Chapter I: Front Matter

THE

NURSERY

_A Monthly Magazine_

FOR YOUNGEST READERS.

VOLUME XXIX.--No. 6.

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

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

& SON.

UNIVERSITY PRESS.]

IN PROSE.

PAGE
The Careless Nurse 161
Master Baby 165
Two Small Boys 166
A Saucy Visitor 168
How Georgie Fed his Fawn 171
Drawing-Lesson 177
A Picnic in a Strange Garden 178
Two Small Girls 182
The Careful Nurse 183
Ralph's Great-Grandmother and her History 185

IN VERSE.

PAGE
Feeding the Fowls 163
A Polite Dandelion 164
Kitty didn't mean to 167
The Rose 173
Margie's Trial 180
Why the Chick came out 184
June 188

THE CARELESS NURSE.

THE rights of man do not give me much concern; neither do I trouble myself much about the rights of woman. My mission is to look after the rights of children. I never forget this wherever I may be.

Some people may think that the rights of children are safe enough in the care of the fathers and mothers.

Are they indeed! How many children are sent out, day after day, in charge of nurses? Who protects the children against careless and cruel nurses? Anxious mother, answer me that.

Many cases of gross neglect have come under my eye. I will mention one case that took place last summer at the seaside.

I was out in my yacht at the time. Scanning the shore with my spy-glass, this is what I saw:--

A good-looking young woman was pushing a baby-carriage before her. In the carriage was a little child. The young woman seemed to be singing, and all went well until a young man came up and walked by her side.

From his dress I should say that he was a sailor. Perhaps he had just landed from a man-of-war. His trousers had the man-of-war cut.

The young man and the young woman talked and laughed together as they went along. They seemed to be very good friends. But what became of the infant in the carriage?

Poor child! She fell off the seat. Her head hung over the side of the carriage, just in front of the wheel, and there she lay shrieking for help.

I could not hear her shrieks, for I was a mile away; but the sight was enough for me. I seized my trumpet. "Shipmate, ahoy!" I shouted to the sailor-chap.

No answer. It was plain that the sailor-chap did not care in the slightest degree for that poor suffering child. Nobody offered to help her.

"Steer for the shore!" I said to my helmsman. "Bear down to the rescue!" We landed as soon as we could, but not without some delay, and when we reached the place it was too late. Nurse, carriage, sailor-chap, and all were gone.

What was the fate of that poor infant is a mystery to me to this day. But I tell the story as a warning to all mothers against trusting their children to a careless nurse.

JACK TAR.

FEEDING THE FOWLS.

PECKING away, and looking so knowing,
Feathers and tails in the breezes blowing,
"Cluck, cluck, cluck!" come the hens to be fed,
And Edith is scattering crumbs of bread.

The peacock comes also, strutting so grandly,
His long tail behind him trailing so blandly,
Doesn't he look as proud as a king,
With his crown, and his tail, and his brilliant wing!

S. T. U.

A POLITE DANDELION.

By GEORGE COOPER.

"OH, what shall I do, Dandelion?
My white satin gown will be spoiled:
The rain has begun;
I've nowhere to run;
And my bonnet and all will be soiled."

"Don't be in a flutter, Miss Miller,
And where are you going so fast?
My sunshade of gold
Above you I'll hold
Till this very hard shower has passed."

MASTER BABY.

MASTER BABY has been playing in the park all the morning. He has been chasing a butterfly. He did not catch the butterfly. But he has come home with two rosy cheeks and a good appetite.

Now he must have his dinner. Tie his bib around his neck. Seat him at the table. Give him some soup. Now cut him up some meat and potato, and let him feed himself.

He is a little awkward; but a hungry boy will soon learn how to handle a fork. Let him alone for that. It will not take long to teach him how to use a knife too.

Boys need a good deal of food to make them strong and hearty. Give them plenty of fresh air. Let the sun shine on them. Then they will be sure to eat with a relish.

J. K. L.

TWO SMALL BOYS.

THIS is our Sam. He is the boy who goes to sea in a bowl. He throws out a line, and catches a fish. What does the fish look like? Where would Sam be if the bowl should tip over? Would he get wet?

This is Billy with his whip. He thinks he would like to drive a coach. But where will he get his team? He will find it, I dare say, without going out of the room.

An arm-chair will do for a coach, and a pair of boots will make a fine span of horses.