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+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 42161 ***
+
+THE
+
+NURSERY
+
+_A Monthly Magazine_
+
+FOR YOUNGEST READERS.
+
+VOLUME XXX.--No. 6.
+
+    BOSTON:
+    THE NURSERY PUBLISHING COMPANY,
+    NO. 36 BROMFIELD STREET.
+    1881.
+
+
+
+
+    Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1881, by
+    THE NURSERY PUBLISHING COMPANY,
+    In the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington.
+
+[Illustration: JOHN WILSON & SON UNIVERSITY PRESS]
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: Contents.]
+
+
+IN PROSE.
+
+                                                PAGE
+    The Bird-Store                               353
+    What Astonished Charley                      357
+    The Christmas Carol                          358
+    How the Sheep were Saved                     360
+    The Two Rats                                 362
+    The Roman Pigeon                             366
+    Ready for a Walk                             370
+    Lily and her Kitten                          371
+    Thirsty Billy                                373
+    About Windmills                              375
+    Annie's Gift                                 376
+    Flossie's Pet Alligator                      378
+
+
+IN VERSE.
+
+    Christmas                                    355
+    That Girl                                    356
+    A Funny Little Boy                           365
+    A Defiance                                   374
+    "The Nursery" to its Readers                 379
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE BIRD-STORE.
+
+VOL. XXX.--NO 6.]
+
+
+
+
+THE BIRD-STORE.
+
+
+SUSAN WELSH lived near a large store, where birds, and pet animals of
+various kinds, were kept for sale.
+
+She had often been there to play with the pretty creatures, and many of
+them had come to know her well. One large gray parrot had learned her
+name, and would call out, "Good-morning, Susan!" as soon as she
+appeared. And when she put out her hand, and said, "Shake hands," he
+would give his claw, and go through the ceremony very well, often
+saying, "Glad to see you! How do you do?"
+
+One day Susan had two little friends visit her,--Willy and Bessie Hill;
+and, as they had never seen a parrot, she proposed to take them to the
+bird-store. They were both delighted to go; and Bessie took her doll and
+her dog Snip with her.
+
+In her right hand she carried a cake; and the first thing the parrot
+said as she went towards him was, "Polly wants a cake."
+
+This made the little girl laugh. She laughed still more when the parrot
+took a piece of cake in his claw, and ate it, bit by bit, as nicely as
+she could herself.
+
+But when Snip barked at the parrot, and the parrot barked too, she
+thought it was the funniest thing yet, and laughed till the tears came.
+
+The parrot was so well pleased with his visitors, and talked so fast,
+that a boy with oranges to sell, came behind to listen. He was much
+astonished; for he too had never heard a bird speak before.
+
+The children looked a little at the other birds and pets; but none
+interested them as much as the parrot.
+
+Bessie did not want to leave him, and wished she might have him for her
+own. But when Mr. Smith, his owner, asked if she would like to give him
+her dog, and take the parrot, she shook her head, and said, "No, no!"
+
+She could not think of parting with her old friend Snip, even for the
+funny parrot.
+
+                                             DORA BURNSIDE.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+CHRISTMAS.
+
+
+    DAINTY little stockings
+      Hanging in a row,
+    Blue and gray and scarlet,
+      In the firelight's glow:
+
+    Curly-pated sleepers
+      Safely tucked in bed;
+    Dreams of wondrous toy-shops
+      Dancing through each head:
+
+    Mother, stepping lightly,
+      Plans with tender care,
+    How to give each dreamer
+      Just an equal share.
+
+    Funny little stockings
+      Hanging in a row,
+    Stuffed with sweet surprises,
+      Down from top to toe,--
+
+    Skates and balls and trumpets,
+      Dishes, tops, and drums,
+    Books and dolls and candies,
+      Nuts and sugar-plums.
+
+    Little sleepers waking:
+      Bless me, what a noise!
+    Wish you merry Christmas,
+      Happy girls and boys!
+
+                    RUTH REVERE.
+
+[Illustration: A Merry Christmas to you]
+
+
+
+
+THAT GIRL.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+    HER hood is of the common sort,
+      Her dress is very plain,
+    Her apron's long, her sleeves are short,
+      Her name is Mary Jane.
+    She goes to school, and on her way,
+      She always likes to meet
+    The muffin-man, who, every day,
+      Comes marching down the street;
+    Though very fond of study,
+      She dearly loves to eat.
+
+                           H. V. G.
+
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+WHAT ASTONISHED CHARLEY.
+
+
+CHARLEY had been spending the day with his grandmother. When he was
+starting for home in the afternoon, she gave him a nice red apple,
+saying, "Take this to your mother from me."
+
+With the apple in his hand, Charley was trudging along through the
+fields, when he met Peter, the son of a farmer who lived near by.
+
+Now Peter was a bad boy, with whom Charley had been told to have nothing
+to do. But, as Peter greeted him very kindly, how could poor Charley
+help speaking to him?
+
+Pretty soon Peter began to ask questions. "What kind of an apple is
+that?" said he.
+
+"I don't know," said Charley.
+
+"Let me look at it," said Peter.
+
+Charley did not want him to take it, but hadn't quite courage enough to
+say "No;" and in a moment Peter had the apple in his hand. "I wonder
+whether it is sweet, or sour," said he.
+
+The picture shows what happened next. Peter munched the apple, while the
+little boy looked on amazed, not knowing what to do or say.
+
+"It's for my mother," gasped out Charley as soon as he could speak.
+
+"Why didn't you tell me that before?" said the saucy Peter, handing him
+back the core. "Here, take the sour thing: I don't want it."
+
+Poor Charley had to go home and tell this pitiful story. But he learned
+a lesson from it that he never forgot.
+
+                                                          IDA FAY.
+
+
+
+
+THE CHRISTMAS CAROL.
+
+
+IT is Christmas morning, bright, clear, and cold. A class of little
+girls have assembled with their teacher in an old country church in
+England.
+
+They are singing joyous carols; and their faces look so sweet and happy,
+that I am sure they must be singing with their hearts as well as their
+voices.
+
+Even the youngest, though she cannot yet read or sing, sits cuddled
+against her sister, her small hands folded on her lap, quietly
+listening. The pleased look on her face tells us that she loves to hear
+the others sing.
+
+I think she will remember some of the sweet words, and will very likely
+try to sing them when she is at home.
+
+Behind the group of children may be seen a table monument. There are
+many of these in old English churches. The figure on the top, carved in
+stone, probably resembles some knight or warrior, in memory of whom the
+monument was placed here long, long ago.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+After the service, we can fancy the children having a merry time,--such
+as we hope every child in our own land, as well as in Old England, may
+have, this very next Christmas, which is so near at hand.
+
+                                                    JANE OLIVER.
+
+
+
+
+HOW THE SHEEP WERE SAVED.
+
+
+MANY years ago a farmer, living in the county of Somerset, England, on
+rising one morning early in December, found that the weather had grown
+bitterly cold. Looking out of the window, he saw that it had been
+snowing fast through the night.
+
+Such a storm, indeed, had not been known for a long, long time. The wind
+was blowing hard, and the snow was still falling steadily.
+
+Now, the farmer had a great many sheep, and had not yet housed them for
+the winter. They were out on the hills in the open air, without any
+shelter.
+
+"My poor sheep!" exclaimed the farmer. "They will be buried in the snow.
+They will perish with the cold."
+
+He dressed as quickly as possible, called all his men, and his good dog
+Watch, and started out. It was slow work getting through the
+snow-drifts. Poor Watch was almost buried sometimes. But the men helped
+him out, and on he ran again, leaping after them like the good faithful
+dog he was. At last they came to the place where the sheep had been
+left. Not one could be seen; but in a corner of the field there was a
+huge pile of snow, about which Watch began to scratch and howl.
+
+By this they knew that the sheep were all huddled under the snow. The
+men set to work with their shovels; but for some time no sound came from
+the sheep. It was so cold that some of the men got discouraged, and
+wanted to give up the search, and go home.
+
+"Go, if you choose," said the farmer; "but I shall stay and dig till I
+find my sheep."
+
+This made the men feel ashamed, and they picked up their shovels and
+went to work again.
+
+"Wait a bit," said the farmer: "let me listen."
+
+He put his ear close to the wall of snow, and heard a faint "Ba-a-ah"
+through it. Then they knew that one sheep at least was alive. So they
+dug away briskly and in a few minutes they pulled it out.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Watch took charge of it at once, pressing his warm body against the
+frosty fleece, and licking its face and feet to warm them.
+
+So, one after another, the sheep were drawn out of their snow-cave, and
+then the men drove them home. Some of the small and feeble ones they had
+to carry in their arms, wrapping their cloaks about the little creatures
+to protect them from the sharp wind.
+
+The snow beat in the faces of the men so that it almost blinded them;
+and it was very difficult, both for themselves and the poor weak sheep,
+to make their way through the great drifts.
+
+They were glad enough, you may be sure, when they got safely back to the
+farm. There the sheep were soon put in a comfortable shed, and fed with
+warm milk to restore their strength. The poor animals would certainly
+have died, but for the kind care that was taken of them.
+
+The farmer thanked his men for staying to help him. His wife gave them a
+good hot breakfast; and I think they enjoyed it all the more for having
+saved the poor, helpless sheep from perishing under the snow.
+
+                                                  ANNA LIVINGSTON.
+
+
+
+
+THE TWO RATS.
+
+
+THEY were about the same size, and looked much alike. They were great
+friends. One was a wise old rat, and the other was a young rat who
+thought himself wise.
+
+The wise old rat we will call Crafty. His home was in Farmer Rural's
+cellar: that is to say, the front-door of it opened into the cellar; but
+there was a back-door in the garden, and there were passage-ways under
+ground, leading to the corn-barn and the drain.
+
+Crafty had studied the ways of the human race for many years. In his
+view man was created for the benefit of rats. He had known men who were
+almost as sly as rats; but on the whole he looked upon them as inferior
+beings.
+
+Simple, who lived close by, had also a great contempt for men and women.
+He often boasted that he got his board and lodging all at their
+expense. But he did not know half as much as he thought he did; and many
+a time he had been kept from getting into a scrape by his good friend
+Crafty.
+
+One night, about twelve o'clock, Crafty and Simple started out together
+to see what they could find. Having poked into every corner of Farmer
+Rural's cellar, without getting any thing better than raw potatoes, they
+made their way up stairs.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Just at the head of the stairs they came upon a sort of wire safe in
+which there was a most tempting bit of cheese. The door of the safe was
+open.
+
+"Here's a feast," said Simple; and he was about to dart into the safe.
+
+"Stop, my young friend," said Crafty, sitting bolt upright on his
+haunches. "That cheese has been put there on purpose for us."
+
+"Well, then, why shouldn't we take it?" said Simple.
+
+"Take my advice," said Crafty, "and let the cheese alone. Many a fine
+young rat has been cut off in the flower of his youth by snatching at
+the first good thing that happened to be put in his way. That safe is
+what men call a trap, and it is a very unsafe thing for you to meddle
+with."
+
+A few nights after, the two friends started out once more, and in the
+middle of the cellar they found a nice barrel of meal. Simple was on the
+point of jumping right into it; but old Crafty stopped him again.
+
+"Don't you know better than that, you greenhorn?" said he. "Never jump
+into a barrel in that way. Look here." And, crawling on the rim of the
+barrel, he flapped his long tail into the meal. "Splash, splash!" Right
+under the meal there was water.
+
+"Ho, ho, Farmer Rural!" said Crafty, "that's your game, is it? You can
+keep this meal for your own eating."
+
+But the next time that the two rats went out together, poor Simple did
+not come off so well. In spite of his friend's advice, he went after
+some bread-crumbs that were scattered on the top of what seemed to be a
+harmless wooden box.
+
+It was a trap, of course. Simple was caught, and Crafty had to go back
+to his hole alone.
+
+                                                   ALFRED SELWYN.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+A FUNNY LITTLE BOY.
+
+
+    A FUNNY little chin,
+      A funny little nose,
+    A funny little grin,
+      Ten funny little toes,
+    Two funny little eyes,
+      And funny little hands:
+    How funnily he tries
+      To give his wee commands.
+
+    A funny little chat
+      With funny little bees,
+    A funny little cat,
+      And funny toads and trees,
+    A funny little dress,
+      A funny laugh of joy:
+    May Heaven ever bless
+      My funny little boy!
+
+    A funny little sigh,
+      A funny little head
+    That funnily will try
+      To miss the time for bed,
+    A funny little peep
+      From funny eyes that gleam,
+    A funny little sleep,
+      A funny little dream.
+
+                     GEORGE COOPER.
+
+
+
+
+THE ROMAN PIGEON.
+
+
+IN the famous city of Rome I once lived in a house which had been a
+palace. It had secret closets and trap-doors, and all such queer things.
+There was one long, dark entry that we called a tube.
+
+We were obliged to go through this entry often, as it was the only
+passage-way between our rooms. It was so narrow that one could touch
+both side-walls at the same time. I had often, in going through it, felt
+that I was not alone: the movement of something always startled me.
+
+It was not like the motions of a human being, and I was too old to have
+visits from fairies. A dog would bark; a kitten would mew; a parrot
+would say "Pardon!" Then what was it? I could not tell.
+
+One night, after spending the day in the Catacombs, which are nothing
+more than cities of the dead, under ground, and after tumbling over my
+companions, and treading on the heels of the guide, I came home hoping
+for a quiet, peaceful evening. Finding, however, an invitation to spend
+that evening with a lady who lived at the other end of the palace, I
+felt bound to accept it.
+
+As I passed along the dark, narrow entry, which seemed like going
+through the Catacombs again, I heard a patter, patter, patter, on the
+brick floor. I supported myself by putting my hands out until they
+touched the sides of the tube, for I was just the least bit frightened.
+
+The sound was approaching me; but I dared not turn my back. It echoed
+from the walls and the high ceiling, and the whole air seemed filled
+with a weird noise. I tiptoed along, when suddenly my foot came down
+directly upon a pigeon.
+
+Only those who have been wandering about all day in caverns can imagine
+what it is to feel the flutter of a live pigeon under your very tread,
+and this, too, in the dark. This pigeon reeled to his left, and I to my
+right, which, of course, brought us together again. He flapped and
+fluttered, I panted and screamed. He flew to his right, I to my left,
+and again we met.
+
+If I had known that it was only a pigeon, I should not have been afraid.
+I am not afraid of a pigeon, I hope! But I did not know what it was, and
+the whizzing, and the fluttering, and the panting, and the shrieks so
+resounded from the roof above, that I had a mind to cry out for help.
+
+The landlady, who in that country is called _padrona_, knew that all was
+not quiet in her dwelling: so she shortly appeared at one end of the
+tube, with a dim candle. This so alarmed the pigeon, that he was more
+frightened than I. He turned to the other opening just at the moment
+when two young ladies appeared there with a light.
+
+What could the poor thing do!--a woman at one end, two women at the
+other, and a greater obstacle, which was myself, in the centre. He could
+not fly far, for his wings had been clipped; but, exerting what
+wing-power he had, he whizzed over my head into empty space.
+
+When I ran away, he seemed to be balancing himself upon nothing. There
+was no beam under that roof, upon which he could alight; and how he bore
+his plight I did not wait to see.
+
+But the funniest thing about this pigeon was his manner of treating me
+the next morning, and, indeed, as long as I remained in Rome. I often
+met him in various parts of the house; and as I approached he would
+throw back his head, swell his white throat, wink at me,--first with one
+eye, then with the other,--and then, with a quick prance, get by me.
+
+I think pigeons have a language of their own; for his winks said
+plainly, "Come on, if you want to try that game again! Who's afraid!"
+But I never moved a muscle as I glided by him. I didn't want him to know
+that my heart went pit-a-pat when he gave me those side glances.
+
+The last morning that I was in Rome, as I stepped into the carriage to
+go to the cars, a flock of doves appeared to be quietly feeding on the
+roadside; but my familiar footfall aroused one of them from his
+occupation, and he stood apart gazing at the scene.
+
+When the carriage-door was shut and the driver was mounting his box, the
+same old patter attracted my attention. I put my head out of the window,
+and there stood my fowl friend; and as long as he could see me his strut
+continued, and probably his eyes winked.
+
+                                             AUNT ANNE.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: DRAWING-LESSON.
+
+VOL. XXX.--NO. 6.]
+
+
+
+
+READY FOR A WALK.
+
+
+[Illustration]
+
+PUT a good thick coat on the little girl. Button it well. Tie on her
+bonnet. Put a scarf over her ears. Now she is all ready. Now she will
+not mind the cold. Ah! whom does she see coming to meet her?
+
+[Illustration]
+
+It is her cousin Sue. She is going to walk too. Is not that nice? "Come,
+little Ann," says Sue, "take hold of my hand and we will have a good
+time."--"So we will," says Ann. And off they go hand in hand.
+
+                                             A. B. C.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+LILY AND HER KITTEN.
+
+
+"WHERE can Lily be?" said Mrs. West to her sister Helen, as they sat
+sewing and chatting together. "I have not seen the child this half
+hour."
+
+"When I saw her last," answered Helen, "she was having a great frolic
+with her kitten in the hall."
+
+"Well," said Mrs. West, "I must have a hunt for Miss Lily. She may be
+getting into mischief." So she opened the door, and called, "Lily, Lily,
+where are you?"
+
+No answer came. Mrs. West looked into the nursery and bedrooms, but saw
+nothing of the little girl.
+
+Then she went down stairs and looked into the parlor and hall. Lily was
+not there. She opened the front door and called "Lily, Lily!" but still
+in vain.
+
+At last she went into the dining-room, and there, to be sure, was Lily
+fast asleep in a large chair, with Dinah the kitten in her lap, and a
+little black paw clasped in her chubby hand.
+
+Mrs. West smiled and shut the door softly, saying to herself "Dear
+child, she is certainly doing no mischief." Then she called her sister
+to come down and peep in at the sleeping companions.
+
+Helen said, "Isn't that a pretty picture? Suppose we take a big peach
+from this basket of fruit and put it softly beside her on the chair to
+surprise her when she wakes."
+
+When Lily woke soon after, she rubbed her eyes, and said, "Why, where
+did this peach come from, I wonder! Have I been asleep, and has a fairy
+dropped it in my chair?"
+
+                                             AUNT SUE.
+
+
+
+
+THIRSTY BILLY.
+
+
+"WHOA, Billy!" said a farmer, as he was driving home from the mill with
+a load of meal. "We'll stop here, and you shall have a good drink. You
+must need it after climbing up this long hill.
+
+"There are good people in the world, are there not, old fellow? And it
+certainly was one of them who put this trough here for poor beasts like
+you to drink from. Well, you are thirsty, to be sure! Don't you mean to
+leave a drop there? What do you think the next donkey that comes along
+will do?
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+"Ah, you prick up your ears, and wink your eye, as much as to say,
+'Never you fear about that, my friend. There's no danger of my drinking
+all there is in this trough, and you know as well as I that there is
+plenty more water in the spring where this came from.'
+
+"So at last, then, you have enough," added the farmer, as Billy lifted
+his dripping nose from the water.
+
+"Come on then, long ears: we have another hill to climb, you know, and
+wife wants some of this meal to make a corn-cake for supper."
+
+And Billy started on briskly, as if he knew well what supper meant, and
+thought he should have a share of corn-cake too.
+
+                                             UNCLE CHARLES.
+
+
+
+
+A DEFIANCE.
+
+
+    KING of the barn-yard here am I.
+    If any bird my power deny,
+    That bird to combat I defy;
+    I raise my ancient battle cry,
+    Resolved to conquer or to die.
+    Who has the rashness to reply?
+
+                         CHANTICLEER.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+ABOUT WINDMILLS.
+
+
+"PAPA, what is that funny-looking house, with that great whirligig going
+round and round on it?" said Charlie to his father, pointing to this
+picture.
+
+"That is a windmill," his father answered. "I don't wonder you call
+those long arms a whirligig, for they whirl round very swiftly when the
+wind blows.
+
+"But they do not go round and round for nothing, as your toy whirligigs
+do. They are busy at work, turning a great wheel inside the mill; and
+the wheel is busy grinding corn into meal.
+
+"There are not many windmills to be seen in our country; but if you
+should go to Holland, you would see them in all directions. Holland is a
+very flat country and has no swift rivers to turn the mill-wheels, so
+the wind has to do the work instead.
+
+"There are said to be ten thousand windmills there. The arms of some are
+a hundred feet long."
+
+"I should like to see them," said Charlie. "Will you not take me there
+sometime, papa?"
+
+"Perhaps," said his father, "but you are a small boy yet, and have much
+to see and learn at home first."
+
+                                             ALFRED STETSON.
+
+
+
+
+ANNIE'S GIFT.
+
+
+ANNIE FAY had been taking a walk, one winter day, with her mother. On
+their way they had stopped to see her grandmother, and she had given
+Annie a large apple to take home.
+
+But just before reaching the house, they saw a forlorn-looking girl with
+her apron full of dry twigs which she had been picking by the roadside.
+She was thinly dressed, and looked pale and sad.
+
+Annie's heart was touched at the sight. "Oh, mamma!" she said, "how
+tired and cold and hungry that poor girl looks! May I give her my
+apple?"
+
+"Certainly, dear," said her mother, "you may give it to her. And ask her
+in to get warm."
+
+So, quick as thought, Annie ran to the girl and held up the apple,
+saying, "Please take this. And mamma wants you to come into the house
+with us and get warm."
+
+The girl could hardly keep back her tears at being so kindly spoken to.
+But she took the apple, thanked Annie, and followed her into the house.
+On questioning her, Mrs. Fay found that she was an orphan. She lived
+with a woman who was too poor to do much for her. She had to work hard,
+and the woman was not always kind to her.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+After getting warm and eating a good dinner, she cheered up wonderfully.
+And when Mrs. Fay put on her a woolen sacque and mittens and some thick
+shoes, she looked so happy and thankful that Annie was quite delighted.
+
+When Annie saw her grandmother, the next day, and told her what was done
+with the apple, the kind old lady said, "That was right. I am very glad
+you gave it to her. If she is a nice child I would like to have her live
+with me. I cannot move about much, and for some time I have wanted to
+find a handy little girl to wait on me."
+
+And when Annie next went to her grandmother's house, there was the
+little girl, neatly dressed, and fast losing the sad look she had on her
+face when they met her that cold day.
+
+                                             JANE OLIVER.
+
+
+
+
+FLOSSIE'S PET ALLIGATOR.
+
+
+"AUNT MEG, did you ever see an alligator,--a real live one, such as papa
+took me to see in Boston, last summer?"
+
+"Oh, yes, Toddy! I have seen more alligators than you can count fingers
+and thumbs on your little dimpled hands. But I saw the funniest one when
+I was in Kansas last winter; and if you will sit here on my lap, I will
+tell you all about it.
+
+"One day, last year, when Flossie was in Jacksonville, Florida, with her
+parents, she saw a baby-alligator, and took such a fancy to it, that her
+papa bought it for her. They brought it home in the spring, and cousin
+Fred made a pen for it in the back-yard, near a large puddle of water;
+for alligators, you know, live in the water.
+
+"Always after a rain, the water was quite deep, and 'Allie,' as Flossie
+named her pet, would splash about in it, as happy as could be. Flossie
+and all the children in the neighborhood, used to play with him every
+day.
+
+"Before the spring was over, Allie was so tame, that he would follow
+Flossie up to the house, where the children would feed him with fish or
+meat.
+
+"The alligator kept growing and growing, until he was too large for the
+pen; and as he grew old, he grew so cross, that Flossie's papa sold him
+to a circus-man for a twenty-dollar gold-piece, and the children never
+saw their pet again."
+
+                                             AUNT MEG.
+
+
+
+
+"THE NURSERY" TO ITS READERS.
+
+
+    FIFTEEN years ago, in my green cover
+      Faintly colored like the leaves in spring,
+    High and low, of every child the lover,
+      First I came my welcome words to bring.
+
+    And from then till now I have not rested;
+      I have still kept busy every day;
+    When the cowslips bloomed, and, crimson-breasted,
+      Sang the robins in the golden May,
+
+    When the silver daisies starred the mowing,
+      When the nestling swallows fluttered forth,
+    When the maple-woods like flame were glowing,
+      Or the wild wind piped from out the north;
+
+    All the time I used to look and listen:
+      "Something for the children I must find,
+    Merry tales to make their bright eyes glisten,
+      Useful lessons they should keep in mind."
+
+    Fifteen years--how brief they were and pleasant!
+      When these little golden heads are gray,
+    Looking back on what is now the present,
+      Who can tell? There may be one will say,--
+
+    "These few words that once my mother taught me
+      From 'The Nursery,' ere I could read,
+    Lingering in my memory, have brought me
+      Helpful counsel in life's hours of need."
+
+    Everywhere, of every child the lover,
+      Willing doer of my best was I;
+    For the last time, in my pale green cover,
+      I have come to say to you "Good-by!"
+
+                              MARIAN DOUGLAS.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Transcriber's Notes: Obvious punctuation errors repaired.
+
+The original text for the July issue had a table of contents that
+spanned six issues. This was divided amongst those issues.
+
+Additionally, only the July issue had a title page. This page was copied
+for the remaining five issues. Each issue had the number added on the
+title page after the Volume number.
+
+Table of Contents omits the mention of the Drawing-Lesson on page 369.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+End of Project Gutenberg's The Nursery, December 1881, Vol. XXX, by Various
+
+*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 42161 ***