Chapter I: Front Matter

THE

NURSERY

_A Monthly Magazine_

FOR YOUNGEST READERS.

VOLUME XXIX.--No. 2.

BOSTON:
THE NURSERY PUBLISHING COMPANY,
NO. 36 BROMFIELD STREET.
1881.

Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1881, by
THE NURSERY PUBLISHING COMPANY,
In the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington.

& SON.

UNIVERSITY PRESS.]

IN PROSE.

PAGE
Almost ready for Launching 33
Louis's new Plant 36
"One-old-cat" 39
What is the Horse doing? 40
Why wouldn't the Kite fly? 45
Drawing-Lesson 49
Bertie at his Uncle's 50
Rich and Poor 56
Red Coral Beads 58

IN VERSE.

PAGE
The Would-be Travellers 37
A Queer Kitten 42
How Blue-Eyes watched for the New Year 43
The New-laid Egg 47
The Good Ship "Rosa Lee" 54
The Snow-Fairies 57
His Royal Highness 62
Nursery Song (_with music_) 64

VOL. XXIX.--NO. 2.]

ALMOST READY FOR LAUNCHING.

HERE we have a picture of a ship on the stocks, with a gang of men hard at work giving her the finishing touches. There are full twenty-six men in sight.

What are they doing? Well, most of them, I think, are calkers. Do you know what that means? I will tell you.

After the frame of a ship is set up, the timbers firmly bolted and braced, and the planking put on and fastened, inside and out, the next thing to be done is to make the seams water-tight.

For this purpose, slivers of oakum, rolled up in the hand, are driven into the seams between the planks. When the seams are filled, they are covered with melted pitch or rosin to preserve the oakum from decay. This process is called calking.

Most of the men seen in the picture are doing this work, but not all of them. Some are driving in the oakum with a tool called a calking-iron. Some are putting on the pitch. I will leave it for you to find out what the others are doing.

If we could look on deck and on the other side of the ship, we should see men at work there too. Hark! Don't you hear the sound of their hammers? All is bustle, but there is no confusion. Every man knows what to do, and does his work with a will.

After the calking is done, the painters will take their turn. They will put on two or three coats of paint; then the carvers and gilders will make a handsome figure-head; every thing will look as neat as a new pin; and then it will be time to be thinking of a name for the vessel, for, if I am not mistaken, the ship will be ready for launching. Let us fancy that we are present at the launch. I think I see her now gliding into the deep water that awaits her.

She floats away from her cradle. She sits like a duck upon the water. She is staunch and strong and tight. So far the work has been well done. What comes next?

The riggers will now take her in hand. Masts and yards and shrouds and sails will soon be in their places. Soon we shall see her in the harbor all ready for sea; and by and by, with sails all set and streamers all afloat, she will move gracefully down the bay. May she always have fair winds and prosperous voyages!

UNCLE CHARLES.

LOUIS'S NEW PLANT.

LOUIS moved to a new home last spring, and, to his delight, had the use of a plot of ground for a garden. Beans, morning-glories, and other common plants, edged the little space; but his mamma planned to have some new thing in the centre.

So they planted three or four peanuts. Louis expected to raise peanuts enough for the whole neighborhood; and one lady to whom he mentioned it engaged a bushel on the spot.

In due time a little plant appeared, carrying one of the nuts on its head; but, finding that too much of a load, it left the parent nut on the surface of the ground, and sent bright green leaves up, and little threads of roots down, until, with its sisters, which had been growing in the same way, it made a group of three pretty plants.

All summer Louis took pride in showing them. Although they grew so finely, many persons prophesied that they would never bear nuts. But, in the latter part of September, Louis dug from one of his plants a nut which was perfect in form, though not yet divided into shell and meat. It was like a raw potato.

He waited patiently, and early in November he dug a saucer-full of well-ripened nuts. The plants had sent out a shoot from each joint, and these grew downward into the ground, and at the end of each shoot grew a nut. So Louis thinks it is correct to call it a ground-nut.

Louis took a sample of the nuts to "The Nursery" office, and it was pronounced to be of good quality. Although he could not supply the order for a bushel, he intends to try again next year, and hopes to raise a larger crop.

AUBURNDALE, MASS. LOUIS'S MAMMA.

THE WOULD-BE TRAVELLERS.

ARTHUR.

OH, if I only had a pair
Of Indian snow-shoes I could wear,
The storms might beat, the winds might blow,
Across the drifts I'd northward go,
And see the Northland's splendid sights,--
The red, and green, and yellow lights,
That up the sky at night-time stream,
The icebergs on the sea that gleam,
And, peering from his hut of snow,
In walrus-coat, the Esquimau;
And with my loud hurrah I'd scare
From out his den the grizzly bear.

BERTHA.

And, if I only had a boat,
I'd spread my sail, and eastward float,
And see the far-off Eastern lands,
The palm-trees, and the desert sands,
The camels and the caravans;
Tall shining towers, and curious towns,
And men with turbans on, and gowns;
And bring home, lovely to behold,
A charming dress of cloth-of-gold.

DICK.

And, if I only had a horse,
I'd westward, westward take my course;
With flying feet and floating mane
He'd gallop with me o'er the plain;
As lightly as the wind we'd pass
Across the waving prairie-grass,
And strange, tall blossoms, blue and red,
Would nod about my horse's head.

ELSIE.

And, if I had some wings to fly,
I'd southward soar along the sky,
And see the Southland all aglow
With roses, when with us there's snow;
And flutter down to rest me, where
The starry myrtle scents the air,
And humming-birds dart out and in
The blossoms of the jessamine;
Where his green mate the parrot calls,
And oranges, like golden balls,
Hang on the boughs, I'd spend the hours
In gathering figs, and plucking flowers.

LITTLE SUSY.

Oh, if you want to, and you can,
I'm willing you should roam;
But I'm dear mother's little girl,
I'll stay with her at home.

MARIAN DOUGLAS.

"ONE-OLD-CAT."

GRANDMA sat at the window one fine afternoon, knitting. In a group, on the ground below, sat three little boys dressed in blue sailor suits, red stockings, and polo caps. "What nice-looking little boys!" thought grandma.

Presently up jumped one boy, and said, "Come on, fellows, let's play something."--"All right," said another boy, "One-old-cat." Then they all ran into the house.

"Dear me!" said grandma, "I thought they were good boys; but they seem to be going to tease pussy." In a few minutes the boys came back. One of them carried a large club, while another had something which grandma, who could not see very well, took to be a stone.

"Oh, what cruel boys!" thought the old lady. "It's bad enough to tie things to a cat's tail; but to beat her with a club and to throw stones at her is still worse."

"I'll be pitcher," shouted one of the boys. "There!" said grandma, "he says he'll pitch her. Who would believe that boys in red stockings and blue suits could be so cruel?"

"I'll be inner," cried another boy.

"Inner!" said grandma. "What does that mean? Some new expression. I have no doubt, which I never before heard; but an old lady of eighty years can't be expected to keep up with the times. It's something dreadful, of course."

But what was the old lady's surprise when the boys threw aside their blue jackets, and two of them began to throw the "stone" back and forth, one to the other; while the third boy stood between, striking at it as it flew through the air, and sometimes hitting it and sometimes not. There they staid all the afternoon doing the same thing.

"Why," said grandma, putting on her glasses, and looking more closely. "I declare! they're only playing ball, after all. Well, I'm glad they're not so cruel as I thought them. They are such pretty little boys, and have such pretty red stockings too!"

"But," said she, after a long pause, "there is still one thing that troubles me. Where is the 'old cat'?"

MATTIE B. BANKS.

WHAT IS THE HORSE DOING?

CAN any one of my young readers guess from the picture what the horse is doing to the dog? Do not read the rest of my story till you have tried to answer this question.

Some boys had placed in a field a snare by which they hoped to catch a rabbit. It was a sort of noose made of coarse, twisted grass. Fido, the dog, put one of his forefeet in the noose, and in trying to get away his leg was doubled up by it.

He limped off howling to his friend Hero, an old horse that was grazing near by. Fido lifted up his leg, and Hero at once saw what was the matter. But Hero had no knife with which to cut the noose. What could he do?

He did not stay long in doubt. He put down his head, and began to gnaw at the noose. Taking good care not to bite Fido, he nibbled at the wisp of twisted grass till it dropped off, and the good dog was free.

You should have seen Fido as he scampered round, jumped up, and barked at his old friend. "Barked at him?" Yes; but it was all in play, as much as to say, "You dear old Hero! How I thank you! I will do as much for you, should you ever get into trouble. Bow, wow, wow!"

And Hero galloped round, and threw up his heels, but took good care not to hit his friend Fido. Each seemed to be glad in the feeling that a kind act had been done.

This is a true story, and Mr. Harrison Weir has told it well in his drawing.

UNCLE CHARLES.

A QUEER KITTEN.

CHRISTMAS-DAY, in her stocking,
Our Marion found a prize,--
A dear little spotted kitten
With wonderful bright blue eyes;

With fur that was fluffy as cotton,
Yellow and white and gray,
With paws that were soft as velvet,
And brimful of fun and play.

She looked at her little mistress,
And loved her, it seemed, at sight;
For she climbed on Marion's shoulder,
Purring with all her might,--

Careful never to hurt her
With sharp little tooth or nail;
But one thing was very funny,--
The kitty had never a tail.

"O mamma!" Marion shouted,
"What in the world can ail
This dear little baby-kitty,
That she hasn't a bit of tail?

"How funny!" said Marion puzzled,
And wondering almost frowned,
"What will she have to play with,
And run after, round and round?

"Did somebody snip it with scissors
Or pinch it off in the door?
Did you ever see a kitten
Without a tail, before?"

Then mamma laughed at her darling,
And kissed her, and then began
To tell her about the kittens
That come from the Isle of Man.

E. A. A.

HOW BLUE-EYES WATCHED FOR THE NEW YEAR.

LITTLE Miss Blue-Eyes shook her head
At nurse's call, "Come, time for bed!"
"Oh, no! oh, no indeed! not yet!
I'm 'stonished at you! you forget
That I and all my family
Must watch the Old Year out, you see,
And I must be the first to say
To all, 'A happy New Year's Day!'"

"Oh, bless your little heart, my dear!"
Said nurse, "the New Year won't be here
Till midnight hour: your curly head
Must long ere then be snug in bed."
But Blue-Eyes answered, "No, _no_, NO!
Please, nursie, do not make me go!
I mean to keep awake, and hear
The bells that ring in the New Year."

But, when the nurse came back to peep,
A minute later, sound asleep
Was little Blue-Eyes on the floor;
And still she slept while nursie bore
Her softly to the pretty bed
Which waited for the curly head.
And the New Year was bright with sun,
Ere little Blue-Eyes' sleep was done.

Then the gay sunbeams kissing her
Caused the small, drowsy limbs to stir,
Caused the blue eyes to open wide,
And see her mother at her side:
And "Happy New Year!" all things said
To this same little sleepy head,
Who meant to be the first to say,
"To all a happy New Year's Day!"

MARY D. BRINE.

WHY WOULDN'T THE KITE FLY?

JACK and Fred sat on the steps, trying to think of something to do. They had spent their morning in digging wells and ditches in the sand; for it was vacation-time, and they were living down by the sea.

Just before dinner they had been in bathing. Since dinner they had been over in the fields, picking up long feathery grasses to put in mamma's vases. And now, what should they do next?

At last, Jack thought it would be fine fun to make a large kite, much larger than any they had ever seen. Fred said he would help; and off they ran to get sticks, tacks, paper, paste, and string, so as to have every thing ready.

When they could think of nothing else that was needed, they set to work. Jack cut and tacked the sticks together, just as the smaller ones were in his little old kite; while Fred cut the papers, and made the tail.

Having joined the four ends of the sticks with string, they covered the whole with newspaper, pasted nicely, and left the kite in the sun to dry. Then Jack thought of one thing that had been forgotten: they had not tied on the string. So they had to cut a hole in their paper, and put the string through. Then, of course, the holes had to be patched up again, and this took a good while.

The wind was blowing quite briskly, and the boys thought they could not wait any longer, although the kite was not quite dry. Fred said he would pitch the kite, if Jack would let out the string. You can imagine how Fred looked, as he ran out before the wind, with this big kite that was much taller than himself. Jack said it seemed as though the kite had legs of its own, and was walking off.

Fred pitched the kite. It went up bravely. Jack ran with it, letting out the string, little by little, when, all of a sudden, there came a heavy gust of wind. The string broke, and the kite fluttered down, flat on the ground.

But these boys had been taught to always "try again." So they went to look for a stronger string.

Jack thought of the clothes-line. Off he went, and soon came back with a good long rope. This they tied on, and now they thought the kite would surely fly. Jack pitched it this time, and what do you think happened? The string was too heavy. The kite went up, but soon came down; and, what was worse, the paper was so thin, that the wind tore it all to pieces.

"Never mind!" said Jack, "we'll try again to-morrow. You see, Fred, if we have a large kite, we must have a strong cover for it and a stout string."

Then the two boys went to work, and covered the kite-frame with cloth. They got a string that was very strong but not too heavy; and the next day they had a grand time flying their kite.

Some day I will tell you more about these boys who were always ready to "try again."

M.

THE NEW-LAID EGG.

WHO laid the egg?
"Cut, cut-ca-dah!" said the hen:
"When the clock struck ten,
I laid an egg."

Who'll take it to the house?
"I," said little Dick:
"I'm very quick,
And I'll take it to the house."

Who knows how to cook it?
"I," said good Mary Ann;
"In my own frying-pan:
I know how to cook it."

Who'll eat it when it's done?
"I," said little Phil,
"Because I am ill:
"I'll eat it when it's done."

Who'll lay another?
"Cluck, cluck, cluck!" said the hen;
"Feed me well and then
I'll lay another."