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| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 02:38:13 -0700 |
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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/28351-h.zip b/28351-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..840c058 --- /dev/null +++ b/28351-h.zip diff --git a/28351-h/28351-h.htm b/28351-h/28351-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ee3a1b4 --- /dev/null +++ b/28351-h/28351-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,5420 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Dick and His Cat and Other Tales, by Edith Carrington. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + + + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + h1 { text-align: center; line-height: 1.5; clear: both; } + + h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { text-align: center; clear: both; } + + p.title { text-align: center; text-indent: 0; + font-weight: bold; + line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 3em; } + + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + } + + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + + .pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + } /* page numbers */ + + .blockquot{margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 10%;} + + .center {text-align: center;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + .u {text-decoration: underline;} + + .caption {font-weight: bold;} + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + + .figleft {float: left; clear: left; margin-left: 0; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: + 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .figright {float: right; clear: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 0; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + +dd, li {margin-top: 0.50em; margin-bottom: 0; + line-height: 1.2em; /* a bit closer than p's */} + +ul { list-style-type: none; + position: relative; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-left: 10%; } + +span.tocright { /* use absolute positioning to move page# right */ + position: absolute; right: 10%;} + + .poem {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; text-align: left;} + .poem br {display: none;} + .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + .poem span.i0 {display: block; margin-left: 0em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Dick and His Cat and Other Tales, by Various + +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: Dick and His Cat and Other Tales + +Author: Various + +Editor: Edith Carrington + +Illustrator: F. M. Cooper + +Release Date: March 18, 2009 [EBook #28351] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DICK AND HIS CAT AND OTHER TALES *** + + + + +Produced by R. Cedron, Diane Monico, and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive) + + + + + + +</pre> + + + + + +<p class="title"> +<big>ANIMAL LIFE READERS</big><br /><br /> + +<small>EDITED BY</small><br /> +EDITH CARRINGTON AND ERNEST BELL<br /><br /> + +<small>WITH PICTURES BY</small><br /> +HARRISON WEIR<br /> +<small>AND OTHERS</small><br /> +</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> +<p class="title"> +DICK AND HIS CAT<br /> +<small>AND OTHER TALES</small><br /> +</p> + + + + +<p class="figcenter" style="width: 240px;"> +<img src="images/image001.png" width="240" height="300" alt="" title="" /> +</p> +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + + + +<h1> +DICK AND HIS CAT<br /> +<small>AND OTHER TALES</small><br /> +<br /></h1> + +<p class="title">ADAPTED BY<br /> +<big>EDITH CARRINGTON</big><br /> +<br /> +<small>AUTHOR OF "WORKERS WITHOUT WAGE," "A NARROW, NARROW WORLD,"<br /> +"A STORY OF WINGS," ETC., ETC.</small><br /> +<br /> +<i>WITH PICTURES BY F. M. COOPER</i><br /> +<br /><br /> +LONDON<br /> +GEORGE BELL AND SONS<br /> +<small>YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN</small><br /> +1895<br /> +</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> +<p class="center"><i>This Series is published by Messrs. Bell for the<br /> +Humanitarian League.</i></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> +<h2><a name="CONTENTS" id="CONTENTS"></a>CONTENTS.</h2> + + +<ul><li> <span class="tocright">PAGE</span></li> + +<li><span class="smcap">Dick and His Cat</span><span class="tocright"> <a href="#Page_1">1</a></span></li> +<li> +<span class="smcap">Trusty.</span> By Roger Quiddam<span class="tocright"> <a href="#Page_29">29</a></span></li> +<li> +<span class="smcap">Out in the Cold.</span> By Roger Quiddam<span class="tocright"> <a href="#Page_50">50</a></span></li> +<li> +<span class="smcap">The Story of a Fly.</span> By Maria Jacob<span class="tocright"> <a href="#Page_67">67</a></span></li> +<li> +<span class="smcap">Betty and Snowdrop</span><span class="tocright"> <a href="#Page_106">106</a></span></li> +</ul> + + + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> +<h2><a name="PREFACE" id="PREFACE"></a>PREFACE.</h2> + + +<p>In the Section of the Code for 1894-5, dealing with Reading +Books, occur the words "Passages impressing on the +children the duty of gentleness and consideration for +others, and that of the humane treatment of animals may +also be widely introduced."</p> + +<p>It is in the hope of encouraging that humane treatment +of animals, which in the hands of a sympathetic teacher +may so easily and naturally be made the first step towards +the "gentleness and consideration for others," that this +series has been prepared. It is hoped now that the teaching +of humanity has received official recognition, that those who +have charge of the young will recognize its importance, +and will realise that unless the cultivation of the heart runs +<i>pari passu</i> with that of the head, the spread of education +may become a curse instead of a blessing.</p> + +<p>The Editors are much indebted to the R.S.P.C.C. for +permission to reprint "Trusty" and "Out in the Cold."</p> +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</a></span></p> +<p class="figleft" style="width: 491px;"> +<img src="images/image002.png" width="491" height="300" alt="" title="" /> +</p> + +<h2>DICK AND HIS CAT.</h2> + + +<h3>1. UP TO LONDON.</h3> + +<p>1. In the reign of the famous king +Edward the Third, there was a little boy +named Dick Whitt-ing-ton, whose father +and mother died when he was very young.</p> + +<p>2. He knew nothing about them, and he +was left, a poor little ragged, dirty fellow, +to run about the streets of a small country +village.</p> + +<p>3. As poor Dick was not old enough to +work, he was in a sad state; he got but +little for his dinner, and often had nothing +at all for his supper. For all the people in +the village were very poor.</p> + +<p>4. They could often spare him nothing +more than an old crust of bread, or some<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</a></span> +scraps that even a dog would not have +liked. One day a man who was driving a +waggon came through the village.</p> + +<p>5. He had eight fine large horses to +pull it, and, as he walked by their side, +he spoke kindly to them, and never +whipped them. This made Dick think +that he must be a good man.</p> + +<p>6. "If he is kind to the horses," said +Dick to himself, "perhaps he will be kind +to a poor lad like me." So Dick went +up to speak to the carter and asked him +to let him walk along by the side of his +waggon.</p> + +<p>7. The two began to talk, and the man, +hearing from poor Dick that he had no +parents, and seeing how ragged his clothes +were, took pity on him. He told Dick +that he was going with the waggon to +London town. "And," added the man, +"you may come with me if you like.</p> + +<p>8. "I do not think that you can be much +worse off there than you are here; and +perhaps you may be better off in the +great city. You may ride in the waggon +if you please."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span></p> + +<p>9. Dick was glad enough to do this, and +the good driver took care to share his food +with him on the +way. He took as +much care of the +horses and of Dick +as he did of himself. +Dick got safe +to London.</p> + +<p class="figcenter" style="width: 439px;"> +<img src="images/image003.png" width="439" height="450" alt="SETTING OFF." title="SETTING OFF." /> +<span class="caption">SETTING OFF.</span> +</p> + +<p>10. Now before +he had seen the streets of London, Dick +had thought that they were made of gold, +for an old man in the village at home had +told him so. But the old man had only<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span> +been in joke. He meant that folks often +became rich there.</p> + +<p>11. So Dick ran away from the waggon +in a great hurry, to find the golden pavements. +But he saw nothing except mud +and dirt, and a crowd of people all looking +very busy, who took no heed of him.</p> + +<p>12. Instead of being able to pick up +little bits of gold from the streets when he +wanted money, Dick now found that he +could not find even a penny to buy a loaf +for himself, and no one gave him one either.</p> + +<p>13. He stayed all night in the streets, +and, next morning, he got up and walked +about, asking those whom he met to give +him something to keep him from starving.</p> + +<p>14. Hardly any man or boy whom he +asked gave him a copper. But at last, a +woman, seeing his pale face, drew out two +pence and put them into Dick's thin hand.</p> + +<p>15. Being almost too tired and weak to +buy food, Dick laid himself down on the +doorstep of a big house. He almost wished +to die, for he felt so lonely and forlorn in +that great town, where no one had time to +think about a poor little ragged boy.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span></p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p><i>Write:</i> Dick went to London with a +man. When he was there, he could get no +food. A kind woman gave him two pence.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>Questions: 1. In what king's reign did Dick Whittington +live? 2. In what kind of place was he born? 3. Whom did +he meet going through the village? 4. How did Dick know +that the driver was a good man? 5. What did he do when he +first reached London? 6. What did the kind woman give to +Dick?</p></div> + + +<h3>2. THE STRAY CAT.</h3> + +<p>1. As Dick was hiding his face in his +hands and thinking these sad things, he +felt something very soft rubbing gently +against his neck, which was close to the +hard cold stone step, and he heard a +pleasant sound at his ear.</p> + +<p>2. It was the purring of a poor little +stray cat, which was trying to make friends +with him. Dick sat up, and stroked puss. +"Why, you are just like me!" said Dick. +"I believe that you have no home and no +friends either, you poor little thing."</p> + +<p>3. When the cat heard Dick speak so +kindly to her, she crept into his lap, +looking into his face as if to say, "Are<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span> +you going to let me come, or will you +drive me away, as all the rest of the world +does?"</p> + +<p>4. Finding that Dick put one arm round +her she curled herself up, purring loudly, +and seemed to think that she had found a +home with him on the doorstep.</p> + +<p>5. "Poor pussy!" said Dick, "how thin +you are, and how rough your coat is! +Come, I will go and get something for us +both to eat." Dick ran along the street +with the cat in his arms.</p> + +<p>6. She could not do enough to thank +him for taking care of her. For she had +been hunted through the streets for many +days. The people with whom she had +lived were gone away and left poor puss +behind to starve in an empty house.</p> + +<p>7. They went to a shop and bought milk +and bread. It was a fine feast for them +both, and I do not know which of them +liked it best.</p> + +<p>8. The rude boys in the street laughed +at Dick for running along with a cat in +his arms. But he was too brave a boy to +care for that. He only hugged his cat the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span> +tighter, and laughed at them in return. +So they soon left off.</p> + +<p class="figcenter" style="width: 370px;"> +<img src="images/image004.png" width="370" height="450" alt="BOTH IN NEED." title="BOTH IN NEED." /> +<span class="caption">BOTH IN NEED.</span> +</p> + +<p>9. That night, Dick had again no place to +sleep in but the doorway of a big house. +He made himself and his cat as snug as +he could, and had just fallen asleep when +he heard a cross voice say, "What are you +doing here, you lazy scamp?"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span></p> + +<p>10. This was a cook, who was just coming +out. And at the same moment her master +came out behind her. He, too, saw Dick, +and said: "Why do you lie there, my +lad? You seem big enough to work. I +fear that you must be idle."</p> + +<p>11. "No, indeed, sir," said Dick. "I +would work with all my heart, but I know +no one to give me work, and I think that +I am ill from want of food and a dry, warm +bed."</p> + +<p>12. "Poor fellow!" said the rich merchant, +who was master of the house. +"Come here to me. Let us see what +is the matter with you."</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p><i>Write:</i> A poor little stray cat came to +Dick. He spoke kindly to her and went +to buy bread and milk for both. They +liked the food very much.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Questions: 1. What did Dick feel as he lay on the doorstep? +2. What did he say to the stray cat? 3. What did he buy +for them both? 4. Who came out of the door as Dick was +sleeping on the step? 5. Who came out after the maid? +6. What did the master of the house say to Dick?</p></blockquote><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>3. THE CROSS COOK.</h3> + +<p>1. As Dick came up to the merchant, +his knees trembled under him, and he +looked very ill and weak. He had put +the little cat under his jacket, so that the +merchant did not notice her.</p> + +<p>2. "You seem half starved," said the +merchant. And he told the cook to give +Dick a good meal at once, make him up +a bed in the garret, and let him stay +with them.</p> + +<p>3. He might do what dirty work in the +kitchen he could for the cook. Little Dick +would have been very happy now, but +for the cross cook, who was finding fault +and scolding all the day long.</p> + +<p>4. She would rush at poor Dick with +her broom, and hit him hard on the head. +And what was worse, she chased his poor +little cat right out of the house, and said +she would have no cats there.</p> + +<p>5. Dick found his pussy again, and took +her up into his own bare and empty garret, +where she was safe, for the cook never<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span> +went there. And pussy was his only friend +at that time.</p> + +<p>6. Dick was careful to carry food to his +cat, of which there was always plenty to +be had in that house. But things became +worse and worse in the kitchen.</p> + +<p>7. The temper of the cross cook was +tried more and more by the little mice, +which ran over all her nice pies and +puddings, and spoilt them as fast as she +made them.</p> + +<p>8. She flew into a passion with Dick +twenty times a day, but it was of no use +to do this. She set traps for the mice, but +they soon found out the trick, and would +not go near them.</p> + +<p>9. The cunning little things laughed at +cook and her clumsy traps, and made +merry all night long over the floor of her +room, running races, and keeping her +awake.</p> + +<p>10. So she grew crosser and crosser, till +at last Dick felt as if he could not stand it +much longer. But his master was always +kind, and he thought that he would never +leave him if he could help it.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span></p> + +<p>11. He thought that things might mend +and he tried to be patient. And his +cat was always ready with a loving greeting +for Dick when he came to his room.</p> + +<p>12. At last one day Dick's master called +all his servants upstairs into his room. He +said that a ship of his was going to sail +for a foreign land in a few days.</p> + +<p>13. He asked them if any of them +would like to send some things out in the +ship to be sold. In those days much +money was to be made by selling English +goods in other lands.</p> + +<p>14. All said that they would like to +send something. But poor little Dick said +not a word. He had nothing in the world +but the clothes he had on, and his cat.</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p><i>Write:</i> Dick was told that he might do +work for the cook. But she was very +cross to him and to his cat. He kept puss +in his own room and took care to feed her.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Questions: 1. What did the merchant say about Dick? +2. What did the cook say about the cat? 3. Where did Dick +keep her? 4. What was he careful to carry up for his cat? +5. What did the merchant ask his servants? 6. Why did Dick +say nothing when all the rest spoke?</p></blockquote><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>4. WHAT THE BELLS SAID.</h3> + +<p>1. Now the merchant had a little +daughter, called Alice. And she was a +kind little girl. She looked at the sad +face of poor Dick, and she said in a whisper +to her father, "Why does not that little +boy speak like the rest?"</p> + +<p>2. "You had better ask him," said the +father, giving his little girl a kiss before +he went out of the room.</p> + +<p>3. So Alice went up to Dick and asked +him why he had not sent some small thing +that could be sold for much money in the +foreign land, though it cost only a little +here.</p> + +<p>4. "All the rest are going to send," +said little Alice, "and when the ship +comes back they will get the money. +Why do you not send something in the +ship too?"</p> + +<p>5. "I have nothing to send," said poor +Dick, looking very sad. "I am a poor +boy. The cook is unkind to me, and I +have nothing of my own but a cat."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span></p> + +<p>6. "I have got some money in my +purse, I will give it to you," said little +Alice. But Dick said that he should not +like to take money from the little girl.</p> + +<p class="figcenter" style="width: 276px;"> +<img src="images/image005.png" width="276" height="450" alt="ALL DICK HAD." title="ALL DICK HAD." /> +<span class="caption">ALL DICK HAD.</span> +</p> + +<p>7. Just then the merchant came back into +the room. He had heard what Dick said +about having nothing but a cat.</p> + +<p>8. "Fetch your cat, boy, and let her<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> +go," said he. "I heard the captain of the +ship say that he wanted a cat to clear the +ship of mice. He will give you money for +her."</p> + +<p>9. "Oh no, sir," cried Dick, "I could +not give up my poor cat. She loves me, +and I love her. She has grown such a +beauty, sir, and she can almost talk. I +could not get on without her, please, sir."</p> + +<p>10. "Well, if you cannot be parted, +why not go too?" "So I could, sir," said +Dick. "Well, you are a smart boy, and +we will see. The captain lives near. You +had better run and ask him what he +thinks."</p> + +<p>11. Dick was not long in fetching his +cap. He almost flew along the streets, +and as he did so he heard Bow bells begin +to ring.</p> + +<p>12. He felt so full of high spirits at +the thought of ending his hard life in the +kitchen, with the cross cook, that the bells +seemed to be singing a merry tune to +him.</p> + +<p>13. Dick stopped for a moment to listen, +and as he did so, their chime came to his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span> +ears like the sound of his own name. +They seemed to say:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Turn again, Whittington,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Lord Mayor of London."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>14. "This must be my fancy," said Dick, +as he ran on to the house of the captain. +"But it is very pleasant to be spoken to +kindly, even by the bells. And I wonder +whether good fortune is in store for me at +last?"</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p><i>Write:</i> Dick could not part with his +cat. So his master said that he might go +with her in the ship. He went to ask the +captain.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Questions: 1. What did Alice ask Dick? 2. What did Dick +answer? 3. What did his master say when he came into the +room? 4. What was Dick's reply? 5. Where did he run? +6. What did he hear the bells say?</p></blockquote> + + +<h3>5. THE KING'S DINNER.</h3> + +<p>1. The ship, with Dick and his cat on +board, was soon at sea. But Dick began +to think that worse luck than ever was +going to befall him.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span></p> + +<p>2. For there was a heavy storm, and the +ship was nearly wrecked on the coast of a +land then unknown to the English. This +land was filled with black people called +Moors.</p> + +<p>3. When the captain and his men, with +Dick and the cat, landed on this shore, +the natives came in great numbers to gaze +at them. They had never seen people +with white faces before.</p> + +<p>4. As they came to know the captain +and his sailors better, these black men +would go on board the ship. The English +sailors showed them all the goods which +they had brought from England.</p> + +<p>5. The black men wished to buy them. +As they had gold in great lumps and +heaps, they were willing to give a high +price for what the servants had sent out +from the merchant's house.</p> + +<p>6. The captain, seeing how much pleasure +the things gave, sent some of the goods to +the king of the country. He was so much +pleased with them that he sent for the +captain and his friends to the palace.</p> + +<p>7. As Dick and his cat had been very<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span> +useful on the voyage, the captain took +them with him, and they soon reached the +palace.</p> + +<p class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/image006.png" width="600" height="416" alt="THE DINNER TABLE." title="THE DINNER TABLE." /> +<span class="caption">THE DINNER TABLE.</span> +</p> + +<p>8. Here they sat on cushions and +carpets made of rich silk and worked in +gold and silver. And the king and queen +being seated at the upper end of the table, +the dinner was brought in.</p> + +<p>9. But no sooner were the dishes set in +front of them, in plates of gold and silver, +than a rushing sound was heard. In an<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span> +instant a whole army of mice and rats +came running in.</p> + +<p>10. They were so bold that they leaped +on the table and began to devour the food +from the king's own plate. In a few +minutes nothing would have been left.</p> + +<p>11. The guests had to drive them away, +and snatch a few hasty morsels before they +came back again. But the creatures seemed +to care for nothing, for they ran back as +fast as they were made to go.</p> + +<p>12. The captain was full of surprise. +"Are not these mice and rats a great +trouble to you?" he asked the king. "Oh +yes, they are indeed!" said he.</p> + +<p>13. "They not only eat up almost all we +have, but they disturb us even in our own +bedrooms. We are sadly afraid that there +will be a famine next year, for they are eating +up all the seed and corn in the land."</p> + +<p>14. The captain was ready to jump for +joy when he heard this, for he called to +mind the cat, which Dick had left in the +ship.</p> + +<p>15. As it was not far off, he bade Dick +run and fetch her at once. "I think we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span> +can help you," he said to the king; but +he only shook his head, for he had tried +all ways to get rid of the rats and mice, +without success.</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p><i>Write:</i> The captain sold the goods for +a good price. He went to see the king of +that land. He found that there were +many rats and mice at the palace.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Questions: 1. What misfortune happened to the ship? +2. What sort of people did the captain find on the coast where he +landed? 3. What did they give instead of the goods? 4. Where +did the captain go with his friends next? 5. What went on at +the king's dinner-table? 6. What did the captain tell Dick to +fetch?</p></blockquote> + + +<h3>6. THE QUEEN AND THE KITTENS.</h3> + +<p>1. Taking puss in his arms, Dick was +surprised to find that she tried to get +away from him again, and to run down to +the cabin below. This was the first time +that she had done so, and he could not +make it out.</p> + +<p>2. She struggled to get away each time +that Dick tried to carry her out of the +ship, making an odd sort of "miew," and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span> +trying to coax him to come where she +led him.</p> + +<p>3. At last he ran after puss, down the +cabin steps, and at the bottom, in a dark +corner, he found that puss had hidden five +pretty little kittens!</p> + +<p>4. She was purring with all her might +over them, and she tried to say, "Did you +ever see five such sweet little things? How +could you ask me to leave them? They +would die if I did. Though I love you +dearly I cannot go away."</p> + +<p>5. So Dick found a warm piece of flannel, +and wrapping the baby pussies up in it, +he took the whole lot with him. Puss was +ready enough to come when she saw this.</p> + +<p>6. He made as much haste as he could. +Soon he came into the palace with the +kittens under one arm and their proud +mother purring under the other.</p> + +<p>7. No sooner did Dick enter than the +cat began to sniff the air. Then she +caught a glimpse of the rats and mice, +which were still feasting on the table. +The cloth was black with them.</p> + +<p>8. In one instant she sprang from his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span> +arms. She laid a dozen rats and mice +dead at the king's feet in half a minute, +and all the rest were scared out of their +wits, and ran away.</p> + +<p class="figcenter" style="width: 311px;"> +<img src="images/image007.png" width="311" height="450" alt="SWEET LITTLE THINGS." title="SWEET LITTLE THINGS." /> +<span class="caption">SWEET LITTLE THINGS.</span> +</p> + +<p>9. They had never seen a cat before, for +there were none in that land. The king +had never seen one either; and his queen<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span> +did not know what sort of beast puss was +at all. But she thought her very pretty.</p> + +<p>10. "What is this strange, useful creature; +what is it called?" said the king, "and +where did you get it? I will give all I +have to buy it from you, rather than be +left without one."</p> + +<p>11. But though the king sent for a great +sack of gold, so heavy that it took three +men to bring it into the room, Dick would +not hear of selling his friend.</p> + +<p>12. "What is that bundle under your +arm?" said the captain to Dick. And +then the boy showed him the kittens.</p> + +<p>13. "Why these are even more pretty +than the beast itself," said the queen, and +she wished to have all the kittens in her +lap. Poor woman! she had never before +nursed a kitten in her life!</p> + +<p>14. "You had better sell these to the +king," the captain said in a whisper to +Dick. "Tell him that some day they will +grow up to be cats like yours, and in due +time will have little ones of their own."</p> + +<p>15. "But it would be cruel to take them +all away from their mother," said Dick, for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> +he had seen how quickly his cat had run +to the queen to beg for her little ones.</p> + +<p class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/image008.png" width="600" height="555" alt="THE KING AND THE QUEEN." title="THE KING AND THE QUEEN." /> +<span class="caption">THE KING AND THE QUEEN.</span> +</p> + +<p>16. The cat was not afraid to stare even +into the face of a king, and ask him bravely +to put down the little kit which he had +taken into his royal hands.</p> + +<p>17. Puss had at last taken all her treasures +to a mat near the door, where she +was busy washing their faces. She did not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span> +care to have so many folks pulling them +about.</p> + +<p>18. "You must leave one for the mother, +and sell the rest," said the captain. "She +will not fret long if you leave her one +child. And we cannot take them all five +back on the ship. There would be too +many."</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p><i>Write:</i> Dick found that his cat had five +little kits. He took them with him to the +house of the king. The queen was pleased; +she had never seen a kitten before.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Questions: 1. What was Dick surprised to find when he took +up his cat? 2. Where did she try to lead him? 3. What had +puss got in a corner? 4. How did Dick manage to bring the +kittens to the palace? 5. What did his cat do when she got +there? 6. What did the queen wish?</p></blockquote> + + +<h3>7. THE END OF PUSSY.</h3> + +<p>1. "But I should like them to stay +little always," said the queen, after she +had been told that the kittens would soon +grow big enough to catch mice.</p> + +<p>2. "That is a foolish remark, my love," +said the king. "They are here to kill<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span> +mice, and the sooner they get big, the +better.</p> + +<p class="figcenter" style="width: 377px;"> +<img src="images/image009.png" width="377" height="450" alt="PUSSY'S GRAVE." title="PUSSY'S GRAVE." /> +<span class="caption">PUSSY'S GRAVE.</span> +</p> + +<p>3. "And you forget that they will have +kittens by-and-by," added the king. "In +time we shall have,—what is their name? +oh, cats.</p> + +<p>4. "Well, we shall have cats enough to +keep the whole land free from mice and +rats." And he was ready to dance and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span> +clap his hands. Only that would not have +been proper for a king.</p> + +<p>5. The end of it was that Dick and the +captain set sail for England with a shipload +of gold, and puss went with them, with +her one baby. She did not miss the rest +much after a time.</p> + +<p>6. When Dick reached London again, +he was very rich indeed. But as he grew +older he learned that money cannot make +people happy, unless they do good to +others with it.</p> + +<p>7. He gave his friend the captain a +handsome present of gold, and he did not +forget one of his old friends at home. To +each one he gave what they most needed.</p> + +<p>8. Even the cross cook was not passed +over, for Dick thought that her bad temper +might be made better by a gift, and so it +was.</p> + +<p>9. But there was one above all to +whom he showed the greatest care. This +was his cat. Of course she did not live so +long as Dick did, for the lives of cats do +not often last more than about sixteen +years.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span></p> + +<p>10. By the time that Dick was the father +of some dear little children, his faithful +old puss was very very old and weak. Alice +was now his wife.</p> + +<p>11. Pussy spent all her time by the +warm fire, and she had all she wanted. +No one was ever unkind to her, and +though she was not able to catch mice +any more, she was treated with great +honour.</p> + +<p>12. One day, as Dick, now a fine rich +man in good clothes and in a grand house, +was sitting in his arm-chair, his old puss +dragged herself slowly up to his feet.</p> + +<p>13. She begged to get on his lap once +more. Dick, who knew well what she +meant, though she could not speak, stooped +and lifted her up.</p> + +<p>14. Pussy purred, as she lifted her dim +eyes to his face, gave one sigh, and lay +quite still. She was dead, and Dick +buried her himself, under a laurel tree in +his garden.</p> + +<p>15. "If it had not been for her I might +have died in the streets myself," said he. +"It was puss who made my fortune, and I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span> +am certain of this one thing: those who +show mercy and love, will have the same +shown to them."</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p><i>Write:</i> Dick sold his kittens for gold. +But he let the mother-cat keep one. At +last his cat died of old age. Dick was kind +to her to the end of her life.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Questions: 1. What did the Queen want the kittens to do? +2. What did Dick find out about money as he grew older? 3. To +whom did he show the greatest care? 4. What about the cross +cook? 5. What did the old cat do one day? 6. What did +Dick say that he was quite certain of?</p></blockquote> + + + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span></p> +<p class="figleft" style="width: 474px;"> +<img src="images/image010.png" width="474" height="300" alt="" title="" /> +</p> + +<h2>TRUSTY.</h2> + + +<h3>1. HUNGRY.</h3> + +<p>1. "I think that we shall have a heavy +fall of snow before long," said the landlord +of the little wayside inn, at which I had +called to get a morsel of bread and cheese.</p> + +<p>2. "Very likely it will snow," said I, +giving a glance at the dark heavy clouds, +and stopping to listen for a moment to the +moaning wind.</p> + +<p>3. "And in that case the sooner I start +the better, for I have a long distance to go, +and the light will fail early, in such weather +as this."</p> + +<p>4. The landlord turned and looked at +me, as I began putting on my great-coat. +"Do you think that it is wise of you to +venture across the moor, when it is likely +to be so stormy?" said he.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span></p> + +<p>5. "It is a rough road at the best of +times, but on a bleak night with snow +there is real danger. The trap will take +you over in no time when it comes in, or +as soon as it is light in the morning."</p> + +<p>6. "My friend," said I, "do not think of +such a thing. I would not be away from +home to-morrow for all the world. It is +the birthday of my only little girl, and she +would think the day quite spoilt if her +father were not there.</p> + +<p>7. "I shall step out briskly, and be at +home long before dark. It is not three +o'clock yet," I added, pulling out my watch.</p> + +<p>"Well, I wish you a safe journey, sir," +said the landlord. "And also, many happy +returns of to-morrow."</p> + +<p>8. "Thank you, landlord," replied I, in +the same hearty tone. I shook hands with +him, for his face was a beaming and kindly +one, and I had known him since I was a +boy.</p> + +<p>9. As I went towards the outer door, +the landlord just behind me, his man darted +forward from a dark corner, and began to +bustle out in front of me.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span></p> + +<p>10. "Get out, you brute!" he said, in +an angry voice, as he made a savage kick +at something which was crouching in the +shadow of the doorstep.</p> + +<p class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/image011.png" width="600" height="384" alt="POOR DOGGIE." title="POOR DOGGIE." /> +<span class="caption">POOR DOGGIE.</span> +</p> + +<p>11. An instant after, with a dismal yelp +of despair, a forlorn dog slunk away from +the door, and ran to hide under an empty +waggon which stood in the middle of the +road.</p> + +<p>12. "Get out! Be off!" again shouted +the man, and he made a pretence of stooping +with great fury to pick up a stone.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span> +The wretched dog, wild with terror, left +his hiding-place.</p> + +<p>13. With his drooping tail between his +legs, he crept to the gate of the yard, where +he again lay down and blinked his great +sad eyes at us, licking his hungry mouth +as if to beg for food.</p> + +<p>14. I was deeply touched at the sight +of this poor creature's distress, and I could +not help thinking how warm and well fed +I was myself, as well as the other two +men, while this wretched dog, for no fault +of his own, was starving.</p> + +<p>15. "Poor thing!" I said, and turning +to the landlord, added, "Do pray let some +one bring him a few scraps and bones from +the kitchen. I will gladly pay for one +good meal for him."</p> + +<p>16. "Oh no, oh dear no!" cried the landlord +and the man, both in a voice of horror. +"If we gave him food in this yard we +should never get rid of him.</p> + +<p>17. "We should have a bother with +starving dogs here, all the year round, +sir. Pray do not give him food here, I +beg."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span></p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p><i>Write:</i> A man saw a hungry dog at an +inn. He wished to feed him, but the landlord +said that he should never get rid of +the dog if he had food there.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Questions: 1. What sort of weather was it when the man was +at the inn? 2. What did the landlord advise him to do? +3. What did the man answer? 4. What did the traveller see +outside the inn door? 5. What did he wish to do for the +starving dog? 6. What did the landlord and his man say?</p></blockquote> + + +<h3>2. A KIND MAN.</h3> + +<p>1. I now felt that this landlord was not +a truly good and kind man, or he would +have taken pity on the outcast dog. As I +passed through the gate, the poor creature +huddled close against the wall.</p> + +<p>2. He had been taught to expect a kick +or a blow from each person who passed. I +stopped for a moment to look at him, and +said, "Poor fellow!" in a gentle tone.</p> + +<p>3. In an instant all the love and grief +in his doggish heart welled over, and with +a sharp cry of pain, which was like a prayer +to me, he drew himself along the ground +to my feet, yelping and wagging his tail at +the same time.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span></p> + +<p>4. He began to lick and fondle my feet, +and made the shining polish on them quite +dim with his muddy paws.</p> + +<p>"Poor old fellow!" I said again. "Come, +you shall have one good meal if money can +buy it."</p> + +<p>5. I walked out into the street, and +called him to follow. He thought it was +too good news to be true, and only came +for a few steps, then stopped to look with +a timid gaze into my face as if to question +me.</p> + +<p>6. "Come along, doggie," I replied, "do +not be afraid. I shall not hurt you. I mean +to be good to you, though you can hardly +believe it. Come and get some dinner."</p> + +<p>7. Made bold by my tone and manner, +the dog stuck close to me, and we went +along the High Street. All the shops +were gay and smart, but at first I could +not see one which the dog would have +thought a good shop.</p> + +<p>8. At last I found one where food of +all kinds was sold, and I walked in, my +humble friend at my heels giving a joyful +sniff at the pleasant smells.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span></p> + +<p class="figcenter" style="width: 343px;"> +<img src="images/image012.png" width="343" height="450" alt="TRUSTY'S MEAL." title="TRUSTY'S MEAL." /> +<span class="caption">TRUSTY'S MEAL.</span> +</p> + +<p>9. Whole crowds of men and women +were eating at the little tables of which +the shop was full. I pushed my way up +to a counter, and said to the master of the +shop,</p> + +<p>10. "Just look at this poor dog. I +want him to have a good meal of meat.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span> +Give him plenty of scraps, and I will pay +you for them."</p> + +<p>11. The man looked at me as if he doubted +what I meant, and he seemed to think that +I must be crazy to wish to buy a dinner +for a dog.</p> + +<p>12. But when he saw that I was in +earnest, he quickly fetched a great heap of +scraps and bones, which he put down outside +the door.</p> + +<p>13. Upon these my dog friend fell, as if +he had been a starving wolf, but he did +not forget to glance up at me before he +began with such a grateful look, and to +give his tail one quick wag of thanks.</p> + +<p>14. I could not wait to see him eat as +much as he liked. "I must be off," said +I to the man.</p> + +<p>15. "Here Johnny," called the master of +the shop, when I was going away, "just +come here, and keep your eye on this stray +dog; see that he is not driven away till he +has eaten all he wants, and fetch him a +drop of water."</p> + +<p>16. I thanked the man for his kindness +and paid for the meat, and I did not forget<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span> +to leave a penny for the little boy who +was keeping guard over the poor dog.</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p><i>Write:</i> The poor dog was taken to a +shop and well fed. The kind man who +bought him a meal took care that he was +not driven away till he had eaten it.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Questions: 1. How did the landlord show that he was not a +truly kind and good man? 2. What did the poor dog do when +the traveller passed out at the gate? 3. Where did the kind +man take the dog? 4. What did he give the dog in the shop? +5. Why could not he wait to see the dog eat? 6. Who watched +while the dog ate his meal?</p></blockquote> + + +<h3>3. LOST ON THE MOOR.</h3> + +<p>1. As I went along, more than one person +who passed me on the way said, "We +shall have a wild night, sir, I advise you +to hurry into shelter."</p> + +<p>2. As I set foot upon the first part of +the wide, open moor, where the narrow +path could hardly be seen in the twilight, +a few flakes of snow began to fall.</p> + +<p>3. For a moment I began to wonder +whether it would not be better, even now,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span> +to turn back and stay in the town for that +night.</p> + +<p>4. But thinking that my wife and dear +little girl would be both sorry and anxious +when I did not appear, I put a stout +heart into the matter, and strode boldly +forward.</p> + +<p>5. The snowflakes came down thicker +and faster, my beard and the front of my +coat were quite white, the great brown +moor changed first to a grey, and then to +pure dazzling white too.</p> + +<p>6. The whirling flakes blinded me, I felt +giddy from the cold. The storm was now +upon me with full fury, the wind almost +lifted me from my feet.</p> + +<p>7. I trusted that the sudden gale would +soon pass over, and folding my arms close +to my body, tried to struggle forward still. +But so far from getting better, the weather +grew worse each moment.</p> + +<p>8. With a dreadful feeling of despair, +I found that I could no longer find my way. +I did not know where my home lay, nor +how I must turn my face in order to reach +it. I cried to God for mercy.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span></p> + +<p>9. I now felt that I had been very +foolish in trying to get across the moor on +such a night. Perhaps I might never see +my wife and dear child again.</p> + +<p>10. The bitter wind seemed to pierce +through my clothes, I was fast getting +drowsy and ready to fall down. Then the +snow would soon have buried me, and no +one would have seen me alive again.</p> + +<p>11. A groan broke from my lips as I +looked around at the waste of snow, but I +was at the same instant startled to hear a +low, plaintive whine close at hand.</p> + +<p>12. I turned and saw a large, thin, +starved-looking dog sitting close behind. +He gazed in a troubled way into my face, +when I turned round. It was my poor +fellow of the inn door!</p> + +<p>13. As he crept along over the snow to +my feet, he seemed with the same humble +love to say, "Do not send me away, let me +come with you. You are the only person +who has shown me mercy."</p> + +<p>14. I stooped and patted him on the +head. "Good dog!" I said, "have you +found me out? Come now, I wish you<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span> +could show me the way home, or else I am +afraid we shall both be frozen to death."</p> + +<p>15. He seemed to know what I meant +in some strange way, and just then I heard +far off a church clock strike, which I knew +must be in the town I had left behind.</p> + +<p>16. This was a help, for I now knew that +if I turned my back on the place from +which the sound came, I should be right in +keeping straight on.</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p><i>Write:</i> The storm grew worse. When +the man had lost his way on the moor, he +saw the dog which he had fed at the inn +sitting behind him.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Questions: 1. What did more than one person say as the man +began his walk? 2. As he began to cross the moor, what did +he see? 3. Did the weather grow any better? 4. What did he +see sitting close to him when he turned round? 5. What did +the dog seem to say? 6. What did the traveller hear far off?</p></blockquote> + + +<h3>4. TRUSTY FINDS THE WAY.</h3> + +<p>1. I pointed out to the dog the way I +wished to go, and with a wag of his tail, +the wise creature trotted on slowly in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span> +front. He seemed to feel that he had the +charge of me and had been trusted.</p> + +<p class="figcenter" style="width: 333px;"> +<img src="images/image013.png" width="333" height="450" alt="A BITTER NIGHT." title="A BITTER NIGHT." /> +<span class="caption">A BITTER NIGHT.</span> +</p> + +<p>2. We had not gone far before he gave +a whine, and coming quite close to me, +stared in my face, and changed his course. +He seemed to beg me to turn aside to the +right.</p> + +<p>3. I went as he asked me, and as I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span> +was going, I tried with my stick to poke +the ground from which the dog had wished +to turn. I wanted to know why he was +not willing to let me tread just there.</p> + +<p>4. I found that a deep pond, over which +a slight cover of ice and snow were spread, +was close beside us. It was an old pit in +which water had frozen.</p> + +<p>5. Had I set my foot on it I must have +sunk down and I never could have risen. +"A few inches closer to the edge and +I must have been drowned!" cried I +aloud, and did not forget to thank God for +the escape.</p> + +<p>6. The dog now stopped a few feet off as +if to watch whether I was coming, and +again trotted forward as I praised him +and began to follow.</p> + +<p>7. Soon he gave a second whine, and +again seemed to wish me to turn aside. I +trod in his footprints, and again was safe. +I was now nearly ready to faint from cold.</p> + +<p>8. "Go on, good dog," said I to my +faithful guide, "lead me home quickly, or +I shall die." He gave a hoarse bark in +reply, as if to bid me keep a good heart.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span></p> + +<p>9. I was just falling down, for I could +walk no further, when he gave a short, eager +bark of joy; at least it seemed like joy, I +thought, but my ears were deaf, and my +eyes dim.</p> + +<p>10. I gave one last hopeless glance +around, and saw something large and dark +in front. It was a wooden shed, the black +inside of which showed plainly against the +whiteness all around.</p> + +<p>11. I knew that it must be one of the +huts which the men used who were digging +peat on the moor, and the thought filled +me with terror, for I knew that these huts +were very far away from my home.</p> + +<p>12. But all other feelings went from me +now; I had a strong wish to rest, and that +was all. I crept into the hut and lay down, +thinking that I would wait there till the +storm was over.</p> + +<p>13. The dog came in after me, and laid +himself down close to my side. I felt +more sleepy than I had ever done in my +life before, my eyes ached, and bright lights +seemed to be flashing in front of them.</p> + +<p>14. I thought of my home, wife, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span> +child, and then sleep stole upon me. Once +I woke with the hoarse bark of the dog +ringing in my ears. He was doing his best +to wake me from the sleep which must end +in death out there on the bitter moor.</p> + +<p>15. A second time he roused me, and I +felt that he had now crept very close to my +breast, and with his fore paws resting on +my shoulders, was licking my face with his +warm tongue.</p> + +<p>16. In the act of stroking him and speaking +a kindly word, I again sank to sleep, +and after that I forgot all about the dog, +the shed, and the cold moor. I dreamt +of home, my little girl, and my dear wife.</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p><i>Write:</i> The dog led the man to a hut. +On the way there he saved him from falling +into a deep pit. The dog did his best +to keep the man from falling asleep.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Questions: 1. What did the man point out to the dog? +2. What did he do to take care of the man on the way? +3. Where did he lead the man? 4. What did the man feel before +he was in the hut? 5. How did the dog try to keep him awake? +6. If he had been allowed to sleep in the snow what would have +happened to the man?</p></blockquote><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>5. SAVED BY TRUSTY.</h3> + +<p>1. I knew nothing more about myself +until I slowly waked in a warm room, and +saw many strange faces round me.</p> + +<p class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/image014.png" width="600" height="344" alt="CALLING FOR HELP." title="CALLING FOR HELP." /> +<span class="caption">CALLING FOR HELP.</span> +</p> + +<p>"Oh, thank God!" cried a voice near +me, "the poor man is getting better."</p> + +<p>2. "What is the matter?" said I, for I +seemed not to know what all the fuss was +about.</p> + +<p>"Here, my dear sir, drink this," said +a voice, and a cup of steaming hot coffee +was placed at my lips.</p> + +<p>3. I drank it slowly, and then all that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span> +I had gone through rushed into my mind. +"What is the time?" I asked of the person +who had given me the hot coffee. He +held my pulse, and I thought that he was +a doctor.</p> + +<p>4. "Within ten minutes of midnight," +was the answer. "And it has taken hours +to bring you round. I was almost giving +you up for dead."</p> + +<p>"You found me on the moor?"</p> + +<p>5. "Yes, half buried in the snow. You +may thank your dog for your life."</p> + +<p>"My dog? I have no dog," said I, for +I did not think of my poor friend at the +moment.</p> + +<p>6. "Yes; if it had not been for his faithful +barking and howling, we should not have +set out to seek you. My wife heard him, +and she said that some one must be lost on +the moor.</p> + +<p>7. "The dog guided us to the shed. He +had kept your face clear of snow by licking +it, and had kept a little warmth in +your body by lying on it; if he had not, +you would now have been dead. We dug +you out, and brought you here."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span></p> + +<p>8. I thanked the doctor for his goodness, +but my mind was chiefly fixed on that +other friend, who was not dumb, for he +had spoken for me after his own plan.</p> + +<p>9. How great a reward he had given +me for a few bones and a friendly word!</p> + +<p>"Where is he now?" I asked in an +eager tone.</p> + +<p>"Who?—the dog? Oh, he is tied up in +the stable.</p> + +<p>10. "He was so much in the way, and +did so much to hinder us by his attempts +to show his fondness for you, that we had to +shut him up. Hark! Do you hear him?"</p> + +<p>11. As the doctor spoke, a long, doleful +howl was borne past the windows of the +room. It seemed to speak of pain, longing, +reproach: all feelings that a dog who +had been ill repaid for his love could put +into the sound.</p> + +<p>12. "Oh, let him out, please! let him +out, do!" cried I. "I cannot bear to hear +him howl like that."</p> + +<p>I then told them the story of the dog. +And in the midst of the surprise which all +felt at hearing it, he came in.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span></p> + +<p>13. At a word from me, he jumped up +by the side of the bed, and barked out all +his joy at seeing me again. You may be +sure that the dog was not left behind when +I started that next day for home.</p> + +<p class="figcenter" style="width: 387px;"> +<img src="images/image015.png" width="387" height="450" alt="GRATEFUL FRIENDS." title="GRATEFUL FRIENDS." /> +<span class="caption">GRATEFUL FRIENDS.</span> +</p> + +<p>14. And you may guess what my wife +and little girl thought of him. They gave +him the name of Trusty, which he had +well earned.</p> + +<p>15. He had a share of the birthday feast,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span> +which took place a day later than the right +one. No one at the table enjoyed a taste +of each dish more than Trusty.</p> + +<p>16. The fruit was the only thing which +he did not care for. His looks improved +day after day. He is my friend and the +dearly loved playmate of my little girl.</p> + +<p>17. I often look back with a most thankful +heart to the day that I met him at the +inn-door, and my wife has always a pat, a +loving word, and a treat in the shape of +some nice bone, for our Trusty.</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p><i>Write:</i> When the poor man waked from +his sleep he found himself in a room. The +dog had been tied up in a stable, but was +soon let loose.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Questions: 1. Where did the poor man find himself when he +woke? 2. Where had the dog been tied up? 3. What did the +man say when he heard the dog howling? 4. What did the +doctor tell him about the dog? 5. When was the birthday feast +held, and who enjoyed a taste of each dish? 6. What did the +dog become, and what was he named?</p></blockquote> + + + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="OUT_IN_THE_COLD" id="OUT_IN_THE_COLD"></a>OUT IN THE COLD.</h2> + + +<h3>1. POOR OLD BROWNIE.</h3> + +<p>1. "What a sharp night it is, Peter, to be +sure!" said a pale woman to her husband, +as she sat rocking her baby in its cradle +by the fire.</p> + +<p class="figleft" style="width: 289px;"> +<img src="images/image016.png" width="289" height="400" alt="" title="" /> +</p> + +<p>2. She had been +but poorly, and +had felt the cold +very much. +"Very sharp, indeed!" +said her +husband. "I feel +pains in all my +poor old bones."</p> + +<p>3. "If you and I feel +cold here," said he, "by +the warm fire, after our +good supper, what must it be outside, for +those poor souls that have nothing to eat, +and no fire?"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span></p> + +<p>4. "Ah, bad indeed!" said his wife. +"And for the poor dumb beasts, too. How +glad I am that we had that nice dry house +made for the cow this summer, and the +new place for the cocks and hens!</p> + +<p>5. "They would have been half frozen +under that broken roof as it used to be +when we first came here."</p> + +<p>6. Her eldest child, a little-girl, looked +up from her knitting. "The hens are all +quite snug, mother, Fluffy and Biddy and +the rest. I peeped in just now, after they +were gone to roost."</p> + +<p>7. "You are always a kind little one to +the dumb things," said her father, stroking +the soft brown head of Mercy, who had +just spoken. "And so is my little Nelly, +too," he added, looking fondly at the +second child, who sat on his knee.</p> + +<p>8. "It is getting late for the children, +Peter," said his wife. "Shall Mercy read +a bit, before we go to bed?" So Mercy, +who was a good scholar, took the Bible +from the shelf and read aloud a few verses +which her father found for her.</p> + +<p>9. They told of the manger, and of how<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span> +the ox and the ass stood by one bitter +night like this, when the infant Christ was +laid in it long ago. "Thank you, dear," +said her mother, when Mercy had done. +"Now run up to your warm bed."</p> + +<p>10. "Oh look, Mercy, how nice!" cried +little Nelly, "we have got a new blanket!" +"That is because the squire sent it to +mother; a big new thick one," said her +sister. "How warm we shall be!"</p> + +<p>11. Nelly began to make great haste, +while Mercy went to the window and +looked out.</p> + +<p>"How thick the snow is!" she said. +"And how white it looks in the moonshine!</p> + +<p>12. "But what is that dark thing standing +by the old shed?" Nelly ran up and +pressed her little face against the window +to peep out too. "Why, it is a donkey!" +she cried. "How did it get there?"</p> + +<p>13. "I tell you what," said Mercy, "it +is our poor old Brownie, that father sold +last week to Mr. Smith, that he might +pay the doctor's bill with the money.</p> + +<p>14. "He had spent all we had in getting +things for mother when she was ill, you<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span> +know, and in bread for us. So poor +Brownie had to go."</p> + +<p>15. "Why does he not go into the +shed? How stupid of him to stand there! +And why did he not stay with Mr. Smith, +I wonder?"</p> + +<p>"I suppose he could not help thinking +about us, and that is why he came back," +said Mercy. "Perhaps Mr. Smith has no +little girls to pet him, and maybe he is not +so good to him as father was."</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p><i>Write:</i> Two little girls went to their +warm beds. As they looked out at the +window they saw a donkey. It stood out +in the cold.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Questions: 1. What sort of night did Peter think it was? +2. What was his wife so glad to think of? 3. What did Mercy +say about the hens' house? 4. What did the children see when +they looked out at the window? 5. What did Mercy think was +the reason why the donkey had come back?</p></blockquote> + + +<h3>2. A KIND ACT.</h3> + +<p>1. Mercy and her little sister watched +at the window for a minute or two more, +but the creature did not move.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span></p> + +<p>2. And Mercy cried out, "Oh, I quite +forgot! Of course, the shed door is shut! +Father has put his tools there, his spade +and rake.</p> + +<p>3. "When Brownie was sold the straw +which was his bed was taken out, and +some sacks of corn and barley were kept +there instead.</p> + +<p>4. "Poor Brownie! I dare say he wonders +why his nice old house is shut up so +that he cannot get in!"</p> + +<p>5. "I will give him some bread from my +breakfast in the morning, because it is +Christmas Day," said little Nelly. "He +will like that, won't he?"</p> + +<p>6. Her sister made no answer, but, moving +from the window, she took down from +a peg her hat and thick jacket. She put +them on.</p> + +<p>7. "Why, Mercy!" said Nelly, who +looked with much surprise at what her +sister was doing; "what are you doing? +You cannot be going out now in the +snow?"</p> + +<p>8. "Do not make a noise," said Mercy. +"You know that mother is not well, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span> +perhaps she is just dropping off to sleep. +I cannot bear to leave him freezing out +there all night,—Christmas Eve and all!</p> + +<p class="figcenter" style="width: 402px;"> +<img src="images/image017.png" width="402" height="450" alt="OUT IN THE COLD." title="OUT IN THE COLD." /> +<span class="caption">OUT IN THE COLD.</span> +</p> + +<p>9. "I could not creep under the warm +blanket and forget him. No one will +see him but us, for only our window<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span> +looks this way. So I am just going to +run out and get the shed open for him."</p> + +<p>10. "Oh, sister, you will be so cold! +Cannot you ask father to go?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, you heard him say that he had +pains in all his bones. Now be a good +child, Nelly, and get quick into bed. I +shall soon be back."</p> + +<p>11. With these words Mercy tied on a +great scarf which was once her father's +round her neck, crept down stairs without +making the least noise, and out at the back +door.</p> + +<p>12. Once out of shelter of the house, it +was, as she thought with a shiver, "a +bitter night." The snow was no longer +falling, but a keen wind swept over the +white face of the earth and stirred up the +snow.</p> + +<p>13. It piled heaps of it up into strange +shapes. The frost was so hard that the +feet of the child did not sink into it as she +ran along.</p> + +<p>14. Very soon she reached the shed, outside +of which the donkey stood, a picture +of patient despair. She plunged through<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span> +a great heap of drifted snow and reached +its side. She patted his rough coat.</p> + +<p>15. "Oh, Brownie," she cried, "how +cold you are! I must get this door open +for you somehow." She pulled it, she +jerked it, she kicked it, she shook down +showers of snow on herself, and that was +all.</p> + +<p>16. It was in vain to try. It was frozen +hard, and do what she would, she could not +stir it an inch. It was hopeless. "Oh, +what can I do for you, Brownie?" she +thought, ready to cry with grief.</p> + +<p>17. "I do so wish you were not so big, +and I could take you up the stairs into our +bed-room!" And Mercy half laughed at +the idea of taking the donkey to bed with +her.</p> + +<p>18. She gave one last, hard hit and a +rattle at the unkind door. "I cannot get +it open, Brownie, and I must go home +again. It will not do you any good if I +stay out here with you."</p> + +<p>19. Slowly the child moved away. If it +had seemed cold when she first came out, +it seemed ten times colder now. And she<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span> +saw the sad look which the poor beast +cast after her when she left him. Mercy +could not forget it.</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p><i>Write:</i> Mercy went out into the cold +that she might open the shed door. She +wished to let the donkey in. But she +could not open it.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Questions: 1. What did Mercy remember about the shed? +2. What did she put on? 3. Where did she go? 4. What +was the weather like outside the house? 5. What did she find +on trying to open the shed door? 6. What was it that Mercy +could not forget?</p></blockquote> + + +<h3>3. THE OLD SHED.</h3> + +<p>1. All of a sudden, as Mercy had quite +made up her mind to leave Brownie, and +was half way across the yard to her own +door, a thought struck her.</p> + +<p>2. There was an old shed which had once +been the stable of a donkey, quite at the +far end of the garden.</p> + +<p>3. Her father had turned it into a pigsty; +but he had left off keeping pigs for +some time. It was a clean place, for Peter<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span> +did not let his pigs live in a dirty sty as +some people do.</p> + +<p>4. Some dry straw was in it, and some +roots stored for the winter. It would be +just the place if only she could get Brownie +there.</p> + +<p>5. In a moment she turned back to hurry +again over the heap of snow to the place +where the donkey still stood. He could +do nothing for himself to make things +better.</p> + +<p>6. All that he could do was to bear +them without any complaint. Poor thing! +He was stiff with cold, and seemed not to +wish to move. But Mercy knew what +was for his good.</p> + +<p>7. She meant to do what was best for +poor Brownie, whether he knew it or not. +So she talked to him, patted him, and +coaxed him till at last he let her lead him +down to the old shed at the bottom of the +garden.</p> + +<p>8. "This is lucky for you, Brownie," +cried she, feeling very proud at her success. +There was a bundle of hay in one corner, +of which she shook down a nice soft armful.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span></p> + +<p>9. And then she gave Brownie one good +brisk rubbing with some of the straw, +to warm them both. She made him a bed +of straw too.</p> + +<p>10. Brownie was glad to nibble a mouthful +while this was being done. Then she +took some fine carrots from a shelf, and +put them in front of him. Oh, how +Brownie did munch those fresh juicy roots!</p> + +<p>11. Lastly, she found a bucket of clean +water which had not long been drawn from +the well, and which had only a thin coating +of ice on the top.</p> + +<p>12. It had been set in the shed ready +for making some mortar, with which father +was going to plaster up the cracks in the +wall.</p> + +<p>13. Brownie seemed almost more glad of +the water than of the food. He took a +long drink, and turned to thank Mercy +with his great deep dark eyes.</p> + +<p>14. "Now, poor old fellow, I think you +will do," said the child. "I could not bear +to leave you out this bitter night, and now +I must be getting home, for the snow has +soaked through my boots."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span></p> + +<p>15. She stopped fondling and stroking +the donkey, but he would follow her, +rubbing his soft nose against her hand. +"Oh, go back again, do, dear Brownie!" +she said.</p> + +<p class="figcenter" style="width: 567px;"> +<img src="images/image018.png" width="567" height="450" alt="THE OLD SHED." title="THE OLD SHED." /> +<span class="caption">THE OLD SHED.</span> +</p> + +<p>16. "You really must not come out +with me!" Shutting the little gate, which +had once been the front door of the pigsty, +she ran back to the cottage.</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p><i>Write:</i> At last the little girl thought of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span> +a shed. It was at the end of the garden, +and it was a clean place. She put the +donkey there and fed him well.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Questions: 1. What thought struck Mercy as she was going +back? 2. What sort of shed was it? 3. What did she do for +Brownie first? 4. What did she give him to lie on? 5. What +did she find for him to eat? 6. What did she give him besides +food?</p></blockquote> + + +<h3>4. A HAPPY CHRISTMAS.</h3> + +<p>1. But when she came to the back door +at which she had come out, Mercy found +a great trouble. She lifted the latch, but +the door did not open.</p> + +<p>2. She gave a pull, a second pull, and +then a tug with all her might; but it still +held fast. "Why," she thought, "I am as +badly off as the donkey. I shall have to +go into the pigsty with him!"</p> + +<p>3. She had been out much longer than +she thought. And while she had been +taking care of Brownie her father had +turned the big key in the door and gone +to bed.</p> + +<p>4. What was to be done? It would<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span> +never do to wake up poor tired father, +and bring him out in the cold too. So she +stood there trying to puzzle out some +plan for getting in.</p> + +<p>5. The bright moonlight showed her a +way to do it. The cottage was a low one, +and just under the window of the room +where she and Nelly slept, was a bench.</p> + +<p>6. Standing on tiptoe upon this, Mercy +found that she could reach the branches +of an old vine tree, which grew over the +walls of the little house.</p> + +<p>7. She could climb up into this, and so +get near the bedroom window. It was +easy enough to scramble up in summer +time, but not so easy now.</p> + +<p>8. The boughs were a sheet of ice, and +her fingers so cold that they could hardly +take hold of them. At last, after many +slips and frights, she was safely up.</p> + +<p>9. But what would little Nelly think of +seeing her sister outside the window, asking +to be let in, as their pussy cat often +did?</p> + +<p>10. She was sound asleep too, and had +to be wakened by many hard taps at the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span> +glass. First, Nelly felt fear at seeing a +face looking in at her.</p> + +<p>11. But she soon knew who it was. "Oh +Mercy," cried Nelly, "how long you have +been! What have you been at? And +why did you come back this way?"</p> + +<p>12. "Get into bed again, there's a dear," +said Mercy, "and I will tell you all about +it." Nelly kept awake to listen, as Mercy +told her the story.</p> + +<p>13. And she could not help clapping +her hands to think of how snug poor +old Brownie was now. Mercy knelt down +to say her prayers before she got into +bed.</p> + +<p>14. She felt very thankful that she had +been able to do one kindness to a creature +like that ass which once stood in the stall +beside the "new-born King."</p> + +<p>15. Next morning, as soon as the house +was tidy, Mercy ran out to see the donkey. +More snow had fallen in the night, and had +filled up all her footmarks, so that she might +have thought it all a dream.</p> + +<p>16. But just as she reached the pigsty +she heard a loud bray, which was Brownie's<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span> +way of saying "A Merry Christmas" to his +friends.</p> + +<p>17. "You did quite right, my child," +said her father, when Mercy told him of +her work the last night. "I think that +Smith does not treat him well.</p> + +<p>18. "And I will tell you what, children, +I am going to-morrow to see Mr. Smith and +buy our Brownie back again. I cannot get +on without him, I find.</p> + +<p>19. "Now that your mother is well again +we shall do better, and last week I put by +the money for Brownie. So you need +never say good-bye to him again."</p> + +<p>20. You may be sure that there was a +happy Christmas at the cottage for Peter +and his wife, and for the children, as well +as for poor Brownie.</p> + +<p>21. "How very glad I am that I went +out to him that night!" said Mercy to her +father. "It was not much to do, only it +was Christmas Eve, and I thought—"</p> + +<p>22. "You thought what?" said her +father.</p> + +<p>"Only," she said, in a low voice, "I +could not forget that Christ let the ox and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span> +the ass be with Him in the stable. And I +thought that He would not be pleased +if we left poor Brownie out in the cold."</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p><i>Write:</i> Mercy was forced to get in at +the window. She got up by the vine tree. +Her little sister let her in. Peter said he +should buy the donkey back.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Questions: 1. What trouble did Mercy find at her door? +2. How did she get up to the window? 3. What was Nelly +doing? 4. What did Peter say when his child told him what +she had done for the donkey? 5. What did he say about Mr. +Smith? 6. What did he mean to do for Brownie?</p></blockquote> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span></p> +<h2>THE STORY OF A FLY.</h2> + + +<h3>1. ROSE.</h3> + + +<p class="figleft" style="width: 254px;"> +<img src="images/image019.png" width="254" height="450" alt="" title="" /> +</p> + +<p>1. The first time +that I ever used my +wings was in flying +from behind a red +curtain. It was in a +warm nice breakfast-room. +The master of +it was called Mr. Sutton.</p> + +<p>2. I settled on a pretty +white cap on the head of his +wife. She was just making the +tea, and her husband was sitting +on the other side of the table.</p> + +<p>3. "Well," said Mr. Sutton, "when I +talk of lazy folks, of course I do not suppose +that any person thinks himself idle.</p> + +<p>4. "Some people think that so long as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span> +they are doing something or other they are +busy. I suppose that I am an idle old +fellow myself, for spending time in reading +the paper.</p> + +<p>5. "The right thing to think is, have +I been doing what is of any use, eh?" +said the old man, pushing up his glasses +and looking at his little grandchild.</p> + +<p>6. "Have you done a single thing that +is of any use this morning, Rose?" Rose +hung her head for a moment. Then she +lifted her face brightly, and said, "Only +one little thing, grandpa."</p> + +<p>7. "What was it, dear?"</p> + +<p>"I am not quite sure that it was a real +good thing," Rose went on, "but I found a +poor little butterfly that had fallen into a +pool in the garden, where the rain had come.</p> + +<p>8. "Its wings were wet, and it could not +fly up. So I took it up and put it in the +sun on the wall, and soon it was well."</p> + +<p>9. Mrs. Sutton looked at Rose in a loving +way. "I am quite sure that it was a 'real +good thing' if you are not," said the old +lady. "And so that was partly why you +were late?"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span></p> + +<p>10. "Yes, granny."</p> + +<p>"Well, the little butterfly is all the +better, though you were the worse for +having cold toast. But that is not much +to bear for the sake of saving a little life, +is it?"</p> + +<p>11. And all this time I had been feasting +on the sweet white lumps of sugar. No +one took any notice of me, and so I went +on, till one lump began to grow quite small.</p> + +<p>12. "Look, here is a little house-fly!" +said Rose. "He is standing quite still on +a lump of sugar. What is he doing, +granny?"</p> + +<p>"He is eating it, dear."</p> + +<p>"Can he bite it up?"</p> + +<p>13. "Bite it up! No," said Mr. Sutton, +putting down his paper and coming up to +us. "The fly has no teeth, he has a trunk. +He sends down some juice through his +trunk on to the sugar.</p> + +<p>14 "This juice melts it, and then he +sucks it up again."</p> + +<p>"How clever!" said Rose. "I wish he +would let me touch him." And she put +out one finger very softly towards me.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span></p> + +<p>15. Now though I am a brave fly now, +I could not bear at that time to see the +hand of any person come near me. Though +I would perch on the top of it, I did not +like to be touched by it.</p> + +<p>16. So I flew up in a great hurry, and +pitched on some dark stuff which smelt +like new hay, and which stood on the side +table in a box. Rose did not see where I +went. "Oh, how fast he went off!" she +said.</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p><i>Write:</i> Rose saved the life of a butterfly. +She found it in a little pool. She set it in +the sun to dry its wings. It was a useful +thing to do.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Questions: 1. What had Rose found in the garden? 2. +What did she do for the little butterfly? 3. How did the fly eat +sugar without any teeth? 4. What did Rose wish to do? +5. What did the fly think about being touched? 6. What did +he do when he saw the hand of Rose near him?</p></blockquote> + + +<h3>2. IN THE TEA-CADDY.</h3> + +<p>1. "Now, granny," said Rose, when the +breakfast was done, "I will not forget, to-day +at least, to lock up the tea-caddy."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span></p> + +<p>2. So she took up the sugar-basin, fitted +it into a little place made for it inside the +box where I sat, and, before I had any idea +of what she was doing, she shut down the +lid.</p> + +<p>3. I was now, for the first time, left in +the dark. And I began to think what a +pleasant thing the sunshine was, and to +wonder when I should be let out again.</p> + +<p>4. But I must say that I found the sugar +a great comfort. I went on eating it as long +as I could. If I was to be locked up at all, +I could not have been locked into a better +place.</p> + +<p>5. The sugar-basin was full and there +were enough lumps in it to last a fly of my +size all his life. But of course one might +get tired of it, in time.</p> + +<p>6. But I was not tired yet. So I ate and +ate, until I began to feel my legs ache and +my wings very heavy. Just then I heard a +loud noise, and a light broke into my prison.</p> + +<p>7. It was Rose turning the key in the +lock and lifting the lid of the tea-caddy. +"Oh, granny!" cried she, "here is a poor +fly that can hardly move."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span></p> + +<p>8. "I am afraid, dear, that the poor fly +must thank himself for that," said Mrs. +Sutton, looking closely at me. "He has +been a little glutton, I fear, and has eaten +so much sugar that he can hardly move."</p> + +<p>9. "Poor little fellow," said Rose, "I will +not hurt him. He shall go out of doors +on to the cool grass and get well again.</p> + +<p>10. "I dare say that, though he is not +quite so pretty as a butterfly, he likes to +be alive." So Rose took me up between +her finger and thumb as gently as she +could, but oh, what great big hands they +seemed to me!</p> + +<p>11. And my poor sides were pinched +black and blue. That is the reason why +I cannot bear one of the great hands +which belong to men and women to catch +hold of me.</p> + +<p>12. You see we tiny flies are made so +lightly, and we are so small. A mere +touch will crush our dainty wings, or break +our slender legs, or hurt our eyes.</p> + +<p>13. How thankful I am that we have +eyes that can see behind and all round us +as well as in front!<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span></p> + +<p>14. We are able to get away, thanks to +these eyes, when we see a great hand +coming to catch us. Even a baby's hand +seems like that of a giant to us.</p> + +<p class="figcenter" style="width: 231px;"> +<img src="images/image020.png" width="231" height="450" alt="ROSE DID HER BEST FOR ME." title="ROSE DID HER BEST FOR ME." /> +<span class="caption">ROSE DID HER BEST FOR ME.</span> +</p> + +<p>15. But dear Rose did her best for me, +and put me in a spoon to carry. At the +same time I did wish that the sugar had +not been quite so nice, and that I had not +taken so much of it.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span></p> + +<p>16. The fresh air of the garden, the +sunshine, and the flowers did me a great +deal of good, after being shut up in the tea-caddy. +At night I slept in a lily bell.</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p><i>Write:</i> The fly was shut into a tea-caddy +by mistake. He ate so much sugar +that he could hardly fly. Rose put him +out of doors to get well.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Questions: 1. What did Rose do after breakfast? 2. What +did the fly do inside the tea-caddy? 3. What did Rose say when +she opened it again? 4. What did her grandmother say? +5. What did Rose do for the fly? 6. Why does not the fly like +to be touched?</p></blockquote> + + +<h3>3. I FALL INTO THE CREAM.</h3> + +<p>1. The next morning I flew in at the +window. Rose had soon done her breakfast, +and she locked up the caddy again, with +me outside this time.</p> + +<p>2. Though I did not fancy any sweets +on that morning, I saw something in a +small jug on the table which I thought +looked even nicer. It was yellow and +rather thick.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span></p> + +<p>3. I went down to see what sort of stuff +it was. It could not hurt me, at any rate, +to dip one of my feet in, or the tip of my +trunk, and see whether cream was better +and more wholesome than sugar.</p> + +<p class="figcenter" style="width: 511px;"> +<img src="images/image021.png" width="511" height="450" alt="SOMETHING IN A SMALL JUG." title="SOMETHING IN A SMALL JUG." /> +<span class="caption">SOMETHING IN A SMALL JUG.</span> +</p> + +<p>4. I slid with care down the sides of the +jug, holding firmly on with the little soles +of my feet, which, I am thankful to say,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span> +have suckers on them which make it easy +for me to run where I like without falling.</p> + +<p>5. I tasted cream for the first time In my +life. What a happy moment it was! I +tasted it a second time, a third, and a +fourth time, and after that I became so +greedy for more that I lost my balance +and in I went plump!</p> + +<p>6. At first I kicked about as hard as I +could, and tried to keep my wings clear. +But they soon got cold, and stuck to my +sides.</p> + +<p>7. And then I could only go round +and round the place, looking with despair +at the steep sides of the cream-jug, which +seemed far larger and steeper than they +had done before my sad mishap.</p> + +<p>8. I was growing tired of the struggle, +my body began to sink in the cream, and +even my eyes were dimmed by it, so that I +could hardly see where I was going.</p> + +<p>9. Thomas the servant came in to take +away the breakfast things, and the jolt he +gave the cream-jug in moving it closer to +the tea-pot nearly drowned me. I was +half dead.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span></p> + +<p>10. But Rose was again my friend, +though she did not mean to do what she +then did. Rushing into the room to fetch +a book which she had left on the window +seat, she ran against Thomas, and pushed +his elbow.</p> + +<p>11. This jerked the cream-jug so that it +upset and I was upset with it. I felt myself +crawling along in a great white flood +over the table-cloth, but still I had land +under my feet.</p> + +<p>12. "My dear Rose," said Mrs. Sutton, +"how often I have begged you not to rush +into the room in that rough way. You +nearly knocked down Thomas, and see how +his sleeve is messed with greasy cream!"</p> + +<p>13. "I am very sorry, granny," said +Rose, "but I forgot this book, and Miss +Bush is waiting."</p> + +<p>"I am sorry too," said Mrs. Sutton, "and +so is Thomas, I dare say."</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p><i>Write:</i> The fly wished to taste cream. +He fell into the jug and was nearly +drowned. Rose pushed the servant, the +jug upset, and the fly crawled out.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span></p> + +<blockquote><p>Questions: 1. What did the fly wish to taste next? 2. What +had he on his feet which helped him to walk? 3. What became +of him after the fourth sip of cream? 4. Who came into the +room to fetch the breakfast things? 5. Who came in next? +6. What happened to the cream-jug and to the fly?</p></blockquote> + + +<h3>4. SWEET AS HONEY.</h3> + +<p>1. Rose had to go away, to finish her +lessons, and Thomas also went out of the +room to get a cloth to wipe up the spilt +cream.</p> + +<p>2. I was in danger of being swept +away by this, but, just as Rose was going +out at the door, she saw me still in the +midst of the cream.</p> + +<p>3. In an instant I found myself nearly +drowned again in a spoonful of it, and the +next moment I was again placed on the +grass of the lawn.</p> + +<p>4. Rose had scooped me up in the spoon +and carried me there. I really think that +she had a liking for me. How thankful +I felt to be in the grass!</p> + +<p>5. I hid myself under a daisy flower and +took a good rest, for I felt very tired after +my struggles. A good shower of rain came<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span> +on, and I was quite glad to hear it patter +on the leaves.</p> + +<p class="figcenter" style="width: 412px;"> +<img src="images/image022.png" width="412" height="400" alt="" title="" /> +</p> + +<p>6. For I still felt a trifle sticky, and was +glad to get my legs moist, so that I might +wash myself all the better. At this time +the sun was so warm, that I lived out of +doors for some days.</p> + +<p>7. I think that three days passed before +I sat again on the white cap of Mrs. +Sutton. But one morning, when she sat<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span> +at the open window, I thought I should +like to pay my old friend a visit.</p> + +<p>8. It was breakfast time again. Mr. +Sutton was reading the paper through his +new glasses, and Rose was busy eating her +breakfast.</p> + +<p>9. As I had had nothing but a few tastes +of dew, and such small meals as were to be +had from the flowers, for three days, I was +rather hungry.</p> + +<p>10. I thought that Rose would spare me +a bit of what was on her plate. But, as I +was on the way to it, I had to pass a pot of +something which had a better smell than +what she was then eating.</p> + +<p>11. It was honey. It made me forget +all about Rose, and her bread and butter. +I pitched on the honey-pot, and began to +feast as hard as I could.</p> + +<p>12. But before I had eaten much, I +saw Rose take some and spread it on a +piece of bread. At the same moment Mrs. +Sutton rose and put the honey into a cupboard.</p> + +<p>13. "The flies will get at this, if it is +left without a cover," she said. "I cannot<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span> +think why Thomas has brought it in to +table without one."</p> + +<p>14. Now I thought this a most unkind +speech. They were all eating twenty +times as much as I could do in a week at +each mouthful. Yet the honey was put +into a dark cupboard out of my reach!</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p><i>Write:</i> The fly was glad to clean his +wings and legs. He came back to the +room and sat on the cap of the old lady. +He was pleased to get some honey.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Questions: 1. What did Rose do for the fly in the cream? +2. What did the fly do in the garden? 3. What did the fly find on +the breakfast-table? 4. Where did he pitch next? 5. What did +the old lady do with the honey-pot? 6. What did the fly think +of what she said?</p></blockquote> + + +<h3>5. A NEW MISHAP.</h3> + +<p>1. This vexed me, I must say, so I went +and buzzed against the window panes for +a little while, to see if that would do me +any good.</p> + +<p>2. At the end of that time I heard Rose +say, "Granny, I do not want this bread<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span> +and honey now. May I keep it for my +lunch?"</p> + +<p>3. "Yes, dear," said her granny. It +seemed a wonder to me that Rose should +wish to leave her bread and honey till some +hours later, when she might have had it at +once.</p> + +<p>4. Mr. Sutton got up and went away to +his study. His wife rose too, and she told +Rose to put the plate of bread and honey +on the sideboard, that Thomas might take +it away till lunch time.</p> + +<p>5. But Rose forgot to tell Thomas, and +he did not seem to see the plate, so there +the tempting dish was left all the morning. +The sun began to shine upon it, and I +sniffed and sniffed many times.</p> + +<p>6. At last I left the white cap where I +was sitting, and went towards it. I settled +upon something far nicer now than either +sugar or cream. I sipped and sucked away +for some time.</p> + +<p>7. At last I thought that I had eaten +enough and had better tear myself away +before I had taken more than was good +for me. But, to my horror, I found that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span> +when I tried to lift up my legs I could not +stir them!</p> + +<p>8. In my other troubles I had at least +been able to move a little. I could climb +up and down the mountains of sugar, and +I could swim about in the ocean of cream.</p> + +<p>9. But now I was fixed fast, either to be +eaten by Rose without her knowing it, or +to die a wretched death in the kitchen if +she did not choose to finish me off.</p> + +<p>10. I had never thought very much of +my out-door cousins, the bees. It seemed +to me that they made a great fuss and +took a lot of trouble for nothing, in making +honey for men and women to take away.</p> + +<p>11. How much better to eat it straight +from the flowers! And now I thought +worse of the bees than ever, because I was +sticking fast in their stuff.</p> + +<p>12. I tried in vain to drag out one +front leg after the other, and next my +middle and back legs. It was just as a +man would feel if he were stuck in a bog.</p> + +<p>13. The sound of the lunch bell went to +my heart. The sight of the nice bread +and honey, which Rose had left at breakfast,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span> +would be sure to make her feel hungry. +She very soon saw me!</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p><i>Write:</i> The fly stood on a plate of bread +and honey. He stuck fast and felt as a +man might do in a bog. Rose took him +out and set him free.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Questions: 1. What did Rose do with her bread and honey? +2. What did the fly do when he smelt it? 3. What happened to +him when he settled on the honey? 4. What did he try to do in +vain? 5. What did he soon hear? 6. What did Rose very soon +see when she came to lunch?</p></blockquote> + + +<h3>6. THE FLY'S EYE.</h3> + +<p>1. I feel sure that she did not know me, +for she cried out, "Oh, granny! here is a +nasty fly on my bread and honey. I dare +say that the horrid thing has been crawling +all over it!</p> + +<p>2. "I wish a spider would come and +catch it!" went on Rose, quite crossly, +"for I do not like to kill it myself!" And +here she gave me a little poke with a +fork. But not hard enough to hurt me.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span></p> + +<p>3. "Why, Rose, what is the matter?" +said her granny. "I thought that you +were fond of the little, busy, useful flies +that come to dance and play in the house?"</p> + +<p>4. "Well, I cannot see what good they +do," said Rose, "getting into the cream +and sticking on to the bread and honey." +Something had put little Rose out of +temper. But I felt sure it would not last +long.</p> + +<p>5. "I wish he would not get on to my +plate," said she, bending down her face to +hide it, for she began to feel ashamed. +"But I will not hurt him."</p> + +<p>6. And she took one of her granny's +knitting needles in her hand. I shook +with fear when I saw this great spear +coming; but Rose used it in a most gentle +and kind way.</p> + +<p>7. She lifted my body out after setting +my legs free, and though I felt strained +and tired after it, I left nothing behind +me, no, not even any of the brushes and +combs on my feet.</p> + +<p>8. "I will put him out into the garden," +said she. But, as my wings had got no honey<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span> +on them, I saved her the trouble, by flying +away.</p> + +<p>9. If Rose had only known half the +trouble I had in washing my feet after the +honey, she would have been ready to forgive +me for tasting her lunch.</p> + +<p>10. "I am glad you did not go on feeling +cross with the poor little fly, Rose," said +Mrs. Sutton. "We should miss them +much if we had none, for they help to keep +our houses sweet and clean.</p> + +<p>11. "No maid with her broom could +get at all the tiny cracks and corners where +the flies go. The eyes of no woman in the +world could see what the fly can.</p> + +<p>12. "Do you know that his round ball of +eye is made up of many hundreds of bits, +and that each bit can see a new way?"</p> + +<p>13. Rose clapped her hands. "Then can +the fly see a hundred ways at once?" said +she. "Oh, how I wish I could do that!"</p> + +<p>14. "You can move your eyes about," +said her granny, "which does just as well. +The fly cannot move his. And you would +not like to be born in the kitchen sink, +would you?"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span></p> + +<p>15. "Is that where flies are born?" said +Rose, drawing near to her granny and looking +into her face.</p> + +<p>16. "Yes," said Mrs. Button, "the fly is +born in a sink, or in any place where dirty +stuff is found. The young flies eat the dirty +stuff and get rid of it. I will tell you some +day how the little things come into the +world."</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p><i>Write:</i> After being set free from the +honey the fly went off. He cleaned his +legs and went back to the old lady. She +told Rose that flies were of great use.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Questions: 1. What did Rose use to lift the fly up? 2. In +what way did she use the knitting-needle? 3. What did the fly +feel when he saw the knitting-needle coming? 4. What can the +fly do to keep a house clean? 5. What sort of eye has the fly? +6. Tell me where flies are born?</p></blockquote> + + +<h3>7. BABY FLIES.</h3> + +<p>1. "Could you not tell me now?" said +Rose, for she wanted to hear about the +little flies. And I too felt very glad to +hear more about my childhood. So I sat +still to listen.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span></p> + +<p>2. "Perhaps you think that the child +of a fly looks just like itself; only smaller," +said Mrs. Sutton. "But the house-fly +lays a great many little eggs.</p> + +<p>3. "She finds some old dirty rubbish, +like rotten cabbage or stuff that is left by +careless cooks lying about. In this she +puts her eggs, and then she dies. Little +grubs are born from them.</p> + +<p>4. "They begin to eat as soon as they +are born, and very soon they turn into flies, +after going to sleep for a while first in a kind +of little hard skin or shell. They change +into flies while they are inside this shell."</p> + +<p>5. "What do the flies do when they +cannot find any dirty rubbish?" said Rose.</p> + +<p>"Then they go to look for it in other +places," said her granny. "So you see, if +we do not wish to have flies in our houses +we must have no rubbish."</p> + +<p>6. "Then the flies are little servants to +us, granny?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, to be sure."</p> + +<p>"I wish I could see a baby-fly," said +Rose.</p> + +<p>7. "You would not think it at all pretty,"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span> +said Mrs. Sutton. "It is a whitish maggot. +But some ugly looking things are very useful +to us."</p> + +<p>"I like pretty things best," said Rose.</p> + +<p>8. "Well, the fly is pretty enough when +he is grown up. He has to wait, you see." +I was pleased to hear the kind old lady say +this, and I nodded my head and washed +my face with my feet.</p> + +<p>9. "And so it is your birthday on Monday, +Rose," went on her granny. "And +I suppose it is time to be thinking about +the party and the fun we are to have?"</p> + +<p>10. Rose looked up, beaming with delight +at these words. Though she had not +been born as a grub in a sink, I thought +that she looked pretty too.</p> + +<p>11. "We must get Miss Bush to write +the letters for us, Rose, and ask the little +girls, and boys to come and spend the day +with you. Run now and see if she will be +so good as to do it now."</p> + +<p>"Oh, very well," said Rose. And she +went out with a skip.</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p><i>Write:</i> A house-fly is born in the sink.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span> +The egg from which it comes is laid in dirt +and rubbish. The grub which creeps out +eats up the dirty stuff.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Questions: 1. Where does the house-fly lay its eggs? 2. What +are the young flies like at first? 3. What do they do as soon +as they are born? 4. What do they eat? 6. If we do not +wish to have many flies, what must we do? 6. What treat was +Rose going to have?</p></blockquote> + + +<h3>8. SAVED AGAIN.</h3> + +<p>1. I heard a little girl say, "Oh, Rose, +there is a fly in your glass of wine."</p> + +<p>"Poor thing!" said the little girl next +her, "take it out!"</p> + +<p>"No, no!" said her brother; "let it +alone. Let us see how he swims."</p> + +<p>2. All this time I felt very bad. I was +drowning, yet this boy could look on and +talk like that.</p> + +<p>3. Something seemed to take away all +my breath and strength. I heard the boy +say, "If I fell into a pond I could not +swim so well."</p> + +<p>4. "Why, no," said Rose, "the fly has not +a coat and trousers, as you have. But<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span> +I do not think it is fun to see him drowning, +so I will take him out." And she pushed +the handle of a spoon with care under +me.</p> + +<p class="figcenter" style="width: 473px;"> +<img src="images/image023.png" width="473" height="450" alt="" title="" /> +</p> + +<p>5. I could hardly crawl when I got on +to the table-cloth. She saw it and placed +me on a green laurel leaf outside. I sat +there half dead, and yet I heard what they +were all saying inside the summer-house.</p> + +<p>6. "Lucy," said Rose to the little girl, +"you would have been glad if you could<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span> +have been lifted out like that poor fly, +when you fell into the pond at home, would +you not?</p> + +<p>7. "You went to the bottom before any +person came to help you. Were you in a +great fright? How did you feel?"</p> + +<p>8. "Why," said Lucy, "I was in a great +fright when I first fell in, but after that I +think that I must have been asleep, for I +forgot it all. I knew nothing after my +tumble down the bank, till I heard my +mother near me.</p> + +<p>9. "She was saying, 'God bless you, +darling,' and then I found myself lying in +bed."</p> + +<p>"Ah," said her brother Tom, "Neptune, +our dog, had a famous supper that night."</p> + +<p>10. "Why?" asked a little boy, from +the other end of the table.</p> + +<p>"Oh, did you not know that it was +Neptune who pulled my sister out of the +water?" said Tom.</p> + +<p>11. "He saw her go in, and without +being told, he got her out. She would +have been drowned without him. She had +been told not to go near the pond, but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span> +she ran down to it, without leave, when no +one was looking."</p> + +<p>12. The other little girl here grew very +red. "You need not have said that, Tom," +said she. But Tom was a bit of a tease. +He only laughed and said that his sister +was always doing what she was told not.</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p><i>Write:</i> Rose took the fly out of her +glass. She put him on a leaf to get dry. +Tom told them about his big dog. It +saved the life of Lucy.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Questions: 1. What did Rose do for the fly in her glass? +2. What did the dog do for Lucy? 3. What did Tom say that +his dog could do? 4. What else would he bring out from the +bottom? 5. What did Neptune have on the night when he +saved Lucy's life?</p></blockquote> + + +<h3>9. GRANNY'S CAP ON FIRE.</h3> + +<p>1. I did not feel much desire to taste +any food next morning. The long swim +on the day before had taken away my wish +for eating and drinking.</p> + +<p>2. I nearly flew down to the flower +which Rose had put in water, but I changed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span> +my mind. On the whole I prefer the smell +of jam to that of roses.</p> + +<p>3. I felt that a little walk would do me +good, so I went round the tray once or +twice, and then I tried to do the same +thing on the tea-urn, but it was too hot +for my feet.</p> + +<p>4. I left that quickly enough, and after +running across the toast on Mr. Sutton's +plate, and crawling up his paper, only to +be driven away, I went to the window.</p> + +<p>5. Here I was so lucky as to meet a few +of my friends, and we had a little dance in +the sunshine, which quite brought back my +health and spirits.</p> + +<p>6. The day thus passed by, and it was +very warm indeed later on. After tea Mr. +and Mrs. Sutton were seated in the drawing-room, +one on each side of a little table, +with a candle between them.</p> + +<p>7. The old lady was knitting, and her +husband was reading aloud the paper to +her. I think he was reading to amuse +himself more than his wife.</p> + +<p>8. I could feel, as I sat on her cap, that +her head was nodding now and then, as if<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span> +she were dozing. Mr. Sutton at last saw +this. And laying down the paper he said, +two or three times, "You are sleepy, my +dear."</p> + +<p>9. Each time that he said this, granny +woke up, sat very upright, and said, "Oh +no, not at all, my love." But she went off +again to sleep as soon as the reading +began.</p> + +<p>10. At length she was in so sound a nap +that she did not notice when Mr. Sutton +put down the paper, after reading a long, +dull account of something or other.</p> + +<p>11. He took off his glasses, laid them on +the folded paper, and saying something to +himself about resting his eyes, fell fast +asleep too.</p> + +<p>12. Granny's head now nodded lower +and lower. First she gave a nod, and +then her husband gave a bow, just as if +they were being most polite to each other +in their sleep.</p> + +<p>13. Her cap was very near the wax +candle once or twice, and there was a +smell of burning. She now began to nod +sideways, and each time that she did so<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span> +there was a great smoke and a frizzling +noise.</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p><i>Write:</i> Rose went to spend the day with +Lucy. The fly sat on the cap of the old +lady. She fell asleep and the cap caught +on fire.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Questions: 1. Where did Rose go? 2. Where did the fly stay? +3. What were Mr. and Mrs. Sutton doing that evening? 4. What +did Mr. Sutton say when his wife's head nodded? 5. What did +he do himself? 6. What happened to the old lady's cap?</p></blockquote> + + +<h3>10. A NARROW ESCAPE.</h3> + +<p>1. I was afraid of losing my perch, her +nice white cap, on which I had now grown +to feel quite at home. It seemed as if it +were turning into ashes like those in the +grate, and it felt too hot.</p> + +<p>2. I flew up, for I could sit there no +longer. And then I pitched on the top of +Mr. Sutton's head, just in the bald place, +and stamped with one foot as hard as I +could.</p> + +<p>3. I also ran about and tickled him a +good deal. He woke up in a great hurry,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span> +for he raised his hand to drive me away, +and in doing so, gave himself a smart tap.</p> + +<p>4. This roused him. And he awoke +just in time to save the cap and the hair +of his wife from being in a blaze of fire.</p> + +<p>5. "Dear, dear, dear!" said he. "Why, +my love, what an escape you have had!"</p> + +<p>"Nonsense, my dear," said the old lady, +"I have not been asleep, I assure you." +But it was of no use for her to say and +think this.</p> + +<p>6. There was the burnt cap on her head. +"I was not quite asleep," said she. "Oh +no, neither was I," said her husband, +laughing.</p> + +<p>7. And then, looking grave, he said, +"You were in great danger though, my +dear. I read only a day or two ago, of +an old lady who had been burnt to death +from setting her cap on fire."</p> + +<p>8. I had been in great danger too, though +no one seemed to think of that. What +between the flames, and the knock that +Mr. Sutton aimed at me, I might have +been killed.</p> + +<p>9. Thomas was now heard coming up the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span> +gravel walk. He had been sent to fetch +Rose home. She was full of news to tell, +about all the things she had seen and +heard that day.</p> + +<p>10. "It is a great mercy, my dear, that +you have a bit of your granny left," said +Mr. Sutton. "If it had not been for a +fly, which tickled the top of my head, +your granny's cap would have been on +fire."</p> + +<p>11. "Well, well, Mr. Sutton," said the +old lady, who, somehow or other, did not +seem to like hearing about the cap being +on fire.</p> + +<p>12. "You see here I am, without even +being singed. And I was not half so sound +asleep as you were, my dear. Depend +upon it I am too old and too wise to let +my cap catch fire."</p> + +<p>13. Mr. Sutton did not say any more +about the cap, since it seemed to vex his +wife.</p> + +<p>"Ah," said Rose, "if I had been at +home you would not both have fallen +asleep."</p> + +<p>14. "That is very likely," said granny,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span> +smiling. "Well, and how did you enjoy +yourself?" Rose said that she had been +very happy.</p> + +<p>15. She had seen Neptune dive, and +she had been drenched by the shaking +which the big doggie gave himself when +he came out of the water.</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p><i>Write:</i> The fly pitched on the head of +the old man. He gave a stamp with his +foot to wake him up. The old man put +out the fire.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Questions: 1. Where did the fly pitch on leaving the cap? +2. What did he do to the old man's head? 3. What did Mr. +Sutton do when he woke up? 4. What did he say to his wife? +5. Who came home with Thomas? 6. What sort of day had +Rose spent?</p></blockquote> + + +<h3>11. A GLASS TO MAKE THINGS BIG.</h3> + +<p>1. "What shall I look at next?" said +Rose, who had a glass thing in her hand, +next day. "Oh, this fly!"</p> + +<p>2. The lunch was on the table, and I +was just making a hearty meal on a pat +of butter. I knew that Rose would not +hurt me. So I stood quite still.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span></p> + +<p>3. "How very strange!" said the little +girl. "He looks as big as a horse. His +wings are like shining lace, and he has +hairy brushes on his feet.</p> + +<p>4. "Now he is cleaning his head with +one of them. I am glad that flies are not +really so big as he seems now.</p> + +<p>5. "What a buzzing we should have, +and what should we do when such huge +things flew about the room or walked on +the ceiling!</p> + +<p>6. "There would be no room for us to +move, and the house would be too small. +Fancy having such a creature as this fly +looks now jumping and prancing over one's +bread and jam!"</p> + +<p>7. I was not pleased with this speech; +I knew that my colour was rather dingy, +but I had always thought my shape to be +light and graceful, and this Rose had taken +no notice of.</p> + +<p>8. Neither had she so much as looked at +my trunk, of which I am truly proud. So +I flew away in a pet from under the glass, +and settled on the loaf in the middle of +the table, out of her reach.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span></p> + +<p>9. "But for you, dear grand-father, I +should never have thought such tiny creatures +worth taking any notice of. Why, +they are made just as well as big ones, or +better."</p> + +<p class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/image024.png" width="600" height="442" alt="WHAT SHALL I LOOK AT NEXT?" title="WHAT SHALL I LOOK AT NEXT?" /> +<span class="caption">WHAT SHALL I LOOK AT NEXT?</span> +</p> + +<p>10. "Not better, dear, but quite as +well. They are all the work of God's +hand, and so all must be alike good. Do +you know that you owe the pretty crimson +sash that you have on to a very little +creature?"</p> + +<p>11. "Oh yes, the silkworm," said Rose.</p> + +<p>"Yes, and the red colour was made from<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span> +the dead body of an insect too. There is +a sort of blight which gives this red colour +after it is dead.</p> + +<p>12. "Merchants bring them from +abroad, after they have been taken from +the plants on which they live. As they +kill the coffee plants they must be swept +off, and they are made into dye."</p> + +<p>13. Grand-father would have said much +more, but just then Rose saw Tom and +Lucy walking up the lawn to the open +window.</p> + +<p>14. Behind them walked gravely Neptune +the dog, with his master's stick in his +mouth, which he thought it a great honour +to carry.</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p><i>Write:</i> Rose saw the fly through her +glass. She felt glad that the fly was not +so big as he looked then. He was as well +made as if he were large.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Questions: 1. What did Rose look at through her glass? +2. What did she think about the fly? 3. What did Mr. Sutton +say about great and little creatures? 4. Whom did Rose see +in the garden? 5. Who walked behind carrying his master's +stick?</p></blockquote><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>12. A LONG SLEEP.</h3> + +<p>1. About this time I began to feel a chill +in the air. I did not like this, for it made +me feel drowsy. So I kept in the warmth +of the drawing-room all day.</p> + +<p>2. But I was shocked to see that many +of my friends began to get quite unfit to +run or fly about. Their wings seemed +heavy, and some of them crept into holes +where they went to sleep.</p> + +<p>3. One day I went down to the table +and found one of the gayest flies I had +ever known, lying on his back upon the +cloth.</p> + +<p>4. He was cold and stiff. Nearly all +the friends I had made that summer were +dying or dead around me, or else they +had crept into corners out of sight.</p> + +<p>5. I knew that something must be done, +or I too should one day be found lying on +my back with my legs in the air, and +Thomas would sweep me away, as he did +the other flies.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span></p> + +<p>6. I made up my mind to choose the +best place I could, and there seemed none +better than the old red curtain from which +I had first come out into that pleasant +room.</p> + +<p>7. I therefore ran about on the wall +behind it for some time, looking for a +proper hole. I found just the nook I +wanted, where a bit of the wall paper +was peeling off.</p> + +<p>8. I had hardly crept into it when I was +fast asleep. To my good sense and +quickness I owe my life. If I had not been +a clever fly, I should have died, I dare +say, like the rest.</p> + +<p>9. As it is, here I am, alive and merry. +When I woke the next warm spring day, +there was little Rose and Mr. and Mrs. +Sutton sitting at breakfast just as they +had done when first I saw them.</p> + +<p>10. Rose was perhaps a little taller, and +the bald place on her grand-father's head +may have been a wee bit wider.</p> + +<p>11. But the jam was just as good, the +honey and sugar as sweet, and the white +cap just as clean and nice to sit on. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span> +flowers in the garden, too, smell as fresh +as ever—still I prefer the jam.</p> + +<p>12. If I might say one word at parting, +it would be this. Do not forget that there +is room in this big wide world for a poor +little fly as well as for boys and girls.</p> + +<p>13. And if you enjoy life and like a +good game at play,—why, so do we! So +let us have our harmless games and do +our tiny bit of work for you in peace.</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p><i>Write:</i> As soon as it felt cold the fly +went to sleep. He did not wake up till +the next spring. There is room in the +world for flies as well as for boys and girls.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Questions: 1. What did the fly now begin to feel? 2. What +did he see on the table? 3. Where did he hide himself? +4. When did he wake from his sleep? 5. What change did he +see in Rose? 6. What does the fly say as a parting word?</p></blockquote> + + + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="BETTY_AND_SNOWDROP" id="BETTY_AND_SNOWDROP"></a>BETTY AND SNOWDROP.</h2> + + +<h3>1. PEEP! PEEP!</h3> + +<p>1. There was once a young hen. She +had led a very quiet life in a village until +she was nearly one year old. Then, all at +once, she found that people began to make +a great fuss about her.</p> + +<p>2. You will never guess why, and so, as +I think you may like to hear all about her, +I will begin at once and tell you. Betty,—that +was the name of this hen,—was +one of ten fluffy little yellow chicks.</p> + +<p>3. She was dressed in soft bright down +when she first crept out of her egg-shell. +She had a sharp beak and bright clever +black eyes.</p> + +<p>4. One morning, as her mother was strutting +about the yard with all her children +behind her, crying "cluck, cluck!" as she +scratched up bits for them among the straw, +Gip, the little pet dog, ran up.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span></p> + +<p>5. He was only a puppy, and he meant +nothing but play. Perhaps he mistook the +small round chicks for a lot of little balls +rolling about. At any rate he snatched up +Betty, who was the finest of them, in his +mouth.</p> + +<p class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/image025.png" width="600" height="369" alt="THE FARMYARD." title="THE FARMYARD." /> +<span class="caption">THE FARMYARD.</span> +</p> + +<p>6. With a roguish look at their fat old +mother, he began to scamper off with her. +"Cackle, cackle!" screamed the old hen. +"Put the baby down this moment, sir!" +And the mother flew at Gip before he had +gone six yards.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span></p> + +<p>7. She jumped upon his back, and began +to flap his head with her wings as hard as +she could, while she made digs at his back +with her beak.</p> + +<p>8. The pretty dog, finding himself treated +in this way, soon dropped the chicken out +of his mouth. Little Betty rolled out from +between his white teeth and fell flop! to +the ground.</p> + +<p>9. She was not a bit hurt, for she toddled +back to join her brothers and sisters, who +were all crying "peep! peep!" in a great +fright. They were afraid of seeing her +eaten up alive.</p> + +<p>10. But though her child was none the +worse, the mother-hen began to batter and +beat poor Gip as if he had maimed it for +life. And she never forgave the little dog +after that day.</p> + +<p>11. When she saw him coming, even at +a distance, she pushed out her head, stuck +all her feathers on end, and spread out her +tail like a bush.</p> + +<p>12. Perhaps it was the dreadful fright +which Betty felt while she was in the jaws +of Gip, which made her so grave and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span> +thoughtful a chicken as she soon became. +She walked better than the rest.</p> + +<p>13. She held herself upright, and her +mother was never heard to say, "heads +up!" as she did to the other chickens. +Her mistress said one morning that Betty +was "the pride of the brood."</p> + +<p>14. Her two brothers were very greedy +chickens, I am sorry to say. And as they +grew older, they began to fight sadly for +each worm or grain of corn which they +found.</p> + +<p>15. Though Betty and the rest of the +chickens grew up white as snow, one of +these young cocks had a speckled breast, +and the other had two black feathers in his +tail. This spoilt their look.</p> + +<p>16. They were both taken away one day +by a strange man, in spite of all that their +mother could say. She bustled up and +tried to rescue her sons. Although they +were both in the habit of eating too much, +she loved them in spite of all.</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p><i>Write:</i> A little chick was picked up by +a puppy. He did not kill it, but put it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span> +down when the hen came after him. The +chicken was not hurt.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Questions: 1. How many brothers and sisters had Betty? +2. What did the puppy do one day? 3. What did the old hen +do? 4. What did Betty's mistress call her? 5. What sort of +chickens were the two brothers? 6. What became of them?</p></blockquote> + + +<h3>2. BETTY IS SPOILT.</h3> + +<p>1. Time passed on, and Betty grew fast +in size and beauty. Her mistress made +up her mind to send her to the Poultry +Show at the Crystal Palace.</p> + +<p>2. The cook and all who saw her said +that Betty ought to go, her beauty was +so great. She was quite a perfect pattern +of what a white hen of her sort ought to +be.</p> + +<p>3. She would be certain to win a first +prize of the first class, they all thought. +Poor Betty! From the day that it was +settled for her to go to the Poultry Show +her troubles began.</p> + +<p>4. When first it was made known in +the yard she became rather vain, in spite +of all that her mother could say. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span> +fact was that the old hen felt proud of it +herself, and Betty knew it.</p> + +<p>5. She would be always pluming the +feathers of her daughter, cackling loudly, +and calling to strange chickens to come +and admire the lovely back and smooth +wings of her child.</p> + +<p class="figcenter" style="width: 341px;"> +<img src="images/image026.png" width="341" height="450" alt="COCK-A-DOODLE-DO!" title="COCK-A-DOODLE-DO!" /> +<span class="caption">COCK-A-DOODLE-DO!</span> +</p> + +<p>6. The young cocks from next door +sat on the railings to chatter, and even<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span> +forgot to quarrel. They stared at Miss +Betty as she walked with her beak in the +air, and they made rude remarks.</p> + +<p>7. "Why don't you grow a pair of spurs +and learn to crow?" they called out. When +Mrs. Dorking, Betty's mother, heard these +speeches from the young cocks she flew +into a great passion.</p> + +<p>8. "I will set the dog at you, you young +scamps, if you do not be off this moment," +cried she. So they dropped off one by +one, for they did not know that the old +hen was not able to carry out her threat.</p> + +<p>9. As Betty became vain she became +idle too. Instead of making her mother +and sisters happy with her pretty playful +ways, and making herself useful and +pleasant at home, she grew pettish.</p> + +<p>10. And instead of working to help +earn her own living, by catching flies, +scratching up worms, and watching under +the old oak tree for cock-chafers, she +would lose patience, and call loudly to the +cook to bring her food.</p> + +<p>11. And, strange to say, the cook would +come too, and, not content with waiting<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span> +on Betty, would drive away each fowl and +chick that came up to share what she had +brought.</p> + +<p>12. She let none of them have a bit till +Betty had eaten all that she pleased. Was +not this enough to spoil any young hen? +Betty was fast getting pert. All this was +because of her good looks and her five +toes.</p> + +<p>13. You will see after a while that she +would have been more happy if she had +been born ugly, or with four toes, like her +sisters.</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p><i>Write:</i> Betty was to go to a show. +She grew vain when she heard this. And +as she became vain she grew idle too. +She was spoilt.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Questions: 1. Where did Betty's mistress think of sending +her? 2. What did they all think that she would get at the show? +3. What made her grow proud? 4. What did she do instead of +earning her living? 5. What did the young cocks say? 6. What +answer did the old hen make to them?</p></blockquote><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>3. SOAP AND WATER.</h3> + +<p>1. After a little more time had passed, +Betty was taken out of the yard. They +did not let her stay with her sisters and +the other fowls any longer, but she was +placed in a large room by herself.</p> + +<p>2. Here she was fed on all sorts of +dainties. She had chestnuts, minced liver, +new milk, and fresh lettuce. Life was +now a feast to Betty, but she found it +rather dull.</p> + +<p>3. "I would rather have one worm or a +spider," said she, with a sigh. How she +longed for a good scamper with her +sisters! "I am sure that we should never +squabble now," said the poor, lonely little +thing.</p> + +<p>4. But this time alone did not last long. +One morning a worse thing was done to +her. She was taken by the cook and +plunged into a warm bath. It was not +of the least use for her to kick and +scream.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span></p> + +<p>5. The cook did not care. She rubbed +Betty gently with a soaped flannel, talking +to her in a soothing way all the time, and +then set her down before the fire to dry.</p> + +<p>6. But Betty's fright was soon over, and +she was not at +all hurt, of +course. Yet +she might have +caught her +death of cold, +and all this because +of the +show! that her +feathers might +look fine.</p> + +<p class="figcenter" style="width: 368px;"> +<img src="images/image027.png" width="368" height="450" alt="A WARM BATH." title="A WARM BATH." /> +<span class="caption">A WARM BATH.</span> +</p> + +<p>7. If the cook +had let Betty +alone to clean +them, she would have done it better. +The soap was bad for them, so was the +water.</p> + +<p>8. Betty felt very pleased when the +cook went to call all the other servants. +She wished them to admire the snowy +whiteness of her feathers. "If she does<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span> +not win a first prize I will eat my head!" +said the cook.</p> + +<p>9. "You will have a fine big meal, then," +said the housemaid, "and I should not +wonder if you have not spoilt her feathers +for ever by washing them. You never +ought to have done it, and the poor thing +may get ill."</p> + +<p>10. But thanks to the care taken of her, +Betty did not get ill, though the nasty +soap made her feel sick; and the cook +saw that she had made a mistake in washing +Betty.</p> + +<p>11. "All creatures can clean themselves," +said the housemaid, "leastways +all birds can, at any rate, and we do +harm by meddling."</p> + +<p>12. "I think we ought to keep her +under a wash-tub or in a basket until the +day for the show," said the cook. "She +will be sure to get dirty again in that +barn."</p> + +<p>13. When a nice new hen-coop was +turned over her, Betty began to think +about her mother. "What a horrid time +she must have spent when we were little,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span> +and she had to stay in a coop!" said the +young hen to herself.</p> + +<p>14. "And yet I think that I am even +worse off than she was, for I have to stay +here without any little chickens to amuse +me, or to run under my wings."</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p><i>Write:</i> The young hen was washed. +It was bad for her and made her feathers +rough. She grew tired of being shut up +though she was well fed.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Questions: 1. Where was Betty placed alone? 2. What did +she say to herself about her food? 3. What did the cook do to +her? 4. What did the housemaid tell her? 5. Where was +Betty put next? 6. What did she think about in the coop?</p></blockquote> + + +<h3>4. AT THE SHOW.</h3> + +<p>1. "No, I have nothing to amuse me," +said Betty, "but the thought of how handsome +I am. It is nice to think of that, +and yet I am almost tired of hearing it."</p> + +<p>2. Betty would have given one of the +best feathers in her tail for a good race +after a beetle, or for a good scratch for +grubs down by the manure heap, which +was the best place.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span></p> + +<p>3. But she had hardly yet begun her +trials. On the next day, the coachman took +her in a hamper to the show. Betty +screamed as she was put into it, for she +did not like it at all.</p> + +<p>4. "I will behave well, no matter what +happens," said poor Betty. But she felt +afraid of the noise, the pushing, and the +crowd of people and poultry at the Palace.</p> + +<p>5. There were Spanish cocks and hens, +who were lofty and silent. There were +little silver bantams who chuckled. Some +hens were tiny dwarfs like the bantams, +others were giants like the Cochin China +fowls.</p> + +<p>6. There were gamecocks, too, looking +like fierce soldiers. Among all the smart +poultry Betty found herself passed over +and called "only a pullet."</p> + +<p>7. All the other fowls were called +"loves" and "dears," while hardly any +people took notice of her plain white dress +and rosy head-dress. But one gentle lady +came by, who stopped near Betty.</p> + +<p>8. She pointed Betty out to a child who +was with her, saying that she was one of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span> +the best hens of her kind which she had +ever seen.</p> + +<p>9. The lady added, "No fowls lay better +eggs than these pretty Dorkings.</p> + +<p>"They make the best mothers, they are +English in their habits, and therefore +stronger than birds from foreign lands."</p> + +<p class="figcenter" style="width: 490px;"> +<img src="images/image028.png" width="490" height="450" alt="THE PRETTY DORKING." title="THE PRETTY DORKING." /> +<span class="caption">THE PRETTY DORKING.</span> +</p> + +<p>10. The air at the Crystal Palace was +hot and close. Betty began to wish herself +at home again. She could not eat, +though food was there.</p> + +<p>11. And though her feathers were all<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span> +ruffled and in a mess, she did not feel able +to put them to rights. Yet she knew that +she ought to tidy herself.</p> + +<p>12. One of the hens near began to mock +at her. She said with a pretence of being +polite: "May I put your tail tidy for you, +madam, since it seems too much trouble +for you to do it yourself?"</p> + +<p>13. And then the sly thing gave a +tweak and pulled out Betty's longest +feather.</p> + +<p>14. A hen near gave a dab with her +beak at Betty's pink comb, and made it +bleed. And though she said after that +she did not mean to hurt her, that did not +heal the sore place.</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p><i>Write:</i> At the show Betty found it hot +and close. She did not care to eat. The +other hens played tricks with her. She +wished herself at home.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Questions: 1. When Betty was in the coop what did she long +for? 2. When she got to the show what did she see? 3. How +did she feel? 4. How did the other hens behave to Betty? 5. +What did the lady say about her? 6. What happened to her +comb?</p></blockquote><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>5. A SAD MISHAP.</h3> + +<p>1. After a time Betty felt better. The +other fowls left off teasing her. They had +only been in rough play, and did not mean +to worry her too much.</p> + +<p>2. She dipped her bill into a dish of +water which was there, picked a bit of +lettuce, and said to herself that she would +make the best of a bad job.</p> + +<p>3. Betty was still as vain of having five +toes on each foot as any fine young lady +could be of wearing new shoes. She was +always holding up one foot or else the +other. No doubt she meant to show off.</p> + +<p>4. There was a great cackling and noise +in some of the pens after a while, and +Betty heard that the judges were coming. +These were the people who were to give +the prizes, and she felt now more vain than +ever.</p> + +<p>5. She made up her mind to present her +foot to the judges, and even to push it out +between the wires of her pen, as far as she<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span> +could. "They cannot help giving me a +prize when they see my five toes!" she +said to herself.</p> + +<p>6. But just as she had thrust her toe +right out between the wires, after much +trouble, she heard an odd voice from the +next pen say, "Hullo, what's that? Is it a +grub?"</p> + +<p>7. A queer big bird with a long neck +had caught sight of the foot, and he gave a +great snap at it as he saw it move. Betty +tried to pull her toes back, but the big bird +would not let go.</p> + +<p>8. At last it ended by his pecking off +the nail and first joint of poor Betty's +middle claw. She was in much pain and +screamed loudly.</p> + +<p>9. Up rushed a man, the keeper, who +took Betty out in a great hurry. "We +must have no wounded or sick birds here +for the judges to see," he said.</p> + +<p>10. And he put poor Betty quickly +away into one of the pens which had been +used for bringing fowls to the show. It +was empty but for two or three poor hens +who were either dead or dying.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span></p> + +<p>11. These were fowls which had been +hurt on the way, by being shaken or +roughly used. They had been put into +baskets too small for them, or had been +badly used in some other way. It is bad +for birds to travel.</p> + +<p>12. Here Betty sank down on the +ground. At first she could do nothing +but think of her poor toe; she +pushed it into some soft stuff which lay on +the floor, and this stopped the bleeding.</p> + +<p>13. How sad she felt! All her fine +hopes of a prize were gone. She was a +cripple now for life, and no one would care +for her fine looks any more.</p> + +<p>14. "I wonder what is the use of +shows?" thought Betty. "Why do people +want other people to tell them that their +cocks and hens are pretty?"</p> + +<p>15. After the bustle and fuss of the day +were over, one of the keepers came with a +boy to look after the dead and dying.</p> + +<p>16. "She was as great a beauty as ever +I did see," said the man. "A perfect pullet!—that +she was. But, dear me! she is not +perfect now that her toe is gone.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span></p> + +<p>17. "She is good for nothing now but to +lay eggs and bring up chicks. She was +worth a couple of pounds; now she would +only fetch a couple of shillings.</p> + +<p>18. "Here, Jack, tie a bit of rag round +the stump, and give her food and water in +that spare box. I cannot bear to wring +her neck, as we are forced to do with +many, to put them out of pain."</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p><i>Write:</i> Poor Betty had her toe bitten +off. She was put into a place out of sight. +Here she was in great pain, and had lost +all hopes of a prize.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Questions: 1. After a time how did Betty feel? 2. What did +she do with her foot? 3. What happened to one of her toes? 4. +Where was she put after her toe was bitten off? 5. What was +the boy told to do for Betty? 6. What did the man say that she +was fit for now?</p></blockquote> + + +<h3>6. A NEW HOME.</h3> + +<p>1. Poor Betty had plenty of time to +think over all her troubles. But after two +or three days she heard a sound which +made her feel very happy.</p> + +<p>2. It was the voice of her old friend the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span> +coachman, who had come to fetch her +away. She cackled to him in a most +loving way; but, alas! the coachman had +nothing to say to her.</p> + +<p class="figcenter" style="width: 345px;"> +<img src="images/image029.png" width="345" height="450" alt="THE NEW HOME." title="THE NEW HOME." /> +<span class="caption">THE NEW HOME.</span> +</p> + +<p>3. He was cross and sulky because +Betty had not won a prize.</p> + +<p>"Poor thing!" said the cook when Betty<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span> +got home, "what an object she looks to be +sure! She is as light as a feather.</p> + +<p>4. "The mother that hatched her won't +know her again. I declare that I don't +believe this is our Betty at all, but some +old rubbish of a bird they have sent us +instead!"</p> + +<p>5. "Oh yes," said her mistress, coming +up to look, "it is our Betty. But I beg +of you to get rid of her at once. I cannot +bear the sight of her after thinking she +would get a prize."</p> + +<p>6. "Shall I step out and do it at once?" +said the cook, calmly.</p> + +<p>"No, no!" said the mistress. "Do not +kill her. Give her away. She will be a +useful hen to some one else, and is sure to +lay plenty of eggs."</p> + +<p>"Very good, ma'am," replied the cook.</p> + +<p>7. There was no washing this time before +Betty was sent away. That was one comfort. +She was huddled, just as she was, +into a hamper, and sent as a present to a +friend of the cook.</p> + +<p>8. This friend was the wife of a farmer, +and she was such a kind, good, rosy, happy,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span> +pleasant woman, that it was quite a treat +to look at her. She lived about five miles +from Betty's old home.</p> + +<p>9. The large farm-yard into which Betty +now stepped from her hamper, was like a +new world to her. She began at once to +dig with those of her sharp claws which +were left.</p> + +<p>10. And finding chalk like that which +had been under the soil at home, she +nodded her head and chuckled, for she +was pleased. No hen can be happy without +chalk, after she is old enough to lay +eggs.</p> + +<p>11. She knew that the yard in which +she now was, would be a fine place for +her young brood. They would not be +likely to get the cramp or catch colds.</p> + +<p>12. The fowl-house was built on a gentle +slope, and below, at some little distance, +was a pond with two or three green islands +in the middle of it. Here some water +birds, such as Betty had never seen before, +were paddling about.</p> + +<p>13. She could not think how they did it. +The yard had good shelter from rough,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span> +cold winds, for a fir wood was at the back +of it. And the houses for cattle and horses +stood with their backs to it on two sides.</p> + +<p>14. The houses where the hens were to +sit on their eggs, were sprinkled with chalk +laid over dry coal ashes. This was to keep +the floor clean and wholesome.</p> + +<p>They were swept out often. The +perches for roosting were not thin sticks, +but nice stout boughs of trees, so that the +feet could clasp them without slipping.</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p><i>Write:</i> The new home to which Betty +was sent pleased her. She thought that +she should soon forget her sorrows. The +fowl-house was nice and clean.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Questions: 1. To whom was Betty sent? 2. What sort of +woman was the farmer's wife? 3. When Betty stepped out of +her hamper what did she begin to do? 4. What did she find? +5. What was the hen-house like?</p></blockquote> + + +<h3>7. TWELVE LITTLE CHICKS.</h3> + +<p>1. Her friends at the old home had all +walked on dry land. But here she found +many ducks and drakes, besides odd-looking +fowls with feathers down their legs.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span></p> + +<p>2. Spring came, and Betty paced the +yard with twelve fine chickens behind her. +All of them had five toes on each little +foot, as their mother had when she was +born. So they were all right.</p> + +<p>3. Down the velvet back of each chick +were stripes of dark brown, which was the +proper pattern for their first short coats. +After a time they would put off baby-clothes, +and be dressed in pure white like +their mother.</p> + +<p>4. As her chicks slept under her wings, +or chirped with their merry little voices, +she forgot all else but her darlings. What +did it matter having one claw too few, +now that she had her dear babies?</p> + +<p>5. Betty took care to keep her children +neat, and to teach them good manners. +"You may gobble up a worm, children, +as fast as you like, when you find it, so +that no one else may get it," said she.</p> + +<p>6. "But don't let me see two of you +having a fight, or both tugging at the +same worm. You must not ruffle up +your feathers at each other, or fight, +though you may do so if you meet a rat."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span></p> + +<p>7. As Betty was such an anxious and +watchful mother herself, she could not help +feeling quite vexed at the way in which +Snowdrop, one of the ducks, went on.</p> + +<p>8. This big white duck did not seem to +mind a bit whether her children were a +credit to her or not. "See!" said this +good hen, pointing to her twelve clean +little chicks. "Where will you find such +children as mine?</p> + +<p>9. "I spend all my time in teaching them +how to behave themselves. I show them +how to walk nicely, and how to pick up +their meals in a proper way.</p> + +<p>10. "I show them how to keep their +feathers combed and brushed. But you, +bad mother that you are, allow your poor +little yellow ducklings to shuffle in the +mud up to their wings.</p> + +<p>11. "And twice I have seen them at the +very edge of the pond. It made me +shudder! It will be a wonder if they +do not get drowned, or catch their death +of cold. How thin and pale they look!"</p> + +<p>12. As Betty said these words to Snowdrop, +the old duck shook her bill, and after<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span> +a few more quacks turned her back and +waddled off.</p> + +<p class="figcenter" style="width: 579px;"> +<img src="images/image030.png" width="579" height="450" alt="BETTY'S CHICKS." title="BETTY'S CHICKS." /> +<span class="caption">BETTY'S CHICKS.</span> +</p> + +<p>13. Soon after this, a magpie came down +to tell all the fowls in the yard that one of +Snowdrop's ducklings had been eaten by a +rat, and that a second had been stolen by +a hawk.</p> + +<p>14. Two more of them had run away +under the gate and had strayed towards a +tent where some gipsies lived. As they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span> +never came back, it was thought that the +gipsies had taken them off.</p> + +<p>15. A fifth of the brood, which had been +weakly from birth, had caught cold in a +bitter wind and died. And the last had +pined away from feeling lonely after +losing all its brothers and sisters.</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p><i>Write:</i> The hen had now twelve chicks. +She took more care of her children than +the duck did of hers. Betty thought Snowdrop +a bad mother.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Questions: 1. What other creatures did Betty see in the +yard? 2. How many chickens had she? 3. What did she +teach them? 4. What was the name of the duck? 5. What +sort of mother was she? 6. What did Betty say to her?</p></blockquote> + + +<h3>8. A VISIT TO SNOWDROP.</h3> + +<p>1. As Betty's brood was now grown +old enough to go into the world, she had +plenty of time to pay Snowdrop a visit. +So she went off one fine morning and +found her near the brink of the pond.</p> + +<p>2. Snowdrop was using her orange bill +as a shovel to catch leeches in the mud.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span> +Betty told her that she had come to have +a chat with her. She wished to speak +about the way in which she had brought +up her children.</p> + +<p>3. "I am sure, my dear Snowdrop," +said Betty, "that cold water was the +death of all your lost ducklings, no matter +what you or any other bird may say.</p> + +<p>4. "You are a strong duck, and so it +has not hurt you yet. But you see that +your frail little ones are all gone. It is +all through your careless habit of letting +them dabble in the mud all day and get +their feet wet."</p> + +<p>5. "Nonsense!" said Snowdrop, as, with +an eye dark and bright as that of Betty, +she glanced at her own orange legs and +webbed feet.</p> + +<p>6. "Nonsense! It is all nature, and runs +in the blood," she said. "My mother +before me, and her mother before that, +knew that water never hurts a duck. It +hurts us to be kept dry!</p> + +<p>7. "And as for catching cold or getting +fits, or cramp, or the pip—can you do +this?" And as she spoke, Snowdrop<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</a></span> +waddled down the steepest part of the +bank.</p> + +<p>8. She set her breast for a moment +against the tiny ripples of the pond until +she was in water deep enough to swim in. +Then, all of a sudden, she turned herself +upside down.</p> + +<p>9. Her head went below, and nothing +of her could be seen above but a tail, and +two yellow legs. She stayed so long like +this, grubbing for water-snails, that Betty +began to fear she should never see her +head again.</p> + +<p>10. But she popped it out again in a few +minutes, and came sailing with a saucy +quack back again to the bank. "Do I +look any the worse?" said she.</p> + +<p>11. Betty held her tongue. She still +thought, as she had done before, that no +matter what Snowdrop did, cold water was +bad for ducklings.</p> + +<p>12. A young Bantam hen, who was +standing by, said to Betty, "Where can +you have come from, and what sort of egg +did you creep out of, not to have seen a +duck swim before?" said the Bantam.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</a></span></p> + +<p>13. "All the yard knows that they are +the best sailors in the world! But for you +and me, our ruffles are too well starched +for such a way of life."</p> + +<p class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/image031.png" width="600" height="420" alt="UPSIDE DOWN." title="UPSIDE DOWN." /> +<span class="caption">UPSIDE DOWN.</span> +</p> + +<p>14. Here was a new wonder to Betty. +Though a shower of rain soaked all her fine +feathers through, and made them limp as +old rags, Snowdrop came out of the pond +dry and warm, her plumes crisp and +neat.</p> + +<p>15. Not a trace of water was to be seen +on her. Well, to be sure! Betty could +not make it out. After all there must be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</a></span> +a thing or two which even the wisest hen +does not know.</p> + +<p>16. "I advise you to carry oil in your +feathers when you learn to swim," said +Snowdrop, as she skimmed off again over +the pond. "That is my plan, but ducks +are too wise to boast about it."</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p><i>Write:</i> Betty went to see the duck. +She felt much surprise at seeing her swim +and dive. But she still thought that water +was not good for ducklings.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Questions: 1. Where did Betty find Snowdrop? 2. What +did Betty say to her? 3. What did the Bantam hen say? +4. What did Snowdrop do to show Betty? 5. What did Betty +still think about ducklings? 6. How was it that the duck's +feathers were not wet?</p></blockquote> + + +<h3>9. SNOWDROP'S NEST.</h3> + +<p>1. Weeks went by. Snowdrop thought +that it was time for her to bring some more +little ducklings into the world, instead of +those which she had lost.</p> + +<p>2. So, down among the green rushes at +the very brink of the pond, she made a +nest. It was not much more than a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</a></span> +bundle of straws which the wind had +swept into that place but it did very +well.</p> + +<p>3. Snowdrop had poked the straws into +a heap with her beak. She trod them +down with her feet, made a round hole +with her breast in the middle, and put a +few feathers inside.</p> + +<p>4. In this rough nest she laid seven pale +green eggs, and very pretty they looked. +Betty no sooner heard of this, than she ran +as fast as she could to the spot. She had +a kind thought in her head.</p> + +<p>5. She had now no little ones of her +own; and somehow, though she laid an egg +each day in the wicker nest, it was always +gone before night. So she had nothing to +sit on.</p> + +<p>6. And so it had come into her good +heart that she would offer to sit on Snowdrop's +eggs for her. "I promise you to +do it well," said she to the duck.</p> + +<p>7. "If you trust me with your eggs I +will treat them just as if they were my +own. And when the young are hatched +I will nurse the dear little things, teach<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</a></span> +them, and bring them up better than you +could do yourself."</p> + +<p>8. The duck, who just then saw her +drake bowing his head to her as he swam +along, thought that she would like to join +him on the pond.</p> + +<p>9. Snowdrop loved pleasure. Why +should she sit cooped up on a nest for +four weeks, when she might be having fun +on the pond? Betty was willing to do it +for her.</p> + +<p>10. She liked hunting for slugs and +worms, or swimming races with her drake, +better than sitting still. So she said +"yes" to Betty's offer and marched off.</p> + +<p>11. The good little hen climbed as well +as she could on to the nest; but she did +not half like the look of it. Why, the eggs +were ready to roll out at the sides! And +her body was not so big as that of Snowdrop, +neither were her wings so wide.</p> + +<p>12. It was a great job for her to keep the +large eggs under cover at all, but she shook +out her feathers and spread out her wings +as far as they would go, though it made +them ache.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</a></span></p> + +<p>13. Then she felt nervous because the +pond was so near. "It is bad for eggs to +get damp!" she said to herself. "What +could make that foolish Snowdrop choose +such a place? And I dare say that I shall +get the cramp too."</p> + +<p>14. But she sat on bravely for all that. +Betty never left the eggs of which she was +taking care, except for a few moments when +she was forced by hunger to run to the +yard.</p> + +<p>15. The good farmer's wife saw her +racing there one day. She watched her +pick up some corn in a great hurry and +then rush off. She went after Betty and +saw her get into the nest of the duck, to +sit there after her hasty meal.</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p><i>Write:</i> The hen wished to sit on the +eggs of the duck. She did not leave them +except to get food when she was hungry. +The wife of the farmer found the eggs.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Questions: 1. What did Snowdrop make among the rushes? +2. How many eggs did she lay? 3. What did the hen offer to +do? 4. What did Snowdrop say? 5. How did Betty get food? +6. Who saw her running back to the eggs?</p></blockquote><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>10. THE WEE DUCKS.</h3> + +<p>1. "Pretty dear!" said the farmer's +wife to Betty, as she saw her climb gently +on to the eggs and spread out her small +wings as far as she could.</p> + +<p>2. "This will never do," she went on. +"If you want to hatch them, my pretty, +you had better do it in your own nest."</p> + +<p>3. So she stooped down, stroked Betty's +white back softly, and then, with a firm, +gentle hand, pushed her aside while she +took all the seven eggs into her apron.</p> + +<p>4. At first Betty did not like it. She +did not know what Snowdrop would say, +and besides, she had a longing inside her +to finish the job. She wanted to see the +dear little things come from the shells.</p> + +<p>5. "I shall love them as my own," said +she, "unless the farmer's wife takes them +from me." But she was quite happy when +she saw the eggs placed safely in her own +snug dry nest.</p> + +<p>6. Betty sat on the eggs for three long<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</a></span> +weeks. She knew that was the proper +time to wait for her own broods. But +still no sign of the young ones was to be +seen.</p> + +<p class="figcenter" style="width: 510px;"> +<img src="images/image032.png" width="510" height="450" alt="HER OWN SNUG NEST." title="HER OWN SNUG NEST." /> +<span class="caption">HER OWN SNUG NEST.</span> +</p> + +<p>7. "I do believe that cold water has +killed them before they are born!" said +poor Betty, "for they never ought to have +been laid so near a pond."</p> + +<p>8. She sat on and on, for a fourth week. +And, at the end of that time, she had her +reward. There was a little faint tapping +sound inside the shells.</p> + +<p>9. The baby ducks were trying to get<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</a></span> +out of prison. She helped them by picking +away bits of the shell as it broke, to let the +light in at their tiny windows.</p> + +<p>10. At last seven little yellow things as +soft as satin cried, "peep, peep!" in a +pretty whisper round her feet. Their bills +and their feet were rather flat, it is true, +but what of that? Betty loved them as if +they were her own chicks.</p> + +<p>11. "Of course I do not expect that they +will be quite so handsome, so clever, or so +good as if born from my own eggs," said +she.</p> + +<p>12. "They will be poor weak little +things. I can see that they are rather +stupid, even now, from their staying in +the shells a week longer than they ought.</p> + +<p>13. "But I must take a little extra care +with them!" Very proud was Mother +Betty, but in spite of all her fondness, the +young ducks gave her much trouble.</p> + +<p>14. They would not come when they +were called. And they would play in the +gutter. They dabbled with their little +yellow feet in the black mud, as often as +ever they could.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</a></span></p> + +<p>15. They liked digging in a dirty ditch +for worms better than feeding from a nice +clean plate. And they will gobble snails, +shells and all, no matter what Betty said.</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p><i>Write:</i> It was four weeks before the +eggs were hatched. Betty found that the +young ducks did not like to feed as chicks +did. They loved to dabble in the mud.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Questions: 1. What did the farmer's wife say when she saw +Betty climb into the nest? 2. Where did she put the eggs? 3. +How long did Betty sit on them? 4. Where did the young ducks +want to play? 5. What did they wish to eat? 6. Why did +Betty think them stupid?</p></blockquote> + + +<h3>11. AN AWKWARD LOT.</h3> + +<p>1. But Betty was a hopeful hen. She +did not give up trying to teach the young +ducklings and bring them up well. She +kept them with great care from speaking +to any of their own kind.</p> + +<p>2. She would not let them play with +other ducklings. They had never seen +that dreadful pond yet. She would not +let them waddle within sight of it.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</a></span></p> + +<p>3. As to their bad manners, their love +of dirt and snails and wet, she could only +think that it came from their having once +laid as eggs in that old straw cradle of theirs, +among the green rushes.</p> + +<p>4. "Or else it is because their feet are +the wrong shape," said Betty, as she looked +down at the yellow boots of her foster-sons +and daughters. On the whole they did +not behave so very badly, she thought.</p> + +<p>5. They came up with the chickens at +meal times, even if they did go straight +back to that vile gutter the moment they +had gobbled all they could get.</p> + +<p>6. "What a clever hen is Betty Dorking!" +the others said. "She has brought +up the duck's brood and will make chickens +of them!" It is true that the wise old +gander laughed at this notion.</p> + +<p>7. He said, "You never see a silk purse +made out of any other thing but silk," and +all his wives nodded their heads and +cackled. They said it was witty, though +they had no idea what the speech meant.</p> + +<p>8. As the golden ears were taken by +heaps into the rick-yard, the birds felt as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</a></span> +glad as the farmer and his wife did. The +great sheaves were stacked and the fowls +gleaned after them.</p> + +<p>9. Betty, as well as the rest, picked up +plenty of loose grains. There was a little +squabbling once, and the turkey-cock trod +on one of Betty's ducklings.</p> + +<p>10. The great bird said nothing but +"gobble gobble!" and did not even show +that he was sorry. The peacock was not +too proud to come walking in among the +rest, in a dainty way, holding up his train.</p> + +<p>11. He liked wheat as much as any of +them. But he could not bear soiling his +dress. Betty now thought it was time to +take her foster-children into the world, +before winter came.</p> + +<p>12. They were grown to a fair size, and +as yet no cold water had ever come near +them, except a few splashes, which their +nurse could not prevent.</p> + +<p>13. After a good deal of driving and +shrieking to them, she got her brood into +a small crowd, to see if they were neat. +She smoothed their downy heads, she +plumed their soft wings with loving care.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</a></span></p> + +<p>14. Then she said, "My dears, you are +all as tidy as you can be made. I am now +going to take you on a visit to your own +mother, whom you have never yet seen.</p> + +<p>15. "Behave well, and give me no +cause to feel shame when she sees how I +have brought you up. Now, Forward! +March!"</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p><i>Write:</i> The young ducks had never +seen a pond. Their foster-mother made +them tidy. She wished to take them into +the world and show them their mother.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Questions: 1. What did the other hens say of Betty and her +brood? 2. What did the gander say? 3. What bird came to +pick up wheat with the fowls? 4. What did the turkey-cock +do? 5. What did Betty say to her ducklings before taking them +into the world? 6. To whom did she wish to show them?</p></blockquote> + + +<h3>12. THEIR OWN MOTHER.</h3> + +<p>1. And where was Snowdrop to be +found? At the pond, of course, swimming +round and round with half-a-dozen other +ducks and drakes as happy and careless as +herself.</p> + +<p>2. She swam towards the brink when<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</a></span> +she saw Betty coming. The ducklings +waddled as fast as they could lay their flat +feet to the ground, as soon as they caught +sight of the pond.</p> + +<p class="figcenter" style="width: 383px;"> +<img src="images/image033.png" width="383" height="450" alt="THE FIRST SWIM." title="THE FIRST SWIM." /> +<span class="caption">THE FIRST SWIM.</span> +</p> + +<p>3. Betty could not keep up with them, +for she had never quite lost a limp, after<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</a></span> +having her toe bitten off. "See," she said +to Snowdrop, as she hobbled up, "here are +your children.</p> + +<p>4. "Look at them well! How unlike +they are to any ducklings you ever brought +up yourself! There are no ducks in the +whole yard that can compare with them. +Just watch how well they behave."</p> + +<p>5. "Quack!" said Snowdrop. +"It is all because of the pains I have +taken," said Betty.</p> + +<p>"Quack, quack!" said Snowdrop again.</p> + +<p>6. "They have never been tempted to +go into horrid cold water. They have never +even seen a pond till now. What do you +say to that?"</p> + +<p>7. "Quack, quack, quack!" replied the +snowy sailor, glancing her bright eye upon +her little ones. The next moment the +merry little ducks were sailing after her +round the pond!</p> + +<p>8. They dived head foremost, they +grubbed for leeches, they paddled with +their flat feet as if they had done nothing +else since they were out of the shell.</p> + +<p>9. Poor Betty with outspread wings<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</a></span> +danced round the pond crying at the +top of her shrill voice, "Come back! come +back! You will all be drowned."</p> + +<p>10. But it was useless. The little ducks +would obey her no longer. They went on +swimming about after their own lily-white +mother.</p> + +<p>11. Snowdrop swam to the edge at last, +and spoke thus to Betty. "I thank you +for the good you meant to me and mine. +But dry land will not give us your sharp +toes to scratch with, any sooner than water +will give you web-feet to swim with.</p> + +<p>12. "All that you have taught my children +on dry land, I shall be pleased to repay by +teaching the next brood you have to swim +and dive." At this the gander stretched +out his throat and laughed.</p> + +<p>13. "You should allow yourself more time +to think," said old Dame Turkey, the wife +of the turkey-cock, as she stood on one +leg to listen.</p> + +<p>14. "You are always in a hurry and a +bustle. Don't mind so much about the +affairs of other people, and take things +calmly, as I do. If you had been more<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</a></span> +like me, you would not have made this +mistake about the duck."</p> + +<p>15. "We have not all the same habits,—the +same nature," said Mistress Betty, +softly. "And I see that it is of no use +trying to make other folks' children like +our own." Dame Turkey nodded her head +in a very wise manner.</p> + +<p>16. She must have been a very clever +old dame, for she knew when to keep +silent. As for Betty, she grew to be a very +modest, useful hen, with no pride or conceit +about her.</p> + +<p>17. At the present time, though she is +getting old, she is still a worthy fowl. +She lives at the same farm, and would +divide her last worm with a chicken or a +friend. But she has never tried to turn +ducklings into chicks again.</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p><i>Write:</i> The little ducks saw the pond. +They ran to it and went in. It was of no +use for the hen to call them back. They +went after their own mother-duck.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Questions: 1. Where was Snowdrop to be found? 2. What +did the ducklings do when they saw the pond? 3. What did the +guinea-hen call out? 4. What did Betty do? 5. What did Dame +Turkey say? 6. What sort of hen did Betty become?</p></blockquote> + + + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="WORDS_FOR_SPELLING" id="WORDS_FOR_SPELLING"></a>WORDS FOR SPELLING.</h2> + + +<h3>DICK AND HIS CAT.</h3> + +<ul> +<li>1.</li> +<li> +fa'-mous</li> +<li>Whit'-ting-ton</li> +<li>walk'-ed</li> +<li>pave'-ments</li> +<li>in-stead'</li> +<li>door'-step</li> +<li>for-lorn'</li> +<li> </li> +<li>2.</li> +<li> +hid'-ing</li><li> +pleas'-ant</li><li> +ei'-ther</li><li> +</li><li> +3.</li><li> +</li><li> +emp'-ty</li><li> +pas'-sion</li><li> +laugh'-ed</li><li> +pa'-ti-ent</li><li> +greet'-ing</li><li> +for'-eign</li><li> +</li><li> +4.</li><li> +</li><li> +daugh'-ter</li><li> +whis'-per</li><li> +beau'-ty</li><li> +fetch'-ing</li><li> +may'-or</li><li> +</li><li> +5.</li><li> +</li><li> +wreck'-ed</li><li> +reach'-ed</li><li> +pal'-ace</li><li> +cush'-i-on</li><li> +leap'-ed</li><li> +mor'-sel</li><li> +fam'-ine</li><li> +</li><li> +6.</li><li> +</li><li> +sur-pris'-ed</li><li> +strug'-gled</li><li> +coax</li><li> +flan'-nel</li><li> +wrap'-ping</li><li> +caught</li><li> +glimpse</li><li> +feast'-ing</li><li> +in'-stant</li><li> +scar'-ed</li><li> +roy'-al</li><li> +trea'-sure</li><li> +</li><li> +7.</li><li> +</li><li> +Eng'-land</li><li> +learn'-ed</li><li> +hand'-some</li><li> +friends</li><li> +need'-ed</li><li> +great'-est</li><li> +faith'-ful</li><li> +treat'-ed</li><li> +purr'-ed</li><li> +laur'-el</li> +</ul> + + +<h3>TRUSTY.</h3> + +<ul><li> +1.</li><li> +</li><li> +land'-lord</li><li> +bread</li><li> +cheese</li><li> +ven'-ture</li><li> +beam'-ing</li><li> +bus'-tle</li><li> +crouch'-ing</li><li> +shad'-ow</li><li> +dis'-mal</li><li> +blink'-ed</li><li> +voice</li><li> +</li><li> +2.</li><li> +</li><li> +hud'-dled</li><li> +cra'-zy</li><li> +guard</li><li> +</li><li> +3.</li><li> +</li><li> +ad-vise'</li><li> +twi'-light</li><li> +anx'-i-ous</li><li> +daz'-zling</li><li> +whirl-'ing</li><li> +strug'-gle</li><li> +pierce</li><li> +starv'-ed-looking</li><li> +</li><li> +4.</li><li> +</li><li> +whine</li><li> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</a></span>tread<br /> +prais'-ed</li><li> +foot'-prints</li><li> +faith'-ful</li><li> +guide</li><li> +hoarse</li><li> +ea'-ger</li><li> +wood'-en</li><li> +white'-ness</li><li> +feel'-ings</li><li> +flash'-ing</li><li> +rous'-ed</li><li> +shoul'-ders</li><li> +tongue</li><li> +</li><li> +5.</li><li> +</li><li> +steam'-ing</li><li> +pulse</li><li> +bur'-i-ed</li><li> +howl'-ing</li><li> +guid'-ed</li><li> +dumb</li><li> +friend'-ly</li><li> +dole'-ful</li><li> +re-proach'</li><li> +birth'-day</li><li> +en-joy'-ed</li> +</ul> + + +<h3>OUT IN THE COLD.</h3> + +<ul><li> +1.</li><li> +</li><li> +froz'-en</li><li> +roost</li><li> +moon'-shine</li><li> +stu'-pid</li><li> +</li><li> +2.</li><li> +</li><li> +watch'-ed</li><li> +freez'-ing</li><li> +Christ'-mas</li><li> +stirr'-ed</li><li> +</li><li> +3.</li><li> +</li><li> +pig'-sty</li><li> +com-plaint'</li><li> +coax'-ed</li><li> +car'-rots</li><li> +jui'-cy</li><li> +mor'-tar</li><li> +soak'-ed</li><li> +</li><li> +4.</li><li> +</li><li> +puz'-zle</li><li> +tip'-toe</li><li> +scram'-ble</li><li> +sheet</li><li> +ice</li><li> +wak'-en-ed</li><li> +foot'-marks</li> +</ul> + + +<h3>THE STORY OF A FLY.</h3> + +<ul><li> +1.</li><li> +</li><li> +cur'-tain</li><li> +break'-fast-room</li><li> +pret'-ty</li><li> +mak'-ing</li><li> +la'-zy</li><li> +grand'-child</li><li> +grand'-pa</li><li> +house'-fly</li><li> +touch'-ed</li><li> +pitch'-ed</li><li> +</li><li> +2.</li><li> +</li><li> +tea'-cad-dy</li><li> +sug'-ar-ba-sin</li><li> +com'-fort</li><li> +ache</li><li> +glut'-ton</li><li> +seem'-ed</li><li> +dain'-ty</li><li> +</li><li> +3.</li><li> +</li><li> +yel'-low</li><li> +whole'-some</li><li> +gree'-dy</li><li> +bal'-ance</li><li> +des-pair'</li><li> +cream'-jug</li><li> +mis'-hap</li><li> +jerk'-ed</li><li> +crawl'-ing</li><li> +grea'-sy</li><li> +</li><li> +4.</li><li> +</li><li> +hon'-ey</li><li> +lawn</li><li> +scoop'-ed</li><li> +dai'-sy</li><li> +tri'-fle</li><li> +</li><li> +5.</li><li> +</li><li> +buzz'-ed</li><li> +side'-board</li><li> +tempt'-ing</li><li> +o'-cean</li><li> +wretch'-ed</li><li> +</li><li> +6.</li><li> +</li><li> +spi'-der</li><li> +a-sham'-ed</li><li> +knitt'-ing</li><li> +need'-les</li><li> +spear</li><li> +strain'-ed</li><li> +</li><li> +7.</li><li> +</li><li> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</a></span>child'-hood<br /> +list'-en</li><li> +ser'-vants</li><li> +mag'-got</li><li> +</li><li> +8.</li><li> +</li><li> +drown'-ing</li><li> +strength</li><li> +trow'-sers</li><li> +a-sleep'</li><li> +Nep'-tune</li><li> +tease</li><li> +</li><li> +9.</li><li> +</li><li> +gran'-ny</li><li> +seat'-ed</li><li> +doz'-ing</li><li> +po-lite'</li><li> +frizz'-ing</li><li> +</li><li> +10.</li><li> +</li><li> +rous'-ed</li><li> +blaze</li><li> +nei'-ther</li><li> +knock</li><li> +drench'-ed</li><li> +dog'-gie</li><li> +</li><li> +11.</li><li> +</li><li> +ceil'-ing</li><li> +pranc'-ing</li><li> +speech</li><li> +cof'-fee</li><li> +</li><li> +12.</li><li> +</li><li> +gay'-est</li><li> +Thom'-as</li><li> +en-joy'</li><li> +peace</li> +</ul> + + +<h3>BETTY AND SNOWDROP.</h3> + +<ul><li> +1.</li><li> +</li><li> +qui'-et</li><li> +guess</li><li> +scratch'-ed</li><li> +rogu'-ish</li><li> +scream'-ed</li><li> +todd'-led</li><li> +maim'-ed</li><li> +jaws</li><li> +bust'-led</li><li> +res'-cue</li><li> +</li><li> +2.</li><li> +</li><li> +spoilt</li><li> +beau'-ty</li><li> +crys'-tal</li><li> +cer'-tain</li><li> +plum'-ing</li><li> +ad-mire'</li><li> +rail'-ings</li><li> +quar'-rel</li><li> +pas'-sion</li><li> +catch'-ing</li><li> +cock'-chafers</li><li> +</li><li> +3.</li><li> +</li><li> +dain'-ties</li><li> +chest'-nuts</li><li> +minc'-ed</li><li> +squab'-ble</li><li> +plung'-ed</li><li> +soap'-ed</li><li> +flan'-nel</li><li> +sooth'-ing</li><li> +white'-ness</li><li> +house'-maid</li><li> +med'-dling</li><li> +</li><li> +4.</li><li> +</li><li> +bee'-tle</li><li> +ma-nure'</li><li> +poul'-try</li><li> +chuck'-led</li><li> +Dork'-ing</li><li> +for'-eign</li><li> +comb</li><li> +</li><li> +5.</li><li> +</li><li> +teas'-ing</li><li> +let'-tuce</li><li> +wear'-ing</li><li> +prize</li><li> +wound'-ed</li><li> +rough'-ly</li><li> +bleed'-ing</li><li> +cou'-ple</li><li> +</li><li> +6.</li><li> +</li><li> +cack'-led</li><li> +hatch'-ed</li><li> +hud'-dled</li><li> +chalk</li><li> +pad'-dling</li><li> +sprink'-led</li><li> +whole'-some</li><li> +boughs</li><li> +slip'-ping</li><li> +</li><li> +7.</li><li> +</li><li> +pat'-tern</li><li> +ba'-bies</li><li> +feath'-ers</li><li> +wad'-dled</li><li> +mag'-pie</li><li> +stray'-ed</li><li> +gip'-sies</li><li> +</li><li> +8.</li><li> +</li><li> +shov'-el</li><li> +leech'-es</li><li> +or'-ange</li><li> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</a></span>wa'-ter-snails<br /> +tongue</li><li> +soak'-ed</li><li> +skimm'-ed</li><li> +</li><li> +9.</li><li> +</li><li> +pok'-ed</li><li> +hatch'-ed</li><li> +ner'-vous</li><li> +</li><li> +10.</li><li> +</li><li> +re-ward'</li><li> +pris'-on</li><li> +ex'-tra</li><li> +ditch</li><li> +</li><li> +11.</li><li> +</li><li> +awk'-ward</li><li> +speak'-ing</li><li> +daugh'-ters</li><li> +laugh'-ed</li><li> +no'-tion</li><li> +rick'-yard</li><li> +sheaves</li><li> +glean'-ed</li><li> +squab'-bling</li><li> +pea'-cock</li><li> +daint'-ty</li><li> +shriek'-ing</li><li> +plum'-ed</li><li> +</li><li> +12.</li><li> +</li><li> +caught</li><li> +hob'-bled</li><li> +out'-spread</li><li> +calm'-ly</li><li> +mis'-tress</li><li> +si'-lent</li><li> +con-ceit'</li> +</ul> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> +<p class="center"> +<small>CHISWICK PRESS:—CHARLES WHITTINGHAM AND CO.</small><br /> +<small>TOOKS COURT, CHANCERY LANE, LONDON.</small><br /> +</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> +<h3><a name="Transcribers_Notes" id="Transcribers_Notes"></a>Transcriber's Notes</h3> + +<p>Corrected minor punctuation errors.</p> + +<p>Moved some illustrations to avoid breaking up paragraphs of text.</p> + + + + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Dick and His Cat and Other Tales, by Various + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DICK AND HIS CAT AND OTHER TALES *** + +***** This file should be named 28351-h.htm or 28351-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/8/3/5/28351/ + +Produced by R. 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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: Dick and His Cat and Other Tales + +Author: Various + +Editor: Edith Carrington + +Illustrator: F. M. Cooper + +Release Date: March 18, 2009 [EBook #28351] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DICK AND HIS CAT AND OTHER TALES *** + + + + +Produced by R. Cedron, Diane Monico, and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive) + + + + + + + + + +ANIMAL LIFE READERS + +EDITED BY +EDITH CARRINGTON AND ERNEST BELL + +WITH PICTURES BY +HARRISON WEIR +AND OTHERS + + + + +DICK AND HIS CAT +AND OTHER TALES + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +DICK AND HIS CAT +AND OTHER TALES + +ADAPTED BY +EDITH CARRINGTON + +AUTHOR OF "WORKERS WITHOUT WAGE," "A NARROW, NARROW WORLD," +"A STORY OF WINGS," ETC., ETC. + +_WITH PICTURES BY F. M. COOPER_ + +LONDON +GEORGE BELL AND SONS +YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN +1895 + + + + +_This Series is published by Messrs. Bell for the Humanitarian League._ + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + PAGE + +DICK AND HIS CAT 1 + +TRUSTY. By Roger Quiddam 29 + +OUT IN THE COLD. By Roger Quiddam 50 + +THE STORY OF A FLY. By Maria Jacob 67 + +BETTY AND SNOWDROP 106 + + + + +PREFACE. + + +In the Section of the Code for 1894-5, dealing with Reading Books, +occur the words "Passages impressing on the children the duty of +gentleness and consideration for others, and that of the humane +treatment of animals may also be widely introduced." + +It is in the hope of encouraging that humane treatment of animals, +which in the hands of a sympathetic teacher may so easily and naturally +be made the first step towards the "gentleness and consideration for +others," that this series has been prepared. It is hoped now that the +teaching of humanity has received official recognition, that those who +have charge of the young will recognize its importance, and will +realise that unless the cultivation of the heart runs _pari passu_ with +that of the head, the spread of education may become a curse instead of +a blessing. + +The Editors are much indebted to the R.S.P.C.C. for permission to +reprint "Trusty" and "Out in the Cold." + + + + +[Illustration] + +DICK AND HIS CAT. + + +1. UP TO LONDON. + +1. In the reign of the famous king Edward the Third, there was a little +boy named Dick Whitt-ing-ton, whose father and mother died when he was +very young. + +2. He knew nothing about them, and he was left, a poor little ragged, +dirty fellow, to run about the streets of a small country village. + +3. As poor Dick was not old enough to work, he was in a sad state; he +got but little for his dinner, and often had nothing at all for his +supper. For all the people in the village were very poor. + +4. They could often spare him nothing more than an old crust of bread, +or some scraps that even a dog would not have liked. One day a man who +was driving a waggon came through the village. + +5. He had eight fine large horses to pull it, and, as he walked by +their side, he spoke kindly to them, and never whipped them. This made +Dick think that he must be a good man. + +6. "If he is kind to the horses," said Dick to himself, "perhaps he +will be kind to a poor lad like me." So Dick went up to speak to the +carter and asked him to let him walk along by the side of his waggon. + +7. The two began to talk, and the man, hearing from poor Dick that he +had no parents, and seeing how ragged his clothes were, took pity on +him. He told Dick that he was going with the waggon to London town. +"And," added the man, "you may come with me if you like. + +8. "I do not think that you can be much worse off there than you are +here; and perhaps you may be better off in the great city. You may ride +in the waggon if you please." + +9. Dick was glad enough to do this, and the good driver took care to +share his food with him on the way. He took as much care of the horses +and of Dick as he did of himself. Dick got safe to London. + +[Illustration: SETTING OFF.] + +10. Now before he had seen the streets of London, Dick had thought that +they were made of gold, for an old man in the village at home had told +him so. But the old man had only been in joke. He meant that folks +often became rich there. + +11. So Dick ran away from the waggon in a great hurry, to find the +golden pavements. But he saw nothing except mud and dirt, and a crowd +of people all looking very busy, who took no heed of him. + +12. Instead of being able to pick up little bits of gold from the +streets when he wanted money, Dick now found that he could not find +even a penny to buy a loaf for himself, and no one gave him one either. + +13. He stayed all night in the streets, and, next morning, he got up +and walked about, asking those whom he met to give him something to +keep him from starving. + +14. Hardly any man or boy whom he asked gave him a copper. But at last, +a woman, seeing his pale face, drew out two pence and put them into +Dick's thin hand. + +15. Being almost too tired and weak to buy food, Dick laid himself down +on the doorstep of a big house. He almost wished to die, for he felt so +lonely and forlorn in that great town, where no one had time to think +about a poor little ragged boy. + + * * * * * + +_Write:_ Dick went to London with a man. When he was there, he could +get no food. A kind woman gave him two pence. + + Questions: 1. In what king's reign did Dick Whittington + live? 2. In what kind of place was he born? 3. Whom did he + meet going through the village? 4. How did Dick know that + the driver was a good man? 5. What did he do when he first + reached London? 6. What did the kind woman give to Dick? + + +2. THE STRAY CAT. + +1. As Dick was hiding his face in his hands and thinking these sad +things, he felt something very soft rubbing gently against his neck, +which was close to the hard cold stone step, and he heard a pleasant +sound at his ear. + +2. It was the purring of a poor little stray cat, which was trying to +make friends with him. Dick sat up, and stroked puss. "Why, you are +just like me!" said Dick. "I believe that you have no home and no +friends either, you poor little thing." + +3. When the cat heard Dick speak so kindly to her, she crept into his +lap, looking into his face as if to say, "Are you going to let me +come, or will you drive me away, as all the rest of the world does?" + +4. Finding that Dick put one arm round her she curled herself up, +purring loudly, and seemed to think that she had found a home with him +on the doorstep. + +5. "Poor pussy!" said Dick, "how thin you are, and how rough your coat +is! Come, I will go and get something for us both to eat." Dick ran +along the street with the cat in his arms. + +6. She could not do enough to thank him for taking care of her. For she +had been hunted through the streets for many days. The people with whom +she had lived were gone away and left poor puss behind to starve in an +empty house. + +7. They went to a shop and bought milk and bread. It was a fine feast +for them both, and I do not know which of them liked it best. + +8. The rude boys in the street laughed at Dick for running along with a +cat in his arms. But he was too brave a boy to care for that. He only +hugged his cat the tighter, and laughed at them in return. So they +soon left off. + +[Illustration: BOTH IN NEED.] + +9. That night, Dick had again no place to sleep in but the doorway of a +big house. He made himself and his cat as snug as he could, and had +just fallen asleep when he heard a cross voice say, "What are you doing +here, you lazy scamp?" + +10. This was a cook, who was just coming out. And at the same moment +her master came out behind her. He, too, saw Dick, and said: "Why do +you lie there, my lad? You seem big enough to work. I fear that you +must be idle." + +11. "No, indeed, sir," said Dick. "I would work with all my heart, but +I know no one to give me work, and I think that I am ill from want of +food and a dry, warm bed." + +12. "Poor fellow!" said the rich merchant, who was master of the house. +"Come here to me. Let us see what is the matter with you." + + * * * * * + +_Write:_ A poor little stray cat came to Dick. He spoke kindly to her +and went to buy bread and milk for both. They liked the food very much. + + Questions: 1. What did Dick feel as he lay on the doorstep? + 2. What did he say to the stray cat? 3. What did he buy for + them both? 4. Who came out of the door as Dick was sleeping + on the step? 5. Who came out after the maid? 6. What did the + master of the house say to Dick? + + +3. THE CROSS COOK. + +1. As Dick came up to the merchant, his knees trembled under him, and +he looked very ill and weak. He had put the little cat under his +jacket, so that the merchant did not notice her. + +2. "You seem half starved," said the merchant. And he told the cook to +give Dick a good meal at once, make him up a bed in the garret, and let +him stay with them. + +3. He might do what dirty work in the kitchen he could for the cook. +Little Dick would have been very happy now, but for the cross cook, who +was finding fault and scolding all the day long. + +4. She would rush at poor Dick with her broom, and hit him hard on the +head. And what was worse, she chased his poor little cat right out of +the house, and said she would have no cats there. + +5. Dick found his pussy again, and took her up into his own bare and +empty garret, where she was safe, for the cook never went there. And +pussy was his only friend at that time. + +6. Dick was careful to carry food to his cat, of which there was always +plenty to be had in that house. But things became worse and worse in +the kitchen. + +7. The temper of the cross cook was tried more and more by the little +mice, which ran over all her nice pies and puddings, and spoilt them as +fast as she made them. + +8. She flew into a passion with Dick twenty times a day, but it was of +no use to do this. She set traps for the mice, but they soon found out +the trick, and would not go near them. + +9. The cunning little things laughed at cook and her clumsy traps, and +made merry all night long over the floor of her room, running races, +and keeping her awake. + +10. So she grew crosser and crosser, till at last Dick felt as if he +could not stand it much longer. But his master was always kind, and he +thought that he would never leave him if he could help it. + +11. He thought that things might mend and he tried to be patient. And +his cat was always ready with a loving greeting for Dick when he came +to his room. + +12. At last one day Dick's master called all his servants upstairs into +his room. He said that a ship of his was going to sail for a foreign +land in a few days. + +13. He asked them if any of them would like to send some things out in +the ship to be sold. In those days much money was to be made by selling +English goods in other lands. + +14. All said that they would like to send something. But poor little +Dick said not a word. He had nothing in the world but the clothes he +had on, and his cat. + + * * * * * + +_Write:_ Dick was told that he might do work for the cook. But she was +very cross to him and to his cat. He kept puss in his own room and took +care to feed her. + + Questions: 1. What did the merchant say about Dick? 2. What + did the cook say about the cat? 3. Where did Dick keep her? + 4. What was he careful to carry up for his cat? 5. What did + the merchant ask his servants? 6. Why did Dick say nothing + when all the rest spoke? + + +4. WHAT THE BELLS SAID. + +1. Now the merchant had a little daughter, called Alice. And she was a +kind little girl. She looked at the sad face of poor Dick, and she said +in a whisper to her father, "Why does not that little boy speak like +the rest?" + +2. "You had better ask him," said the father, giving his little girl a +kiss before he went out of the room. + +3. So Alice went up to Dick and asked him why he had not sent some +small thing that could be sold for much money in the foreign land, +though it cost only a little here. + +4. "All the rest are going to send," said little Alice, "and when the +ship comes back they will get the money. Why do you not send something +in the ship too?" + +5. "I have nothing to send," said poor Dick, looking very sad. "I am a +poor boy. The cook is unkind to me, and I have nothing of my own but a +cat." + +6. "I have got some money in my purse, I will give it to you," said +little Alice. But Dick said that he should not like to take money from +the little girl. + +[Illustration: ALL DICK HAD.] + +7. Just then the merchant came back into the room. He had heard what +Dick said about having nothing but a cat. + +8. "Fetch your cat, boy, and let her go," said he. "I heard the +captain of the ship say that he wanted a cat to clear the ship of mice. +He will give you money for her." + +9. "Oh no, sir," cried Dick, "I could not give up my poor cat. She +loves me, and I love her. She has grown such a beauty, sir, and she can +almost talk. I could not get on without her, please, sir." + +10. "Well, if you cannot be parted, why not go too?" "So I could, sir," +said Dick. "Well, you are a smart boy, and we will see. The captain +lives near. You had better run and ask him what he thinks." + +11. Dick was not long in fetching his cap. He almost flew along the +streets, and as he did so he heard Bow bells begin to ring. + +12. He felt so full of high spirits at the thought of ending his hard +life in the kitchen, with the cross cook, that the bells seemed to be +singing a merry tune to him. + +13. Dick stopped for a moment to listen, and as he did so, their chime +came to his ears like the sound of his own name. They seemed to say: + + "Turn again, Whittington, + Lord Mayor of London." + +14. "This must be my fancy," said Dick, as he ran on to the house of +the captain. "But it is very pleasant to be spoken to kindly, even by +the bells. And I wonder whether good fortune is in store for me at +last?" + + * * * * * + +_Write:_ Dick could not part with his cat. So his master said that he +might go with her in the ship. He went to ask the captain. + + Questions: 1. What did Alice ask Dick? 2. What did Dick + answer? 3. What did his master say when he came into the + room? 4. What was Dick's reply? 5. Where did he run? 6. What + did he hear the bells say? + + +5. THE KING'S DINNER. + +1. The ship, with Dick and his cat on board, was soon at sea. But Dick +began to think that worse luck than ever was going to befall him. + +2. For there was a heavy storm, and the ship was nearly wrecked on the +coast of a land then unknown to the English. This land was filled with +black people called Moors. + +3. When the captain and his men, with Dick and the cat, landed on this +shore, the natives came in great numbers to gaze at them. They had +never seen people with white faces before. + +4. As they came to know the captain and his sailors better, these black +men would go on board the ship. The English sailors showed them all the +goods which they had brought from England. + +5. The black men wished to buy them. As they had gold in great lumps +and heaps, they were willing to give a high price for what the servants +had sent out from the merchant's house. + +6. The captain, seeing how much pleasure the things gave, sent some of +the goods to the king of the country. He was so much pleased with them +that he sent for the captain and his friends to the palace. + +7. As Dick and his cat had been very useful on the voyage, the captain +took them with him, and they soon reached the palace. + +[Illustration: THE DINNER TABLE.] + +8. Here they sat on cushions and carpets made of rich silk and worked +in gold and silver. And the king and queen being seated at the upper +end of the table, the dinner was brought in. + +9. But no sooner were the dishes set in front of them, in plates of +gold and silver, than a rushing sound was heard. In an instant a whole +army of mice and rats came running in. + +10. They were so bold that they leaped on the table and began to devour +the food from the king's own plate. In a few minutes nothing would have +been left. + +11. The guests had to drive them away, and snatch a few hasty morsels +before they came back again. But the creatures seemed to care for +nothing, for they ran back as fast as they were made to go. + +12. The captain was full of surprise. "Are not these mice and rats a +great trouble to you?" he asked the king. "Oh yes, they are indeed!" +said he. + +13. "They not only eat up almost all we have, but they disturb us even +in our own bedrooms. We are sadly afraid that there will be a famine +next year, for they are eating up all the seed and corn in the land." + +14. The captain was ready to jump for joy when he heard this, for he +called to mind the cat, which Dick had left in the ship. + +15. As it was not far off, he bade Dick run and fetch her at once. "I +think we can help you," he said to the king; but he only shook his +head, for he had tried all ways to get rid of the rats and mice, +without success. + + * * * * * + +_Write:_ The captain sold the goods for a good price. He went to see +the king of that land. He found that there were many rats and mice at +the palace. + + Questions: 1. What misfortune happened to the ship? 2. What + sort of people did the captain find on the coast where he + landed? 3. What did they give instead of the goods? 4. Where + did the captain go with his friends next? 5. What went on at + the king's dinner-table? 6. What did the captain tell Dick + to fetch? + + +6. THE QUEEN AND THE KITTENS. + +1. Taking puss in his arms, Dick was surprised to find that she tried +to get away from him again, and to run down to the cabin below. This +was the first time that she had done so, and he could not make it out. + +2. She struggled to get away each time that Dick tried to carry her out +of the ship, making an odd sort of "miew," and trying to coax him to +come where she led him. + +3. At last he ran after puss, down the cabin steps, and at the bottom, +in a dark corner, he found that puss had hidden five pretty little +kittens! + +4. She was purring with all her might over them, and she tried to say, +"Did you ever see five such sweet little things? How could you ask me +to leave them? They would die if I did. Though I love you dearly I +cannot go away." + +5. So Dick found a warm piece of flannel, and wrapping the baby pussies +up in it, he took the whole lot with him. Puss was ready enough to come +when she saw this. + +6. He made as much haste as he could. Soon he came into the palace with +the kittens under one arm and their proud mother purring under the +other. + +7. No sooner did Dick enter than the cat began to sniff the air. Then +she caught a glimpse of the rats and mice, which were still feasting on +the table. The cloth was black with them. + +8. In one instant she sprang from his arms. She laid a dozen rats and +mice dead at the king's feet in half a minute, and all the rest were +scared out of their wits, and ran away. + +[Illustration: SWEET LITTLE THINGS.] + +9. They had never seen a cat before, for there were none in that land. +The king had never seen one either; and his queen did not know what +sort of beast puss was at all. But she thought her very pretty. + +10. "What is this strange, useful creature; what is it called?" said +the king, "and where did you get it? I will give all I have to buy it +from you, rather than be left without one." + +11. But though the king sent for a great sack of gold, so heavy that it +took three men to bring it into the room, Dick would not hear of +selling his friend. + +12. "What is that bundle under your arm?" said the captain to Dick. And +then the boy showed him the kittens. + +13. "Why these are even more pretty than the beast itself," said the +queen, and she wished to have all the kittens in her lap. Poor woman! +she had never before nursed a kitten in her life! + +14. "You had better sell these to the king," the captain said in a +whisper to Dick. "Tell him that some day they will grow up to be cats +like yours, and in due time will have little ones of their own." + +15. "But it would be cruel to take them all away from their mother," +said Dick, for he had seen how quickly his cat had run to the queen to +beg for her little ones. + +[Illustration: THE KING AND THE QUEEN.] + +16. The cat was not afraid to stare even into the face of a king, and +ask him bravely to put down the little kit which he had taken into his +royal hands. + +17. Puss had at last taken all her treasures to a mat near the door, +where she was busy washing their faces. She did not care to have so +many folks pulling them about. + +18. "You must leave one for the mother, and sell the rest," said the +captain. "She will not fret long if you leave her one child. And we +cannot take them all five back on the ship. There would be too many." + + * * * * * + +_Write:_ Dick found that his cat had five little kits. He took them +with him to the house of the king. The queen was pleased; she had never +seen a kitten before. + + Questions: 1. What was Dick surprised to find when he took + up his cat? 2. Where did she try to lead him? 3. What had + puss got in a corner? 4. How did Dick manage to bring the + kittens to the palace? 5. What did his cat do when she got + there? 6. What did the queen wish? + + +7. THE END OF PUSSY. + +1. "But I should like them to stay little always," said the queen, +after she had been told that the kittens would soon grow big enough to +catch mice. + +2. "That is a foolish remark, my love," said the king. "They are here +to kill mice, and the sooner they get big, the better. + +[Illustration: PUSSY'S GRAVE.] + +3. "And you forget that they will have kittens by-and-by," added the +king. "In time we shall have,--what is their name? oh, cats. + +4. "Well, we shall have cats enough to keep the whole land free from +mice and rats." And he was ready to dance and clap his hands. Only +that would not have been proper for a king. + +5. The end of it was that Dick and the captain set sail for England +with a shipload of gold, and puss went with them, with her one baby. +She did not miss the rest much after a time. + +6. When Dick reached London again, he was very rich indeed. But as he +grew older he learned that money cannot make people happy, unless they +do good to others with it. + +7. He gave his friend the captain a handsome present of gold, and he +did not forget one of his old friends at home. To each one he gave what +they most needed. + +8. Even the cross cook was not passed over, for Dick thought that her +bad temper might be made better by a gift, and so it was. + +9. But there was one above all to whom he showed the greatest care. +This was his cat. Of course she did not live so long as Dick did, for +the lives of cats do not often last more than about sixteen years. + +10. By the time that Dick was the father of some dear little children, +his faithful old puss was very very old and weak. Alice was now his +wife. + +11. Pussy spent all her time by the warm fire, and she had all she +wanted. No one was ever unkind to her, and though she was not able to +catch mice any more, she was treated with great honour. + +12. One day, as Dick, now a fine rich man in good clothes and in a +grand house, was sitting in his arm-chair, his old puss dragged herself +slowly up to his feet. + +13. She begged to get on his lap once more. Dick, who knew well what +she meant, though she could not speak, stooped and lifted her up. + +14. Pussy purred, as she lifted her dim eyes to his face, gave one +sigh, and lay quite still. She was dead, and Dick buried her himself, +under a laurel tree in his garden. + +15. "If it had not been for her I might have died in the streets +myself," said he. "It was puss who made my fortune, and I am certain +of this one thing: those who show mercy and love, will have the same +shown to them." + + * * * * * + +_Write:_ Dick sold his kittens for gold. But he let the mother-cat keep +one. At last his cat died of old age. Dick was kind to her to the end +of her life. + + Questions: 1. What did the Queen want the kittens to do? 2. + What did Dick find out about money as he grew older? 3. To + whom did he show the greatest care? 4. What about the cross + cook? 5. What did the old cat do one day? 6. What did Dick + say that he was quite certain of? + + + + +[Illustration] + +TRUSTY. + + +1. HUNGRY. + +1. "I think that we shall have a heavy fall of snow before long," said +the landlord of the little wayside inn, at which I had called to get a +morsel of bread and cheese. + +2. "Very likely it will snow," said I, giving a glance at the dark +heavy clouds, and stopping to listen for a moment to the moaning wind. + +3. "And in that case the sooner I start the better, for I have a long +distance to go, and the light will fail early, in such weather as +this." + +4. The landlord turned and looked at me, as I began putting on my +great-coat. "Do you think that it is wise of you to venture across the +moor, when it is likely to be so stormy?" said he. + +5. "It is a rough road at the best of times, but on a bleak night with +snow there is real danger. The trap will take you over in no time when +it comes in, or as soon as it is light in the morning." + +6. "My friend," said I, "do not think of such a thing. I would not be +away from home to-morrow for all the world. It is the birthday of my +only little girl, and she would think the day quite spoilt if her +father were not there. + +7. "I shall step out briskly, and be at home long before dark. It is +not three o'clock yet," I added, pulling out my watch. + +"Well, I wish you a safe journey, sir," said the landlord. "And also, +many happy returns of to-morrow." + +8. "Thank you, landlord," replied I, in the same hearty tone. I shook +hands with him, for his face was a beaming and kindly one, and I had +known him since I was a boy. + +9. As I went towards the outer door, the landlord just behind me, his +man darted forward from a dark corner, and began to bustle out in front +of me. + +10. "Get out, you brute!" he said, in an angry voice, as he made a +savage kick at something which was crouching in the shadow of the +doorstep. + +[Illustration: POOR DOGGIE.] + +11. An instant after, with a dismal yelp of despair, a forlorn dog +slunk away from the door, and ran to hide under an empty waggon which +stood in the middle of the road. + +12. "Get out! Be off!" again shouted the man, and he made a pretence of +stooping with great fury to pick up a stone. The wretched dog, wild +with terror, left his hiding-place. + +13. With his drooping tail between his legs, he crept to the gate of +the yard, where he again lay down and blinked his great sad eyes at us, +licking his hungry mouth as if to beg for food. + +14. I was deeply touched at the sight of this poor creature's distress, +and I could not help thinking how warm and well fed I was myself, as +well as the other two men, while this wretched dog, for no fault of his +own, was starving. + +15. "Poor thing!" I said, and turning to the landlord, added, "Do pray +let some one bring him a few scraps and bones from the kitchen. I will +gladly pay for one good meal for him." + +16. "Oh no, oh dear no!" cried the landlord and the man, both in a +voice of horror. "If we gave him food in this yard we should never get +rid of him. + +17. "We should have a bother with starving dogs here, all the year +round, sir. Pray do not give him food here, I beg." + + * * * * * + +_Write:_ A man saw a hungry dog at an inn. He wished to feed him, but +the landlord said that he should never get rid of the dog if he had +food there. + + Questions: 1. What sort of weather was it when the man was + at the inn? 2. What did the landlord advise him to do? 3. + What did the man answer? 4. What did the traveller see + outside the inn door? 5. What did he wish to do for the + starving dog? 6. What did the landlord and his man say? + + +2. A KIND MAN. + +1. I now felt that this landlord was not a truly good and kind man, or +he would have taken pity on the outcast dog. As I passed through the +gate, the poor creature huddled close against the wall. + +2. He had been taught to expect a kick or a blow from each person who +passed. I stopped for a moment to look at him, and said, "Poor fellow!" +in a gentle tone. + +3. In an instant all the love and grief in his doggish heart welled +over, and with a sharp cry of pain, which was like a prayer to me, he +drew himself along the ground to my feet, yelping and wagging his tail +at the same time. + +4. He began to lick and fondle my feet, and made the shining polish on +them quite dim with his muddy paws. + +"Poor old fellow!" I said again. "Come, you shall have one good meal if +money can buy it." + +5. I walked out into the street, and called him to follow. He thought +it was too good news to be true, and only came for a few steps, then +stopped to look with a timid gaze into my face as if to question me. + +6. "Come along, doggie," I replied, "do not be afraid. I shall not hurt +you. I mean to be good to you, though you can hardly believe it. Come +and get some dinner." + +7. Made bold by my tone and manner, the dog stuck close to me, and we +went along the High Street. All the shops were gay and smart, but at +first I could not see one which the dog would have thought a good shop. + +8. At last I found one where food of all kinds was sold, and I walked +in, my humble friend at my heels giving a joyful sniff at the pleasant +smells. + +[Illustration: TRUSTY'S MEAL.] + +9. Whole crowds of men and women were eating at the little tables of +which the shop was full. I pushed my way up to a counter, and said to +the master of the shop, + +10. "Just look at this poor dog. I want him to have a good meal of +meat. Give him plenty of scraps, and I will pay you for them." + +11. The man looked at me as if he doubted what I meant, and he seemed +to think that I must be crazy to wish to buy a dinner for a dog. + +12. But when he saw that I was in earnest, he quickly fetched a great +heap of scraps and bones, which he put down outside the door. + +13. Upon these my dog friend fell, as if he had been a starving wolf, +but he did not forget to glance up at me before he began with such a +grateful look, and to give his tail one quick wag of thanks. + +14. I could not wait to see him eat as much as he liked. "I must be +off," said I to the man. + +15. "Here Johnny," called the master of the shop, when I was going +away, "just come here, and keep your eye on this stray dog; see that he +is not driven away till he has eaten all he wants, and fetch him a drop +of water." + +16. I thanked the man for his kindness and paid for the meat, and I did +not forget to leave a penny for the little boy who was keeping guard +over the poor dog. + + * * * * * + +_Write:_ The poor dog was taken to a shop and well fed. The kind man +who bought him a meal took care that he was not driven away till he had +eaten it. + + Questions: 1. How did the landlord show that he was not a + truly kind and good man? 2. What did the poor dog do when + the traveller passed out at the gate? 3. Where did the kind + man take the dog? 4. What did he give the dog in the shop? + 5. Why could not he wait to see the dog eat? 6. Who watched + while the dog ate his meal? + + +3. LOST ON THE MOOR. + +1. As I went along, more than one person who passed me on the way said, +"We shall have a wild night, sir, I advise you to hurry into shelter." + +2. As I set foot upon the first part of the wide, open moor, where the +narrow path could hardly be seen in the twilight, a few flakes of snow +began to fall. + +3. For a moment I began to wonder whether it would not be better, even +now, to turn back and stay in the town for that night. + +4. But thinking that my wife and dear little girl would be both sorry +and anxious when I did not appear, I put a stout heart into the matter, +and strode boldly forward. + +5. The snowflakes came down thicker and faster, my beard and the front +of my coat were quite white, the great brown moor changed first to a +grey, and then to pure dazzling white too. + +6. The whirling flakes blinded me, I felt giddy from the cold. The +storm was now upon me with full fury, the wind almost lifted me from my +feet. + +7. I trusted that the sudden gale would soon pass over, and folding my +arms close to my body, tried to struggle forward still. But so far from +getting better, the weather grew worse each moment. + +8. With a dreadful feeling of despair, I found that I could no longer +find my way. I did not know where my home lay, nor how I must turn my +face in order to reach it. I cried to God for mercy. + +9. I now felt that I had been very foolish in trying to get across the +moor on such a night. Perhaps I might never see my wife and dear child +again. + +10. The bitter wind seemed to pierce through my clothes, I was fast +getting drowsy and ready to fall down. Then the snow would soon have +buried me, and no one would have seen me alive again. + +11. A groan broke from my lips as I looked around at the waste of snow, +but I was at the same instant startled to hear a low, plaintive whine +close at hand. + +12. I turned and saw a large, thin, starved-looking dog sitting close +behind. He gazed in a troubled way into my face, when I turned round. +It was my poor fellow of the inn door! + +13. As he crept along over the snow to my feet, he seemed with the same +humble love to say, "Do not send me away, let me come with you. You are +the only person who has shown me mercy." + +14. I stooped and patted him on the head. "Good dog!" I said, "have you +found me out? Come now, I wish you could show me the way home, or else +I am afraid we shall both be frozen to death." + +15. He seemed to know what I meant in some strange way, and just then I +heard far off a church clock strike, which I knew must be in the town I +had left behind. + +16. This was a help, for I now knew that if I turned my back on the +place from which the sound came, I should be right in keeping straight +on. + + * * * * * + +_Write:_ The storm grew worse. When the man had lost his way on the +moor, he saw the dog which he had fed at the inn sitting behind him. + + Questions: 1. What did more than one person say as the man + began his walk? 2. As he began to cross the moor, what did + he see? 3. Did the weather grow any better? 4. What did he + see sitting close to him when he turned round? 5. What did + the dog seem to say? 6. What did the traveller hear far off? + + +4. TRUSTY FINDS THE WAY. + +1. I pointed out to the dog the way I wished to go, and with a wag of +his tail, the wise creature trotted on slowly in front. He seemed to +feel that he had the charge of me and had been trusted. + +[Illustration: A BITTER NIGHT.] + +2. We had not gone far before he gave a whine, and coming quite close +to me, stared in my face, and changed his course. He seemed to beg me +to turn aside to the right. + +3. I went as he asked me, and as I was going, I tried with my stick to +poke the ground from which the dog had wished to turn. I wanted to know +why he was not willing to let me tread just there. + +4. I found that a deep pond, over which a slight cover of ice and snow +were spread, was close beside us. It was an old pit in which water had +frozen. + +5. Had I set my foot on it I must have sunk down and I never could have +risen. "A few inches closer to the edge and I must have been drowned!" +cried I aloud, and did not forget to thank God for the escape. + +6. The dog now stopped a few feet off as if to watch whether I was +coming, and again trotted forward as I praised him and began to follow. + +7. Soon he gave a second whine, and again seemed to wish me to turn +aside. I trod in his footprints, and again was safe. I was now nearly +ready to faint from cold. + +8. "Go on, good dog," said I to my faithful guide, "lead me home +quickly, or I shall die." He gave a hoarse bark in reply, as if to bid +me keep a good heart. + +9. I was just falling down, for I could walk no further, when he gave a +short, eager bark of joy; at least it seemed like joy, I thought, but +my ears were deaf, and my eyes dim. + +10. I gave one last hopeless glance around, and saw something large and +dark in front. It was a wooden shed, the black inside of which showed +plainly against the whiteness all around. + +11. I knew that it must be one of the huts which the men used who were +digging peat on the moor, and the thought filled me with terror, for I +knew that these huts were very far away from my home. + +12. But all other feelings went from me now; I had a strong wish to +rest, and that was all. I crept into the hut and lay down, thinking +that I would wait there till the storm was over. + +13. The dog came in after me, and laid himself down close to my side. I +felt more sleepy than I had ever done in my life before, my eyes ached, +and bright lights seemed to be flashing in front of them. + +14. I thought of my home, wife, and child, and then sleep stole upon +me. Once I woke with the hoarse bark of the dog ringing in my ears. He +was doing his best to wake me from the sleep which must end in death +out there on the bitter moor. + +15. A second time he roused me, and I felt that he had now crept very +close to my breast, and with his fore paws resting on my shoulders, was +licking my face with his warm tongue. + +16. In the act of stroking him and speaking a kindly word, I again sank +to sleep, and after that I forgot all about the dog, the shed, and the +cold moor. I dreamt of home, my little girl, and my dear wife. + + * * * * * + +_Write:_ The dog led the man to a hut. On the way there he saved him +from falling into a deep pit. The dog did his best to keep the man from +falling asleep. + + Questions: 1. What did the man point out to the dog? 2. What + did he do to take care of the man on the way? 3. Where did + he lead the man? 4. What did the man feel before he was in + the hut? 5. How did the dog try to keep him awake? 6. If he + had been allowed to sleep in the snow what would have + happened to the man? + + +5. SAVED BY TRUSTY. + +1. I knew nothing more about myself until I slowly waked in a warm +room, and saw many strange faces round me. + +[Illustration: CALLING FOR HELP.] + +"Oh, thank God!" cried a voice near me, "the poor man is getting +better." + +2. "What is the matter?" said I, for I seemed not to know what all the +fuss was about. + +"Here, my dear sir, drink this," said a voice, and a cup of steaming +hot coffee was placed at my lips. + +3. I drank it slowly, and then all that I had gone through rushed into +my mind. "What is the time?" I asked of the person who had given me the +hot coffee. He held my pulse, and I thought that he was a doctor. + +4. "Within ten minutes of midnight," was the answer. "And it has taken +hours to bring you round. I was almost giving you up for dead." + +"You found me on the moor?" + +5. "Yes, half buried in the snow. You may thank your dog for your +life." + +"My dog? I have no dog," said I, for I did not think of my poor friend +at the moment. + +6. "Yes; if it had not been for his faithful barking and howling, we +should not have set out to seek you. My wife heard him, and she said +that some one must be lost on the moor. + +7. "The dog guided us to the shed. He had kept your face clear of snow +by licking it, and had kept a little warmth in your body by lying on +it; if he had not, you would now have been dead. We dug you out, and +brought you here." + +8. I thanked the doctor for his goodness, but my mind was chiefly fixed +on that other friend, who was not dumb, for he had spoken for me after +his own plan. + +9. How great a reward he had given me for a few bones and a friendly +word! + +"Where is he now?" I asked in an eager tone. + +"Who?--the dog? Oh, he is tied up in the stable. + +10. "He was so much in the way, and did so much to hinder us by his +attempts to show his fondness for you, that we had to shut him up. +Hark! Do you hear him?" + +11. As the doctor spoke, a long, doleful howl was borne past the +windows of the room. It seemed to speak of pain, longing, reproach: all +feelings that a dog who had been ill repaid for his love could put into +the sound. + +12. "Oh, let him out, please! let him out, do!" cried I. "I cannot bear +to hear him howl like that." + +I then told them the story of the dog. And in the midst of the surprise +which all felt at hearing it, he came in. + +13. At a word from me, he jumped up by the side of the bed, and barked +out all his joy at seeing me again. You may be sure that the dog was +not left behind when I started that next day for home. + +[Illustration: GRATEFUL FRIENDS.] + +14. And you may guess what my wife and little girl thought of him. They +gave him the name of Trusty, which he had well earned. + +15. He had a share of the birthday feast, which took place a day later +than the right one. No one at the table enjoyed a taste of each dish +more than Trusty. + +16. The fruit was the only thing which he did not care for. His looks +improved day after day. He is my friend and the dearly loved playmate +of my little girl. + +17. I often look back with a most thankful heart to the day that I met +him at the inn-door, and my wife has always a pat, a loving word, and a +treat in the shape of some nice bone, for our Trusty. + + * * * * * + +_Write:_ When the poor man waked from his sleep he found himself in a +room. The dog had been tied up in a stable, but was soon let loose. + + Questions: 1. Where did the poor man find himself when he + woke? 2. Where had the dog been tied up? 3. What did the man + say when he heard the dog howling? 4. What did the doctor + tell him about the dog? 5. When was the birthday feast held, + and who enjoyed a taste of each dish? 6. What did the dog + become, and what was he named? + + + + +OUT IN THE COLD. + + +1. POOR OLD BROWNIE. + +1. "What a sharp night it is, Peter, to be sure!" said a pale woman to +her husband, as she sat rocking her baby in its cradle by the fire. + +[Illustration] + +2. She had been but poorly, and had felt the cold very much. "Very +sharp, indeed!" said her husband. "I feel pains in all my poor old +bones." + +3. "If you and I feel cold here," said he, "by the warm fire, after our +good supper, what must it be outside, for those poor souls that have +nothing to eat, and no fire?" + +4. "Ah, bad indeed!" said his wife. "And for the poor dumb beasts, too. +How glad I am that we had that nice dry house made for the cow this +summer, and the new place for the cocks and hens! + +5. "They would have been half frozen under that broken roof as it used +to be when we first came here." + +6. Her eldest child, a little-girl, looked up from her knitting. "The +hens are all quite snug, mother, Fluffy and Biddy and the rest. I +peeped in just now, after they were gone to roost." + +7. "You are always a kind little one to the dumb things," said her +father, stroking the soft brown head of Mercy, who had just spoken. +"And so is my little Nelly, too," he added, looking fondly at the +second child, who sat on his knee. + +8. "It is getting late for the children, Peter," said his wife. "Shall +Mercy read a bit, before we go to bed?" So Mercy, who was a good +scholar, took the Bible from the shelf and read aloud a few verses +which her father found for her. + +9. They told of the manger, and of how the ox and the ass stood by one +bitter night like this, when the infant Christ was laid in it long ago. +"Thank you, dear," said her mother, when Mercy had done. "Now run up to +your warm bed." + +10. "Oh look, Mercy, how nice!" cried little Nelly, "we have got a new +blanket!" "That is because the squire sent it to mother; a big new +thick one," said her sister. "How warm we shall be!" + +11. Nelly began to make great haste, while Mercy went to the window and +looked out. + +"How thick the snow is!" she said. "And how white it looks in the +moonshine! + +12. "But what is that dark thing standing by the old shed?" Nelly ran +up and pressed her little face against the window to peep out too. +"Why, it is a donkey!" she cried. "How did it get there?" + +13. "I tell you what," said Mercy, "it is our poor old Brownie, that +father sold last week to Mr. Smith, that he might pay the doctor's bill +with the money. + +14. "He had spent all we had in getting things for mother when she was +ill, you know, and in bread for us. So poor Brownie had to go." + +15. "Why does he not go into the shed? How stupid of him to stand +there! And why did he not stay with Mr. Smith, I wonder?" + +"I suppose he could not help thinking about us, and that is why he came +back," said Mercy. "Perhaps Mr. Smith has no little girls to pet him, +and maybe he is not so good to him as father was." + + * * * * * + +_Write:_ Two little girls went to their warm beds. As they looked out +at the window they saw a donkey. It stood out in the cold. + + Questions: 1. What sort of night did Peter think it was? 2. + What was his wife so glad to think of? 3. What did Mercy say + about the hens' house? 4. What did the children see when + they looked out at the window? 5. What did Mercy think was + the reason why the donkey had come back? + + +2. A KIND ACT. + +1. Mercy and her little sister watched at the window for a minute or +two more, but the creature did not move. + +2. And Mercy cried out, "Oh, I quite forgot! Of course, the shed door +is shut! Father has put his tools there, his spade and rake. + +3. "When Brownie was sold the straw which was his bed was taken out, +and some sacks of corn and barley were kept there instead. + +4. "Poor Brownie! I dare say he wonders why his nice old house is shut +up so that he cannot get in!" + +5. "I will give him some bread from my breakfast in the morning, +because it is Christmas Day," said little Nelly. "He will like that, +won't he?" + +6. Her sister made no answer, but, moving from the window, she took +down from a peg her hat and thick jacket. She put them on. + +7. "Why, Mercy!" said Nelly, who looked with much surprise at what her +sister was doing; "what are you doing? You cannot be going out now in +the snow?" + +8. "Do not make a noise," said Mercy. "You know that mother is not +well, and perhaps she is just dropping off to sleep. I cannot bear to +leave him freezing out there all night,--Christmas Eve and all! + +[Illustration: OUT IN THE COLD.] + +9. "I could not creep under the warm blanket and forget him. No one +will see him but us, for only our window looks this way. So I am just +going to run out and get the shed open for him." + +10. "Oh, sister, you will be so cold! Cannot you ask father to go?" + +"Oh, you heard him say that he had pains in all his bones. Now be a +good child, Nelly, and get quick into bed. I shall soon be back." + +11. With these words Mercy tied on a great scarf which was once her +father's round her neck, crept down stairs without making the least +noise, and out at the back door. + +12. Once out of shelter of the house, it was, as she thought with a +shiver, "a bitter night." The snow was no longer falling, but a keen +wind swept over the white face of the earth and stirred up the snow. + +13. It piled heaps of it up into strange shapes. The frost was so hard +that the feet of the child did not sink into it as she ran along. + +14. Very soon she reached the shed, outside of which the donkey stood, +a picture of patient despair. She plunged through a great heap of +drifted snow and reached its side. She patted his rough coat. + +15. "Oh, Brownie," she cried, "how cold you are! I must get this door +open for you somehow." She pulled it, she jerked it, she kicked it, she +shook down showers of snow on herself, and that was all. + +16. It was in vain to try. It was frozen hard, and do what she would, +she could not stir it an inch. It was hopeless. "Oh, what can I do for +you, Brownie?" she thought, ready to cry with grief. + +17. "I do so wish you were not so big, and I could take you up the +stairs into our bed-room!" And Mercy half laughed at the idea of taking +the donkey to bed with her. + +18. She gave one last, hard hit and a rattle at the unkind door. "I +cannot get it open, Brownie, and I must go home again. It will not do +you any good if I stay out here with you." + +19. Slowly the child moved away. If it had seemed cold when she first +came out, it seemed ten times colder now. And she saw the sad look +which the poor beast cast after her when she left him. Mercy could not +forget it. + + * * * * * + +_Write:_ Mercy went out into the cold that she might open the shed +door. She wished to let the donkey in. But she could not open it. + + Questions: 1. What did Mercy remember about the shed? 2. + What did she put on? 3. Where did she go? 4. What was the + weather like outside the house? 5. What did she find on + trying to open the shed door? 6. What was it that Mercy + could not forget? + + +3. THE OLD SHED. + +1. All of a sudden, as Mercy had quite made up her mind to leave +Brownie, and was half way across the yard to her own door, a thought +struck her. + +2. There was an old shed which had once been the stable of a donkey, +quite at the far end of the garden. + +3. Her father had turned it into a pigsty; but he had left off keeping +pigs for some time. It was a clean place, for Peter did not let his +pigs live in a dirty sty as some people do. + +4. Some dry straw was in it, and some roots stored for the winter. It +would be just the place if only she could get Brownie there. + +5. In a moment she turned back to hurry again over the heap of snow to +the place where the donkey still stood. He could do nothing for himself +to make things better. + +6. All that he could do was to bear them without any complaint. Poor +thing! He was stiff with cold, and seemed not to wish to move. But +Mercy knew what was for his good. + +7. She meant to do what was best for poor Brownie, whether he knew it +or not. So she talked to him, patted him, and coaxed him till at last +he let her lead him down to the old shed at the bottom of the garden. + +8. "This is lucky for you, Brownie," cried she, feeling very proud at +her success. There was a bundle of hay in one corner, of which she +shook down a nice soft armful. + +9. And then she gave Brownie one good brisk rubbing with some of the +straw, to warm them both. She made him a bed of straw too. + +10. Brownie was glad to nibble a mouthful while this was being done. +Then she took some fine carrots from a shelf, and put them in front of +him. Oh, how Brownie did munch those fresh juicy roots! + +11. Lastly, she found a bucket of clean water which had not long been +drawn from the well, and which had only a thin coating of ice on the +top. + +12. It had been set in the shed ready for making some mortar, with +which father was going to plaster up the cracks in the wall. + +13. Brownie seemed almost more glad of the water than of the food. He +took a long drink, and turned to thank Mercy with his great deep dark +eyes. + +14. "Now, poor old fellow, I think you will do," said the child. "I +could not bear to leave you out this bitter night, and now I must be +getting home, for the snow has soaked through my boots." + +15. She stopped fondling and stroking the donkey, but he would follow +her, rubbing his soft nose against her hand. "Oh, go back again, do, +dear Brownie!" she said. + +[Illustration: THE OLD SHED.] + +16. "You really must not come out with me!" Shutting the little gate, +which had once been the front door of the pigsty, she ran back to the +cottage. + + * * * * * + +_Write:_ At last the little girl thought of a shed. It was at the end +of the garden, and it was a clean place. She put the donkey there and +fed him well. + + Questions: 1. What thought struck Mercy as she was going + back? 2. What sort of shed was it? 3. What did she do for + Brownie first? 4. What did she give him to lie on? 5. What + did she find for him to eat? 6. What did she give him + besides food? + + +4. A HAPPY CHRISTMAS. + +1. But when she came to the back door at which she had come out, Mercy +found a great trouble. She lifted the latch, but the door did not open. + +2. She gave a pull, a second pull, and then a tug with all her might; +but it still held fast. "Why," she thought, "I am as badly off as the +donkey. I shall have to go into the pigsty with him!" + +3. She had been out much longer than she thought. And while she had +been taking care of Brownie her father had turned the big key in the +door and gone to bed. + +4. What was to be done? It would never do to wake up poor tired +father, and bring him out in the cold too. So she stood there trying to +puzzle out some plan for getting in. + +5. The bright moonlight showed her a way to do it. The cottage was a +low one, and just under the window of the room where she and Nelly +slept, was a bench. + +6. Standing on tiptoe upon this, Mercy found that she could reach the +branches of an old vine tree, which grew over the walls of the little +house. + +7. She could climb up into this, and so get near the bedroom window. It +was easy enough to scramble up in summer time, but not so easy now. + +8. The boughs were a sheet of ice, and her fingers so cold that they +could hardly take hold of them. At last, after many slips and frights, +she was safely up. + +9. But what would little Nelly think of seeing her sister outside the +window, asking to be let in, as their pussy cat often did? + +10. She was sound asleep too, and had to be wakened by many hard taps +at the glass. First, Nelly felt fear at seeing a face looking in at +her. + +11. But she soon knew who it was. "Oh Mercy," cried Nelly, "how long +you have been! What have you been at? And why did you come back this +way?" + +12. "Get into bed again, there's a dear," said Mercy, "and I will tell +you all about it." Nelly kept awake to listen, as Mercy told her the +story. + +13. And she could not help clapping her hands to think of how snug poor +old Brownie was now. Mercy knelt down to say her prayers before she got +into bed. + +14. She felt very thankful that she had been able to do one kindness to +a creature like that ass which once stood in the stall beside the +"new-born King." + +15. Next morning, as soon as the house was tidy, Mercy ran out to see +the donkey. More snow had fallen in the night, and had filled up all +her footmarks, so that she might have thought it all a dream. + +16. But just as she reached the pigsty she heard a loud bray, which was +Brownie's way of saying "A Merry Christmas" to his friends. + +17. "You did quite right, my child," said her father, when Mercy told +him of her work the last night. "I think that Smith does not treat him +well. + +18. "And I will tell you what, children, I am going to-morrow to see +Mr. Smith and buy our Brownie back again. I cannot get on without him, +I find. + +19. "Now that your mother is well again we shall do better, and last +week I put by the money for Brownie. So you need never say good-bye to +him again." + +20. You may be sure that there was a happy Christmas at the cottage for +Peter and his wife, and for the children, as well as for poor Brownie. + +21. "How very glad I am that I went out to him that night!" said Mercy +to her father. "It was not much to do, only it was Christmas Eve, and I +thought--" + +22. "You thought what?" said her father. + +"Only," she said, in a low voice, "I could not forget that Christ let +the ox and the ass be with Him in the stable. And I thought that He +would not be pleased if we left poor Brownie out in the cold." + + * * * * * + +_Write:_ Mercy was forced to get in at the window. She got up by the +vine tree. Her little sister let her in. Peter said he should buy the +donkey back. + + Questions: 1. What trouble did Mercy find at her door? 2. + How did she get up to the window? 3. What was Nelly doing? + 4. What did Peter say when his child told him what she had + done for the donkey? 5. What did he say about Mr. Smith? 6. + What did he mean to do for Brownie? + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE STORY OF A FLY. + + +1. ROSE. + +1. The first time that I ever used my wings was in flying from behind a +red curtain. It was in a warm nice breakfast-room. The master of it was +called Mr. Sutton. + +2. I settled on a pretty white cap on the head of his wife. She was +just making the tea, and her husband was sitting on the other side of +the table. + +3. "Well," said Mr. Sutton, "when I talk of lazy folks, of course I do +not suppose that any person thinks himself idle. + +4. "Some people think that so long as they are doing something or +other they are busy. I suppose that I am an idle old fellow myself, for +spending time in reading the paper. + +5. "The right thing to think is, have I been doing what is of any use, +eh?" said the old man, pushing up his glasses and looking at his little +grandchild. + +6. "Have you done a single thing that is of any use this morning, +Rose?" Rose hung her head for a moment. Then she lifted her face +brightly, and said, "Only one little thing, grandpa." + +7. "What was it, dear?" + +"I am not quite sure that it was a real good thing," Rose went on, "but +I found a poor little butterfly that had fallen into a pool in the +garden, where the rain had come. + +8. "Its wings were wet, and it could not fly up. So I took it up and +put it in the sun on the wall, and soon it was well." + +9. Mrs. Sutton looked at Rose in a loving way. "I am quite sure that it +was a 'real good thing' if you are not," said the old lady. "And so +that was partly why you were late?" + +10. "Yes, granny." + +"Well, the little butterfly is all the better, though you were the +worse for having cold toast. But that is not much to bear for the sake +of saving a little life, is it?" + +11. And all this time I had been feasting on the sweet white lumps of +sugar. No one took any notice of me, and so I went on, till one lump +began to grow quite small. + +12. "Look, here is a little house-fly!" said Rose. "He is standing +quite still on a lump of sugar. What is he doing, granny?" + +"He is eating it, dear." + +"Can he bite it up?" + +13. "Bite it up! No," said Mr. Sutton, putting down his paper and +coming up to us. "The fly has no teeth, he has a trunk. He sends down +some juice through his trunk on to the sugar. + +14 "This juice melts it, and then he sucks it up again." + +"How clever!" said Rose. "I wish he would let me touch him." And she +put out one finger very softly towards me. + +15. Now though I am a brave fly now, I could not bear at that time to +see the hand of any person come near me. Though I would perch on the +top of it, I did not like to be touched by it. + +16. So I flew up in a great hurry, and pitched on some dark stuff which +smelt like new hay, and which stood on the side table in a box. Rose +did not see where I went. "Oh, how fast he went off!" she said. + + * * * * * + +_Write:_ Rose saved the life of a butterfly. She found it in a little +pool. She set it in the sun to dry its wings. It was a useful thing to +do. + + Questions: 1. What had Rose found in the garden? 2. What did + she do for the little butterfly? 3. How did the fly eat + sugar without any teeth? 4. What did Rose wish to do? 5. + What did the fly think about being touched? 6. What did he + do when he saw the hand of Rose near him? + + +2. IN THE TEA-CADDY. + +1. "Now, granny," said Rose, when the breakfast was done, "I will not +forget, to-day at least, to lock up the tea-caddy." + +2. So she took up the sugar-basin, fitted it into a little place made +for it inside the box where I sat, and, before I had any idea of what +she was doing, she shut down the lid. + +3. I was now, for the first time, left in the dark. And I began to +think what a pleasant thing the sunshine was, and to wonder when I +should be let out again. + +4. But I must say that I found the sugar a great comfort. I went on +eating it as long as I could. If I was to be locked up at all, I could +not have been locked into a better place. + +5. The sugar-basin was full and there were enough lumps in it to last a +fly of my size all his life. But of course one might get tired of it, +in time. + +6. But I was not tired yet. So I ate and ate, until I began to feel my +legs ache and my wings very heavy. Just then I heard a loud noise, and +a light broke into my prison. + +7. It was Rose turning the key in the lock and lifting the lid of the +tea-caddy. "Oh, granny!" cried she, "here is a poor fly that can hardly +move." + +8. "I am afraid, dear, that the poor fly must thank himself for that," +said Mrs. Sutton, looking closely at me. "He has been a little glutton, +I fear, and has eaten so much sugar that he can hardly move." + +9. "Poor little fellow," said Rose, "I will not hurt him. He shall go +out of doors on to the cool grass and get well again. + +10. "I dare say that, though he is not quite so pretty as a butterfly, +he likes to be alive." So Rose took me up between her finger and thumb +as gently as she could, but oh, what great big hands they seemed to me! + +11. And my poor sides were pinched black and blue. That is the reason +why I cannot bear one of the great hands which belong to men and women +to catch hold of me. + +12. You see we tiny flies are made so lightly, and we are so small. A +mere touch will crush our dainty wings, or break our slender legs, or +hurt our eyes. + +13. How thankful I am that we have eyes that can see behind and all +round us as well as in front! + +14. We are able to get away, thanks to these eyes, when we see a great +hand coming to catch us. Even a baby's hand seems like that of a giant +to us. + +[Illustration: ROSE DID HER BEST FOR ME.] + +15. But dear Rose did her best for me, and put me in a spoon to carry. +At the same time I did wish that the sugar had not been quite so nice, +and that I had not taken so much of it. + +16. The fresh air of the garden, the sunshine, and the flowers did me a +great deal of good, after being shut up in the tea-caddy. At night I +slept in a lily bell. + + * * * * * + +_Write:_ The fly was shut into a tea-caddy by mistake. He ate so much +sugar that he could hardly fly. Rose put him out of doors to get well. + + Questions: 1. What did Rose do after breakfast? 2. What did + the fly do inside the tea-caddy? 3. What did Rose say when + she opened it again? 4. What did her grandmother say? 5. + What did Rose do for the fly? 6. Why does not the fly like + to be touched? + + +3. I FALL INTO THE CREAM. + +1. The next morning I flew in at the window. Rose had soon done her +breakfast, and she locked up the caddy again, with me outside this +time. + +2. Though I did not fancy any sweets on that morning, I saw something +in a small jug on the table which I thought looked even nicer. It was +yellow and rather thick. + +3. I went down to see what sort of stuff it was. It could not hurt me, +at any rate, to dip one of my feet in, or the tip of my trunk, and see +whether cream was better and more wholesome than sugar. + +[Illustration: SOMETHING IN A SMALL JUG.] + +4. I slid with care down the sides of the jug, holding firmly on with +the little soles of my feet, which, I am thankful to say, have suckers +on them which make it easy for me to run where I like without falling. + +5. I tasted cream for the first time In my life. What a happy moment it +was! I tasted it a second time, a third, and a fourth time, and after +that I became so greedy for more that I lost my balance and in I went +plump! + +6. At first I kicked about as hard as I could, and tried to keep my +wings clear. But they soon got cold, and stuck to my sides. + +7. And then I could only go round and round the place, looking with +despair at the steep sides of the cream-jug, which seemed far larger +and steeper than they had done before my sad mishap. + +8. I was growing tired of the struggle, my body began to sink in the +cream, and even my eyes were dimmed by it, so that I could hardly see +where I was going. + +9. Thomas the servant came in to take away the breakfast things, and +the jolt he gave the cream-jug in moving it closer to the tea-pot +nearly drowned me. I was half dead. + +10. But Rose was again my friend, though she did not mean to do what +she then did. Rushing into the room to fetch a book which she had left +on the window seat, she ran against Thomas, and pushed his elbow. + +11. This jerked the cream-jug so that it upset and I was upset with it. +I felt myself crawling along in a great white flood over the +table-cloth, but still I had land under my feet. + +12. "My dear Rose," said Mrs. Sutton, "how often I have begged you not +to rush into the room in that rough way. You nearly knocked down +Thomas, and see how his sleeve is messed with greasy cream!" + +13. "I am very sorry, granny," said Rose, "but I forgot this book, and +Miss Bush is waiting." + +"I am sorry too," said Mrs. Sutton, "and so is Thomas, I dare say." + + * * * * * + +_Write:_ The fly wished to taste cream. He fell into the jug and was +nearly drowned. Rose pushed the servant, the jug upset, and the fly +crawled out. + + Questions: 1. What did the fly wish to taste next? 2. What + had he on his feet which helped him to walk? 3. What became + of him after the fourth sip of cream? 4. Who came into the + room to fetch the breakfast things? 5. Who came in next? 6. + What happened to the cream-jug and to the fly? + + +4. SWEET AS HONEY. + +1. Rose had to go away, to finish her lessons, and Thomas also went out +of the room to get a cloth to wipe up the spilt cream. + +2. I was in danger of being swept away by this, but, just as Rose was +going out at the door, she saw me still in the midst of the cream. + +3. In an instant I found myself nearly drowned again in a spoonful of +it, and the next moment I was again placed on the grass of the lawn. + +4. Rose had scooped me up in the spoon and carried me there. I really +think that she had a liking for me. How thankful I felt to be in the +grass! + +5. I hid myself under a daisy flower and took a good rest, for I felt +very tired after my struggles. A good shower of rain came on, and I +was quite glad to hear it patter on the leaves. + +[Illustration] + +6. For I still felt a trifle sticky, and was glad to get my legs moist, +so that I might wash myself all the better. At this time the sun was so +warm, that I lived out of doors for some days. + +7. I think that three days passed before I sat again on the white cap +of Mrs. Sutton. But one morning, when she sat at the open window, I +thought I should like to pay my old friend a visit. + +8. It was breakfast time again. Mr. Sutton was reading the paper +through his new glasses, and Rose was busy eating her breakfast. + +9. As I had had nothing but a few tastes of dew, and such small meals +as were to be had from the flowers, for three days, I was rather +hungry. + +10. I thought that Rose would spare me a bit of what was on her plate. +But, as I was on the way to it, I had to pass a pot of something which +had a better smell than what she was then eating. + +11. It was honey. It made me forget all about Rose, and her bread and +butter. I pitched on the honey-pot, and began to feast as hard as I +could. + +12. But before I had eaten much, I saw Rose take some and spread it on +a piece of bread. At the same moment Mrs. Sutton rose and put the honey +into a cupboard. + +13. "The flies will get at this, if it is left without a cover," she +said. "I cannot think why Thomas has brought it in to table without +one." + +14. Now I thought this a most unkind speech. They were all eating +twenty times as much as I could do in a week at each mouthful. Yet the +honey was put into a dark cupboard out of my reach! + + * * * * * + +_Write:_ The fly was glad to clean his wings and legs. He came back to +the room and sat on the cap of the old lady. He was pleased to get some +honey. + + Questions: 1. What did Rose do for the fly in the cream? 2. + What did the fly do in the garden? 3. What did the fly find + on the breakfast-table? 4. Where did he pitch next? 5. What + did the old lady do with the honey-pot? 6. What did the fly + think of what she said? + + +5. A NEW MISHAP. + +1. This vexed me, I must say, so I went and buzzed against the window +panes for a little while, to see if that would do me any good. + +2. At the end of that time I heard Rose say, "Granny, I do not want +this bread and honey now. May I keep it for my lunch?" + +3. "Yes, dear," said her granny. It seemed a wonder to me that Rose +should wish to leave her bread and honey till some hours later, when +she might have had it at once. + +4. Mr. Sutton got up and went away to his study. His wife rose too, and +she told Rose to put the plate of bread and honey on the sideboard, +that Thomas might take it away till lunch time. + +5. But Rose forgot to tell Thomas, and he did not seem to see the +plate, so there the tempting dish was left all the morning. The sun +began to shine upon it, and I sniffed and sniffed many times. + +6. At last I left the white cap where I was sitting, and went towards +it. I settled upon something far nicer now than either sugar or cream. +I sipped and sucked away for some time. + +7. At last I thought that I had eaten enough and had better tear myself +away before I had taken more than was good for me. But, to my horror, I +found that when I tried to lift up my legs I could not stir them! + +8. In my other troubles I had at least been able to move a little. I +could climb up and down the mountains of sugar, and I could swim about +in the ocean of cream. + +9. But now I was fixed fast, either to be eaten by Rose without her +knowing it, or to die a wretched death in the kitchen if she did not +choose to finish me off. + +10. I had never thought very much of my out-door cousins, the bees. It +seemed to me that they made a great fuss and took a lot of trouble for +nothing, in making honey for men and women to take away. + +11. How much better to eat it straight from the flowers! And now I +thought worse of the bees than ever, because I was sticking fast in +their stuff. + +12. I tried in vain to drag out one front leg after the other, and next +my middle and back legs. It was just as a man would feel if he were +stuck in a bog. + +13. The sound of the lunch bell went to my heart. The sight of the nice +bread and honey, which Rose had left at breakfast, would be sure to +make her feel hungry. She very soon saw me! + + * * * * * + +_Write:_ The fly stood on a plate of bread and honey. He stuck fast and +felt as a man might do in a bog. Rose took him out and set him free. + + Questions: 1. What did Rose do with her bread and honey? 2. + What did the fly do when he smelt it? 3. What happened to + him when he settled on the honey? 4. What did he try to do + in vain? 5. What did he soon hear? 6. What did Rose very + soon see when she came to lunch? + + +6. THE FLY'S EYE. + +1. I feel sure that she did not know me, for she cried out, "Oh, +granny! here is a nasty fly on my bread and honey. I dare say that the +horrid thing has been crawling all over it! + +2. "I wish a spider would come and catch it!" went on Rose, quite +crossly, "for I do not like to kill it myself!" And here she gave me a +little poke with a fork. But not hard enough to hurt me. + +3. "Why, Rose, what is the matter?" said her granny. "I thought that +you were fond of the little, busy, useful flies that come to dance and +play in the house?" + +4. "Well, I cannot see what good they do," said Rose, "getting into the +cream and sticking on to the bread and honey." Something had put little +Rose out of temper. But I felt sure it would not last long. + +5. "I wish he would not get on to my plate," said she, bending down her +face to hide it, for she began to feel ashamed. "But I will not hurt +him." + +6. And she took one of her granny's knitting needles in her hand. I +shook with fear when I saw this great spear coming; but Rose used it in +a most gentle and kind way. + +7. She lifted my body out after setting my legs free, and though I felt +strained and tired after it, I left nothing behind me, no, not even any +of the brushes and combs on my feet. + +8. "I will put him out into the garden," said she. But, as my wings had +got no honey on them, I saved her the trouble, by flying away. + +9. If Rose had only known half the trouble I had in washing my feet +after the honey, she would have been ready to forgive me for tasting +her lunch. + +10. "I am glad you did not go on feeling cross with the poor little +fly, Rose," said Mrs. Sutton. "We should miss them much if we had none, +for they help to keep our houses sweet and clean. + +11. "No maid with her broom could get at all the tiny cracks and +corners where the flies go. The eyes of no woman in the world could see +what the fly can. + +12. "Do you know that his round ball of eye is made up of many hundreds +of bits, and that each bit can see a new way?" + +13. Rose clapped her hands. "Then can the fly see a hundred ways at +once?" said she. "Oh, how I wish I could do that!" + +14. "You can move your eyes about," said her granny, "which does just +as well. The fly cannot move his. And you would not like to be born in +the kitchen sink, would you?" + +15. "Is that where flies are born?" said Rose, drawing near to her +granny and looking into her face. + +16. "Yes," said Mrs. Button, "the fly is born in a sink, or in any +place where dirty stuff is found. The young flies eat the dirty stuff +and get rid of it. I will tell you some day how the little things come +into the world." + + * * * * * + +_Write:_ After being set free from the honey the fly went off. He +cleaned his legs and went back to the old lady. She told Rose that +flies were of great use. + + Questions: 1. What did Rose use to lift the fly up? 2. In + what way did she use the knitting-needle? 3. What did the + fly feel when he saw the knitting-needle coming? 4. What can + the fly do to keep a house clean? 5. What sort of eye has + the fly? 6. Tell me where flies are born? + + +7. BABY FLIES. + +1. "Could you not tell me now?" said Rose, for she wanted to hear about +the little flies. And I too felt very glad to hear more about my +childhood. So I sat still to listen. + +2. "Perhaps you think that the child of a fly looks just like itself; +only smaller," said Mrs. Sutton. "But the house-fly lays a great many +little eggs. + +3. "She finds some old dirty rubbish, like rotten cabbage or stuff that +is left by careless cooks lying about. In this she puts her eggs, and +then she dies. Little grubs are born from them. + +4. "They begin to eat as soon as they are born, and very soon they turn +into flies, after going to sleep for a while first in a kind of little +hard skin or shell. They change into flies while they are inside this +shell." + +5. "What do the flies do when they cannot find any dirty rubbish?" said +Rose. + +"Then they go to look for it in other places," said her granny. "So you +see, if we do not wish to have flies in our houses we must have no +rubbish." + +6. "Then the flies are little servants to us, granny?" + +"Yes, to be sure." + +"I wish I could see a baby-fly," said Rose. + +7. "You would not think it at all pretty," said Mrs. Sutton. "It is a +whitish maggot. But some ugly looking things are very useful to us." + +"I like pretty things best," said Rose. + +8. "Well, the fly is pretty enough when he is grown up. He has to wait, +you see." I was pleased to hear the kind old lady say this, and I +nodded my head and washed my face with my feet. + +9. "And so it is your birthday on Monday, Rose," went on her granny. +"And I suppose it is time to be thinking about the party and the fun we +are to have?" + +10. Rose looked up, beaming with delight at these words. Though she had +not been born as a grub in a sink, I thought that she looked pretty +too. + +11. "We must get Miss Bush to write the letters for us, Rose, and ask +the little girls, and boys to come and spend the day with you. Run now +and see if she will be so good as to do it now." + +"Oh, very well," said Rose. And she went out with a skip. + + * * * * * + +_Write:_ A house-fly is born in the sink. The egg from which it comes +is laid in dirt and rubbish. The grub which creeps out eats up the +dirty stuff. + + Questions: 1. Where does the house-fly lay its eggs? 2. What + are the young flies like at first? 3. What do they do as + soon as they are born? 4. What do they eat? 6. If we do not + wish to have many flies, what must we do? 6. What treat was + Rose going to have? + + +8. SAVED AGAIN. + +1. I heard a little girl say, "Oh, Rose, there is a fly in your glass +of wine." + +"Poor thing!" said the little girl next her, "take it out!" + +"No, no!" said her brother; "let it alone. Let us see how he swims." + +2. All this time I felt very bad. I was drowning, yet this boy could +look on and talk like that. + +3. Something seemed to take away all my breath and strength. I heard +the boy say, "If I fell into a pond I could not swim so well." + +4. "Why, no," said Rose, "the fly has not a coat and trousers, as you +have. But I do not think it is fun to see him drowning, so I will take +him out." And she pushed the handle of a spoon with care under me. + +[Illustration] + +5. I could hardly crawl when I got on to the table-cloth. She saw it +and placed me on a green laurel leaf outside. I sat there half dead, +and yet I heard what they were all saying inside the summer-house. + +6. "Lucy," said Rose to the little girl, "you would have been glad if +you could have been lifted out like that poor fly, when you fell into +the pond at home, would you not? + +7. "You went to the bottom before any person came to help you. Were you +in a great fright? How did you feel?" + +8. "Why," said Lucy, "I was in a great fright when I first fell in, but +after that I think that I must have been asleep, for I forgot it all. I +knew nothing after my tumble down the bank, till I heard my mother near +me. + +9. "She was saying, 'God bless you, darling,' and then I found myself +lying in bed." + +"Ah," said her brother Tom, "Neptune, our dog, had a famous supper that +night." + +10. "Why?" asked a little boy, from the other end of the table. + +"Oh, did you not know that it was Neptune who pulled my sister out of +the water?" said Tom. + +11. "He saw her go in, and without being told, he got her out. She +would have been drowned without him. She had been told not to go near +the pond, but she ran down to it, without leave, when no one was +looking." + +12. The other little girl here grew very red. "You need not have said +that, Tom," said she. But Tom was a bit of a tease. He only laughed and +said that his sister was always doing what she was told not. + + * * * * * + +_Write:_ Rose took the fly out of her glass. She put him on a leaf to +get dry. Tom told them about his big dog. It saved the life of Lucy. + + Questions: 1. What did Rose do for the fly in her glass? 2. + What did the dog do for Lucy? 3. What did Tom say that his + dog could do? 4. What else would he bring out from the + bottom? 5. What did Neptune have on the night when he saved + Lucy's life? + + +9. GRANNY'S CAP ON FIRE. + +1. I did not feel much desire to taste any food next morning. The long +swim on the day before had taken away my wish for eating and drinking. + +2. I nearly flew down to the flower which Rose had put in water, but I +changed my mind. On the whole I prefer the smell of jam to that of +roses. + +3. I felt that a little walk would do me good, so I went round the tray +once or twice, and then I tried to do the same thing on the tea-urn, +but it was too hot for my feet. + +4. I left that quickly enough, and after running across the toast on +Mr. Sutton's plate, and crawling up his paper, only to be driven away, +I went to the window. + +5. Here I was so lucky as to meet a few of my friends, and we had a +little dance in the sunshine, which quite brought back my health and +spirits. + +6. The day thus passed by, and it was very warm indeed later on. After +tea Mr. and Mrs. Sutton were seated in the drawing-room, one on each +side of a little table, with a candle between them. + +7. The old lady was knitting, and her husband was reading aloud the +paper to her. I think he was reading to amuse himself more than his +wife. + +8. I could feel, as I sat on her cap, that her head was nodding now and +then, as if she were dozing. Mr. Sutton at last saw this. And laying +down the paper he said, two or three times, "You are sleepy, my dear." + +9. Each time that he said this, granny woke up, sat very upright, and +said, "Oh no, not at all, my love." But she went off again to sleep as +soon as the reading began. + +10. At length she was in so sound a nap that she did not notice when +Mr. Sutton put down the paper, after reading a long, dull account of +something or other. + +11. He took off his glasses, laid them on the folded paper, and saying +something to himself about resting his eyes, fell fast asleep too. + +12. Granny's head now nodded lower and lower. First she gave a nod, and +then her husband gave a bow, just as if they were being most polite to +each other in their sleep. + +13. Her cap was very near the wax candle once or twice, and there was a +smell of burning. She now began to nod sideways, and each time that she +did so there was a great smoke and a frizzling noise. + + * * * * * + +_Write:_ Rose went to spend the day with Lucy. The fly sat on the cap +of the old lady. She fell asleep and the cap caught on fire. + + Questions: 1. Where did Rose go? 2. Where did the fly stay? + 3. What were Mr. and Mrs. Sutton doing that evening? 4. What + did Mr. Sutton say when his wife's head nodded? 5. What did + he do himself? 6. What happened to the old lady's cap? + + +10. A NARROW ESCAPE. + +1. I was afraid of losing my perch, her nice white cap, on which I had +now grown to feel quite at home. It seemed as if it were turning into +ashes like those in the grate, and it felt too hot. + +2. I flew up, for I could sit there no longer. And then I pitched on +the top of Mr. Sutton's head, just in the bald place, and stamped with +one foot as hard as I could. + +3. I also ran about and tickled him a good deal. He woke up in a great +hurry, for he raised his hand to drive me away, and in doing so, gave +himself a smart tap. + +4. This roused him. And he awoke just in time to save the cap and the +hair of his wife from being in a blaze of fire. + +5. "Dear, dear, dear!" said he. "Why, my love, what an escape you have +had!" + +"Nonsense, my dear," said the old lady, "I have not been asleep, I +assure you." But it was of no use for her to say and think this. + +6. There was the burnt cap on her head. "I was not quite asleep," said +she. "Oh no, neither was I," said her husband, laughing. + +7. And then, looking grave, he said, "You were in great danger though, +my dear. I read only a day or two ago, of an old lady who had been +burnt to death from setting her cap on fire." + +8. I had been in great danger too, though no one seemed to think of +that. What between the flames, and the knock that Mr. Sutton aimed at +me, I might have been killed. + +9. Thomas was now heard coming up the gravel walk. He had been sent to +fetch Rose home. She was full of news to tell, about all the things she +had seen and heard that day. + +10. "It is a great mercy, my dear, that you have a bit of your granny +left," said Mr. Sutton. "If it had not been for a fly, which tickled +the top of my head, your granny's cap would have been on fire." + +11. "Well, well, Mr. Sutton," said the old lady, who, somehow or other, +did not seem to like hearing about the cap being on fire. + +12. "You see here I am, without even being singed. And I was not half +so sound asleep as you were, my dear. Depend upon it I am too old and +too wise to let my cap catch fire." + +13. Mr. Sutton did not say any more about the cap, since it seemed to +vex his wife. + +"Ah," said Rose, "if I had been at home you would not both have fallen +asleep." + +14. "That is very likely," said granny, smiling. "Well, and how did +you enjoy yourself?" Rose said that she had been very happy. + +15. She had seen Neptune dive, and she had been drenched by the shaking +which the big doggie gave himself when he came out of the water. + + * * * * * + +_Write:_ The fly pitched on the head of the old man. He gave a stamp +with his foot to wake him up. The old man put out the fire. + + Questions: 1. Where did the fly pitch on leaving the cap? 2. + What did he do to the old man's head? 3. What did Mr. Sutton + do when he woke up? 4. What did he say to his wife? 5. Who + came home with Thomas? 6. What sort of day had Rose spent? + + +11. A GLASS TO MAKE THINGS BIG. + +1. "What shall I look at next?" said Rose, who had a glass thing in her +hand, next day. "Oh, this fly!" + +2. The lunch was on the table, and I was just making a hearty meal on a +pat of butter. I knew that Rose would not hurt me. So I stood quite +still. + +3. "How very strange!" said the little girl. "He looks as big as a +horse. His wings are like shining lace, and he has hairy brushes on his +feet. + +4. "Now he is cleaning his head with one of them. I am glad that flies +are not really so big as he seems now. + +5. "What a buzzing we should have, and what should we do when such huge +things flew about the room or walked on the ceiling! + +6. "There would be no room for us to move, and the house would be too +small. Fancy having such a creature as this fly looks now jumping and +prancing over one's bread and jam!" + +7. I was not pleased with this speech; I knew that my colour was rather +dingy, but I had always thought my shape to be light and graceful, and +this Rose had taken no notice of. + +8. Neither had she so much as looked at my trunk, of which I am truly +proud. So I flew away in a pet from under the glass, and settled on the +loaf in the middle of the table, out of her reach. + +9. "But for you, dear grand-father, I should never have thought such +tiny creatures worth taking any notice of. Why, they are made just as +well as big ones, or better." + +[Illustration: WHAT SHALL I LOOK AT NEXT?] + +10. "Not better, dear, but quite as well. They are all the work of +God's hand, and so all must be alike good. Do you know that you owe the +pretty crimson sash that you have on to a very little creature?" + +11. "Oh yes, the silkworm," said Rose. + +"Yes, and the red colour was made from the dead body of an insect too. +There is a sort of blight which gives this red colour after it is dead. + +12. "Merchants bring them from abroad, after they have been taken from +the plants on which they live. As they kill the coffee plants they must +be swept off, and they are made into dye." + +13. Grand-father would have said much more, but just then Rose saw Tom +and Lucy walking up the lawn to the open window. + +14. Behind them walked gravely Neptune the dog, with his master's stick +in his mouth, which he thought it a great honour to carry. + + * * * * * + +_Write:_ Rose saw the fly through her glass. She felt glad that the fly +was not so big as he looked then. He was as well made as if he were +large. + + Questions: 1. What did Rose look at through her glass? 2. + What did she think about the fly? 3. What did Mr. Sutton say + about great and little creatures? 4. Whom did Rose see in + the garden? 5. Who walked behind carrying his master's + stick? + + +12. A LONG SLEEP. + +1. About this time I began to feel a chill in the air. I did not like +this, for it made me feel drowsy. So I kept in the warmth of the +drawing-room all day. + +2. But I was shocked to see that many of my friends began to get quite +unfit to run or fly about. Their wings seemed heavy, and some of them +crept into holes where they went to sleep. + +3. One day I went down to the table and found one of the gayest flies I +had ever known, lying on his back upon the cloth. + +4. He was cold and stiff. Nearly all the friends I had made that summer +were dying or dead around me, or else they had crept into corners out +of sight. + +5. I knew that something must be done, or I too should one day be found +lying on my back with my legs in the air, and Thomas would sweep me +away, as he did the other flies. + +6. I made up my mind to choose the best place I could, and there seemed +none better than the old red curtain from which I had first come out +into that pleasant room. + +7. I therefore ran about on the wall behind it for some time, looking +for a proper hole. I found just the nook I wanted, where a bit of the +wall paper was peeling off. + +8. I had hardly crept into it when I was fast asleep. To my good sense +and quickness I owe my life. If I had not been a clever fly, I should +have died, I dare say, like the rest. + +9. As it is, here I am, alive and merry. When I woke the next warm +spring day, there was little Rose and Mr. and Mrs. Sutton sitting at +breakfast just as they had done when first I saw them. + +10. Rose was perhaps a little taller, and the bald place on her +grand-father's head may have been a wee bit wider. + +11. But the jam was just as good, the honey and sugar as sweet, and the +white cap just as clean and nice to sit on. The flowers in the garden, +too, smell as fresh as ever--still I prefer the jam. + +12. If I might say one word at parting, it would be this. Do not forget +that there is room in this big wide world for a poor little fly as well +as for boys and girls. + +13. And if you enjoy life and like a good game at play,--why, so do we! +So let us have our harmless games and do our tiny bit of work for you +in peace. + + * * * * * + +_Write:_ As soon as it felt cold the fly went to sleep. He did not wake +up till the next spring. There is room in the world for flies as well +as for boys and girls. + + Questions: 1. What did the fly now begin to feel? 2. What + did he see on the table? 3. Where did he hide himself? 4. + When did he wake from his sleep? 5. What change did he see + in Rose? 6. What does the fly say as a parting word? + + + + +BETTY AND SNOWDROP. + + +1. PEEP! PEEP! + +1. There was once a young hen. She had led a very quiet life in a +village until she was nearly one year old. Then, all at once, she found +that people began to make a great fuss about her. + +2. You will never guess why, and so, as I think you may like to hear +all about her, I will begin at once and tell you. Betty,--that was the +name of this hen,--was one of ten fluffy little yellow chicks. + +3. She was dressed in soft bright down when she first crept out of her +egg-shell. She had a sharp beak and bright clever black eyes. + +4. One morning, as her mother was strutting about the yard with all her +children behind her, crying "cluck, cluck!" as she scratched up bits +for them among the straw, Gip, the little pet dog, ran up. + +5. He was only a puppy, and he meant nothing but play. Perhaps he +mistook the small round chicks for a lot of little balls rolling about. +At any rate he snatched up Betty, who was the finest of them, in his +mouth. + +[Illustration: THE FARMYARD.] + +6. With a roguish look at their fat old mother, he began to scamper off +with her. "Cackle, cackle!" screamed the old hen. "Put the baby down +this moment, sir!" And the mother flew at Gip before he had gone six +yards. + +7. She jumped upon his back, and began to flap his head with her wings +as hard as she could, while she made digs at his back with her beak. + +8. The pretty dog, finding himself treated in this way, soon dropped +the chicken out of his mouth. Little Betty rolled out from between his +white teeth and fell flop! to the ground. + +9. She was not a bit hurt, for she toddled back to join her brothers +and sisters, who were all crying "peep! peep!" in a great fright. They +were afraid of seeing her eaten up alive. + +10. But though her child was none the worse, the mother-hen began to +batter and beat poor Gip as if he had maimed it for life. And she never +forgave the little dog after that day. + +11. When she saw him coming, even at a distance, she pushed out her +head, stuck all her feathers on end, and spread out her tail like a +bush. + +12. Perhaps it was the dreadful fright which Betty felt while she was +in the jaws of Gip, which made her so grave and thoughtful a chicken +as she soon became. She walked better than the rest. + +13. She held herself upright, and her mother was never heard to say, +"heads up!" as she did to the other chickens. Her mistress said one +morning that Betty was "the pride of the brood." + +14. Her two brothers were very greedy chickens, I am sorry to say. And +as they grew older, they began to fight sadly for each worm or grain of +corn which they found. + +15. Though Betty and the rest of the chickens grew up white as snow, +one of these young cocks had a speckled breast, and the other had two +black feathers in his tail. This spoilt their look. + +16. They were both taken away one day by a strange man, in spite of all +that their mother could say. She bustled up and tried to rescue her +sons. Although they were both in the habit of eating too much, she +loved them in spite of all. + + * * * * * + +_Write:_ A little chick was picked up by a puppy. He did not kill it, +but put it down when the hen came after him. The chicken was not hurt. + + Questions: 1. How many brothers and sisters had Betty? 2. + What did the puppy do one day? 3. What did the old hen do? + 4. What did Betty's mistress call her? 5. What sort of + chickens were the two brothers? 6. What became of them? + + +2. BETTY IS SPOILT. + +1. Time passed on, and Betty grew fast in size and beauty. Her mistress +made up her mind to send her to the Poultry Show at the Crystal Palace. + +2. The cook and all who saw her said that Betty ought to go, her beauty +was so great. She was quite a perfect pattern of what a white hen of +her sort ought to be. + +3. She would be certain to win a first prize of the first class, they +all thought. Poor Betty! From the day that it was settled for her to go +to the Poultry Show her troubles began. + +4. When first it was made known in the yard she became rather vain, in +spite of all that her mother could say. The fact was that the old hen +felt proud of it herself, and Betty knew it. + +5. She would be always pluming the feathers of her daughter, cackling +loudly, and calling to strange chickens to come and admire the lovely +back and smooth wings of her child. + +[Illustration: COCK-A-DOODLE-DO!] + +6. The young cocks from next door sat on the railings to chatter, and +even forgot to quarrel. They stared at Miss Betty as she walked with +her beak in the air, and they made rude remarks. + +7. "Why don't you grow a pair of spurs and learn to crow?" they called +out. When Mrs. Dorking, Betty's mother, heard these speeches from the +young cocks she flew into a great passion. + +8. "I will set the dog at you, you young scamps, if you do not be off +this moment," cried she. So they dropped off one by one, for they did +not know that the old hen was not able to carry out her threat. + +9. As Betty became vain she became idle too. Instead of making her +mother and sisters happy with her pretty playful ways, and making +herself useful and pleasant at home, she grew pettish. + +10. And instead of working to help earn her own living, by catching +flies, scratching up worms, and watching under the old oak tree for +cock-chafers, she would lose patience, and call loudly to the cook to +bring her food. + +11. And, strange to say, the cook would come too, and, not content with +waiting on Betty, would drive away each fowl and chick that came up to +share what she had brought. + +12. She let none of them have a bit till Betty had eaten all that she +pleased. Was not this enough to spoil any young hen? Betty was fast +getting pert. All this was because of her good looks and her five toes. + +13. You will see after a while that she would have been more happy if +she had been born ugly, or with four toes, like her sisters. + + * * * * * + +_Write:_ Betty was to go to a show. She grew vain when she heard this. +And as she became vain she grew idle too. She was spoilt. + + Questions: 1. Where did Betty's mistress think of sending + her? 2. What did they all think that she would get at the + show? 3. What made her grow proud? 4. What did she do + instead of earning her living? 5. What did the young cocks + say? 6. What answer did the old hen make to them? + + +3. SOAP AND WATER. + +1. After a little more time had passed, Betty was taken out of the +yard. They did not let her stay with her sisters and the other fowls +any longer, but she was placed in a large room by herself. + +2. Here she was fed on all sorts of dainties. She had chestnuts, minced +liver, new milk, and fresh lettuce. Life was now a feast to Betty, but +she found it rather dull. + +3. "I would rather have one worm or a spider," said she, with a sigh. +How she longed for a good scamper with her sisters! "I am sure that we +should never squabble now," said the poor, lonely little thing. + +4. But this time alone did not last long. One morning a worse thing was +done to her. She was taken by the cook and plunged into a warm bath. It +was not of the least use for her to kick and scream. + +5. The cook did not care. She rubbed Betty gently with a soaped +flannel, talking to her in a soothing way all the time, and then set +her down before the fire to dry. + +6. But Betty's fright was soon over, and she was not at all hurt, of +course. Yet she might have caught her death of cold, and all this +because of the show! that her feathers might look fine. + +[Illustration: A WARM BATH.] + +7. If the cook had let Betty alone to clean them, she would have done +it better. The soap was bad for them, so was the water. + +8. Betty felt very pleased when the cook went to call all the other +servants. She wished them to admire the snowy whiteness of her +feathers. "If she does not win a first prize I will eat my head!" said +the cook. + +9. "You will have a fine big meal, then," said the housemaid, "and I +should not wonder if you have not spoilt her feathers for ever by +washing them. You never ought to have done it, and the poor thing may +get ill." + +10. But thanks to the care taken of her, Betty did not get ill, though +the nasty soap made her feel sick; and the cook saw that she had made a +mistake in washing Betty. + +11. "All creatures can clean themselves," said the housemaid, +"leastways all birds can, at any rate, and we do harm by meddling." + +12. "I think we ought to keep her under a wash-tub or in a basket until +the day for the show," said the cook. "She will be sure to get dirty +again in that barn." + +13. When a nice new hen-coop was turned over her, Betty began to think +about her mother. "What a horrid time she must have spent when we were +little, and she had to stay in a coop!" said the young hen to herself. + +14. "And yet I think that I am even worse off than she was, for I have +to stay here without any little chickens to amuse me, or to run under +my wings." + + * * * * * + +_Write:_ The young hen was washed. It was bad for her and made her +feathers rough. She grew tired of being shut up though she was well +fed. + + Questions: 1. Where was Betty placed alone? 2. What did she + say to herself about her food? 3. What did the cook do to + her? 4. What did the housemaid tell her? 5. Where was Betty + put next? 6. What did she think about in the coop? + + +4. AT THE SHOW. + +1. "No, I have nothing to amuse me," said Betty, "but the thought of +how handsome I am. It is nice to think of that, and yet I am almost +tired of hearing it." + +2. Betty would have given one of the best feathers in her tail for a +good race after a beetle, or for a good scratch for grubs down by the +manure heap, which was the best place. + +3. But she had hardly yet begun her trials. On the next day, the +coachman took her in a hamper to the show. Betty screamed as she was +put into it, for she did not like it at all. + +4. "I will behave well, no matter what happens," said poor Betty. But +she felt afraid of the noise, the pushing, and the crowd of people and +poultry at the Palace. + +5. There were Spanish cocks and hens, who were lofty and silent. There +were little silver bantams who chuckled. Some hens were tiny dwarfs +like the bantams, others were giants like the Cochin China fowls. + +6. There were gamecocks, too, looking like fierce soldiers. Among all +the smart poultry Betty found herself passed over and called "only a +pullet." + +7. All the other fowls were called "loves" and "dears," while hardly +any people took notice of her plain white dress and rosy head-dress. +But one gentle lady came by, who stopped near Betty. + +8. She pointed Betty out to a child who was with her, saying that she +was one of the best hens of her kind which she had ever seen. + +9. The lady added, "No fowls lay better eggs than these pretty +Dorkings. + +"They make the best mothers, they are English in their habits, and +therefore stronger than birds from foreign lands." + +[Illustration: THE PRETTY DORKING.] + +10. The air at the Crystal Palace was hot and close. Betty began to +wish herself at home again. She could not eat, though food was there. + +11. And though her feathers were all ruffled and in a mess, she did +not feel able to put them to rights. Yet she knew that she ought to +tidy herself. + +12. One of the hens near began to mock at her. She said with a pretence +of being polite: "May I put your tail tidy for you, madam, since it +seems too much trouble for you to do it yourself?" + +13. And then the sly thing gave a tweak and pulled out Betty's longest +feather. + +14. A hen near gave a dab with her beak at Betty's pink comb, and made +it bleed. And though she said after that she did not mean to hurt her, +that did not heal the sore place. + + * * * * * + +_Write:_ At the show Betty found it hot and close. She did not care to +eat. The other hens played tricks with her. She wished herself at home. + + Questions: 1. When Betty was in the coop what did she long + for? 2. When she got to the show what did she see? 3. How + did she feel? 4. How did the other hens behave to Betty? 5. + What did the lady say about her? 6. What happened to her + comb? + + +5. A SAD MISHAP. + +1. After a time Betty felt better. The other fowls left off teasing +her. They had only been in rough play, and did not mean to worry her +too much. + +2. She dipped her bill into a dish of water which was there, picked a +bit of lettuce, and said to herself that she would make the best of a +bad job. + +3. Betty was still as vain of having five toes on each foot as any fine +young lady could be of wearing new shoes. She was always holding up one +foot or else the other. No doubt she meant to show off. + +4. There was a great cackling and noise in some of the pens after a +while, and Betty heard that the judges were coming. These were the +people who were to give the prizes, and she felt now more vain than +ever. + +5. She made up her mind to present her foot to the judges, and even to +push it out between the wires of her pen, as far as she could. "They +cannot help giving me a prize when they see my five toes!" she said to +herself. + +6. But just as she had thrust her toe right out between the wires, +after much trouble, she heard an odd voice from the next pen say, +"Hullo, what's that? Is it a grub?" + +7. A queer big bird with a long neck had caught sight of the foot, and +he gave a great snap at it as he saw it move. Betty tried to pull her +toes back, but the big bird would not let go. + +8. At last it ended by his pecking off the nail and first joint of poor +Betty's middle claw. She was in much pain and screamed loudly. + +9. Up rushed a man, the keeper, who took Betty out in a great hurry. +"We must have no wounded or sick birds here for the judges to see," he +said. + +10. And he put poor Betty quickly away into one of the pens which had +been used for bringing fowls to the show. It was empty but for two or +three poor hens who were either dead or dying. + +11. These were fowls which had been hurt on the way, by being shaken or +roughly used. They had been put into baskets too small for them, or had +been badly used in some other way. It is bad for birds to travel. + +12. Here Betty sank down on the ground. At first she could do nothing +but think of her poor toe; she pushed it into some soft stuff which lay +on the floor, and this stopped the bleeding. + +13. How sad she felt! All her fine hopes of a prize were gone. She was +a cripple now for life, and no one would care for her fine looks any +more. + +14. "I wonder what is the use of shows?" thought Betty. "Why do people +want other people to tell them that their cocks and hens are pretty?" + +15. After the bustle and fuss of the day were over, one of the keepers +came with a boy to look after the dead and dying. + +16. "She was as great a beauty as ever I did see," said the man. "A +perfect pullet!--that she was. But, dear me! she is not perfect now +that her toe is gone. + +17. "She is good for nothing now but to lay eggs and bring up chicks. +She was worth a couple of pounds; now she would only fetch a couple of +shillings. + +18. "Here, Jack, tie a bit of rag round the stump, and give her food +and water in that spare box. I cannot bear to wring her neck, as we are +forced to do with many, to put them out of pain." + + * * * * * + +_Write:_ Poor Betty had her toe bitten off. She was put into a place +out of sight. Here she was in great pain, and had lost all hopes of a +prize. + + Questions: 1. After a time how did Betty feel? 2. What did + she do with her foot? 3. What happened to one of her toes? + 4. Where was she put after her toe was bitten off? 5. What + was the boy told to do for Betty? 6. What did the man say + that she was fit for now? + + +6. A NEW HOME. + +1. Poor Betty had plenty of time to think over all her troubles. But +after two or three days she heard a sound which made her feel very +happy. + +2. It was the voice of her old friend the coachman, who had come to +fetch her away. She cackled to him in a most loving way; but, alas! the +coachman had nothing to say to her. + +[Illustration: THE NEW HOME.] + +3. He was cross and sulky because Betty had not won a prize. + +"Poor thing!" said the cook when Betty got home, "what an object she +looks to be sure! She is as light as a feather. + +4. "The mother that hatched her won't know her again. I declare that I +don't believe this is our Betty at all, but some old rubbish of a bird +they have sent us instead!" + +5. "Oh yes," said her mistress, coming up to look, "it is our Betty. +But I beg of you to get rid of her at once. I cannot bear the sight of +her after thinking she would get a prize." + +6. "Shall I step out and do it at once?" said the cook, calmly. + +"No, no!" said the mistress. "Do not kill her. Give her away. She will +be a useful hen to some one else, and is sure to lay plenty of eggs." + +"Very good, ma'am," replied the cook. + +7. There was no washing this time before Betty was sent away. That was +one comfort. She was huddled, just as she was, into a hamper, and sent +as a present to a friend of the cook. + +8. This friend was the wife of a farmer, and she was such a kind, good, +rosy, happy, pleasant woman, that it was quite a treat to look at her. +She lived about five miles from Betty's old home. + +9. The large farm-yard into which Betty now stepped from her hamper, +was like a new world to her. She began at once to dig with those of her +sharp claws which were left. + +10. And finding chalk like that which had been under the soil at home, +she nodded her head and chuckled, for she was pleased. No hen can be +happy without chalk, after she is old enough to lay eggs. + +11. She knew that the yard in which she now was, would be a fine place +for her young brood. They would not be likely to get the cramp or catch +colds. + +12. The fowl-house was built on a gentle slope, and below, at some +little distance, was a pond with two or three green islands in the +middle of it. Here some water birds, such as Betty had never seen +before, were paddling about. + +13. She could not think how they did it. The yard had good shelter from +rough, cold winds, for a fir wood was at the back of it. And the +houses for cattle and horses stood with their backs to it on two sides. + +14. The houses where the hens were to sit on their eggs, were sprinkled +with chalk laid over dry coal ashes. This was to keep the floor clean +and wholesome. + +They were swept out often. The perches for roosting were not thin +sticks, but nice stout boughs of trees, so that the feet could clasp +them without slipping. + + * * * * * + +_Write:_ The new home to which Betty was sent pleased her. She thought +that she should soon forget her sorrows. The fowl-house was nice and +clean. + + Questions: 1. To whom was Betty sent? 2. What sort of woman + was the farmer's wife? 3. When Betty stepped out of her + hamper what did she begin to do? 4. What did she find? 5. + What was the hen-house like? + + +7. TWELVE LITTLE CHICKS. + +1. Her friends at the old home had all walked on dry land. But here she +found many ducks and drakes, besides odd-looking fowls with feathers +down their legs. + +2. Spring came, and Betty paced the yard with twelve fine chickens +behind her. All of them had five toes on each little foot, as their +mother had when she was born. So they were all right. + +3. Down the velvet back of each chick were stripes of dark brown, which +was the proper pattern for their first short coats. After a time they +would put off baby-clothes, and be dressed in pure white like their +mother. + +4. As her chicks slept under her wings, or chirped with their merry +little voices, she forgot all else but her darlings. What did it matter +having one claw too few, now that she had her dear babies? + +5. Betty took care to keep her children neat, and to teach them good +manners. "You may gobble up a worm, children, as fast as you like, when +you find it, so that no one else may get it," said she. + +6. "But don't let me see two of you having a fight, or both tugging at +the same worm. You must not ruffle up your feathers at each other, or +fight, though you may do so if you meet a rat." + +7. As Betty was such an anxious and watchful mother herself, she could +not help feeling quite vexed at the way in which Snowdrop, one of the +ducks, went on. + +8. This big white duck did not seem to mind a bit whether her children +were a credit to her or not. "See!" said this good hen, pointing to her +twelve clean little chicks. "Where will you find such children as mine? + +9. "I spend all my time in teaching them how to behave themselves. I +show them how to walk nicely, and how to pick up their meals in a +proper way. + +10. "I show them how to keep their feathers combed and brushed. But +you, bad mother that you are, allow your poor little yellow ducklings +to shuffle in the mud up to their wings. + +11. "And twice I have seen them at the very edge of the pond. It made +me shudder! It will be a wonder if they do not get drowned, or catch +their death of cold. How thin and pale they look!" + +12. As Betty said these words to Snowdrop, the old duck shook her bill, +and after a few more quacks turned her back and waddled off. + +[Illustration: BETTY'S CHICKS.] + +13. Soon after this, a magpie came down to tell all the fowls in the +yard that one of Snowdrop's ducklings had been eaten by a rat, and that +a second had been stolen by a hawk. + +14. Two more of them had run away under the gate and had strayed +towards a tent where some gipsies lived. As they never came back, it +was thought that the gipsies had taken them off. + +15. A fifth of the brood, which had been weakly from birth, had caught +cold in a bitter wind and died. And the last had pined away from +feeling lonely after losing all its brothers and sisters. + + * * * * * + +_Write:_ The hen had now twelve chicks. She took more care of her +children than the duck did of hers. Betty thought Snowdrop a bad +mother. + + Questions: 1. What other creatures did Betty see in the + yard? 2. How many chickens had she? 3. What did she teach + them? 4. What was the name of the duck? 5. What sort of + mother was she? 6. What did Betty say to her? + + +8. A VISIT TO SNOWDROP. + +1. As Betty's brood was now grown old enough to go into the world, she +had plenty of time to pay Snowdrop a visit. So she went off one fine +morning and found her near the brink of the pond. + +2. Snowdrop was using her orange bill as a shovel to catch leeches in +the mud. Betty told her that she had come to have a chat with her. She +wished to speak about the way in which she had brought up her children. + +3. "I am sure, my dear Snowdrop," said Betty, "that cold water was the +death of all your lost ducklings, no matter what you or any other bird +may say. + +4. "You are a strong duck, and so it has not hurt you yet. But you see +that your frail little ones are all gone. It is all through your +careless habit of letting them dabble in the mud all day and get their +feet wet." + +5. "Nonsense!" said Snowdrop, as, with an eye dark and bright as that +of Betty, she glanced at her own orange legs and webbed feet. + +6. "Nonsense! It is all nature, and runs in the blood," she said. "My +mother before me, and her mother before that, knew that water never +hurts a duck. It hurts us to be kept dry! + +7. "And as for catching cold or getting fits, or cramp, or the pip--can +you do this?" And as she spoke, Snowdrop waddled down the steepest +part of the bank. + +8. She set her breast for a moment against the tiny ripples of the pond +until she was in water deep enough to swim in. Then, all of a sudden, +she turned herself upside down. + +9. Her head went below, and nothing of her could be seen above but a +tail, and two yellow legs. She stayed so long like this, grubbing for +water-snails, that Betty began to fear she should never see her head +again. + +10. But she popped it out again in a few minutes, and came sailing with +a saucy quack back again to the bank. "Do I look any the worse?" said +she. + +11. Betty held her tongue. She still thought, as she had done before, +that no matter what Snowdrop did, cold water was bad for ducklings. + +12. A young Bantam hen, who was standing by, said to Betty, "Where can +you have come from, and what sort of egg did you creep out of, not to +have seen a duck swim before?" said the Bantam. + +13. "All the yard knows that they are the best sailors in the world! +But for you and me, our ruffles are too well starched for such a way of +life." + +[Illustration: UPSIDE DOWN.] + +14. Here was a new wonder to Betty. Though a shower of rain soaked all +her fine feathers through, and made them limp as old rags, Snowdrop +came out of the pond dry and warm, her plumes crisp and neat. + +15. Not a trace of water was to be seen on her. Well, to be sure! Betty +could not make it out. After all there must be a thing or two which +even the wisest hen does not know. + +16. "I advise you to carry oil in your feathers when you learn to +swim," said Snowdrop, as she skimmed off again over the pond. "That is +my plan, but ducks are too wise to boast about it." + + * * * * * + +_Write:_ Betty went to see the duck. She felt much surprise at seeing +her swim and dive. But she still thought that water was not good for +ducklings. + + Questions: 1. Where did Betty find Snowdrop? 2. What did + Betty say to her? 3. What did the Bantam hen say? 4. What + did Snowdrop do to show Betty? 5. What did Betty still think + about ducklings? 6. How was it that the duck's feathers were + not wet? + + +9. SNOWDROP'S NEST. + +1. Weeks went by. Snowdrop thought that it was time for her to bring +some more little ducklings into the world, instead of those which she +had lost. + +2. So, down among the green rushes at the very brink of the pond, she +made a nest. It was not much more than a bundle of straws which the +wind had swept into that place but it did very well. + +3. Snowdrop had poked the straws into a heap with her beak. She trod +them down with her feet, made a round hole with her breast in the +middle, and put a few feathers inside. + +4. In this rough nest she laid seven pale green eggs, and very pretty +they looked. Betty no sooner heard of this, than she ran as fast as she +could to the spot. She had a kind thought in her head. + +5. She had now no little ones of her own; and somehow, though she laid +an egg each day in the wicker nest, it was always gone before night. So +she had nothing to sit on. + +6. And so it had come into her good heart that she would offer to sit +on Snowdrop's eggs for her. "I promise you to do it well," said she to +the duck. + +7. "If you trust me with your eggs I will treat them just as if they +were my own. And when the young are hatched I will nurse the dear +little things, teach them, and bring them up better than you could do +yourself." + +8. The duck, who just then saw her drake bowing his head to her as he +swam along, thought that she would like to join him on the pond. + +9. Snowdrop loved pleasure. Why should she sit cooped up on a nest for +four weeks, when she might be having fun on the pond? Betty was willing +to do it for her. + +10. She liked hunting for slugs and worms, or swimming races with her +drake, better than sitting still. So she said "yes" to Betty's offer +and marched off. + +11. The good little hen climbed as well as she could on to the nest; +but she did not half like the look of it. Why, the eggs were ready to +roll out at the sides! And her body was not so big as that of Snowdrop, +neither were her wings so wide. + +12. It was a great job for her to keep the large eggs under cover at +all, but she shook out her feathers and spread out her wings as far as +they would go, though it made them ache. + +13. Then she felt nervous because the pond was so near. "It is bad for +eggs to get damp!" she said to herself. "What could make that foolish +Snowdrop choose such a place? And I dare say that I shall get the cramp +too." + +14. But she sat on bravely for all that. Betty never left the eggs of +which she was taking care, except for a few moments when she was forced +by hunger to run to the yard. + +15. The good farmer's wife saw her racing there one day. She watched +her pick up some corn in a great hurry and then rush off. She went +after Betty and saw her get into the nest of the duck, to sit there +after her hasty meal. + + * * * * * + +_Write:_ The hen wished to sit on the eggs of the duck. She did not +leave them except to get food when she was hungry. The wife of the +farmer found the eggs. + + Questions: 1. What did Snowdrop make among the rushes? 2. + How many eggs did she lay? 3. What did the hen offer to do? + 4. What did Snowdrop say? 5. How did Betty get food? 6. Who + saw her running back to the eggs? + + +10. THE WEE DUCKS. + +1. "Pretty dear!" said the farmer's wife to Betty, as she saw her climb +gently on to the eggs and spread out her small wings as far as she +could. + +2. "This will never do," she went on. "If you want to hatch them, my +pretty, you had better do it in your own nest." + +3. So she stooped down, stroked Betty's white back softly, and then, +with a firm, gentle hand, pushed her aside while she took all the seven +eggs into her apron. + +4. At first Betty did not like it. She did not know what Snowdrop would +say, and besides, she had a longing inside her to finish the job. She +wanted to see the dear little things come from the shells. + +5. "I shall love them as my own," said she, "unless the farmer's wife +takes them from me." But she was quite happy when she saw the eggs +placed safely in her own snug dry nest. + +6. Betty sat on the eggs for three long weeks. She knew that was the +proper time to wait for her own broods. But still no sign of the young +ones was to be seen. + +[Illustration: HER OWN SNUG NEST.] + +7. "I do believe that cold water has killed them before they are born!" +said poor Betty, "for they never ought to have been laid so near a +pond." + +8. She sat on and on, for a fourth week. And, at the end of that time, +she had her reward. There was a little faint tapping sound inside the +shells. + +9. The baby ducks were trying to get out of prison. She helped them by +picking away bits of the shell as it broke, to let the light in at +their tiny windows. + +10. At last seven little yellow things as soft as satin cried, "peep, +peep!" in a pretty whisper round her feet. Their bills and their feet +were rather flat, it is true, but what of that? Betty loved them as if +they were her own chicks. + +11. "Of course I do not expect that they will be quite so handsome, so +clever, or so good as if born from my own eggs," said she. + +12. "They will be poor weak little things. I can see that they are +rather stupid, even now, from their staying in the shells a week longer +than they ought. + +13. "But I must take a little extra care with them!" Very proud was +Mother Betty, but in spite of all her fondness, the young ducks gave +her much trouble. + +14. They would not come when they were called. And they would play in +the gutter. They dabbled with their little yellow feet in the black +mud, as often as ever they could. + +15. They liked digging in a dirty ditch for worms better than feeding +from a nice clean plate. And they will gobble snails, shells and all, +no matter what Betty said. + + * * * * * + +_Write:_ It was four weeks before the eggs were hatched. Betty found +that the young ducks did not like to feed as chicks did. They loved to +dabble in the mud. + + Questions: 1. What did the farmer's wife say when she saw + Betty climb into the nest? 2. Where did she put the eggs? 3. + How long did Betty sit on them? 4. Where did the young ducks + want to play? 5. What did they wish to eat? 6. Why did Betty + think them stupid? + + +11. AN AWKWARD LOT. + +1. But Betty was a hopeful hen. She did not give up trying to teach the +young ducklings and bring them up well. She kept them with great care +from speaking to any of their own kind. + +2. She would not let them play with other ducklings. They had never +seen that dreadful pond yet. She would not let them waddle within sight +of it. + +3. As to their bad manners, their love of dirt and snails and wet, she +could only think that it came from their having once laid as eggs in +that old straw cradle of theirs, among the green rushes. + +4. "Or else it is because their feet are the wrong shape," said Betty, +as she looked down at the yellow boots of her foster-sons and +daughters. On the whole they did not behave so very badly, she thought. + +5. They came up with the chickens at meal times, even if they did go +straight back to that vile gutter the moment they had gobbled all they +could get. + +6. "What a clever hen is Betty Dorking!" the others said. "She has +brought up the duck's brood and will make chickens of them!" It is true +that the wise old gander laughed at this notion. + +7. He said, "You never see a silk purse made out of any other thing but +silk," and all his wives nodded their heads and cackled. They said it +was witty, though they had no idea what the speech meant. + +8. As the golden ears were taken by heaps into the rick-yard, the birds +felt as glad as the farmer and his wife did. The great sheaves were +stacked and the fowls gleaned after them. + +9. Betty, as well as the rest, picked up plenty of loose grains. There +was a little squabbling once, and the turkey-cock trod on one of +Betty's ducklings. + +10. The great bird said nothing but "gobble gobble!" and did not even +show that he was sorry. The peacock was not too proud to come walking +in among the rest, in a dainty way, holding up his train. + +11. He liked wheat as much as any of them. But he could not bear +soiling his dress. Betty now thought it was time to take her +foster-children into the world, before winter came. + +12. They were grown to a fair size, and as yet no cold water had ever +come near them, except a few splashes, which their nurse could not +prevent. + +13. After a good deal of driving and shrieking to them, she got her +brood into a small crowd, to see if they were neat. She smoothed their +downy heads, she plumed their soft wings with loving care. + +14. Then she said, "My dears, you are all as tidy as you can be made. I +am now going to take you on a visit to your own mother, whom you have +never yet seen. + +15. "Behave well, and give me no cause to feel shame when she sees how +I have brought you up. Now, Forward! March!" + + * * * * * + +_Write:_ The young ducks had never seen a pond. Their foster-mother +made them tidy. She wished to take them into the world and show them +their mother. + + Questions: 1. What did the other hens say of Betty and her + brood? 2. What did the gander say? 3. What bird came to pick + up wheat with the fowls? 4. What did the turkey-cock do? 5. + What did Betty say to her ducklings before taking them into + the world? 6. To whom did she wish to show them? + + +12. THEIR OWN MOTHER. + +1. And where was Snowdrop to be found? At the pond, of course, swimming +round and round with half-a-dozen other ducks and drakes as happy and +careless as herself. + +2. She swam towards the brink when she saw Betty coming. The ducklings +waddled as fast as they could lay their flat feet to the ground, as +soon as they caught sight of the pond. + +[Illustration: THE FIRST SWIM.] + +3. Betty could not keep up with them, for she had never quite lost a +limp, after having her toe bitten off. "See," she said to Snowdrop, as +she hobbled up, "here are your children. + +4. "Look at them well! How unlike they are to any ducklings you ever +brought up yourself! There are no ducks in the whole yard that can +compare with them. Just watch how well they behave." + +5. "Quack!" said Snowdrop. "It is all because of the pains I have +taken," said Betty. + +"Quack, quack!" said Snowdrop again. + +6. "They have never been tempted to go into horrid cold water. They +have never even seen a pond till now. What do you say to that?" + +7. "Quack, quack, quack!" replied the snowy sailor, glancing her bright +eye upon her little ones. The next moment the merry little ducks were +sailing after her round the pond! + +8. They dived head foremost, they grubbed for leeches, they paddled +with their flat feet as if they had done nothing else since they were +out of the shell. + +9. Poor Betty with outspread wings danced round the pond crying at the +top of her shrill voice, "Come back! come back! You will all be +drowned." + +10. But it was useless. The little ducks would obey her no longer. They +went on swimming about after their own lily-white mother. + +11. Snowdrop swam to the edge at last, and spoke thus to Betty. "I +thank you for the good you meant to me and mine. But dry land will not +give us your sharp toes to scratch with, any sooner than water will +give you web-feet to swim with. + +12. "All that you have taught my children on dry land, I shall be +pleased to repay by teaching the next brood you have to swim and dive." +At this the gander stretched out his throat and laughed. + +13. "You should allow yourself more time to think," said old Dame +Turkey, the wife of the turkey-cock, as she stood on one leg to listen. + +14. "You are always in a hurry and a bustle. Don't mind so much about +the affairs of other people, and take things calmly, as I do. If you +had been more like me, you would not have made this mistake about the +duck." + +15. "We have not all the same habits,--the same nature," said Mistress +Betty, softly. "And I see that it is of no use trying to make other +folks' children like our own." Dame Turkey nodded her head in a very +wise manner. + +16. She must have been a very clever old dame, for she knew when to +keep silent. As for Betty, she grew to be a very modest, useful hen, +with no pride or conceit about her. + +17. At the present time, though she is getting old, she is still a +worthy fowl. She lives at the same farm, and would divide her last worm +with a chicken or a friend. But she has never tried to turn ducklings +into chicks again. + + * * * * * + +_Write:_ The little ducks saw the pond. They ran to it and went in. It +was of no use for the hen to call them back. They went after their own +mother-duck. + + Questions: 1. Where was Snowdrop to be found? 2. What did + the ducklings do when they saw the pond? 3. What did the + guinea-hen call out? 4. What did Betty do? 5. What did Dame + Turkey say? 6. What sort of hen did Betty become? + + + + +WORDS FOR SPELLING. + + +DICK AND HIS CAT. + +1. + +fa'-mous +Whit'-ting-ton +walk'-ed +pave'-ments +in-stead' +door'-step +for-lorn' + +2. + +hid'-ing +pleas'-ant +ei'-ther + +3. + +emp'-ty +pas'-sion +laugh'-ed +pa'-ti-ent +greet'-ing +for'-eign + +4. + +daugh'-ter +whis'-per +beau'-ty +fetch'-ing +may'-or + +5. + +wreck'-ed +reach'-ed +pal'-ace +cush'-i-on +leap'-ed +mor'-sel +fam'-ine + +6. + +sur-pris'-ed +strug'-gled +coax +flan'-nel +wrap'-ping +caught +glimpse +feast'-ing +in'-stant +scar'-ed +roy'-al +trea'-sure + +7. + +Eng'-land +learn'-ed +hand'-some +friends +need'-ed +great'-est +faith'-ful +treat'-ed +purr'-ed +laur'-el + + +TRUSTY. + +1. + +land'-lord +bread +cheese +ven'-ture +beam'-ing +bus'-tle +crouch'-ing +shad'-ow +dis'-mal +blink'-ed +voice + +2. + +hud'-dled +cra'-zy +guard + +3. + +ad-vise' +twi'-light +anx'-i-ous +daz'-zling +whirl-'ing +strug'-gle +pierce +starv'-ed-looking + +4. + +whine +tread +prais'-ed +foot'-prints +faith'-ful +guide +hoarse +ea'-ger +wood'-en +white'-ness +feel'-ings +flash'-ing +rous'-ed +shoul'-ders +tongue + +5. + +steam'-ing +pulse +bur'-i-ed +howl'-ing +guid'-ed +dumb +friend'-ly +dole'-ful +re-proach' +birth'-day +en-joy'-ed + + +OUT IN THE COLD. + +1. + +froz'-en +roost +moon'-shine +stu'-pid + +2. + +watch'-ed +freez'-ing +Christ'-mas +stirr'-ed + +3. + +pig'-sty +com-plaint' +coax'-ed +car'-rots +jui'-cy +mor'-tar +soak'-ed + +4. + +puz'-zle +tip'-toe +scram'-ble +sheet +ice +wak'-en-ed +foot'-marks + + +THE STORY OF A FLY. + +1. + +cur'-tain +break'-fast-room +pret'-ty +mak'-ing +la'-zy +grand'-child +grand'-pa +house'-fly +touch'-ed +pitch'-ed + +2. + +tea'-cad-dy +sug'-ar-ba-sin +com'-fort +ache +glut'-ton +seem'-ed +dain'-ty + +3. + +yel'-low +whole'-some +gree'-dy +bal'-ance +des-pair' +cream'-jug +mis'-hap +jerk'-ed +crawl'-ing +grea'-sy + +4. + +hon'-ey +lawn +scoop'-ed +dai'-sy +tri'-fle + +5. + +buzz'-ed +side'-board +tempt'-ing +o'-cean +wretch'-ed + +6. + +spi'-der +a-sham'-ed +knitt'-ing +need'-les +spear +strain'-ed + +7. + +child'-hood +list'-en +ser'-vants +mag'-got + +8. + +drown'-ing +strength +trow'-sers +a-sleep' +Nep'-tune +tease + +9. + +gran'-ny +seat'-ed +doz'-ing +po-lite' +frizz'-ing + +10. + +rous'-ed +blaze +nei'-ther +knock +drench'-ed +dog'-gie + +11. + +ceil'-ing +pranc'-ing +speech +cof'-fee + +12. + +gay'-est +Thom'-as +en-joy' +peace + + +BETTY AND SNOWDROP. + +1. + +qui'-et +guess +scratch'-ed +rogu'-ish +scream'-ed +todd'-led +maim'-ed +jaws +bust'-led +res'-cue + +2. + +spoilt +beau'-ty +crys'-tal +cer'-tain +plum'-ing +ad-mire' +rail'-ings +quar'-rel +pas'-sion +catch'-ing +cock'-chafers + +3. + +dain'-ties +chest'-nuts +minc'-ed +squab'-ble +plung'-ed +soap'-ed +flan'-nel +sooth'-ing +white'-ness +house'-maid +med'-dling + +4. + +bee'-tle +ma-nure' +poul'-try +chuck'-led +Dork'-ing +for'-eign +comb + +5. + +teas'-ing +let'-tuce +wear'-ing +prize +wound'-ed +rough'-ly +bleed'-ing +cou'-ple + +6. + +cack'-led +hatch'-ed +hud'-dled +chalk +pad'-dling +sprink'-led +whole'-some +boughs +slip'-ping + +7. + +pat'-tern +ba'-bies +feath'-ers +wad'-dled +mag'-pie +stray'-ed +gip'-sies + +8. + +shov'-el +leech'-es +or'-ange +wa'-ter-snails +tongue +soak'-ed +skimm'-ed + +9. + +pok'-ed +hatch'-ed +ner'-vous + +10. + +re-ward' +pris'-on +ex'-tra +ditch + +11. + +awk'-ward +speak'-ing +daugh'-ters +laugh'-ed +no'-tion +rick'-yard +sheaves +glean'-ed +squab'-bling +pea'-cock +daint'-ty +shriek'-ing +plum'-ed + +12. + +caught +hob'-bled +out'-spread +calm'-ly +mis'-tress +si'-lent +con-ceit' + + +CHISWICK PRESS:--CHARLES WHITTINGHAM AND CO. +TOOKS COURT, CHANCERY LANE, LONDON. + + * * * * * + + + + +Transcriber's Notes + +Corrected minor punctuation errors. + +Moved some illustrations to avoid breaking up paragraphs of text. + + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Dick and His Cat and Other Tales, by Various + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DICK AND HIS CAT AND OTHER TALES *** + +***** This file should be named 28351.txt or 28351.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/8/3/5/28351/ + +Produced by R. 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