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diff --git a/22740.txt b/22740.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..23303b6 --- /dev/null +++ b/22740.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2516 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Apple Dumpling and Other Stories for +Young Boys and Girls, by Unknown + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Apple Dumpling and Other Stories for Young Boys and Girls + +Author: Unknown + +Release Date: September 23, 2007 [EBook #22740] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE APPLE DUMPLING *** + + + + +Produced by David Edwards, Jana Srna and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The University of Florida, The Internet +Archive/Children's Library) + + + + + + + [Illustration] + + + THE + + APPLE DUMPLING, + + AND + + OTHER STORIES + + FOR + + YOUNG BOYS AND GIRLS. + + + + + LONDON: + ADDEY & CO., 21 OLD BOND STREET. + + MDCCCLII. + + + + + LONDON: + + Printed by G. BARCLAY, Castle St. Leicester Sq. + + + + +TO LITTLE GIRLS AND BOYS. + + +Once on a time there lived a little bit of a lady, who had a great many +nephews and nieces. She was very little indeed, so all the children +loved her, and said she was the best little Auntie in the world, and +exactly the right size to play with them and tell them stories. +Sometimes she told them stories about great and good men; sometimes +funny stories about Frizzlefits and Rumplestiltskin, and sometimes she +would make them nearly die with laughing at stories about the Dutchman, +Hansansvanansvananderdansvaniedeneidendiesandesan. + +At last, one day, one of her nieces said to her, "Dear Auntie, do write +some stories, and put them in a book for us to read, and keep, as long +as we live." + +The little Aunt thought this was a very good plan, and _here_ are the +stories, dear little children, for all of you. If you like them, just +let me know, and you shall have some more next year from + + AUNT FANNY. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + PAGE + +TO LITTLE GIRLS AND BOYS iii + +THE APPLE DUMPLING 1 + +THE BROTHERS 8 + +ANNIE BROWNE 22 + +THE THREE BEARS 29 + +ABOUT MINDING QUICKLY 38 + +THE TWINS 47 + +THE LITTLE BOY THAT WAS AFRAID OF THE WATER 56 + +THE MAY QUEEN 62 + +THE TOOTHACHE 73 + +THE BOYS' SCHOOL 79 + +THE CHRISTMAS PARTY 101 + + + + +THE APPLE DUMPLING. + + +Many years ago, there was a little old woman who lived a long way off in +the woods. She lived all by herself, in a little cottage with only two +rooms in it, and she made her living by knitting blue woollen stockings, +and selling them. + +One morning the old woman brushed up the hearth all clean, and put +everything in order; then she went to the pantry and took out a great +black pot, and filled it full of water, and hung it over the fire, and +then she sat down in her arm-chair by the fire. She took her spectacles +out of her pocket and put them on her nose, and began to knit a great +blue woollen stocking. + +Very soon she said to herself, "I wonder what I shall have for dinner? +I think I will make an apple dumpling." So she put her knitting down, +and took her spectacles off her nose, and put them in her pocket, and, +getting out of her arm-chair, she went to the cupboard and got three +nice rosy-cheeked apples. Then she went to the knife-box and got a +knife; and then she took a yellow dish from the dresser, and sat down in +her arm-chair, and began to pare the apples. + +After she had pared the apples, she cut each one into four quarters. +Then she got up again, and set the dish of apples on the table, and went +to the cupboard, and got some flour and a lump of butter. Then she took +a pitcher, and went out-of-doors to a little spring of water close by, +and filled the pitcher with clear, cold water. So she mixed up the flour +and butter, and made them into a nice paste with the water; and then she +went behind the door, and took down a rolling-pin that was hung up by a +string, and rolled out the paste, and put the apples inside, and covered +the apples all up with the paste. "That looks nice," said the old woman. +So she tied up the dumpling in a nice clean cloth, and put it into the +great black pot that was over the fire. + +After she had brushed up the hearth again, and put all the things she +had used away, she sat down in her arm-chair by the fire, and took her +spectacles out of her pocket and put them on her nose, and began to knit +the big blue woollen stocking. + +She knit eight times round the stocking, and then she said to herself, +"I wonder if the dumpling is done?" So she laid down her knitting, and +took a steel fork from the mantelpiece, and lifted the lid of the pot +and looked in. + +As she was looking in, her spectacles tumbled off her nose, and fell +into the pot. + +"Oh, dear! oh, dear!--that's bad! that's bad!" said the old woman. + +She got the bright tongs, and fished up her spectacles, and wiped them +with the corner of her apron, and put them on her nose again, and then +she stuck the fork into the apple dumpling. + +The apples were hard. "No, no, no," she said; "it is not done yet." + +So she put on the lid of the pot, and laid the fork on the mantelpiece, +and sat down in her arm-chair, and began to knit again on the big blue +woollen stocking. + +She knit six times round the stocking, and then she said to herself, "I +wonder if the dumpling is done?" + +So she put her knitting down, and took the fork from the mantelpiece, +and lifted the lid of the pot and looked in. + +As she was looking in, her spectacles tumbled off her nose, and fell +into the pot. + +"Oh, dear! oh, dear!--that's bad! that's bad!" said the old woman. + +She got the bright tongs and fished up her spectacles, and wiped them +with the corner of her apron, and put them on her nose again, and took +the fork and stuck it into the dumpling. The apples were just beginning +to get soft. + +"No, no, no; it is not quite done yet," said the old woman. + +So she put on the lid of the pot, and laid the fork on the mantelpiece, +and sat down in her arm-chair, and began to knit again on the big blue +woollen stocking. + +She knit twice round the stocking, and then she said to herself, "I +wonder if the dumpling is done?" + +So she laid down her knitting, and took the fork from the mantelpiece, +and lifted the lid of the pot, and looked in. + +As she was looking in, her spectacles tumbled off her nose, and fell +into the pot. + +"Oh, dear! oh, dear!--that's bad! that's bad!" said the old woman. + +She got the bright tongs and fished up her spectacles, and wiped them +with the corner of her apron, and put them on her nose again, and took +the fork and stuck it into the dumpling. + +The apples were quite soft. "Yes, yes, yes; the dumpling is done," said +the old woman. + +So she took the dumpling out of the pot, and untied the cloth, and +turned it into a yellow dish, and set it upon the table. + +Then she went to the cupboard and got a plate, and then to the knife-box +and got a knife; then she took the fork from the mantelpiece, and drew +her arm-chair close up to the table, and sat down in it, and cut off a +piece of the dumpling, and put it on her plate. + +It was very hot, and it smoked a great deal; so the old woman began to +blow it. She blew very hard. As she was blowing, her spectacles tumbled +off her nose, and fell into the dumpling. + +"Oh, dear! oh, dear!--that's bad! that's bad!" said the old woman. + +She took her spectacles out of her plate, and wiped them with the +corner of her apron, and said to herself, "I must get a new nose. My +nose is so little, that my spectacles will not stick on my nose." + +So she put her spectacles into her pocket, and began to eat the +dumpling. + +It was quite cool now. So the old woman ate it all up, and said it was +very good indeed. + + + + +THE BROTHERS. + + +One day Henry came bounding home from school, his face beaming with joy. +He was head of his class, and he held fast in his hand a fine silver +medal, which had been awarded to him for good behaviour. + +"Oh!" said he to himself, as he ran along, "how happy this will make my +dear Mother. I know she will kiss me; perhaps she will kiss me five or +six times, and call me her dear, dear boy. Oh! how I love my Mother!" + +He ran up the steps of the house where he lived as he said this, and +pulled the bell very hard, for he was in a great hurry. His Father +opened the door. "Hush! Henry," said he, "come in very softly, your +Mother is very ill." + +"My Mother! Dear Father, what is the matter with her? May I go in to her +if I will step very softly?" + +"No," said his Father, "you must not see her now; you must be very still +indeed. I see, my dear boy, that you have been rewarded for good conduct +in school; I am glad that I have so good a son. And now, Henry, I know +you love your Mother so much, that you will promise me to be very still, +and wait patiently until she is able to see you." As he said this, he +drew Henry close to him, and smoothed down his long curling hair, and +kissed his cheek. + +Henry threw his arms around his Father's neck, and promised him; and +then, putting away his medal, he went softly, on tiptoe, up to his +play-room, and shutting the door, began to work at a ship that he was +rigging. He did not get on very fast, for he could not help thinking of +his dear Mother, and wishing he could see her. She had hemmed all the +sails of the ship for him, and he was going to name it the "Eliza," +after her. + +The next morning Susan, the old nurse, knocked very early at the door of +the room where Henry slept. "Master Henry," said she, "what do you think +happened last night?" + +"What did?" said Henry, sitting up in the bed; "is my Mother better?" + +"Yes, she is better," replied Susan, "but do guess what has come. +Something that you have wished for very often. Something you can play +with, and take care of, and love more than you love your dog Hector." + +"Is it alive?" said Henry. + +"Yes," replied Susan, "it is alive, and in your Mother's room." + +"Can it be a brother--a real live brother?" cried Henry, jumping out of +bed, and running up to Susan. + +"Yes, it is a brother--a real live brother!" said Susan, laughing. + +"I've got a brother! I've got a brother--a real brother!" shouted Henry, +running up and down the room, clapping his hands, jumping over the +chairs, and making a terrible noise, for in his joy he hardly knew what +he was about. + +"Oh, hush, Master Henry!" said Susan. "What a crazy little fellow! your +Mother is still very ill. Now dress yourself quickly and quietly, and +you shall see your little brother." + +Henry trembled with joy, and in his haste he put his feet into the arms +of his jacket, and his arms into the legs of his trousers; but after a +while he managed to get them on right, and though he washed his face and +hands in a minute, and brushed his hair with the back of the brush, yet +he did not look so bad as you might suppose. + +He went very softly into his Mother's room. It was darkened, and he +could not see very well. He went up to the side of the bed. His Mother +smiled, and said, "Come here, my son." Her face was pale, but it had a +very happy look, for in her arms, sweetly sleeping, was the little +brother that Henry had longed for. He had a sister, who was nearly his +own age, but he had always wished for a brother, and the brother had +come at last. + +"Dear Mother, may I help you take care of my little brother?" said +Henry; "you know I am strong enough to hold him. I would not let him +fall for the world." + +"Yes, dear boy," replied his Mother; "when he is a little older, I +shall have a great deal of comfort in trusting this dear little brother +with you. It is more necessary now than ever, my son, that you should +try always to be good, and to set a good example before your brother. He +will be sure to do just as you do. If you are a good boy, you will be a +good man; and how happy you will be, when you are grown up, to think +that your good example will have made your brother a good boy, and a +good man too. Now kiss me, and go and get your breakfast." + +Henry kissed his Mother, and told her of his good conduct in school, at +which she was very glad, and then stooping down, he kissed the soft +cheek of the little sleeping baby, and went gently out of the room. + +In a few weeks his Mother got quite well, and Charles (that was the +baby's name) began to laugh and play with his brother. Henry was never +so happy as when he was with little Charley. He always put him to sleep +at night. The dear little fellow would clasp his little hand tight round +one of Henry's fingers, and fall to sleep in his bed, while his brother +sang to him. + +One day when Charles was about four years old, he said, "Dear brother, +will you ride me on your back?" Henry was very busy just then; he was +making a bow and arrow. He looked down, and saw a sweet little face, and +two bright blue eyes, looking at him, and saying as plainly as eyes +could say, "Do, dear brother." So he said, "Yes, Charley, I will, if you +will help me to put away my things." Charles ran about, and helped Henry +put his play-room in nice order, and then climbing on his back, and +holding fast to a ribbon for a bridle, which Henry held between his +teeth, he gave him a little tap on the shoulder, and crying, "Get up, +old fellow," away they went around the room, Henry galloping so hard, +that Charles bounced about almost as much as if he was on a real pony. + +"Let us go in the parlours, they are a great deal larger," said Charles; +"do, dear brother." + +"I am afraid it would not be right," replied Henry; "we may break +something. Mother has said that we had better never play there." + +"But we will be so careful," said the little boy; "we can play circus so +nice. I _want_ to go in the parlour." + +Henry's Father and Mother had gone out riding, so he could not ask +leave to play in the parlours. He was almost sure it was wrong to go +there, but he wanted to gratify his brother; so, promising himself to be +very careful, he trotted down stairs into the parlour, with Charles on +his back. At first he went slowly round the two rooms, but Charles began +to whip his horse and cry, "Get up, old boy, you are getting lazy. You +shall be a race-horse. Now go faster, faster; go round the room like +lightning." + +So round he went, fast and faster, shaking his head, and taking great +jumps, and kicking his legs up behind, with Charley holding on, laughing +and screaming with delight, till, alas! sad to tell, his elbow brushed +against a beautiful and costly vase, which stood upon a little table, +knocked it off, and broke it into a hundred pieces. + +Henry stopped short, and let Charles slide down from his back. He +looked at the broken vase, and then at his brother, and Charles looked +at Henry, and then at the pieces on the floor. + +"It is all broken," said he. "It can't be mended at all; can it, +brother?" + +"No, it is past mending," said Henry; "and the first thing we must do +will be to tell Mother." + +"Oh, no!" said the little boy; "I am afraid to tell her." + +"We must never be afraid to tell the truth, dear Charley. I will set you +a good example. You shall never learn to tell a lie from me." Henry had +always remembered what his Mother had said to him, the very first time +he ever saw his little brother; and very often, when he was tempted to +be naughty, or get in a passion, the words, "Your brother will do just +as you do," would seem to come from his heart, and he would conquer his +passion. + +In a few moments the boys heard the wheels of the carriage. Henry went +to the hall door, and opened it. He held Charles by the hand. He had to +hold him very tight, for Charles tried to get away. His face was pale. +He waited until his Mother got out of the carriage and came up the +steps, and, taking hold of her hand and looking up in her face, he said, +in a firm voice, "Mother, I have broken your vase." + +"And I, too," said the little boy; "and it is broken all to pieces." + +Henry was glad to hear his little brother say this; and oh! how happy it +made him feel, to think that the child had learned to speak the truth +from him. + +Their Mother kissed them both and said, "My darling boys, I am rejoiced +that you are not afraid to speak the truth. I would rather lose twenty +vases than have you tell a lie. But you knew it was wrong to play in the +parlours; did you not?" + +"Yes, dear Mother, it was wrong, and I knew it was," replied Henry. "I +will submit to any punishment you think right. I ought to have +remembered that you advised us not to go there." + +"If you think you ought to be punished," said his Mother, "Charley shall +go to bed to-night without your singing to him. This will make you both +remember. Is that right?" + +"Yes, dear Mother," said Henry; but he looked very sorry; and little +Charles made up a long face, for he loved his brother so much, that he +could not bear to think that he must go to sleep without holding his +finger and hearing him sing. + +When bed-time came, Charley wanted to beg his Mother to think of some +other punishment for him. He wanted his dear brother so much. He looked +at Henry, but Henry said, "Good-night, little fellow; we deserve this. +Come! one night will soon be over. Now, let us see how well you can +behave;" and he gave him a smile, and a kiss so full of love, that the +little fellow put his lips tight together, and marched off to bed +without a tear. It was hard to do it, but he had this kind brother to +set him a good example, and he was determined to be as good a boy as +Henry. + +Not many weeks after this, poor little Charles was taken sick. He was +very sick indeed, and every day he grew worse. The doctor did all he +could for him, and Henry stayed with him night and day, and would hardly +take any rest. He gave him all his medicine, and sang to him very often +when he was in pain. But Charles did not get any better, and at last the +doctor said that he could not make him well--the little boy must die. + +When Henry heard this, the tears burst from his eyes, and he sobbed out, +"Oh, my brother! oh, my brother! I cannot part with you, my little +precious brother." + +The poor little fellow had become so weak and thin that he could +scarcely lift his hands from the bed where he lay. + +The last night came. He knew that he would not live many hours, for his +dear Mother had said so; and now she told him, that as he had always +tried to be a good boy, he would go to Heaven, and Jesus would take him +into His bosom, and love him, and keep him, until they came to him. + +His little pale face grew bright. "Dear Mother," said he, "will Jesus +let my brother come to me? I want my brother in Heaven. Come here close +to me," said he to Henry. His brother leaned his face down close to the +little boy's face, and helped him clasp his arms around his neck, and +then he whispered, in a soft, weak voice, "Do not cry, dear brother--do +not cry any more. I will pray to Jesus to let you come very soon and +sing me to sleep in Heaven." + +These were the last words he spoke, for his breath grew shorter and +shorter, and soon after his little hand dropped away from his brother's, +and he was dead. + +And his Father had him buried in Highgate Cemetery. + +It was in the summer time that he died, and his brother Henry planted a +white rose-bush at the foot of the little grave, and a red rose-bush at +the head, and often in the pleasant summer afternoons he would go alone +to Highgate, and sit upon little Charley's grave, and think how he might +at that moment be praying for him in Heaven. + +Henry is now a man. He was always a good boy. He is now a good man; and +although many years have passed since he lost his little brother, he +goes every summer to Highgate to visit his grave; and the tears always +come into his eyes when he speaks of him, and tells that little +Charley's last words were, that he would pray to Jesus to let his +darling brother come soon, and sing him to sleep in Heaven. + + + + +ANNIE BROWNE. + + +Little Annie Browne was an only child, that is, she had no little +brothers or sisters; so you may be sure her parents loved this little +girl very much indeed, and were always endeavouring to make her happy. +Now I wonder if the dear little boy or girl, who is reading this, can +guess the means that Annie's Father and Mother took to make her happy. + +Did they give her plenty of candy? No. Did they buy new play-things for +her every day? No. Did they take her very often to the Museum or the +Zoological Gardens? No; this was not the way. I will tell you what they +did; and I will tell you what Annie did for one whole day when she was +about five years old, and that will give you a very good idea of the way +they took to make her _good_, for then she was _sure_ to be _happy_. + +Well, one day Annie woke up very early in the morning, and, sitting up +in her little bed, which was close by the side of her Mamma's, she first +rubbed her eyes, and then she looked all round the room, and saw a +narrow streak of bright light on the wall. It was made by the sun +shining through a crack in the shutter. She began to sing softly this +little song, that she had learned in school,-- + + "What is it shines so very bright, + That quick dispels the dusky night?-- + It is the sun--the sun; + Shedding around its cheerful light, + It is the sun--the sun." + +Presently she looked round again, and saw her Mamma sleeping. She said, +in her soft little voice, "Mamma, Mamma! good morning, dear Mamma!" + +But her Mamma did not wake up. Then she crept over her to where her Papa +was sleeping, and said,-- + +"Papa, Papa! good morning, dear Papa!" + +But her Papa was too fast asleep to hear her. So she gave her Papa a +little kiss on the end of his nose, and laid gently down between them. + +In a few minutes, her Papa woke up, and said,-- + +"Why! what little monkey is this in the bed?" which made Annie laugh +very much. She then jumped out of bed, and put on her stockings and +shoes herself, as all little boys and girls of five years old ought, and +washed her face and hands, and put on her clothes; and her Mamma, who +was now awake, fastened them, and brushed her hair nicely. After that, +she said some little prayers that her Mamma had taught her, and then ran +down stairs, singing as gaily as a lark, and dancing as lightly as a +fairy. + +After breakfast, her Mamma got her school basket (it was a cunning +little basket), and put in it a nice slice of bread and butter, and a +peach, and gave her a little bouquet of flowers to present to her +teacher, whom little Annie loved dearly; and then her Mamma said, "Good +bye, my darling!" and Annie made her such a funny little curtsey, that +she nearly tumbled over, and off she went to school with her Papa, who +always saw her safe to the door. + +Annie staid in school from nine o'clock until two. When she came home, +her Mother kissed her, and said-- + +"Have you been a good little girl in school to-day?" + +"I think I have," said Annie; "Miss Harriet said that I was very +diligent. What is diligent, Mamma?" + +"To be diligent, my dear," answered her Mamma, "means to study your +lesson all the time, without thinking of play, or anything else, until +you know it perfectly." + +Annie said she was glad it meant such good things, and added, "Mamma, +will you play I am a lady coming to see you, if you are not too busy?" + +Her Mamma said she would. So Annie got her two dolls. One was a very +pretty wax doll, with eyes that could open and shut. Her name was Emily; +and the other was not wax, but was larger. Her name was Augusta. Annie +put on their hats and shawls, and dressed herself in an old hat, with a +green veil, and came near her Mamma, and made believe ring a bell, and +said, "Ting a ling, ting a ling." + +"Come in," said her Mamma. + +Little Annie shook hands with her Mamma, and said, "How do you do, Mrs. +Browne?" + +"Thank you, I am very well," said her Mamma. "Take a seat, my dear Mrs. +Frisby," that was Annie's name. "How are your children, Mrs. Frisby?" + +"Oh! they are very sick," answered Annie; "one has the toothache, and +the other has a little square hole in the back of her head, and it has +made her head ache." + +"Dear me! Mrs. Frisby," said her Mamma, "I am very sorry to hear it; you +ought to go to the doctor with them." + +Then Annie pretended to go to the doctor, and she took out of the drawer +a little bit of sugar for medicine. She ate the medicine up herself, and +said that it had done the dollies a great deal of good. In this pleasant +way she amused herself until dinner time. + +After dinner, her Papa and Mamma took her to the Park, as it was a +pleasant day; and there Annie jumped about with other little girls, or +ran with her great hoop. She could roll the hoop very well. + +Then she came skipping home, and had her tea; and after that her +mother undressed her and heard her say her prayers, and kissed her for +good night; and she jumped into bed, and in a moment was fast asleep. +Don't you think Annie was a happy little girl? _I_ think she was, for +all her days passed in this pleasant manner. Some other time, perhaps, I +will tell you more about little Annie Browne. + + + + +THE THREE BEARS.[1] + + [1] From "The Doctor," by Robert Southey. + + +Once upon a time there were Three Bears, who lived together in a house +of their own, in a wood. One of them was a Little, Small, Wee Bear; and +one was a Middle-sized Bear, and the other was a Great, Huge Bear. They +had each a pot for their porridge, a little pot for the Little, Small, +Wee Bear; and a middle-sized pot for the Middle Bear, and a great pot +for the Great, Huge Bear. And they had each a chair to sit in; a little +chair for the Little, Small, Wee Bear; and a middle-sized chair for the +Middle Bear; and a great chair for the Great, Huge Bear. And they had +each a bed to sleep in; a little bed for the Little, Small, Wee Bear; +and a middle-sized bed for the Middle Bear; and a great bed for the +Great, Huge Bear. + +One day, after they had made the porridge for their breakfast, and +poured it into their porridge-pots, they walked out into the wood while +the porridge was cooling, that they might not burn their mouths, by +beginning too soon to eat it. And while they were walking, a little old +Woman came to the house. She could not have been a good, honest old +Woman; for first she looked in at the window, and then she peeped in at +the keyhole; and seeing nobody in the house, she lifted the latch. The +door was not fastened, because the Bears were good Bears, who did nobody +any harm, and never suspected that any body would harm them. So the +little old Woman opened the door and went in; and well pleased she was +when she saw the porridge on the table. If she had been a good little +old Woman, she would have waited till the Bears came home, and then, +perhaps, they would have asked her to breakfast; for they were good +Bears,--a little rough or so, as the manner of Bears is, but for all +that very good-natured and hospitable. But she was an impudent, bad old +Woman, and set about helping herself. + +So first she tasted the porridge of the Great, Huge Bear, and that was +too hot for her; and she said a bad word about that. And then she tasted +the porridge of the Middle Bear, and that was too cold for her; and she +said a bad word about that too. And then she went to the porridge of the +Little, Small, Wee Bear, and tasted that; and that was neither too hot +nor too cold, but just right; and she liked it so well, that she ate it +all up: but the naughty old Woman said a bad word about the little +porridge-pot, because it did not hold enough for her. + +Then the little old Woman sate down in the chair of the Great, Huge +Bear, and that was too hard for her. And then she sate down in the chair +of the Middle Bear, and that was too soft for her. And then she sate +down in the chair of the Little, Small, Wee Bear, and that was neither +too hard, nor too soft, but just right. So she seated herself in it, and +there she sate till the bottom of the chair came out, and down came +hers, plump upon the ground. And the naughty old Woman said a wicked +word about that too. + +Then the little old Woman went up stairs into the bed-chamber in which +the three Bears slept. And first she lay down upon the bed of the Great, +Huge Bear; but that was too high at the head for her. And next she lay +down upon the bed of the Middle Bear; and that was too high at the foot +for her. And then she lay down upon the bed of the Little, Small, Wee +Bear; and that was neither too high at the head, nor at the foot, but +just right. So she covered herself up comfortably, and lay there till +she fell fast asleep. + +By this time the Three Bears thought their porridge would be cool +enough; so they came home to breakfast. Now the little old Woman had +left the spoon of the Great, Huge Bear, standing in his porridge. + + "=SOMEBODY HAS BEEN AT MY PORRIDGE!=" + +said the Great, Huge Bear, in his great, rough, gruff voice. And when +the Middle Bear looked at his, he saw that the spoon was standing in it +too. They were wooden spoons; if they had been silver ones, the naughty +old Woman would have put them in her pocket. + + "SOMEBODY HAS BEEN AT MY PORRIDGE!" + +said the Middle Bear, in his middle voice. + +Then the Little, Small, Wee Bear looked at his, and there was the spoon +in the porridge-pot, but the porridge was all gone. + + "_Somebody has been at my porridge, and has eaten it all up!_" + +said the Little, Small, Wee Bear, in his little, small, wee voice. + +Upon this the Three Bears, seeing that some one had entered their house, +and eaten up the Little, Small, Wee Bear's breakfast, began to look +about them. Now the little old Woman had not put the hard cushion +straight when she rose from the chair of the Great, Huge Bear. + + "=SOMEBODY HAS BEEN SITTING IN MY CHAIR!=" + +said the Great, Huge Bear, in his great, rough, gruff voice. + +And the little old Woman had squatted down the soft cushion of the +Middle Bear. + + "SOMEBODY HAS BEEN SITTING IN MY CHAIR!" + +said the Middle Bear, in his middle voice. + +And you know what the little old Woman had done to the third chair. + + "_Somebody has been sitting in my chair, + and has sate the bottom of it out!_" + +said the Little, Small, Wee Bear, in his little, small, wee voice. + +[Illustration] + +Then the Three Bears thought it necessary that they should make further +search; so they went up stairs into their bed-chamber. Now the little +old Woman had pulled the pillow of the Great, Huge Bear, out of its +place. + + "=SOMEBODY HAS BEEN LYING IN MY BED!=" + +said the Great, Huge Bear, in his great, rough, gruff voice. + +And the little old Woman had pulled the bolster of the Middle Bear out +of its place. + + "SOMEBODY HAS BEEN LYING IN MY BED!" + +said the Middle Bear, in his middle voice. + +And when the Little, Small, Wee Bear came to look at his bed, there was +the bolster in its place; and the pillow in its place upon the bolster; +and upon the pillow was the little old Woman's ugly, dirty head,--which +was not in its place, for she had no business there. + + "_Somebody has been lying in my bed,--and here she is!_" + +said the Little, Small, Wee Bear, in his little, small, wee voice. + +The little old Woman had heard in her sleep the great, rough, gruff +voice of the Great, Huge Bear; but she was so fast asleep that it was no +more to her than the roaring of wind, or the rumbling of thunder. And +she had heard the middle voice of the Middle Bear, but it was only as if +she had heard some one speaking in a dream. But when she heard the +little, small, wee voice of the Little, Small, Wee Bear, it was so +sharp, and so shrill, that it awakened her at once. Up she started; and +when she saw the Three Bears on one side of the bed, she tumbled herself +out at the other, and ran to the window. Now the window was open, +because the Bears, like good, tidy Bears, as they were, always opened +their bed-chamber window when they got up in the morning. Out the little +old Woman jumped; and whether she broke her neck in the fall; or ran +into the wood and was lost there; or found her way out of the wood, and +was taken up by the constable and sent to the House of Correction for a +vagrant as she was, I cannot tell. But the Three Bears never saw +anything more of her. + + + + +ABOUT MINDING QUICKLY. + + +Emma was one day sitting by the fire, on a little stool. She was trying +to cut a mouse out of a piece of paper. She had a pair of scissors, with +round ends. Her mother had given her these scissors for her own, because +they were safer for her to use than scissors with pointed ends. + +Presently, her Mother said, "Come here to me, Emma." + +"Wait a minute, Mother," said Emma. + +"Do you know," said her Mother, "that it was naughty for you to say +that?" + +"Why, you can wait a _little_ minute," said Emma; "I am very busy. +Don't you see that I am making a mouse?" + +"Emma," replied her Mother, "do you know that I ought to punish you, +because you do not mind?" + +"I am coming directly," cried Emma, dropping her scissors and her paper +mouse, and running up to her Mother. + +Her Mother took her up on her lap, and said, "My little girl, this will +_never_ do. You must learn to come at once when you are called; you +_must_ obey quickly. If you continue in this very naughty habit of not +minding until you are told to do a thing two or three times, you will +grow up a very disagreeable girl, and nobody will love you." + +Emma looked up mournfully into her Mother's face, and said, "Mother, I +will try to do better." + +She was a good-tempered child, and was seldom cross or sullen; but she +had this one bad habit, and it was a very bad habit indeed--she waited +to be told twice, and sometimes oftener, and many times she made her +kind Mother very unhappy. + +For a few days after this Emma remembered what her Mother had said to +her, and always came the first time she was called. She came pleasantly, +for it is very important to mind pleasantly, and did everything she was +told to do immediately; and her Mother loved her dearly, and hoped she +was quite cured of her naughty ways. + +But I am very sorry to have to say that a time came when Emma entirely +forgot her promise. You shall hear how it happened. + +One morning Emma's Mother said to her, "Emma, it is time for you to get +up, and put on your stockings and shoes." + +Emma did not move. She lay with her eyes wide open, watching a fly on +the wall, that was scrubbing his thin wings with his hind legs. + +"Did you hear me, Emma? Put on your stockings and shoes!" + +Emma got up very slowly. She put one foot out of bed, and then looked +again at the fly. This time he was scrubbing his face with his fore +legs. So she sat there, and said to herself, "I wonder how that funny +little fly can stay upon the wall. I can't walk up the wall as the fly +can. What a little round black head he has got!" + +"Emma!" said her Mother, and this time she spoke in a very severe tone. + +Emma started, and put her other foot out of bed, and took up one of her +stockings. + +Her Mother got out of her bed, which was close to Emma's crib, and began +to dress herself. When she was dressed, she looked round, and saw Emma, +with one stocking half on, and the other rolled up in a little ball, +which she was throwing up in the air. + +Her Mother was angry with her. She went up to her, and took her +stocking away from her, and told her to get into bed again; for if she +would not dress herself when her Mother bid her, she should be punished +by being made to lie in bed. She shut up the window shutters, and took +all the books out of the room, and telling Emma not to get up until she +gave her leave, she went down stairs to breakfast. + +Now children don't like to be in bed in the daytime,--at least I have +never heard of any one that did; and Emma was soon tired of lying in a +dark room wide awake, with nothing to do, and no pleasant thoughts, for +she could think of nothing but her naughty behaviour. So this was a very +severe punishment, and she began to cry, and wish she had minded +quickly, and then she would have been down stairs, where the sun was +shining brightly into the windows. She would have been sitting in her +chair, with her dear little kitten in her lap, and a nice bowl of bread +and milk for her breakfast. She always saved a little milk in the bottom +of the bowl for Daisy her kitten, and after she had done, she would give +the rest to Daisy. So you see that Emma lost much pleasure by not +minding quickly; and, what was worse than all, she had displeased her +Mother, and made her unhappy. + +Oh, how weary she got! how she longed to get up! She did not dare to +disobey her Mother, and she lay in her crib a long, long time, and +thought she never could be so naughty again. + +At last her Mother came into the room. She opened the shutters, and +said, "Emma, you may get up and put on your stockings and shoes." + +Emma jumped up quickly, and had them on in two minutes, and then she +took off her night-gown and put on her day-clothes, which hung over the +back of the chair by her crib, and went to her Mother to have them +fastened, for she could not fasten them herself. Her Mother fastened her +clothes, and then, taking her little girl's hand, she said, "My dear +little Emma, you have made me feel very unhappy this morning. I do not +like to punish you, but it is my duty to try to cure you of all your +naughty ways, and it is your duty to try to overcome them. If you do +not, some day you may meet with some terrible misfortune, like that +which happened to a boy I used to know when I was young. I will tell you +the story. This boy, like you, grieved his parents often, by not minding +quickly; and he suffered for it in a way that he will never forget as +long as he lives. He was one day standing on the steps of the house +where he lived, and I was standing at the window of the house opposite, +where I lived. I was watching some men that were on the top of this +boy's house, fixing the slates on the roof. The roof was covered with +loose pieces of slate, and nails, and rubbish. + +"Presently one of the men on the roof cried out, 'Go in, little boy; go +in.' But the boy was looking at a kite that some other boys had in the +street, and he did not choose to go in. The man thought that he had +minded what he told him, and without looking again he tumbled down a +great heap of slates and rubbish. The house was quite high, and a large +and sharp piece of slate came down very swiftly, and struck the boy on +the side of his head, and cut off nearly the whole of his ear. In a +moment the blood poured down his neck and over his clothes, and I +thought he would bleed to death. Oh, Emma! what a dreadful punishment +for not minding quickly! + +"For a long time he went about with his head bound up, and when he got +well again the side of his face looked very bad indeed, for where his +ear had been there was a dreadful scar that never went away. Now he is a +man, and he often tells children how he got this dreadful scar, and all +because he did not mind quickly." + +The tears had rolled down Emma's face while her Mother was telling her +this story. When she had finished it, Emma put her arms around her +Mother's neck, and told her that indeed she would try to obey at once, +and be a good little girl, so that her dear Mother would never be +unhappy about her again. + +Her Mother kissed her, and took her down stairs, and gave her some +breakfast, and all this day, and ever after, she did try very hard to be +good. Whenever she felt herself going about anything slowly, the thought +of the poor boy who had lost his ear would come into her mind, and she +would jump up at once, when her Mother called her, and do whatever she +wanted her to do, pleasantly and quickly. + + + + +THE TWINS. + + +"Well, Susan," said her Father one day, as she came home from school, "I +am glad to see you; I wish to inform you that two young gentlemen +arrived here to-day." + +"What are their names, Father?" asked Susan. + +"I do not know," answered her Father; "I do not believe they have got +any names. They are very small--so small that at this moment they are +both asleep in the great chair." + +"Both asleep in the great chair?" cried Susan, astonished at what her +Father had said, "I do believe you have been buying two little monkeys." + +"No, I have not," said her Father, laughing. "Now come with me, and I +will show you these strangers, and then see if you will say they are +monkeys." + +Susan went with her Father. He took her hand, and led her into her +Mother's room. The room was dark, and her Mother was lying in the bed. +Susan was afraid that she was sick. She went to her and said,-- + +"Dear Mother, are you sick? You look very pale." + +Her Mother kissed her, and said, "I am very weak, my dear child; but do +you not want to see your little brothers?" + +"Brothers?--where?" cried Susan. "Have I a brother?" + +"Two of them," said her Father. "Come here, Susan, here they both are, +fast asleep." + +Susan went up to the great easy chair, and on the cushion she saw, all +tucked up warm, two little round fat faces lying close together. Their +noses nearly touched each other, and they looked funny enough. + +"Well, Susan," said her Father, "do you like the monkeys?" + +"Oh, Father!" answered the little girl, clasping her hands, "I am so +glad--I am so happy! They are exactly alike,--how I shall love them, the +dear little toads!" + +"Toads!" said her Father, laughing; "they don't look a bit like toads." + +"Well, I said that because I loved them so," replied Susan, "just as you +sometimes call me your little mouse." + +For two weeks the little twins slept together in the great chair, and +there was no end to Susan's wonder and delight. Her Mother had to tie a +bit of red silk around the wrist of one of them, to tell them apart. +They grew very fast, and were the dearest little fellows in the world, +they had such bright, merry, black eyes, and were always ready to have a +frolic with Susan. As they grew up, they were so good and so pretty, +that everybody loved them, and a great many people came to see them. I +forgot to tell you that one was named George, and the other James. + +One day, when the twins were three years old, they were left alone in +the breakfast-room. The things on the breakfast-table had been cleared +away, except a bowl nearly full of sugar, which was standing on the +table. + +Presently the little fellows spied the bowl of sugar. "George," said +James, "if you will help me with this chair, I will give you some +sugar." + +So both the boys took hold of the heavy chair, and dragged it to the +table. Then James helped George to climb upon it, and from that he +scrambled up on the table. He walked across, to where the sugar was, and +sat down on the table, and took the sugar-bowl in his lap. + +"Now, you get the stool," said George. + +So James got the stool, and put it close to the side of the table where +George was, and stood upon it. + +You should have seen how their merry black eyes sparkled, at the fine +feast they were going to have. They did not think that they were doing +wrong, for their Mother had often given them a little sugar. + +So George took the spoon that was in the sugar, and helped James to a +spoonful, and then took one himself. He was very particular to give +James exactly as many spoonfuls as he took himself. + +They were having such a delightful time, that for some moments they did +not speak a single word. George began first,-- + +"This is nice," said George. + +"I like sugar," said James. + +"It is so sweet," said George. + +"And so good," said James. + +"We will eat it all up," said George. + +"We won't leave a bit," said James. + +"It is almost all gone," said George. + +"There is hardly any left," said James. + +All the time they were talking George had been stuffing his brother and +himself with the sugar. + +Just then their Mother opened the door. She had opened it softly, and +the little boys had not heard her. When she saw them so busy--with their +round faces stuck all over with crumbs of sugar, and George sitting on +the table, dealing it out so fairly--she could not keep from laughing. + +The twins heard her laugh, so they laughed too; and George cried out, +"Mother, this sugar is nice--I like it." + +"And so do I," said James. + +Their Mother lifted George from the table, and told them they must not +do so again, for so much sugar would make them sick. She washed their +faces, and sent them to play in the garden. There was a fine large +garden at the back of the house, where they could play without danger. + +Three years after this, the twins were sent to school, where they soon +became great favourites, because they were amiable and good, and always +willing to do as they were told. They looked so exactly alike, and were +dressed so exactly alike, that often very funny mistakes were made. I +will tell you something that happened, that was not funny, but it will +show you how hard it was to tell which was George, and which was James. + +One day, the teacher gave the twins a spelling lesson, and told them +that they must know it perfectly that morning. + +Now George, for the first time, was naughty, and instead of learning +the lesson, he was making elephants and giraffes on his slate; but James +studied his lesson, and soon knew it. Presently the teacher said, +"James, do you know your lesson?" + +"Yes, sir," said James. He went up to the desk and said it very well. + +"You know it perfectly," said his teacher; "you are a good boy. Now go +to your seat." + +In a few moments he said, "George, come and say your lesson." + +But George did not know a word of it; and James whispered to him, "I +don't want you to be punished, brother; I will go for you and say it +again." + +So James went and repeated his lesson. The teacher thought of course it +was George; he said, "Very well, indeed, George; you know it just as +well as James: you are _both_ good boys." + +When George heard this praise, which he did not deserve, he was +troubled. He had been taught never to deceive. He did not think at first +how wrong he had been; _now_, he saw plainly, that it was very wrong; +that he and his brother had been _acting_ a lie. + +He whispered to James, "Brother, I can't bear to cheat, so I will go and +tell the teacher." + +So he went directly up to the desk, and said, "Sir, I have not yet said +my lesson." + +"Why, yes you have," replied the teacher; "I have just heard you say +it." + +"No, sir, if you please," said George; "I do not know it at all. James +said it twice, to save me from being punished." + +"Well, George," replied his teacher, "I am very glad you have told me +this. I never should have found it out. But your conscience told you +that you were doing wrong; and I am thankful you have listened to its +warnings, and made up your mind at once to be an honest boy. I will not +punish you or James, for I am sure neither of you will do so again." + +The little boys promised him they never would--and they never did; and +they grew up to be honest and good men. + + + + +THE LITTLE BOY THAT WAS AFRAID OF THE WATER. + + +Once on a time there were two little boys. William was five years old, +and Johnny was not quite three. The weather was very warm, and these +little boys got so weak, and looked so pale and sick, that the doctor +said their parents had better take them to Hastings, and let them bathe +in the sea. So their Mother packed up their clothes, and some books, for +she did not wish them to be idle; and one pleasant afternoon they all +went by the railway to Hastings. + +The little boys were very much amused at all they saw. There were +several other boys in the carriage, and William and Johnny looked very +hard at them, and wished they knew what their names were, and whether +they had a Noah's Ark and Rocking-Horse like theirs. + +After three hours' ride by the puffing, screaming railway, they arrived +safely at Hastings, and they found a carriage waiting for them, which +soon took them to the house which their papa had hired. Tea was +immediately brought up, and then, as they were all very tired, they went +early to bed. + +After breakfast the next morning, William and Johnny walked down to the +smooth and beautiful beach with their parents, where a great many +people, some of them children, were bathing. They seemed to like it very +much; and it really did look very inviting, for the sun made the water +sparkle like diamonds, and the waves seemed dancing and leaping, and +looked as if they longed to give everybody a good splashing. + +William was delighted. He could hardly wait to be undressed, he was in +such a great hurry to be ducked; and when the bathing-woman took him and +plunged him under the water, although he gasped for breath, he laughed, +and kicked, and splashed the water, and cried, "Duck me again! duck me +again!" and he looked so pleased, that some other children came to where +he was, and they all had a grand frolic together. + +Little Johnny laughed too, as he stood in the machine; but, when his +Mother said, "Come, Johnny, now it is your turn," he made a terrible +face, and cried, "Dear Mamma, please let me go home. I shall never see +you again if you put me in that great big water." But his Mamma said he +must go in, because it would do him a great deal of good, and she +undressed him, and put him into the woman's arms. + +Johnny now began to scream as loud as he could, and cried out, +"Mamma, Mamma, I want to go back to you." But the old woman did not mind +him a bit, and holding him by his arms, she plunged him under the water. + +[Illustration] + +The poor little fellow came up gasping and panting, and sobbed out, "Oh, +my dear Mamma, come and kiss me 'fore I die." + +Everybody laughed--for there was no danger--except his kind Mother. A +tear started to her eye, for she knew her dear little son really thought +he was dying, and would never see her again. But in a little while he +felt better, and, after his Mother had taken him, and had rubbed him all +over and dressed him, and he had run up and down the beach with William +and the other children, he felt such a nice warm glow all over him, that +he forgot all about his fright. + +Very soon he said, "Mamma, I am so hungry--I am as hungry as a little +bear." + +"That is because you have been in the water," replied his Mother. + +"Are the fishes always hungry?--does the water make them hungry too?" +said Johnny. + +"I believe they are always ready to eat," replied his Mother; "you know +that they are caught by bait. This bait is often a little worm, put upon +a sharp hook. The fish snap at the bait, and the hook catches them in +the mouth. Come, little hungry fish," added his Mother, "and I will give +you something to eat; but I will not put it on a hook to hurt you." + +The next day the little boys went into the water again, and, although +Johnny made up a doleful face, he did not think he should die this time; +and, when he saw the other children laughing and splashing each other, +and crying, "Duck me again! what fun we are having!" he tried to like it +too, and after a little while did begin to like it; for when children +_try_ to overcome their foolish fears, they will almost always succeed, +and be rewarded, as Johnny was, by the pleasure they enjoy, and the +happiness they give to their parents. + +After a few days Johnny got to be so brave, that he was the first to +run down to the beach and jump into the bathing-woman's arms, and he +cried louder than any, "Duck me again!" and splashed everybody that came +near him; and both William and Johnny got so strong, and ate so +heartily, and had such great red cheeks, that when they went home to +London, a few weeks after, their friends hardly knew them, and Johnny +never again had any foolish fears about going into the water. + + + + +THE MAY QUEEN. + + +"Mother," said Frederick Stanley, "is it not wrong to treat servants +unkindly?" + +"What makes you ask that question?" answered his Mother. "What can have +put that into your head?" + +"Nothing--I don't know," replied he, looking at his sister Kate, who was +sitting near him, working a pair of slippers. + +Mrs. Stanley saw that there was something on their mind, so she laid +down her book, and tried to draw it out. She began,-- + +"What is the reason that your little Scottish friend Jessie has not +been here lately? I thought that you, Kate, could not take a walk with +any pleasure without her, and Fred has become quite a beau since her +arrival. I am afraid you have done or said something to offend her." + +"Fred," said Kate,--who was two years younger than her brother, and much +smaller, and had a great respect for him,--"Fred, do you tell Mother." + +Fred gave his trousers a little pull, shook the hair away from his face, +half laughed, and did not speak a word; but Kate, like a real little +woman, could not keep the secret a moment longer. + +"We have had a quarrel, Mother; that's all." + +"'A quarrel! that's all!'" said her Mother. "That's a great deal too +much; but what did you find to quarrel about?" + +"Why, Mother," answered Fred, getting over his bashfulness, now that +the secret was out, "it was all about treating servants with kindness." + +"Well done!" exclaimed his Mother. "Let us hear what you had to say upon +the subject." + +"I said it was a shame to abuse those who were poorer than we were; that +in God's eyes all were equal. I could not bear to hear Jessie say that +she had her own servant at home, and when this servant did anything to +displease her, she would pinch and slap her. I told her she was a +downright wicked girl!" + +"Oh, shocking! shocking!" said Mrs. Stanley. "And, my sweet little Kate, +did you too stand up for kindness to servants?" + +"I did all I could, dear Mother," she replied, "but Fred did the most." + +"Well, tell me, what else did you say?" + +"I told her," said Fred, hesitating a little, "that here we said, 'if +you please,' and 'thank you,' when a servant did anything for us, and +that she had better go back to Scotland, and not stay another day in a +place where she was deprived of the pleasure of pinching people." + +"Oh, Frederick! Frederick! how could a boy of your politeness be so rude +to a young lady? That was a great mistake." + +Frederick looked mortified, and Kate hung her head. "But what happened +after that?" asked Mrs. Stanley. + +"Oh, she was so angry that she went away, and we have not seen her +since. I am very sorry; but it can't be helped now." + +"No," said Kate, "we can't help it now." + +"But, my dear children," said their Mother, "I think you owe Jessie an +apology." + +"I have no objection," said Fred, after reflecting a moment, "if you +think I have been so very impolite; but it will do no good." + +"Well," said Mrs. Stanley, "it must be done. Perhaps I can assist you +in making up the quarrel. Next Thursday, you know, is the first of May. +You shall have a little party, and Jessie shall be Queen of May. That +will be certain to please her." + +"Jessie! Queen!" exclaimed Kate. "She will not, Mother. Jessie will not +come; I am sure she will not come. I do not believe she will ever speak +to us again." + +"I tell you she _will_ come," said her Mother; "and she will be Queen. I +will manage it for you." + +"Ah, well, Mother," said Fred, looking at his sister, "you don't know +Jessie as well as we do. She won't forgive us so easily." + +Company now came in, and the children went to their studies. In the +afternoon Mrs. Stanley sent a polite invitation to Jessie and her +parents to pass the next Thursday evening at her house; and as they were +sitting at the tea-table, the answer was returned. + +"There," said Mrs. Stanley, "one point is gained; they will all come." + +"They may come," said Frederick, "but she won't be civil to us, I know." + +The next day was spent in preparing the crown, throne, and flowers, +&c., and Frederick set himself to work to learn by heart some lines his +Mother had written for the occasion. + +Thursday evening arrived, and the children, though afraid of Jessie's +cold looks, were in good spirits. Kate came into the parlour, and found +Fred before a large glass, making his speech, and practising the most +graceful bows and gestures. + +"Goodness!" she exclaimed, "how light and beautiful the room looks! Oh, +Fred, I hope we shall have a pleasant time." + +The arrival of the company now interrupted them, and when nearly all had +come, Mrs. Stanley told her plan with regard to Jessie; and this +important matter was just settled, when that young lady and her parents +entered. + +Jessie, not knowing the honour awaiting her, was very stiff and grave +in her salutations. Her large dark eyes were turned away from Fred and +Kate, yet an expression about her pretty mouth seemed to say,-- + +"I am not so very angry as you think." + +"She _looks_ like a Queen, does not she?" whispered Fred to his sister. + +"She is stiff enough, at any rate," said Kate. + +"I wonder whom she will choose for her King?" said Fred. + +"I am sure I don't know," answered Kate, looking round. "I suppose the +biggest boy." + +"Dear me!" said Fred, "I forget that I must go out until it is time for +the Address;" and he left the room, to wait his Mother's signal. + +Refreshments were now handed round the room, and many a sly glance was +cast upon the unconscious Jessie, who was still looking very grave, and +almost cross, till, at a hint from his Mother, Fred made his appearance, +and with blushing face, but firm voice, pronounced the following lines: + + "O valiant knights, and ladies fair! + I'm very glad to see you here; + Your happy looks and eyes so bright, + Have quite inspired me to-night. + Though I'm unused to courtly ways, + My choice from you will meet with praise. + Our English land, so brave and free, + Where waves the flag of liberty, + Can yet, while all our hearts approve, + The Scottish stranger fondly love. + (No looks of grave distrust are seen,) + Fair Jessie! I proclaim you Queen! + And kneeling lowly at your feet, + To be your knight I do entreat. + Now deign to say, what happy one + Amongst us all shall share your throne?" + +Fred rose from his knees, and awaited Jessie's reply. + +Her anger was all gone, but she was so surprised that she looked down, +and did not say a word. + +"Well," thought Fred, "I knew she would act so. I suppose everybody is +laughing at me." + +"Jessie," said her Mother, "speak quickly. Whom will you have for King?" + +Jessie blushed, and smiled, and whispered in a soft little voice, +"Frederick." + +Astonished and delighted by this kindness, Fred again knelt down, then +rising, he took her little white hand, and led her in triumph, followed +by all the company, to the next room, where a splendid throne had been +erected. A beautiful crown of flowers was placed on Jessie's head, and +gave new beauty to her soft and curling brown hair. Frederick also had a +handsome crown. Sceptres were placed in their hands, and then they +arranged their court. Kate was made a Duchess, at which she grew quite +dignified; there were plenty of Earls and Countesses, and the sweet +little maids of honour and the pages stood behind the throne. + +They then formed a procession, to return to the parlour, and in an +instant a march burst forth from a band of music which had been +concealed for the purpose. + +At this unexpected event, his Majesty jumped so high that his crown +tumbled off, and the Queen was in such a delightful agitation that she +could not confine her steps to a walk, and so the King and the Queen, +and the Duchess, and all the maids of honour and pages, ran +helter-skelter, as fast as they could, and took places for dancing. + +Never were merrier hearts or brighter eyes than now leaped and shone in +that little party. The Queen was the gayest of all, and the King was +nearly out of his wits with joy, to find himself and Jessie once more +friends. Little Kate got so tired of being a Duchess that she skipped +about like a little fairy; and all the lords and ladies, and maids of +honour and pages, were so merry and so full of innocent fun, that they +looked a great deal more like little children. And so the happy evening +concluded, to the satisfaction of all. + +The next morning, Mrs. Stanley asked her children if they had had a +pleasant party. + +"Oh, yes!" they both answered; "it was perfectly delightful; and Jessie +was as pleasant as she could be, and seemed to have forgotten all about +the quarrel." + + + + +THE TOOTHACHE. + + +One day little Emily's Grandma said to her, "My dear child, you must go +with me to-day to the dentist's, and have some of those teeth pulled +out. They are growing so fast and so crooked, that you have not room +enough in your mouth for them all." + +"Dear Grandma," said the little girl, "will it hurt me _very_ much?" + +"Yes, my dear," replied her Grandma; "it will hurt you a great deal, but +you must try to bear the pain; it will not be long." + +Poor little Emily sighed, and the tears stood in her eyes. She knew +that her Grandmother always told her the exact truth. She knew that she +would suffer a great deal of pain, because her Grandma had told her so. + +It is always the best way to tell a little boy or girl the exact truth. +If Emily's Grandma had said that it would not hurt her to have her teeth +pulled out, it would have been very wrong, and Emily would not have +believed her another time, when she was to have anything done to her. + +This little girl had no Mother. Her Mother was dead, and her Grandma +took care of her, and was very kind to her, and Emily loved her dearly, +and so she made up her mind to go and have her teeth out, without any +trouble, because her Grandma was in bad health; and she knew that if she +cried and made a great fuss about it, it would trouble her, and perhaps +make her ill. + +Now was not this thoughtful and good in a little girl only seven years +old? I hope all the little boys and girls that read this will try to be +as good. + +After dinner, Emily and her Grandma put on their bonnets, and went to +the dentist's house. The little girl trembled when the door was opened, +but she walked in without saying a word. + +They went into the parlour, for there were some persons up stairs in the +dentist's room, and they had to wait. + +"Grandma," said Emily, "may I look at the books on the table? It will +keep me from thinking about my teeth." + +Her Grandma said she might, and the little girl was soon quite +interested in looking at the pictures in the books, and showing them to +her Grandma. + +In a little while the servant came to tell her she could go up stairs. +Her heart beat fast, but she went up to her Grandmother, and said, "Dear +Grandma, you are not well; you look quite pale to-day. Do not go with +me; I will go alone, and I promise you I will be a brave little girl." + +She kissed her Grandma, and ran out of the room. + +When she entered the room up stairs, she saw two ladies there. She +stopped; but the dentist said, "Come in, my little girl, do not be +afraid, I will be as gentle as I can." + +The ladies saw that she was alone, so one of them went up to her and +took her hand. She was an old lady, and wore spectacles, and she looked +very kind and good. So the dear little girl let the dentist lift her +into the great chair, and take off her hat, and the old lady kept hold +of her hand, and said, "It will be over in a minute, my dear child," and +then she pressed her little hand so kindly, that Emily felt quite +comforted. + +The other lady was a young lady, and she too felt sorry that Emily was +to suffer. She wanted to smooth her hair, and give her a kiss; but she +thought that the little girl might be afraid of so many strangers, so +she sat down very quietly. + +When the dentist had looked into Emily's mouth, he saw that four teeth +must come out. So he got the instrument, and held her head tight with +his arm. + +Emily turned pale, but she kept quite still, and did not cry or scream; +and the dentist pulled out the four teeth, one after the other, without +a sound from her lips. + +When they were all out, some large tears came from her eyes and rolled +down her cheeks; but she only said, "Thank you," to the lady that held +her hand; and, putting her handkerchief to her mouth, she ran down +stairs. + +"My darling child," said her Grandma, "how well you have behaved; I did +not hear the least noise." + +"No, Grandma," replied Emily, "I tried very hard not to scream; I was +determined to be quite still; and a good old lady like you, Grandma, +held my hand, which was a great comfort. But oh! Grandma, it _did_ hurt +me most terribly." + +"My dear child, I know it did," said her Grandma; "you are the best +little girl in the world, and a happiness and a treasure to me." + +After Emily had gone, the ladies who had witnessed her good conduct, and +admired her courage, asked her name and where she lived; and one of +them, the young lady, sent her a pretty little gold ring with a blue +stone in it, and a little note containing these words:-- + +"For the dear little girl who had the courage to bear a great pain +nobly." + +Emily was very much pleased with this little present; it was so +unexpected. She could not find out who had sent it to her. + +I hope all the little boys and girls will read this story with +attention, and when they go to the dentist's they will think of Emily, +and try to imitate her good conduct. + + + + +THE BOYS' SCHOOL. + + +Not very long ago, Mr. Harrison kept a boarding-school for little boys +in a delightful village in Hertfordshire. He took twenty boys to +educate, and he was so kind, and had such a pleasant way of teaching, +that the boys were happier with him than they would have been at home. + +When the boys came in the spring, Mr. Harrison gave to each of them a +little plot of ground for a garden; and the little fellows were very +busy during play-hours, in preparing and arranging their gardens. They +had permission to go to the gardener and get just what seeds they +wanted; so some of the boys planted melons and cucumbers, and some +pumpkins and radishes, and two of them made an elegant flower-garden. +They put their ground together, and erected a little hill in the centre, +with a path all round it, and all the borders they planted with roses, +and cockscombs, and mignonette, and sweet-peas, and many other pretty +flowers; and when the flowers came out, their garden gave quite a +brilliant appearance to the place. + +The boys had also a very large play-ground, and in it their kind +teacher had had a number of gymnastic poles put up, for their healthy +exercise and amusement. There was one very high pole, with four strong +ropes fastened to the top of it, and an iron ring at the ends of the +ropes. The boys would take hold of the rings, and run round as fast as +they could; then lifting their feet off the ground, away they would fly +in the air, round and round, like so many little crazy monkeys. There +was one little chap that could climb up one of the ropes like a cat, and +hang upon the top of the pole. + +Then they had swinging-bars, and jumping-bars, with a spring-board to +jump from, and wooden horses, and a climbing-pole, and several other +things; but, what was better than all, they had a funny little ragged +pony, and a short-legged, long-eared donkey, for their especial use, and +many were the fine rides they had on their backs. + +Sometimes, to be sure, the pony had a fashion of dancing a slow jig on +his hind-legs, with his fore-feet in the air; but the boys were used to +that, and stuck on until the dance was finished; then the pony would +trot off very peaceably. + +The donkey, too, had a way of putting his nose to the ground, and +pitching his rider, head over heels, on the grass. But the boys were +used to that too, and did not mind it in the least. They would jump up +and shake themselves, and try again, and by dint of poking and punching +the sides of the sulky little animal, he would after a while make up his +mind to go. When he had once done _that_, it was all right. You would +think he was the most amiable donkey in the world. The pony's name was +"Napoleon," and the boys called the donkey "Old Pudding-head." + +Twice a-week during the summer, Mr. Harrison took the boys to bathe in a +fine pond, where such as could would swim, and the rest would tumble +about in the water; and altogether he was so kind to them that the boys +thought there never was a better teacher, or such a famous +boarding-school. + +I have not yet told you that they learned anything. I suppose you all +think that playing was the principal thing they went to that school for. +But if you do, you make a great mistake, for the greater part of every +day was spent in the school-room. + +Mr. Harrison made school-time very pleasant. He seldom had to punish a +boy for bad conduct or neglect in getting his lessons. He always +encouraged them to ask questions about their studies, and told them +never to learn anything by rote, like a parrot, but to come to him when +they did not understand a lesson; and he always made it so clear that it +was a pleasure to learn. Sometimes a boy would ask a foolish question, +which would make the rest laugh; but then Mr. Harrison would say it was +better to be laughed at for trying to learn, than to grow up a dunce. + +In this way the boys would improve so much, both in mind and body, that +their parents left them with Mr. Harrison as long as he could keep them; +and both the boys and their parents were very sorry when the time came +for them to leave, for Mr. Harrison would not take any boy after he was +fourteen years of age. + +One afternoon after school, the boys were all busy weeding in their +gardens, when one of them suddenly cried out, "Phil, do you know how +long it is to the Fifth of November?" + +"To be sure I do," answered Philip; "it is just four weeks and four +days." + +"So it is, I declare," said Thomas, the first boy who had spoken. "Boys, +I'll tell you what we will do. Let us all write to our parents for an +immense lot of fireworks; then we will club together, and keep all, +except the crackers, for a grand display of fireworks in the evening." + +"Oh yes, yes," cried all the boys, "that is an excellent idea." + +"I will ask Mr. Harrison," said Phil, "to help us fix the wheels and so +forth, for all I ever fixed myself stuck fast, and would not go round at +all." + +"I mean to write for some Roman candles," said Frank; "they look so +beautiful going up. They look like planets with wings." + +"_I_ will ask for some snakes and grasshoppers," said another; "it is +such fun to see the boys racing round to get out of the way of them." + +"We'll make some wooden pistols to put the crackers in," said another +boy. + +"Yes, and I will send for a little brass cannon that my uncle, Major +Brown, gave me," said another. + +Just then the bell rang for tea, and the boys, putting their little +rakes and hoes into their tool-house, ran in to wash their faces and +hands, and brush their hair. Then they took off their blouses, which +they wore when at work in the garden, and hung them up in the play-room. +They had a nice large play-room for playing in when the weather was +unpleasant. + +It was astonishing what large quantities of bread and butter, and +apple-sauce, these boys consumed for their supper, for working +out-of-doors in the fresh country air is sure to make people hungry, and +boys especially are always ready for eating. After supper, Mr. Harrison +read prayers, while all the boys knelt at their chairs around the table. +Then they were permitted to play out-of-doors again until the sunset. +Phil and Frank allowed themselves to be harnessed to a hand-wagon, and +galloped off at full speed, with two of the smaller boys in it. The rest +had a game at leap-frog; and Mr. Harrison and his family sat in the +porch watching and admiring the gorgeous tints lent to the clouds by the +rays of the setting sun, and sometimes laughing heartily at the capers +of the boys. + +At length the sun sank beneath the horizon, and Mr. Harrison said, +"Come in, boys." He never had to speak more than once, for the boys were +so well governed that they found it to their advantage and happiness to +obey directly. So they came in as quietly as they could, and went into +the study, where Mr. Harrison soon joined them, and read aloud an +interesting book of travels for an hour. Then they went up stairs to +bed. + +One evening, not long after this, the boys were all together in the +sitting-room. Philip was reading a book in which was an anecdote about a +bad boy who had frightened another, by coming into his room at night, +with his face apparently in a blaze, and looking, as the terrified child +thought, like a flaming dragon. All at once, Phil shut the book, and +said, "I say, boys, I will show you a funny thing, if you will put out +the light, and it will be useful to you too. But first, let me read this +story to you, and then we will try the game, and none of you little +chaps will be frightened, because you will know what it is." + +So saying, he read the story, which interested the boys very much +indeed, and made them all eager for Philip's experiment. + +Phil took a box of matches from the mantelpiece, and gave some to each +of the boys; but suddenly he cried, "Wait a moment: I will be back +before you can say Jack Robinson," and ran out of the room. + +He went out to ask Mr. Harrison's permission to try this experiment. Mr. +Harrison said, "I am glad, my dear boy, you have come first to me; I +believe I can always trust you. You may try your plan, and I will go +with you and join in your amusement." + +The boys were glad to see their teacher. He often helped them in their +plays; and they were never afraid to frolic and laugh before him. + +So Phil blew out the light, and then told the boys to take a match, and +wet it on the tip of the tongue, and rub it on the sides of their faces, +and they would soon have a pair of fiery whiskers apiece, without its +burning them in the least. + +In a moment all the boys had flaming whiskers, and streaks of flame all +over their faces. + +Peals of laughter resounded from all sides. Such a troop of little +blazing imps were never seen before. Some had noses on fire, some ears; +some made fiery circles round their eyes, and some rubbed their fingers +with the matches--always taking care to wet them first--and ran after +the rest. + +Only one person was frightened; and that was because she had not been +let into the secret. This was a servant girl, who opened the door, and +seeing a room full of dark figures, with faces on fire, dancing, and +laughing, and capering about, she ran, screaming, up stairs, crying, +"Murder! Fire! Help!" with all her might, which made the boys laugh till +they were nearly suffocated. But Phil ran after her, and with much +difficulty persuaded her that they were really human beings, and good +friends of hers. + +After they had danced about for some time, Mr. Harrison advised them to +go and wash their faces, and said that they had better not play this +game again, as some accident might occur: a match might get lighted and +set fire to their clothes. He said he had been willing to let them try +it once, for then they would not be frightened if any wicked or +thoughtless person should play a trick of this kind upon them. So the +boys put up the matches, and went off to bed full of the fun they had +had, and saying, that if they saw a person with his nose on fire, coming +into their rooms at night, they would take hold of it, and give it a +good pinching. + +During this time, each of the boys had written home for fireworks; and +for two or three days before the Fifth of November, all kinds of boxes, +directed to the different boys, had been left at Mr. Harrison's house, +and safely locked up by him, until the right time. + +At last the day came. The boys tumbled out of bed in the greatest +hurry, dressed, and went out on the lawn, where they gave nine hearty +cheers; three for the day, three for Mr. Harrison, and three for fun. +After that they all ran into the play-room, where they found the boxes, +which had been put there the night before. + +Never were boxes opened so quickly. They tore off the tops, and for some +moments nothing was heard on all sides but "Only look here," and "Just +see _here_;" "Boys, here is my cannon;" "Here are lots of Roman +candles," &c. + +They had crackers enough between them all to keep them busy the whole +day, and they soon got to work at them, and such a popping and cracking +began, as frightened all the cats and dogs about the house into the +woods. + +It was fortunate that the house was situated on a hill, away from any +other; so Mr. Harrison let them make as much noise as they pleased, +without fear of disturbing any neighbours. + +Presently the bell rang for prayers, and directly after that they had +breakfast; but the bread and milk and honey were not so much in favour +as usual, for the boys were so full of the Fifth of November, that they +had no time to think of honey. + +Nearly all the fireworks were piled up on a seat against the wall in the +play-room. The boys were firing their crackers from their wooden +pistols, at some distance from the house. + +For some time everything went on well. Mr. Harrison had strictly +forbidden them to have any fire in or near the play-room, and they were +careful to obey him. But, alas! I must tell you what happened through +the thoughtlessness of one of the boys. He was the youngest and smallest +of them all. He had fired off the crackers he had taken out, and he ran +into the play-room to get more. He held in his hand a piece of punk. All +boys know that this is what they use to light their fireworks, as it +burns very slowly, and lasts very long. The punk which the little fellow +held was burning. He had forgotten to lay it down. He went to the seat +where the fireworks were, and began to pull them about to find his +crackers. + +As he was leaning over, the punk slipped from his fingers, and fell into +the midst of the combustibles. + +The little fellow was so terribly frightened at this, that he rushed out +of the room, without trying to pick it up. + +In a moment the fireworks all began to go off together. Pop! crack! +fizz! bang! whizz! went the elegant wheels and the crackers, the +grasshoppers, the Roman candles and the snakes, while the smoke rushed +through the house. + +Mr. Harrison ran out of his room where he was reading, and saw, +instantly, that the house was in great danger of being burned down. The +boys heard the noise, and came flying back to the play-room, to save +what they could; but it was impossible to enter. The room was black with +smoke, and they looked on dismayed, as they heard the popping and +banging of their precious fireworks, while "Who did it?" "Who did it?" +was asked on all sides. + +Mr. Harrison instantly shut all the doors leading to the play-room, and, +quicker than I can tell you, he got some pails of water, and threw them +into the room. After some effort, he succeeded in quenching the fire, +and ending this display of fireworks, which was a very different one +from what had been intended. + +But what a sight presented itself! There lay the blackened remnants of +the wheels and Roman candles, and a large hole was burned in the side of +the room. The blouses of the boys, which hung just above, were burned, +some one arm, some both; and the room looked like desolation. + +After the fright, and hurry, and confusion, were over, Mr. Harrison +called all the boys into the study. He looked very much offended, +indeed; and asked in a stern voice, "Which boy went into the play-room +with fire?" + +The poor little fellow who had done the mischief was crying bitterly. It +was very easy to see that he was the guilty one, for the rest looked +grave, but not confused. + +"Come to me, Edwin," said Mr. Harrison, "and tell me if you have +disobeyed me; don't be afraid to speak the truth." + +"I did not mean to do it," sobbed the little boy. "I forgot to leave my +punk outside, and I dropped it by accident. I am very, very sorry, Mr. +Harrison. I am afraid all the boys will hate me, because I have spoiled +their sport. I hope you will forgive me, sir." And here his tears and +sobs redoubled. + +"Edwin," said his kind teacher, "do you not know that my house might +have been burned to the ground by your carelessness?--and this night, +which we expected to spend so joyfully, we might have been without a +roof to cover us? I must punish you to make you remember this accident, +which your thoughtless disobedience has occasioned. You must remain in +the study until dinner-time. The rest of the boys may go out." + +When the boys were out on the lawn again, they got together in a knot, +to talk about the accident. Some were very angry with Edwin, and said +Mr. Harrison ought to have given him a tremendous flogging; but others +were more generous. They were just as sorry for the loss of their +fireworks; but, when they looked towards the house, and saw little Edwin +gazing mournfully at them from the study window, and wiping away the +tears that fell from his eyes, they were more sorry for him, and wished +that he could be out among them. Still, they knew it was right that he +should be punished. + +"Come, boys," said Phil, when they had been standing there talking some +time,--"come, let us go and see if anything is left." + +They all ran to the play-room, and some of the boys cried out to +Edwin,-- + +"Don't cry, little fellow; we forgive you." + +"Why here," shouted Phil--"here's a lot of Roman candles all safe and +sound. Hurrah!" + +"And here are six wheels in this corner," cried Thomas. "We are not so +badly off, after all." + +The boys at this good news began to rummage under the pile of ruins, and +managed to collect quite a respectable quantity of fireworks. There were +enough left to make a display with in the evening, though not near so +splendid as they had intended. + +"Hurrah!" cried the boys, "we have plenty of Fifth of November left." + +"I have lots of crackers outside," said Phil; "but we won't fire them +off now. They will do for the small boys to-night. Let us go to the +stable, and pay our respects to Napoleon, and Old Pudding-head. They +will think themselves quite neglected on this glorious occasion." + +So they sallied off to the stable, and saddled the pony and the donkey, +and led them out to the play-ground, where Napoleon treated them in turn +to a very fine dance on his hind-legs, and Old Pudding-head, not to be +behindhand in politeness, gave all the little boys a somersault over his +nose. They had a first-rate frolic, and did not think once of the lost +fireworks. + +After dinner--and a fine dinner they had of chickens, and goose-pie, and +custard--Mr. Harrison took the boys (little Edwin, too) down into the +village, where a band of musicians were playing and parading through the +street. Every little while they would stop playing and hurrah! The boys +always hurrahed when the band did, for boys in general are not slow +about making a noise. So they made all the noise they possibly could, +and came back to tea, each one so hoarse, that Mrs. Harrison asked them +if they had frogs in their throats. + +At last the evening came, and a still and beautiful evening it was. The +stars peeped out, one by one, and the moon stayed in--that is, she did +not make her appearance until very late. They could not have had a finer +night for the grand display. + +The family were all assembled on the lawn, and Mr. Harrison fixed the +wheels so nicely, that they whizzed round in the most astonishing +manner. The Roman candles went up beautifully, and the grasshoppers and +snakes sent the little fellows laughing and scampering in all +directions. + +The hurrahing was tremendous, and the shouts of laughter were tremendous +too. + +Altogether they had a very nice time, and went off to bed tired, it is +true, but highly pleased with their day's enjoyment--all except little +Edwin. He sighed many times, and could hardly get to sleep; but his +carelessness was a good lesson to him, for it afterwards made him the +most careful boy in the school. + +After the Fifth of November, the boys settled down into their usual +employments. Their gardens were carefully tended, and many a fine +bouquet of flowers was presented with pride and pleasure to Mrs. +Harrison. They ate pumpkin-pie, made with their own pumpkins, and +thought them the most delicious pumpkins that ever grew; and their +melons were the sweetest melons they ever tasted in all their lives. + +They were very attentive in school also; and at the end of the term, +when the boys were preparing to go home for the holidays, they all said +it was the pleasantest time they had ever spent together. They parted +with their kind teacher with many thanks for his kindness, and hopes +that after the holidays all would meet together again, and be as happy +as before. + + + + +THE CHRISTMAS PARTY. + + +Mr. and Mrs. Percy had seven grandchildren, all very pretty and very +good. These children did not all have the same father and mother--that +is, Mr. and Mrs. Percy's eldest son had three children, whose names were +Mary, and Carry, and Thomas; and one of their daughters was married, and +had three children--their names were Willy, and Bella, and Fanny; and +their youngest son was married and had one child. Her name was Sarah. +She was the youngest of the children, and they all loved her very much, +and her Grandma made a great pet of her. + +The children and their parents had been invited to eat a Christmas +dinner with their Grandma, and they had been promised a little dance in +the evening. Even little Sarah was to go, and stay to the ball, as she +called it. They were glad, for they liked to go to their dear Grandma's +very much. + +At last Christmas came. It was a bright, frosty day; the icicles that +hung from the iron railing, sparkled as the sun shone upon them, and the +little boys in the streets made sliding ponds of the gutters, and did +not mind a bit when they came down on their backs, but jumped up and +tried it again; and a great many people were hurrying along with large +turkeys to cook for their Christmas dinner, and everybody looked very +happy indeed. + +After these children, about whom I am telling you, came back from +church, they were dressed very nicely, and although they lived in three +different houses, they all got to their Grandma's very nearly at the +same time. The first thing they did was to run up to their Grandma, and +wish her a merry Christmas, and kiss her, and say that they hoped she +felt quite well. Then they did the same to their Grandpa and Aunties, +for they had two dear, kind aunts, who lived with their Grandparents. +Then they all hugged and kissed each other, and jumped about so much, +that some kissed noses and some kissed chins, and little Sarah was +almost crazy with delight, for she had never been to so large a party +before. + +"Grandma," said Willy, "I hung up my stocking last night, and what do +you think I got in it?" + +His Grandma guessed that he got a birch-rod. + +"No," said Willy, laughing, "I got a doughnut in the shape of a monkey +with a long tail; I ate the monkey for my breakfast, and it was very +good indeed." + +The children all laughed at this, and Bella, Willy's sister, who was +the oldest of all the children, said she thought Willy had a +monkey-_look_ about him. So he went by the name of the monkey-eater for +the rest of the day. + +Soon the bell rang for dinner, and they all went down stairs; for the +children and grown people were to dine together. It was now quite dark, +and the chandelier that hung over the table was lighted, the curtains +were drawn close, the fire burnt brightly, and the table-cloth was so +white and fine that it looked like satin. + +The happy party sat down at a large round table, and the children's eyes +looked so bright and their cheeks so rosy, that it was the pleasantest +sight in the world to see. Little Sarah could not help having a great +many little laughs all to herself. She could not keep them in. She was +only four years old, so you may suppose she could not look very grave +and stiff on such a delightful occasion. + +When Willy saw his little cousin Sarah trying to hide her sparkling +eyes, and her funny little laugh behind her mother's arm, he felt just +as if somebody was tickling him. So he pinched his lips together very +tight indeed, and casting his eyes up to the ceiling, tried to look as +grave as a judge. But it would not do; he burst out into such a fit of +laughing, that everybody else laughed too, and it was a long time before +they could get their faces straight enough to eat their dinner. + +Would you like to know what they had for dinner? Well, I will tell you. +After their Grandpa had asked a blessing, they had some very nice soup. +The children did not care for soup. Then they had a fish stuffed with +all sorts of things, and stewed, and the grown people said the fish was +very nice; but the little ones did not care for that either. They then +had some roast beef and a boiled turkey with oysters. The children all +took turkey; Willy asked for a drum-stick, and his cousin Mary said he +wanted it to beat the monkey he ate in the morning. Bella chose a +merry-thought; little Sarah liked a hug-me-fast; Carry took a +wishing-bone; Thomas said he would have the other drum-stick to help +beat the monkey, and Fanny thanked her Grandma for a wing, so that she +could fly away when the beating of the monkey took place. + +But this was not half the good things, for they afterwards had some +delicious game, such as partridges, and woodcocks, and some fried +oysters. All this pleased the grown people most. The children saved +their appetites for the dessert. Well, after this, the cloth was taken +off, and under that was another table-cloth just as white and fine as +the first. + +Then came something that was quite astonishing. What do you think it +was? It was a great plum-pudding all on fire! it blazed away terribly, +and Willy thought they had better send for the fire-engines to put it +out; but it was blown out very easily, and the children each had a very +small piece, because it was too rich to eat much of, and their parents +did not wish to make them ill. + +After that there came ice-creams, and jellies, and sweetmeats, that were +perfectly delicious; and then the other white cloth was taken off, and +under that was a beautiful red one. Then the servants put on the table +what the children liked best of all, and that was a dish of fine +motto-kisses, and oranges, and grapes, and other nice fine fruits. + +The children sent the mottoes to each other, and had a great deal of +sport. Some one sent Willy this:-- + + "O William, William, 'tis quite plain to see + That all your life you will a monkey be." + +He thought his cousin Mary had sent it, because he saw that she was +trying very hard to look grave, so he sent this to her:-- + + "Dear Mary, you are too severe-- + You are too bad, I do declare; + Your motto has upset me quite, + I shan't get over it to-night." + +Mary laughed when she read it, and said she had been just as cruel to +Thomas, for she had sent him this:-- + + "The rose is red, the violet blue, + The grass is green and so are you." + +They had a good laugh at Thomas, but as he laughed as hard as any one, +it did no harm. Little Sarah had a great many mottoes. Her Mamma read +them to her, and it pleased her very much. She said it was a very nice +play, but she was tired with sitting such a long time at table, so her +Mother let her slip down from her chair. + +Very soon all the rest got up, and went up stairs into the +drawing-room. But what was that in the middle of the room? It seemed to +be a large table covered all over with a red cloth. What could it be? +Willy said, "Grandma, that table looks as if something was on it;" and +little Sarah said, "Grandma, I guess Old Father Christmas has been +here." + +[Illustration] + +"Yes, dear children," said their Grandma, "Father Christmas has been +here, and this time he looked very much like your Grandpa. He will be up +soon, and then we will see what is on the table." + +Oh how the children did wish to peep! They could not look at anything +else; they danced and jumped round the table, and were in a great hurry +for their Grandpa. In a few minutes he came into the room, and all the +children ran up to him and said, "Dear Grandpa, do let us see what you +have got on the table." + +He smiled, and went to the table and took the cloth off. The children +were so astonished that they could not say a single word; the table was +covered with beautiful things, and under it was something that looked +like a little red-brick house. + +"Well," said their kind Grandpa, "my dear children, you did not think +you were going to be treated with such a fine show as this; you may go +up to the table, and see if you can find out who they are for." The +children gathered round the table, and Willy took from the top a fine +brig with all her sails set, and colours flying. His eyes sparkled when +he saw written on a slip of paper which lay on the deck, these words; +"For my dear Willy." The children clapped their hands, and nothing was +heard, but "How beautiful!" "What a fine ship!" "It is a brig of war," +said Willy: "only look at the little brass guns on her deck! Thank you, +thank you, dear Grandpa. What is the name of my ship?" + +"Her name is painted on her stern," said his Grandpa. Willy looked, and +saw that she was called the "Louisa." He blushed, and looked very funny, +and the other children laughed, for Willy knew a very pretty little girl +whose name was Louisa, and he liked her very much; and that was what +made them laugh when they heard the name. + +After they had all admired the brig, they went back to the table, and +there were two beautiful books, full of engravings or pictures, one for +Bella and one for Mary; and next to these was a large wax doll for +Carry, and another for Fanny. Carry's doll was dressed in blue satin, +with a white satin hat and a lace veil, and Fanny's doll was dressed in +pink satin with a black velvet hat and feathers--their eyes opened and +shut, and they had beautiful faces. + +How delighted the little girls were! They hugged their dolls to their +little breasts, and then ran to hug and kiss their Grandpa. Carry said, +"My dolly's name shall be Rose;" and Fanny said, "My dolly's name shall +be Christmas, because I got her on Christmas-day." + +Well I must hurry and tell you the rest, for I am afraid my story is +getting too long. Thomas found for him a splendid menagerie, and all the +animals made noises like real animals. There were roaring lions, and +yelling tigers, and laughing hyenas, and braying asses, and chattering +monkeys, and growling bears, and many other wild beasts. Oh, how pleased +Thomas was, and all the children! + +Little Sarah did nothing but jump up and down, and say, "So many things! +So many things! I never saw so many things!" + +But who was to have the little house under the table, I wonder? There +was a little piece of paper sticking out of the chimney, and Sarah +pulled it out and carried it to her Grandpa. He took her up in his arms, +and read it to her. What was written on it was, "A baby-house for my +little darling Sarah." + +"Why, I guess this must be for you," said Grandpapa. + +"Yes, it is for me," said the little girl; "my name is Sarah, and it +must be for me." + +Her Grandpa put her down, and led her to the table. He drew the little +house out, and opened it. The whole front of the house opened, and +there, inside, were two rooms; one was a parlour, and one a bedroom. The +children all cried out, "What a fine baby-house! Look at the +centre-table, and the red velvet chairs; and only see the elegant +curtains! Oh dear! how beautiful it is!" + +Little Sarah did not say a word. She stood before the baby-house with +her hands stretched out, and jumped up and down, her eyes shining like +diamonds. She was too much pleased to speak. She looked so funny jumping +up and down all the time, that she made Willy laugh again, and then +everybody laughed. + +At last she said, "There is a young lady sitting in the chair with a +red sash on. I think she wants to come out." + +"Well, you may take her out," said her Grandpa. So Sarah took the young +lady out, and then took up the chairs and sofa, one by one, and smoothed +the velvet, and looked at the little clock on the mantelpiece, and +opened the little drawers of the bureau; and then putting them down, she +began to jump again. + +There was never such a happy party before. The children hardly wished to +dance, they were so busy looking at their presents. But after a little +while they had a very nice dance. One of their aunts played for them; +she played so well, and kept such nice time, that it was quite a +pleasure to hear her. + +It was now quite late, and little Sarah had fallen fast asleep on the +sofa, with the young lady out of the baby-house clasped tight to her +little bosom. So they wrapped her up, doll and all, in a great shawl, +and the rest put on their nice warm coats and cloaks; and after a great +deal of hugging and kissing, they got into the carriages with their +parents, and went home happy and delighted. + +Thus ended this joyful Christmas-day. + + + + +LONDON: + +Printed by G. BARCLAY, Castle St. Leicester Sq. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Apple Dumpling and Other Stories +for Young Boys and Girls, by Unknown + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE APPLE DUMPLING *** + +***** This file should be named 22740.txt or 22740.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/2/7/4/22740/ + +Produced by David Edwards, Jana Srna and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The University of Florida, The Internet +Archive/Children's Library) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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