMAS. + +It had seemed to the little Wendell children that they would have +a very sad Christmas. Mama had been very ill, and papa had been +so anxious about mama that he could not think of anything else. + +When Christmas Day came, however, mama was so much better that +she could lie on the lounge. The children all brought their +stockings into her room to open them. + +"You children all seem as happy as if you had had your usual +Christmas tree," said mama, as they sat around her. + +"Why, I NEVER had such a happy Christmas before," said sweet +little Agnes. "And it's just because you are well again." + +"Now I think you must all run out for the rest of the day," said +the nurse, "because your mama wants to see you all again this +evening." + +"I wish we could get up something expressly for mama's +amusement," said Agnes, when they had gone into the nursery. + +"How would you like to have some tableaux in here?" asked their +French governess, Miss Marcelle. + +"Oh, yes," they all cried, "it would be fun, mama loves +tableaux." + +So all day long they were busy arranging five tableaux for the +evening. The tableaux were to be in the room which had +folding-doors opening into Mrs. Wendell's sitting-room. + +At the proper time Miss Marcelle stepped outside the +folding-doors and made a pretty little speech. She said that some +young ladies and a young gentleman had asked permission to show +some tableaux to Mrs. Wendell if she would like to see them. Mrs. +Wendell replied that she would be charmed. + +Then mademoiselle announced the tableaux; opening the doors wide +for each one. This is a list of the tableaux: First, The Sleeping +Beauty; second, Little Red Riding Hood third, The Fairy Queen; +fourth, Old Mother Hubbard; fifth, The Lord High Admiral. + +Miss Marcelle had arranged everything so nicely, and Celeste, +the French maid, helped so much with the dressing, that the +pictures all went off without a single mistake. + +Mama was delighted. She said she must kiss those dear young +ladies, and that delightful young man who had given her such a +charming surprise. + +So all the children came in rosy and smiling. + +"Why, didn't you know us?" asked the little Lord Admiral. + +"I know this," said mama, "I am like Agnes. I NEVER had such a +happy Christmas before." + + + +CURED OF CARELESSNESS. + +Mrs. Bertram sat reading a book one morning, or trying to. It was +not easy to do so, for her little boy, Roger, was out in the hall +playing with his drum. Suddenly the drumming ceased, and in a +moment Roger rushed into the room crying as if his heart would +break. + +"I've burst it. I've burst it," he sobbed. + +"Your drum asked his mother. "How did you do that?" + +"I was beating it with the poker and the tongs and--" + +"With the poker and tongs!" exclaimed his mother. "Why, where +were your drum-sticks?" + +Then Roger stopped crying, and hung his head with shame. + +"Where are your drum-sticks?" asked his mother, again. + +"I--I--don't know," sobbed Roger. + +"Have you lost those, too?" said Mrs. Bertram. She needed no +words for answer. Roger's manner was quite enough. "You know, +dear, what I said would happen the next time you lost anything." + +"Yes," said Roger, "I you said I must give away all my toys to +some little boys who would take care of them." + +"Yes," said his mother. "I see you remember. I shall send them +all to-night to the Children's Hospital." + +"But, mama," said Roger, "if I don't have any toys to take care +of, how can I learn to take care of them?" + +Mrs. Bertram had to turn away so that Roger should not see her +smile. + +"I shall have to think of some other way to teach you to be +careful. Now go and bring me all your toys." + +Roger went out of the room to do as his mother said. When he had +gone, Mrs. Bertram sat thinking until he came back. + +"I have decided that I want you to dust the library every +morning." + +Roger looked astonished. "Boys don't dust," he said. + +"Sometimes," said his mother, smilingly. "Your Uncle Fred had to +dust his own room when he was at West Point. Now if you dust the +library every morning for two months faithfully, and do not break +a single ornament, I shall know you have grown careful in one +way, and that may help you to be careful in another." + +The next morning Roger began his work. At first he disliked it +very much, but after a while he grew very particular. It was not +pleasant to be without any toys, and he determined to earn them. + +The day when his trial of two months would be up, would be +Christmas Day. He did not know if his presents this year would be +toys or useful things. All his mother had said about his work +was, "My dear, you are improving." + +Christmas night came, and with it a beautiful tree. Imagine +Roger's delight when he saw on and about it new skates, a new +sled, a new violin and a new drum. + +And up in the highest branches, in letters of gold, these words: +"For the boy who has proved he can be careful when he tries." + + + +A VISIT FROM A PRINCE. + +Harry was playing with his letter blocks one afternoon, when a +prince came to visit him. + +Harry knew the prince very well, indeed. As soon as the prince +came into the room Harry said: + +"Hullo, old fellow, is that you?" + +Was not that a very strange way to greet a prince? + +And wasn't it stranger yet for Harry to say next: + +@"Come, sit up, old boy, and give us your--" + +Was it hand Harry was going to say? No, indeed, it was paw. "Sit +up, old boy, and give us your paw." + +Prince was a beautiful dog, as black as a coal. Indeed, his real +name, his whole name, was Edward, the Black Prince. Now you must +ask somebody to tell you about the man who was called the "Black +Prince," the man for whom Harry's dog was named. + +When Harry asked Prince to give his paw, the dog did not do it as +quickly as he ought to have done. + +Did Harry beat him for that? No, indeed. Did he say, "Never mind, +Prince, you need not obey me if you do not want to?" No, indeed, +again. + +He sat up himself, and then he made Prince sit up on his hind +legs. Then he ordered Prince to give his paw. Prince did so. Then +Harry made him do it again, then again and again and again, until +the dog seemed to understand that he must learn to obey when he +was spoken to. + +After Prince appeared to have learned that lesson quite +perfectly, Harry taught him something new. + +He taught him to stand on his hind legs and hold a pipe in his +mouth. + +This he soon did so well that Harry clapped his hands and cried, +"Good, good, you smoke as well as his royal highness, the Black +Prince, himself." + +Which remark showed that Harry had not yet begun to study +history. If he had, he would have known that in the country where +the Black Prince lived, tobacco was never heard of until many, +many, MANY years after his death. + + + +STRINGING CRANBERRIES. + +Arthur Bancroft was feeling very cross one morning in December. +He had a bad cold, and his mother did not think it would be wise +for him to go out-of-doors. That was why he was cross. The +skating was finer than it had been that season; every other boy +he knew was enjoying it. + +He walked about the house with a very sulky face; would take no +notice of books or games, and seemed determined to be miserable. + +He was standing looking out of the window when his sister Laura +came into the room. Laura carried in her hand a basket filled +with cranberries. + +She put the basket on the table, took a needle from her mother's +needle book, threaded it with a long, stout thread, and began +stringing the berries. + +Laura was a dear little thing! She was always busy. No one ever +heard her say, "I wish I had something to do." And she was +generally doing something for some one else. + +She made a sweet little picture as she sat bending over the +basket of crimson cranberries. Some such idea may have come into +Arthur's mind as he turned and looked at her. As he watched her +silently for some moments, the cross expression on his face +became a little less cross. + +"What are you doing?" he asked. + +"Stringing cranberries for the Mullins' Christmas tree," answered +Laura. "Don't you want to help me?" + +"It's girls' work," replied Arthur. + +"Isn't a boy smart enouhg to do a girl's work?" asked Laura. + +"Of course, he's SMART enough. I don't mean that! Perhaps he +doesn't want to." + +"Oh," said Laura, "I wish you did want to." + +"Why?" asked Arthur. + +"I promised to string all these for the Mullins' Christmas tree" +replied Laura. "The market-man brought them so late, I have not +much time now." + +"Thread another needle," said Arthur. + +In a few moments he was working as busily as Laura, herself. +As Arthur finished his last long string, he tied the ends +together and threw it around Laura's neck. When she bent her head +a little, it reached the floor. + +"There," said he, "that proves that a boy can do a girl's work." + +"Yes," said Laura, "when"--then she stopped and smiled. + +"When what?" asked Arthur. + +"When he has a girl to show him how," laughed Laura, as she +danced out of the room with the cranberry strings. + + + +CHRISTMAS IN CALIFORNIA. + +"To think that this is Christmas Day!" +Said Harold to his aunt, +"I know it really is, and yet, +Believe it--well, I can't! +I've had a tree, my stocking, too, +This morning full I found, +But how can I believe it +With no snow upon the ground? + +Look at the sea so bright and blue, +And feel the soft, warm air, +And there are roses all in bloom, +And lilies, I declare! +I think that California +Is lovely, but it's queer, +How different Christmas is at home +From what it is out here." + +"Ah, Harold!" gently said his aunt, +"No matter where you go, +In country strewn with flowers like this, +Or clad in ice and snow, +The birthday of the Christ-child is +The same in every place, +And happy greetings in His name, +Bring smiles to every face." + + + +A TROUBLESOME CALL. + +We were going, on Saturday, ever so far,-- +My mamma and I,--to the Dollies' Bazaar, +Where fifty wax dollies,--the loveliest show, +Went walking about when they wound 'em, you know. + +You wouldn't believe half the things they could do: +Why, one said "Good morning," as plainly as you. +One played the piano, and one, dressed in lace, +Walked up to a mirror and powdered her face. + +Well, when we were ready we stepped in the hall, +And there was a lady a-coming to call. +She said she just chanced to be passing that way, +And she really had only a minute to stay. + +We waited and waited, and hoped she would go, +Till I saw it was almost the time for the show, +For I heard the clocks striking all over the town, +And I knew that the dollies would all be run down. + +And so I just said, "I should s'pose, Mrs. Black, +Your little girl wonders why don't you come back." +That's all that I spoke, every 'dentical word; +But she said, "Little girls should be seen and not heard." + +I guess that's a proverb, so maybe 'tis true; +But, if people won't see, what can little girls do? +My mamma looked queer, but that ended the call, +And we went to the Dollies' Bazaar, after all. + + + +BERTIE'S CORN-POPPER + +Bertie had the desire of his heart,--a corn-popper! He had wanted +it for a long time,--three weeks, at least. Mamma brought it when +she came home from the city, and gave it to him for his very own. +A bushel of corn, ready popped, would not have been half so good. +There was all the delight of popping in store for the long winter +evenings. + +Bertie could hardly wait to eat his supper before he tried his +corn-popper. It proved to be a very good one. He popped corn that +evening, and the next, and the next. He fed all the family, gave +some to all his playmates, and carried a bag of pop-corn to +school for his teacher. + +Trip, the shaggy, little, yellow dog, came in for a share, and +Mintie too. Who or what was Mintie? + +Mintie was a bantam biddy, very small, white as snow, and very +pretty. She had been left an orphan chick, and for a while kept +in the house, near the kitchen fire. She had been Bertie's +especial charge, and he fed and tended her faithfully. + +As she grew older she would rove about with the larger hens, but +was very tame, and always liked the house. She would come in very +often. When Bertie happened to pop corn in the daytime she was +pretty apt to be around, and pick up the kernels he threw to her. + +One night he left his corn-popper on the kitchen table. It was +open, and two or three small kernels were still in it. + +Early next morning, long before Bertie was dressed, Mintie came +into the kitchen. She flew up on the table, and helped herself to +the corn in the popper. The girl was busy getting breakfast, and +did not mind much about her. Presently she went down cellar, and +Mintie had the room to herself. + +When Bertie came down to breakfast there was a white egg in +the corn-popper! It was so small that it looked almost like a +bird's; but it was Mintie's first egg. + +Bertie clapped his hands; he was very much pleased. + +"Mamma! mamma!" he shouted. "See this pretty egg! Mintie put it +into my popper, and must have meant to give it to me." + +And mamma said, "Very likely she did." + + + +FIRE! FIRE!! FIRE!!! + +Where is it? Where is it? Why, it is in the water! Isn't tbat +funny? But you see it isn't a real fire, but only a fire-fish.* +Sweet creature, isn't he? Suppose you were a little, innocent +mermaid, swimming alone for the first time; how would you feel if +you were to meet this fellow darting towards you with his great +red mouth open? Why, you would scream with fright, and swim to +your mother as fast as you could, and catch hold of her tail for +protection. At least, that is what I should do if I were a +mermaid. But Mrs. Mermaid won't tell you that the fire-fish will +not hurt you unless you hurt him first, in which case he will +prick you dreadfully with his long, sharp spines. + +*Project Gutenberg ed. note: The picture is of a fish also known +as a scorpionfish. + + +I never see his picture without thinking of a red Indian in his +warpaint and feathers. Perhaps--who knows?-perhaps when Indians +are greedy, and eat too much fish, they may turn into fire-fish, +and have to swim about forever under water, and never see a green +forest again. If you are an Indian I advise you to be careful, my +dear. + +Nobody knows why this fish has such enormous, wing-like fins. +Wise men used to think that he could raise himself out of the +water with them, like the flying-fish; but it is now proved that +he cannot, and there seems to be no reason why a set of plain, +small fins would not serve him just as well for swimming. He +prefers warm water to cold; so he lives in the tropical seas, +swimming about the coasts of India, Africa, and Australia. The +natives of Ceylon call him Gini-maha, and they think he is very +good to eat. They take great care in catching him, for they are +very much afraid of him, thinking that his sharp spines are +poisoned, and can inflict a deadly wound. But in this they are +too hard upon the fellow. He can prick them deeply and painfully, +and he will if they meddle with him; but he is a perfectly +respectable fish, and would not think of such a cowardly thing +as poisoning anybody. + + + +THE DOLLS AND THE OTHER DOLLS. + +"Mamma," little Nellie asked, "is it right to give away things +that have been given to you?" + +Her mamma replied that it might be quite right sometimes; and she +said, "But I should feel sorry if I had made a little friend a +present she did not value, and so was glad to part with it." + +"O mamma!" said Nellie, "you know how I value my dollies, every +one, that my dear aunts and cousins sent me because I was sick. +Now I am well again. To-morrow is New-Year's. Some sick little +girls in the hospital want dollies. Could I, if I knew which one +to choose, keep only one for myself, and send the whole five of +them for those poor children who haven't any?" + +Her mamma liked the plan. She gave Nellie a box, and Nellie began +kissing her babies, and laying them, one after another, in the +box. + +There were two of nearly the same size, that were very dear to +this little mother. She called them twins. They wore white frocks +and blue kid boots. They had real blonde hair and their eyes +would open and shut. + +These lovely twins Nellie held in her arms a long time before she +could decide which to part with. When she did place one in the +box, to be her own no more, a tear was on the doll's cheek. I do +not think the drop came from dolly's eye. + +A few days after the dolls were given Nellie's mamma let her +invite three little girls to play with her. Each girl brought her +Christmas or her New-Year's doll; and the three dolls, with +Nellie's, looked sweetly sitting together in a row. + +By and by Nellie's mamma came to her room, which she had given +to the party for its use that afternoon. She told the children +she would give them a little supper of cakes and pears and +grapes, and it would be ready as soon as Biddy could bring the +ice-cream from down street. + +The smiling child-visitors gathered around the kind lady, saying, +"We thank you, and we love you ever so much." + +Nellie said softly, "Mamma dear, I wouldn't take my dollies back +if I could. I love to think they amuse the sick children. But I +do wish that for just a minute we had as many at this party." + +Her mamma turned to her dressing-case. It stood low enough for +the smallest child to look into the mirror at the back easily. +Moving off the toilet cushions and cologne-bottles, the lady put +the four dolls in front of the looking-glass. Their reflection in +the glass showed four more. + +"Six, seven, eight," cried the girls, delighted. "And all are +twins--four pairs of twins!" + +After supper they made, the twins sit, and stand, and dance, bow +and shake hands, before the looking-glass. So they played till +dusk, when the other little girls' mammas sent to take them home, +after kissing Nellie good-night. + + + +WHY DID MAMMA CHANGE HER MIND? + +Mamma Miller told Fay and Lonnie that they might have a party, +so they tried to get ready for it. But the party was very +different to what they expected. It always happens so about +everything, if we pay no regard to one another's wishes. + +Mrs. Miller said they might invite ten children. + +"You write to five little girls, Fay," said she, "and Lonnie will +write to the five little boys." + +So they went into the library. Lonnie sat down in papa's big +chair, while Fay climbed up on one arm, close beside him, and +they tried to think whom they would like to come to their party. + +"Make out your list first," said Lonnie. Fay did, and her brother +agreed to all the girls. But as soon as Lonnie commenced writing +his names, Fay began to find fault. + +"I don't like boys, anyway," said Fay, "only you, Lonnie. Let's +have all girls at our party." + +"But it won't be my party," said Lonnie, "if you have all girls." + +"I don't care, all those are horrid," pointing to his paper. + +"You say that because you don't like boys." And then he told his +sister that every little fellow whose name he had written was +just as good as gold. And so they were just as good as Lonnie +Miller, and he was one of the best boys that ever lived, so +everybody said. + +"I sha'n't play with him if he comes," Fay kept saying to every +name Lonnie wrote. + +"You can have your party," said Lonnie, getting up out of the +easy-chair and sitting down in a smaller one, "you and your +girls. I'm going to learn some new pieces," taking up his little +silver blower. + +"I don't like boys," Fay kept saying, jumping down off the arm of +the chair, and aiming a blow at the spot where her brother had +sat with the rustic stick their sister Lucia had brought home May +Day. + +Lucia was passing the door just then, so she thought she would +see what all the noise was about. + +"I'd better call you to lunch," said she, and there they were +just through breakfast. + +Mamma herself came hurrying in at sound of the bell. When they +told her about the invitations, she said, "I shall not let you +have any party at all, now." + +"What makes you change your mind?" said Fay. + +"Mamma will give her little girl just one week to find out why +she has changed her mind," said Mrs. Miller. + +And for all Fay's coaxing, she could not be persuaded to stay a +minute longer. + + + +CLARA'S "FUNERAL." + +Clara was the most unfortunate of dollies. She had had the mumps +and whooping cough; and no sooner did she recover from the +scarlet fever than she contracted pneumonia and nearly died. One +morning Blanche was applying hot bandages to relieve bronchitis, +and before night Clara had the small-pox. + +The next day mamma stopped at the nursery door. + +"Good morning, little nurse," she said; "how is poor Clara this +morning?" + +"She's DEADED," said Blanche, with a long face. + +"Dreadful! What did she die of, small-pox? It seems to me that +that was what she was suffering from last evening." + +"No'm'" said Blanche, "'twasn't small-pox. She DID have that +bad; but I think she DIED of measles. The SUNERAL (Blanche could +not say 'funeral') is to be at twelve sharp. Will you come, +mamma?" + +"I'm so sorry, darling, but I must go to lunch with Mrs. Mathews +at one. But Jack will go." + +The "suneral" took place at noon, and Blanche and Daisy, Jack and +old Hector followed poor Clara in Benny's wagon to the grave yard +at the bottom of the orchard. It was rather a jolly "suneral," +for they had "refreshments" under the trees afterward. + +In the afternoon, as mamma, came up the orchard path, she was +surprised to see a doll's foot and leg sticking straight up out +of the ground. + +"Why did you leave her foot out in this way?" asked mamma. + +"Well," said Blanche, "I thought perhaps she could get to Heaven +easier." + + + +THE CHICKADEE-DEE. + +Little darling of the snow, +Careless how the winds may blow, +Happy as a bird can be, +Singing, oh, so cheerily, +Chickadee-dee! Chickadee-dee! + +When the skies are cold and gray, +When he trills his happiest lay, +Through the clouds he seems to see +Hidden things to you and me. +Chickadee-dee! chickadee-dee! + +Very likely little birds +Have their thoughts too deep for word, +But we know, and all agree, +That the world would dreary be +Without birds, dear chickadee! + + + +THE CHILDREN'S PARTY. + +What a merry, merry rout! +See the wee ones dance about! +Dickie's leading off the ball; +There,--he almost had a fall. + +Who's his partner in the whirls, +--Rosiest of all the girls? +But a doll--a DOLL you say; +Dancing in that sprightly way? + +Well I never! Oh, see there, +See--just see those horses tear! +Meg and Madge will sure be thrown. +What a vicious looking roan! + +Not a real live horse you say, +Prancing in that frightful way? +Well, I never! Toys to-day +Surely seem more "real" than "play." + + + +BRAVE TOMASSO. + +There were once two very beautiful cats named Tomasso and Lilia. +It would be very hard indeed to say which was more beautiful than +the other, Tomasso the husband, or Lilia his wife. + +They were about the same size, although, perhaps, Tomasso was a +little the stouter of the two. There could be no question that at +times the expression of his face was decidedly more fierce than +that of his gentle wife. + +The fur of each of them was as white as the driven snow, and as +soft, and fine, and glossy as the most perfect silk gloss. + +Add to these natural charms the fact that they always kept +themselves beautifully clean, and always wore round their necks +cravats made of the richest satin ribbon, and I am sure you will +agree with me in thinking that they were cats of very high +degree. + +Their neighbors considered them extremely proud and haughty. They +never were known to play with any of the cats in their street. To +be with each other was all they asked. Sometimes these neighbors +took a great deal of pains to get a glimpse of Tomasso and Lilia +as, paw in paw, they danced a minuet together. + +Even the most grumpy grimalkin declared it was a beautiful sight. +There was no doubt the young couple was very graceful and their +manners were perfect. Then he said that cats brought up as +Tomasso and his wife had always lived, OUGHT to be amiable and +beautiful. He understood that a jar of Orange County cream was +ordered for them every day. Then he muttered something which +sounded very much as if he thought Tomasso would be not over +courageous in a moment of danger. "Alone, white tail is all very +fine," said he, "but mark my word, at a sudden fright it would +turn into a white feather. I should pity his wife if she had no +one but him to protect her." + +Now it happened that that very afternoon Tomasso's courage was +put to the test. As he and Lilia were taking a quiet walk, +suddenly a huge dog rushed out at them. In an instant Tomasso +placed himself across Lilia's trembling body. She had fallen to +the ground in terror. The great dog made a jump at Tomasso, but +was met with such a snarl, and then such a blow from a set of +sharp claws that he ran away howling. + +That night the news of Tomasso's bravery spread through the whole +neighborhood. But he was very quiet and modest. His proud wife +was much disturbed at a bad scratch Tomasso had received in the +struggle. They both examined it carefully with the aid of a +hand-glass. + +"I hope it will not leave a scar," said Lilia, "but if it does it +will only be a proof of the noble courage of my brave Tomasso." + + + +TOMMY FROST SEES A BEAR. + +Tommy Frost was making his first visit in the country. He was +enjoying it very much. He liked to ramble about in the woods +close by the house of his aunt, Mrs. Drew. Tommy had never even +seen any birds before this, but pigeons and sparrows. That is, +any birds out of cages. He had lived all his short life in the +centre of a great city. He wanted very much to see a wild animal. +He had heard Mr. Drew and some of his friends talking about "bear +tracks" in the woods. Mr. Drew said they must go off some day and +hunt for that bear. + +Now Tommy had no idea what a bear was like. He wished very much +that he might see one. Every day he said to himself, "If I could +only find the one the big men were talking about I'd feel proud." +One day as he was strolling about, he suddenly saw something +moving in one of the trees. He stopped, and looked up excitedly, +then he rushed for the house screaming at the top of his voice, +"Aunt Maria! Aunt Maria! come quick, I've seen it, it's in the +woods." + +"What is in the woods?" asked Mrs. Drew. + +"The bear!" cried Tommy. + +"The bear?" repeated Mrs. Drew, hardly understanding. + +Then she drew a long breath and turned very white as she stood a +moment shielding her eyes from the sun, looking in the direction +in which Tommy pointed. Then she ran back into the house, and +came out in a moment, bringing with her a huge horn. It was a +megaphone. She was trembling so she could scarcely lift it, but +she managed to raise it to her mouth and call through it. "John! +Murray! come! come this instant! The bear is in the woods back of +the house." + +In a few moments her husband and brother came running from the +field where they were at work. + +They stopped for no questions, but rushed into the house for +their guns. But as they came out Mr. Drew asked, "Who saw it? +When, where?" + +"I did, said Tommy, not a bit frightened, but feeling very +excited and proud. "I did, back there in a tree." + +"In a tree?" cried Mrs. Drew's brother, stopping in his quick run +for the woods. + +"Yes," said Tommy, "it was a bear, but it looked,--it LOOKED just +like my picture of a wiggle-tail." + +"Oh," cried Mrs. Drew, as she sank on the door-step, "the child +has seen a gray squirrel!" + + + +MYSELF. + +One little head so smooth and round, +With soft hair covered, golden or brown, +One little forehead smooth and white, +Two little eye-brows dark or light. +Two little eyes that we see through. +See us looking, now, at you? +Two little cheeks so plump and round, +Where the red rose of health is found. +Two little ears where sound comes in; +One little nose and mouth and chin. +Rows of little teeth all in white; +Ready for use when lunch is in sight. +One little tongue kind words to say-- +Bright little smiles which round them play. +One little head where all are seen. +One little neck which stands between +Head and shoulders to hold them fast. +Now are we ready to find, at last, +One little body with arms and hands +Two legs and two feet on which it stands. + + + +TWO STRANGE SIGHTS. + +"Oh come into the dining-room!" +Cries Fred, "come, grandma, dear. +For something very strange indeed +Is going on in here!" +And sure enough, when grandma comes, +Perhaps at first with fright, +She stands quite still, astonished at +An unexpected sight. + +For there upon the woollen rug, +A jug between her feet, +Sits Freddy's little sister Bess +Absorbed in pleasures sweet. +Her finger in the syrup now +Behold she slyly dips, +And carries it with great delight +To her own rosy lips. + +"You little witch!" cries grandmama, +"You're like the naughty rat +I found within the cellar once, +Who on a barrel sat, +Filled with molasses, which he reached +By dipping in the hole +His great long tail from which he licked +The sweets he thus had stole. + +"The rat was shot, but grandma's babe, +Well, till she's learned to know +Such tricks are wrong, why we of course +Must naught but patience show." +Then grandma took her little pet, +And washed her sticky face, +Then put that tempting syrup-jug +Up in a safer place. + + + +A CAT'S INSTINCTS. + +"Take that! and that! and that!" These words came from an angry +little girl. She was leaning over a big gray puss which she was +holding down with one hand, while with the other she struck him a +sharp blow every time she said "THAT." + +It is a wonder puss did not bite her, for he was so strong he +could have done so. He was a very gentle cat. "Gentle?" I hear +some one ask. Then why did he deserve such a whipping as the +little girl was giving him? + +That is a question we must try to have answered. For my part I do +not believe he deserved it at all. Let us see what happened next. +Just as the little girl struck the last blow her Aunt Margaret +came into the room. Aunt Margaret stopped in the doorway, +astonished. + +"Why Flora," she said, as puss darted out of the room, "what are +you beating Griffin for?" + +"What do you think he was doing?" cried Flora, her cheeks still +flushed with anger. "He was on the table just ready to spring at +this beautiful bird in my new hat. If I had not come he would +have torn it to pieces." + +"But he knew no better, said Aunt Margaret, "it is perfectly +natural for a cat to spring at a bird. Yes, and for him to kill +it too, if he has not been trained to do otherwise." + +"But it would have made me feel dreadfully to have this beautiful +bird torn to bits. I really love it. Besides, it was killed long +ago." + +"Yes," said Aunt Margaret, "killed that you might wear it on a +hat." + +There was something in Aunt Margaret's voice which made Flora +and the little girls who were visiting her stand very still and +look up. + +"You say," continued Aunt Margaret very gently, "you say you love +your beautiful bird. That you would feel dreadfully if it were +torn to bits. How do you think its bird-mother felt when it was +torn from her nest, and she never saw it again?" + +"Oh," said Flora, "I never thought of that before. I'm afraid,-- +I'm afraid I'm more to blame than the cat." + + + +DINAH'S NEW YEAR'S PRESENT. + +Dinah Morris is a colored girl. She lives in the South. By South +we mean in the southern part of the United States. + +Dinah is one of the most good-natured children that ever lived, +but she is very, very lazy. There is nothing she likes, or used +to like, so much as to curl up in some warm corner in the sun and +do nothing. + +Dinah's mother wished very much that her child should learn to +read, but the lady who tried to teach her soon gave it up. "It is +no use," she said, "Dinah will not learn. She is not a stupid +child, but she is too lazy for anything." + +It happened, soon after this, that a young man from Massachusetts +came to the house where Dinah lived. He brought with him +something no one else in the neighborhood had ever seen before--a +pair of roller-skates. + +When Dinah saw the young man going rapidly up and down the piazza +on his skates she was so astonished she hardly knew what to +think. She ran after him like a cat, her black eyes shining as +they had never shone before. + +One day the young man allowed her to try on the skates. The child +was too happy for words. Of course she fell down, and sprawled +about the floor, but did not mind at all. + +"Look here, Dinah," said the young man, "I understand that my +aunt has been trying to teach you to read." + +Dinah answered that she certainly had. + +"Why didn't you learn?" asked the young man. "You need not +trouble to answer," said he, "it was just because you are too +lazy. Now, if, on the first of January, you can read, I tell you +what I will do. I will send you as good a pair of roller-skates +as I can buy in Boston." + +How Dinah's eyes snapped. For a moment she said nothing, then +exclaimed decidedly, "I'll have those skates, sure." + +And she did. When she bent her mind on her work she could always +do it well, no matter what it was. + +The lady who had before this found her such a difficult child to +teach, now had no trouble. If Dinah showed the least sign of her +former laziness the word SKATES! was enough to make her bend her +mind on her lesson instantly. + +On New Year's morning she received a box marked in large printed +letters: + +MISS DINAH MORRIS, +Care of Mrs. Lawrence Delaney, +NEW ORLEANS, LA. + +If she can read what is on the outside of +this box she can have what is inside. + +And as Dinah read every word plainly and quickly, of course she +had for her very own the fine roller-skates the box held. And now +sitting curled up in the sun, doing nothing, is not the thing she +likes to do best. + + + +NIGHT FLOWERS. + +There are some flowers that never see the sun. One of the most +curious is the "evening primrose." About six o'clock it suddenly +bursts open, with a popping sound, and at six next morning +closes. + +If you watch that pretty flower, and listen, you can hear +this strange performance. + +This is why it does so. The little calyx holds the petals in such +a way that the moment it turns back they are let loose. At +once it bursts out into full flower, with this funny noise, like +a pop-gun. + +So the "night-blooming cereus" blossom in the night, only for an +hour, giving out its sweet fragrance, and then dies. Just think +of never seeing the sun at all! + +In a far Eastern country there is a kind of jasmine called the +"sorrowful tree." It droops as if sick in the daytime, and at +night grows fresh and bright. It opens its lovely flowers with a +very pleasant odor till morning, and then wilts and looks +wretched again. + + + +THE FIRST SNOW-STORM. + +Away off on a warm sunny island, little Harry Hall was born. +Flowers bloomed all the year round. The sun shone most of +the time, although now and then there were thunder-showers. + +Many wonderful plants grew wild, while on the shore shells +and seaweed and queer little fishes were often to be found. + +When Harry was six years old his parents took a journey to +New York. + +It seemed very odd to the little boy to live in a place where +there were so many people, and such great houses. After a while +the weather grew cold, and he had to wear thick woollen clothing. +The house in which they lived was heated by a furnace; but one +day they had a fire of logs on the hearth. Harry enjoyed it very +much, and thought the bright blaze so pretty. + +The sky was gray and cloudy one afternoon, and Harry had +been standing by the window watching the street cars. Suddenly +the air grew thick, and he could scarcely see the houses +opposite. Something white and feathery fell slowly down and +rested on the window ledge. Then it disappeared. But more and +more of the little flakes came, until there was quite a ridge +outside of the window. + +Harry opened the sash gently, fearing it might fly away. He +was surprised when he touched it to find it so cold. He took +some up in his hand, but in a moment it was only a drop of water. + +By that time the street and the men's hats and coats were +quite white. Harry was puzzled to find a name for the beautiful +white substance, so he ran to his mamma and asked her about it. + +She told him it was snow, and because the air was so warm +on the beautiful island where he was born they never had any. + +The next morning he saw the little children of the neighborhood +playing in it; but before noon the sun was so bright and +warm the snow had all melted away. + +When the second snow-storm came Harry's papa brought home a +beautiful sleigh, and gave his little boy great pleasure by +drawing him up and down the street. + +Harry soon learned to go out by himself, and made many friends; +especially of the little girls, as he was very generous with his +sleigh. + +But he has never forgotten his surprise when he saw the first +snow-storm. + + + +FRED'S STOLEN RIDE. + +One day little Fred's motber, who bad been sick a long time, told +him she was going out with a friend to take a drive. Fred wanted +to go, too, but his mother said there would not be room in the +buggy. Fred felt very cross and unhappy, and sat down on the +front steps, ready to cry as soon as he should see his mother go +away. + +A buggy came to the gate, and the gentleman who was driving went +into the house. Fred ran out and climbed into the buggy to sit +there until his mother came out. + +In looking around he saw there was a wide space under the seat, +in which a boy might hide. He crawled in, thinking he would take +a ride, and his mother would not know it. + +He waited a long time, but no one came, and at last he grew tired +and fell asleep. + +He was waked by feeling a big jolt, as a wheel of the buggy +struck a stone; but he kept still. After what seemed to him a +long time the buggy stopped and he heard some one taking the +horse from the shafts. He waited until all was quiet, and then +crawled out from his hiding-place. + +He found it was almost dark, and everything about him was +strange. He was very much frightened, but he jumped down and went +to a farm-house close by. A woman he had never seen before came +to the door. When he told her where he lived she said he was +fifteen miles from home, and he found that he had taken his +stolen ride in the buggy of a man who had called to see his +father on business. + +It was too late for Fred to go home that night, and he had to +stay at the farmer's house until the next day. Then he was taken +home, and I am very sure he never tried to steal another ride. + + + +A VALENTINE PARTY. + +The children had a valentine party, the very nicest party,--they +all declared, that they had ever been to in their lives. All the +cousins in the neighborhood--and there were a lot of them--were +there. + +What fun they had opening their valentines, which a "really" +postman brought with his gray uniform and his whistle and his +great leather pack. + +"Dear me," he said, pretending to groan, as he handed the +missives, "if you had a party every day here I think I should +be completey worn out!" But his eyes twinkled merrily. + +Such shouts and exclamations as the valentines were opened and +read! And such fun looking at everybody else's. Here are two, +Bessie's and Fred's:-- + +I'm for the boy +Who can stand on his head, +And who NEVER likes +To go to bed. +If there's more than one of them,-- +I'm for FRED! + +I bring a kiss +From far away; +It's travelled many +Miles to-day. + +Take it, my dear, +And send one back +To your old, loving +Uncle Jack. + +Don't you think that the children OUGHT to have had a good time +if all received as dear little valentines as these? + + + +THE VENTURESOME RAT. + +He was a fine young rat and lived with his father and mother, +and brothers and sisters in a farm-cellar. + +Now this young rat was not of a very quiet disposition. In fact +he was quite gay, and thought the life in the farm-cellar was +very dull and stupid and longed to see more of the world. + +He sat near his father and mother one day when they were +entertaining a caller, a stranger who seemed to have travelled +all over the world, and told in a very interesting manner of the +many wonderful things he had seen. "Why," said the caller, "how +you can be contented to live as you do I cannot imagine, and to +bring up your children in such ignorance fills me with surprise. +They would learn more in one night prowling through the big house +to which this farm belongs than they will learn here for the rest +of their lives." + +After this caller had taken his leave, the young rat decided that +he would venture forth himself. He would that very night visit +the big house and see what was to be seen there. He pretended to +cuddle down on his own bed, and go sound asleep. He was really +watching his parents out of the corners of his wicked eyes, and +as soon as they were sound asleep, off he started. He found his +way to the house much more easily than he had expected; in short, +almost before he could believe it, he was in a fine great pantry. +A pantry whose shelves were covered with such good things to eat +as he had never seen. Rich cake, pies, cookies, and cheese such +as he had heard the caller describe. The first nibble fairly +melted in his mouth. + +After he had eaten his fill he began looking about the pantry for +other means of amusement. Suddenly he saw a curious thing; it +seemed to be a little house or hut made of wire. Inside the hut +was a piece of cheese. "I really think I have eaten enough," said +the young rat, "but if that cheese is so fine that it is kept in +a house by itself it must be very fine indeed." With these words +he- crawled into the hole in the side of the hut and ate the +cheese, but when, later, he tried to get out he could not to save +his life. + +Hours and hours he remained there until the night passed, and the +day came. Indeed he had fallen into a little nap when he was +awakened by a loud cry. Some one was shouting, "we've caught the +rascal at last, now we'll drown him." + +The poor little fellow knew they were wrong; he could not be the +rascal they meant, for this was the first time he had ever been +in the house. At that moment a boy's voice was heard to say. "Let +me see him. No, you shall not drown him. I will tame him if I +can." + +And so it came about that the young rat did see a good deal of +the world, but how? THROUGH THE BARS OF A CAGE. + + + +THE BEARS' FEAST. + +A man had come to town with two tame bears. They were very clever +bears, and could climb posts and trees, dance and turn summersets +and do a great many other tricks besides. + +One day the man was taken ill and had to stay in the house all +day. He thought the bears were locked up in the barn. But the +bears decided they would go for a walk by themselves. They +managed to get away without being seen and started in the +direction of the schoolhouse. + +The children were at recess when they suddenly saw the bears. +They were frightened and ran screaming into the school-house. + +The bears were very tame and kind and wanted to make friends with +the children, so they followed them. + +The children jumped on the desks screaming and crying and the +teachers were frightened too. + +When the bears saw that they could not make friends or play they +began quietly walking about the school-room. + +Finally they came to the dressing-room where all the dinner-pails +and baskets were hanging. + +Smelling the food, they managed to knock some of the baskets down +and then such a feast as they had! + +They sat on their haunches and ate sandwiches and fruit and +drank milk out of the bottles just as the children would do. +When they had eaten enough they quietly left the school-house and +trotted down the road toward home. + +After the bears were gone the children became calm again and +returned to their lessons. + +The man and the bears disappeared the next day and were never +seen again. + + + +PATTY-SAYINGS. + +"I've been reading Bible stories," +Patty said, "and I believe +That Adam's name MEANT "Morning,' +Because his wife was 'Eve.'" + + + +BABIE'S CURLS. + +Little Bessie Boothby +Had a little sister Sue: +And a baby brother, +Whom she thought the world of, too. + +Only one thing troubled +These dear little girls; +'Though baby Tom was pretty, +He hadn't any curls. + +They found a box of vaseline +And rubbed it on his head; +But even then no hair would grow: +It made his head quite red. + +Bessie once was brushing +Dollie's golden hair, +When off it fell, alas! and left +Poor dollie's head quite bare. + +Little Sue was frightened, +But to comfort, Bessie said, +"Susie dear, do listen, +'Tis just like babie's head. + +"Let's put the wig on baby Tom, +And then he'll have some curls; +I would not even be surprised +If he looked just like us girls." + +When Mamma saw her baby boy +With all this growth of hair, +She laughed until she nearly cried, +At the naughty little pair. + + + +THE RED APPLES. + +One windy day in March Kitty Miller was on her way to school, +when she spied in a store window, a great pile of lovely red +apples. + +"Oh", she said, "how lovely! if Mamma could only have one!" + +Kittie's mother was very poor. She had been a dress-maker ever +since Mr. Miller died, and had worked so hard to earn a living +for herself and Kitty that she had become sick. She was obliged +to lie in bed all day, and when Kitty was away at school, the +house was very lonesome to the invalid. + +When Kitty reached the school that day her thoughts were full of +her sick mother and the lovely apples. + +She was usually a good scholar, but to-day she made so many +blunders that the teacher looked at her in surprise. The little +girl could only sit at her desk, with her book before her, and +dream of those red apples. When school was dismissed, Kitty +started slowly homeward. She had gone only a short distance when +she saw a gentleman in front of her drop his purse. Running +quickly forward she picked it up. It felt quite heavy in Kittie's +little hand. + +"There must be a good deal of money in it," thought Kitty. "How +I wish I could keep it. Then I could buy Mamma a red apple and so +many other things she needs." + +But she knew this would not be right, so she hurried after the +gentleman. Touching him on the arm, she said, "Please, Sir, you +dropped your purse." + +"Thank you, dear," said the gentleman taking the purse. + +Then noticing how poorly dressed she was, he said, "Why did you +not keep the purse, my child?" + +"Because that would be stealing," replied Kitty. "But," she +continued honestly, "before I thought I must give it back to +you, I did wish I could keep it, for then I could buy Mamma a +red apple." + +The gentleman smiled kindly and said, "You are a good little +girl to return my purse. I would like to give you a little +present and then you can buy a red apple." + +He handed her a silver dollar and then bade her good-by. + +Kitty was so surprised that she started hastily for home, +forgetting all about the red apples until she stood in front of +the store. + +The store-keeper happened to look out and saw the same little +girl who stood looking so longingly in at his window in the +morning. He quickly picked out the biggest, roundest, reddest +apple he could find and taking it out to Kitty said, "Would you +like this, my dear?" + +She took the apple, looking so pleased and thanking him so +prettily, that the good man thought of it for many a day. When +Kitty reached home with her treasures she found her mother +fast asleep. So she put the apple and silver piece on a plate +where her mother could see them when she awoke. + +When Mrs. Miller was told the wonderful story, she kissed her +little daughter and said, "You see, dear, it always pays to be +honest and truthful." + + + +BUBBLES. + +"Now, Tommie, what will you do while I write letters this +morning?" + +"Blow soap bubbles, Mamma, please," and Tommie jumped up and +down, clapping his hands for pleasure. + +"Well, run and get me your pipe and bowl and I will mix you some +suds." + +The soap-suds were soon ready, and Tommie took his favorite +position on the broad window-sill with the bowl in his lap. + +Mamma, writing in the next room, could hear the Oh's and squeals +of delight, as the bubbles grew larger and rounder. + +"Why is Tommie in all the bubbles?" asked the little boy at last. + +"Because, said Mamma, "the bubbles are like a mirror, and when +my little boy is near enough to look at them, he will be +reflected in them, just the same as when he looks in Mamma's long +mirror." + +"But the mirror doesn't break like the bubbles," said Tommie. +"Where do they go when they break, Mamma?" + +"They evaporate, dear; that is a big word for my little boy. +Spell it after Mamma and then perhaps you will remember. +E-v-a-p-o-r-a-t-e evaporate." + +"What does evaporate mean," asked Tommie bringing out the long +word with a jerk. + +"Do you remember, dear," answered Mamma, "that early in the +morning when the grass is all wet with dew, my little boy cannot +run in it without his rubbers? But before long it is all dry and +then my little boy takes off his rubbers and does not get his +feet wet. The sun and the air absorb or suck up the water and +carry it off to their homes. Now, the bubbles are made of a +little water and a little air. The water is on the end of the +pipe, and Tommie blows the air into the pipe, and the bubble +grows big and round. When it breaks, the air sucks up the water, +which was the outside of the bubble, and the air which was inside +mixes with the air in the room." + +"Now do you suppose you can tell Papa all about it, when he comes +home to dinner?" asked Mamma. + +"Of course I can," said Tommie, proudly. "Haven't you just told +me all about it?" + + + +A HORSE WHO WORE SNOW SHOES. + +Mr. Brown had to go to his camp at Pine Tree Valley, which is in +the midst of the mountains in California. + +His men were cutting down the giant trees, and piling them in +readiness for the Spring freshet, or floods of the river, when +the snows melted. Then they would slide them down the mountain +sides to the little villages below. + +There was a great deal of snow on the mountains, and Mr. Brown +knew it would be hard work climbing to the camp, but Lady Gray +was strong, and used to it. + +Lady Gray was Mr. Brown's pet horse, and carried him everywhere. +She was always happy when her master was in the saddle. + +But to-day the snow was very deep and soon Mr. Brown had to get +off, throw away the saddle, and lead her. They had to stop very +often, and lean against the trees and rocks for support, while +they rested and regained their breath. + +In places the snow was so deep and soft, that they sank above +their knees. Late in the afternoon they reached the camp nearly +exhausted, and it was several days before they were able to +return. + +The snow was still deep and Mr. Brown knew he must go back on +snow-shoes, but he was afraid Lady Gray would have to be left +behind. + +Finally one of the men suggested making her some snow-shoes. +They cut four round pieces of board, twelve inches across, and +fastened them on with rope. Lady Gray seemed to understand what +they were for and tried very hard to walk in them. + +She was very awkward at first and could hardly stand up, but by +practicing a little every day she was soon able to manage nicely. + +So Mr. Brown and Lady Gray both returned on snow-shoes, and how +every one did laugh when they saw them. + +But Lady Gray never could have done it if she had not tried. + + + +THE ANGRY BOBOLINK. + +Pretty little bobolink +In your satin coat, +Trimmed with white across the neck +Black about the throat, +Why so angry do you seem? +Why so fierce your mien? +That you're scolding somebody +Plainly can be seen. + +"Don't you know," says bobolink, +As he shakes his head, +That my nest is hidden in +This soft grassy bed? +Somebody has come too near, +And I wish to say +There is no admittance here +Pass the other way. + +"If my gentle little wife +Sits so calm above, +It's because she knows I'll guard +This dear nest we love." +Fear not, pretty bobolink, +Sing your joyous song, +Never will I trouble you, +Sing, the whole day long. + + + +HOW HIRAM SPENT HIS SHRIMP MONEY. + +"I wish my mother had a ring like those the ladies wear at the +hotel," said Hiram Green to himself one day. "There isn't one of +those ladies as pretty as my mother; she ought to wear rings +too." + +Hiram was the son of a fisherman, but the fisherman had died when +Hiram was a little boy. Hiram's mother took in sewing and fancy +work to earn money to support herself and her son. He helped her +what he could out of school hours, and in vacation. He had two +uncles who wad taught him how to catch shrimps. With the money he +earned by selling them he could buy things for his own use or +pleasure. He had a bank almost full of what he called his +"shrimp-money." He did not mean to count his money until the bank +was full. + +Now Hiram loved his mother more than anything else in the world. +Whenever he dreamed of being rich some time, as boys often do, it +was not for himself he wanted the money, but that his dear little +mother might drive in a carriage, drawn by a pair of horses with +clanking chains. + +The sight of the flashing gems on the hands of some of the summer +visitors at the fishing village in which he lived had added a new +article to the list of beautiful things his mother was some day +to own. He had heard that just one single diamond was sometimes +worth five hundred dollars or more. This had discouraged him very +much. But one day happening to pass a shop in the neighboring +town he saw a number of rings displayed in the window. Diamond +rings which flashed and sparkled, it seemed to him, just as those +worn by the ladies in the hotels. He stopped fascinated, ana +pressed his face against the glass eagerly to see if any prices +were marked upon them. Imagine his surprise when he saw upon the +largest one a tag marked $4.75. He looked again to see if he had +not made a mistake. Perhaps it was $475.00. But no, he knew +enough about figures to see that he was right the first time. + +Home he went as fast as he could get there, and ran up into his +bedroom. Then, for the first time since he had begun to save his +"shrimp-money" he opened his bank and counted its contents. +"Three dollars and twenty-two cents!" he cried, "almost enough. I +was going to buy something for myself this time, but I'll have +that ring before another week." + +Hiram worked early and late for the next few days. He caught more +shrimps than he had ever caught in the same length of time, and +sold them readily. + +"I think there must be something you are wanting, very much, my +boy," said his mother. + +"Yes, there is," replied Hiram. + +At the end of the week he had the sum he desired. Hurrying to the +shop where he had seen the ring, before going inside he gave one +hasty, almost frightened look into the window. Could it be gone! +No, there it was flashing and sparkling as before. + +That evening, he placed it on his mother's finger. She looked at +it in surprise. "It is yours, mother," he cried, proudly, "your +very own, I bought it with my shrimp money. I was determined my +mother should have a ring as handsome as those ladies wear." + +"My dear boy," said his mother, while something as bright as the +shining stone flashed in her eyes, "Not one of those ladies can +value their rings as I shall value mine." + +Years afterwards Hiram learned that what he had bought for a +diamond was only a bit of glass. + +"Did you know it then, mother?" he asked. + +His mother nodded. "And you never told me." + +"It was brighter to me than any real diamond," she said, "the +brightness I saw flash in it was the unselfish love of my boy." + + + +THE ANT'S HOUSE. + +"What a curious picture that is at the head of this story." That +is what I think I hear some of the "Little Ones" say. "What does +it mean?" some one asks. It looks like a procession of ants. That +is just what it is. A procession of ants all marching off to find +a new home. Some one has destroyed their old one. Let us hope no +one did it on purpose. + +The ants are very busy and very nice little creatures. If their +houses are stepped upon, or injured so as to be useless the ants +immediately go to work to repair damages. They do not sit down +and fuss about it first, but I have no doubt they let each other +know what they think. And how do you suppose they do this? By +touching each other with their tiny feelers. + +After they have talked in this way, and decided what is to be +done some of them take the eggs from the ruins and carry them to +a safe place. Look carefully at the pictures, and you will see +that almost every ant is carrying an egg. They know that if they +lose the eggs all the young ants inside the eggs will be lost +too. + +While ants do not seem to have a very keen sense of hearing, +their sense of smell is very strong. And where do you think it +lies ? In the same little feelers with which they talk to each +other. The first ant's house seen in the round picture has been +cut in two to show you how wonderfully these little creatures can +build. + +It was made by the ants that live in tropical countries. The +house at the back of the picture has not been disturbed. Does +it not look as if an architect had planned it? Ask some of the +older people in your family to tell you something more about +ants. There is much more of interest in regard to them than I +have space to write you. + + + +THE FOOLISH PUG. + +A pompous pug once thought that he +A dashing swell would try to be, +And on his neighbors one and all, +Sat out to make a stylish call. + +He wore a glass upon one eye, +And on his head a silk hat high; +A wide, stiff collar around his throat, +And last an English overcoat. + +So fine and splendid was his air +The very birds stood still to stare, +As walking on his two hind feet +He sauntered boldly down the street. + +But oh, alas! it comes to all +To learn that pride must have a fall, +And e'er the corner he had turned +Poor pug that bitter lesson learned. + +A saucy maid with one great whack, +Brought down her broom upon his back, +And as he raised a frightened wail +Another soused him from her pail. + +Poor pug! that night he sat and thought +Of all the trouble he had brought +Upon himself, because that he +A foolish dude had tried to be. + + + +THE SILHOUETTE PARTY + +"Children," said Grandpa, one afternoon, "I am going to build a +bonfire this evening, to burn up this rubbish, so you may have a +silhouette party." + +"Why, what is a silhouette party?" asked Lucy, opening her eyes +very wide. + +"I know," said Ralph, "it is funny black pictures on something +white." + +"That's right," laughed Grandpa. "Now you fly round and write +your friends and Grandma and I will get everything ready." + +When the young people arrived at half past seven, they found a +blazing fire, and in front of it was stretched a sheet between +two large apple trees. + +Quite a distance in front of the sheet were some seats, where +Grandpa told some of the children to sit, while the others took +part in the pictures. + +He then disappeared with them in a tent close by where Grandma +was waiting to dress them in their different costumes. Shouts of +laughter came from the tent as the children put on their odd +dresses; indeed there was so much fun that it took quite some +time. + +When all was ready Grandpa came out and addressing the children +who were waiting said, "These are to be Mother Goose pictures, +which you will all know. You must guess whom they represent +and the one who guesses correctly the largest number will receive +a prize." + +He threw a large pine knot on the fire, which burned up brightly, +and there the children saw a shadow on the sheet, a little bent +figure with a broom over its shoulder. + +"The old woman who swept the cob-webs out of the sky," cried some +one. + +Following this, came a figure with a long cloak and tall peaked +hat, leading a dog. + +"Old Mother Hubbard," guessed another. + +Then came a boy and a girl carrying a pail. + +"Jack and Jill," chorused the children. + +After this a girl with a shepherd's crook. + +"Little Bo-peep," again was guessed. + +"Now," said Grandpa, "it is time the others had their turn at +acting." + +So the exchange being made, the pictures continued. + +"Jack Horner," "Little Miss Muffet," "Old King Cole," and "Mary, +who had a little lamb," followed in quick succeission. + +Then Grandpa announced that the pictures were over. + +"As we cannot decide who has guessed the largest number of +pictures," said he, "I will give you each a prize. And he passed +them each a card. + +It proved to be a picture of Ralph and Lucy cut from black paper +and pasted on a white card. + +"These," said Grandpa, "are silhouette pictures too. Will you +always know what a silhouette picture is now?" + +"Oh yes," said the children. + + + +THE SNOW BIRDS. + +It had snowed very hard. Ralph and Edward, who were visiting +Grandma in the country, had to stay in the house all day. + +When they went to bed it was still snowing, and every time they +woke up during the night, they could hear the wind sighing and +whistling around the house, and through he branches of the old +pine tres. + +But the next morning the sun was shining brightly. Such a +glorious day! How the branches of the pine trees did sparkle. + +"It looks as if they had been sprinkled with gold dust and +diamonds," exclaimed Ralph. + +"Oh Grandma! Please do hurry breakfast. We are going out to +build a fort," cried the boys, bursting into the dining-room. + +Grandma smiled and told them to eat a good breakfast, for +building a fort was hard work. + +They were soon out in the snow, and what a splendid time they +did have. + +The fort did not grow very fast, for they had to stop so often to +snow-ball each other. + +When Grandma called them in to dinner they wondered where the +time had gone since breakfast. + +After dinner, Ralph was looking out of the window, when he spied +two little birds cuddled up on a branch of a pine-tree. + +"Oh, Edward! come here," he called. "See those poor little +birds. They look half frozen and so hungry." + +"Poor little things," replied Edward. "Doesn't it make you feel +mean to think what a jolly time we had this morning out of the +snow which has covered up the places where they get their food?" + +"Let us get some food from Grandma and throw it out to them," +said Ralph. "Perhaps they will find it." + +The little birds were soon chirpping and flying about merrily and +Ralph said it sounded as if they kept saying, "thank you." + +Will not other little children be as kind as Ralph and Edward? + + + +A KIND HEART. + +The day Ethel Brown was seven years old she had a tea party. + +Mrs. Brown had sent tiny cards of invitation to all the little +girls on the street to come and bring their dolls. She also sent +one to Nellie Day, her washer-woman's little girl, at Ethel's +special request. + +"She is a nice little girl," said Ethel, "and doesn't ever go +anywhere like me. May I have her at my party?" + +"That is right, little daughter," said Mrs. Brown. "Always be +kind to those who have less pleasure than yourself. Of course she +may come to your party." + +They all arrived at four o'clock and looked very pretty in their +white dresses and bright ribbons, and the dolls looked nearly as +pretty as the little girls themselves. + +Ethel noticed that Nellie Day did not have a doll with her. "So, +thought she, "I will ask her to pour the tea and then she won't +feel bad because she hasn't one." + +The little girls talked and played games and Ethel's grown up +sister played on the piano and then they sang. + +"Now," said Mrs. Brown, coming into the room, "if you will choose +partners, Florence will play for you and you can march out to +tea." + +During the confusion Ethel said to her mamma, "I shall ask Nellie +to pour the tea because she has not any doll." + +"Very well, dear," answered Mrs. Brown. + +But when they turned to find her, she was not with the others. + +"Where can she be?" exclaimed Ethel. + +And then began the search. Tea was delayed and they hunted the +house over for her. Finally Mrs. Brown went out on a side porch +seldom used, and there she found the little girl. + +The child had brought a cushion to sit on, and clasped tightly in +her arms were three of Ethel's dolls. Mrs. Brown persuaded her +to come in with the promise that she might keep the dolls. + +So Ethel rang the bell, and they all marched in to tea again, +with Nellie Day leading the line, holding her three dollies. + +"Mamma," said Ethel, as the little girls were going home, "may I +give Nellie Day the dolls? I have so many and she has not one." + +"Yes indeed replied Mrs. Brown, as she kissed her little +daughter. "I am sure it will make her very happy." + +And Nellie Day went home that night, the happiest little girl in +the town. + + + +TOWSER TALKS. + +I am not a big dog and I don't know very much, but I know more +than I used to. The reason why I know more than I used to is +because I asked Carlo some questions once. I asked him what made +him so gaunt and thin and why he had such an enquiring expression +on his face and such a hump on the top of his head. He didn't +answer right away, and--I noticed the enquiring expression +vanished. He looked quite decided. Then something happened,--I +don't know exactly what, but Mary, the cook, told the butler that +it made her dizzy just to look on. And then Carlo said:-- + +"One reason why I am gaunt and thin is because I am not a little +up-start of a pug,--of no earthly use under Heaven, and nothing +to do but waddle around and accumulate fat. + +"The reason I have an enquiring expression on my face is because +I am ever on the outlook to anticipate my master's will and do +his slightest bidding. + +"As for the hump on the top of my head, that is a mark given by +the Creator only to dogs that have intellect. Pray that yours may +grow!" + +That is all he said, but it was enough for one day and has +furnished me food for thought ever since. + + + +JUST AS SHE PLEASED. + +"Now, children, I am tired of you; I am going down stairs for the +rest of the morning," and Polly started to leave the nursery. + +"Put your dolls away before you go," said Nurse, "I don't want +them left in the middle of the floor." + +"I won't. I did not put them there." Polly tossed her head and +ran quickly out of the room. + +Nurse had baby in her lap and could not run after her. + +The little girl went to the kitchen, but cook was cross and said +she would not have Polly bothering her. + +Then she went to the library hoping to find her Uncle Edward, but +he was not there. + +She wandered from room to room and could find nothing to amuse +her. + +She wanted to go back into the nursery, but she had told a lie +when she said she had not put the dolls on the floor, and she was +afraid to. + +She felt lonesome and a few tears ran down her face. + +At that moment Uncle Edward entered the room, and, seeing the +doleful little face, took her in his arms, tossing her into the +air. + +As he did so, he knocked over a vase which fell to the floor, +broken. + +"Oh! see what you have done," cried Polly. + +"I don't care. I sball say I didn't do it," replied Uncle Edward. + +"Oh! But that would be a lie," said Polly. + +"Well, who put the dolls on the nursery floor?" + +"Nurse must have told you. But I am sorry," and Polly began to +cry again. + +"There, there!" said Uncle Edward. "We will go up and tell Nurse +we are sorry." + +They went up to the nursery but Nurse and baby had gone and the +dolls were still on the floor. + +Polly wanted to play circus and Uncle Edward made believe he was +the elephant and gave the dollies a ride. He kicked so once that +black Diana fell off and broke her neck. + +After a while Nurse came in with baby and interrupted the frolic. + +When Polly told her she was sorry because she had told a lie, +Nursie said she would forgive her and Polly promised not to do +so again. + + + +THE WORKING TOOLS OF INSECTS. + +I wonder if you know that the smallest insects you see about you +have tools given them to do their work with. There is a little +fly called a saw-fly, because it has a saw to work with. It is +really a very much nicer saw than you could make, if you were +ever so old. + +The fly uses it to make places where the eggs will be safe. What +is more strange, it has a sort of homemade glue which fastens +them where they are laid. + +Some insects have cutting instruments that work just as your +scissors do. The poppy-bee is one of them, whose work is +wonderful. This bee has a boring tool, too. Its nest is usually +made in old wood. This borer cleans out the nest ready for use. +When all is ready the insect cuts out pieces of leaves to line +the nest and to make the cells. These linings are out in the +shape of the cells. You, would be surprised to see the care taken +to have every piece of just the right size, so that it will fit. +When they are. fitted, the pieces are nicely fastened together +and put into the nest. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg etext of Cinderella. + |