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diff --git a/old/52044-h/52044-h.htm b/old/52044-h/52044-h.htm deleted file mode 100644 index 84e1918..0000000 --- a/old/52044-h/52044-h.htm +++ /dev/null @@ -1,6961 +0,0 @@ -<!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" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> - <head> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8" /> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> - <title> - The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Wide Awake Third Reader, by Clara Murray. - </title> - <style type="text/css"> - -body { - margin-left: 10%; - margin-right: 10%; -} - - h1,h2,h3 { - text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ - clear: both; -} - .faux { - font-size: 0.5em; /*this font size could be anything */ - visibility: hidden;} - -p { - margin-top: .75em; - text-align: justify; - text-indent: 1.25em; - margin-bottom: .75em; -} - - - .maintitle {font-size: 200%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center; text-indent: 0;} - .copyright {text-align: center; font-size: 70%; text-indent: 0;} - .adtitle2 {font-size: 150%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center; text-indent: 0;} - .author {font-size: 120%; text-align: center; text-indent: 0;} - .authorof {font-size: 70%; text-align: center; text-indent: 0; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0;} - div.chapter {page-break-before: always;} - .sig {margin-right: 10%; text-align: right;} - .spaced {letter-spacing: 1em; text-indent: 1em; font-weight: bold;} - - img {border: 0;} - -hr { - width: 33%; - margin-top: 1em; - margin-bottom: 1em; - margin-left: auto; - margin-right: auto; - clear: both; -} - -hr.tb {width: 45%;} -hr.chap {width: 65%} - -ul.booklist { list-style-type: none; margin-left: 15%; } - - -/* Poetry */ -.poetry-container -{ - text-align: center; -} - -.poetry -{ - display: inline-block; - text-align: left; -} - -.poetry .stanza -{ - margin: 1em auto; -} - -.poetry .verse -{ - text-indent: -3em; - padding-left: 3em; -} - -table { - margin-left: auto; - margin-right: auto; -} - -.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ - /* visibility: hidden; */ - position: absolute; - left: 92%; - font-size: smaller; - text-align: right; - font-style: normal; - text-indent: 0;} /* page numbers */ - - -.blockquot { - margin-left: 10%; - margin-right: 10%; -} - -.bbox {border: solid 2px; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; padding-bottom: .5em; padding-top: .5em; - padding-left: .5em; padding-right: .5em;} - -.center {text-align: center; text-indent: 0;} - -.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} - -.caption {font-weight: bold; font-size: 90%; text-indent: 0;} - -/* Images */ -.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; -} - -@media handheld -{ - .chapter - { - page-break-before: always; - } - - h2.no-break - { - page-break-before: avoid; - padding-top: 0; - } - - .poetry - { - display: block; - margin-left: 1.5em; - } -} - - - </style> - </head> -<body> - - -<pre> - -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Wide Awake Third Reader, by Clara Murray - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world 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. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: The Wide Awake Third Reader - -Author: Clara Murray - -Release Date: May 11, 2016 [EBook #52044] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WIDE AWAKE THIRD READER *** - - - - -Produced by Emmy, MWS 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> - -<h1 class="faux">THE WIDE AWAKE THIRD READER</h1> -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 632px;"> -<img src="images/cover.jpg" width="632" height="800" alt="cover" /> -</div> -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />1<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - -<div class="maintitle">THE WIDE AWAKE THIRD READER</div> - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />2<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<div class="bbox"> -<div class="adtitle2">The Wide Awake Series</div> - - - -<ul class="booklist"><li>THE WIDE AWAKE PRIMER, 30 cents</li> -<li>THE WIDE AWAKE FIRST READER, 30 cents</li> -<li>THE WIDE AWAKE SECOND READER, 35 cents</li> -<li>THE WIDE AWAKE THIRD READER, 40 cents</li></ul> - -</div> -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 515px;"> -<img src="images/i-008.jpg" width="515" height="737" alt="four children sitting on floor" /> -<div class="caption">THE CHILDREN SCRUB THEIR WOODEN SHOES.<br /> - -<small>(From “Dutch Children.”)</small></div> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />3<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<div class="maintitle">THE WIDE AWAKE<br /> -THIRD READER</div> - - -<div class="center"><br /><br /><br /> -BY<br /> -<span class="author">CLARA MURRAY</span><br /> -<span class="authorof">AUTHOR OF “THE WIDE AWAKE PRIMER,” “THE WIDE AWAKE FIRST<br /> -READER,” “THE WIDE AWAKE SECOND READER,” ETC.</span><br /><br /><br /><br /> -</div> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 424px;"> -<img src="images/title.jpg" width="424" height="291" alt="two Eskimo children" /> -</div> - -<div class="center"><br /><br /><br /> -BOSTON<br /> -LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY<br /> -1912<br /> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />4<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<div class="copyright"> -<span class="smcap">Copyright, 1908,<br /> -By LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY.</span><br /> -<br /> -<i>All rights reserved.</i><br /> -<br /> -<br /> -Printers<br /> -<span class="smcap">S. J. Parkhill & Co., Boston</span>, U.S.A.<br /> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />5<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>PREFACE</h2> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 85px;"> -<img src="images/doodad.jpg" width="85" height="9" alt="decoration" /> -</div> -<p><span class="smcap">In</span> this, the third reader of the series, great care has been taken, -not only in selecting material suited to the needs and ability -of the pupil, but also to arrange the selections so that he may -develop the habit of acquiring interesting facts as he reads.</p> - -<p>In the first two grades the children need to learn the mechanics -of reading,—the recognition of words, the ability to find out <i>new</i> -words for themselves by means of phonics, correct pronunciation, -enunciation, inflection, expression, etc., but in this grade especial -stress may be laid on <i>learning by reading</i>,—getting the fact and -remembering it. This prepares the pupil for the actual work of -studying, when he is given a book and asked for the first time to -“learn the lessons.” The questions at the end of many of the -lessons should be read and answered by the pupil after he has read -the selection. His answers should be thoughtfully prepared and -correctly stated.</p> - -<p>Especial attention is called to the fact that the selections in this -book are almost exclusively copyrighted material, and have -never been and cannot be used in other series of readers. This -avoids the tiresome repetition of stories, read first in one book -and then again and again in others.</p> - -<p>Many of the selections are valuable from a literary standpoint, -and the pupils will read with real enjoyment stories by Laura -Richards, Mary E. Wilkins, Anna von Rydingsvärd, Helen Hunt -Jackson, and other authors, noted for their skill in writing stories -for children.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />6<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>The selections which deal especially with child life and interests -in other countries will broaden the child’s view of the world, -prepare him for the study of geography, and help him to be a -wide awake child, just the child whom this Wide Awake Series -is intended to develop.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The selections, “Little Grandmother’s Shoes,” “Children of -a Sunny Land,” “The Little Plant,” “The Little Goatherds,” -“Great-Great-Grandma’s Christmas in England,” “The Whipping -Boy,” “The Christmas Spruce Tree,” “The Eve of St. -Nicholas,” “The Little Turkeys,” “The Children of Armenia,” -“Ahmow,—the Wolf,” “The Emperor and the Peasant,” and -“The Christmas Monks,” are used by arrangement with the -Lothrop, Lee and Shepard Company.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />7<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2>CONTENTS</h2> - - - - -<div class="center"> -<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="contents"> -<tr> -<td align="left"> </td> -<td align="left"> </td> -<td align="left"><small>PAGE</small></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">All the Children of all the World</span></td> -<td align="left"> </td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_9">9</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Song Sparrow’s Work</span></td> -<td align="left"><i>Etta Austin Blaisdell</i></td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_15">15</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Dutch Children</span></td> -<td align="left"> </td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_20">20</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">A Little Dutch Girl</span></td> -<td align="left"><i>Edith Colby Banfield</i></td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_25">25</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Great Feast</span></td> -<td align="left"><i>Laura E. Richards</i></td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_26">26</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Little Grandmother’s Shoes</span></td> -<td align="left"> </td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_30">30</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Little-Folk Land</span></td> -<td align="left"><i>Edith Colby Banfield</i></td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_33">33</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Children of a Sunny Land</span></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 2em;"><span class="smcap">A Strange Milk Wagon</span></span></td> -<td align="left"> </td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_35">35</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 2em;"><span class="smcap">A Ride in a Chair</span></span></td> -<td align="left"> </td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_36">36</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 2em;"><span class="smcap">The Carnival</span></span></td> -<td align="left"> </td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_39">39</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Little Plant</span></td> -<td align="left"><i>Anna von Rydingsvärd</i></td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_42">42</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Two Ways</span></td> -<td align="left"><i>Laura E. Richards</i></td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_44">44</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">A Song in the Woods</span></td> -<td align="left"><i>Louise C. Moulton</i></td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_46">46</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">How the Corn Grew</span></td> -<td align="left"><i>Julia Dalrymple</i></td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_47">47</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">“Do You Know?”</span></td> -<td align="left"><i>Edith Colby Banfield</i></td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_51">51</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Little Goatherds</span></td> -<td align="left"> </td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_52">52</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Swiss Children</span></td> -<td align="left"> </td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_56">56</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Lullaby-Land</span></td> -<td align="left"><i>Edith Colby Banfield</i></td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_60">60</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Stone Blocks</span></td> -<td align="left"><i>Laura E. Richards</i></td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_61">61</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Great-Great-Grandma’s Christmas in England</span></td> -<td align="left"> </td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_63">63</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Whipping Boy</span></td> -<td align="left"> </td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_69">69</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Christmas Spruce Tree</span></td> -<td align="left"><i>Anna von Rydingsvärd</i></td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_72">72</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />8<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span><span class="smcap">A Rose</span></td> -<td align="left"><i>Emily Dickinson</i></td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_76">76</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Eve of St. Nicholas</span></td> -<td align="left"> </td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_77">77</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Robin Redbreast</span></td> -<td align="left"><i>William Allingham</i></td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_81">81</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left">“<span class="smcap">The Little Turkeys</span>”</td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 2em;"><span class="smcap">In School</span></span></td> -<td align="left"> </td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_83">83</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 2em;"><span class="smcap">At Home</span></span></td> -<td align="left"> </td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_88">88</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left">“<span class="smcap">Gillyflower Gentleman</span>”</td> -<td align="left"><i>Laura E. Richards</i></td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_91">91</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Ruler</span></td> -<td align="left"><i>Laura E. Richards</i></td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_93">93</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Moon</span></td> -<td align="left"><i>Edith Colby Banfield</i></td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_95">95</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Children of Armenia</span></td> -<td align="left"> </td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_96">96</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Armenian Homes</span></td> -<td align="left"> </td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_100">100</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Nest</span></td> -<td align="left"><i>Helen Hunt Jackson</i></td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_104">104</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Ahmow—The Wolf</span></td> -<td align="left"><i>Frederick Schwatka</i></td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_106">106</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Eskimo Children</span></td> -<td align="left"> </td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_113">113</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Dream-Ship</span></td> -<td align="left"><i>Blanche M. Channing</i></td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_117">117</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">A Trip to Japan</span></td> -<td align="left"><i>Charlotte Chaffee Gibson</i></td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_118">118</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Urashima</span></td> -<td align="left"><i>Charlotte Chaffee Gibson</i></td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_125">125</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">A Day</span></td> -<td align="left"><i>Emily Dickinson</i></td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_130">130</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Ants’ Monday Dinner</span></td> -<td align="left"><i>Helen Hunt Jackson</i></td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_131">131</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">My Ant’s Cow</span></td> -<td align="left"><i>Helen Hunt Jackson</i></td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_139">139</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Colorado Snow-Birds</span></td> -<td align="left"><i>Helen Hunt Jackson</i></td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_148">148</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Peterkins’ Excursion after Maple Syrup</span></td> -<td align="left"><i>Lucretia P. Hale</i></td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_153">153</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Grass</span></td> -<td align="left"><i>Emily Dickinson</i></td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_164">164</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Sunset</span></td> -<td align="left"><i>Emily Dickinson</i></td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_165">165</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Baby Squirrels</span></td> -<td align="left"><i>Julia A. Schwartz</i></td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_166">166</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Baby that Sleeps in a Pocket</span></td> -<td align="left"><i>Julia A. Schwartz</i></td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_180">180</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Emperor and the Peasant</span></td> -<td align="left"><i>Anna von Rydingsvärd</i></td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_194">194</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Christmas Monks</span></td> -<td align="left"><i>Mary E. Wilkins</i></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 2em;"><span class="smcap">The Garden</span></span></td> -<td align="left"> </td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_203">203</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 2em;"><span class="smcap">Peter and the Prince</span></span></td> -<td align="left"> </td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_206">206</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 2em;"><span class="smcap">The Prettiest Doll</span></span></td> -<td align="left"> </td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_210">210</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 2em;"><span class="smcap">Christmas Gifts</span></span></td> -<td align="left"> </td> -<td align="right"><a href="#Page_214">214</a></td> -</tr> - -</table></div> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />9<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>THE WIDE AWAKE THIRD -READER</h2> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> -<h2>ALL THE CHILDREN OF ALL THE WORLD</h2> - - -<p>I wish you would try to think this morning about -all the children in all the world.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 496px;"> -<img src="images/i-011.jpg" width="496" height="239" alt="Japanese girl playing with a doll" /> -</div> - -<p>There are thousands and thousands of them, and -they are doing all sorts of things this very minute.</p> - -<p>Some of them are wide awake and some are in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />10<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -bed and fast asleep. Some are in school and some -are playing out of doors.</p> - -<p>Some live in such hot countries that they lie in -the shade of big palm trees to keep cool. Others are -in such a cold country that they see nothing but -ice and snow, and they are dressed in furs from head -to foot.</p> - -<p>When you read stories about the children in other -lands, do they seem to you like fairy stories?</p> - -<p>I want you to know that all these children are real -boys and girls, and they work and play and have -happy times together, just as you do.</p> - -<p>Perhaps when you read about the children in the -far North you will wish that you were an Eskimo boy, -living in a snow hut, wearing thick furs, and riding -over the fields of snow in a sled drawn by dogs.</p> - -<p>Or perhaps you would rather be a little Indian -and live in a wigwam in the forest, learning to paddle -a canoe, and to fish and hunt.</p> - -<p>While you are here in this beautiful schoolroom, -learning to read and write and draw and sing, there<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />11<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -are thousands of other children who never saw a schoolhouse, -and who will grow up to be men and women -without even learning to read.</p> - -<p>You can read stories about these people, and -as you grow older perhaps you will know more -about them, but they will probably never hear of -you.</p> - -<p>Of course, there are many thousands of children -everywhere who are in school this morning.</p> - -<p>Think of all the boys and girls in every town in the -whole United States, who see the flag with its stars -and stripes floating over their schoolhouses, and who -learn to sing “America.”</p> - -<p>In France the children wave a flag of red, white and -blue, and learn a song about their country, but their -flag is not like yours, and you could not understand -one word of their French song.</p> - -<p>The little English children sing a song about their -country and their king which you could understand, -and they read in books like yours. But then, there -are the children who live in Germany, and learn to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />12<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -read in German, and the children who live in Italy -and read Italian books, and many, many others.</p> - -<p>Oh, there are so many children in the world!</p> - -<p>In Japan and China the children use the queerest -books that you ever saw. The words go up and -down the page, and the stories begin at the end of -the book, and at the bottom of the page. The words -look like this:—</p> - -<div class="figleft" style="width: 89px;"> -<img src="images/i-014.jpg" width="89" height="218" alt="Japanese writing" /> -</div> - -<p>Did you ever see such funny words?</p> - -<p>The boys and girls in these other -countries do not go to school all of the -time. They have holidays and vacations, -and they play out of doors in the long -summer days and the cold winter -weather, just as you do.</p> - -<p>You would enjoy playing with these children, even -if you could not talk with them. I know you would -like to fly big kites with the boys in Japan, or skate -down the canals with the little Dutch boys.</p> - -<p>And as for dolls! I am sure there are as many dolls -in the world as there are little girls, and perhaps more,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />13<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -because some little girls have so many dolls that -they cannot play with all of them.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 497px;"> -<img src="images/i-015.jpg" width="497" height="369" alt="Dutch boys skating" /> -</div> - -<p>You would like to play with the queer Chinese dolls -in their beautiful silken robes, or with the Eskimo -dolls that are carved out of bone and are dressed in -furs and sealskin.</p> - -<p>The Indian girl has wooden dolls dressed in bright -blankets, with beads and feathers. The little French -girl has a big wax doll, with blue eyes that shut<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />14<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -when she lies down, and pop open when she sits up -again. She wears beautiful gowns and big hats with -feathers and ribbons.</p> - -<p>Wouldn’t it be fun to have a dolls’ party to-day, if -the dolls from all over the world could come?</p> - -<p>These dolls might be dressed in furs, or silks, or -blankets; they might be made of wax, or bone, or -wood. But if they could talk they would tell you -that the little girl who owns them loves them, and -that, whether she lives in a snow hut or a tent in the -desert, she has a loving father and mother and a -happy childhood.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Are there many children in all the world?</p> - -<p>What are some of them doing this very minute?</p> - -<p>If you should go to school in Germany, what would -you have to do first?</p> - -<p>What does a little German child have to do when -he first goes to school in our country?</p> - -<p>Tell all the things you can that all the children in the -world do almost every day.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />15<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>THE SONG SPARROW’S WORK</h2> - - -<p>In the forest where the birds live there is always -work to do.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 495px;"> -<img src="images/i-017.jpg" width="495" height="368" alt="owl in tree with full moon behind " /> -</div> - -<p>The woodpecker is a carpenter. He climbs up and -down the trees and chops a hole in the trunk of one -of them to make his home.</p> - -<p>The crow flies down to the ground, and walks about -in the fields.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />16<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>He is the birds’ farmer. Toward evening, when -he cries, “Caw! Caw!” he means that the earth -needs rain.</p> - -<p>The owl is the night policeman. He watches the -rats and mice, and keeps them out of the farmer’s -fields.</p> - -<p>The kingbirds are the soldiers. They fight the -birds that come over from the next forest, and drive -them away.</p> - -<p>The hawks have sharp eyes, and can see a long way. -They are the scouts, and tell the soldiers when the -enemy is coming.</p> - -<p>The whip-poor-wills can see in the night, so they are -the birds’ night watchmen.</p> - -<p>The orioles are weavers. They weave their nests, -and hang them in the tallest trees.</p> - -<p>One of the birds is a thief, and steals eggs from the -nests of the other birds, but I shall not tell you <i>his</i> -name.</p> - -<p>So all of the birds have work to do in the -forest.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />17<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>What do the song birds do? Ah! they have their -work, too. They sing cheerfully while the other birds -work, and make the hours short and the day -happy.</p> - -<p>They sing of the goodness of God, and of the beauty -in the forest and sky.</p> - -<p>If there were no song birds, the workers -might forget all of these lovely things. Then their -hearts would be as hard as the tree the woodpecker -is chopping.</p> - -<p>One spring morning the song birds were singing so -beautifully that every one listened.</p> - -<p>The woodpeckers cried, “Plitt! plitt!” The -crows screamed, “Rah! rah!” and the blackbirds -laughed with glee. This meant that they liked the -songs.</p> - -<p>In the nests were many baby birds. They liked to -hear the songs, too, so they stretched up their little -heads.</p> - -<p>But <i>they</i> could not understand the songs about the -sky and the forest. You see, they had not seen these<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />18<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -things yet, and they did not know what the songs -meant.</p> - -<p>The poor babies drooped their heads and were -very sad.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 494px;"> -<img src="images/i-020.jpg" width="494" height="362" alt="bird on branch" /> -</div> - -<p>There was one bird who thought of the babies -in the nests, for he had a kind heart, and loved little -things.</p> - -<p>“I will fly down and sing for them,” he thought; -“perhaps it will make them happy.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />19<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>So he flew into a little bush, quite near the ground, -and sang the sweetest song he knew. Over and over -again he sang it, and the babies in the nests listened -all the time.</p> - -<p>“He is singing about the warm sunshine,” said -the baby robins.</p> - -<p>“He is singing about rocking in this beautiful -cradle,” said the baby orioles.</p> - -<p>Then, as the song grew sweeter and sweeter, “Listen, -listen!” they cried. “Now he is singing about our -mother. That is the best song of all.”</p> - -<p>So the song sparrow sang in the little bush, telling -the babies about the sun and the breezes and their -mothers’ love.</p> - -<p>He waked them in the morning; he sang them to -sleep at night.</p> - -<p>Have you never heard him singing, “Sweet, sweet, -sweet, loving little mother, sweet”?</p> - -<p class="sig"> -—<i>Etta Austin Blaisdell.</i><br /> -</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />20<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>DUTCH CHILDREN</h2> - - -<p>How would you like to go to Holland with me to -visit the little Dutch children?</p> - -<p>First we must go to New York City in a railroad -train and then get on board of one of the big ships -that cross the ocean.</p> - -<p>We shall have to travel over the water five or -six days and nights in this big ship, and then ride a -long way, after we come to land.</p> - -<p>When the Pilgrims came to this country, nearly -three hundred years ago, they crossed the same ocean, -but it took them many weeks. They were in a small -sailing vessel, and had to come very slowly.</p> - -<p>On board of this big ship you will find a great many -things to do and see. There are several hundred -people on the vessel, and it is interesting to watch -them. There are books to read, and games to play, -and the days will go very swiftly.</p> - -<p>Most of the time you will not be able to see land -in any direction. All you can see is the sun and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />21<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -the sky and the ocean with big waves rolling and -tossing about.</p> - -<p>I wonder what you will notice the very first thing -when you reach Holland.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 495px;"> -<img src="images/i-023.jpg" width="495" height="365" alt="two girls knitting" /> -</div> - -<p>Perhaps you will see a group of children running -down the street with their wooden shoes clacking on -the stone walks.</p> - -<p>Or perhaps you will see some girls standing at a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />22<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -corner knitting stockings, or a boy driving a dog -harnessed to a little cart.</p> - -<p>If you take a train and ride through the country -you will see many strange things.</p> - -<p>There are big windmills everywhere, with long -arms, and sails to catch the wind. These mills turn -wheels to pump water and grind corn and saw wood. -In Holland there are no rivers with falls and swift -currents to turn the mill wheels.</p> - -<p>In some towns there are canals instead of streets, -with bridges for the people to cross from one side to -the other.</p> - -<p>In summer there are many boats going up and -down the canals, but in winter the water in the -canals freezes, and then everybody skates. Think -what fun it must be to skate to church, to skate to -market, to skate to school, and then skate home -again!</p> - -<p>A great many of the poor children in Holland wear -wooden shoes when they are out of doors. When -they go into the house they take off their shoes and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />23<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -leave them at the door. You can tell, by counting -the pairs of shoes at the door, how many children -there are in the house.</p> - -<p>Every week the children scrub their wooden shoes -with soap and water until they are almost as white -as snow; then they dry them in the sun, or before the -fire in the big open fireplace.</p> - -<p>These wooden shoes make fine boats, and sometimes -the boys take them off and sail them in the -canals. The little girls use them for doll carriages, -or play they are beds, and tuck their dolls into them -for a nap.</p> - -<p>If you were walking down a village street in Holland -you might see a red silk ball, or a pink silk one, -hanging at the front door of one of the houses. This -is to show that there is a little new baby in the house. -If the ball is red, the baby is a boy; if it is pink, the -baby is a girl.</p> - -<p>There are very good schools in Holland, and all -the children go to school and learn to read and write -and sing, just as you do. But their reading and singing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />24<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -would sound very strange to you, and you could not -read one word of their writing.</p> - -<p>The Dutch children have vacations and holidays, -of course. The holiday they like best of all is Santa -Claus Day. It comes on the sixth day of December, -and is very much like our Christmas Day.</p> - -<p>The boys and girls put their wooden shoes in front -of the fireplace, on the hearth, just as you hang your -stocking near the chimney, and Santa Claus rides -over the roofs of the houses on a big horse and -drops presents down the chimney into the little -shoes.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>How would you go from your home to New York -City? How long would it take?</p> - -<p>What would you like to see in Holland?</p> - -<p>What would you see that you never saw before?</p> - -<p>Why do the people in Holland build windmills?</p> - -<p>What kind of shoes do many of the children wear?</p> - -<p>What season would you like best if you were in -Holland? Why?</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />25<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>A LITTLE DUTCH GIRL</h2> - - -<div class="poetry-container"> - <div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">Were you a little Dutch girl</div> -<div class="verse">You’d be, perhaps, as sweet</div> -<div class="verse">As now you are, my darling,</div> -<div class="verse">And very much more neat!</div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">You’d be a little housewife,</div> -<div class="verse">And even at your play</div> -<div class="verse">You’d take your knitting needles,</div> -<div class="verse">And knit and knit away!</div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">You’d never be forgetting</div> -<div class="verse">To feed your pussy-cat,</div> -<div class="verse">And she, like Holland pussies,</div> -<div class="verse">Would grow so sleek and fat.</div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">But were you, dear, a Gretchen,</div> -<div class="verse">You’d live across the sea,</div> -<div class="verse">And so would be, my dearie,</div> -<div class="verse">No kind of use to me.</div> -<div class="sig">—<i>Edith Colby Banfield.</i></div> -</div> -</div> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />26<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>THE GREAT FEAST</h2> - - -<p>Once the Play Angel came into a nursery where -four little children sat on the floor with sad and troubled -faces.</p> - -<p>“What is the matter, children?” asked the Play -Angel.</p> - -<p>“We wanted to have a great feast,” said the child -whose nursery it was.</p> - -<p>“Yes, that would be delightful,” said the Play -Angel.</p> - -<p>“But there is only one cooky!” said the child -whose nursery it was.</p> - -<p>“And it is a very small cooky!” said his little -cousin.</p> - -<p>“Not big enough for me!” said the child whose -nursery it was.</p> - -<p>The other two children said nothing, but they -looked at the cooky with big round eyes, and their -mouths went up in the middle and down at the -sides.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />27<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>“Well,” said the Play Angel, “let us have the -feast just the same. I think we can manage it.”</p> - -<p>She broke the cooky into four pieces, and gave one -piece to the littlest child.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 493px;"> -<img src="images/i-029.jpg" width="493" height="362" alt="Angel on floor with children" /> -</div> - -<p>“See,” she said. “This is a roast chicken. It is -just as brown and crisp as it can be. There is cranberry -sauce on one side, and on the other a little -mountain of mashed potato. It must be a volcano, -it smokes so. Do you see?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />28<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>“Yes,” said the littlest child, and his mouth went -down in the middle and up at the corners.</p> - -<p>The Play Angel gave a piece to the next -child.</p> - -<p>“Here,” she said, “is a little pie. Outside, as you -see, it is brown and crusty, and inside it is all chicken, -and ham, and jelly, and hard-boiled eggs. Did you -ever see such a pie?”</p> - -<p>“No, I never did,” said the child.</p> - -<p>“Now here,” said the Angel to the third child, -“is a round cake. The frosting is half an inch thick, -and inside there are chopped nuts and raisins. It is -the prettiest cake I ever saw, and the best.”</p> - -<p>“So it is,” said the third child.</p> - -<p>Then the Angel gave the last piece to the child -whose nursery it was.</p> - -<p>“My dear,” she said, “just look! Here is an ice-cream -rabbit. He is snowy white outside, with eyes -of red sugar; see his long ears, and his little tail. -Inside, I think you will find he is pink.</p> - -<p>“Now, when I clap my hands and count one, two,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />29<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -three, you must eat the feast all up. One—two,—three!”</p> - -<p>So the children ate the feast all up.</p> - -<p>“There,” said the Angel, “did you ever see such -a grand feast?”</p> - -<p>“No, we never did!” said all the four children -together.</p> - -<p>“And there are some crumbs left over,” said the -Angel. “Come, and we will give them to the brother -birds.”</p> - -<p>“But you didn’t have any,” said the child whose -nursery it was.</p> - -<p>“Oh, yes!” said the Angel, “I had it all.”</p> - -<p class="sig"> -—<i>Laura E. Richards.</i><br /> -</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<div class="poetry-container"> - <div class="poetry"> -<div class="verse">Small service is true service while it lasts.</div> -<div class="verse">Of humblest friends, bright creature, scorn not one.</div> -<div class="verse">The daisy, by the shadow that it casts,</div> -<div class="verse">Protects the lingering dewdrop from the sun.</div> -<div class="sig">—<i>William Wordsworth.</i></div> -</div> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />30<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>LITTLE GRANDMOTHER’S SHOES</h2> - - -<p>“But, Grandmother,” said little May, holding up -the tiny pair of calf-skin shoes, “were these your -very <i>best</i> shoes? Didn’t you have any shiny black ones, -with a tassel on, like mine?</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 493px;"> -<img src="images/i-032.jpg" width="493" height="243" alt="Girl with grandmother" /> -</div> - -<p>“And where did you buy them, Grandmother? -Did Columbus bring them with him in his ship?”</p> - -<p>“No, dear; Columbus didn’t bring Grandma’s -shoes in his ship. He sailed back to Spain again three -hundred years before these shoes were made.</p> - -<p>“Bring your chair and sit down by me. I will tell -you all about these little worn-out shoes of mine.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />31<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>“When I was a little girl,” began Grandmother, -“children did not wear shoes all the time. They -went barefoot in the summer, except when they were -dressed up. One pair of shoes had to last a whole -year.</p> - -<p>“When we went to church we used to go barefoot, -carrying our shoes in our hands. At the foot of the -hill we washed our feet in the brook and put on our -shoes and stockings.</p> - -<p>“Our shoes did not wear out very fast; and if we -lost a shoe, we had to go barefoot till the shoemaker -came again.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, dear!” sighed May, “how dreadful! Who -was the shoemaker, Grandmother, and when did he -come?”</p> - -<p>“The shoemaker,” Grandmother replied, “was a -very important man when I was a little girl. ‘Shoe -week’ was a busy week in the family.</p> - -<p>“I can remember how glad we all were when father -said, ‘The shoemaker will be here to-morrow.’</p> - -<p>“That night the shoe bench was brought down from<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />32<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -the attic and placed in a warm corner of the -kitchen.</p> - -<p>“Father and mother made a list of the shoes that -were needed. We children talked about our new -shoes and the shoemaker until we fell asleep.</p> - -<p>“Early in the morning the shoemaker appeared. -He carried his bag of tools and a roll of leather on -his back. By seven o’clock he was seated at his bench, -hard at work.</p> - -<p>“We children used to sit on the floor beside him and -watch him work. First he measured our feet and drew -some paper patterns. Then he cut out the leather.</p> - -<p>“He punched holes along the edges of the leather -with a sharp awl; then the shoe was ready to sew.</p> - -<p>“For his sewing he used a long waxed thread, -with a stiff bristle at each end for a needle. All day -long he would sit at his bench, putting the needles -into the holes and pulling the thread through, till the -shoe was sewed firmly.</p> - -<p>“When all our shoes were made, he packed his -bag and said good-by for another year.”</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />33<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>LITTLE-FOLK LAND</h2> - - -<div class="poetry-container"> - <div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">The children all go looking</div> -<div class="verse">In vain for Fairyland,</div> -<div class="verse">Where little folk have dwelling,</div> -<div class="verse">And wander hand in hand;</div> -<div class="verse">Where silvery small voices</div> -<div class="verse">Ring clear upon the air,</div> -<div class="verse">Where magic little whispers</div> -<div class="verse">Work wonders everywhere;</div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">Where flower fields are forests,</div> -<div class="verse">For tiny feet to tread;</div> -<div class="verse">Where one has lived a life-time</div> -<div class="verse">Before the day is fled.</div> -<div class="verse">For this dear wondrous country</div> -<div class="verse">The children look in vain;</div> -<div class="verse">They find but empty flowers,</div> -<div class="verse"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />34<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span>Through sun and summer rain.</div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">It is the grown folks only</div> -<div class="verse">Have eyes for Fairyland,</div> -<div class="verse">Where little people wander,</div> -<div class="verse">And toddle hand in hand;</div> -<div class="verse">Where happy voices prattle,</div> -<div class="verse">And whisper secrets strange;</div> -<div class="verse">Where tiny sprites by magic</div> -<div class="verse">To bigger fairies change;</div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">Where dancing little figures</div> -<div class="verse">Get lost amid the flowers;</div> -<div class="verse">Where days as years are measured,</div> -<div class="verse">And minutes count for hours.</div> -<div class="verse">It is the grown folk only</div> -<div class="verse">Can find the land of elves;</div> -<div class="verse">How could the children guess it?</div> -<div class="verse">The fairies are themselves.</div> -<div class="sig">—<i>Edith Colby Banfield.</i></div> -</div> -</div> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />35<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHILDREN OF A SUNNY LAND</h2> - - -<h3>I—A STRANGE MILK WAGON</h3> - -<p>Domingo and his sister Marikena live in a warm, -sunny land. It is the land of Brazil, where there are -fruits and flowers all the year, and it is always summer.</p> - -<p>Domingo and Marikena love the sunshine, and the -birds and flowers.</p> - -<p>They like to play out of doors in the early morning -and at night, but at noon it is too hot, and every one -takes a nap.</p> - -<p>When they go to the woods they do not see crows -and blue jays and woodpeckers. Instead, there are -gorgeous parrots and beautiful humming-birds that -are almost as large as robins.</p> - -<p>Perhaps they see monkeys in the palm trees; and, -instead of acorns, they find cocoanuts.</p> - -<p>In their schoolroom they sing all their lessons. Is -not that a merry way? But it would seem strange to -you because you could not understand one word<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />36<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -they say. You see, they do not speak English, and -they could not talk with you.</p> - -<p>Every morning the two children are up very early -and out on the balcony watching for something. Soon -they call out, “<i>leite, leite</i>,” which means, “milk, -milk.”</p> - -<p>And what do you suppose they see? Not a wagon -filled with glass jars or tin cans. Oh, no! It is only -two or three cows being driven down the street by a -woman.</p> - -<p>The woman stops the cows in front of Domingo’s -house, and milks one of them while the children watch -her. How sweet and fresh this milk is! I wish you -could have some every morning, too!</p> - - -<h3>II—A RIDE IN A CHAIR</h3> - -<p>Domingo and Marikena are going with their mother -to visit their cousin.</p> - -<p>They have had their afternoon nap and it is not -too hot out of doors now, as it is nearly four o’clock.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />37<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>If you were going to pay a visit you would walk -or ride in a car or carriage, would you not?</p> - -<p>But Domingo and Marikena are not going in either -of those ways. It is too hot to walk, and the streetcars -do not go up the hill where their aunt lives, so -they will ride in a chair.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 491px;"> -<img src="images/i-039.jpg" width="491" height="351" alt="Children carrying a litter" /> -</div> - -<p>The chairs are large and have big, soft cushions. -They have a cover overhead and curtains on all sides, -and are carried by four men.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />38<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>The two children ride in one chair; their mother in -another. The curtains are drawn down, but Domingo -peeps out as they ride through the city streets.</p> - -<p>When they reach the cousin’s house they do not -rap on the door or ring a bell. The mother claps her -hands, and when the aunt sees them she says, “Enter -and welcome. The house and all it contains is yours.”</p> - -<p>Is not that a strange way of saying, “I am glad to -see you. Will you come in?”</p> - -<p>They sit in the parlor and while they talk they sip -coffee from tiny cups. Before they come away they -walk in the garden, where there are beautiful flowers -and fountains, tall palm trees, and rubber trees with -blossoms like yellow lilies.</p> - -<p>The chair-men wait and the children ride home again, -but it is dark, and they can see only the lights in -the houses. The chair swings back and forth like a -cradle as the men trot down the hill into the city.</p> - -<p>They sing as they go, and the song is a low, sweet -tune like a lullaby. Marikena puts her head on the -cushions and almost falls asleep.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />39<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>Domingo nods and dreams of the fruit and the -flowers and the funny pet monkey his cousin had in -the garden. Oh! the days are long and happy in -Brazil, and the children have merry times.</p> - - -<h3>III—THE CARNIVAL</h3> - -<p>“The Carnival, the Carnival,” shouted Domingo -one morning. “This is the first day of the Carnival.”</p> - -<p>Then he ran to find Marikena. “Look, Sister,” -he cried, “I am a clown this year. What are you?”</p> - -<p>“I am a fairy,” she replied. “See my cap and -wand. And here is a bag full of sugarplums and -sweetmeats. I can hang the bag over my shoulder.”</p> - -<p>“See these big pockets,” said her brother. “They -are bigger than a bag and they are just full of goodies. -I like to be a clown, because I can have such big -pockets. Take that!” and he threw a handful of -sugarplums into her lap.</p> - -<p>Just then there was a clapping of hands at the -door and the children ran to the balcony.</p> - -<p>In Brazil the Carnival is held on the three days<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />40<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -before Lent, and every one has a holiday. The cities -are beautifully decorated, and men, women and -children wear odd costumes and masks.</p> - -<p>Some of them are dressed to look like monkeys, -some like parrots, and some like clowns. Some wear -gay dresses and funny masks, and others wear ugly -skins of animals and hideous masks.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 492px;"> -<img src="images/i-042.jpg" width="492" height="362" alt="dressed as a clown and a pixie" /> -</div> - -<p>The children often carry wreaths and garlands of -flowers; and there is always music and feasting and -dancing in the streets.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />41<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>Every one has pockets, bags, or baskets full of -sugarplums, sweetmeats, bonbons and flowers.</p> - -<p>These they throw at every one they meet, laughing -merrily if they make a good hit.</p> - -<p>The children think it is great fun to pelt each other -with sugarplums and flowers. It is as good as snow-balling, -only they can never have snow battles because -they never have any snow.</p> - -<p>The Carnival is the best time of all the year in Brazil, -or at least Domingo and Marikena think so.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Where do Domingo and Marikena live?</p> - -<p>When do they play out of doors?</p> - -<p>What do they see in the woods?</p> - -<p>How is the milk brought to their house?</p> - -<p>When they go visiting, what do they ride in?</p> - -<p>What did their aunt say when they went to call on -her? What did they do at their aunt’s house?</p> - -<p>What do some of the people wear on Carnival days?</p> - -<p>What do they carry in their pockets? What do they -throw at each other?</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />42<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>THE LITTLE PLANT</h2> - - -<p>On the edge of the forest stood a tiny plant. It was -only six inches tall.</p> - -<p>The ground around it was so cold and hard that it -could not grow taller. It had stood there many -years, sad and sorrowful.</p> - -<p>“Grow and be beautiful,” said the forest sternly, -but the plant did not grow.</p> - -<p>“Do you not wish to grow?” said the blue jay. -Then he began to tell the little plant how lazy and -useless it was. But his words went into one ear and -out of the other.</p> - -<p>Still the plant did not grow.</p> - -<p>“Grow! grow!” roared the wind. “Grow tall -and straight. I will teach you to obey. Grow! -grow!”</p> - -<p>Then the wind lashed the tiny plant with its cold -wings, and beat its branches to the ground. But the -poor thing came near dying and did not grow at -all.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />43<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>“Do grow,” said the sun. “Grow and be beautiful. -I will help you.”</p> - -<p>Then the sun warmed the earth around the plant, -and gentle showers fell on it from the clouds.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 492px;"> -<img src="images/i-045.jpg" width="492" height="358" alt="small tree in woods with sunlight on it" /> -</div> - -<p>Now the little twigs began to grow, and the tiny -plant became a beautiful birch tree, with green leaves -and snow-white bark.</p> - -<p class="sig"> -—<i>Anna von Rydingsvärd.</i><br /> -</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />44<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>TWO WAYS</h2> - - -<p>Two little weeds grew on a bank by the roadside.</p> - -<p>All summer they had been drinking the dew and -sunshine, and had been very happy.</p> - -<p>But now autumn had come, with gray skies and -winds that nipped and pinched them.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> -<img src="images/i-046.jpg" width="500" height="248" alt="girl looking at weed" /> -</div> - -<p>“We shall die soon,” said one little weed.</p> - -<p>“I should like to do something pleasant before I -die, just to show what a happy time I have had. I -think I will turn red, and then people will see how I -feel.”</p> - -<p>“You will be very foolish to waste your strength -in any such nonsense!” said the other little weed.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />45<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -“I shall live as long as I can, and hug the brown -bank here.”</p> - -<p>So the first little weed turned bright scarlet, and -was so pretty that every one looked at it.</p> - -<p>By and by there came down the road a most beautiful -maiden.</p> - -<p>When she saw the scarlet leaves she picked them -and put them in her hair.</p> - -<p>This made the little weed so happy that he died -for pure joy.</p> - -<p>The second little weed lived on, and turned slowly -brown, like the bank.</p> - -<p>“He was so foolish!” he said, speaking of the -weed that turned scarlet. “He put all his strength -into turning red, and so he died.”</p> - -<p>“I was proud of him,” said the brown bank. “He -did what he could, and people loved him.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, but I am alive, and stay with you!” said the -weed.</p> - -<p>“Much I care!” said the bank.</p> - -<p class="sig"> -—<i>Laura E. Richards.</i><br /> -</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />46<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>A SONG IN THE WOOD</h2> - - -<div class="poetry-container"> - <div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">I found a shy little violet root</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Half hid in the woods, on a day of spring,</span></div> -<div class="verse">And a bird flew over, and looked at it, too,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">And for joy, as he looked, he began to sing.</span></div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">The sky was the tenderest blue above,—</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">And the flower like a bit of the sky below;</span></div> -<div class="verse">And between them the wonderful winds of God</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">On heavenly errands went to and fro.</span></div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">Away from the summer, and out of the South</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">The bird had followed a whisper true,</span></div> -<div class="verse">As out from the brown and desolate sod</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Stepped the shy little blossom, with eyes of blue.</span></div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">And he sang to her, in the young spring day,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Of all the joy in the world astir;</span></div> -<div class="verse">And her beauty and fragrance answered him,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">While the spring and he bent over her.</span></div> -<div class="sig">—<i>Louise Chandler Moulton.</i></div> -</div> -</div> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />47<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>HOW THE CORN GREW</h2> - - -<p>Little Me Too walked to the right, then to the -left, along the sidewalk in front of the house.</p> - -<p>As he walked he sang with all his might about the -ocean, and the summer time, and any other pleasant -thing that came into his head.</p> - -<p>He made it up as he went along, and grew quite -out of breath at last, and had to stop.</p> - -<p>Just as he had got his breath and was meaning to -begin all over again, he saw something very small -and yellow on the edge of the walk.</p> - -<p>Then he began to sing the song of whatever it might -be that was so small and yellow.</p> - -<p>This is what he sang:—</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> - <div class="poetry"> -<div class="verse">“I wonder what this is.</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">I guess it is a kernel of corn.</span></div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">I wonder how it came here</span></div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">All alone by itself.</span></div> -<div class="verse"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />48<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">I guess I don’t know.</span></div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">I wonder if it can be planted</span></div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">In the grass in our yard.</span></div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Yes!”</span></div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>When he said “Yes!” he stooped down and dug a -hole in the ground in the dooryard with his -fingers.</p> - -<p>Then he put the kernel of corn in the hole and -covered it over with dirt.</p> - -<p>Afterwards he stood up and sang at the top of -his voice, “Now I guess it will grow!”</p> - -<p>Of course it grew!</p> - -<p>After a few days it poked itself up through the earth -to make Little Me Too remember. For Little Me Too -had forgotten all about it.</p> - -<p>When he saw it poking its head up through the -grass, he didn’t remember even then that it was the -kernel of corn.</p> - -<p>It had changed.</p> - -<p>When he put it into the ground and covered it with -dirt, it was yellow and hard.</p> - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />49<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>Now it was green and soft. It looked somewhat -like the rest of the grass,—but not <i>just</i> like it, or -Little Me Too wouldn’t have noticed it.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 488px;"> -<img src="images/i-051.jpg" width="488" height="358" alt="Boy talking to man mowing grass" /> -</div> - -<p>When he saw it he said, “There’s a grass that wants -to be different. Perhaps it’s the grandfather grass.”</p> - -<p>He let it alone, and he got the man with the lawn -mower to let it alone. That gave it a good chance -to grow.</p> - -<p>It grew just as fast as it could, and as soon as it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />50<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -was big enough it showed Little Me Too that it was no -grandfather grass, but a cornstalk.</p> - -<p>The man with the lawn mower said so.</p> - -<p>Then it was that Little Me Too remembered. When -he remembered, he said, “Yes, it grew.”</p> - -<p>When it had grown to be taller than Little Me Too, -people walking along the sidewalk would look at it, -and say, “What a fine garden!”</p> - -<p>The mother said, “I am glad it is something that -can’t find its way into the nursery.”</p> - -<p>Little Me Too it was who first saw the ear of corn -growing on the stalk.</p> - -<p>He showed it to some people, and there were others -who saw it without having it shown to them.</p> - -<p>Each of them asked for a bite from it when it should -be ripe.</p> - -<p>Little Me Too said “yes,” to them all.</p> - -<p>When he had said “yes” to thirty-one people, his -mother said, “Don’t say ‘yes’ to any more people; -you won’t have corn enough for them all.”</p> - -<p>Little Me Too promised not to say “yes” again,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />51<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -but sometimes he forgot, and by the time the corn -was ripe he had said “yes” to fifty people.</p> - -<p>But he had plenty of corn, for it was an ear of pop -corn.</p> - -<p>After it was popped over the nursery fire it filled -a big, big bowl.</p> - -<p class="sig"> -—<i>Julia Dalrymple.</i><br /> -</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - - - -<h2>“DO YOU KNOW?”</h2> - - -<div class="poetry-container"> - <div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Do you know</span></div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">That you can go</span></div> -<div class="verse">In the early morning light</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">When the dew is on the grass</span></div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">And find the little cobweb tents</span></div> -<div class="verse">The fairies sleep in all the night?</div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">But, alas, you’ll find no traces</span></div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Of their little fairy faces!</span></div> -<div class="sig">—<i>Edith Colby Banfield.</i></div> -</div> -</div> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />52<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>THE LITTLE GOATHERDS</h2> - - -<p>Louis and Marie live among the mountains in -Switzerland. These mountains are very high and are -called the Swiss Alps.</p> - -<p>The cold winds sweep down the mountain-side and -rush through the valleys. Sometimes it blows so -hard that it almost blows the thatched roofs off the -houses.</p> - -<p>But the mountain people know all about these -strong winds. What do you suppose they do to keep -the roof from blowing away? They lay heavy stones -on the roof to keep it in place.</p> - -<p>The winters are long and cold; and it snows and -snows! You never saw such deep drifts nor such -big fields of ice.</p> - -<p>But the summer is beautiful,—the sky is blue -and the sun is bright; and far away the mountain -peaks are capped with glistening snow.</p> - -<p>Then the grass is green and the flowers blossom -everywhere. These are happy days for the children.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />53<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>In summer Louis and Marie go out every morning -with the goats. Marie is just a tiny bit of a girl only -four years old, but Louis is a big boy. He is -almost nine, and that is very old when one has such -a little sister.</p> - -<p>Louis lets the goats out of their yard. They jump -and run and caper about, and Marie hides behind her -mother’s dress. She is afraid of the goats at first.</p> - -<p>One of the big goats always runs to the vineyard, -he is so fond of grapes. Louis drives him out with -a long stick.</p> - -<p>Then the whole herd runs to the wheat field, -and Louis runs after them, shouting at them and -driving them away toward the mountain pasture.</p> - -<p>Marie runs along with him and Patte Blanche -goes, too. Patte Blanche is their dog, and his name -means White Foot.</p> - -<p>When the goats reach the pasture land they clamber -over the rocks and eat the moss and the bushes and -the sweet, green grass.</p> - -<p>Louis and Marie pick the flowers that grow on the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />54<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -mountain-side, and play little games with the stones. -They watch the goats, too, and talk about them. -Sometimes a goat wanders too far away and then -Louis sends White Foot to drive her back to the others.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 486px;"> -<img src="images/i-056.jpg" width="486" height="355" alt="woman and girl watching goats run past" /> -</div> - -<p>At noon the children eat their lunch of barley-bread -and cheese, and White Foot sits beside them -and eats the bits they give him.</p> - -<p>There is always so much to do and so much to see -that the days seem very short. Soon it is time for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />55<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -White Foot to drive the goats down from the rocks -and the little company starts for home.</p> - -<p>One night a very funny thing happened when they -were on their way home.</p> - -<p>The goats were wandering along, nibbling at the -green grass, and the children were following them -down the path, when they saw a strange man sitting -on a log. The man was fast asleep and his head -nodded and bobbed up and down.</p> - -<p>Just as Louis saw him, one of the goats spied him, -too, and what do you think she did? She trotted -along, ran up behind him and butted him right off the -log. Of course the man waked up and I think he was -going to be very angry, but the goat put her fore feet -up on the log and looked as if she wanted to laugh.</p> - -<p>The children laughed, and so the man laughed, too. -Then he walked home with them and helped them -drive the goats into their yard.</p> - -<p>Louis and Marie will never forget how funny the goat -looked trying to laugh at the man, and they like to -tell the story over and over again.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />56<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>SWISS CHILDREN</h2> - - -<p>You have just read a story about Louis and Marie, -who live among the mountains of Switzerland.</p> - -<p>Switzerland is a land of mountains and valleys -and many beautiful lakes and rivers.</p> - -<p>Most of the people live in the valleys and keep -cattle, sheep, and goats.</p> - -<p>In the springtime thousands of cattle are driven -up into the mountains to stay all summer.</p> - -<p>Many of the people go up into the mountains, too, -and live in little huts. The men and boys take care -of the cattle, and the women make butter and cheese.</p> - -<p>The cows wear bells which tinkle as they walk, -and the music of all the bells, in the stillness of the -mountains, is very beautiful.</p> - -<p>In the fall the men drive the cattle down into the -valleys again. When they reach the villages their -friends come out to meet them, and every one has a -holiday. The children think this is one of the best -days in all the year. They like to hear the bells ring<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />57<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -out their welcome; they like to see the flags and -banners waving from the windows and the house-tops. -They sing and dance and shout and are very -merry.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 496px;"> -<img src="images/i-059.jpg" width="496" height="365" alt="boy and dog" /> -</div> - -<p>At night there is a feast in the village square, and -perhaps they like this best of all.</p> - -<p>Many of the houses in Switzerland are very small -and are made of wood. These little houses are called -chalets.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />58<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>Louis and Marie live in a tiny chalet on the side -of a steep mountain. Their father owns a farm and -has cows and sheep and goats, and ever so many -geese.</p> - -<p>You never saw such a farm in all your life. The -mountain is so steep that the fields and pastures -seem to be tipped up on edge, and it looks as if -the horses would fall off when the farmer is plowing -the fields, but they never do.</p> - -<p>Louis has a pet dog. He harnesses his dog to a -little wagon and drives him up and down the road. -Sometimes he gives Marie a ride in the wagon.</p> - -<p>Louis goes to the village school, and Marie will have -to go as soon as she is six years old. There are very -good schools in Switzerland, and the children learn -the same things that you learn in your school.</p> - -<p>These children have many odd playthings and -toys carved out of wood. They have wooden whistles -and horns, and little wooden goats and bears. Marie -has a tiny chalet, almost like the one she lives in, which -she calls her “playhouse.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />59<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>The toys the children like best are the ones that have -a music box in them. The Swiss people make all kinds -of music boxes and put them in all kinds of things, -in chairs and tables and clocks, and even in plates.</p> - -<p>While the boys are learning to carve, the girls -learn to embroider on linen and to make lace.</p> - -<p>Very often the Swiss girls sit outside the door of -their chalet making lace which they sell to the people -who are travelling through the mountains.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Where do Louis and Marie live?</p> - -<p>What does their father do?</p> - -<p>Where do the cattle live in the summer?</p> - -<p>Who takes care of them?</p> - -<p>What do the women make, up in the mountains?</p> - -<p>Which holiday do the Swiss children like best?</p> - -<p>What do they do on this day?</p> - -<p>What is a Swiss cottage called?</p> - -<p>Why do people like to travel in Switzerland?</p> - -<p>If you should go there, what would you like to see?</p> - -<p>What would you like to buy?</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />60<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>LULLABY-LAND</h2> - - -<div class="poetry-container"> - <div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">Where is the road to Lullaby-land?</div> -<div class="verse">Where is the ferry to Dreamland-shore?</div> -<div class="verse">Here, little wanderer, take my hand,</div> -<div class="verse">Mother will show thee to Lullaby-land,</div> -<div class="verse">Mother will ferry her darling o’er</div> -<div class="verse">The sweet rocking waters to Dreamland-shore.</div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">Soft lie the shadows in Lullaby-land,</div> -<div class="verse">Soft lap the waters by Dreamland-shore,</div> -<div class="verse">Sweet is the sound on that far-away strand</div> -<div class="verse">Of little keels grating along the sand,</div> -<div class="verse">And tenderly stealeth the moonlight o’er</div> -<div class="verse">The dear little children on Dreamland-shore.</div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">Here, little weary one, take my hand,</div> -<div class="verse">Soon shall my dearie be far afloat;</div> -<div class="verse">Mother’s lap is Lullaby-land,</div> -<div class="verse">Mother’s arms are the empty boat,</div> -<div class="verse">Waiting to carry her darling o’er</div> -<div class="verse">The sweet rocking waters to Dreamland-shore.</div> -<div class="sig">—<i>Edith Colby Banfield.</i></div> -</div> -</div> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />61<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>THE STONE BLOCKS</h2> - - -<p>“Why is your little sister crying, dear?” asked -the Play Angel. “I thought you were taking care of -her.”</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 490px;"> -<img src="images/i-063.jpg" width="490" height="236" alt="little ister crying on floor wihile big sister holds up doll to her" /> -</div> - -<p>“So I am, taking beautiful care of her,” said the -child. “But the more beautiful care I take, the more -she cries. She does not like to have me take care of -her.”</p> - -<p>“Let me see,” said the Play Angel, and she sat -down on the nursery floor. “Now show me what you -have been doing.”</p> - -<p>“Look,” said the child. “First I showed her all<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />62<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -my dolls, and then all my dolls’ dresses. Now I have -given her my new stone blocks to play with, but she -will not play with them. She puts them in her mouth -and cries.”</p> - -<p>“Perhaps she is hungry!” said the Play Angel.</p> - -<p>So she took a piece of bread and gave it to the -baby. The baby stopped crying and ate the bread, -and laughed and crowed.</p> - -<p>“See!” said the Angel. “Now she is happy. -Remember, dear, that when babies are hungry, stone -blocks do them no good.”</p> - -<p>“You are a very clever angel to know that,” said -the child.</p> - -<p>“You are a rather foolish child,” said the Angel, -“or you would have found it out for yourself.”</p> - -<p class="sig"> -—<i>Laura E. Richards.</i><br /> -</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />63<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>GREAT-GREAT-GRANDMA’S CHRISTMAS IN -ENGLAND</h2> - - -<p>Betty and Percy sat up until eleven o’clock that -Christmas Eve. It was such a merry time!</p> - -<p>They saw the men bring in the Yule log. It was -so big that it took three men to carry it, and then they -had to bring it in on their shoulders.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 489px;"> -<img src="images/i-065.jpg" width="489" height="358" alt="three men carrying log" /> -</div> - -<p>At one end of the hall was a large fireplace. I think -you never saw one like it. Pots and kettles hung<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />64<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -over the fire, and on each side were seats where the -children could sit and eat apples and tell stories. You -see, it was a very big fireplace.</p> - -<p>The men rolled the Yule log into the fireplace and -lighted the fire. How the sparks flew! How the -fire roared up the chimney!</p> - -<p>It lighted the great hall. It shone on the oak table -where the supper was laid.</p> - -<p>On the supper table were two wax candles. These -candles were almost as tall as you are. They were -wreathed with holly.</p> - -<p>These were the Christmas candles and they burned -the whole evening. The hall was trimmed with holly -and mistletoe. The holly had bright green leaves and -red berries, and the mistletoe had white berries.</p> - -<p>A big bunch of mistletoe hung down from the -ceiling before the fire. If anyone happened to stand -under the mistletoe, she was kissed.</p> - -<p>How many times Betty was kissed! First her father -caught her under the mistletoe, then Uncle Edward, -and then Grandpa.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />65<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>At eleven o’clock Nurse said that Betty and Percy -must go to bed. They did not like to go one bit.</p> - -<p>There was a fire in the fireplace in Betty’s bedroom, -but it was very cold. In Great-Great-Grandma’s -time there were no such things as stoves and furnaces.</p> - -<p>Nurse undressed Betty, and then the little girl -climbed up the steps into her bed. It was so big -and high that she had to climb up five steps to get -into it.</p> - -<p>Then Nurse drew the curtains of the bed to keep -out the cold.</p> - -<p>Betty was almost asleep when she heard the Waits -singing. The Waits always sang under the windows -on Christmas Eve.</p> - -<p>“Open the lattice, please, Nurse,” she said.</p> - -<p>So Nurse opened one of the windows. It opened -like a door, and had panes of glass which were small -and diamond-shaped.</p> - -<p>The house Betty lived in was very, very large, and -was called a castle.</p> - -<p>This is what the Waits were singing:—</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />66<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> - <div class="poetry"> -<div class="verse">“God rest ye, merry gentlemen,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Let nothing you dismay,</span></div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">For Jesus Christ our Saviour</span></div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Was born upon this day.”</span></div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>Betty did not hear the next verse, because her eyes -were shut and she was fast asleep.</p> - -<p>When she waked up in the morning, the first thing -she heard was another Christmas carol.</p> - -<p>She slid down the side of the bed and ran to the -window.</p> - -<p>It was a lovely Christmas morning. The trees and -ground and walks were covered with snow. How it -glistened in the sunshine!</p> - -<p>The singers were standing in a row under the window. -There were seven of them, and they were all -children from the village whom Betty had seen when -she was driving with her mother.</p> - -<p>How they were bundled up, and their cheeks were -as red as roses!</p> - -<p>They were singing this Christmas carol:—</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />67<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> - <div class="poetry"> -<div class="verse">“I saw three ships come sailing in,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day;</span></div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">I saw three ships come sailing in,</span></div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">On Christmas Day in the morning.”</span></div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>“Quick, quick, Nurse,” said Betty. “Please dress -me as quickly as you can. I must run down with the -Christmas boxes.”</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 509px;"> -<img src="images/i-069.jpg" width="509" height="687" alt="Little girl being dressed by nurse" /> -<div class="caption">PLEASE DRESS ME AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN.</div> -</div> - -<p>So Nurse hurried, and Betty hurried, and in a little -while she was ready, with a sprig of holly in her dress, -and a bit of mistletoe in her hair.</p> - -<p>Percy was ready, too, and they ran down the long -staircase into the wide hall.</p> - -<p>The Yule log was still burning,—it had burned -all night. The door was opened, and the little singers -came in to warm themselves by the fire.</p> - -<p>Betty and Percy gave each of them a “Christmas -box.” It wasn’t a box, it was a gift; but a Christmas -gift was called a Christmas box in those days.</p> - -<p>After the singers had looked at their gifts and had -eaten a slice of plum cake, they went home.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />68<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>I cannot tell you everything that Betty and Percy did -that day, but you may be sure they had a good time.</p> - -<p>I must tell you about the Christmas dinner. It -was served in the hall, on the big oak table that stood -before the fire.</p> - -<p>When dinner was ready they did not ring a bell, -but the cook knocked three times with his rolling-pin -on the door.</p> - -<p>Two men stood in the hall, and when they heard -the three knocks they sounded their trumpets, the -doors were opened, and all the family marched in to -dinner.</p> - -<p>I do not know just what they had to eat, but I -know they had roast goose, and a plum pudding just -as you do at Christmas time.</p> - -<p>After dinner the children played games. And what -do you think they played? First they played “Puss-puss-in-the-corner,” -and then “Blind-man’s-buff.”</p> - -<p>Isn’t it strange that Great-Great-Grandma should -have played the very games you play, on that Christmas -night more than two hundred years ago?</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />69<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>THE WHIPPING BOY</h2> - - -<p>Many years ago there was a little boy living in -England whose name was Edward. Of course there -have been many boys in England by the name of -Edward, but they are not so well known as this boy, -for he was the son of a king.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 490px;"> -<img src="images/i-073.jpg" width="490" height="247" alt="two boys, wearing plumed hats, walking in country side" /> -</div> - -<p>Edward’s father was King Henry the Eighth, and -Edward was called Edward the Sixth when he became -King of England.</p> - -<p>King Henry was very fond of his children and did -not like to have them punished, so he had a little -“whipping boy” for each one of them.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />70<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>Whenever one of the Princes or Princesses did -anything naughty, the whipping boy was punished.</p> - -<p>Sometimes he had to stand in the corner for a whole -hour. Sometimes he was sent to bed without any -supper, and sometimes he had to have a whipping.</p> - -<p>Prince Edward’s whipping boy was Edward Brown. -He lived in the castle and played with the Prince every -day. The two boys were very fond of each other, -and the Prince did not like to have his friend punished.</p> - -<p>So he tried to be good, but there are so many things -a Prince must not do!</p> - -<p>A Prince must not throw his toys out of the castle -window. He must never get angry at his brothers -and sisters and quarrel with them. He must learn -his lessons every day.</p> - -<p>He must be polite and obedient to the King and -Queen, to all the Gentlemen in Waiting and Ladies -in Waiting, to the Head Nurse and all the Under -Nurses, and to his Tutor and all his teachers.</p> - -<p>Oh! it is very hard to be a good Prince!</p> - -<p>Sometimes Edward Brown had to be punished<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />71<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -more than once while the boys were at play, and -sometimes Prince Edward was quite good all day -long.</p> - -<p>One day the Prince did something that was very -wrong; and when his Tutor would have punished the -whipping boy, Edward took the cane from his hand -and said, “Sir, you shall whip me for this. It is my -command. I did wrong. I should be punished.”</p> - -<p>When Prince Edward was nine years old, his father -died, and the Prince was made King of England.</p> - -<p>Perhaps you would like to know how he was dressed -when he went to be crowned. He wore a suit of white -velvet, embroidered with diamonds, pearls, and rubies. -His cap was white velvet, and his coat was cloth of -silver.</p> - -<p>He rode on a white horse through the city and the -people shouted, “Long live King Edward.”</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />72<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>THE CHRISTMAS SPRUCE TREE</h2> - - -<p>Among the tall trees in the forest grew a little -spruce tree. It was no taller than a man, and that -is very short for a tree.</p> - -<p>The other trees near it grew so tall and had such -large branches that the poor little tree could not -grow at all.</p> - -<p>She liked to listen when the other trees were talking, -but it often made her sad.</p> - -<p>“I am king of the forest,” said the oak. “Look -at my huge trunk and my branches. How they reach -up toward heaven! I furnish planks for men from -which they build their ships. Then I defy the storm -on the ocean as I did the thunder in the forest.”</p> - -<p>“And I go with you over the foaming waves,” -said the tall straight pine. “I hold up the flapping -sails when the ships fly over the ocean.”</p> - -<p>“And we warm the houses when winter comes -and the cold north wind drives the snow before him,” -said the birches.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />73<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>“We have the same work to do,” said a tall fir -tree, and she bowed gracefully, drooping her branches -toward the ground.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 496px;"> -<img src="images/i-077.jpg" width="496" height="368" alt="mother and children around the Christmas tree" /> -</div> - -<p>The little spruce tree heard the other trees talking -about their work in the world. This made her sad, -and she thought, “What work can I do? What -will become of me?”</p> - -<p>But she could not think of any way in which she -could be useful. She decided to ask the other trees -in the forest.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />74<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>So she asked the oak, the pine and the fir, but they -were so proud and stately they did not even hear her.</p> - -<p>Then she asked the beautiful white birch that stood -near by. “You have no work to do,” said the birch, -“because you can never grow large enough. Perhaps -you might be a Christmas tree, but that is all.”</p> - -<p>“What is a Christmas tree?” asked the little -spruce.</p> - -<p>“I do not know exactly,” replied the birch. “Sometimes -when the days are short and cold, and the ground -is covered with snow, men come out here into the -forest. They look at all the little spruce trees and -choose the prettiest, saying, ‘This will do for a -Christmas tree.’</p> - -<p>“Then they chop it down and carry it away. What -they do with it I cannot tell.”</p> - -<p>The little spruce asked the rabbit that hopped over -the snow, the owls that slept in the pines, and the -squirrels that came to find nuts and acorns.</p> - -<p>But no one knew more than the birch tree. No -one could tell what men did with the Christmas trees.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />75<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>Then the little spruce tree wept because she had no -work to do and could not be of any use in the -world.</p> - -<p>The tears hardened into clear, round drops, which -we call gum.</p> - -<p>At last a boy came into the forest with an axe in -his hand. He looked the little tree all over. “Perhaps -this will do for a Christmas tree,” he said. So he -chopped it down, laid it on a sled, and dragged it -home.</p> - -<p>The next day the boy sold the tree, and it was taken -into a large room and dressed up with pop corn and -gilded nuts and candles. Packages of all sizes and -shapes, and tiny bags filled with candy, were tied on -its branches.</p> - -<p>The tree was trembling with the excitement, but -she stood as still as she could. “What if I should -drop some of this fruit,” she thought.</p> - -<p>When it began to grow dark, every one left the -room and the tree was alone. It began to feel lonely -and to think sad thoughts.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />76<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>Soon the door opened and a lady came in. She -lighted all the candles.</p> - -<p>How light and glowing it was then!</p> - -<p>The tree had never even dreamed of anything so -beautiful!</p> - -<p>Then the children came and danced about the -tree, singing a Christmas song. The father played on -his violin, and the baby sat in her mother’s arms, -smiling and cooing.</p> - -<p>“Now I know what I was made for,” thought the -spruce tree; “I was intended to give joy to the little -ones, because I, myself, am so small and humble.”</p> - -<p class="sig"> -—<i>Anna von Rydingsvärd.</i><br /> -</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - - -<h2>A ROSE</h2> - - -<div class="poetry-container"> - <div class="poetry"> -<div class="verse">A sepal, petal, and a thorn</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Upon a common summer’s morn,</span></div> -<div class="verse">A flash of dew, a bee or two,</div> -<div class="verse">A breeze</div> -<div class="verse">A caper in the trees,—</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">And I’m a rose!</span></div> -<div class="sig">—<i>Emily Dickinson.</i></div> -</div> -</div> - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />77<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>THE EVE OF ST. NICHOLAS</h2> - - -<p>It was the Eve of St. Nicholas. In Germany St. -Nicholas’s Day comes on the sixth of December.</p> - -<p>The children were in the nursery. On the hearth -before the fireplace, were five little sugar shoes.</p> - -<p>Thekla was filling her shoe with oats. Max put -rye in his shoe. Hans put an apple in his, and Gretchen -filled hers with lumps of sugar.</p> - -<p>Betty, the poor little girl who sometimes helped in -the kitchen, had only a bit of brown bread to put in -her shoe.</p> - -<p>The children were expecting St. Nicholas, who -always comes on a white horse, and the things in the -shoes were for the horse to eat.</p> - -<p>As the clock struck six there was a loud knock at -the door.</p> - -<p>Aunt Hilda opened the door, and in came St. -Nicholas. He was very tall and had a long white -beard. He wore a long black robe and a red and white -cap, with a big red tassel.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />78<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>“Dear little children,” he said, “it will soon be -Christmas. I have come to find the good children. I -shall bring gifts to them on Christmas Eve. Has -Thekla learned to knit?”</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 494px;"> -<img src="images/i-082.jpg" width="494" height="364" alt="Santa Caus at the door" /> -</div> - -<p>“Yes, indeed,” said her mother. “See this pair of -stockings she has knit for Hans.”</p> - -<p>“They are very well made,” said St. Nicholas. -“I shall surely bring a gift for Thekla. Has Hans -learned to get up early?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />79<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>“We have not had to call him for six weeks,” said -his father.</p> - -<p>“Good,” said St. Nicholas. “Has Max learned his -multiplication tables?”</p> - -<p>“Max is trying very hard,” said Aunt Hilda. “He -knows all but the nines and twelves.”</p> - -<p>“And the dear little Gretchen?” said St. Nicholas, -patting the baby’s golden curls.</p> - -<p>They all smiled, and the mother said, “The dear -little Gretchen is always sweet and good.”</p> - -<p>“Well, well, I shall certainly bring many beautiful -gifts to this house,” said St. Nicholas.</p> - -<p>“And don’t forget little Betty,” said Aunt Hilda.</p> - -<p>So the good Saint took the oats, the rye and the -apple, the lumps of sugar, and the bit of brown -bread out of the sugar shoes and went out into -the night. I suppose he gave them to his horse.</p> - -<p>“St. Nicholas has eyes like Uncle Max,” said -Thekla.</p> - -<p>“He smiled like Uncle Max, too,” said her -brother.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />80<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>St. Nicholas kept his word. On Christmas Eve -there was a Christmas tree in the parlor. On it there -were many beautiful gifts, and little Betty was not -forgotten.</p> - -<p>The next night the children hung gifts on the same -tree for father, mother, Uncle Max, Aunt Hilda, and -the dear Grandfather.</p> - -<p>Each one of the children had something of his very -own for Grandfather.</p> - -<p>Thekla had knit a warm scarf for him. Max can -carve in wood, so he had made a stout cane and had -carved it very handsomely.</p> - -<p>Hans drew a picture for him, and the dear little -Gretchen gave him two of her very best kisses.</p> - -<p>Oh, it was a very happy Christmas!</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />81<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>ROBIN REDBREAST</h2> - - -<div class="poetry-container"> - <div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">Good-by, good-by to summer!</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">For summer’s nearly done;</span></div> -<div class="verse">The garden smiling faintly,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Cool breezes in the sun;</span></div> -<div class="verse">Our thrushes now are silent,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Our swallows flown away,—</span></div> -<div class="verse">But Robin’s here, in coat of brown,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">And ruddy breast-knot gay,</span></div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 2em;">Robin, Robin Redbreast,</span></div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 3em;">O Robin dear!</span></div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 2em;">Robin sings so sweetly</span></div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 3em;">In the falling of the year.</span></div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">Bright yellow, red, and orange,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">The leaves come down in hosts;</span></div> -<div class="verse">The trees are Indian princes,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">But soon they’ll turn to ghosts;</span></div> -<div class="verse">The leathery pears and apples</div> -<div class="verse"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />82<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Hang russet on the bough;</span></div> -<div class="verse">It’s autumn, autumn, autumn late,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">’Twill soon be winter now.</span></div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 2em;">Robin, Robin Redbreast,</span></div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 3em;">O Robin dear!</span></div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">And what will this poor Robin do?</span></div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 3em;">For pinching days are near.</span></div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">The fireside for the cricket,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">The wheat stack for the mouse,</span></div> -<div class="verse">When trembling night-winds whistle</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">And moan all round the house.</span></div> -<div class="verse">The frosty ways like iron,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">The branches plumed with snow,—</span></div> -<div class="verse">Alas! in winter dead and dark,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Where can poor Robin go?</span></div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 2em;">Robin, Robin Redbreast,</span></div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 3em;">O Robin dear!</span></div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">And a crumb of bread for Robin,</span></div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 3em;">His little heart to cheer!</span></div> -<div class="sig">—<i>William Allingham.</i></div> -</div> -</div> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />83<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>“THE LITTLE TURKEYS”</h2> - -<h3>IN SCHOOL</h3> - - -<p>The “little Turkeys” that I am going to tell you -about are the children that live in a far away land -called Turkey.</p> - -<p>To reach this land you would have to travel many -hundreds of miles in railroad trains and big ships.</p> - -<p>In fact it is almost as far away as China, and that, -you know, is farther away than you can imagine.</p> - -<p>The “little Turkeys” are very interesting, and -they would think your way of living just as strange as -you will think theirs is.</p> - -<p>To begin at the very beginning, the tiny baby -doesn’t wear any dresses. He is wrapped round and -round, body, legs, and arms, with cloths, until he -looks like a dry-goods bundle.</p> - -<p>Every baby wears a gay little bonnet, usually bright -green, because the favorite color of the Turks is green.</p> - -<p>The Turkish baby is often hung up in a little cloth<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />84<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -hammock, but sometimes he is rocked to sleep in a -wooden cradle.</p> - -<p>The cradle is a long wooden box on low rockers -with high carved ends.</p> - -<p>In the Sultan’s treasure house is a cradle of solid -gold, decorated with pearls, diamonds, and rubies. -This is the cradle in which the baby princes are rocked; -and it is very beautiful, as you can easily imagine.</p> - -<p>When the boy baby is about a year old he is placed -in charge of a man nurse, if the father is not too poor. -This man takes care of him until he is six years old.</p> - -<p>Then the boy is given a new suit of clothes and a -pony, and he is ready to go to school. Almost all of -the boys in Turkey ride on horse-back. I think you -would like that.</p> - -<p>The new suit may be big baggy trousers, with an -embroidered shirt and short jacket. Or it may be -long full trousers of gay striped calico, and a little -jacket, quilted in puffy squares.</p> - -<p>Every boy wears on his head a red fez with a black -tassel.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />85<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>In his new suit, the boy starts off for school on his -pony, and his brothers go with him. The bells on the -pony jingle, the boys shout and sing, and it is a very -merry procession.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 490px;"> -<img src="images/i-089.jpg" width="490" height="365" alt="three boys, wearing fezes, sitting on mats reading" /> -</div> - -<p>The schoolhouse stands near the church. Inside, -it is very plain. There is a blackboard hung from -the ceiling, a shelf for books and slates, and one for a -water jar.</p> - -<p>There is a little shelf for the teacher’s pipe, and a -place where he makes coffee over a tiny lamp. For<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />86<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -the teacher smokes and sips coffee while the children -study their lessons.</p> - -<p>The children sit cross-legged on mats on the floor, -and study out loud, bending their bodies back and -forth all the time. Perhaps they think this helps them -to remember.</p> - -<p>They learn their letters, and very queer letters -you would think them, out of the Koran. They have -no other book until they know this one by heart, -and can repeat it and write it.</p> - -<p>Then they learn a little arithmetic and a very little -geography.</p> - -<p>In olden times the girls did not go to school at all, -but stayed at home learning to keep house, sew, and -embroider. They were also taught to weave cloth and -to make beautiful rugs.</p> - -<p>Now there are many schools for girls, as well as -high schools and colleges for both girls and boys.</p> - -<p>The noise of the studying is stopped once during -the day. At noon the time for prayer is called out -from the tower of the church. Then all is quiet for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />87<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -a few minutes while teacher and pupils kneel to say -the midday prayer.</p> - -<p>Then the candy-man appears with all sorts of sweets -on trays. The candies are called “Turkish delights.” -They are “pasty, creamy, crackly things, made from -rose-leaves, violets, nuts, dates and grapes, mixed -with honey, sugar, syrup and spices.”</p> - -<p>Doesn’t that sound good enough to eat?</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Where do the “little Turkeys” live?</p> - -<p>How would you reach their country?</p> - -<p>Describe the Turkish baby’s cradle.</p> - -<p>Describe the princes’ cradle.</p> - -<p>How does the Turkish boy go to school?</p> - -<p>Tell what you can about the school.</p> - -<p>What does the candy-man sell?</p> - -<p>What are the candies made of, and what are they -called?</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />88<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>“THE LITTLE TURKEYS”</h2> - -<h3>AT HOME</h3> - - -<p>Little boys who like to lie in bed in the morning -would not like to live in Turkey.</p> - -<p>All the grown people and all the children have to -get up twice every day.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 495px;"> -<img src="images/i-092.jpg" width="495" height="358" alt="chidlren and man hodling tray of things to sell" /> -</div> - -<p>They get up first at day-break, wash their faces -and hands, and repeat their morning prayer. Then -they go back to bed.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />89<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>Two hours later they rise, wash, and have their coffee. -Breakfast is served two hours later still.</p> - -<p>After breakfast the father goes to work and the -mother gets the children ready for school.</p> - -<p>The children have their lunch at school, as I told -you. Dinner is served at night. If there are gentlemen -to dine with the father, only the sons sit at the table. -The mother and daughters dine in another room.</p> - -<p>After dinner every one has a good time. The children -play games, and sometimes the older people play -with them. They are also fond of story telling, and tell -wonderful stories of battle and adventure.</p> - -<p>Then the family goes to bed on the floor. That is, -they lay mattresses on the floor and cover themselves -with blankets.</p> - -<p>Every one goes to church on Friday. The boys -sit with their father, and the girls sit with their mother -in a gallery where they cannot be seen. At the entrance -to the church they wash their hands and feet and put -on a pair of slippers.</p> - -<p>After church the children play games of tag, or<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />90<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -hide-and-seek. They have few toys. The girls have -dolls, and the boys have marbles or balls. The -marbles are nothing but a kind of round nut.</p> - -<p>They do not have the holidays you do, but there -are a few feast days, when they have a very good -time. One of the feasts is like our Easter, only it -lasts three days. Then there are merry-go-rounds in -the squares, and ponies to ride on for a penny.</p> - -<p>The girls have new dresses of red, blue and yellow -silk, and the boys have gay little uniforms.</p> - -<p>The candy-men walk the streets with big trays -piled high with sweets, and every one eats a great deal -too much candy.</p> - -<p>Should you like to live in Turkey, or do you like -your own country best?</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Tell what the “Little Turkeys” do in the morning.</p> - -<p>What do the children do after dinner?</p> - -<p>What toys do they have? What games do they play?</p> - -<p>Where do the Turkish people sleep?</p> - -<p>Would you like to live in Turkey? Why?</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />91<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>“GILLYFLOWER GENTLEMAN”</h2> - - -<p>“Why do you play alone, dear,” asked the Play -Angel, “and look so sadly over your shoulder at -the other children?”</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 488px;"> -<img src="images/i-095.jpg" width="488" height="350" alt="angel talking to little girl who is feeling left out" /> -</div> - -<p>“Because they are so selfish!” said the child. -“They will not play with me.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, what a pity!” said the Angel. “Tell me all -about it.”</p> - -<p>“I want to play one game, and they all want to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />92<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -play another!” said the child. “It is very unkind of -them.”</p> - -<p>“Did you ever play Gillyflower Gentleman?” asked -the Angel.</p> - -<p>“No,” said the child. “What is it?”</p> - -<p>“You shall see,” said the Angel. “Let us ask the -others if they know it.”</p> - -<p>The other children did not know it, but they were -eager to learn, and soon they were all playing Gillyflower -Gentleman. They played till all their breath -was gone, and they had to sit down on the haycocks -to rest.</p> - -<p>“That was a fine game!” said the first child. “I -will play yours now, if you wish me to.”</p> - -<p>“We were just going to tell you that we would play -yours,” said the other children. So they played both -the games, and the Play Angel went back to her work.</p> - -<p class="sig"> -—<i>Laura E. Richards.</i><br /> -</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />93<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>THE RULER</h2> - - -<p>It was time for the Child to have lessons. The -father gave him a sheet of paper, smooth and -white; a pencil, and a ruler.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 489px;"> -<img src="images/i-097.jpg" width="489" height="369" alt="man handing ruler to son" /> -</div> - -<p>“Write as well as you can,” he said, “and be sure -you keep the lines straight!”</p> - -<p>The Child admired the ruler very much. “I will<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />94<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -put it up on the wall,” he said, “where I can see it -always.”</p> - -<p>So he put it up on the wall, and the sunbeams -sparkled on it.</p> - -<p>“It must be pure gold,” said the Child; “there is -nothing else so beautiful in the world.” And then he -began his task.</p> - -<p>By and by the lesson time was over, and the father -came to see what had been done.</p> - -<p>The Child showed him the paper on which he had -written his task. Up and down went the lines, here -and there, from side to side of the sheet, which was -covered with sprawling, straggling letters. There were -spots, too, where he had tried to rub out something. -It was not a pretty page.</p> - -<p>“What is this?” asked the father. “Where is your -ruler?”</p> - -<p>“There it is,” said the Child. “It is up on the -wall. It was so beautiful that I put it up there where -I could see it all the time. See where it hangs! But -it does not seem as bright as it was.”</p> - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />95<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>“No,” said the father. “It would have been -brighter if you had used it.”</p> - -<p>“But I admired it very much,” said the Child.</p> - -<p>“But your lines are crooked,” said the father.</p> - -<p class="sig"> -—<i>Laura E. Richards (Adapted).</i><br /> -</p> - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - - -<h2>THE MOON</h2> - - -<div class="poetry-container"> - <div class="poetry"> -<div class="verse">There’s a throne in the east and a throne in the west,</div> -<div class="verse">And the royal heavens lie between.</div> -<div class="verse">For the golden sun is a sceptred king,</div> -<div class="verse">And the moon is his crownéd queen.</div> -<div class="verse">A lonely queen is the silver moon,</div> -<div class="verse">Though the dimpling stars her maidens are;</div> -<div class="verse">She passes among them silently</div> -<div class="verse">As she follows her lord afar.</div> -<div class="sig">—<i>Edith Colby Banfield.</i></div> -</div> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />96<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>THE CHILDREN OF ARMENIA</h2> - - -<p>When you were a very little boy did you have a -“Noah’s Ark” for a plaything? And do you remember -the story of “Noah and his Ark?”</p> - -<p>This story tells, you remember, about a severe storm, -when it rained forty days and forty nights and all the -land was flooded.</p> - -<p>But Noah had built an ark and invited two animals -of every kind, and a few persons, to live in his ark -during the flood.</p> - -<p>When the storms were over, the ark rested on a -mountain, and this was Mount Ararat.</p> - -<p>Mount Ararat is in the country of Armenia, and in -this country lives a very interesting people.</p> - -<p>Armenia is a mountainous country and Mount -Ararat is the highest of all the mountains. It is so -high that it has a snow cap all the year round, even -during the hottest part of the summer.</p> - -<p>The Armenian children are often very pretty, with -black hair, black eyes, and round, red cheeks. They<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />97<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -are bright and anxious to learn, and they often ride a -long way on donkey-back to get to the church schools.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 490px;"> -<img src="images/i-101.jpg" width="490" height="361" alt="three children on donkey" /> -</div> - -<p>The schools are not free like the school you go to, -and often the parents have to pay the school with -grain and cheese because they have no money.</p> - -<p>There is a free school near every church, and the -priest is the teacher. Here the little boys and girls -learn the Armenian alphabet, and also study reading, -writing, geography, and grammar.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />98<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>The mirigs (mothers) of the little Armenians have -to wake them very early, for they have to go to -school at seven.</p> - -<p>They sit cross-legged on the floor, and study their -lessons aloud. All the children carry a lunch from -home, and they eat together in another little room, -still sitting on the floor.</p> - -<p>Boys and girls go to the same school until they -are ten or twelve years old; then the girls go to a -different school. Here they learn dressmaking and -embroidery. The materials are supplied by the -school, and at the end of the year the articles are -sold and the money goes to the school.</p> - -<p>The boys do not earn money for the school, but they -have to sing in the church on Sunday.</p> - -<p>When school closes at night the children form in -line, with their hands folded, and march to their -homes. The line stops at each house where a child -lives, while the little one bids his friends good-night.</p> - -<p>In winter there are deep snows, and then Hagop<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />99<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -(Jacob) and Garabet (George) and the other boys -build snowmen and have snowball battles.</p> - -<p>But in summer they work more than they play, -for they have to go up to the mountains with herds -of goats. A few women go to cook for them, and they -all live in huts built of boughs.</p> - -<p>The girls have rag dolls, with painted eyes, nose -and mouth, and very red cheeks. These dolls are dressed -just like the little girls, with gaily colored dresses -of red, green, purple, or yellow. Their hair is braided -in long braids, and strung with beads and coins.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Where is Mount Ararat?</p> - -<p>Tell the story of Noah and his Ark.</p> - -<p>What is the highest mountain in Armenia?</p> - -<p>What covers the top of this mountain?</p> - -<p>What is the Armenian word for “mamma?”</p> - -<p>What do the children learn in the church schools?</p> - -<p>How do the children go home from school?</p> - -<p>What do the boys do in winter? In summer?</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />100<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>ARMENIAN HOMES</h2> - - -<p>Hagop and Garabet live at the foot of Mount Ararat -in a small village.</p> - -<p>Their father is very poor and cannot afford to -build a house, so they live in a hut, built of mud, -with walls three feet thick.</p> - -<p>The inside of the house is plastered with chopped -straw and mud mixed together. The mud roof is flat -and is kept smooth by rolling it often with a stone, -or treading it with bare feet. Hagop and Garabet -think it is great fun to go up on the roof after it rains -and tread the soft mud with their bare feet. Then -their father rolls it with a big round stone until it is -smooth and firm.</p> - -<p>There are many huts like this in Armenia, and -they are often half under ground, with the earth -that has been dug out piled up around them. A -village of such dwellings looks a good deal like a -village of huge ant-hills.</p> - -<p>There is only one door for the people and animals.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />101<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -Animals? Yes, animals. For in winter the poor -people let the animals come into the room with them, -and almost every family has at least a few goats.</p> - -<p>There is a fireplace in the middle of the earth floor -for cooking, but there is no chimney, and the room -is very smoky.</p> - -<p>The mother makes big thin sheets of blanket bread -and bakes it before the fire. Sometimes she makes -little cakes of the bread and spreads them with thick -cream.</p> - -<p>The children drink goats’ milk with their bread, -and once in a long while they have a few raisins.</p> - -<p>There are no windows in the hut, instead there are -a few holes for light; and there are no tables, no -chairs, no beds, no bureaus. In fact there is no furniture -except some mats and blankets. Hagop’s mother -weaves the mats and blankets herself. The children -like to watch the patterns grow on the rugs as the -mother weaves the colored threads back and -forth.</p> - -<p>The people sit on the mats in the daytime and at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />102<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -night they roll themselves in the blankets and sleep on -these same mats.</p> - -<p>Of course the rich people in the towns and cities -have much more comfortable houses, and they often -have beautiful carved furniture and handsome rugs. -But these houses have flat roofs, too, and in summer -every one, rich or poor, lives on the roofs.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 496px;"> -<img src="images/i-106.jpg" width="496" height="369" alt="little girl watching woman weave on large frame" /> -</div> - -<p>There all the work is done; the women weave rugs<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />103<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -or make beautiful lace; the little girls play with their -dolls; and at night the mats are spread and the family -sleep under the stars.</p> - -<p>I do not believe I should like to live in Armenia, -but I should enjoy sleeping out of doors on the warm -summer nights, watching the twinkling stars until I -fell asleep.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Describe the house where Hagop and Garabet live.</p> - -<p>What does a village of these huts look like?</p> - -<p>Where do the goats live?</p> - -<p>What makes the house smoky?</p> - -<p>What do the children have to eat and drink?</p> - -<p>Describe the inside of the house where Hagop and -Garabet live.</p> - -<p>Where do the people live in the summer time?</p> - -<p>Where do they sleep in summer? In winter?</p> - -<p>Tell all the things you can that Hagop’s mother has -to do.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />104<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>THE NEST</h2> - - -<div class="poetry-container"> - <div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">Under the apple tree, somebody said,</div> -<div class="verse">“Look at that robin’s nest overhead!</div> -<div class="verse">All of sharp sticks, and of mud, and clay—</div> -<div class="verse">What a rough home for a summer day!”</div> -<div class="verse">Gaunt stood the apple tree, gaunt and bare,</div> -<div class="verse">And creaked in the winds which blustered there.</div> -<div class="verse">The nest was wet with the April rain;</div> -<div class="verse">The clay ran down in an ugly stain;</div> -<div class="verse">Little it looked, I must truly say,</div> -<div class="verse">Like a lovely home for a summer day.</div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">Up in the apple tree, somebody laughed,</div> -<div class="verse">“Little you know of the true home-craft.</div> -<div class="verse">Laugh if you like, at my sticks and clay;</div> -<div class="verse">They’ll make a good home for a summer day.</div> -<div class="verse">May turns the apple tree pink and white,</div> -<div class="verse">Sunny all day, and fragrant all night.</div> -<div class="verse">My babies will never feel the showers,</div> -<div class="verse"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />105<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span>For rain can’t get through these feathers of ours.</div> -<div class="verse">Snug under my wings they will cuddle and creep,</div> -<div class="verse">The happiest babies awake or asleep,”</div> -<div class="verse">Said the robin-mother, flying away</div> -<div class="verse">After more of the sticks and mud and clay.</div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">Under the apple tree somebody sighed,</div> -<div class="verse">“Ah me, the blunder of folly and pride!</div> -<div class="verse">The roughest small house of mud or clay</div> -<div class="verse">Might be a sweet home for a summer day,</div> -<div class="verse">Sunny and fragrant all day, all night,</div> -<div class="verse">With only good cheer for fragrance and light;</div> -<div class="verse">And the bitterest storms of grief and pain</div> -<div class="verse">Will beat and break on that home in vain,</div> -<div class="verse">Where a true-hearted mother broods alway,</div> -<div class="verse">And makes the whole year like a summer day.”</div> -<div class="sig">—<i>Helen Hunt Jackson.</i></div> -</div> -</div> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />106<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>AHMOW—THE WOLF</h2> - - -<h3>I</h3> - -<p>Little Ahmow was an Eskimo boy. He lived with -his parents on the bleak northern shore of Hudson -Bay.</p> - -<p>During the long Arctic winter these Eskimos kill -the walrus which live at the edge of the ice. In the -short summer they hunt them on the islands near the -shore.</p> - -<p>The walrus meat is cut into strips and sewed up in -bags made of the walrus skin. This is to keep the -dogs from stealing and eating it.</p> - -<p>The walrus oil is put into casks to be used in the -dark winter months for heat and light.</p> - -<p>Ahmow’s father killed many walrus every summer -and stored the meat and oil on the islands. Then in -the winter he rode over on the ice to get it.</p> - -<p>One cold winter day, when Ahmow was ten years -old, his father said, “To-morrow I shall go to the -island for oil.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />107<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>“We need meat, too,” said his wife, “and food for -the dogs.”</p> - -<p>“May I go with you, father?” said Ahmow. “I -will help you all I can.”</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 488px;"> -<img src="images/i-111.jpg" width="488" height="359" alt="child, dog and sled and igloo" /> -</div> - -<p>“No,” answered Nannook. “It is far and you are -only a boy.”</p> - -<p>Ahmow begged so hard that at last his father said -he might go.</p> - -<p>“But it will be a long cold ride, and there are often -bears and wolves on the island.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />108<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>So Ahmow dressed himself in his new reindeer suit -that his mother had made, and pulled his sealskin -cap well over his ears.</p> - -<p>He helped his father get ready for the long, cold -journey. First they put a thick coating of ice on the -sledge-runners. Then they filled two sealskin bags -with food and water.</p> - -<p>They called the dogs and harnessed them to the -sledge. There were eight of them, and they could -run like the wind.</p> - -<p>Last of all Ahmow crawled into the house, bade his -mother good-by, and brought out the long whip.</p> - -<p>Nannook wrapped his little boy in a bearskin, -cracked his whip over the dogs, and away they flew -over the ice. Oh, how happy Ahmow was!</p> - - -<h3>II</h3> - -<p>After a while the dogs stopped running and began -to trot, and Ahmow looked about over the vast fields -of ice.</p> - -<p>Not a tree, not a house, not a person was in sight.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />109<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -As far as he could see there was nothing but ice and -snow. Everything was still and white in the dim light.</p> - -<p>When they had nearly reached the island, what -did they see but a huge polar bear! He was prowling -around the oil casks, looking for something to eat.</p> - -<p>Nannook unharnessed the dogs at once. “Go,” -he cried, and they raced across the ice after the bear.</p> - -<p>The bear was so big and clumsy that he could not -run fast. The dogs soon surrounded him, and held -him until Nannook came running up to shoot him.</p> - -<p>Ahmow helped his father skin the bear and cut up -the meat. Then they loaded the sledge with a cask of -oil, some walrus meat, the bearskin, and part of the -bear meat.</p> - -<p>After eating their luncheon, Ahmow was again -rolled up in the bear rug, and they started for home. -Nannook walked beside the sledge. The dogs walked -too, because the load was so heavy.</p> - -<p>When they were nearly halfway home, Nannook -saw some reindeer.</p> - -<p>“Watch the dogs, Ahmow,” he said, “and I will<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />110<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -try to shoot one of those reindeer. Then we can have -a fine dinner.”</p> - -<p>So he took the gun and ran swiftly over the snow. -Soon he was out of sight, and Ahmow was alone -with the dogs.</p> - -<p>The little boy played with the dogs at first, but after -a while they curled up and went to sleep.</p> - -<p>Ahmow was sleepy, too, and it was so warm in the -bear rug that he almost went to sleep.</p> - -<p>All at once he heard a growl, then a dog barked. -Ahmow was wide awake and listening. “What is -it, Naka?” he said to the dog that barked.</p> - -<p>Naka barked again, and the hair stood up straight -on his back.</p> - -<p>Ahmow stood up and looked about. There was a -fierce, hungry-looking wolf coming toward him! He -looked again! One, two, three, four wolves were -leaping over the snow!</p> - -<p>The boy threw off the rug, and seized his father’s -whip and walrus spear. “Come here,” he called to -the dogs. “Come here to the sledge.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />111<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>Then, as the wolves came nearer, he jumped into -the cask of meat.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 489px;"> -<img src="images/i-115.jpg" width="489" height="365" alt="boy being attacked by wolves" /> -</div> - -<p>One big wolf ran up to the sledge. Ahmow leaned -over and struck him with the whip with all his -might. The wolf howled and turned back.</p> - -<p>Another wolf would have killed one of the dogs, but -Ahmow threw out a big piece of bear meat. The -wolf seized the meat and began to eat it.</p> - -<p>Now a third wolf came up to the sledge. Just -then Ahmow saw his father running toward him.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />112<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>“He will drive the wolves away,” he thought, -“but I should like to kill one if I can.”</p> - -<p>So he held the spear as he had seen his father hold -it. As the wolf came nearer, he raised it. As the -wolf jumped, he threw it with all his might right into -the wide-open mouth. There was a howl, a growl, -and then the wolf tried to run away. But Ahmow -wound the spear line around the sledge post and held -it tight.</p> - -<p>Nannook shot two of the wolves, but the one that -had the meat got away with it.</p> - -<p>Then as he ran to the sledge, “Look, father,” -cried Ahmow. “See this fine wolf, with the sharp -nose, and the bushy tail. He is held fast with the -walrus line, and he has eaten the walrus spear.”</p> - -<p>“Well done, lad,” said his father. “You will be -a good hunter. Now, you shall have a spear of your -own and you shall go with me on the big hunts.”</p> - -<p>So from that day the boy was a hunter, and the -people in the village called him “Ahmow,” which -means, “little wolf.”</p> - -<p class="sig"> -—<i>Frederick Schwatka.</i><br /> -</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />113<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>ESKIMO CHILDREN</h2> - - -<p>The Eskimos live in Greenland. I am sure you -would wonder why it is called “Greenland,” for -it is almost never “green.” Nearly all the year -round the ground is covered with ice and snow, so -that it seems as if “Whiteland” would be a better -name.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 490px;"> -<img src="images/i-117.jpg" width="490" height="357" alt="two children ice fishing" /> -</div> - -<p>It is so cold in Greenland that the Eskimos have -to wear very warm clothing. The boys and girls<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />114<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -and men and women dress very much alike. They -wear trousers made of bearskin and coats made of -sealskin. Their stockings are like leggings and are -made of birdskin, with soft feathers inside to keep -their feet warm. Over these they wear sealskin -boots, which are long enough to cover their knees.</p> - -<p>It is so cold in Greenland that trees cannot grow. -If you think of all the ways in which we use the wood -from our forest trees you will wonder what the Eskimos -can do without them.</p> - -<p>We build houses of wood, but the Eskimos make -theirs of blocks of ice and snow.</p> - -<p>We burn wood in our stoves. The Eskimos burn -oil and fat which they get from the walrus and the -seal. They burn this oil in a lamp which gives them -all the light and heat they have.</p> - -<p>Our beds, chairs and tables are made of wood. The -Eskimos have no beds. They sleep on bearskin rugs.</p> - -<p>They have no tables and no chairs. A big bowl -made of bone is set on the floor, and the family sit -around the bowl on bearskins, and eat out of it.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />115<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>There are no stores in Greenland, no churches, -and no schools. Everything that a family needs has -to be provided by the father or the mother. The -father goes hunting and fishing, to get food to eat, -and oil to burn, and skins to wear. He catches fish, -and kills bears, seals, walrus, and reindeer. Sometimes -in the summer he kills a few birds.</p> - -<p>The mother helps cut up the meat, and sometimes -she cooks it, but much of the meat and fat is eaten -raw. From the skins and furs she makes all the -clothing for her family.</p> - -<p>As there are no schools the Eskimo children never -learn to read or write, but they like to hear their mother -and father tell stories, and they learn these stories -so that they can tell them to their children.</p> - -<p>Every one in Greenland has a sled. The runners -are made of bone, and the top is made of sealskin. -Dogs draw these sleds over the snow, and they can -run very fast and very far.</p> - -<p>The boys and girls have very few toys, but they -like to play games, and they have many good times.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />116<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>The girls have dolls made of bone, and the boys -play a game with a ball and stick made of bone.</p> - -<p>But the boys like to hunt and fish. They have -small boats made of bone and sealskin, and paddles -made of bone. Of course they can use these boats -only in the short summer time, as the water is frozen -the rest of the year. When they go hunting they -carry spears, and a bow and arrows.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Do you think you would like to live in Greenland?</p> - -<p>Name ten things that you have that the Eskimo -children have never seen.</p> - -<p>Tell five things that you can do that the little -Eskimos cannot do.</p> - -<p>What do we have to eat that the Eskimos cannot -have?</p> - -<p>Why do the Eskimos build their houses of -snow? How is the house heated?</p> - -<p>Of what is their clothing made?</p> - -<p>How do they cook and eat their food?</p> - -<p>What do the Eskimo children do for fun?</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />117<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>THE DREAM-SHIP</h2> - - -<div class="poetry-container"> - <div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">The Dream-ship minds no stormy gales,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Her masts are all of gold,</span></div> -<div class="verse">With splendor of wide silken sails,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Red-rosy, fold on fold.</span></div> -<div class="verse">They spread below, they spread aloft,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">They’re never reefed nor furled,</span></div> -<div class="verse">And they will bear us safe and soft,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">The other side the world.</span></div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">We shall not see the shadow crew</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">That work among the spars,</span></div> -<div class="verse">But watch the topmast sailing through</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">The shoals of shining stars.</span></div> -<div class="verse">From point to point of silver light,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Through purple gulfs and bays,</span></div> -<div class="verse">As we below a-gliding go</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Along the water-ways.</span></div> -<div class="sig">—<i>Blanche M. Channing.</i></div> -</div> -</div> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />118<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>A TRIP TO JAPAN</h2> - - -<p>There are so many things to tell you about “Nippon,” -as the Japanese call their country, that I do -not know where to begin.</p> - -<p>But first of all I must tell you how we landed. -There were six of us,—Charlotte and Alice and -Fred, their father and mother, and I,—and we had -come all the way across the Pacific Ocean in a big -ship.</p> - -<p>Our ship was anchored out in the harbor, and we -were told we might go ashore.</p> - -<p>We wondered if we were expected to swim, but it -seemed too far for that.</p> - -<p>You can imagine how glad we were when we looked -over the side of the ship and saw a great many little -boats waiting for us.</p> - -<p>A stairway was hung out over the side of the ship, -and we walked down into the little boats, just as we -walk down stairs in our houses.</p> - -<p>Then the trunks were lowered by ropes into little<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />119<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -Japanese rowboats, called sampans, and we waved -“good-by” to the captain and all our friends on the -ship.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 490px;"> -<img src="images/i-123.jpg" width="490" height="361" alt="woman with parsol in rickshaw" /> -</div> - -<p>Did you ever go to sleep and dream you were in a -doll’s country, where you seemed like a giant? Alice -said she knew now just how that other Alice felt in -her visit to Wonderland, for she never saw such tiny -little people, and such tiny little houses, and even such -tiny little trees.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />120<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>When we got on shore we found queer little two-wheeled -carriages, drawn by men instead of horses. -The carriages are called jinrikishas, and are just big -enough for one person.</p> - -<p>We each got into one of these carriages and the -jinrikisha boys picked up the shafts and trotted off -like nice little ponies.</p> - -<p>These boys wear dark-blue trousers that fit their -legs very tightly, and a short blue jacket with flowing -sleeves, and on their back is a Chinese letter painted -in white, which is their employer’s name.</p> - -<p>On their feet they wear straw sandals which they -kick off, when they are worn out, as a horse casts his -shoe. The hat is a funny round straw disk, covered -with white, which makes them look like toadstools.</p> - -<p>The houses, as I said, are very tiny, not much -larger than your playhouses, and the walls are all -made of sliding screens that can be pushed aside, -leaving the house open.</p> - -<p>The floors are covered with matting, which is as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />121<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -soft as cushions, but there is no furniture anywhere -to be seen, for the Japanese sit on the floor and sleep -on the floor, and their tables are tiny little trays.</p> - -<p>The houses are spotlessly clean, for no Japanese -would think of going into a house with his shoes on, -any more than you would walk over your mother’s -chairs and cushions in your shoes.</p> - -<p>One day we went to see a wonderful image. We -rode out to it in jinrikishas, and we each had two -’rikisha boys to pull us. We sped along at a rapid -pace, for the boys are so well trained that they make -nearly as good time as a horse, and a day’s run is -sometimes as much as forty miles.</p> - -<p>We had a regular Japanese “tiffin,” or lunch, at -a little Japanese inn that had a pretty garden all -around it. We took off our shoes at the door just as -the Japanese do, and walked across the soft, matted -floor.</p> - -<p>A screen was drawn aside for us to enter, and then -closed again, leaving us in a little room. Here we all -squatted on our heels, as nearly like a Japanese as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />122<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -our stiff muscles would let us, for, without being -trained, it is hard to shut up like a jackknife.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 491px;"> -<img src="images/i-126.jpg" width="491" height="360" alt="woman in kimono carrying tea set iinto room" /> -</div> - -<p>Then pretty little Japanese girls stole in noiselessly, -bringing us trays of food, one for each person, and -knelt down beside us to uncover our dishes and wait -on us.</p> - -<p>In one tiny bowl was some vegetable soup, in -another some rice, and in a third some fish, which -was cooked for us, though to have been truly Japanese -we should have eaten it raw.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />123<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>Of course there was tea. Everywhere you go they -give you tea in wee cups without handles; just about -a thimbleful, without cream and without sugar; -not at all as we drink it at home.</p> - -<p>But with all this feast before us, there was nothing -to eat it with but two funny little chopsticks, and -terrible times we had trying to manage those little -sticks that serve the Japanese so well, but which -seemed bewitched the minute we got them between -our fingers.</p> - -<p>After trying a long time we would get a mouthful, -as we thought, firmly fixed between the chopsticks, -but just as we would open our mouths to take it in, -the bewitched chopsticks would give a twitch, and -down the whole thing would fall again.</p> - -<p>So, though we spent much time over it, we ate -very little, and we all agreed that it is better to eat -with forks as we do in America.</p> - -<p>After tiffin we went to a silk factory, for a great -deal of silk is manufactured in Japan. There we -found over three thousand girls and women busy<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />124<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -unrolling the cocoons. The silk is woven in another -place, and rolled in neat rolls, ready for sale.</p> - -<p>Most of the way we rode along the beach, where -we could see the fishermen in their boats, and in one -boat was a boy we called Urashima, for when we -looked for him a second time he had disappeared.</p> - -<p class="sig"> -—<i>Charlotte Chaffee Gibson.</i><br /> -</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>What do the Japanese call their country?</p> - -<p>Where was the big ship anchored?</p> - -<p>How did the passengers get from the ship to the -shore?</p> - -<p>What is a jinrikisha? How is it drawn?</p> - -<p>Describe a Japanese house.</p> - -<p>What is the Japanese word for lunch?</p> - -<p>What did the children have to eat at the inn?</p> - -<p>What did they have to eat it with?</p> - -<p>Where did they go after “tiffin?”</p> - -<p>What would you like to do if you should go to -Japan?</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />125<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>URASHIMA</h2> - - -<p>Urashima was a fisher-boy who lived long ago in -Japan.</p> - -<p>One day he went out in his boat, and after he had -been fishing a little while, he felt something very heavy -tugging at his line.</p> - -<p>He gave a hard pull and got it up into his boat. -Then he found that it was a big tortoise with such -a funny old wrinkled face that he burst out laughing -when he saw it.</p> - -<p>In Japan a tortoise lives a thousand years, so Urashima -thought it would be a shame to kill this funny -old fellow, when he might have so long to live. Besides, -a small fish would suit him just as well for -dinner, so he threw the tortoise back into the sea, and -meant to go on fishing.</p> - -<p>But somehow the air seemed too heavy and drowsy, -just as it does on a summer’s day, and Urashima fell -asleep.</p> - -<p>While he was sleeping a beautiful maiden rose out<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />126<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -of the water and got into the boat with him. Urashima -waked, and when he saw her he thought she -was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen.</p> - -<p>The maiden spoke to him. “Urashima,” she said, -“you thought you caught a tortoise a little while ago, -but it was really me. My father had sent me in disguise -to see if you were a good, kind boy.</p> - -<p>“We know now that you are kind-hearted, as you -spared the life of the old tortoise. So I am going to -take you with me to the Dragon Palace, where my -father, the Sea King, and I live. There you shall -marry me, and we shall be very happy.”</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 506px;"> -<img src="images/i-131.jpg" width="506" height="684" alt="Woman and boy in boat surrounded by lilies" /> -<div class="caption">I AM GOING TO TAKE YOU WITH ME TO THE DRAGON PALACE.</div> -</div> - -<p>Urashima gladly consented, and they floated away -till they came to a wonderful palace at the bottom of -the sea.</p> - -<p>This palace was all built of the most beautiful pink -and white coral, and was studded with diamonds and -pearls.</p> - -<p>The leaves of the trees were emeralds, with berries -of rubies and sapphires; and the fishes’ scales were of -pure silver and gold.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />127<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>All this was given to Urashima, and the beautiful -princess became his wife. Any boy would be happy -in such a palace, and Urashima was happy for three -years.</p> - -<p>Then he said to the princess, “I must go to see my -father and mother, and my brothers and sisters, but I -will return again to you.”</p> - -<p>This made the poor princess very sad, for she did -not wish to have Urashima go away.</p> - -<p>But when she saw how much he wished to go, she -gave him a little box to take with him, telling him -under no conditions to open it, for if he did he could -never return to her.</p> - -<p>So Urashima started off, and soon found himself -on the shore where he had lived. But everything seemed -strangely different. Even the people were different -and looked at him in a curious way.</p> - -<p>He could not seem to find his way home, so he asked -two men whom he met if they could tell him how to -reach the house of Urashima’s parents.</p> - -<p>“Urashima!” they cried. “Why, he was drowned<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />128<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -out fishing about four hundred years ago, and not even -his body was found. His father and mother are -buried over there.”</p> - -<p>Then they moved away hastily, for they thought -he must be insane.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 491px;"> -<img src="images/i-134.jpg" width="491" height="358" alt="boy releasing cloud" /> -</div> - -<p>Poor Urashima could not think what to do. He -began to think that the Dragon Palace must be a part -of Fairyland, where a day is the same as a year on -earth, and he wished to return to it. But how could he -find the way?</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />129<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>He could not remember how he had come.</p> - -<p>Suddenly he thought of the box that the princess -had given him, and forgetting that he had promised -not to open it, he pulled open the lid, hoping to learn -the way back.</p> - -<p>There was nothing in the box but a fleecy white -cloud that floated softly up into the blue sky.</p> - -<p>Then, too late, he remembered what the princess -had said, and he called and called the cloud to come -back. He even ran along the beach trying to catch it.</p> - -<p>But soon he could not call, for his breath came -shorter and shorter, his hair turned white, and his -back became weak and bent.</p> - -<p>Finally he fell down on the beach, crushed by the -weight of his four hundred years.</p> - -<p class="sig"> -—<i>Charlotte Chaffee Gibson.</i><br /> -</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />130<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>A DAY</h2> - - -<div class="poetry-container"> - <div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">I’ll tell you how the sun rose,—</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">A ribbon at a time.</span></div> -<div class="verse">The steeples swam in amethyst,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">The news like squirrels ran.</span></div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">The hills untied their bonnets,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">The bobolinks begun,</span></div> -<div class="verse">Then I said softly to myself,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">“That must have been the sun!”</span></div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse"><hr class="tb" /></div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">But how he set, I know not.</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">There seemed a purple stile</span></div> -<div class="verse">Which little yellow boys and girls</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Were climbing all the while.</span></div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">Till when they reached the other side,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">A dominie in gray</span></div> -<div class="verse">Put gently up the evening bars,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">And led the flock away.</span></div> -<div class="sig">—<i>Emily Dickinson.</i></div> -</div> -</div> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />131<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>THE ANTS’ MONDAY DINNER</h2> - - -<p>How did I know what the ants had for dinner last -Monday? It is odd that I should have known, but -I’ll tell you how it happened.</p> - -<p>I was sitting under a big pine tree, high up on a hillside. -The hillside was more than seven thousand -feet above the sea, and that is higher than many mountains -which people travel hundreds of miles to look at. -But this hillside was in Colorado, so there was nothing -wonderful in being up so high.</p> - -<p>I had been watching the great mountains with snow -on them, and the great forests of pine trees—miles -and miles of them—so close together that it looks -as if you could lie down on their tops and not fall -through; and my eyes were tired with looking at -such great, grand things, so many miles off.</p> - -<p>So I looked down on the ground where I was sitting, -and watched the ants which were running about -everywhere, as busy and restless as if they had the -whole world on their shoulders.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />132<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>Suddenly I saw a tiny caterpillar, which seemed -to be bounding along in a very strange way. In a -second more I saw an ant seize hold of him and begin -to drag him off.</p> - -<p>The caterpillar was three times as long as the ant, -and his body was more than twice as large round as -the biggest part of the ant’s body.</p> - -<p>“Ho! ho! Mr. Ant,” said I, “you needn’t think -you’re going to be strong enough to drag that fellow -very far.”</p> - -<p>Why, it was about the same thing as if you or I -should drag off a calf, which was kicking and struggling -all the time; only that the calf hasn’t half so many -legs to catch hold of things with as the caterpillar -had.</p> - -<p>Poor caterpillar! how he did try to get away! -But the ant never gave him a second’s time to take a -good grip of anything; and he was cunning enough, -too, to drag him on his side, so that he couldn’t use -his legs very well.</p> - -<p>Up and down, and under and over stones and sticks;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />133<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -in and out of tufts of grass; up to the very top of the -tallest blades, and then down again; over gravel and -sand, and across bridges of pine needles from stone -to stone; backward all the way ran that ant, dragging -the caterpillar after him.</p> - -<p>I watched him very closely, thinking, of course, -he must be going toward his house. Presently he -darted up the trunk of a pine tree.</p> - -<p>“Dear me!” said I, “ants don’t live in trees! What -does this mean?”</p> - -<p>The bark of the tree was all broken and jagged, and -full of seams twenty times as deep as the height of the -ant’s body. But he didn’t mind; down one side and -up the other he went.</p> - -<p>They must have been awful chasms to him, and yet -he never once stopped or went a bit slower. I had -to watch the ant very closely, not to lose sight of him -altogether.</p> - -<p>I began to think that he was merely trying to kill -the caterpillar; that, perhaps, he didn’t mean to eat -him, after all. How did I know but some ants might<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />134<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -hunt caterpillars, just as some men hunt deer, for -fun, and not at all because they need food?</p> - -<p>If I had been sure of this, I would have spoiled Mr. -Ant’s sport for him very soon, you may be sure, and -set the poor caterpillar free. But I never heard of an -ant’s being cruel; and if it were really for dinner -for his family that he was working so hard, I thought -he ought to be helped, and not hindered.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 487px;"> -<img src="images/i-140.jpg" width="487" height="364" alt="hawk and two birds" /> -</div> - -<p>Just then I heard a sharp cry overhead. I looked -up, and there was an enormous hawk, sailing round in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />135<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -circles, with two small birds flying after him. They -were pouncing down on his head, and then darting -away, and all the time making shrill cries of fright and -hatred.</p> - -<p>I knew very well what that meant. Mr. Hawk -was also out trying to do some marketing for his dinner. -He had his eye on some little birds in their nest, and -there were the father and mother birds driving him -away.</p> - -<p>You wouldn’t have believed that two such little birds -could drive off such a big creature as the hawk, but -they did. They seemed to fairly buzz round his head -just as flies buzz round a horse’s head.</p> - -<p>At last he gave up the quest and flew off so far -that he vanished in the blue sky, and the little birds -came skimming home again into the forest.</p> - -<p>“Well, well,” said I, “the little people are stronger -than the big ones, after all! Where has my ant -gone?”</p> - -<p>Sure enough! It hadn’t been two minutes that I -had been watching the hawk and the birds, but in that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />136<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -two minutes the ant and the caterpillar had disappeared. -At last I found them,—where do you think? In a -fold of my coat, on which I was sitting!</p> - -<p>The ant was running round and round the caterpillar. -I shook the fold out, and as soon as the cloth -lay straight and smooth, the ant fastened his nippers -into his prey and started off as fast as ever.</p> - -<p>I suppose if I could have seen his face, and had -understood the language of ants’ features, I should -have seen plainly written there, “Dear me, what sort -of a country was that I tumbled into?”</p> - -<p>By this time the caterpillar had had the breath pretty -well knocked out of his body, and was so limp and helpless -that the ant was not afraid of his getting away -from him. So he stopped now and then to rest.</p> - -<p>Sometimes he would spring on the caterpillar’s back, -and stretch himself out there; sometimes he would -stand still on one side and look at him sharply, keeping -one nipper on his head.</p> - -<p>All the time he was working steadily in one direction; -he was headed for home I felt certain.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />137<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>It astonished me very much, at first, that none of the -ants he met took any notice of him; they all went on -their own way, and never took so much as a sniff -at the caterpillar.</p> - -<p>But pretty soon I said to myself, “You stupid -woman, not to suppose that ants can be as well behaved -as people! When you passed Mr. Jones yesterday, -you didn’t peep into his market-basket, nor -touch the cabbage he had under his arm.”</p> - -<p>Presently the ant dropped the caterpillar, and ran -on a few steps—I mean inches—to meet another -ant who was coming towards him. They put their -heads close together for a second.</p> - -<p>I could not hear what they said, but I could easily -imagine, for they both ran quickly back to the caterpillar, -and one took him by the head and the other by -the tail, and then they lugged him along finely. It -was only a few steps, however, to the ant’s house; -that was the reason he happened to meet this friend -just coming out.</p> - -<p>The door was a round hole in the ground, about as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />138<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -big as my little finger. Several ants were standing -in the doorway, watching these two come up with -the caterpillar. They all took hold as soon as the -caterpillar was on the doorstep, and almost before -I knew he was there, they had tumbled him down, -heels over head, into the ground, and that was the -last I saw of him.</p> - -<p>The oddest thing was, how the ants came running -home from all directions. I don’t believe there was -any dinner bell rung, though there might have been -one too fine for my ears to hear; but in a minute, I -counted thirty-three ants running down that hole. -I fancied they looked as hungry as wolves.</p> - -<p>I had a great mind to dig down into the hole with a -stick, and see what had become of the caterpillar. -But I thought it wasn’t quite fair to take the roof off -a man’s house to find out how he cooks his beef for -dinner; so I sat still and wondered whether they -would eat him all up or whether they would leave any -for Tuesday; then I went home to my own dinner.</p> - -<p class="sig"> -—<i>Helen Hunt Jackson.</i><br /> -</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />139<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>MY ANT’S COW</h2> - - -<p>My Ant lives in the country and keeps a cow. I -am ashamed to say that, although I have always known -she was a most interesting person, I never went to see -her until last week.</p> - -<p>I am afraid I should not have gone then, if I had -not found an account of her, and her house, and her -cow, in a book which I was reading.</p> - -<p>“Dear me,” said I, “and there she has been living -so near me all this time, and I never have been to call -on her.”</p> - -<p>To tell the truth, it was much worse than that; -I had often met her in the street, and had taken such -a dislike to her looks that I always brushed by as -quickly as possible without speaking to her.</p> - -<p>I had great difficulty in finding her house, though it -is quite large. She belongs to a very peculiar family; -they prefer to live in the dark; so they have no windows -in their houses, only doors; and the doors are -nothing but holes in the roof.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />140<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>The houses are built in the shape of a mound, and -are not more than ten inches high. They are built -out of old bits of wood, dead leaves, straw, old bones; -in short, every sort of old thing that they find, they -stick in the walls of their houses. Their best rooms -are all down cellar; and dark enough they must be -on a rainy day, when the doors are always kept shut -tight.</p> - -<p>But I ought to have told you about my Ant herself -before I told you about her house. When you hear -what an odd person she is, you will not be surprised -that she lives in such an outlandish house.</p> - -<p>To begin with, I must tell you that she belongs to a -family that never does any work.</p> - -<p>You’d never suppose so, to see her. I really think -she is the queerest-looking creature I ever met.</p> - -<p>In the first place, her skin is of a dark brown color, -darker than an Indian’s, and she has six legs. Of -course she can walk three times as fast as if she had -only two,—but I would rather go slower and be more -like other people.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />141<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>She has frightful jaws, with which she does all sorts -of things besides eating. She uses them for scissors, -tweezers, pickaxes, knife and fork, and in case of a -battle, for swords.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 493px;"> -<img src="images/i-146.jpg" width="493" height="357" alt="shoe surrounded by many ants" /> -</div> - -<p>Then she has growing out of the front part of her -head two long slender horns, which she keeps moving -about all the time, and with which she touches everything -she wishes to understand.</p> - -<p>The first thing she does, when she meets you, is to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />142<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -bend both these horns straight towards you, and feel -of you. It is quite disagreeable,—almost as bad -as shaking hands with strangers.</p> - -<p>My Ant’s name is Fornica Rufa. If I knew her -better I should call her Ant Ru, for short. But I do -not expect ever to know her very well. She evidently -does not like to be intimate with anybody but her own -family; and I am not surprised, for I was never in any -house so overrun with people as hers is. I wondered -how they knew themselves apart.</p> - -<p>When I went to see her last week I found her just -going out, and I thought perhaps that was one reason -that she didn’t take any more notice of me.</p> - -<p>“How do you do, Ant?” said I. “I am spending -the summer near by, and thought I would like to become -acquainted with you. I hear you have a very -curious cow, and I have a great desire to see it.”</p> - -<p>“Humph!” said she, and snapped her horns up -and down, as she always does when she is displeased, I -find.</p> - -<p>“I hope it will not give you any trouble to show her<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />143<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -to me. You must be very proud of having such a fine -cow. Perhaps you are on the way to milking now, -and if so I should be most happy to go with you.”</p> - -<p>“Humph!” said my Ant again. At least I think -that was what she said. It looked like it, but I can’t -say that I heard any sound.</p> - -<p>But she turned short on her heels (I suppose she has -heels), and plunged into the woods at the right, stopping -and looking back at me as if she expected me to follow. -So I stepped along after her as fast as I could, and said, -“Thank you; I suppose this is the way to the pasture.”</p> - -<p>My Ant said nothing, but went ahead, snapping her -horns furiously.</p> - -<p>“Oh, well,” thought I to myself, “you are an -uncivil Ant. Even if I have come simply out of -curiosity, you might be a little more polite in your -own house, or at least on your own grounds, which -is the same thing. I sha’n’t speak to you again.”</p> - -<p>That’s about all the conversation I have ever had -with my Ant. But she took me to the pasture, and -I saw her cow.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />144<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>I am almost afraid to tell you where the pasture -was, and what the cow was; but if you don’t believe -me, you can look in books written about such things, -and they will prove to you that every word I say is -true.</p> - -<p>The pasture was the stalk of a green brier; and -there stood, not only my Ant’s cow, but as many -as five hundred others, all feeding away upon it. You -have seen millions of them in your lives, for you must -know that they are nothing but little green plant-lice, -like those that we find on our rosebushes, and that -we try in every possible way to get rid of.</p> - -<p>Who would ever suppose there could be anything -for which these little green plant-lice could serve -as cows! I assure you it is true, and if you live in the -country you can see it for yourself; but you will have -to look through a magnifying glass to see them milked.</p> - -<p>Think of looking through a magnifying glass at -anybody’s cow! I looked at my Ant’s for an hour, -and it seemed to me I hardly winked, I was so much -interested in the curious sight.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />145<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>Its skin was smooth as satin and of a most beautiful -light green color. It had six legs, and little hooks -at the end, instead of hoofs. The oddest thing of all -was that the horns were not on its head, but at the -other end of its body, where the tail would have been -if it had had a tail like any other cow.</p> - -<p>The horns were hollow tubes, and it is out of them -that the milk comes, a drop at a time. The milk is -meant for the little plant-lice to drink before they -are old enough to hook their six legs on to stalks and -leaves, and feed on sap.</p> - -<p>But I think that in any place where there are many -of my Ant’s race, the little plant-lice must fare badly, -for the Ants are so fond of this milk that sometimes -they carry off whole herds of the plant-lice and shut -them up in chambers in their houses. There they -feed them as we do cows in barns, and go and milk -them whenever they please.</p> - -<p>“Oh, dear Ant,” said I to my Ant, “do pray milk -your cow! I have such a desire to see how you do it.”</p> - -<p>She did not appear to understand me, and I dare<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />146<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -say if she had she would not have done it any sooner. -But presently I saw her go up behind her cow, and -begin to tap her gently on her back, just at the place -where the horns grew out.</p> - -<p>The cow did not look round nor stop eating, but in a -moment out came a tiny drop of liquid from the tip -of each tube. My Ant picked it up with her wonderful -horns and whisked it into her mouth as quickly as -you would a sugarplum.</p> - -<p>Then she went on to the next cow and milked that -in the same manner, and then to a third one. She -took only two drops from each one. Perhaps that is -all that this kind of a cow can give at a time.</p> - -<p>There were several of her friends there at the same -time doing their milking; and I could not help thinking -how easy it would be for the great herd of cows to kill -my Ant and all her race, if they chose. But it is -thought by wise people who have studied these wonderful -things that the cows are fond of being milked -in this way, and would be sorry to be left alone by -themselves.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />147<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>After my Ant had finished her supper, she stood -still watching the cows for some time. I thought perhaps -she would be in a better humor after having -had so much to eat, and might possibly feel like talking -with me. But she never once opened her mouth, though -I sat there an hour and a half.</p> - -<p>At last it began to grow dark, and as I had quite a -long walk to take, I knew I must go, or I should not -get home in time for my own supper of milk.</p> - -<p>“Good-night, Ant,” said I. “I have had a charming -visit. I am very much obliged to you for showing -me your cow. I think she is the most wonderful -creature I ever saw. I should be very happy to see -you at my house.”</p> - -<p>“Humph!” said my Ant.</p> - -<p class="sig"> -—<i>Helen Hunt Jackson.</i><br /> -</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />148<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>COLORADO SNOW-BIRDS</h2> - - -<div class="poetry-container"> - <div class="poetry"> -<div class="verse">I’ll tell you how the snow-birds come,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Here in our Winter days;</span></div> -<div class="verse">They make me think of chickens,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">With their cunning little ways.</span></div> -</div> -</div> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 460px;"> -<img src="images/i-152.jpg" width="460" height="333" alt="birds in snow" /> -</div> - -<div class="poetry-container"> - <div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">We go to bed at night, and leave</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">The ground all bare and brown,</span></div> -<div class="verse">And not a single snow-bird</div> -<div class="verse"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />149<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">To be seen in all the town.</span></div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">But when we wake at morning</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">The ground with snow is white,</span></div> -<div class="verse">And with the snow, the snow-birds</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Must have travelled all the night;</span></div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">For the streets and yards are full of them,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">The dainty little things,</span></div> -<div class="verse">With snow-white breasts, and soft brown heads,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">And speckled russet wings.</span></div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">Not here and there a snow-bird,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">As we see them at the East,</span></div> -<div class="verse">But in great flocks, like grasshoppers,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">By hundreds, at the least,</span></div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">They push and crowd and jostle,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">And twitter as they feed,</span></div> -<div class="verse">And hardly lift their heads up,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">For fear to miss a seed.</span></div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">What ’tis they eat, nobody seems</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">To know or understand;</span></div> -<div class="verse">The seeds are much too fine to see,</div> -<div class="verse"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />150<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">All sifted in the sand.</span></div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">But winds last Summer scattered them,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">All thickly on these plains;</span></div> -<div class="verse">The little snow-birds have no barns,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">But God protects their grains.</span></div> -<div class="spaced">. . . . . . .</div> -<div class="verse">Some flocks count up to thousands,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">I know, and when they fly,</span></div> -<div class="verse">Their tiny wings make rustle,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">As if a wind went by.</span></div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">They go as quickly as they come,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Go in a night or day;</span></div> -<div class="verse">Soon as the snow has melted off,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">The darlings fly away,</span></div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">But come again, again, again,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">All winter with each snow;</span></div> -<div class="verse">Brave little armies, through the cold;</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Swift back and forth they go.</span></div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">I always wondered where they lived</div> -<div class="verse"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />151<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">In summer, till last year</span></div> -<div class="verse">I stumbled on them in their home,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">High in the upper air;</span></div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">’Way up among the clouds it was,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">A many thousand feet,</span></div> -<div class="verse">But on the mountain-side gay flowers</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Were blooming fresh and sweet.</span></div> -</div> -</div> -</div> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 462px;"> -<img src="images/i-156.jpg" width="462" height="336" alt="birds on ground in forest" /> -</div> - -<div class="poetry-container"> - <div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">Great pine trees’ swaying branches</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Gave cool and fragrant shade;</span></div> -<div class="verse">And here, we found, the snow-birds</div> -<div class="verse"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />152<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Their summer home had made.</span></div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">“Oh, lucky little snow-birds!”</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">We said, “to know so well,</span></div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">In summer time and winter time,</span></div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Your destined place to dwell—</span></div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">“To journey, nothing doubting,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Down to the barren plains,</span></div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Where harvests are all over,</span></div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">To find your garnered grains!</span></div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">“Oh, precious little snow-birds!</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">If we were half as wise,</span></div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">If we were half as trusting</span></div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">To the Father in the skies,—</span></div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">“He would feed us, though the harvests</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Had ceased throughout the land,</span></div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">And hold us, all our lifetime,</span></div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">In the hollow of his hand!”</span></div> -<div class="sig">—<i>Helen Hunt Jackson.</i></div> -</div> -</div> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />153<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>THE PETERKINS’ EXCURSION AFTER MAPLE -SYRUP</h2> - - -<p>The Peterkins had decided not to go to Egypt.</p> - -<p>Of course the little boys were very much disappointed, -so Mr. Peterkin said that he would take them -out into the woods to get some maple syrup instead. -But it was almost as difficult to arrange an excursion -for maple sugar as to arrange for a trip to Egypt.</p> - -<p>You see, sugar can not be made until it is -warm enough to make the sap run. On the other -hand, it must be cold enough for snow, as you can -only reach the woods on snow-sleds.</p> - -<p>Now, if there were sun enough for the sap to rise, -it would melt the snow; and if it were cold enough for -sledding, it must be too cold for the syrup. The little -boys, however, said there always had been maple -sugar every spring,—they had eaten it; why shouldn’t -there be this spring?</p> - -<p>Elizabeth Eliza said that this was probably old sugar -they had eaten,—you never could tell in the shops.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />154<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>Mrs. Peterkin thought there must be fresh sugar -once in a while, as the old sugar would be eaten up. -She felt the same about chickens. She never could -understand why there were only the old, tough ones -in the market, when there were certainly fresh young -broods to be seen around the farmhouses every -year.</p> - -<p>She supposed the market-men had begun with the -old, tough fowls, and so they had to go on so. She -wished they had begun the other way; and she had -done her best to have the family eat up the old fowls, -hoping they might, some day, get down to the young -ones.</p> - -<p>As to the weather, she suggested they should go to -Grandfather’s the day before. But how can you go -the day before, when you don’t know the day?</p> - -<p>All were much delighted, therefore, when Hiram -appeared with the wood-sled, one evening, to take -them, as early as possible the next day, to their grandfather’s.</p> - -<p>He said that the sap had started, the kettles had been<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />155<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -on some time, there had been a slight snow for sleighing, -and to-morrow promised to be a fine day.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 458px;"> -<img src="images/i-161.jpg" width="458" height="336" alt="packing up furniture" /> -</div> - -<p>It was decided that he should take the little boys and -Elizabeth Eliza in the wood-sled; the others would -follow later, in the carryall.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Peterkin thought it would be safer to have -some of the party go on wheels, in case of a thaw the -next day.</p> - -<p>A brilliant sun awoke them in the morning. The -wood-sled was filled with hay, to make it warm and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />156<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -comfortable, and an armchair was tied in for Elizabeth -Eliza.</p> - -<p>The little boys put on their India-rubber boots and -their red mittens. Elizabeth Eliza took a shawl, a -hot brick, and a big bag of cookies, and they started off.</p> - -<p>In passing the school-house the little boys saw five -of their friends, who had reached the school door a full -hour before the time. They asked these five boys to -go with them, but Elizabeth Eliza thought they ought -to inquire if their parents would be willing they should -go, as they all expected to spend the night at Grandfather’s.</p> - -<p>Hiram thought it would take too much time to ask -all the parents; if the sun kept on shining so brightly, -the snow would be gone before they would reach the -woods.</p> - -<p>But the little boys said that most of these boys lived -in a row, and Elizabeth Eliza felt she ought not to take -the boys away for all night without asking their -parents.</p> - -<p>At each place they were obliged to stop for tippets<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />157<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -and great-coats and India-rubber boots for the little -boys. At the Harrimans’, too, the Harriman girls -insisted on dressing up the wood-sled with evergreens, -and made one of the boys bring the Christmas tree -that was leaning up against the barn, to set it up in -the back of the sled, over Elizabeth Eliza.</p> - -<p>All this took a good deal of time; and when they -reached the highroad again, the snow was indeed fast -melting. Elizabeth Eliza thought they ought to turn -back, but Hiram said they would find the sleighing -better farther up among the hills.</p> - -<p>The armchair joggled about a good deal, and the -Christmas tree creaked and swayed, and Hiram was -obliged to stop once in a while and tie in the chair and -the tree more firmly.</p> - -<p>But the warm sun was very pleasant, the eight little -boys were very lively, and the sleigh bells jingled gaily -as they went on.</p> - -<p>It was so late when they reached the wood-road -that Hiram decided they had better not go up the -hill to their grandfather’s, but turn off into the woods.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />158<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>“Your grandfather will be up at the sugar camp -by this time,” he declared.</p> - -<p>Elizabeth Eliza was afraid the carryall would miss -them, and thought they had better wait. Hiram -did not like to wait longer, and said that one or two -of the little boys could stop to show the way.</p> - -<p>But it was so difficult to decide which little boys -should stay that he gave it up. So he explained that -there was a lunch hidden somewhere in the straw; -and the little boys thought this was a good time to eat -it, so they decided to stop in the sun at the corner of -the road.</p> - -<p>Elizabeth Eliza felt a little jounced in the armchair, -and was glad of a rest; and the boys soon discovered -a good lunch,—just what might have been expected -from Grandfather’s,—apple pie and doughnuts, and -plenty of them! “It is lucky we brought so many -little boys!” they exclaimed.</p> - -<p>Hiram, however, began to grow impatient. “There’ll -be no snow left,” he exclaimed, “and no afternoon for -the syrup!”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />159<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>But far in the distance the Peterkin carryall was -seen slowly approaching through the snow, Solomon -John waving a red handkerchief. The little boys -waved back, and Hiram turned the sled into the wood-road, -but he drove slowly, as Elizabeth Eliza still -feared that by some accident the family might miss -them.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 460px;"> -<img src="images/i-165.jpg" width="460" height="335" alt="carriage making way through snow" /> -</div> - -<p>It was difficult for the carryall to follow in the deep -but soft snow, in among the trunks of the trees and -over piles of leaves hidden in the snow.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />160<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>At last they reached the edge of a meadow. On -the high bank above it stood a row of maples, and -back of which was a little shanty with smoke coming -out of its chimney. The little boys screamed with -delight, but there was no reply. Nobody there!</p> - -<p>“The folks all gone!” exclaimed Hiram; “then we -must be late.” And he proceeded to pull out a large -silver watch from a side pocket. It was so large that -he seldom was at the pains to pull it out, as it took -time; but when he had succeeded at last, and looked at -it, he started.</p> - -<p>“Late, indeed! It is four o’clock, and we were to -have been here by eleven; they have given you -up.”</p> - -<p>The little boys wanted to force in the door; but -Hiram said it was no use,—they wouldn’t understand -what to do, and he should have to see to the -horses,—and it was too late, and very likely the men -had carried off all the syrup.</p> - -<p>But he thought a minute, as they all stood in silence -and gloom; and then he guessed they might find some<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />161<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -sugar at Deacon Spear’s, close by, on the back road, and -that would be better than nothing.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Peterkin was pretty cold, and glad not to wait -in the darkening wood; so the eight little boys walked -through the wood-path, Hiram leading the way; and -slowly the carryall followed.</p> - -<p>They reached Deacon Spear’s at length; but only -Mrs. Spear was at home. She was very deaf, but could -explain that the family had taken all their syrup to -the sugar festival.</p> - -<p>“We might go to the festival,” exclaimed the boys.</p> - -<p>“It would be very well,” said Mrs. Peterkin, “to -eat our fresh syrup there.”</p> - -<p>But Mrs. Spear could not tell where the festival was -to be, as she had not heard; perhaps they might know -at Squire Ramsay’s.</p> - -<p>Squire Ramsay’s was on their way to Grandfather’s, -so they stopped there. They were told that the -“Squire’s folks” had all gone with their syrup to the -festival. The man who was chopping wood did not -know where the festival was to be.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />162<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>“They’ll know at your grandfather’s,” said Mrs. -Peterkin, from the carryall.</p> - -<p>“Yes, go on to your grandfather’s,” advised Mr. -Peterkin, “for I think I felt a drop of rain.” So -they made the best of their way to Grandfather’s.</p> - -<p>At the moment they reached the door of the house, -a party of young people whom Elizabeth Eliza knew -came by in sleighs. She had met them all when visiting -at her grandfather’s.</p> - -<p>“Come along with us,” they shouted; “we are all -going down to the sugar festival.”</p> - -<p>“That is what we have come for,” said Mr. Peterkin.</p> - -<p>“Where is it?” asked Solomon John.</p> - -<p>“It is down your way,” was the reply.</p> - -<p>“It is in your own New Hall,” said another. “We -have sent down all our syrup. The Spears and Ramsays -and Doolittles have gone on with theirs. No time to -stop; there’s good sleighing on the old road.”</p> - -<p>Hiram said he could take them back with the wood-sled, -when he heard there was sleighing on the old road. -So it was decided that the whole party should go in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />163<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -the wood-sled, with the exception of Mr. Peterkin, -who would follow on with the carryall.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Peterkin would take the armchair, and cushions -were put in for Elizabeth Eliza, and more apple pie -for all. No more drops of rain appeared, though the -clouds were thickening over the setting sun.</p> - -<p>“All the way back again,” sighed Mrs. Peterkin, -“when we might have stayed at home all day, and gone -quietly out to the New Hall!” But the little boys -thought the sledding was great fun,—and the -apple pie! “And we did see the kettle through the -cracks of the shanty!”</p> - -<p class="sig"> -—<i>Lucretia P. Hale.</i><br /> -</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />164<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>THE GRASS</h2> - - -<div class="poetry-container"> - <div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">The grass so little has to do,—</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">A sphere of simple green,</span></div> -<div class="verse">With only butterflies to brood,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">And bees to entertain,</span></div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">And stir all day to pretty tunes</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">The breezes fetch along,</span></div> -<div class="verse">And hold the sunshine in its lap,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">And bow to everything;</span></div> -</div> -</div> -</div> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 461px;"> -<img src="images/i-170.jpg" width="461" height="343" alt="loading the hay wagon" /> -</div> - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />165<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> - <div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">And thread the dews all night, like pearls,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">And make itself so fine,—</span></div> -<div class="verse">A duchess were too common</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">For such a noticing.</span></div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">And even when it dies, to pass</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">In odors so divine,</span></div> -<div class="verse">As lowly spices gone to sleep,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or amulets of pine.</span></div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">And then to dwell in sovereign barns,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">And dream the days away,—</span></div> -<div class="verse">The grass so little has to do,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">I wish I were the hay.</span></div> -<div class="sig">—<i>Emily Dickinson.</i></div> -</div> -</div> -</div> - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - - -<h2>SUNSET</h2> - - -<div class="poetry-container"> - <div class="poetry"> -<div class="verse">Where ships of purple gently toss</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">On seas of daffodil,</span></div> -<div class="verse">Fantastic sailors mingle,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">And then—the wharf is still.</span></div> -<div class="sig">—<i>Emily Dickinson.</i></div> -</div> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />166<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>THE BABY SQUIRRELS</h2> - - -<p>The four baby squirrels were tired of staying in their -soft nest in the hollow tree. They wanted to find out -what was going on in the world outside.</p> - -<p>As they cuddled together in the shadowy hole they -could hear the queerest sounds. They cocked their -heads curiously at the rustling and whispering of the -wind among the leaves. They heard chirping and singing, -and a silvery tinkle, tinkle from the brook.</p> - -<p>Once a bee flew buzzing right over their heads, and -made them clutch one another in terror.</p> - -<p>One morning, when the old mother squirrel was -away hunting for birds’ eggs to eat, the smallest -baby crept to the mouth of the hole and peeped out -with his round bright eyes.</p> - -<p>All around and above him there were wonderful -green things flickering and fluttering. Twinkles of -sunlight danced through the leaves and dazzled him. -Something soft and cool blew back the new bristles -on his lips and ruffled his satiny red fur.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />167<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>He was so much interested that he sat there, staring -and staring, till the other little ones began to squeak -and scold him for shutting out the light.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 485px;"> -<img src="images/i-173.jpg" width="485" height="350" alt="squirrels peeking out of tree trunk" /> -</div> - -<p>After he crept down again to the nest the others -climbed up, one by one, and looked out. They blinked -and winked at each wonderful sight; they sniffed the -strange odors, and twitched their eager little heads -at every new sound.</p> - -<p>The scream of a blue jay in the tree-top above them -sent them scampering inside again, to cuddle close<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />168<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -together in the darkest corner. It was fun to see -something new and exciting, even if it did make them -shiver all over.</p> - -<p>Soon the mother squirrel came springing from branch -to branch to reach the hollow.</p> - -<p>How the babies squeaked and chattered in welcome! -Very likely they told her about the wonderful -sights and sounds in the strange world outside the -hole.</p> - -<p>The smallest one clasped his fore paws around her -neck, and coaxed her to let them all go out to find -more interesting things. It was stupid there in the -dark nest, with nothing to watch except the patch of -light across the opening above them.</p> - -<p>The old squirrel knew that the little ones were not -strong enough yet to leave the nest.</p> - -<p>To be sure, they had grown and changed very much -since the first days. Then they had been ugly little -creatures, like tiny pug dogs, with big heads, no fur, -and their eyes tight shut.</p> - -<p>Now they were half as big as she was herself. Their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />169<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -eyes were like jewels, and their red fur was smooth as -satin.</p> - -<p>But their tails, with only fringes of hair along the -sides, were not nearly so fluffy as the mother’s. Her -tail was long and plumy. It curved so gracefully -over her back that she seemed to be sitting in its -shadow. One name of the squirrel is “shadow-tail.”</p> - -<p>For a few weeks longer the four babies scrambled -about the doorway and looked longingly out at the -wonderful green tree-world. They did not dare to step -out upon the slender branches, for fear of falling off.</p> - -<p>It made them feel dizzy to look away down to the -ground below. They did not know how to cling to the -limbs with their feet while they balanced themselves -with their tails.</p> - -<p>When the young squirrels were almost strong enough -to learn to run and climb in the tree, the mother began -to build another home higher up the trunk. The old -nest was growing too warm for comfort, as summer -brought the long sunny hours.</p> - -<p>The squirrel father was not there to help his mate.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />170<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>The mother squirrel thought the tree belonged to -her, and that she needed all the room in the hollow -for her little ones. She chased him off to live in the -woods with all the other squirrel fathers till the babies -were big enough to take care of themselves.</p> - -<p>The mother squirrel worked on the new nest in the -early morning. She bit off leafy twigs and carried them -to the top of the tree. There, where two branches -forked, she packed the sticks and leaves together -in a loose ball.</p> - -<p>Then she pushed a doorway through, at one side or -another, just as she happened to be standing.</p> - -<p>This was not such a neat home as one in the next -tree. That other mother squirrel built her new nest -of strips of bark tied together with ribbons of soft -fibre. Over the doorway she hung a curtain of bark, -and lifted it up carefully whenever she went inside.</p> - -<p>At last the new home was ready. The old mother -hurried down to the hollow and called the babies to -come out and follow her. They stepped out, one after -another, just as carefully as they could.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />171<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>The smallest baby came last. He dug his claws into -the bark and hung on. The branch seemed so narrow -that he trembled from fear of falling.</p> - -<p>The tree swayed in the wind. The branch bounced -up and down, and a leaf blew in his face. The poor -little fellow shut his eyes, because everything seemed -to be whirling round and round.</p> - -<p>When he opened his eyes again he saw the three -other little ones climbing up the trunk above him. -They clutched the bark with their claws, and moved -forward, one paw at a time.</p> - -<p>The mother was running on ahead of them. Every -few steps she turned around to coax them on -faster.</p> - -<p>Finally they reached a narrow branch which led -over to the new nest. They crawled out on it, lifting -one foot and then setting it down before lifting another.</p> - -<p>The farther they crept the narrower the branch -grew under them. Their little paws began to slip -over the smoother bark. The one in front tried to turn<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />172<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -around, but he was afraid of falling. So they all -three scrambled backwards to the safe trunk.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 489px;"> -<img src="images/i-178.jpg" width="489" height="353" alt="squirrel on branch" /> -</div> - -<p>The mother ran back to them, and chattered and -scolded. Again and again they started out over the -branch, and then went scrambling back.</p> - -<p>When at last the mother had coaxed them across to -the nest she looked around for the smallest baby. -There he was, away down at the door of the old nest.</p> - -<p>The old squirrel was tired out. Her fur was ruffled -and her ears drooped. She ran down to the nest and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />173<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -began to scold the little fellow. He sat up and put his -paws around her to let him stay there.</p> - -<p>But she started him up the trunk and pushed him -along to the branch. Then she took hold of him by -the neck and carried him across to the new -home.</p> - -<p>After that the little ones were taken out every -morning to practise climbing. Little by little they -learned to balance themselves on the branches. Their -tails were fluffy enough by this time to be of use in -balancing.</p> - -<p>First to one side, then to the other, each baby tilted -his tail as he crept along, step by step. Every day -they could move a little faster. Finally they were able -to chase one another up and down, from branch to -branch.</p> - -<p>They went running around the trunks, skipping and -leaping from twig to twig, and jumping from one tree -to another, even through the air.</p> - -<p>Sometimes one or another missed his footing after -a reckless jump. Often he caught hold of a branch<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />174<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -below by a single toe and lifted himself up to a firmer -foothold.</p> - -<p>Or, if there was no branch within reach, he spread -out his fur, and flattened his tail, and went sailing down -to the ground, almost as if he could fly. They never -seemed to get hurt.</p> - -<p>The little squirrels seemed to be always doing something. -They turned somersaults in the grass, or -swung by one paw from the tip of a tough branch.</p> - -<p>There was always something to do or to see. Now -they chattered at a blue jay, or chased a toad for the -fun of watching him hop. Now they caught beetles or -scolded at a fox slinking along through the woods. -And every day there was the excitement of finding -something to eat.</p> - -<p>The babies lived on milk till they were almost as -heavy as their mother. Then she began to feed them -with fruit and buds and grubs, which she first chewed -for them.</p> - -<p>Like the beavers and the hares and rabbits, each -had four chisel teeth in the front of its mouth. They<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />175<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -needed to gnaw hard nuts or bark every day to keep -these teeth from growing too long.</p> - -<p>The young squirrels were three months old in July -and were then big enough to take care of themselves. -Away they scampered from the old home tree and -found new homes in stumps and hollows. The smallest -one used to curl up in an old robin’s nest to sleep at -night.</p> - -<p>All day long they were as busy as they could be. -There were cones to be gathered from the evergreens. -The little squirrels ran up the trees in a hurry, and, -cutting off the cones with their sharp teeth, tossed them -over their shoulders to the ground. Every few minutes -they scurried down to bury the cones under the pine -needles for the winter.</p> - -<p>Sometimes a drop of sticky pitch from the cut -stems was rubbed against their fur. That made them -so uncomfortable that they had to stop and lick it -off.</p> - -<p>The squirrels loved to be clean. Ever since they -were tiny babies, with their new red fur, they always<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />176<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -helped one another with washing their faces and -combing their tails with their claws.</p> - -<p>They were careful to run along logs over a muddy -spot. If one happened to get wet he dried himself -with his fluffy tail.</p> - -<p>When they were tired of eating seeds and twigs they -hunted for grubs. Clinging to the bark of a dead tree, -they listened till they heard something gnawing -beneath the surface. Then, tearing off the bark in -ragged pieces, they pounced upon the flat whitish -grub beneath and ate him up.</p> - -<p>But the best time of all came in the autumn when -nuts were ripe. Then what fun the little squirrels -had! Early every morning out popped the little heads -from the hollow stumps and logs. The big round eyes -twinkled eagerly in every direction. Then, whisk! -they were out, with a bark and a squeak!</p> - -<p>Scampering to the top of a tree, each one took a -flying leap to the next tree. Up and down they -followed the squirrel-paths through the woods till they -reached the grove, where the nuts were ripening.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />177<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>It was a busy place, with little wings fluttering and -little feet pattering, and yellow leaves drifting down -in the sunshine. All the squirrels scurried to and fro, -picking one nut here, and another there.</p> - -<p>They sat on the branches, with their bushy tails -curving over their backs, and held the nuts in their -fore paws to nibble. The smallest baby could open -the hardest walnut and clean it out in less than a -minute.</p> - -<p>All the while the blue jays and the thrifty chipmunks -were gathering nuts and corn, and hiding their -stores for the winter. That seemed so interesting that -the squirrels gathered some, too.</p> - -<p>Autumn passed away, and the days grew colder. -In the woods the leaves were all fallen and the branches -were stripped bare of nuts.</p> - -<p>Every morning when the squirrels poked out their -heads the air nipped their noses. Frost sparkled -on the dead grass. The chipmunks had crept into -their holes for the winter, and most of the birds had -flown away south.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />178<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>The squirrels were not quite so gay now as in the -autumn days, when they danced upon the branches -and whistled and chuckled over the good things to -eat and the curious sights to see. They slept with -their warm tails wrapped over their noses.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 497px;"> -<img src="images/i-184.jpg" width="497" height="361" alt="squirrel on ground in snow" /> -</div> - -<p>They still ran busily through the tree-tops, except -when snow or icy rain kept them shut within their -holes. They ate all the nuts they could find, and dug -up the buried pine cones. They climbed the hemlock -trees and ate the seeds.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />179<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>Once the smallest squirrel happened to dig up a -heap of nuts from between two stones under the snow. -He could not remember whether he had hidden them -himself or not. How he squealed when he saw them!</p> - -<p>Late in the winter the squirrels had eaten all the -nuts and cones within reach. They were so hungry -on many a day that they tried to creep into a chipmunk’s -hole and steal his store of food. But he was -smaller than they were, and he had wisely made one -bend in his tunnel too small for them to pass.</p> - -<p>Then they had to live on bark and seeds till spring -started the tender green plants to growing.</p> - -<p>The squirrels gnawed the bark of the maple trees -and drank the sweet sap that came oozing out. Later -there were elm buds to nibble and birds’ eggs to suck. -The woods were once more green with juicy leaves.</p> - -<p>All the squirrels went to housekeeping. Soon in -almost every tree there was a family of squirrels peeping -out with their round, bright eyes.</p> - -<p class="sig"> -—<i>Julia A. Schwartz.</i><br /> -</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />180<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>THE BABY THAT SLEEPS IN A POCKET</h2> - - -<p>For days and days the baby opossums lay -crowded close together in their mother’s furry pocket. -They slept and drank milk, and grew and grew till their -eyes began to open.</p> - -<p>It was dark all around them, but above their heads -a gray line showed where light was stealing in over -the edge of the pocket.</p> - -<p>The biggest baby opossum looked up with his -little bright eyes. He wanted to see more. So he -crawled up, clambering over the soft tiny bodies of -the eleven other babies.</p> - -<p>Some of them wriggled and squirmed under his little -bare feet. After slipping back once or twice he reached -the edge and poked his pointed white snout outside.</p> - -<p>He could not see anything because he was under his -mother, and her long fur hung down over him. She -was lying on a nest of grasses in a hollow tree.</p> - -<p>That was where she stayed all day long while the -sun was shining. Every night at dusk she climbed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />181<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -down the rough trunk and went to hunt for something -to eat.</p> - -<p>When she felt the tiny claws of her baby clutching -her fur she looked down between her fore paws at the -little mouse-like fellow.</p> - -<p>Then with her smooth pink hands she gently pushed -him back into the pocket and closed the opening. He -was not big enough yet to come out of the warm dark -nursery.</p> - -<p>So for a week longer he cuddled down beside the -others, while they all slept and drank more milk and -grew stronger every hour.</p> - -<p>The biggest baby was so restless that he scrambled -around and crowded the others. Once he caught -hold of a tiny tail between the thumbs and fingers -of his hind feet, and pulled till the little one squeaked. -His fore feet were like tiny hands without any thumbs.</p> - -<p>At last, one day, he saw the edge of the pocket open -a crack. He was so glad that he climbed up as fast -as he could scramble, and pushed outside. He held -on to his mother’s fur with all four feet.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />182<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>When she reached down to smell him the bristles -on her lips tickled his nose. Then he climbed around -upon her back and twisted his tail about hers to hold -him steady.</p> - -<p>He looked like a mouse with his long tail, his black -ears, his bright eyes twinkling in his little white face, -and his pointed nose.</p> - -<p>In a few minutes another and another baby followed -the big brother and clung there on the mother’s furry -back. It must have seemed a noisy place to them, -for in the pocket they had heard only the soft rustling -and scratching of the mother’s feet on the nest.</p> - -<p>Now they could hear a chirping, and a squeaking, -and a rattling of branches. They crowded close -together in fright at the scream of a blue jay, as it -chased a chattering red squirrel through the tree-top.</p> - -<p>Then a sudden loud thump—thump—thump of -a woodpecker hammering on the bark of the tree -sent them tumbling back to the nursery in a -hurry.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />183<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>After this the whole family climbed out every day -to play about on the mother’s back. The biggest -baby liked to curl his small tail about her large one, -and then swing off head downward.</p> - -<p>Sometimes he pushed the others down just for the -fun of seeing them scramble up again, hand over -hand, clutching the long fur.</p> - -<p>Of course he was the first one to poke his head out -every day. Once he woke from a nap in the pocket -and started to climb outside.</p> - -<p>But he stopped halfway, hanging to the edge with -both fore feet. It was nearly evening, and the mother -opossum was clambering down the tree-trunk to -go hunting for her supper.</p> - -<p>The baby held on tightly while she trotted away -through the woods. Now and then a leaf rustled -or a stick cracked under her feet. Sleepy birds were -twittering in their nests.</p> - -<p>The mother pricked her ears and listened, for she -ate eggs and young birds whenever she could find -them. She had not tasted an egg this spring, because<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />184<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -she could not climb very nimbly with her pocket -full of babies.</p> - -<p>Soon she came to a swamp, and splash, splash, splash! -the mud went flying. It spattered the baby’s face -and made him cough.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 462px;"> -<img src="images/i-190.jpg" width="462" height="340" alt="possum in moonlight" /> -</div> - -<p>Then he heard the croakings of dozens of frogs, -and it frightened him so that he slid back into the -nursery with his brothers.</p> - -<p>The mother was trying to catch a frog to eat. Now -she jumped this way, and now she jumped that way.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />185<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -Such a jounce as the babies felt when she gave a -spring for a big green fellow sitting on a log.</p> - -<p>She caught him, too, but the jounce almost knocked -the breath out of the twelve soft bodies in her pocket.</p> - -<p>Every day the babies stayed outside the nursery -for a longer time, though they were always ready -to hurry back at the mother’s first warning grunt.</p> - -<p>They kept growing bigger, too, till one night they -could not all crowd into the pocket. Then they -cuddled together on her back, with their tails twisted -around hers.</p> - -<p>In this way they rode through the woods when she -went hunting. They watched with their bright -eyes while she turned over rotting logs with her snout -to catch the grubs underneath.</p> - -<p>Sometimes she rooted in the ground for sprouting -acorns, or nipped off mouthfuls of tender grass. Once -she caught a young rabbit. Then how excited the -little opossums were! And how they all squeaked -and hissed together as they rode trotting home.</p> - -<p>By this time they had cut their teeth,—fifty sharp<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />186<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -little teeth in each hungry mouth. Then the mother -picked some sweet red berries, and taught the hungry -babies how to eat them. They learned to chew the -juicy roots that she dug in the field.</p> - -<p>The babies were greedy little things. She was a -good and patient mother. Of course, as long as they -were small enough to stay in her pocket she carried -them everywhere with her. Even when they grew as -large as rats they rode on her back through the woods. -These twelve fat babies were so heavy that sometimes -she staggered and stumbled under the load.</p> - -<p>One night when all the babies were trotting along -on their own feet they saw gleaming red eyes in the -dark bushes before them. Something round and furry -snarled and sprang at them.</p> - -<p>They all ran under their mother as quick as a wink. -She ruffled her long grayish hair above them. When -the animal jumped at her she growled, and hissed, -and scratched, and bit, till he ran limping away.</p> - -<p>On another evening a big dog came galloping up -before they could scramble into a tree. His red tongue<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />187<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -was hanging out of his mouth between his white teeth. -As soon as he caught sight of the opossums he made -a dash to catch them. Instantly they all fell down and -rolled over just as if they were dead.</p> - -<p>There they lay, with their eyes shut, their paws -limber, their tails limp. They seemed to stop breathing. -The dog smelled them and pushed them with -his cold nose.</p> - -<p>But they kept perfectly still and did not move even -an eyelash. They were pretending to be dead. It -was one trick that they all knew without being taught.</p> - -<p>The minute the dog walked away they all jumped -up and scampered into a tree. When the dog turned -his head and saw them he ran back and leaped up -to reach them.</p> - -<p>But all the opossums were safe enough now. While -he was jumping and barking below they clung fast -in the tree with their hand-like feet. They wound -their tails about the branches above to hold more -securely.</p> - -<p>The little opossums learned to climb all sorts of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />188<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -trees, rough or smooth. It was easier to climb the -rough trees because they could dig their nails farther -into the bark.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 461px;"> -<img src="images/i-194.jpg" width="461" height="339" alt="hanging upside down by tail" /> -</div> - -<p>The biggest baby could walk along the springiest -limb, even if it kept teetering up and down in the -wind. When he felt like it he swung by his tail the -longest time without getting dizzy.</p> - -<p>All summer long the twelve little opossums stayed -with their mother. During the day they slept cuddled -in the hollow tree. Every night, after sunset,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />189<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -the mother and her twelve children set off on their -hunting.</p> - -<p>Down through the marsh they trotted. Some -waded into the mud to catch frogs, while others -chased mud turtles over the shore. Some hunted -for berries and others nosed for acorns under the oaks.</p> - -<p>It was beautiful there in the woods at night. When -the stars twinkled overhead and the soft wind rustled -in the tree-tops the little ones frisked and frolicked.</p> - -<p>They hid under the shadowy bushes or jumped -hither and thither to snap at the fluttering -moths.</p> - -<p>But on stormy evenings they plodded on in the -rain, their wet fur drooping. With their noses close -to the ground they hunted till they found a few -mouthfuls to eat. Then they went back to the cosy -hollow for a longer nap, after licking their pink hands -and washing their faces, just as kittens do.</p> - -<p>One night, in autumn, the old mother opossum -felt the nip of frost in the air. Then she knew that -the persimmons were ready to be eaten. Away<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />190<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -through the woods she hurried, with the young ones -trotting after her.</p> - -<p>She led the way past the marsh and over the -hill to a thicket of trees tangled with wild grapevines. -There on the branches the round persimmons -were shining yellow in the moonlight.</p> - -<p>Up the trees eleven of the babies scrambled hungrily, -and, hanging by their tails, stuffed the fruit into their -wide mouths. Ah! But wasn’t it delicious! Better -than anything they had ever tasted before in all their -short lives.</p> - -<p>Then the biggest baby, who had stopped to gobble -ripe grapes, heard them munching so greedily. One -look sent him hurrying after the others. He was -sorry enough that he had wasted any time eating -wild grapes.</p> - -<p>Night after night, till the little persimmons were -gone, the opossums hurried away to the thicket, and -ate and ate till they could eat no longer. They grew -so fat that they puffed and panted when trotting -home again in the gray light of the frosty dawn.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />191<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>Soon the ground was frozen hard over the juicy -roots. All the fruit left in the woods hung wrinkled -and frost-bitten. The worms and toads crawled into -their holes for the winter. The beetles disappeared, -and the spiders curled up in their hiding places to -sleep through the cold weather. Most of the birds -flew away south.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 461px;"> -<img src="images/i-196.jpg" width="461" height="340" alt="possum on ground at base of tree in forest" /> -</div> - -<p>One by one each little opossum wandered off by -himself, and made a nest in a cosy hole or a hollow<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />192<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -stump. There he dozed all day and often slept through -the night without stirring out.</p> - -<p>Now and then one of them caught a mouse or dug -up a frozen root to nibble. Sometimes they tore -rotten logs apart to get at the grubs.</p> - -<p>In the beginning of the winter the little opossums -were so fat that they could live three or four weeks -without eating or drinking. When the cold winds blew, -and the snow fell, they cuddled down in their warm -nests and slept the time away. But many a night -they woke up hungry. And every day their round -furry bodies were a little thinner, till at last, spring -melted the snow and ice everywhere.</p> - -<p>There was plenty to eat by that time, with all the -green things growing. There were buds to nibble -and beetles to catch. There were frogs croaking in -the marsh, and berries were ripening in the field.</p> - -<p>The twelve little opossums were grown up now, -and knew how to take care of themselves. Their -mother had another family of babies in her furry -pocket.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />193<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>Sometimes she met her other children roaming beside -the marsh to catch frogs. One evening they saw -a little pointed nose, and two twinkling bright eyes, -peeping over the edge of her pocket.</p> - -<p class="sig"> -—<i>Julia A. Schwartz.</i><br /> -</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="poetry-container"> - <div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">Will there really be a morning?</div> -<div class="verse">Is there such a thing as day?</div> -<div class="verse">Could I see it from the mountains</div> -<div class="verse">If I were as tall as they?</div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">Has it feet like water lilies?</div> -<div class="verse">Has it feathers like a bird?</div> -<div class="verse">Is it brought from famous countries</div> -<div class="verse">Of which I have never heard?</div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">Oh, some scholar! Oh, some sailor!</div> -<div class="verse">Oh, some wise man from the skies!</div> -<div class="verse">Please to tell a little pilgrim</div> -<div class="verse">Where the place called morning lies!</div> -<div class="sig">—<i>Emily Dickinson.</i></div> -</div> -</div> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />194<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>THE EMPEROR AND THE PEASANT</h2> - - -<h3>I</h3> - -<p>Once upon a time there was an Emperor of China, -named Lee Wong. He would have been a very good -Emperor if he had not been spoiled by kindness.</p> - -<p>If he cried when he was a baby, his nurse called -all the nurses in the palace.</p> - -<p>They called the attendants, and the attendants -called the musicians. The musicians played, the -attendants danced, and the nurses walked up and -down wheeling the baby in his carriage until he -stopped crying. Sometimes this happened many -times in one day.</p> - -<p>When Lee was a boy he had his own way in everything. -If he played soldier he was always the general. -If he went to fly kites, he had the ones that would -fly the highest.</p> - -<p>Sometimes he wished to fly his kites when the wind -did not blow. Then the poor attendants had to blow<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />195<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -with a huge bellows to make the kites sail up into the -air.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 465px;"> -<img src="images/i-201.jpg" width="465" height="343" alt="Child holding up kite, man on ground holding bellows" /> -</div> - -<p>If he wished it were summer in the winter-time, -they filled his playroom with beautiful plants and -brought canaries and nightingales to sing to him.</p> - -<p>In the hot summer days, if he longed for winter, -they brought evergreen trees to the playroom. They -covered the branches with cotton sprinkled with -diamond dust to look like snow. They brought<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />196<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -cakes of ice and made a skating rink and jingled sleigh -bells all day long while he played.</p> - -<p>When he was a young man it was still worse. If -he said anything, like, “This is a sunny morning,” -or “I think it will rain to-night,” every one cried, -“How wise!” “How wonderfully wise!”</p> - -<p>So you see the Emperor was spoiled, and this was -very unfortunate.</p> - -<p>In China, just as in other places, every one longs -for spring to come.</p> - -<p>One year the Emperor wanted the spring to come -more than ever. He had had a dull winter in his -city palace and he wanted to go to his country palace.</p> - -<p>“Command my brother, the Sun, to shine to-morrow,” -he said, to his attendants. “Command -the spring to come, also. And be ready, all of you, -to go to the country to-morrow.”</p> - -<p>One of the attendants wrote the Emperor’s commands -on the finest Chinese paper and then burned -it in the garden. He thought in this way the commands -might reach the sun.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />197<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>Perhaps they did; for the sun shone beautifully -the next day, and the Emperor and his attendants -went to the country palace.</p> - - -<h3>II</h3> - -<p>The next morning the Emperor waked up very early. -A little bird was singing in the garden. It was a -lovely day.</p> - -<p>The Emperor thought he would go out into the -garden to hear the little bird sing.</p> - -<p>He put on his silk dressing-gown, his silver shoes, -and his gold crown. It was only six o’clock, so no -one was awake in the palace.</p> - -<p>When the Emperor went into the garden the bird -flew into the forest and sang still more sweetly.</p> - -<p>“How stupid I was,” thought the Emperor, “I -ought to have commanded it to stay here. Now I -must go into the woods to see it.”</p> - -<p>So he opened the gate and went across the field.</p> - -<p>At the edge of the woods a peasant was plowing.</p> - -<p>“Good morning, peasant,” said the Emperor,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />198<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -“That must be an Emperor bird singing in the forest, -because it sings so sweetly.”</p> - -<p>“No, my lord,” said the peasant, taking off his cap, -“that is a blackbird.”</p> - -<p>“You may call it so,” said the Emperor; “but -it is an Emperor bird if I say so, because I am always -right. It is as large as a swan, and its feathers are like -shining gold.”</p> - -<p>“No, my lord,” said the peasant, “it is small and -black.”</p> - -<p>Just then the blackbird lighted on a post in the -fence and began to sing. It was easy to see that the -peasant was right.</p> - -<p>“There must surely be something wrong,” said the -Emperor, “because I never make a mistake.”</p> - -<p>“But, my lord, the Emperor can make a mistake. -Every one does that. Your attendants may say -that you are always right because they wish to please -you. Perhaps they even praise what you do, when -it is wrong and foolish.”</p> - -<p>“I can never believe that,” said the Emperor.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />199<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>“If you will do as I say,” replied the peasant, -“I will prove that I have told you the truth.”</p> - - -<h3>III</h3> - -<p>The Emperor promised to do this, although he could -not believe he had been deceived.</p> - -<p>Just then all the attendants came running across -the field, for they had waked up and missed the -Emperor.</p> - -<p>Tears ran down their cheeks. They wished to have -the Emperor think they were weeping because he was -gone. He did not know each one had an onion in his -handkerchief.</p> - -<p>“Command them to stop where they are,” the -peasant whispered.</p> - -<p>The Emperor made them stop about twenty feet -away, right in the middle of a ditch.</p> - -<p>“We are weeping because of your absence, beloved -Emperor,” said the chief attendant. He wiped his -eyes with his handkerchief, and all the others did -the same thing.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />200<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>“How do you dare to stand beside the Emperor, -you peasant,” said the Lord Marshal. “Go back -to your plow!”</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 463px;"> -<img src="images/i-206.jpg" width="463" height="338" alt="Emperor, peasant and plow" /> -</div> - -<p>“Say that I am standing beside my plow,” whispered -the peasant. He was really standing beside the -Emperor, and the plow was thirty feet away.</p> - -<p>“Do you not see,” said the Emperor, “that he is -standing beside the plow?”</p> - -<p>“Oh, yes,” said one, “he is holding the plow with -one hand.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />201<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>“Yes, yes,” said another, “he is surely driving -his oxen.”</p> - -<p>“Ask them,” whispered the peasant, “if they -ever saw such white oxen.”</p> - -<p>Now the peasant’s oxen were coal black, without a -single white spot on them.</p> - -<p>“Have you ever seen such beautiful white oxen?” -said the Emperor, pointing to the black ones.</p> - -<p>“No, never,” said one, “they are indeed snow -white.”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” said another, “they are whiter than snow. -It hurts my eyes to look at them, they are so white.”</p> - -<p>The Emperor knew now that they were not telling -the truth, and he decided to punish them.</p> - -<p>“Come here,” he called to some peasants who were -plowing in the next field.</p> - -<p>“There is nothing so pleasant as plowing,” he said -to his attendants.</p> - -<p>“It is a great pleasure,” said one.</p> - -<p>“I enjoy it more than anything in the world,” said -another.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />202<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>“I would rather plow than dance,” said a third.</p> - -<p>“I am very glad you think so, my lords,” said the -Emperor. “These peasants will be glad to have you -plow for them. This is my command. Begin at -once!”</p> - -<p>There was no help for it. The courtiers did not -dare to disobey, so they took hold of the plows and -tried to drive the oxen across the long fields.</p> - -<p>I do not believe they plowed very well, for they had -never touched a plow before, and did not know how -to drive oxen.</p> - -<p>But the peasant went to the palace and became the -Emperor’s chief counsellor.</p> - -<p>The Emperor had this story written on a block -of marble in golden letters, but few people can read -it because it is written in Chinese, and it is very hard -to have to read Chinese.</p> - -<p class="sig"> -—<i>Anna von Rydingsvärd.</i><br /> -</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />203<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>THE CHRISTMAS MONKS</h2> - - -<h3>I—THE GARDEN</h3> - -<p>Have you always wondered where the Christmas -presents come from? Well, I am going to tell you.</p> - -<p>Of course, every one knows that Santa Claus brings -them. He comes in a sleigh, driving eight reindeer, -and carries the presents down the chimney in a pack -on his back.</p> - -<p>But where does <i>he</i> get them? That is the question. -And the answer is,—in the garden of the Christmas -Monks.</p> - -<p>This garden is in a beautiful valley far away. But I -must not tell you the name of the valley, for if I did -you would all want to go there to live.</p> - -<p>The Christmas Monks live in a stone castle covered -with ivy and evergreen vines. There are holly wreaths -in every window, and over the door is an arch, with -“Merry Christmas” in evergreen letters.</p> - -<p>The Christmas Monks wear white robes embroidered<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />204<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -with gold, and they never go without a Christmas -wreath on their heads. Every morning they sing a -Christmas carol, and every evening they ring a -Christmas chime on the bells.</p> - -<p>For dinner every day they have roast goose and -plum pudding and mince pie, and at night they set -lighted candles in all of the windows.</p> - -<p>But the best place of all is the garden, for that is -where the Christmas presents grow.</p> - -<p>It is a very large garden and is divided into beds, -just like our vegetable gardens. Every spring the -Monks go out to plow the ground and plant the Christmas -present seeds.</p> - -<p>There is one big bed for rocking-horses, another -for drums, and another for sleds. The bed for the -balls is not so large, and the top bed is quite -small, because tops do not need much room when -they are growing.</p> - -<p>The rocking-horse seed looks like tiny rocking-horses. -The Monks drop these seeds quite far apart, -then they cover them up neatly with earth, and put<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />205<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -up a signpost with “Rocking-horses” on it in evergreen -letters.</p> - -<p>Just so with the penny-trumpet seed, and the toy-furniture -seed, the sled seed, and all the others.</p> - -<p>Perhaps the prettiest part of the garden is the -wax-doll bed. There are other beds for the rag dolls -and the china dolls, and the rubber dolls, but, of -course, wax dolls look much handsomer growing.</p> - -<p>Wax dolls have to be planted very early in the -season. The Monks sow them in rows in April and -they begin to come up by the middle of May.</p> - -<p>First there is a glimmer of gold, or brown, or black -hair. Then the snowy foreheads appear, and the -blue eyes and black eyes, and at last all the pretty -heads are out of the ground and nodding and smiling -to each other.</p> - -<p>With their pink cheeks and bright eyes and curly -hair, there is nothing so pretty as these little wax-doll -heads peeping out of the ground.</p> - -<p>Slowly the dolls grow taller and taller, and by -Christmas they are all ready to gather. There they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />206<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -stand, swaying to and fro, their dresses of pink or -blue or white fluttering in the breeze.</p> - -<p>Just about the prettiest sight in the world is the -bed of wax dolls in the garden of the Christmas Monks -at Christmas time.</p> - - -<h3>II—PETER AND THE PRINCE</h3> - -<p>All the children for miles around knew about this -garden, of course, but they had never seen it. There -is a thick hedge of Christmas trees all around it, and -the gate where Santa Claus drives out is always locked -with a golden key the moment he goes through.</p> - -<p>So you can imagine what excitement there was -among the boys when this notice was hung out on the -hedge of Christmas trees:—</p> - -<div class="blockquot"> - -<p><i>Wanted:</i>—By the Christmas Monks, two <i>good</i> boys to help in -garden work. Apply at the garden on April tenth.</p></div> - -<p>The notice was hung out about five o’clock in the -evening, one day in February. By noon the next day -all the neighborhood had seen it and read it.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />207<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>Oh, what fun it would be to work in the garden of -the Christmas Monks! There would be the dinner -of roast goose and plum pudding every day. There -would be the Christmas bells and the Christmas -candles every night. And, of course, one could have -all the toys he wanted, and pick them out himself.</p> - -<p>So, from that very minute until the tenth of April, -the boys were as good,—as good as gold.</p> - -<p>Then, on the tenth of April, the big Santa Claus -gate was opened, and <i>such</i> a crowd poured into the -garden! The ground was plowed, but the seed had -not been planted, so they could walk about everywhere.</p> - -<p>Two of the Christmas Monks sat on a throne trimmed -so thick with evergreens that it looked like a bird’s -nest. They wore Christmas wreaths on their heads, -and their eyes twinkled merrily.</p> - -<p>The little boys stood in a long row before them, -and the fathers, mothers, uncles, aunts, grandmothers, -and grandfathers looked on.</p> - -<p>It was very sad! One boy had taken eggs from a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />208<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -bird’s nest; and another had frightened a cat. One -boy didn’t help his mother, and another didn’t take -good care of his little brother.</p> - -<p>At last there were only two boys left,—Peter and -the Prince.</p> - -<p>Now Peter was really and truly a good boy, and -always had been. And of course every one said the -Prince was a good boy, because a King’s son must -be good. So the Monks chose Peter and the Prince -to work in the garden.</p> - -<p>The next morning the two boys were dressed in -white robes and green wreaths like the Monks. Then -the Prince was sent to plant Noah’s-Ark seed and -Peter was given picture-book seed.</p> - -<p>Up and down they went, scattering the seeds. -Peter sang a little song to himself, but the Prince -grumbled because they had not given him gold-watch -seed.</p> - -<p>By noon Peter had planted all his picture books and -fastened up the card to mark them, but the Prince -had planted only two rows of Noah’s Arks.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />209<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>“We are going to have trouble with this boy,” -said the Monks to each other. “We shall have to -punish him.”</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 465px;"> -<img src="images/i-215.jpg" width="465" height="343" alt="finished planting" /> -</div> - -<p>So that day the Prince had no Christmas dinner, -and the next morning he finished planting the Noah’s-Ark -seed.</p> - -<p>But the very next day he was cross because he had -to sow harmonicas instead of toy pianos, and had to -be punished again. And so it was every other day -through the whole summer.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />210<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>So the Prince was very unhappy and wished he -could run away, but Peter had never been so happy -in his life. He worked like a bee all day, and loved -to watch the Christmas gifts grow and blossom.</p> - -<p>“They grow so slowly,” the Prince would say. -“I thought I should have a bushel of new toys every -month and not one have I had yet.” Then he would -cry, and Peter would try to comfort him.</p> - -<p>At last one day the Prince found a ladder in the -tool house. The Monks were in the chapel, singing -Christmas carols, and Peter was tuning the penny -trumpets. It was a fine chance to run away. The -Prince put the ladder against the Santa Claus gate, -climbed up to the top, and slid down on the outside.</p> - - -<h3>III—THE PRETTIEST DOLL</h3> - -<p>It was nearly Christmas now, and most of the toys -had been gathered. The rocking-horses were still -growing, and a few of the largest dolls; but the -tops, balls, guns, blocks, and drums were all packed -in baskets ready for Santa Claus.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />211<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - -<p>One morning Peter was in the wax-doll bed, dusting -the dolls. All of a sudden he heard a sweet voice -saying, “Oh, Peter!”</p> - -<p>He thought at first it was one of the dolls, but they -could only say “Papa!” and “Mamma!”</p> - -<p>“Here I am, Peter,” said the voice again, and what -do you suppose Peter saw? It was his own dear little -lame sister.</p> - -<p>She was not any taller than the dolls around her, -and she looked just like one of them with her pink -cheeks and yellow hair. She stood there on her -crutches, poor little thing, smiling lovingly at Peter.</p> - -<p>“Oh, you darling,” cried Peter, catching her up -in his arms. “How did you get in here?”</p> - -<p>“I saw one of the Monks going past our house, -so I ran out and followed him. When he came through -the gate I came in, too, but he did not see me.”</p> - -<p>“Well,” said Peter, “I don’t see what I can do -with you. I can’t let you out, because the gate is -locked, and I don’t know what the Monks will say.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, I know!” cried the little girl. “I’ll stay out<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />212<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -here in the garden. I can sleep every night in one of -those beautiful dolls’ cradles over there, and you can -bring me something to eat.”</p> - -<p>“But the Monks come out every morning to look -at the Christmas gifts, and they will see you,” said -her brother.</p> - -<p>“No, I’ll hide! Oh, Peter, here is a place where -there isn’t any doll.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, that doll didn’t come up.”</p> - -<p>“Well, I’ll tell you what I’ll do! I’ll stand here -where the doll didn’t come up and try to look like -one.”</p> - -<p>“Perhaps you can do that,” said Peter. He was -such a good boy that he didn’t want to do anything -wrong, but he couldn’t help being glad to see his -dear little sister.</p> - -<p>He took food out to her every day, and she helped -him in the garden. At night he tucked her into one -of the dolls’ cradles with lace pillows and a quilt of -rose-colored silk.</p> - -<p>So they went on, day after day, and they were just<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />213<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -as happy as they could be. Finally the day came -for gathering the very last of the Christmas gifts, -because in six days it would be Christmas, and Santa -Claus had to start out in a day or two.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 461px;"> -<img src="images/i-219.jpg" width="461" height="344" alt="boy and lame sister" /> -</div> - -<p>So the Monks went into the garden to be sure that -everything was perfect, and one of them wore his -spectacles. When he came to the bed where the -biggest dolls were growing, there stood Peter’s sister, -smiling and swinging on her crutches.</p> - -<p>“Why, what is that!” said the Monk. “I thought<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />214<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -that doll didn’t come up. There is a doll there—and -a doll on crutches, too.”</p> - -<p>Then he put out his hand to touch the doll and -she jumped,—she couldn’t help it. The Monk -jumped too, and his Christmas wreath fell off his head.</p> - -<p>“The doll is alive!” he exclaimed. “I will pick -her and show her to my brothers.”</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 504px;"> -<img src="images/i-225.jpg" width="504" height="680" alt="Man in white robe iwth laurel crown carrying lame girl amongst children" /> -<div class="caption">THE GOOD FATHER TOOK PETER’S LITTLE SISTER, CRUTCHES AND ALL, -IN HIS ARMS.</div> -</div> - -<p>Then the good father put on his Christmas wreath, -took Peter’s little sister, crutches and all, in his arms, -and carried her into the chapel.</p> - - -<h3>IV—CHRISTMAS GIFTS</h3> - -<p>Soon the Monks came into the chapel to practise -singing some new Christmas carols. There sat the -near-sighted Monk, holding the big doll in his arms.</p> - -<p>“Behold a miracle,” he said, holding up the doll. -“Thou wilt remember that there was one doll planted -which did not come up. Behold, in her place I have -found this doll on crutches, which is—alive!”</p> - -<p>“It is indeed a miracle,” said the Monk who was a -doctor. He took the child in his arms and looked<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />215<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -at the twisted ankle. “I think I can cure this lameness,” -he said.</p> - -<p>“Take her, then,” said the abbot, “and we will -sing our Christmas carols joyously in her honor.”</p> - -<p>Peter, of course, heard the Monks talking about the -miracle, and he knew what it meant. He was very -unhappy to think that he was deceiving them. At -the same time he did not dare to tell them for fear -the doctor would not try to cure his sister.</p> - -<p>He worked hard picking the Christmas presents, -and getting them ready for Santa Claus.</p> - -<p>On Christmas Eve he was called into the chapel. -The walls were covered with evergreen, and Christmas -candles shone everywhere. There were Christmas -wreaths in all the windows, and the Monks were -singing a Christmas carol.</p> - -<p>On a chair covered with green branches sat Peter’s -little sister, dressed in white, with a wreath of holly -berries on her head.</p> - -<p>When the carol was ended, the Monks formed in -a line with the abbot at the head. Each one had his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />216<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -hands full of the most beautiful Christmas presents. -The abbot held a wax doll, the biggest and prettiest -that grew in the garden.</p> - -<p>When he held it out to the little girl, she drew back, -and said in her sweet little voice, “Please, I’m not a -miracle; I’m only Peter’s little sister.”</p> - -<p>“Peter?” said the abbot; “the Peter who works -in our garden?”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” said the little sister.</p> - -<p>The Monks looked at each other in dismay. This -was not a miracle, it was only Peter’s little sister!</p> - -<p>But the abbot of the Christmas Monks spoke to -them. “This little girl did not come up in the place -of the wax doll, and she is not a miracle. But she -is sweet and beautiful, and we all love her.”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” said the Christmas Monks, and they laid -their presents down before her.</p> - -<p>Peter was so happy he danced for joy. And when -he found his little sister was cured of her lameness, -he did not know what to do.</p> - -<p>In the afternoon he took his sister and went home<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />217<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span> -to see his father and mother. Santa Claus filled his -sleigh with gifts and drove his reindeer down to the -cottage.</p> - -<p>Oh! it was such a happy day. There was so much -to tell that they all talked at once. There was so -much to see that their eyes ached with looking.</p> - -<p>But in the palace of the King it was very different. -The Prince was cross and unhappy. His old toys were -broken. He was tired of his old games. There was no -one for him to play with, and he didn’t have one -single Christmas gift.</p> - -<p class="sig"> -—<i>Mary E. Wilkins (abridged and adapted).</i><br /> -</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />218<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>PRONOUNCING KEY AND WORD LIST</h2> - - -<p>The words in this list are divided into syllables and marked -according to Webster’s International Dictionary. The list includes -all the more difficult words which occur in the text.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> -<img src="images/i-230.jpg" width="500" height="433" alt="page 218" /> -</div> - - -<p class="center"> -The silent letters are printed in italic.<br /> -</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />219<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 520px;"> -<img src="images/i-231.jpg" width="520" height="742" alt="page 219" /> -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />220<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 526px;"> -<img src="images/i-232.jpg" width="526" height="748" alt="page 220" /> -</div> - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />221<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 520px;"> -<img src="images/i-233.jpg" width="520" height="740" alt="page 221" /> -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />222<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 537px;"> -<img src="images/i-234.jpg" width="537" height="736" alt="page 222" /> -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />223<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 519px;"> -<img src="images/i-235.jpg" width="519" height="727" alt="page 223" /> -</div> - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224"><img src="images/page_deco-l.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" />224<img src="images/page_deco-r.jpg" width="17" height="12" alt="decoration" /></a></span></p> -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 518px;"> -<img src="images/i-236.jpg" width="518" height="322" alt="page 224" /> -</div> - - - - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's The Wide Awake Third Reader, by Clara Murray - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WIDE AWAKE THIRD READER *** - -***** This file should be named 52044-h.htm or 52044-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/2/0/4/52044/ - -Produced by Emmy, MWS and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive) - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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