Chapter M: M. H (1)

BESSIE IN THE MOUNTAINS.

Bessie Lee was six years old when she went to the mountains of North Carolina with her father.

What Bessie liked best of all were the nice donkey rides every morning. The poor donkeys didn't get much rest, for the little folks kept them busy all day. Bessie was kind to them, but some of the children were not. Bessie liked a donkey named Kate best of all.

One day Bessie's father put her in the saddle, and Kate kicked up. When Bessie was lifted off, and the saddle removed, a great bleeding sore was found on the poor donkey's back.

Bessie felt very sorry for poor Kate, and said, "Papa, I don't want to ride to-day, but please do not send Kate back to the stables."

"Why not, Bessie?" said Mr. Lee.

"O, papa, the man will let her to some of the rough boys, and they will hurt her back."

Mr. Lee was pleased to see his little daughter's kindness to the poor dumb donkey; but he wished to know if Bessie would deny herself for Kate.

"Well, Bessie," said her father, "if you have any money, give it to the man when he comes for the donkey. Tell him you wish to keep Kate all day."

"I have the money you gave me for ice-cream," said Bessie. "Will that pay the man?"

It was enough, and was given to the man. Bessie kept the donkey all day. She led Kate to the greenest places in the yard, and let her eat the grass. She divided her apples with Kate, and carried her a little pail of water.

At night Bessie told her father she had been happy all day. He made her still happier by telling her she could keep Kate every day while she was in the mountains.

Bessie kissed her father and was soon fast asleep. She dreamed of riding in a little carriage drawn by six white donkeys.

AUNT NELL.

PAULINE'S STRANGE PETS.

Pauline had no little brothers or sisters, and no little playmates. Her father's home was away out in the country, far away from any neighbors. Being so much alone, Pauline thought of all sorts of queer ways to amuse herself. One day she invited her papa and mamma to go down to see her "Nursery," as she called it. It was a little, square piece of ground, enclosed by a neat low fence, made of narrow slats, placed close together. All kinds of flowers were planted around it. Besides, there were some little, flat buildings all along one side.

What do you think they saw there? Toads of all sorts and sizes, from the wee baby toads to the great big grandfathers. Then such a strange array of garments!--for they were all dressed. Pauline had made for her pets all kinds of clothes. There they were, hopping around, some in bright calico dresses, and some in the funniest red flannel pants and coats you ever saw.

Day after day Pauline went to her "Nursery" to feed and play with her strange little pets. But one morning she ran down as usual, after breakfast, to find all of the toad family had disappeared. The fence that enclosed her "Nursery" was completely broken down. Not a single toad was left of the funny creatures who had lived there.

Pauline felt very sorry to lose them. She told her mamma she was sure they would all die of shame when they found other toads did not wear any clothes at all.

H. C. LARNED.

"GO HALVES!"

Little Fred Mason's father took him to an exhibition of wild animals.

After they had looked at the elephants, lions, tigers and bears, they went to see the monkeys. On the way, Mr. Mason bought two large oranges and gave them to Fred.

There were six cages of small animals. One of them was for the "happy family." Fred thought the creatures in it must be called the "happy family" because the dogs, cats and monkeys were all the time teasing and plaguing one another. One monkey had a rat in his lap. He tended it as a mother does her baby. The monkey was happy, but Mr. Mason did not think the rat liked it very well.

Fred put one orange in his side pocket. He could not wait until he got home to eat the other. As he walked along among the cages he seemed to care more for the fruit than for the animals. He sucked the orange with all his might till he came to a cage with three monkeys in it.

One of them looked very sober and solemn. One opened his mouth and seemed to be laughing. All of them looked at Fred and held out their hands.

They could not talk; if they could they would have said, "Go halves!"

The orange was nice and sweet; Fred did not wish to "go halves." He turned away, for he did not like to be asked for that which he was not willing to give. The monkeys put their hands out for some of the oranges, but Fred looked the other way.

Fred should have looked at the monkeys, for the one nearest to him put out his long arm and snatched the orange from his hand. Fred tried to get it again. While he was doing so, the solemn monkey reached down and took the orange from his pocket. Fred did not think how near he was to the cage.

Fred began to cry. The laughing monkey had no orange. He was afraid of the solemn monkey, but he chased the one that had stolen the orange Fred was eating all over the cage. He got it at last.

Fred's father bought two more oranges for him, and he did not go near the cages again.

MARY BLOOM.

LITTLE GAMES.

"Ring--a--round--a--rosy!"
Cheeks just like a posy;
Eyes that twinkle with delight,--
Could there be a fairer sight?
Little feet that dance in glee;
Voices singing merrily.
Won't you stop a little while?
At my question you will smile:
"Rosy I have never seen,--
Tell me, is she some fair queen?
Have your lily hands now crowned her,
While you formed a ring around her?

"Why 'draw buckets of water
For my lady's daughter'?
Has she spoiled her pretty dress?
Ah! to wash her face, I guess!
Very hard 'tis to unravel
What is meant, dears, by 'green gravel.'
Then, you say, 'How barley grows
You, nor I, nor nobody knows;'
Oats, peas, beans, too, you include:
If the question be not rude,
Darlings, tell why this is done."
"Ha! ha!" laugh they; "it's such fun!"

GEORGE COOPER.

WHAT WE FOUND IN OUR STOVE.

Something very strange happened at our house the other day. In our cold country we keep a stove in our sitting-room all summer. Sometimes we have to build a fire, even in July and August.

One afternoon I was surprised to hear a great scratching in the room. After looking about a little, I found it came from the stove. Scratch, scratch, scratch, as if some creature was trying hard to get out. I called my boy of eight years. For a few moments all was still, and we concluded the poor thing had got out as it had come in.

But we were mistaken; soon came that same clattering noise again. We removed the top of the stove and peeped in; nothing was to be seen in the darkness. We then made bold to open the door and poke about; but with no better result. After listening, we decided that the creature was between the lining and outside.

But how were we to get at it? Annie came in from the kitchen armed with a poker. We took out the damper and poked out all the soot and ashes. We brought to the front--what do you think? Why, a little bird, a chimney swallow, chirping and fluttering, poor thing, with fright.

One wing seemed to droop a little; so we took it up and put it in a box. If we supposed it was going to stay there we were much mistaken. Soon the bird began to recover, and with a little hop was upon the edge of the box cocking its head and looking with its big, bright eyes all about, as if on the alert for any new danger.

A tree was the best and safest place, and Hervin carried it out and set it gently down.

It rose, feebly at first, then soared away over the tops of the houses.

Wasn't that a queer place to find a birdie? You are glad it got out, for that very night we had to have a fire.

MRS. W. S. AMSDEN.

THE JOHN AND LINCOLN FLEET.

John and Lincoln have a fleet of ten boats. They made these boats themselves. They are made out of flat chips. They are whittled round at one end and pointed at the other. Each boat has a mast and a sail.

Sometimes they tie these boats together, and call them the _John and Lincoln_ fleet; they call each other "Captain John" and "Captain Lincoln." They have a big boat called the _Mary_; aunt Mary gave it to them. The _Mary_ is their flagship.

One day the fleet were all out when a storm came. The wind blew, the rain fell, and the waves were big. Six of the little boats were wrecked on a rock. But the _Mary_ only plunged a little. It was great fun. What, a storm at sea great fun! Yes, because John and Lincoln made the storm themselves. They made the wind with the bellows; they poured the big raindrops from the watering-pot; and they made the high waves by dragging shingles through the water.

THE YACHT STARLIGHT.

The _Starlight_ was in Gloucester harbor for three days, and Rob and Phyllis went on board with mamma one day, to lunch with Arthur and Helen and their mamma. They had never been on a yacht before. They were surprised to find it so pretty. It was finished in beautiful mahogany with a great deal of brass-work, the latter brightly shining, too, for the housekeeping on a yacht is always first-rate.

The ceiling of the cabin was of blue satin, and so were the curtains, which hung before the funny little windows, and at the doors. On each side of the cabin was a long seat covered with blue satin cushions.

These cushions lifted up, and underneath were kept books, dishes, clothes, in fact, all sorts of things. Every bit of room on a vessel is always precious, there can be so little of it, anyway. Helen showed Phyllis her sleeping room. It was a mite of a place, about half as big as the bed Phyllis slept in at home. The walls were lined with blue satin and the bed was covered with blue satin, and it was a real blue satin nest for a little girl, instead of for a bird.

Then they went on deck to watch the sailors, who were running up and down the rigging. Arthur has been on his father's yacht so much, for his father owns the _Starlight_, that he can run up and down the ratlines almost as fast as the sailors can. The ratlines are the rope ladders you see in the picture. There was on board a big Newfoundland dog named Gil. Arthur's aunt Lou told them a story about Gil.

THE STORY OF THE DOG ON THE YACHT STARLIGHT.

Now Gil once belonged to an officer in our Navy and he sometimes went to sea with his master.

Once when he went on a voyage a little kitten went too. She was everybody's pet and a very friendly kitty. She was afraid of Gil, though, and would never let him come near her, but would make such a loud spitting and growling at him, when he tried to play with her, that poor Gil had to go away and play by himself.

One day kitty fell overboard and Gil saw her and plunged into the sea to save her. Kitty thought it was bad enough to fall into the water, but to see Gil come jumping after her was too much, and she was ready to die with fright.

When he opened his great mouth to take her and hold her above water, she felt sure that her last moment had come, and she fought and scratched so, that Gil could not get hold of her.

The officers stood watching Gil and pussy. Poor little mistaken pussy was getting very tired and would soon sink if she did not let good old Gil save her.

Suddenly Gil dove down out of sight and then rose again just under kitty, so that she stood on his back. Puss was so glad to feel something solid under her little tired legs, that she clung to it with all her nails. Then Gil swam slowly to meet the boat which had been sent to pick him up.

THE NEW PARASOL.

I've got a brand-new parasol
(Of pink silk trimmed with lace),
But auntie says 'twill never keep
The shine out of _my_ face.

Why not, I wonder: if it's held
Just in the proper place,
Why won't it keep the sunshine out
Of anybody's face?

She says thick clouds would hardly do
(Much less pink silk and lace)
To keep the merry sunshine out
Of such a dimpled face.

But mamma says, "Go take your walk,
And never mind aunt Grace."
I 'spect I'll have to let the sun
Keep shining in my face!

THE MAN WHO WAS SHAKEN BY A LION.

He was David Livingstone. He was a missionary, and a great traveller too.

He lived almost all his life in Africa. In some parts of Africa there are lions. Once he was staying at a certain village. Every night the lions broke into the yards and carried off a cow or two. So a party of natives went out to hunt for them.

Livingstone was with them. They saw some lions, and tried to surround them in a circle. But the lions got away.

They were coming home when Livingstone saw a great lion. He was sitting on a rock not far away. He fired at him, but did not hit him. He stopped to load his gun again.

He heard the men shout. He turned and saw the lion all ready to spring.

(A lion crouches to spring, like a cat.)

The lion sprang upon Livingstone, and seized his shoulder with his great teeth. He shook him just as a cat shakes a mouse.

Was Livingstone frightened? He was frightened when the lion seized him. But after he shook him he wasn't a bit afraid.

He said the lion shook the fear all out of him. He felt as if he was in a pleasant dream. He only wondered what the lion would do next.

He did not do anything next. He stood with his great paw on Livingstone's head till another man fired at him. Then he sprang on that man and bit him.

Then he sprang on a third man and bit him. And then--he rolled over, dead! So Livingstone escaped.

Livingstone afterwards visited England. The little English children used to ask him to tell them the story of how the lion shook him.

The lion belongs to the cat family. Does not the lion in the picture look like a big handsome cat?

THE LAUGHING JACKASS.

He always begins his queer cry about an hour before sunrise.

Then he is heard again just at noon, and again at sunset. So he has another name. He is called the "Bushman's clock."

In Australia there are great tracts of land where few white people live. These tracts of land are called "The Bush;" and the settlers on these lands are called Bushmen.

The laughing jackass is a very sociable bird. He likes to watch the Bushman at his work. He watches him as he pitches his tent, and builds his fire and cooks his supper. He is a kingfisher.

Kingfishers generally live near the water. But this great brown fisher lives in the woods. He eats crabs and insects. He relishes lizards very much, and there are plenty of lizards in Australia.

He hates snakes. A great many snakes are found in Australia, and many of them are very poisonous.

The laughing jackass is not a bit afraid of them. He kills them with his long, sharp bill.

When he is angry he raises the crest on his head.

His color is a fine chestnut brown mixed with white. His wings are slightly blue.

The mother-bird lays her eggs in a hole in a gum-tree. She does not build a nest. She lays her eggs on the rotten wood at the bottom of the hole. Her eggs are a lovely pearl white.

Here is one of the black men who live in Australia. He is listening to the cry of the laughing jackass.

THE TRICK THEY PLAYED ON JOCKO.

Jocko was homesick. Jocko was a forest creature. He was born to tread the ground, and climb trees, and eat sweet wild fruits.

Jocko liked to leap from tree to tree, and run about over miles of woodland. Now he found himself in a cage. He called and cried, but none of his little brown playmates answered.

He could see only blue waves, and the ropes and masts and sails of the ship. He was tossed up and down. His cage swung from side to side. The motion made him sick--seasick.

After many days, he saw the land again. But it was not forest land. It was brown land--city land. No moss, no vines, no dewy green grass, no flowers! All stone and brick! His cage was carried into a hotel dining-room where people came and sat down and talked in German, and ate things that Jocko knew were not good to eat--bread and pies and cheese and sauerkraut and meat. Oh, how Jocko wanted a fresh sweet cocoanut!

But by and by Jocko was not so homesick. The cook was kind to him, and gave him sweet bits to eat. The visitors took him up and petted him. The little girl who lived at the hotel made him a nice bed in the little crib she used to sleep in.

So at last Jocko had a good time, and forgot about the woods.

But one day little Gretchen played a trick on him to see what he would do. She knew he was fond of white lump sugar. So she filled a bottle with lumps of sugar. Then she gave it to Jocko.

Jocko was wild with delight when he saw the sugar. He jumped up in a chair and lifted the bottle to his mouth.

But Gretchen had put in a cork. The sugar would not pour out.

It was very funny then to see what trouble Jocko was in. He would tilt the bottle up and try to drink the sugar out of the neck. Then he would try to shake it out at the bottom. Then he would sit still and look at the lumps. Then he would try to bite through the glass. Then he would jump down and run away. Then he would come back and catch the bottle again and roll the lumps about, and chatter and scold as he heard them rattle.

This went on for several days. Everybody came in to see little Gretchen's monkey and his sugar bottle.

But one day the cook let a jar of olives fall. It broke, and the olives rolled out on the floor. Jocko gave a little scream of joy. Like a flash, up he sprang to a high cupboard with his sugar bottle, and gave it a mighty fling. Down it came--crash!

Out the lumps rolled over the floor. Down sprang Jocko. He shouted with delight. He had a sweet feast.

Oh, how he munched and crunched and chattered! And now, what do you think happened?

He would seize every bottle and can and pitcher that was left within reach. Up he would run to the top of some high cupboard or shelf and dash it to the floor! Such mischief as he made!

Little Gretchen had to give him away at last because he broke everything he could lay his roguish paws upon.

SOME OTHER THINGS BOBBY SAW AT SEA.

He saw the stormy petrels. They flew about the ship almost every day. They liked to eat the scraps the cook threw overboard.

The petrels are sooty black. Their feet are partly webbed.

They sit and float upon the water. They run about over the water. In stormy weather they fly through the dashing foam.

Bobby's mamma told him many things about the stormy petrel. She told him how the stormy petrel flies far, far away from land. His home is on the sea. He can fly all day long and not be tired.

The stormy petrel hardly ever goes on land except to lay her eggs. Her nest is in a hole in some high cliff by the sea. She hatches one little bird. It looks like a ball of fluff. The nest smells very oily.

The stormy petrel is very oily, like all sea birds. He is so full of oil that the people of the Faroe Islands sometimes use him for a lamp. They take a dead petrel and run a wick through him. Then they set him on end and light the wick and he gives a very good light indeed!

The sailors call the stormy petrel "Mother Carey's chickens."

The name of Bobby's ship was _The Jefferson_. Once when the _Jefferson_ was in an English port, Bobby saw something very pretty. It was a bird's nest. It was built in the rigging of a ship.

This ship had been lying in port a good while. The nest was built in a block where some of the cordage runs. It was built by a pair of chaffinches.

Now the chaffinch is not a sea bird; it is a land bird. It builds its nest in trees and hedges. It builds a cosey little nest out of moss and wool and hair. It is deep and round like a cup.

But this pretty pair of chaffinches found a new place in which to build their nest. It was even more airy than the top of a tree. See it in the picture! Day by day Bobby watched them as they flew busily to and fro. Many other people watched them too.

The chaffinch is a cheerful little bird. In the countries where he lives, he is heard merrily whistling in the spring time. There he sits singing to his mate who is keeping her eggs warm. Happy little fellow!

THE MOSQUITO.

Little boys and girls believe that all mosquitoes sting and bite.

But they do not. The male mosquito never does. He wears a plume on his head, and does nothing but dance in the sunshine.

It is the female mosquito that sings around our heads at night and keeps us awake. It is she who bites us. Look at her head. This is the way it looks under a microscope. Do you wonder that her bite hurts?

She lays her eggs in a very queer way. First she finds a puddle or a pool of warmish water. Then she fastens herself to some stick, or sliver, or stem, or floating leaf, by her first two rows of legs. Then she lays about three hundred tiny eggs.

The eggs cling together in the shape of a boat or canoe, and float upon the water. In about three days they hatch. Then the warm water is full of "wigglers."

By and by these wigglers have wings. The outside skin bursts open. They lift their heads and shoulders out of the water. Then off they fly--a whole swarm of singing, stinging mosquitoes.

We are all glad when the cold weather comes and the mosquito goes.

I suppose you think if you lived in a cold country, you would not be troubled by mosquitoes.

But in Lapland, a very cold country, the mosquitoes come in crowds and clouds. Sometimes they are so thick they hide people in the road like a fog. What do you think of that?

THE LAUGHING GIRL.

The bobolink laughs in the meadow;
The wild waves laugh on the sea;
They sparkle and glance, they dimple and dance,
And are merry as waves can be.

The green leaves laugh on the trees;
The fields laugh out with their flowers;
In the sunbeam's glance, they glow and they dance.
And laugh to their falling showers.

The man laughs up in the moon;
The stars too laugh in the sky;
They sparkle and glance, they twinkle and dance.
Then why, then, pray, shouldn't I?

Oh, I laugh at morn and at night,
I laugh through the livelong day.
I laugh and I prance, I skip and I dance.
So happy am I and so gay.

ANNIE'S DUCKS.

There were seven ducklings. The very first thing they did was to go and tumble into a bucket of water.

"Cluck-cluck-cluck! quaw-aw-awk! cr-r-r!" said the hen-mother. She was so frightened she made just such a noise as she does when she sees a hawk.

She thought they would all drown. But they didn't. They swam and dove and shook the water from their little wings.

One day when they were about a quarter grown, Annie found Fluffy-dumpty lying on the ground; she was quacking faintly. Her leg was broken! Annie ran to papa.

"O papa! mend her leg just as you did my arm!" she said.

Papa is a doctor; and when Annie was a _very_ little girl she broke her arm and papa mended it. So he did up Fluffy-dumpty's leg with a splinter, and then wound a bandage round it. Annie took care of her. Mary used to help Annie feed her with a spoon.

Fluffy-dumpty got well very fast. But when she was about three quarters grown, she met with another accident. She fell down a steep cellar way.

"Quack-quack! Take me out! Oh, take me out!" cried poor Fluffy-dumpty. The other six ducks crowded around and looked down at her.

"We can't! we can't!" they cried. "We haven't got any hands. Call a boy, do!" So Annie called Sam, who took her out.

How thankful Fluffy-dumpty was! She smoothed down her ruffled feathers and said, "Quack-quack," softly. The other ducks all talked at once.

"What a narrow 'scape you had, Fluffy-dumpty!" said one duck.

"How did you happen to fall into that horrid place?" asked another.

"What a fine boy Sam is!" said a third duck.

"He's almost too good for a boy," said a fourth.

But it all sounded as if they only said "quack-quack!"

Every day of their lives these ducks got into the garden, and ate the lettuce and strawberries and cabbage. So the gardener put a board over the hole under the gate.

"Never mind," said big Broad-bill, "we know more ways than one." Then the seven started off in a line, and marched round the garden till they came to another hole, and in they went. The gardener was very angry.

VICK IN TROUBLE.

Bertie had gone off and left Vick. He was so eager to see the soldiers parade that he forgot all about him. This had never happened before.

When Uncle Ned gave Vick to Bertie mamma said: "Now, Bertie, you must take the care of Vick. If a boy has a dog he must learn to care for him. You must see that Vick is fed. You must bathe and comb him every day; and you must give him plenty of exercise."

But as I said, Bertie had forgotten Vick that day. Vick did not know what to make of it. His heart was almost broken.

"This is too bad!" he howled. "Here am I shut up with two saucepans and a dummy. No water to drink--no bone to gnaw--no little master to play with--wow-ow-ow-ow!"

What a dismal howl it was! Mamma heard him; she was in the kitchen making sponge cake. She could not leave it for a moment. But as soon as it was baked she let Vick out.

There was Bertie just coming round the corner! He looked quite ashamed. Yes, he had thought of Vick at last. He had come home for him.

Did Vick forgive him? Doggies always forgive. They have loving and generous hearts. He scrambled all over Bertie and licked his hands and his face and off they went to see the soldiers--a very happy pair.

Do you think Bertie ever forgot Vick again?

Do you ever forget to care for your pets?

IN GRANDMA'S ATTIC.

Every summer grandma Cushing has two visitors. Their names are Blanche Cushing and Dorothy Cushing.

Blanche lives in Iowa. She has blue eyes and yellow hair and is seven years old. Dorothy lives in New York City. She has brown eyes and brown hair and is eight years old.

They love dearly to play in grandma's attic. There are queer old bonnets and gowns and cocked hats hanging on the walls.

There are trunks full of caps and spectacles and old snuffers and no end of queer things.

I cannot begin to tell you everything the cousins play. But there is one thing they like to play ever so much.

They like to dress up in the queer old clothes and play Cinderella, and Mother Hubbard, and Red Riding Hood.

When Blanche gets on her great-great-grandma Cushing's cap and spectacles and long mits, she makes a very charming little Mother Hubbard.

They sit in the big old chairs and tell stories. Dorothy likes to hear about the wolves. There are wolves where Blanche lives.

"Yes, one day when I was a very, _very_ little girl," said Blanche, "a horrid big wolf came up to the window and looked in. I was sitting in mamma's lap, and he put his paws on the window and just looked at us horrid!

"And then another time, mamma, you know, was going out to meet papa, and she saw a big wolf on the ground, and she thought it was dead, and she was going right up, and it wasn't dead a bit. It just got up and runned off to the woods, and mamma was awful scared and runned away too."

When Blanche tells the wolf stories they play "scared." It is fun to play "scared." They shriek and run and hide.

One rainy day they had been playing Mother Hubbard.

"Now," said Blanche, "I will tell a b-eautiful wolf story. It will make us awful scared. See if it doesn't!"

So she climbed up into a big chair and began. But right in the middle of the story they heard something go scratch, scratch, very loudly.

"Oh, what is that, Dotty?" whispered Blanche, clutching Dorothy's arm.

Scratch, scratch, it went again, and then there was a great rattling.

"Oh, it's a wolf!" cried Dotty; and down the attic stairs they flew pell-mell; through the kitchen chamber and the great unfinished chamber, and down the back stairs; through the kitchen and the dining-room, and burst into grandma's room all out of breath.

"What _is_ the matter, children?" asked grandma.

"Oh, there's a wolf in the attic," they both cried out.

"Nonsense! we don't have wolves in Massachusetts," said grandma.

"Well," said Dorothy, "something scratched dreadfully."

So grandma went up to the attic to see about it. "Where was the noise?" she asked.

They pointed to the dark place behind the big chimneys. Grandma went up and opened a door and out walked--a wolf! no; Towser, the old cat! Blanche and Dorothy sometimes have another visitor in the attic. It is a big rat. He lives in the barn. He has a road underground to the house cellar. Then he comes up to the attic through the wall.

The cousins never know when to expect him. He comes in without knocking. The first thing they know there he is looking at them with bright eyes.

They have named him Bright-eyes. They feed him with cake and cheese. He is very tame. Grandma says she never heard of such a thing as feeding a rat. She says Bright-eyes eats her hens' eggs. He steals them out of the nests.

LITTLE GIRL GRACIE.

BEDTIME.

So sleepy and demure is my wee Gracie,
So long and sober grows the little facie,
So silent are the red, red lips so sweet,
So quiet are the little hands and feet,
I know, yes, well I know
My Gracie wants to go
Into the soft, white nest where every night
My birdie folds her wings till morning light.

And now beside my knee the pretty lisper
Her evening prayer with folded hands must whisper,
While baby sister sleeps on mother's breast,
Lulled with our voices low to dreamy rest.
Then in her nightie white,
My restless sunbeam bright
Is hidden from her shoulders to her feet,
And tucked away in slumber soft and sweet.

MORNING.

A merry, white-robed figure at my side,
A laughing face, with blue eyes opened wide.
Red lips that kiss me in the early dawn
And tell me fast enough that night is gone.
Ripe and ready for play,
In the early morning gray,
Restless again are the small hands and feet,
Silent no longer, little lips so sweet.

Where is the sunbeam like my Gracie's eyes?
Blue as the blue of summer's bluest skies!
What sweeter wakening could be mine than this
The soft "Good morning!" of my daughter's kiss?
And thus each hour of day
Girl Gracie claims for play
Till comes the "Sand-man" with the twilight hour
And play has vanished 'neath his mystic power.

A MAGPIE AND HER NEST.

The magpie is a very handsome bird. He knows he is handsome, too. He has a fine broad tail. There is a band of purple near the end of each feather, and the end is green and purple.

He walks about with this handsome tail perked in the air. He does not drag it in the dirt, not he!

He is a bright bird, too. He can learn to talk, and he is full of pretty and naughty tricks. He is a--thief! He steals eggs from other birds' nests. He strikes his bill through the egg and walks off with it. And he does a worse thing than that. He steals the young birds and eats them.

But the Magpie is very careful to build her nest so nobody shall steal her eggs. In the first place she always builds on a high tree. She chooses a tree that has a long smooth trunk, that the boys cannot climb easily. How do you suppose she knows about mischievous boys? She must make a study of boys.

She builds her nest of dry sticks and mud. She carpets it with wool and fine roots. (Birds can always find plenty of wool sticking on the bushes in sheep pastures. There is vegetable wool too, like the wool on the growing ferns.) Then she makes a roof of sticks; she leaves open a small round door at the side. So you see it is not easy for boys or birds to steal her eggs.

Magpies like bright glittering things like silver spoons and rings. They often steal them and hide them in their nests.

This Magpie is a European bird. There is a beautiful red Magpie that lives in China.

AT THE BEACH.

The Park children went to the beach last summer. It was a small beach; not at all like Nantasket Beach.

There were not many folks there. There was a young woman--a very queer young woman indeed, Sam thought. She used to go out on the beach and sit in a camp chair and read!

"Pshaw! who wants to read with a whole ocean to look at?" said Sam.

Such cunning little slippers as she wore! and her ruffles and hat! Oh, my! She used to draw pictures sometimes, but Sam didn't know that.

"Halloo! there she is again!" shouted Sam one day. She was drawing a picture of them that moment, but they did not know it. They were all sliding down the sand cliff.

They had taken off their shoes and stockings, and were going in bathing.

"Whoo-oop! hurrah! here we come! clear the track!" What a noise they did make, to be sure!

But it did not disturb anybody. Nobody heard it but the young woman and some cows in the pasture near by.

How warm and soft the sand was! It was as good as coasting in winter. It was better!

Down they went into the water like so many ducks. They can all dive and swim almost as well as ducks. Papa and mamma were off shore, taking a sail together. They saw the slide down hill, and the plunge into the water. They saw the brown and yellow heads bobbing about.

"Do look at them!" said mamma. "Perfect little Arabs!"

"Do 'em good," said papa. "Little Molly never had such rosy cheeks in all her life."

"But think of their clothes!" said mamma.

FARMER GRAY AND HIS APPLES.

Farmer Gray had a load of apples to sell one day. But nobody wanted them. People offered him such a small sum of money for them, he said he would rather give them away.

So he started for home with his load of apples. He drove down Summer street, past the schoolhouse. The boys were having their recess.

Now Farmer Gray loved children. So when he saw these boys he thought, "Here's just the market for my apples."

He stopped his horse and called out, "Do any of you boys know what to do with apples?"

Then there _was_ a shout! "O yes, sir, we guess we do!" said all the boys.

"Come on, then!" said Farmer Gray.

The boys crowded around the wagon, and the farmer tossed the apples to them.

"It is well for you, boys, that I found no market for my apples this morning," he said.

"That's so!" said the boys. Then they thanked him heartily.

Charlie Read said, "You are the funniest man I ever saw to stop and give us the apples."

"You would like to see another just like me to-morrow, wouldn't you?" said Farmer Gray.

"Yes, I would," said Charley, "and I should like to live with you too."

Just then the school bell rang. The boys all shouted, "Good-by! good-by!" as Farmer Gray drove off.

"I'm glad enough I didn't sell those apples this morning," thought Farmer Gray.

AH KEE.

Ah Kee is the funniest little fellow alive.

He can stand as straight as any boy I ever saw.

But the straighter he stands, the more you laugh.

He thinks he is very tall. He is about three feet tall.

He thinks he is a little gentleman, because he can drink out of a coffee-cup and not spill a drop.

But Ah Kee oftener behaves like a rogue than like a gentleman.

There is always a look of mischief in his bright black eyes.

His mistress never allows him to go into the parlor by himself.

She knows he would sit on the brackets with the little statues.

She knows he would like to swing to and fro on the curtain tassels.

She knows he would like to jerk the bell-pull, and bring Rose up from the kitchen.

She knows he would like to take the Sevres vases and walk up and down the room with them in his arms.

No, Ah Kee, with his roguish tastes, is not to be trusted in the parlor by himself.

But he sometimes comes in when she is there. Sometimes when she is reading she hears a soft sound like this, "_lsp-s-s-s!_"

She jumps up, looks all around. Under the table, or in a corner she sees a soft, round, feathery ball of fur--and one little paw raised, all claws and motion.

Ah, that is Ah Kee, and Ah Kee means mischief. Perhaps he will spring into his mistress' lap. Perhaps he will leap up on the piano. You cannot be sure what he will decide to do.

Yes, Ah Kee is a monkey, a gay little spider monkey, with a long tail that he likes to carry over his head in the shape of the letter S.

Ah Kee's mistress has made up her mind to do one thing. She will buy Ah Kee a silver collar with a ring. She will buy Ah Kee a broad blue ribbon.

Then, when she wants a quiet hour, she will slip the blue ribbon through the collar ring, and tie Ah Kee to the door knob.

Dick and Gray,
My bird and cat,
Good friends are they:
Just think of that!
Dick pecks Gray's paw;
Gray winks and blinks.
"I'll not harm Dick,"
Is what he thinks.
So on the wall,
This sunny weather,
Chirping, purring,
They play together.

THE RETURN OF THE BIRDS.

Down in the South Land, one morning in March, there was a great stir among the birds. "Spring has come in the far North," they said. "Jack Frost is going, the ice is melting, and now we'll go home-home!"

Bluebirds, and robins, and bobolinks, how glad they were! They got up very early that morning, even for birds. They bathed in a tiny pond, and preened their feathers. They ate their breakfast and then they started, straight through the air, for the North.

Do you wonder how they knew the way? How does a bird know which way is north and which way is south? There is a "Careful Gardener" who tells the flowers when to bloom, and he tells the birds which way to fly.

They flew that day on and on; over the green fields bright with flowers; over the trees covered with green leaves. By and by, they came where the grass was not yet green; where there was snow in the hollows; where there was ice in the brooks. But they didn't mind the cold, for they wore their very thickest feather coats.

That night they nestled down together, and slept in a big pine-tree. They found some dried berries on the bushes, for breakfast and supper. It was very dark in the morning; it rained. But they did not mind that; they liked it. They knew the rain would melt the snow, and make the grass and flowers grow.

"But we must put on our waterproofs," they said.

Do birds wear waterproofs? Oh, yes! But they do not carry them in trunks. When a bird wants to take a journey, he just flies off. He does not have to pack a trunk. He has a tiny bag of oil under the tip of his wings. This is his waterproof.

With his bill he takes out the oil and spreads it over his feathers.

The raindrops cannot go through this oil waterproof, but they roll quickly off to the ground. After they had all put on their waterproofs, they flew on and on again, through the rain.

They did not stay together that day. Part of them flew to the northeast. By and by these came in sight of a big gilded dome.

"I know where we are," said one old robin. "That is Boston State House, and right down there is our old nest!" and down they flew into the Public Gardens. The Boston little men and women can see them there any day, busy about their nests, and merry as birds can be.

Part of the birds flew to the northwest, to the hills and woods and fields. They built their nests in the trees and on the ground. They built them in barns and in chimneys. They hid them in the grass and in the reeds by the brooks; and the little country children know where to find them.

FIRST REWARD OF MERIT.

With bounding step and merry laugh
My little girl--five and a half--
Held in her hand a picture-card:
"See! mamma, see! I've tried so hard;
Look and see what the letters spell;
'Tis a reward for doing well.
I have been good a whole long week;
Not once, mamma, did teacher speak,
Or say from recess I must stay,
Because in school I'd tried to play.
Last week, you know, my card I lost
For giving Charlie's book a 'tost,'
And speaking out aloud in school;
I did not know 'twas 'gainst the rule.
Then teacher said, 'Edith come here.'
I went right to her, mamma dear,
And 'cause I hop-skipped down the aisle,
The scholars all began to smile.
That week I was so very good,
'Most got a card, and think I should
If I'd not hop-skipped down the aisle,
And made the other scholars smile.
But if I get one once in four,
School keeps so long, I'll get lots more."

FOUR LITTLE MICE.

Four little mice lived all alone
Where cats had been so long unknown;
They ate and slept without a fear
That any danger could be near.
One sunny day with brush and broom
They cleaned their pantry, swept their room,
Then made themselves as neat and fine
As if invited out to dine.
And then not knowing what to do,
They looked their cedar closet through
And found their gray coats growing thin:
So sat them down some yarn to spin,
Soon, through a chink to their surprise,
A cat looked in with hungry eyes--
"Shall I come in and cut your thread?"
"Oh, thank you, no!" they trembling said.

FINNETTE.

"Bow-wow-wow!" was the first thing Winny heard that morning. She opened her eyes and there stood Finnette. Aunt Bertha had brought her as a birthday gift for Winny from Paris.

Finnette was full of pretty tricks. She could stand on her hind legs and dance. She could sing.

"Now, Finnette," Winny's mamma would say, "I will play and you shall sing."

So Finnette would stand on her hind legs and sing such a droll little tune. It sounded like "I love--I love--I love--do you?" Finnette always helped Winny to put her dolls to bed. It was wonderful to see her.

"Bring me Grandma Snowhair's cap, Finnette," Winny would say. And Finnette would trot off and fetch it. She knew the doll's clothes just as well as Winny did.

"Now, Finnette, I will have Glorianna's nightgown," said Winny again, and Finnette would bring it.

When Winny got her dolls in bed, she always sang them to sleep, and then Finnette would sing too. "I love--I love--I love--do you?"

Mamma used to like to peep in and see them. Winny always put her dolls to bed at five o'clock. Finnette always knew when the clock struck five, and off she would run to find Winny.

But one day she couldn't find her. She searched through the house and garden, but Winny was not to be found. So Finnette lay down in the library, and waited. Once she got up and trotted in and looked at the dolls. She barked softly, as though she would say, "Be patient; your mamma will be here soon."

But the little mamma did not come; so Finnette concluded to put the dolls to bed herself. She laid Grandma Snowhair on the floor and then with her teeth and paws she gently drew off her cap and gray silk dress. She put on her nightgown, but she could not button it.

She undressed Glorianna, but she got her nightgown on upside down. She put her legs into the sleeves. She did not try to put on aunt Sukey's nightgown. She just wrapped her up in a blanket.

She tumbled the four small dolls into their beds anyhow. How surprised and pleased and amused Winny was when she came home! There were the dolls fast asleep, and their clothes all piled on a chair; and there sat Finnette watching them. She gave the happiest little "bow-wow," when she saw Winny. She had not been able to eat or to sleep with the care of all those dolls on her mind. Winny hugged and kissed her.

"You dear old darling Finnette," she said. "How sweet you have been to my children. You shall have a silver collar, for you are my best friend." Then Bridget brought Finnette her supper of bread and milk.

ABOUT THE DEER.

"Look! look!" said Ernest, "see the deer! It has got out of the deer park. I did not know deer could run like that!"

The frightened creature was running down Washington street. He darted in and out among the horses and carriages, and people. He leaped over the heads of the children.

Ernest and his mother stopped to look; everybody stopped to look. On and on he ran till he came to the river, then he leaped into the deep water and was drowned. Was it not a pity? The pretty deer that Ernest had fed so often on Boston Common! He almost cried when he thought of it.

How many of you have ever seen deer? In many of the United States they are still found in the woods. They are kept in almost all public parks.

Deer are gentle creatures, and are easily tamed. But I think they are happiest when they are free to roam the woods where they like.

They eat the tender grass in the spring, and sometimes, if they live near farms, they break into the corn and wheat fields.

In the winter they eat the seed vessels of the wild rose, the hawthorn buds, the brambles and leaves. They like acorns, and, in the South, they eat the persimmons. The persimmon is a yellow plum. They feed in the night.

In hot summer days they like to wade into the ponds and rivers, and stand under water, all but their noses.

The young deer are called fawns; they are pretty spotted creatures. The mother keeps them in a quiet place where she thinks the hunters and dogs cannot get them; for men often hunt the wild deer. It is a great pity to kill them for sport, is it not?

The deer hears quickly, and his scent is very keen too. When the hunters are after him, how fleet he is! Sometimes he leaps into the water and swims. Then the dogs lose the scent and cannot follow him. The male deer sheds his horns every year.

When the horns are growing they look as if they were covered with velvet.

EVERYBODY'S DOG.

Seen me? Of course you have seen me before.
I can't count the times I have been at your door.
Where do I live? Why, everywhere, here!
My name? Well, I own it is rather queer;
Some call me "good fellow," or "Fido," or "Tray,"
But I come just the same, whatever they say.
Am I ever lonesome? How can I be
When acquaintances everywhere whistle to me?
Hungry? That's something I've never yet known,
For friendly hands toss me sweet bits or a bone.
Cold? Oh, never! for doors everywhere
Are opened to shelter my silky brown hair,
For _I_ am everybody's dog!

And what do I give for this treatment so kind?
I drive home the lost cattle and sheep that I find;
With the children and babies I tenderly play,
And faithfully keep them from going astray.
And many an ill-natured tramp I have sent
Away from the game on which he was bent.
I can carry a basket or pail just the same
As a boy, and better than some I could name.
I bark in the night when danger is near,
And if I'm in the house no sleeper need fear.
What! be your own dog? Do you think 'twould be fair
To stay here with you when they all need my care?
No; I'll come every day for a minute or two
But now I must go for I've so much to do;
For _I_ am everybody's dog!

A BIRD'S NEST.

What a wonderful thing a bird's nest is! Even the simplest nests are very wonderful. Some boys and girls collect birds' nests, and that is very well, if you wait till the eggs are hatched, and the birds have flown.

The ground sparrow builds a lovely little nest; and what a curious nest is that of the barn swallow.

How many of you have seen the nest of the Baltimore oriole? She hangs it upon the end of an elm branch, where it swings and dances in the wind.

I have for you this time, the nest of an African bird. This little bird belongs to the class called weavers. If you look at the nest, you will understand why this bird is called a weaver bird.

See how skilfully the nest is woven out of twigs, and grasses, and fibrous roots. There are many kinds of weaver birds, and each kind builds a different nest. Sometime I shall show you another weaver bird's nest.

A RAINY DAY.

It was the day set for the picnic by the lake. Two little white gowns, and the boys' best coats, and the ribbons and the neck-ties, had been joyfully laid out the night before.

But next morning it was not picnic weather. The sky was low and heavy. By nine o'clock there were thick, dense, black clouds.

"I think we might go," said Flossie, "even if it does rain. We go to school, lots o' days, when it rains."