The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Jumble Book, by David Cory
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Title: The Jumble Book
A Jumble of Good Things
Author: David Cory
Illustrator: M. L. Kirk
S. Aspell
E. J. Babcock
Harvey Peake
Release Date: February 22, 2013 [EBook #42162]
Language: English
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE JUMBLE BOOK ***
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[Illustration: Cover]
The Jumble Book
[Illustration: PETER PIPER PUB. BY NAT. ART CO., N. Y.]
[Illustration]
THE JUMBLE BOOK
By David Cory
A JUMBLE
OF GOOD
THINGS
[Illustration]
GEORGE SULLY & COMPANY
NEW YORK
COPYRIGHT, 1920, BY
GEORGE SULLY AND COMPANY
_All Rights Reserved_
_Printed in the U. S. A._
"HELLO CENTRAL!"
"_Hello Central!_"
"Give me all the little boys and girls in the World. I want to tell them
about the JUMBLE BOOK!"
"_Hello! Is that you, Jimmy?_"
"Well, this is David Cory, the JUMBLE BOOKman. Do you like Indian
stories? You do, eh? Well, you'll find some in the JUMBLE BOOK.
Good-by!"
"_Hello, Polly!_"
"This is the man who wrote the JUMBLE BOOK. Do you like Fairy Stories? I
thought you did. Well, you'll find lots of them in the JUMBLE BOOK.
Good-by."
"_Hello, Billy._"
"This is the JUMBLE BOOKman. Do you like stories about animals? Well,
I'm glad you do, for I've written a lot of them for you in the JUMBLE
BOOK. Good-by."
"_Hello, Mary!_"
"This is your friend David Cory. What kind of stories do you like? All
kinds, eh? Well, the JUMBLE BOOK'S the book for you, then. You'll find
all kinds of stories all jumbled together between its covers!
Good-by!"
The Jumble Book
LITTLE SIR CAT
Little Sir Cat Takes a Farewell Look at the Castle
Once upon a time I promised to tell a little boy how Little Sir Cat
caught the Knave of Hearts who had run away with the Queen's tarts.
Well, Sir! That Knave had run only about half way across the courtyard
when Little Sir Cat pounced on him as if he were a mouse, and his
Highness, the Knave of Hearts, stopped right then and there, but he
spilt the tarts all over the ground. Wasn't that a shame?
This made the King dreadfully angry, and he "beat the Knave full sore,"
as the rhyme goes in dear "Old Mother Goose," and if you don't believe
me, just get the book and see for yourself. "Now ask me a favor, and it
shall be granted," said the Queen who had asked Little Sir Cat to come
into the castle and sit on the throne by her side.
"Tell me where I may find my fortune," answered Little Sir Cat.
"Ah!" cried the Queen, "that is not so easy. For each of us must make
his own fortune. But I will help you," and she called for her old
seneschal.
"He will not find it on Tart Island," said the old retainer. "Mayhap in
Mother Goose Island he will find it."
[Illustration: LITTLE SIR CAT TAKES A FAREWELL LOOK AT THE CASTLE]
So pretty soon, not so very long, Little Sir Cat left the big castle,
and by-and-by he came to an old willow tree by a pond. And who do you
think he saw? Why, little Mrs. Oriole sitting close beside her nest that
hung like a big white stocking from the branch. As soon as she saw
Little Sir Cat she began to sing, and all her little birds peeped out of
the nest, but they didn't say anything, for they had never met him
before. "Children, this is Sir Cat. I knew him when he lived in a
castle," said Mrs. Oriole.
Well, after that, he went in to the farmyard, for it was noontime, and
he was hungry, and knocked on the kitchen door. Just then the Cuckoo
Clock in the kitchen sounded the hour of noon, and the farmer's wife
looked out of the window to see if her man was coming through the gate,
when, of course, she spied Little Sir Cat.
"Dinner is ready. Come in, Kitten!" So he stepped into the neat, clean
kitchen, and as soon as the good woman had put on a clean apron, they
sat down to supper. By-and-by the cuckoo came out of her little clock
and said: "Time for kittens to be in bed," and the twinkle, twinkle star
shone through the window, and sang a little lullaby:
"_Sleep, little pussy cat, sleep.
The little white clouds are like sheep
That play all the night while the moon's shining bright.
Sleep, little pussy cat, sleep._"
And in the next story you will find what Little Sir Cat did when he woke
up in the morning.
Little Stories of Famous Animals
How a Dog Discovered a Hot Spring
Tradition reports that Charles IV. discovered the Carlsbad Spring, but
after you have read this little history perhaps you will agree with me
that if it hadn't been for his dog he never would have even seen the
spring.
It happened this way: More than four hundred years ago Charles IV. was
hunting in the neighborhood. In the exciting chase and pursuit of a stag
he suddenly lost all trace of it. As he paused, undecided which course
to take, he heard the yelping of one of his hounds, and following the
sound, he found it lying scalded in the waters of the spring, which, as
you know, is a stream of water probably escaping from a smoldering
volcano way down deep in the earth. The faithful animal had followed the
stag's leap into the valley, and had missed a sure footing on the rocks
near by.
On the top of the hill, which is now called the Hirschensprung (stag's
leap), a cross has been erected, and a little lower down a lookout house
has been built. Still farther down, on a high pointed rock, a citizen of
Carlsbad has had erected an iron figure of a chamois.
After chance had made known the hot waters of the spring to Charles IV.,
he had a bath and a hunting lodge built there, which were called after
him, Karlsbad.
The real discoverer of the spring, the faithful hound, has no mention
made of him by name or monument, although the crest of the hill is named
for a stag and the spring after a king.
TESSIE, TOTTIE AND TEDDY
Or the Three Tiny T's
[Illustration: _The Three Tiny T's All in a Row._]
CHAPTER I
"Listen," whispered Tessie, "I've got a secret to tell you; snuggle up
so nobody'll hear!"
Tottie squeezed up close to her little sister, and Teddy shoved himself
along the piazza seat until all three were packed as tight as little
sardines.
"What is it?" asked Tottie.
"Hurry up and tell," whispered Teddy, hugging Tessie's arm, while
Tottie squeezed her hand with her little fat fingers.
"S-s-sh!" replied Tessie, "s-s-sh!"
"Tessie!" called mother's voice, "Tessie, come here, I want you to run
down to the grocer."
"Oh, dear!" sighed the three tiny T's.
Tessie jumped up quickly and ran inside the house, closely followed by
Tottie and Teddy.
"You can wear your roller skates," said mother, "and Teddy can put on
his and go with you, if he wishes."
In a few minutes the skates were strapped on each impatient little foot,
and mother's darling messengers were gliding down the front walk.
"Be very careful not to break the eggs," said mother, as she stood in
the doorway watching them go out of the gate. "Hold the bag tight and
don't go fast on the way home."
CHAPTER II
Tessie and Teddy skated along smoothly on their errand for mother. The
roller skates behaved very well, and did not try to race with each
other, so that neither little messenger had a fall, or even a bump
against anybody on the sidewalk who did not get out of the way in time.
The fat grocer man said good morning very pleasantly, and gave them each
a little animal cracker. Tessie told him what she wanted, and while he
was counting out the eggs and putting them in the bag, she stroked his
big tiger cat, who lay half asleep on the top of the sugar barrel.
"Here you are, Miss," said the grocer man, handing the package to
Tessie, "and be careful, little man," he added, turning to Teddy, "that
you don't run into sister and upset her--you won't have any eggs if you
do!"
"Of course not," replied Teddy, biting off the hind legs of his buffalo
cracker. "I'll take care," and both children wabbled over the floor and
through the doorway out onto the sidewalk.
[Illustration: _Crash! There Were Scrambled Eggs All Over the Walk._]
Everything went along beautifully. Teddy kept well behind so that
Tessie would have plenty of room, and the distance was half over, when
something happened. About a block from the house, the sidewalk ran down
a small hill. Although Tessie had time and again coasted down without
the slightest trouble, today it seemed as if she were going very much
faster than usual. Perhaps she was a little worried over the bag of
eggs. At any rate, all of a sudden her feet behaved very badly, and
before she could help it, one foot went off to one side and Tessie did,
too. Down she went in a heap. Crash! smash! mash! there were scrambled
eggs all over the walk!
Tessie turned a frightened glance towards Teddy who just came up.
"O dear me! How shall I ever explain to mother?" cried poor little
Tessie.
CHAPTER III
After Tessie and Teddy arrived home they hunted around for mother to
tell her the awful news, and how sorry they were that the bag of eggs
was lying out on the sidewalk in funny yellow patches, with bits of
broken shell strewn all around.
About half an hour later Tessie was telling her little kitten what
mother had said. "And, Pussy dear," confided Tessie, "don't you ever try
to carry any robin's eggs down from the nest. If you do, you'll find you
get sliding faster and faster, and before you reach the ground your foot
will slip and down you'll come with a crash!"
Pussy looked up out of the corners of her blinky green eyes but said
nothing.
"And maybe your mother won't be so nice about it," added Tessie. "My
mother didn't scold me 'cause when I 'splained how my skate nearly came
off and tripped me up she just wiped my eyes, 'cause I felt awful sorry,
and told me not to cry about it any more, and by and by she gave us all
a lump of sugar."
[Illustration: _Tess Was Telling Her Little Kitten What Mother Had
Said._]
Just then puss jumped through the low open window and skipped over the
lawn. Tessie stepped out on the piazza to see what she was about. At
the foot of the old apple tree pussy stopped and then ran up the trunk
and out on a limb.
"I do believe," exclaimed Tessie, "that she is going to try to bring
down some eggs from the robin's nest."
"What did my little girl say?" asked mother, who came out on the porch
at that moment. When Tessie explained it all, mother laughed and said,
"Why, there aren't any eggs now in that nest, little girl--don't you
know all the little robins were hatched long ago?"
"Well, I don't believe pussy knows it," answered Tessie, "for there she
is now looking into the nest--how disappointed she'll be!"
CHAPTER IV
"Goodness me, Tottie, why don't you fasten the button!" cried Tessie to
her little sister. But Tottie was too frightened to answer; she just
stood still while sister fastened the little white pants which had
slipped down on the tops of her pink slippers.
"Let's go out in the garden now," said Tessie, and the two little
sisters ran out on the piazza and down the walk. They found brother
Teddy already there filling his wagon with grass, for the lawn had just
been cut and was covered with the loose grass.
"We'll make a big hay mow!" cried the children, and very soon they had
piled up the fragment grass as high as their heads. It was great fun
rolling over it, or covering each other up until nothing but a little
toe stuck out at one end, or the tip of a little pug nose showed at the
other.
[Illustration: "_Goodness Me, Tottie, Why Don't You Fasten the
Button!_"]
After a while pussy came by, but when she had been covered up deep with
the ticklish grass, she escaped by jumping over the green haymow, and
ran off to the barn. She most likely thought it was more fun in the hay
loft hunting for mice than being covered up in a big green grass hay-mow
out on the lawn. Perhaps, too, she was afraid some one might step on her
when under the grass. At any rate, she didn't come back, and by and by
it was time for the children to go in for luncheon. I don't know whether
pussy heard the bell or not, but she came in from the barn in time to
get her saucer of milk before the children had finished.
"Pussy never has to bother with buttons," said Tessie, looking over at
Tottie, and smiling.
"No," answered Tottie, "'cause she has only fur."
CHAPTER V
Tottie never liked to take a bath until one day Mother said: "Let's make
believe you are in the big ocean wading and there are lots of little
silver fishes swimming all around."
[Illustration: _It Was Lots of Fun in the Big Round Tin Tub._]
After this Tottie wanted to take a bath all the time, for Mother bought
some toy fishes and Tottie didn't have to make believe very hard.
It was lots of fun in the big round tin tub. It was painted green on the
outside and yellow on the inside, which looked just like the sand on the
seashore. And then, too, it had a nice wide, flat edge all around, so
that it seemed almost like a beach to Tottie.
Sometimes Mother would put a little red bathing cap on Tottie's head and
let her wade for a while before her bath. Tottie then kept her little
shirt on, making believe it was a lovely silk bathing suit. Perhaps the
little fishes thought she was a big fat giantess. At any rate they
slipped through her soapy little fingers as if they were swimming away
for their very lives. This made Tottie laugh very much, and she would
soap them well so that they would even slip through the water for quite
a distance when she squeezed them real hard.
Tottie's sister Tessie often wanted to play like her little sister, but
Mother said, "You are too big a girl, Tessie, not to take your bath
without making a play of it." Brother Teddy, too, wanted to get the
fishes to play with when he took his bath, but Mother said to him,
"These are Tottie's fish. You and sister Tessie are big enough to be
good while in the tub without toys," so Tottie was the only one in the
house who made believe that the bathtub was the big ocean and her little
toy silver fishes real live ones!
MR. BIG TOE
Mr. Big Toe
Is a rogue, do you know
He tries to poke through
The tip of Ted's shoe?
And always, it's shocking.
He's half through his stocking!
[Illustration]
TOO-WIT, TOO-WOO AND HIS OWL FAMILY
Too-Wit, Too-Woo lived in a big hollow tree with his family. There was
Mrs. Too-Wit, and their two little sons, T'wit and T'woo. In one of the
biggest holes in the old hollow tree they had a very comfortable home.
Every night as the shadows began to creep through the Great Forest,
T'wit would sing a little song. He was very proud of it, for he had made
it up himself. He would look over at T'woo as much as to say, "You never
could make up such a lovely song," and then he would toot across to his
brother:
"_How happy I am
In the forest so deep;
I sing and I play
While other folks sleep!_"
T'woo was quite provoked to think that his brother had made up such a
pretty song, and he tried very hard to think up one for himself.
Finally, one evening just as T'wit was about to sing his evening verse,
T'woo opened his beak very wide, and before T'wit could commence, he
tooted across:
"_All thro' the night
I sing and I play,
While other folk do
Just the opposite way!_"
T'wit was so surprised that he almost fell off the limb on which he sat,
winking and blinking in the early twilight.
Mr. and Mrs. Too-Wit, Too-Woo looked at each other as much as to say,
"Did you ever see such bright children as ours?"
Presently Mr. Too-Wit flew off for his evening flutter, and both his
small sons followed, while Mrs. Too-Wit went inside the house.
"Where are you going, father?" asked T'wit as they flew along silently;
but his parent did not vouchsafe a reply until they neared the edge of
the forest. Then he turned and said, "You two boys sit here while I fly
over to tell my little friend some news," and with these words, off he
flew straight for the Indian camp, leaving the two small owls perched on
a limb of a tree. When he reached a tent near a big tree, he fluttered
down to the ground, and gave a low hoot. The little Indian boy pushed
his head out: "What is it, Too-Wit?" he asked.
"There's a flock of wild turkeys roosting in the clump of trees by the
lake. Bring your bow and arrows before it gets too dark. I'll wait at
the edge of the wood for you. T'wit and T'woo are keeping a look-out
while I'm here."
Little Indian hastily picked up his bow and arrows, and started off for
the lake. As he drew near the clump of trees, he crept stealthily along,
so as not to frighten the wild turkeys. When he was near enough, he
fitted a bow to his arrow, and taking careful aim, shot one of the
birds. The flock became frightened as soon as they saw one of their
comrades fall, and taking wing, they flew off in all directions, not
before, however, the little Indian boy had shot off his bow the second
time. This time, his aim was not so true; the turkey must have been only
slightly wounded, because there was no trace of him, save a few
feathers, when little Indian ran up to the spot where he had last seen
him.
Picking up the bird which he had killed with his first arrow, he turned
back to the camp. "Thank you," he said to Too-Wit, as he passed the tree
on which his feathered friend sat, "You see, I've got my dinner for
tomorrow."
Too-Wit spread his wings, and his two small sons followed after, and
presently they were all three back at the big hollow tree, where Mrs.
Too-wit had a nice supper all ready for them.
The next afternoon Little Indian and Too-Wit went to see two funny
little Frogs who lived in the lake.
"Look," said Little Indian to Too-Wit. "Aren't they cunning?"
"Yes," answered the Owl; "that's Freddie and Fannie Frog. Wait a minute
and I'll fly over and tell them how kind you are, for the Forest Folk
are quick to trust a friend."
So Too-Wit flew over to where Freddie and Fannie Frog were contentedly
sitting on their lily-pad under the long grass on the edge of the lake.
"Hello, hullo, Too-woo!" cried Too-Wit.
Freddie jumped up so quickly that the lily-pad tilted to one side, and
overboard went Fannie Frog with a splash.
But Fannie knew how to swim, as every well-trained Lady Frog does, and
after shaking the water from her eyes, she scrambled back upon the
lily-pad, none the worse for her ducking.
[Illustration]
But, dear me, I forgot to say she had lost her pretty parasol! Little
Indian saw it floating away from the spot--a pretty little lily, the
petals of which Fannie had bent downward until they had made a very nice
umbrella top, indeed, and by holding it up by the stem, she was able to
keep the hot sun from freckling her funny little face.
"Oh, where's my parasol?" screamed Fannie. "Oh, dear! oh, dear! there it
is, 'way out of my reach!"
Little Indian leaned over the bank and picked up the lily.
"Oh, thank you!" said Fannie, now smiling again; "thank you so much!"
"Oh, that's nothing!" answered Little Indian. "I'm glad to be able to
get it for you. It certainly would be a shame to lose such a pretty
thing!"
Just then a breeze sprang up, and away drifted the lily-pad with Freddie
and Fannie.
Little Indian watched them as they sailed away, for Fannie was now
holding up for a sail the little pink parasol, which helped to pull
their boat along at a good pace.
Then Too-Wit, Too-Woo said good-by, and flew back to his home in the
forest.
The big, round sun was now going down behind the purple hills, the
shadows were slowly filling all the nooks and corners of the big forest,
and the lake, in the gathering darkness, looked dim and gloomy.
Little Indian could no longer see the lily-pad boat. "They must have
landed on the other side of the lake by this time," he thought, as he
started for home, and when he came out of the forest he was glad to see
in the distance the cheerful glow of his camp fire.
COME, LITTLE PUSSY CAT!
[Illustration]
"Come, little Pussy Cat, let us go
To see a pussy cat movie show.
Shaggy Angoras and kittens white,
Big Tom Cats as black as night,
And nice old Tabby Cats drinking tea,
Oh, the Pussy Cat Show is the one to see."
JIMMY SAVES HIS TEDDY BEAR
"Clang, clang!" went the bell on the fire engine, and the whistle blew
fiercely as the wheels rumbled along over the pavement.
Tommy ran across to the nursery window and pressed his face against the
pane.
"Nurse, nurse!" he called out. "The engine has stopped just across the
way. Why, it's at Jimmy Watson's."
Margaret, the nurse, looked out. "Why, so it is, dearie me!" she cried.
"Just see the smoke."
Ladders were being placed against the house, and firemen in big red
helmets ran up and down, dragging the hose after them and squirting
water through the windows. It was very exciting and Tommy danced up and
down on his toes. Just then a mass of flame shot up through the roof,
and smoke poured out of the upper windows in big black clouds.
"I guess Jimmy's room is all burning up," said Tommy. "Just see the
smoke going out of his window."
As he finished speaking he saw Jimmy himself coming down the front
steps, holding tightly in his hands his favorite Teddy bear. After him
came his mother and the servants, each carrying something.
"Dearie me!" said Nurse Margaret, "I'm afraid the house will be all
burned up."
"Well," replied Tommy, "there's one thing to be thankful for, Jimmy has
saved his Teddy bear."
[Illustration]
"_Will you come into my auto?"
Said the spider to the fly.
"There is room in my Web-tonneau
And I'll join you by and by._"
[Illustration]
"DO UNTO OTHERS"
Phil and Marjorie had been very selfish. When baby brother had toddled
up to them after dinner and asked them for a little bite of their candy
they had run away and hidden behind the bureau, where they greedily ate
it all. Soon after, while they were looking out of the nursery window,
they saw a little boy earn a nickel by carrying several packages for a
lady up to the front doorstep of her house. To their great surprise he
ran down the street and gave it to a poor blind man on the corner.
This made the children think how mean they had been to their little
brother. So Phil said, "Let's go to the candy shop and buy a peppermint
stick for baby brother. We'll take our very own money."
"Let's give the poor blind man something, too," added Marjorie, as she
turned her bank upside down to get out the money.
"And I'll give my other five-cent piece to the little boy who was so
kind to the blind man!" cried Phil.
When they returned both children were smiling happily. "Did you see how
glad the poor boy was to get the five cents?" asked Phil.
"Yes," answered Marjorie, "and did you hear how gratefully the blind man
thanked me?"
But all that baby brother said was "Yum! Yum!" as he sucked away on his
pink and white peppermint stick!
THE JOLLY JUNGLE FOLK
Mikey Monk Plays Naughty Pranks
All The Jungle Folk were mad, every one was wild,
Everybody wore a scowl, not a creature smiled.
What was all this row about? Listen to what had
Happened in the Jungle to make them all so mad.
Mikey Monk had climbed a tree. Who was Mikey Monk?
Mikey was a monkey and full of life and spunk;
Also full of naughty tricks, I am sad to say,
That is why the Jungle Folks are so mad to-day.
Up a tree had Mikey climbed, clear up to the top,
Then he threw some cocoanuts, threw them down ker-flop.
Charlie Crocodile got mad, so did George Giraffe,
And they both grew angrier when they heard his laugh.
Harry Hippopotamus happened to come near;
Suddenly a cocoanut whistled by his ear.
He had hardly time to wink when another shot
Made him think he'd better not linger in that spot.
Tommy Tiger came along on his stealthy toes;
Suddenly a cocoa ball barely grazed his nose.
Oscar Ostrich sauntered by as a nut came down;
"Goodness, what was that?" he squawked, with an angry frown.
Harry Hippopotamus looked around and said,
"Don't you think there's something queer happening overhead?
It is rather difficult," he added, with a sigh,
"Finding out why cocoanuts are raining from the sky!
"Say, why don't you fellows ascertain the cause?
Where is a Policeman to enforce the laws?
Oscar Ostrich, won't you go--for you are so fleet--
See if you can run across a Copper on his beat?"
Sure enough, in half a wink back again he came
With a big Policeman, Eddie Elephant by name.
"What is this disturbance? Move along!" he said.
Suddenly his helmet tumbled off his head.
"Who did that?" he shouted, when another nut
Whistled by his ivories, hit him on the foot.
With his trunk he grabbed the tree, gave some mighty heaves,
My! what a commotion up amongst the leaves.
Then he butted all his might with his great big head.
"Break it up in kindling wood!" Tommy Tiger said.
Back and forth the tall tree swayed with a swishing sound,
Then a little scream was heard, something bumped to the ground.
Mikey Monk had lost his grip; on the ground he lay.
All the animals rushed in, pounced upon their prey.
"Break away!" the Copper said, "I arrest him now.
I will lock him up at once; we will show him how
"To obey the Jungle Laws. He won't sleep a wink
After he has been to Court. He'll have time to think
In the Jungle Jail how bad he has been to-day.
After he gets out again he won't disobey."
Over Tommy Tiger's head then he thrust his trunk;
By the ear he grabbed a hold of naughty Mikey Monk.
All the jungle populace joined in the parade.
Mikey Monk was crying--he was now afraid.
"Let me go!" he cried and sobbed, "and I'll promise you
Never more a naughty thing will I ever do."
But the big Policeman just kept straight ahead.
Did not even answer him; only shook his head.
At King Lion's Court at last stopped the big parade,
And before the King of Beasts Mikey was arrayed.
Very stern the Lion looked at the grave complaint,
Though of course he must have known Mikey was no saint.
When the Cop had finished Mikey held his breath,
He was all a-tremble; almost scared to death.
All the angry animals shouted, "Do not fail
To commit this Monkey to the Jungle Jail!"
"As you wish," King Lion answered with a roar.
Then they slipped the handcuffs over Mikey's paw
And Policeman Elephant took poor Mike away
To the Jungle Lockup, where he had to stay.
Till the Jungle Animals thought that just about
Punishment enough he'd had! then they let him go;
And no better monkey after this than he
In the Jolly Jungle ever climbed a tree
LITTLE BOY BLUE
[Illustration]
Little Boy Blue, where have you gone?
The cows are eating the tall green corn.
Drive them away or Farmer Lane
Will give you a beating with his cane.
MASTER SPARROW'S BREAKFAST
"Oh, my! what a snowstorm!" Little Dorothy looked out of the window at
the fast falling flakes, which covered up so quietly and softly the
shivering brown grass on the lawn and the trembling rose bushes in the
garden. "How warm they'll be," said Dorothy to herself, "with their
eiderdown covers."
Just then a little sparrow flew down on the walk and looked up at the
window. "Hello!" said Dorothy, "what do you want?" The little bird
turned his head first to one side and then the other, as if he didn't
quite hear what Dorothy was saying behind the pane of glass. "Don't you
hear me?" she called out, but he turned his head, as if to say, "No!"
Dorothy pushed up the window and called out, "What do you want, birdie?"
but he flew away just across the walk to the maple tree, where he sat
looking at her with his queer little eyes. Every now and then he would
turn his head this way and that way, as if, so Dorothy thought, trying
to hear what she was saying. But Dorothy wasn't saying anything now. She
was so disappointed that her little friend had flown off and that he
should be afraid of her, just because she had opened the window, that
she turned to Mother, who came into the room at that moment, and said:
"Mother, just look at that cute little bird; only just a minute ago he
was hopping on the walk right down here, but when I opened the window to
say 'How-de-doo!' he flew over to the maple tree. See him over there?"
"I think he is waiting for you to give him some crumbs for breakfast,"
Mother answered with a smile. "Run into the dining-room and ask Mary for
a piece of bread and we will see if Master Sparrow won't come back
again."
"Oh, goody!" cried the little girl, and in a few minutes she was back at
the window with enough crumbs for an army of sparrows.
"Open the window gently," said Mother, "and throw out the crumbs, and we
will see what Master Sparrow will do."
Mr. Sparrow did exactly what Mother thought, and Dorothy hoped he would
do. He looked at them with his little bright eyes and turned his head
first this way and then that way, and after that, to Dorothy's delight,
flew over to the crumbs and ate them up as if he had a great, big,
healthy appetite. And when all the crumbs were gone he turned his head
this way and that way (and I think he winked one of his little black
eyes at Dorothy, only I'm not quite sure about this) and flew away.
"Oh, Mother!" cried Dorothy, "I think that's his way of talking--wagging
his little head--something like the way Bijou wags his stubby tail!" And
Mother said she thought so, too.
TRANSPLANTING THE FLOWERS
[Illustration]
"Oh, see that wagon full of flowers. I wish we could get some," cried
Bertie to sister Phillis.
"I'll ask Mother," replied Phillis; "she said the other day that we
might buy flowers for our garden."
"Good," said Bertie, "where's my bank?"
And when Phillis found hers, both children ran down the stairs and out
into the street. As soon as they had bought the flowers they hurried to
the yard at the back of the house where each had a little garden.
"Look, Mother," said Phillis, "Bertie has two geraniums and one lily,
and I have three tulips."
"They are very pretty," said Mother; "be careful how you handle these
frail little plants. By-and-by they will be stronger."
Then she helped take them out of the pots and place them carefully in
the earth.
"Now you must water them. But remember never to water plants if the sun
is shining on them." After everything was cleaned up nice and neat, the
children felt just a little bit tired, so Mother told them they might go
over to the drug store and get an ice cream soda, at which Bertie and
Phillis both gave Mother a great big kiss.
LITTLE SIR CAT
Little Sir Cat Helps Piggie
The next morning as Mrs. Oriole was singing her pretty song, all of a
sudden, a big tramp cat ran up the tree. And he would have caught Mrs.
Oriole right then and there if Little Sir Cat hadn't shouted: "Don't
touch that little bird!" And would you believe it? That tramp cat said,
"I won't!" and began to purr:
"_Last Saturday night a week ago
I went to the city to see a fine show.
And Sunday morning, just for a lark,
I chased a gray squirrel all over the Park!_"
and then he grinned like a cousin of his from Cheshire, and climbed down
the tree.
[Illustration: LITTLE SIR CAT HELPS PIGGIE]
Well, all of a sudden, Little Sir Cat said "Phist!" which so frightened
that naughty cat that he ran away, and I guess he's running yet, for
nobody ever saw him again. And this made the little Orioles so happy
that they began to sing:
"_Oh, how brave is Little Sir Cat!
We like the feather in his hat,
But more than that we like the way
He saved our Mother Bird to-day!_"
which so pleased Little Sir Cat that he took a cracker out of his pocket
and gave it to them. And after that he said good-by and went upon his
way, and by and by he met a big Turkey Gobbler who was being fattened
for Thanksgiving. But he didn't know it. Oh, my no! He just thought the
farmer fed him nice things because he loved him.
"Helloa!" said Little Sir Cat, "how is Mrs. Turkey?" But the old Turkey
Gobbler never answered. He just gobbled, gobbled, not food, you know,
but air, for that is the way a turkey talks.
"I can't understand you. You had better go home and talk to Mrs.
Turkey," said Little Sir Cat, and away he went, hoping next time to meet
a more sociable person.
Well, pretty soon he saw a little pig caught in the fence. So he helped
him out and then they set off together, and after a while, not so very
far, they came to a big pond where some boys were sailing toy boats. And
they were the funniest, queerest little toy boats you ever saw. In fact,
they weren't boats at all, but big wooden letters. And just then a
little bird began to sing:
"_Big 'A' and little 'B'
Went a-sailing on the 'C.'_"
"They're Alphabet Boats," cried Little Sir Cat. "I once read about
Alphabet Town where all the letters were alive,--'A' was an Ant, and 'B'
was a Bee, and if you weren't an artist you couldn't write letters to
your friends."
"He, he!" laughed little Piggie Porker, "that _was_ a queer place."
Well, after that Little Sir Cat and Piggie Porker went into the wood to
see Goggle Woggle, a little dwarf who knew just where the fairies and
Giant Oatencake lived. And as soon as Goggle Woggle saw Little Sir Cat
and Piggie, he said: "Let's go up the hill to Giant Oatencake. I've got
a wooden sword and if he comes out of his castle, I'll cut off his
head!" So off they went, Little Sir Cat, Piggie and Goggle Woggle, and
by and by, not so very long, they came to the top of the hill.
"Wait a minute till I get my sword ready," said Goggle Woggle, and maybe
it took him quite a long time, for he was just a little bit afraid, you
know. And so would you and so would I if we were going to fight Giant
Oatencake.
But Little Sir Cat said: "Don't be afraid. I'm with you!" and this made
Goggle Woggle feel lots braver. And after that he shouted:
"Come out of your castle!"
Now Giant Oatencake was only a great big tremendous cornstalk, and as
soon as Goggle Woggle struck him with his sword, a big ripe ear of corn
fell to the ground.
"Here is his head," cried Goggle Woggle, as he put it under his arm.
"I'll make pop-corn balls out of it," and he ran back to his big tree in
the wood. And in the next story you shall hear what happened after that,
_unless_
_The little mouse in the pantry
Catches my Tabby Cat,
And my little yellow canary
Runs away with a high silk hat._
AS I WAS GOING UP MURRAY HILL
[Illustration]
As I was going up Murray Hill,
Murray Hill was dirty;
There I met a pretty Miss,
Very trim and perty.
"Little Miss, pretty Miss,
If I had a trillion
I would wed you, but, alas!
I only have a million!"
SANTA'S LETTER FROM DOT
Dear Santa Claus, I hope that you
Will find it easy to get through
Our chimney, 'cause if you should stick
Up there where all the smoke is thick,
What would we do, and what would you,
For goodness sakes, what would you do?
So if you find it is not wise
Enough for you to safely slide
Down to our room without mistake,
The attic window you must take.
It's quite close to the chimney, too,
And big enough, I know, for you.
I'll creep up there the day before
And leave unlocked the attic door;
And if I can I'll open, too,
The window so you can get through
Without the leastest bit of fuss
With all the presents you've for us.
I don't see how you'll tell apart
Our stockings, so you'd better start
With mine; it's close up to the clock;
The next is father's silken sock;
The others all are just like mine,
'Cept Jimmy's--his is tied with twine.
I want a doll with violet eyes
Who, when you squeeze her, "Mamma!" cries;
And little baby carriage, too,
With pillows and a cover blue;
Some candy and a china set
Of teacups for my dolly pet.
Jim wants a ball, a mask and bat,
A soldier suit, a gun and hat,
Some candy and a picture book
For rainy days at which to look.
Mother says she'll write to you,
And father says that he will, too.
Now, please remember what I've said
About the attic overhead;
The window which I'll leave for you
Wide open so you can get through;
And whose each stocking is, and where,
When you come creeping down the stair,
Good-by, dear Santa Claus, I've wrote
All I can think of in this note.
THE ANGELS' SONG
"Hark!" the herald angels cry
Leaning from the starry sky,
"In a manger Christmas morn
Christ the baby King is born!"
Near Him stand the lowly kine,
O'er her little babe divine
Mother Mary bends her face
Full of wonder, tender grace.
Kneeling are the Wise Men Three,
Silent in humility.
In the humble wooden stall
Sleeps the baby King of all.
On the straw that warms His bed
Shines the halo 'round His head,
Like a little candle's light
Making all the stable bright.
Hark! the dewy Heavens ring
With the song the Angels sing,
"In a manger Christmas morn
Christ the baby King is born!"
THE LITTLE RAG-A-MUFFINS
[Illustration]
"I wish I could do something for those poor little Brown children," said
Susan one morning as she and brother Billy sat by the nursery window
reading. "Their father is out of work, and I'm afraid they won't get any
Thanksgiving dinner this year."
"I tell you what," suggested Billy, "as we have spent all our money,
let's dress up in some of mother's old clothes and make believe we are
rag-a-muffins. We'll slip out carefully tomorrow morning, without making
any noise."
"That's a fine idea," said Susan. "We can use your water colors to paint
our faces."
About 10 o'clock Thanksgiving morning the children went quietly upstairs
to their playroom and painted their faces. Then, after dressing, they
crept downstairs and out of the house. Their queer costumes attracted
much attention, and their pretty, wistful ways gained for them many
friends. In an hour, when they had counted their pennies, they found to
their delight that they had over three dollars.
"Now we had better hurry to the store and buy the things," said Susan.
The kind-hearted butcher let them have a chicken for half price, in
order that there should be no disappointed little hearts over the lack
of sufficient funds. The basket was soon filled to overflowing and on
the top of the vegetables was placed with great care a mince pie.
The Browns were very grateful and Bobby, Billy and Susan were very happy
to think that they had done it all themselves.
[Illustration]
[Illustration: HICKORY, DICKORY, DOCK PUB. BY NAT. ART CO., N. Y.]
LITTLE SIR CAT
Little Sir Cat Visits Mrs. Porker
As Little Sir Cat and Piggie Porker traveled on they met Sir Launcelot,
the noble Knight of good King Arthur's round table, riding a great horse
with Miss Muffet in the saddle. Well, by-and-by, along came old Dame
Trot with a basket of eggs on her arm. She was singing in a high cracked
voice a funny song that went like this:
"_Who wants to buy some nice fresh eggs
Laid by a hen with yellow legs,
Yellow legs and a bright red comb,
In a little round nest in my own dear home?_"
"How much are they?" asked Sir Launcelot, taking a gold piece from his
purse. And of course, she didn't answer but handed the basket to him
with a curtsy. "They are yours, Sir Knight," and, taking the gold piece,
she wrapped it up in her handkerchief and put it away in the pocket of
her short green skirt.
Sir Launcelot laughed, for he knew that a gold piece was too much to pay
for the eggs, but he was such a generous knight he didn't care.
[Illustration: LITTLE SIR CAT VISITS MRS. PORKER]
Then Piggie took Little Sir Kitten home with him to meet Mrs. Porker and
the little Porkers. And after a while Little Sir Cat set out again to
find his fortune.
Well, by-and-by, he came to a tall flag-pole at the top of which floated
a beautiful flag with red stripes and silver stars. But Little Sir Cat
didn't know what flag this was, for he had never crossed the ocean blue,
and Mother Goose Land is not on this side of the water, you know. And
then a big bird said, "Three cheers for the Red, White and Blue!" He was
the big American Eagle, only, of course, Little Sir Cat didn't know that
either; he only knew Mother Goose people, you see.
"Why, I didn't think you could cheer so well," said Little Sir Cat, and
he opened his knapsack and took out a red, white and blue lollypop and
gave it to him, and wasn't that eagle pleased? Well, I should say he
was. He flapped his wings and began to sing:
"_Oh, I'm the bird as you all have heard
Who fights for the U. S. A.
I love the stars on our beautiful flag
As I watch it wave from my lonely crag,
And I give a screech that is heard afar,
Three cheers for every silver star,
And the bands of red and white and blue,
And the soldier boys who are brave and true,
And the sailor lads on the deep wide sea,
Oh, the U. S. A. is the land for me!_"
And when he finished he said to Little Sir Cat, "Climb on my back and
we'll fly away, far away, across the water wild with spray, way, way off
to the U. S. A."
Isn't it wonderful how an eagle could say things like this in rhyme? It
must have been because he was in Mother Goose Land where everybody talks
in poetry.
"I'm afraid I can't," replied Little Sir Cat. "My mother would worry if
I went so far away." So the big eagle said good-by, but before he left,
he pinned a tiny red, white and blue flag on the little Kitten's coat.
_On another page of this jolly book,
If you just turn over the pages and look,
You'll find a story about Sir Cat
And the Cow that jumped over the Moon Man's Hat._
Dobbin
Dobbin has an iron shoe
On each of his feet, so you
Can see it's hard for him to go
Anything but very slow.
[Illustration]
Ten Little Boy Scouts
One little Boy Scout beating a tat-too;
A little comrade heard the call--then there were two.
Two little Boy Scouts climbing up a tree;
Along came another one--then there were three.
Three little Boy Scouts standing by the door;
Running out they met a Scout--then there were four.
Four little Boy Scouts in the water dive;
Another one swam up to them--then there were five.
Five little Boy Scouts doing lots of tricks;
Their captain called out, "Shoulder arms!"--then there were six.
Six little Boy Scouts looking up to heaven;
An airship brought another down--then there were seven.
Seven little Boy Scouts got to school quite late;
They found a scholar in the room--then there were eight.
Eight little Boy Scouts dressed up very fine;
They caught a little ragged one--then there were nine.
Nine little Boy Scouts chased a speckled hen;
They bumped into another Scout--then there were ten.
Ten little Boy Scouts yelling "Hip, hurrah!"
This is all there is to tell--these are all there are!
THE LITTLE GREEN LADY FROG
Billy Bull Frog had a deep bass voice, and every night he would sit on a
big flat rock amid tall sedge grass and sing. There was a little green
lady frog that sang a beautiful soprano, but, you see, his voice was so
loud and strong and deep that hardly any one could hear her when she
sang. She could hardly ever hear herself, for the louder she sang the
more noise Billy would make, till finally the little green lady frog
wouldn't sing at all.
But this did not make Billy feel badly, because he loved to hear his own
voice so much. The little green lady frog would sit very still on her
lily pad, and would not even look at Billy when he sang. But, oh, dear
me! he was so conceited about his own voice that he thought the little
green lady frog was jealous of him.
She wasn't at all, and Billy was wrong, and was acting very, very
foolishly. The real truth of the matter was that the little green lady
frog had heard a tree toad singing in a tree quite close to the lake,
and she thought his voice very beautiful, because it was a high tenor,
and it sounded much better when she sang with him than it did when she
sang with Billy Bull Frog.
At first she hardly dared sing with Tommy Tree Toad, because she was
afraid of Billy Bull Frog, and then, too, she didn't know Tommy Tree
Toad very well.
But after a while she became bolder and one night, when the moon was
shining brightly in the sky and throwing a silver path from the water
right up to Tommy Tree Toad's tree, she climbed up the bank and stood on
the silver path of the moon and listened while Tommy sang his most
beautiful song.
And the longer she waited the more she wanted to go close up to the big
tree and sing with Tommy. He kept singing in his beautiful tenor voice,
"Kum-kum, kum-kum!" and at last she hopped along the silver way up to
the big tree. And then they sang a lovely duet together and all the
frogs in the lake held their breath because it was so sweet.
[Illustration]
THE PRINCESS LIL
The Princess Lil stood on the edge of the lake waiting for her
turtlemobile to take her to her lily castle, which rested on the bright
waters in the center of the lily pond.
Presently she heard the honk, honk of chauffeur Billy Bullfrog's horn,
and in another moment the turtlemobile swung around the tall sedge
grass.
"You're late," she said, as she took her seat.
"I'm sorry, your Royal Highness," said chauffeur Billy Bullfrog, "but
the turtlemobile was tired, and I couldn't make him put on more speed."
The princess made no reply, but sat gazing at the setting sun's
reflection in the bright waters of the lake. The sky was all fairy
colors, and just above the green tree tops the evening star was shining.
The turtlemobile glided swiftly in and out among the lily pads and
hummocks of grass until it came to the open water. In the center of the
lake was a beautiful white lily. Here the turtlemobile stopped, and the
Princess Lil stepped out on the smooth green lily pad. Quickly running
across, she tripped lightly down the golden stairway inside the stem of
the beautiful white pond lily. When she reached the bottom of the golden
flight, she opened a little door, and entered her pink and white
chamber. Throwing herself down on a silken couch, she rang a bell, and
presently a pretty little fairy appeared.
"Lorelei," said the princess, "I am weary; bring me my gossamer kimono,
and do you loosen my hair. Afterwards you may coil it again and fasten
it with a single firefly, as I wish to sit out in the garden after
supper."
The moon was shining brightly as the Princess Lil ran up the golden
staircase and out upon the big flat lily pad, which was arranged like a
beautiful garden. There were small pink flowers growing in little beds
of moist earth, and winding in and out was a narrow path of tiny shiny
pebbles. Over this the princess tripped until she came to the end of the
path, where she sat down, and began to sing softly, oh, so softly, a
fairy lullaby.
"_Gently the wind of the dewy night blows,
Over the quivering stream;
While children are sleeping, the fairies are peeping,
Singing to them a dream._
"_Over and over, from daisy and clover,
From all of the sweet flower throng,
The fairies are swinging and drowsily singing,
A sweet little hush-a-by song._"
"Ah!" said the little princess as she finished; "I think all the little
boys and girls are asleep by this time. Indeed, I'm sure they are, for
there goes the blue-bell tinkling 'Nine o'clock!'
"Good night, sweet moon!" she cried, as she paused before the portal of
her lily castle, "good night, sweet moon!"
And then the little fairy princess ran down the golden staircase and
disappeared in her pink and white chamber.
Pussy
See the Papa Pussy go
Softly on his tippie-toe.
I don t think it's very nice
To catch the cunning little mice.
[Illustration]
DOROTHY'S NEW ROLLER SKATES
Little Dorothy always begged her mother to loop up one of her window
curtains when she went to bed, that she might go to sleep watching the
stars twinkle, and in the morning see the sun rise, and after he had
risen, see if his goldy locks were all on end, as her own often were.
One morning she woke up, not quite as early as usual, and found her room
full of light, which seemed to dance about some bright object on a chair
by her bedside. For a moment she lay quite still, thinking that perhaps
it was some fairy's wand which caused such a glitter, and that presently
a real, live fairy, with beautiful gold wings, would perch on her thumb,
and offer to grant her three wishes like other obliging fairies she had
read about. And the very first wish that came into her head was for a
pair of roller skates; and having got fairly awake at last, she saw that
this bright something by her bedside was indeed a beautiful new pair of
skates, so bright that she could see her own happy face reflected in
them!
"Mother, mother!" she called out, "come quick! Did you or the fairies
bring me these lovely new skates?"
Mother smiled. "Who do you think?" she asked, cuddling her little
daughter up close.
"I guess it was you, dear mother," answered the little girl, with a
grateful hug; "you're better than any fairy."
After breakfast Dorothy hurried off to the park. She strapped her skates
on as fast as she could and was just about to glide away on the smooth
pavement when she noticed a poor little girl standing near, watching her
with almost a hungry expression in her sad brown eyes. "Do you like to
skate?" asked Dorothy.
"Do I! I just love it; but father had to sell my skates because he had
no money to buy food with." Dorothy sat down again on the bench and
undid the straps, letting one of the skates fall on the ground in her
hurry.
"You put these skates on just as fast as you can, and then you take as
long a skate as you want to; I'll sit here and watch you."
When the little girl came back, flushed and smiling, Dorothy said:
"Would you like my old skates? They're not very nice, because one of the
straps is gone, and they are dingy and rusty, but perhaps your father
could put on a new strap."
The little girl smiled such a glad little smile. "Well, I just guess I
would!" she answered quickly. "You're awfully good to me," and she
looked at Dorothy with such a grateful little face that Dorothy
answered, "Let's go home right away and get them."
RAT-A-TAT-TAT, RAT-A-TAT-TAT
"Look! there go the soldiers," cried Mazie, leaning out of the nursery
window. "Jamie, come quick and see the real soldiers."
Her little brother left his toy warriors and ran to the window.
"Rat-a-tat-tat, rat-a-tat-tat!" went the drums as the troops swung
forward in a long line, the gay flags flying in the breeze.
"Why, there's Harold Gray's papa!" said Mazie. "There he is, Jamie, on
that beautiful black horse."
The little boy clapped his hands. "Hurray!" he shouted; "I wish my papa
was a soldier."
"So do I," cried Mazie; "wouldn't father look fine on a big horse?"
"I'm very glad he's not," said Mother, coming into the nursery. "War is
cruel, and many of those brave men may never come back."
Just then in the crowd Mazie saw little Harold Gray holding tightly to
his mother's hand. The little boy's eyes were filled with tears as he
watched his father ride away.
"Oh, mother!" cried Mazie and Jamie together, catching hold of her hand,
"I'm so glad father isn't a soldier. How we'd miss him if he didn't come
home tonight."
LITTLE SIR CAT
Little Sir Cat Sees the Cow Jump Over the Moon
One day as Little Sir Cat was riding along on his pony, Dapple Gray, he
met the Cow that jumped over the moon.
"_Come here to-night
When the moon is bright.
You'll hear a fine tune
When I jump o'er the moon._"
"All right," he answered, and then he went on his way, and by-and-by he
met Little Dog Muff, who spilt his master's snuff. And, goodness me! How
he did bark! But this didn't frighten Little Sir Cat. No, Siree. He knew
that Muff was only barking for joy. So he put out his paw and said:
"Helloa, Muff. Have you spilt any snuff lately?"
[Illustration: LITTLE SIR CAT SEES THE COW JUMP OVER THE MOON]
"No. I haven't," he answered. "I don't live with my master any more. He
wasn't a kind man; so Old Dog Tray got me a good job, and I've been a
watch dog ever since." And then Little Sir Cat rode down the street
until he came to a Pat-a-Cake Baker Shop, outside of which stood a
little boy.
_Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake,
Baker's man,
Bake me a doughnut
As fast as you can._
And goodness me! that little boy stuffed a whole doughnut into his
mouth, he was in such a hurry. "Hold on!" cried Little Sir Cat, "don't
choke yourself!" And pretty soon the Baker Man came out of his little
shop and gave Dapple Gray a lump of sugar. "You have a fine horse, Sir
Cat. How much do you want for him?"
"Nothing."
"What!" cried the Baker Man, in astonishment.
"He's not for sale," said Little Sir Cat. And just then the school bell
rang and off went the little boy to his lessons.
So Little Sir Cat said "Gid-ap!" and rode away with Muff at his heels,
and by-and-by they came to a thick wood. "Don't let us go in," said
Dapple Gray, "for, there may be robbers hidden among the trees." And
just then a fierce-looking man ran out and, seizing Dapple Gray by the
bridle, shouted: "Give me your purse, or I'll make you my prisoner!"
But Dapple Gray rose on his hind legs and with his front feet knocked
the robber heels over head, and then off he went on a gallop. And after
a while, not so very long, Little Sir Cat saw a great white bird sitting
on a gold egg. "Did you lay that golden egg, Mr. Big Bird?" he asked.
But the great white bird didn't answer. Maybe she was frightened, or
maybe she was waiting for the golden egg to hatch, for just then, all of
a sudden, the shell broke open and out hopped twenty-one little white
birds armed with swords. And one of them was dressed like a captain,
with gold epaulets on his shoulder wings, and one had a drum, like a
regular little drummer boy. And then they all began to sing:
_We are the soldier birds of the air,
And we need no aeroplane,
For we can fly across the sky
In sunshine and in rain.
And if an enemy comes in view
With our bright sharp swords we'll cut him in two._
"Hurrah!" cried Little Sir Cat, and the great white mother bird flapped
her wings, for she was mighty proud to think that she had raised a
little sky army for Mother Goose Land.
_Jack, be nimble!
Jack be quick!
Jack, jump over the candlestick!
Jack jumped when something
struck his wheel,
For his candlestick
was an automobile!_
[Illustration]
ROCK-A-BYE BABY
[Illustration]
Some might call Tommy naughty
Because he sleeps too long,
But when you're fast asleep, I'm sure
You can't be doing wrong.
Besides he's dreaming such good dreams
Of boys on time each day,
That never miss a day at school
Or straggle on the way.
A LITTLE STORY ABOUT THE ROSES
The flowers in the big garden were all talking about the new rose that
had just come to stay with them. "Moss Rose is very beautiful," remarked
Peony to the Hollyhock; "you know she was just an ordinary kind of a
rose until one evening, when the Queen of the Fairies didn't know just
where to go for the night, she leaned over and said to her, 'Will you
sleep in the heart of a rose?' and the Queen said of course she would,
and in the morning the Fairy Queen in return for the hospitality gave
her a delicate veil of moss, and from that time she was called the 'Moss
Rose.'"
"Indeed!" replied the Hollyhock. "How lovely; I wish a fairy would come
through our garden."
"Perhaps one will," said the Peony. "At any rate the Rose has always
been the queen of flowers, and now that we have a new rose perhaps the
Queen of the Fairies may visit our garden."
The Hollyhock smiled. "Tell me more," she said. "Do you know any more
stories about red roses, or white roses, or pink roses, or yellow
roses?"
"Yes, indeed," replied the Peony, "for I love roses; everybody does. You
know the old Romans loved them just as much as we, and they somehow
managed to make them bloom in the winter time. When they wanted to talk
over matters that they did not want repeated abroad they hung a rose
from the ceiling over the table, and all the conversation was called
'sub rosa,' 'under the rose.' The reason for this was because Cupid once
gave a rose to Harpocrates, the God of Silence, and that was what the
old Romans were thinking about when they hung the rose over the table
and talked secrets."
"How interesting!" said the Hollyhock. "Where did you learn all of these
wonderful things?"
"Oh," replied the Peony. "I learned it from a poet who used to walk
among the flowers. The daughter of the owner of this garden would sit
and listen to him while he told her stories and legends about roses;
always roses, for her name was Rose, you know."
"Tell me more," said the Hollyhock, and all the other flowers bent near,
too, for they had heard a little of what the Peony had told and were
anxious to hear more of what the poet knew.
"He said, I remember," continued the Peony, "that the old name of Syria
meant the 'land of roses' and many varieties came from there, and one,
the 'Rose of Jericho,' was the most wonderful, for there is an old
legend that it grew in the desert in places where the Virgin Mary
touched her feet when flying into Egypt with the infant Jesus; and they
say, too, it will always blossom at Christmas time."
"How beautiful!" cried all the flowers. "Poets are like us--for their
poetry is the perfume of their souls."
_Little Bo Peep had lost her sheep,
And didn't know where to find them;
But she turned them all to automobiles,
And now she rides behind them._
[Illustration]
A LITTLE BOY'S DREAM
If dreams were only real, just think
How happy I would be,
'Cause mostly all the heroes come
And have a talk with me
When I'm asleep; if only they
Would come when I'm awake,
I'd like to have my father give
Their famous hands a shake.
I know I'll think that last night's dream
Was best of all I've had,
For such a great, big gentleman
Called out to me, "My lad,
Remember that to fight is brave,
But braver yet to be
A defender of the weak ones,
To set the captives free,
To preserve your country's honor,
And strive all wrongs to right."
I liked him best of all the men
Who visit me at night.
His name is Abraham Lincoln,
The kindest of them all.
I only hope some other night
He'll make a longer call.
RUTH'S THANKSGIVING DINNER
"I wish I could dress up like those Rag-a-muffins!" exclaimed Ruth,
looking out of the nursery window on Thanksgiving Day, "I think it would
be such fun!"
"Do you, dear?" said Mother, standing behind her little daughter who was
watching a number of children dressed grotesquely in grown-ups' clothes
parade up and down the avenue.
"Yes, indeed," replied Ruth, "just see the fun they are having."
"But think how poor they are and how few pleasures they really have;
they are not looking forward to a lovely Thanksgiving dinner," said
Mother, noticing the discontented look on Ruth's face.
"Don't they get any dinner?" she asked, turning to Mother in surprise.
"Yes, but only a very poor one; no turkey, no nuts and raisins."
"Mother," cried Ruth, "could I give my dinner to one of these poor
little children?"
"How do you mean?" Mother asked, delighted at the generosity of her
little daughter.
"Well," answered Ruth, suddenly realizing what she was about to give up.
"I mean, Mother dear, could I give _some_ of my dinner to that poor
little boy over there by the lamp post?"
"Yes, you may," Mother answered, and, touching the bell, she told
Wiggins to bring in the little boy. "Give him a piece of mince pie and
some candy for dessert, Wiggins," she added, "and don't pass the mince
pie nor candy to Miss Ruth at dinner."
Then Mother came over to where Ruth was standing and, placing her arms
around her little daughter, said, "You know, dear, you are giving up
some of your dinner to make a little boy happy."
"Yes, Mother," answered Ruth with a smile, "some of my very own
dinner."
A WELL-GROOMED PUSSY
[Illustration]
Puss, come sit you on a chair
And I will brush your silken hair;
I'll so enhance its satin sheen
That of all cats you'll be the queen.
LITTLE SIR CAT
Little Sir Cat Kills the Wolf
"Hello!" exclaimed Little Sir Cat, "if that isn't Little Red Riding
Hood." Sure enough it was. Just in front of him, tripping along the
path, was a little girl dressed in a red cape and hood.
"May I help you carry your basket?" he asked politely.
"Oh, dear!" screamed Little Red Riding Hood.
But when she saw Little Sir Cat, she said, with a sigh of relief, "I
thought you were the Big Gray Wolf!"
Well, pretty soon they reached her Grandmother's house, and, knowing
that old women usually like cats, Little Sir Kitten made up his mind to
be very nice indeed to Little Red Riding Hood's Grandmother.
So he wiped his boots carefully on the doormat, and, with his cap held
politely in his paw, waited in the hall while Little Red Riding Hood ran
upstairs.
"Come up, Kitten," she called down in a few minutes; "Grandma, wants to
see you. Hang your cap on the hat-rack."
Then Little Red Riding Hood took hold of his paw, and led him into a
sunny room, where in a big easy-chair by the window her Grandmother sat
knitting.
"Come here, Sir Kitten, and let me see your nice red top boots," said
her Grandmother. "I always did like cats." And just then the little
canary bird began to sing:
[Illustration: LITTLE SIR CAT KILLS THE WOLF]
"_Look out for the Big Gray Wolf, my dears.
He has long sharp teeth and pointed ears,
And he roams through the forest dark and dim.
Be careful you don't get caught by him!_"
So Little Red Riding Hood kissed her Grandma good-by and with Little Sir
Cat started for home. But, oh, dear me! They had gone only a little way
when they heard a noise.
"Look," whispered Little Sir Cat, "there's the wolf."
"What shall we do?" sobbed Little Red Riding Hood.
"Trust to me," replied Sir Cat, "I have my trusty staff. But let's
hurry," and taking hold of her hand they started off on a brisk run.
Nearer and nearer came a dark shadow, and all of a sudden, with a dismal
howl, the Big Gray Wolf leaped on the path just in front of them. His
cruel jaws were wide open and his long, white teeth snapped with a
dreadful sound. But Little Sir Cat wasn't afraid. He swung his staff and
hit the Big Gray Wolf a tremendous blow on the head.
"Oh, you brave kitten!" she cried, "you have saved my life!" But Sir Cat
merely smiled and said: "That's nothing, my dear; my father once killed
an ogre!"
And then Little Sir Cat once more set off to find his fortune, and
pretty soon you will hear something more about him, if
_A little dog doesn't tie a can
On the tip of his waggy tail,
And a tiny minnow in the brook
Swallow a great big whale._
TED FINDS THE RING
Jimmy was looking out of the nursery window, watching the big steam
shovel lift the rocks and earth out of the lot opposite, to make room
for the cellar of the house which was to be built there. First the
shovel would scoop down into the earth and then carry the stones and
soil to the wagon into which it dumped its contents.
Jimmy was kept indoors on account of the mumps, and therefore spent much
of his time at the nursery window watching what was going on outside. He
was very glad, however, when he was able once more to run and watch the
builders lay the bricks and stones, for the work of excavating was over
by this time. When the house was completed, a family moved in. There
were a boy and girl, and the boy was just about Jimmy's age. Very soon
Jimmy made his acquaintance, and soon all three were going out into the
park every afternoon; Ted went too, and also the little dog that
belonged to Jimmy's new friends. This little dog's name was Flip.
On his birthday Jimmy had a party, and invited his two new friends,
Herbert and Helen, with a number of other children, to come and help him
eat his birthday cake. In this beautiful cake was hidden a little ring,
and the lucky person in whose piece was found the prize, was entitled to
keep it. Every one was very much excited, and each little boy and girl
looked anxiously through his piece in the hope of finding the ring. But
it was not to be found. Suddenly Jimmy, who had given Ted a small bit of
cake, looked down on the floor and there beside Ted's little white foot
was the ring.
[Illustration]
Where Does the Water Go?
When Nursie puts me in my tub
To make me clean and fit,
I wonder where the water goes
When I sit down on it.
TOBY'S FRIEND
Toby was a little French bulldog. He was a very happy little animal, as
his small mistress was extremely fond of him. He had a big armchair with
a fat cushion to sleep on. He also had a collar with his name and
address engraved on it, and a little license tag fastened to it. In
winter he wore a sweater, which he found very comfortable, although not
so becoming. Toby's only regret in life was that he had no playmate. Of
course his small mistress played with him, but he could not answer her
when she spoke to him, except by wagging his tail or by barking.
One day, while looking out of the window in the nursery he saw a little
dog, with a tin can tied to his tail, running down the street. After him
ran a crowd of boys. Toby barked, as he always did when he saw a dog. In
a minute his little mistress ran up to the window. "Oh, Toby!" she
cried. "Look at the poor little dog. I'll ask mother if I can't bring
him in." In a minute she was in the bright sitting-room, where mother
was sewing.
"What is it, little girl?"
"Oh, mother!" she cried. "There is a poor dog with a tin can tied to his
tail, just outside the house, and a lot of boys are tormenting the poor
animal. They are all around him so that he can't get away."
"Poor dog!" said mother. "Call James and tell him to send the boys away
and bring the dog inside."
Toby's mistress sped away on her errand of mercy and in a short while
James had ordered the boys off and was carrying the little dog upstairs.
He was very cunning, and Toby made a friend of him at once, but he was
very dirty and had to have a bath as soon as mother looked him over. The
decoration to his tail was removed, much to the frightened animal's
relief, and after his bath he was duly christened Rover. From that time
Toby was never lonely and he and Rover became great friends. Rover was
given a collar and a cushion, of which he was very proud, and he lived
happily ever afterwards in his new home with the little girl and Toby,
the French bulldog.
[Illustration]
THE LAZY PINK HEN
Once, a long time ago, there was a little girl who lived in a country
where they had all sorts of hens. There was a Green Hen and a Yellow Hen
and a Pink Hen; but the Rooster was Sky Blue. They all sang a different
song. The Yellow Hen said: "Hoop-de-dooden-do! Hoop-de-dooden-doo!" and
the Green Hen said: "Chick-a-chick-chee! Chick-a-chick-chee!" But the
Pink Hen only said "Tra la la! Tra la la!" for she was very lazy.
Now the Green Hen laid red eggs and the Yellow Hen laid blue ones; but
the Pink Hen never laid any, she was such a lazy thing.
Well, this little girl thought this would never do, and so did the
Sky-blue Rooster. So, one day, she went to the Pink Hen and said to her:
"Snail, snail, come out of your hole, or else I'll beat you as black as
a coal!"
And the Sky-blue Rooster said to her:
"Twinkle, twinkle, little star!"
I don't know what they meant by it, but the Pink Hen knew, for she went
straight to her nest and laid a little white egg. The Sky-blue Rooster
was so tickled that he turned fourteen somersaults right off in
succession, and sung "The Star-Spangled Banner" all through three times,
standing on the tip of his longest tail feathers. But the Pink Hen only
said "Tra la la!" she was such a lazy thing.
THE PROFITEER
[Illustration]
I took some eggs to market
All on a summer's day.
I couldn't get high prices,
So I threw them all away.
And then, my dears, how awful,
(Exactly as I feared)
The neighbors ran me out of town
Because I profiteered.
The First Thanksgiving
"Come let us sit by the window," said mother, "and I will tell you about
the first Thanksgiving Day of all. Think how many years ago it was that
our Pilgrim Fathers held Thanksgiving Day in America.
"You will remember that they landed from the Mayflower in the middle of
winter on the cold bleak shores of Massachusetts. During that winter
more than half their number perished from cold and hunger. Nevertheless,
when spring came they set out bravely to work to clear the land and
plant their corn.
"A friendly Indian named Squanto showed them the Indian way of making
sure of rich soil by putting small fish into each hill, and he taught
them many other things that helped them to live in their new country.
"When the first autumn came they were so happy at having a good harvest,
thanks to Squanto's help, that when Governor Bradford appointed a day
for Thanksgiving they invited Massasoit, chief of the tribe to which
their friend Squanto belonged, and ninety of his men to a three days'
feast.
"So you see our Thanksgiving is very American, for the first one was
attended by the Indians, who were here in America long before Columbus
discovered it."
LITTLE SIR CAT
Little Sir Cat Sees Cinderella
One evening Little Sir Cat came to a small cottage, through the window
of which he saw sitting by the fireside, a ragged girl and a queer
little old woman dressed in a green gown and a high-peaked hat.
"I do believe that's her Fairy Godmother," he whispered, when, all of a
sudden, the old woman waved her wand, and the next moment the ragged
girl was clothed in a beautiful ball dress, and two cunning little glass
slippers, just like those in the fairy story book, appeared on the
hearth.
Then a big pumpkin rolled out through the door and turned into a
splendid coach, followed by six little mice, who at once changed into
six beautiful white horses.
"I'd like to have eaten one of those mice," thought Little Sir Cat, "but
it's too late now."
Pretty soon the girl walked out in her little glass slippers and stepped
into the coach, the powdered footman jumping up behind as it rattled
down the street and away into the darkness.
[Illustration: LITTLE SIR CAT SEES CINDERELLA]
Little Sir Cat was about to turn away disappointed and hungry, when the
Fairy Godmother opened the window and looked out: "Why, kitten, what
are you doing here?" she exclaimed.
"Looking for a place to sleep."
"Come right in," she answered, in a kind voice, and, leaning out, helped
tired little Puss over the windowsill.
"Take off your boots and make yourself comfortable, while I get you a
nice supper of cake and cream."
Standing his boots up in a corner of the room, he warmed his tired toes
by the open fire. After he had eaten his supper the Fairy Godmother
said, "You can stay here all night if you wish," and he was so tired and
sleepy that he didn't hear her add, "but you'd better get away early
before Cinderella's two big cross sisters come down for breakfast," for
when he woke up it was morning and somebody was coming downstairs.
But, oh, dear me! He had hardly pulled on his boots when the door
opened, and in came Cinderella's two cross and very ugly sisters.
"Good morning!" said Little Sir Cat.
"Mercy! What's that?" they both screamed, while one of them seized a
long-handled broom, pushed him down the dark cellar steps and bolted the
door. It was very damp and dark, just like a dungeon, and he was just
about to give up all hope when the door at the head of the stairs
opened, and there stood Cinderella.
"How you startled me!" she exclaimed, with a laugh, looking at his
pretty red top boots. "But after what happened last night I ought not to
be surprised at anything."
"Of course you shouldn't," he answered.
"Why, what do you know?" asked Cinderella.
"I saw you, but I won't tell," he added, as a frightened look came over
her pretty face. "Please give me some breakfast."
And when he had finished he said good-by, but Cinderella hardly heard
him, for she was still dreaming of the handsome prince whom she had met
the night before.
And pretty soon--I'll tell you another story--unless--
_Tomorrow it rains dogs and cats
And ruins all the children's hats._
A LITTLE GIRL'S DIARY
Monday
_I love her on a Monday
When hanging out the clothes,
And I'm gunning for the blackbird
That dares trespass on her nose._
Monday morning after breakfast I start for school. Jack and I go the
same way, and he leaves me at the door, so Mother knows I'm safe. When
school is over, lots of us girls go home together. Quite often some of
my schoolmates come home with me for lunch, and then we play in the
house for a little while before we go to the park. Of course, Monday is
Dolly's wash day, so I usually wash her clothes very carefully and hang
them up to dry in the little garden on top of my doll's house. This just
came for Christmas, and I like it so much that I am going to keep it in
order just the way Mother does our house, so that is why I try to do
every day just what they are doing in the big grown-up house. It doesn't
take very long for Dolly's little things to dry, and then I fold them up
and put them in a cunning little clothes basket until the next day, when
I start my ironing.
THE JOLLY JUNGLE FOLK
[Illustration]
'Tis July Fourth in Jungle Land,
And down the Forest's Emerald Strand
The animals in gay parade
March 'neath the big trees' leafy shade.
With horn and trumpet, rattlers loud,
Which Rattle Snake has lent the crowd,
They make a noise that would compare
With a tornado anywhere.
Our old friend Tommy Tiger grins,
As Mikey Monk some trick begins,
While Harry Hippopotamus
Says, "Don't you dare to make a fuss!"
Then Oscar Ostrich says "How do!"
As Buster Bear comes into view;
"I hope you have recovered quite--
Those Bumble Bees know how to bite!"
"Forget it!" Buster growls with pluck,
"I haven't yet paid Doctor Duck!"
But seeing then their Lion Lord,
They all bow down with one accord.
[Illustration]
King Leo, with his tawny mane,
Is sauntering down the Forest Lane,
In all his majesty and pride
His Ladyship close by his side.
"It must be almost midnight now,"
Cries Mikey with a lowly bow;
"Will not your Royal Highness stay
And see the rockets glittering spray?"
The Roman Candles shoot forth stars,
The rockets circle Jupe and Mars,
When suddenly across the sky
A big black cloud goes drifting by.
It hides from view the silver moon,
The Jolly Junglers cease their tune;
A hush falls over leaf and root--
And then the Owl begins to hoot.
Twelve times he toots his horn--
"Let's go to bed before the morn,"
King Leo cries, "This awful din
Has made my noodle fairly spin!"
So all the Jolly Jungle Band
Go home to sleep at his command,
And all is quiet as a mouse
Within each Jolly Jungler's house.
DUCKEY DADDLES
Duckey Daddles loved to swim. Every day he begged Mrs. Duck to take him
down to the Old Mill Pond. But she couldn't take him there every day,
for there were lots of things to attend to at home. Besides, it was
quite a long way, and she wasn't fond of walking.
So one day Duckey Daddles made up his mind to go alone. Off he went on
his floppy yellow feet, wabbly, wabbly down the road, under the Old
Snake Fence and then across the Pleasant Meadow till he reached the Old
Mill Pond.
Sitting very still on his log was Old Uncle Bullfrog. He was half
asleep, with his hands folded across his white and yellow waistcoat. He
had just eaten a lot of nice green flies and was feeling very contented.
"Quack! quack! hip! hurray!" cried Duckey Daddles, flapping his wings.
Then he jumped in, spattering water all over Old Uncle Bullfrog.
"Take care, there!" said Old Uncle Bullfrog, waking up and wiping his
yellow-rimmed spectacles. But Duckey Daddles didn't hear him. He was
standing on his head in the water, gobbling up little fish.
"What's the use of going home for lunch? I've had mine already!" he
cried. And off he swam around the Old Mill Pond. Suddenly there was a
loud splash. Duckey Daddles turned to see what was the matter. On the
bank stood a number of boys. Duckey Daddles ducked just in time to get
out of the way of a stone that splashed in the water close beside him.
[Illustration]
"Swim, you little side-wheeler!" shouted the boys, and another stone
fell uncomfortably near him.
"Any port in a storm," he said to himself, remembering a story he had
once heard about his great-great-grandfather, Admiral Drake. And Duckey
Daddles paddled straight for a little cove behind a clump of trees.
It was nearly dark when he finally reached home, for he had to wait a
long time before the boys left the Old Mill Pond.
[Illustration]
"Duckey Daddles, where have you been?" asked Mamma Duck.
"Come over here!" cried his father, laying down the Duckville "Evening
Quack." "What has kept you out so late?"
Duckey Daddles told the truth, and when he had finished, Daddy Duck
said, "Duckey Daddles, I won't punish you because you've told the truth.
But next time look out! I shan't ask any questions."
[Illustration]
THE COASTING PARTY
[Illustration]
The hill was fine for coasting,
The snow was well packed down,
And Sammy Black and Margie White,
And little Billy Brown,
And also pretty Winnie Green
And graceful Gertie Gray--
Now, please, my little readers,
Don't imagine what I say
Means really that these boys and girls
Were painted all this way;
If so, such colored children
Would be a bit too gay!
Their fathers' names were Mr. Black,
Or Mr. White, or Mr. Brown;
And, funny, too, it was Greenville
The name they called the town.
Well, just as I was saying,
The coasting was immense,
And after school the boys and girls
Were ready to commence.
[Illustration]
The sleds were in a big, long row,
All tied together, too,
As Sammy Black lay down to steer
The merry-making crew.
He didn't seem to mind the wind
That o'er the snowdrifts blew,
That made his cheeks so bright and red,
His stubby nose so blue!
"Come on, you fellers; hurry up!
Quick, girls, get on your sled!
And push against the other ones,
I'm fixed to go ahead!"
The last sled little Billy Brown
Then pushed with all his might,
And down the hill the train of sleds
Began its snowy flight.
Such yells and cries! and "Hold on tight!
Don't drag your feet! Keep still!
Don't lean so far upon the right,
Or else we'll have a spill!"
Each face was beaming with delight,
Each voice was loud and shrill,
The train was going all its might
And nearly down the hill.
Just as they reached the bottom,
The front sled gave a swing,
And plump into a big snowdrift
They went like anything!
The Blacks were mixed up with the Whites,
The Browns on top of Green,
A sort of coast kaleidoscope,
With sleds stuck in between.
And when they all were sorted out,
No easy thing to do,
They found that almost every boy
And girl was black and blue!
[Illustration]
[Illustration: PETER, PETER, PUMPKIN EATER PUB. BY NAT. ART CO.,
N. Y.]
[Illustration]
A frog he would a-wooing go
In a very stylish way,
So he bought a frogmobile, you know,
And the lady frog said "Yea!"
THE HOBBY HORSE
[Illustration]
Pussy Cat, Pussy Cat on a fine horse
Is galloping off for Raspberry Cross.
When he gets there if he says "Please, Ma'am,"
A lady will give him some raspberry jam.
LITTLE SIR CAT
Little Sir Cat Meets "The Maiden All Forlorn"
After leaving Cinderella's house Little Sir Cat continued his journey
with a happy heart, for had he not had a fine night's rest and a good
breakfast, and for a traveler that is a good beginning. The road now led
through the country, with well-kept farm lands on either side.
"That looks like the House That Jack Built!" he exclaimed, as he neared
a big farm house. Sure enough it was, for there in the meadow close by
was the Cow With the Crumpled Horn, and leaning against the turnstile at
the corner of the fence was the Maiden All Forlorn.
"Good morning, Miss," said Little Sir Cat, but for an answer the maiden
began to cry.
"Don't cry," he said, wiping the tears from her eyes, for he was a very
tender-hearted puss. "Don't cry."
"I can't help it," whimpered the Maiden All Forlorn. "You'd cry, too, if
you'd been kissed by the Man All Tattered and Torn."
"Did it tickle?" inquired Little Sir Cat.
"Tickle!" exclaimed the Maiden All Forlorn. "It scratched! But where are
you going?"
[Illustration: LITTLE SIR CAT MEETS "THE MAIDEN ALL FORLORN"]
"Where am I going?" he repeated. "Why, I'm seeking my fortune." And then
Piggie Porker began to cry. I guess he felt that nobody cared much about
him for the Maiden All Forlorn hadn't noticed him at all.
"_Nobody, nobody cares for me,
I feel as lonely as can be.
I'm a character in Mother Goose,
So I consider you've no excuse
Not to speak a word to me,
Piggie Porker, diddle dum dee._"
"You naughty pig," said the Maiden All Forlorn, "how did you get out of
your sty?" So he told her how Georgy Porgy had teased him until he had
run-away. Well, after that she invited Little Sir Cat to visit the House
that Jack Built, which was just a little ways off on the green hill. So
the three went through the stile and by-and-by they found Jack himself
making a garage in which to keep his new automobile, for in Mother Goose
Land, now-a-days, automobiles are quite the thing, you know.
But, oh, dear me! As soon as the Dog that Worried the Cat saw Little Sir
Kitten, he commenced to growl. But pretty soon he stopped, and, wagging
his tail, asked about Old Mother Hubbard's dog. After that all the
people who lived in the House that Jack Built came out to say "How do
you do," even the Man All Tattered and Torn, and the nice old Priest All
Shaven and Shorn, and the Rooster Who Crowed in the Early Morn. And, let
me see! Who else greeted Little Sir Cat? Why, Little Boy Blue with his
bright tin horn, and the Sheep that Trampled the Waving Corn, and, oh,
dear me again, I can't go on like this any longer, unless I can find a
word to rhyme with corn.
"I must be going, my pretty maid," said Little Sir Cat, gallantly taking
off his hat with the long feather and bowing. Then away he went to find
his fortune.
And maybe he will in the next story, unless--
_The big high church steeple
Falls down on the people._
[Illustration]
Little Jack Horner
Little Jack Horner sat in the corner
Of his father's candy shop.
He held in his thumb, not a sugarplum.
But a licious lolly-pop!
How Mister Breeze Saved Marjorie's Easter Lily
It was Easter morning and the happy bells from belfry and steeple were
ringing out the glad Easter tidings. Sunday School was just over and
Marjorie walked through the Park on her way home. In her arms she
carried a large pot of lilies and a little fluffy yellow chick,--a tiny
fuzzy yellow chicken,--which she had received from the Sunday School for
Easter. The flower pot was rather heavy, and after a while, Marjorie
became tired, so she sat down on a bench to rest. Crossing one little
fat leg over the other she carefully balanced the lily on her knee, and
tucked the small chicken under her arm for safe keeping. It was quite
windy, and the ribbons on her hat stretched out behind like the tail of
a kite, but Marjorie didn't care nearly as much about her pretty Easter
hat being blown off her head as she did about the lilies being broken by
the mischievous breeze. It made so much noise rustling the dried leaves
and branches, that she didn't hear a big white bunny creep up softly
behind the bench. He looked cautiously around with his bright pink eyes,
but there was nobody near. The big policeman, who had passed but a
moment before with a smile and a nod to Marjorie, was far down the
path. The nurse in gray uniform with the pink and white baby in the
smart English carriage, had disappeared in the distance, and, best of
all, Marjorie's face was turned the other way. So up jumped Mr. White
Bunny on the back of the bench, and creeping along the narrow top rail,
commenced very softly to nibble the beautiful green leaves of the Easter
Lily.
[Illustration]
The little yellow chicken saw him, but he didn't say a word to Marjorie;
he just snuggled up under her arm.
Perhaps the bunny looked as big as a polar bear to the fuzzy yellow
chicken. At any rate, the little chicken never peeped! He wasn't going
to take any chances with a big animal like that!
A sparrow close by tried his best to tell Marjorie that her lovely lily
was being devoured, but she only laughed when he fluttered his wings and
twittered.
"Isn't he pretty?" she thought. "He's a funny little fellow," and she
watched him hop about, not understanding that he was trying his best to
save her Easter flower.
Even the mischievous breeze began to feel sorry for the little girl and
tried to blow away the leaves from the bunny's mouth, but Mr. Bunny
crept up closer and quietly kept on nibbling. This was too much for the
mischievous little breeze. He gave another hard puff, almost overturning
the flower pot.
Marjorie gave a little scream when she saw what Mr. Bunny had done, and
then of course he scampered away.
"You naughty little rabbit," she cried, lifting up the half-eaten leaf,
"just see what you've done to my lily."
"If you had paid attention to me it wouldn't have happened," twittered
the little sparrow. But of course Marjorie didn't understand him.
"I saved the lily for you," whispered the mischievous breeze, as she
started for home. And I think she understood him, for she laughed as she
pushed back her curls, as much as to say, "You needn't muss my hair all
up telling me so, Mr. Breeze!"
"_Mary, Mary, quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?"
"Oh, now that I have a car," she said,
"It grows twice as fast, you know._"
[Illustration: _Harvey Peake_]
WHAT TO DO AT NIGHT
Outside my window in the tree
The owl toots on his horn.
(It will be dark until the lark
Comes singing in the dawn.)
Above the sky one little star
Looks down with friendly eye.
(Thro' all the night it won't be light
Until the sun's on high.)
It seems so long to wait to play
I've 'most forgotten how.
I guess I'll go to sleep and dream
About the fairies now!
A JOKE ON UNCLE JIMMY
"Hurrah!" cried Jack, "here comes the snow!" Sister May came to the
window and looked out. "If it keeps on like this, Jack, we'll be able to
build a snowman today. We'll take that old silk hat of father's to put
on his head and he will look so jolly."
"I'll tell you what we'll do," said Jack laughing at the idea that
suddenly came into his head. "Uncle Jimmy is expected late this evening.
Now, we'll make Mr. Snowman close to the walk--we might almost put him
on the walk, and then we'll dress him up in some old clothes, so he will
look very natural. Perhaps we can fool Uncle Jimmy."
"I don't see just how," remarked May thoughtfully, "unless it is so dark
that Uncle Jimmy will almost run into him."
"That's just it," answered Jack. "If it keeps on snowing all day, and
doesn't stop even when it's dark, our snowman will have a good chance to
fool almost anybody."
In an hour or so there was enough snow on the ground for the children to
commence. "May," said Jack, as he finished rolling the ball which was to
be Mr. Snowman's head, "I'm going to build this snowman close to the
walk so he will look just like a man standing by the tree, and perhaps
we can think up something to make Uncle Jimmy imagine he is being
attacked by a highwayman."
"You goose," said his sister, laughing; "how will you manage that?"
"You just wait," said Jack, "I'll work out some sort of a plan."
The snowman grew bigger every minute. It was getting dark, and at a
little distance the snowman looked as natural as life. But how to make
him scare Uncle Jimmy was the question. All the afternoon Jack had
cudgeled his brains for an idea, but in vain, and here it was almost
time for the climax.
Suddenly Jack gave a whoop of delight. "I've got it! I've got it!" In a
moment he was rushing inside the house, and in a few minutes returned
with a long rope. "May, stuff the right coatsleeve with snow, while I
climb up the tree." In a few minutes Jack had the rope over an
overhanging limb, and having tied one end to the wrist of Mr. Snowman's
right arm, he led the other end around the side of the piazza.
"Come on, May," he cried excitedly, "I see Uncle Jimmy coming!" Both
children darted behind the house as the front gate clicked. Up the walk
came Uncle Jimmy and just as he got abreast of the tree Jack let go the
rope and the right arm of Mr. Snowman hit Uncle Jimmy on the shoulder.
There was a smothered exclamation, and then Mr. Snowman's hat flew off
his head like a cannon ball.
A hearty laugh followed and before the children could escape Uncle
Jimmy, guided by the long rope, darted around the side of the house and
Mr. Jack Joker was being treated to a face massage of cold snow. Uncle
Jimmy was not any too particular about some getting down Jack's collar,
either. When his nephew finally begged for mercy Uncle Jimmy let him up
and gave chase to May. What a scramble! And what a lot of screams! May
had seen Jack's good-natured punishment, but nevertheless she didn't
want any of Uncle Jimmy's facial treatment. Just then, kind fate
intervened, and mother opened the door. "What are you children doing?"
she called, peering into the darkness. "Come in at once!"
"All right," answered Uncle Jimmy, and with a rush they all ran for the
open door.
After kissing him mother turned to Jack and said: "Goodness, what makes
your face so red? Why, it's all wet!"
"I'll run up stairs and fix up," answered Jack hurriedly, and off he
went. Uncle Jimmy smiled. "That snowman of yours, Jack, tackled the
wrong fellow, don't you think so?" But Jack kept right along going
upstairs, so good-natured Uncle Jimmy didn't say another word.
Goosey, goosey gander
Whither do you wander?
Of your winged motor car
Are you growing fonder?
[Illustration: _Harvey Peake_]
LITTLE SIR CAT
Little Sir Cat Saves the Pussy from the Well
"_Ding, dong bell,
Pussy's in the well!_"
When Little Sir Cat heard that he whipped up Dapple Gray and pretty soon
he came to a crowd of people standing around an old well. Just then a
crooked-nosed man let down the water bucket and pussy crawled in and was
lifted up dripping wet, but still alive.
"Where is the naughty boy who put her in?" asked Little Sir Cat. But
nobody knew. I guess he had run away, as bad boys generally do after
they have done something they know is wrong.
"Give her to me," said Little Sir Cat, and he started to ride away when
Little Polly Flinders who sat among the cinders said, "I'll take her
home and warm her by my fire!"
All of a sudden, a regiment of soldiers came by. And when the Lord High
General saw Little Sir Cat, he came forward and said, "Will you play the
little drum for us?" And what do you think this little kitten replied?
You know already, I'm sure, but I'll tell you just the same.
[Illustration: LITTLE SIR CAT SAVES THE PUSSY FROM THE WELL]
"Yes, my Lord," he answered, and then the leader of the fife and drum
corps handed him a little drum, and Little Sir Cat started right in to
play just like a regular drummer boy. And the way he made that little
drum sound was just wonderful. The whole regiment began to cheer, and
one big captain said, "Three cheers and two tigers for Little Sir Cat!"
And, goodness me, the cheers that went up from that regiment were heard
all over Mother Goose Land and everybody asked everybody else what was
the matter, and the little yellow bird, whose name I'm going to tell you
some day, told them it was for Little Sir Cat. Then all the Mother Goose
People began to cheer and when the regiment heard them, they asked what
was the matter, and the little yellow bird told them who were cheering.
Wasn't that a wonderful little bird?
_Diddle Dum! Diddle Dum!
Went the little drum,
As Little Sir Cat marched off to war
Beating the drum sticks o'er and o'er._
Pretty soon they came in sight of the enemy, and all the big guns were
rushed to the high places and the infantry spread out in long, thin
lines, with the cavalry in the rear. All of a sudden the bullets
sputtered and the big shells screamed, and, oh, dear me, the little drum
couldn't be heard at all, although Little Sir Cat beat on it with all
his might. By and by the enemy ran away. Then the tents were set up and
the field where they had been fighting looked like a tented city, only
it didn't have any little church or school house.
At last, when everything was quiet, the general pinned a gold medal on
Little Sir Cat, who felt very proud, and told his little drummer not to
be afraid for he would never let the enemy get him.
And pretty soon you will find another story--unless--
_The postman in the morning
Gives me a candy pill,
And the doctor sends me a valentine
Instead of a great big bill._
A LITTLE GIRL'S DIARY
Tuesday
_I love her on Tuesday
As she irons smooth and clean
Her little dolly's dresses
With the tucks and frills between._
Tuesday, directly after lunch, I play with my doll's house. You see, I
have all the work to do for Dolly, and so I take out the clothes from
the basket in the doll's house kitchen, and smooth them out, ready for
ironing. There is a cunning little ironing board, besides two small
irons, for "Ironing Day." There are lots of things to iron, all Dolly's
table linen and the cute little sheets and pillow cases and towels, too.
Oh, dear me! Sometimes I feel that Mother has a pretty hard time with
our big house when I see how it bothers me to keep Dolly's house in
perfect order.
Sometimes, before I have finished, my little friend Eleanor Gray will
come in, and want me to go out with her. Then we both take our hoops and
go to the park and play all afternoon. As soon as I get home I put Dolly
to bed, before I have my own supper, because if I don't, very often I
haven't time to attend to her afterwards and she has to sit up all
night, which must be very tiresome even for a doll.
BILLY LOVES CANDY
Billy was only five years old, but he had learned to like candy! You
small boys who are hearing this read to you needn't look surprised. It
probably was very natural to you to like candy, but that is no reason
why Billy didn't have to learn. He first began on a peppermint stick;
one of those lovely sticks with red lines running curly upwards, and
white inside, with hollow tubes running through, so that you can suck an
orange with it--well, it was just this sort of a stick that Billy first
tasted, and at first he didn't like it, but as he got a taste almost
every day, he finally was just as fond of it as was his little master.
There, I have let the cat out of the bag, or the dog--and there is no
use in my telling any more of this story, for you know all about it now.
That is, you know who Billy is, and that's all there really is to this
tale of a little dog.
DICK'S VALENTINE
The front doorbell rang furiously and Mary, knowing that it was snowing
and blowing a gale outside, answered the ring as fast as she was able.
Two shivering little figures stood upon the doorstep, one a small boy,
10 or 12 years of age, who surveyed her a moment quite as coolly as she
surveyed him. Deliberately stepping into the lighted hallway, he dragged
with him his little companion, a shivering mite of a girl, almost hidden
in the folds of a ragged coat. This coat he suddenly jerked from her
shoulders, saying:
"Here's a valentine for the lady wot lives here!" Then, turning, he ran
rapidly down the steps and disappeared around the corner into the snowy
darkness.
Aunt Dorothy at that moment entered the hall, but, before she had time
to speak the little waif thrust a piece of paper into, her hand, with
the simple explanation, "Dick writ it."
Aunt Dorothy took the crumpled note and unfolded it carefully. After a
few minutes she managed to read the scrawling letters:
"This little girl ain't got no folks and no place to stay; so
she's been staying in a box with straw in it with me nights.
I've fetched her to be your valentine. She's hungry.
"DICK."
Aunt Dorothy's eyes filled with tears. "Mary, take the child into the
kitchen and give her something to eat. I will come presently and perhaps
I can find out what is the best thing to do."
Mary led her down the hall.
"A valentine!" she ejaculated. "Blest if I don't think this is the
queerest piece of business I ever seen!" Her manner softened a little as
she watched the greediness with which the child devoured the big slice
of bread and butter, and when Aunt Dorothy came down she found her
"valentine" seated in Mary's own rocking chair before the fire, while
Mary herself, down on the floor, had the almost frozen feet in her lap.
Aunt Dorothy sat down near them and watched Mary for a few minutes in
silence. "Now that you feel better, my child, tell me where you live?"
"I don't live nowhere," answered the child, "'cept with Dick--he's got a
big box with straw in it. I crawled in one night after they took father
away--the police, you know."
Aunt Dorothy sighed, "Give her a warm bath, Mary, and make a bed on the
lounge in my room. I will try to find something which will do for a
nightdress."
The poor little, wondering child was soon wrapped in a warm shawl and
curled down on the lounge. Suddenly she raised herself on her elbow:
"Dick said there was angels that lived somewhere and took care of folks.
Are you one of them?"
"No, no, child," said Aunt Dorothy gently, "I am only Aunt Dorothy. Go
to sleep."
"Yes'm; but I do wish Dick was a valentine, too! It's very cold in his
box."
Aunt Dorothy and Mary sat up late that night hastily making warm
garments for the small mite; but they considered themselves well repaid
by the delight with which they were put on in the morning. While the
happy little waif was taking her breakfast in the kitchen the bell rang,
and when Mary answered the ring she found Dick standing in the doorstep.
He shambled bashfully in, and in a moment the child's arms were around
his neck and her face pressed close against his cold and grimy one.
When Aunt Dorothy came down she found her "valentine"-bringer refreshed
by a breakfast the like of which he had never before tasted, sitting by
the fire with the "valentine" at his side. Dick rose as she entered,
still holding both of the little hands of his small companion.
"I ain't got much to tell you, ma'am. I'm Dick the boot-black, an' this
here little girl I found one night last week. Me and Joe Rafferty had
been to a movin' picture show, and when I comes out it was late an'
pretty cold, so I runs all the way to the box. The box is a big box down
by Higley's warehouse, an' I sleep in it. An' I finds this little girl
a-curled up in it asleep. I felt kinder sorry for so small a mite, so I
covered her up with some old carpet rags.
"I seen folks sendin' valentines for presents an' thought some one ought
to like a little girl better than a picture. I seen you one day, ma'am,
give a lame man some money, an' I followed and seen where you lived. An'
I says to myself if you was so kind to a man you'd be kind to a little
girl that had no one but me to look after her."
"I think I'll keep my valentine, Dick," she answered, looking into the
fire with a smile. "I never heard of sending one back, I believe. And I
think I'll send one myself too. I will give you a letter to a man who I
think will give you a position as an errand boy." And so Dick had a good
job as a messenger boy in a big dry goods house, where he grew up to be
a very useful man.
[Illustration]
THE ALPHABET ANIMAL CIRCUS
Jamie has been studying his alphabet all the morning, but somehow the
letters got twisted and wouldn't follow each other in their regular
order. By and by mother said: "Let us wait awhile; perhaps the letters
will come more easily to my little boy if he takes a rest now."
[Illustration]
So Jamie ran out to play and soon forgot all about the alphabet. But
that night, after he had fallen asleep, he had a most wonderful time.
All the alphabet letters came trooping into his little bed and said to
him, "Jamie, come with us to the Circus!" And pretty soon he found
himself in a big white tent. All of a sudden the Letters ran together,
and, jumping on top of one another, formed themselves into a lion.
Jamie clapped his hands and laughed outright. At this, all the letters
tumbled down, and, calling to him to follow, jumped into the ring and
made a giant rooster.
[Illustration]
"Hurrah!" cried Jamie, "you're the most wonderful alphabet I ever saw!"
[Illustration]
"Glad you think so!" cried the Letters, and then they all tumbled apart
and raced across the tanbark floor. He followed as fast as his legs
would take him, when, all of a sudden, a funny little squeak made him
turn his head. Some of the alphabet letters had formed themselves into a
queer little pig, who cried, "This little pig went to market," but when
Jamie ran up to play with him all the letters jumped apart and scampered
away. "Come, we'll show you the man who owns the circus!" After much
scrambling and climbing on their part, the circus owner appeared,
wearing a high silk hat.
[Illustration]
Jamie had hardly time to bow politely, when all the letters tumbled
apart and there stood a great, big elephant. But, goodness me! In
another minute the elephant fell apart and again the Letters shouted,
"Follow us, Jamie!" and away they raced, and before he could stop he
bumped into a tall giraffe.
[Illustration]
"Oh, what fun!" cried Jamie. "I wonder what will happen next?"
"Hello, my little man!" cried a voice close at hand. Jamie looked
around and there stood the Alphabet Clown smiling at him.
"How do you do, Sir!" answered Jamie.
[Illustration]
"Here are the pictures of my two brothers," said the Alphabet Clown,
showing Jamie two photographs; "there weren't enough letters to go
around, so when I'm acting, I just show their pictures, and when they
are acting, they show mine." No sooner had he finished speaking than the
Alphabet Letters tumbled apart, and the clown disappeared.
[Illustration]
A big rhinoceros next came into view as the Alphabet Letters kept up
their merry pranks. By this time, Jamie was hardly surprised at
anything, his friends, the Alphabet Letters, were doing so many funny
things.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
"Tickets!" cried a voice at his side. A little Alphabet Man sitting on
an Alphabet Chair looked at Jamie as if expecting him to hand over his
ticket at once. Just as he was about to explain how the Letters had
brought him to the circus, the little man fell apart, and all the
Letters laughed and said, "Never mind your ticket, Jamie--follow us!"
[Illustration]
"Bow-wow!" said the little Alphabet Dog as Jamie ran up to pat him.
"Don't turn into letters just yet," he begged, giving the little dog a
hug, but with a merry laugh the Letters jumped apart and Jamie saw a
pretty horse, who lifted his right fore leg to shake hands with him. But
the Alphabet Horse lasted no longer than the other animals, and the next
instant a funny man, with a big E for his eye and nose and a capital C
for his mouth and chin, and a big D for his cap, stood before him. A big
V made the front of his coat and vest, and a capital I his back, while a
large W and X made a pair of funny legs.
[Illustration]
"I wonder who he is?" thought Jamie.
"I'm the Lion Tamer," answered the man, as if reading the little boy's
thoughts.
"Are you?" said Jamie. "I saw your lion the first thing--just as I came
into the tent. Aren't you afraid you'll lose him?"
[Illustration]
"I'm more afraid he'll lose me," replied the Lion Tamer. He was quite
right, for at that instant the Alphabet Letters fell apart and a pretty
girl stood in his place.
[Illustration]
"I'm the Circus Queen, little Jamie," she said with a smile, and then
she gave him an alphabet kiss, which looked just like the letter O, I
guess. And then the Letters tumbled apart and the Circus Queen
disappeared.
[Illustration]
But they were not idle, these wonderful Alphabet Letters. They ran ahead
for a little way and then, all of a sudden, arranged themselves into a
beautiful white cow, which looked to Jamie very much like the one in Mr.
Jones' big pasture.
[Illustration]
"Where's Mother?" cried a loud voice, and Jamie saw a small elephant
looking anxiously about. A big J made a most beautiful trunk, while a
capital M served for two sturdy legs. An S made a nice tail, and the
other letters finished his body very satisfactorily.
"You'd better hurry," advised Jamie, "or the first thing you know the
Letters will get tired of making you an elephant, and turn into some
other sort of animal."
[Illustration]
And Jamie was right, for the next instant there was no little elephant,
but instead, a quiet looking camel, with two big humps.
In a few minutes, the camel, too, disappeared, and the wonderful
Alphabet Letters ran over to the other side of the tent, and the next
thing Jamie saw was a funny little man whose make-up consisted of only a
few big letters, but who nevertheless seemed a very important person.
He stood just outside of a door over which was printed in big red
letters,
"ALPHABET
MOVING
PICTURE
SHOW"
[Illustration]
"Come to the 'Alphabet Moving Pictures,'" he called out. "Come and see
'Alphabet Movies'!" Upon a big white screen the letters of the alphabet
arranged themselves into a wonderful picture of Washington Crossing the
Delaware. Jamie clapped his hands. Then the next picture came along, as
his friends, the Alphabet Letters, jumped down and without any confusion
re-arranged themselves. The next picture was very wonderful--George
Washington planting the British Flag at Fort Duquesne. Jamie made up his
mind to ask Mother when he got home all about it. In a jiffy, the
Letters again fell apart, and a picture, which little Jamie could
understand much better, was shown. "Hurray! Mother Goose!" shouted
Jamie, kicking up his feet so high that down fell the big white circus
tent, and he awoke to find himself in his own little bed, with his feet
up underneath the sheet, holding it up just like the tent where the
Alphabet Letters had done all the funny things.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
Jamie rubbed his eyes, just as Mother came in. "Well, I guess I'll know
my alphabet to-day," he said. After breakfast he told Mother where he
had been, and when she asked him to say his alphabet, he recited it
without a miss.
"Wasn't it lucky I went to the circus with the "'Alphabet Letters'?" he
asked, and Mother said it certainly was.
LITTLE SIR CAT
Little Sir Cat Tries to Comfort Bo-Peep
Often while with the soldiers Little Sir Cat thought of his dear home at
the castle and the quiet silver moat full of silver fish that darted
here and there in the sparkling water, and maybe he wished he was back
at the castle, but he was too brave a kitten to say so, you may be sure.
Day after day they drilled and marched, and at last they came up with
the enemy again and there was a dreadful battle and, when it was all
over, Little Sir Cat found himself at the edge of a wood with a bullet
wound in his leg. He couldn't march any more, so they left him alone
with his little drum, and when night came down he was faint and hungry
and very miserable.
[Illustration: LITTLE SIR CAT TRIES TO COMFORT BO-PEEP]
Well, by and by, when the big moon was high in the sky, and all was
quiet, except for a little breeze that wouldn't go to sleep, but played
hide and seek among the leaves on the tall dark trees, a little owl said
to him:
"_Cheer up, little comrade,
And beat your little drum,
For nothing now shall hurt you
Since I to you have come,
For I will bring you comfort,
So never, never fear.
Cheer up, little comrade,
For help is very near._"
And when morning came Little Jenny Wren gave him a wonderful herb that
cured his leg in less than five hundred short seconds. So he started off
again on his journey and pretty soon he met Little Bo Peep. "I've lost
my sheep and cannot tell where to find them."
"Leave them alone and they'll come home, bringing their tails behind
them," shouted Little Boy Blue, as he passed by with his bright yellow
horn hung over his shoulder. "My sheep get into the meadow every day and
my cows get in the corn, but they always come home at night, bringing
their tails behind them."
"That's because you wake up in time to blow your horn," answered Bo Peep
between her sobs; "but I've no horn and--boo, hoo--no more sheep and
little lambs--boo, hoo"----
"Don't cry, I'll help you find them," said Little Sir Cat.
Well, they hadn't gone very far when they saw little pieces of wool
clinging to the bramble bushes.
"Here are their little tails!" shouted Bo Peep. "They can't be far
away!" And sure enough, in a few minutes they saw the sheep and the
little lambs in a meadow.
_Oh, Little Bo Peep
Has found her sheep
And now she'll take care to mind them.
No more will they roam,
For she'll lead them home
Bringing their tails behind them._
And pretty soon you will find another story about Little Sir Cat--
_Unless you lose this pretty book
And cannot find it tho' you look
Inside the silver sugar bowl
And down the cellar in the coal._
[Illustration: TOM, TOM, THE PIPER'S SON Pub. by Nat. Art Co., N. Y.]
THE LITTLE WHITE HOUSE ON THE HILL
It was the night before Christmas. Outside a cold wind blew the snow
about in clouds, penetrating the cracks and chinks of the little old
white house on the hill. Before the small fire of driftwood, which tried
its best to warm the little bare room, sat Mrs. Whitcomb, wondering
sadly where the money was to come from to buy the turkey for the dinner
the next day.
Mrs. Whitcomb's eyes filled with tears as she remembered the happy
Christmas of a few years previous, when the children's father was alive.
Just then an excited ejaculation from Madge in the doorway startled her.
"Mother, dear!" she cried, running in, followed by Billy, "I've just
been thinking of that story you read to us last year about the money
that was stored away behind the old family portrait over the
mantelpiece. Don't you remember how it fell down when the little boy,
who was locked in the closet for being naughty, kicked the closet door
till everything shook and shook; and then down fell the portrait, and
the bags of money just emptied themselves all over the floor?"
"I'll be the bad boy if you want to put me in the closet," offered
Billy. Mrs. Whitcomb looked up with a sad smile, as she took Madge in
her lap and placed an arm around him.
"Suppose we make believe the old mirror is a portrait," she said.
"And I'll make believe I'm naughty," added Billy. "It will be the first
time I've ever had to make believe!"
Madge jumped off her lap and ran to the closet. "Come, mother," she
called, "make Billy go inside!" In a moment he was shut in, and even
Mrs. Whitcomb began to laugh, for Billy's acting was almost as real as
if he had indeed been a bad boy and was undergoing a just punishment.
One of the candlesticks tumbled over on top of the tiny mahogany box,
knocking it off upon the floor. It broke open on the hearthstone, and as
Mrs. Whitcomb stooped to pick up the broken pieces she uttered a cry of
joy.
"Come here!" she called, "come, see what I've found," and she held up a
five-dollar gold piece before Madge's delighted eyes.
"Oh, mother, darling!" screamed Madge, "where did it come from?"
"What's the matter? Let me out!" yelled Billy from the depths of the
closet; "let me out! What's the matter?"
Madge rushed over to the closet, but in her excitement found it
difficult to turn the key.
"What's it all about?" cried Billy.
"Oh, Billy," gasped Madge, as she twisted and turned the handle, "what
do you think? Mother has found a five-dollar gold piece!"
"Goodness me!" exclaimed Mrs. Whitcomb, after the noise and excitement
had subsided, "how in the world I ever forgot that I put that money away
for safe keeping in that little box years ago is beyond me. But I did,
and it isn't a dream!"
"No, indeed, mother!" cried Madge, pinching the gold piece, "it's as
real as can be!"
"Let's all go down to the village and get the dinner things," suggested
Billy.
By the time the celery and vegetables, the nuts and raisins, together
with the big, fat turkey, were safely packed, the basket was fairly
bulging over.
"Oh, what a feast we'll have tomorrow," gasped Madge. They set the heavy
basket down before the mantel-piece, as mother closed the outer door and
came in. "What a jolly dinner! I'm so glad Billy and I got to talking
before going to bed. Wasn't it lucky I remembered that story?"
"Yes, indeed," answered mother, smiling away, as she unpacked the basket
and stowed away all the good things in safe places until the next day.
"Just like a play," volunteered Billy, "with me as the hero!"
"With Madge as the author," said mother.
"Right you are, mother dear," answered Billy, "only without the great
acting on the hero's part there would never have been any success to the
play. That closet wasn't such a joke after all!"
"No, indeed," laughed Madge, "you shall have the wishbone for your
reward, Mr. Hero Actor."
A LITTLE GIRL'S DIARY
Wednesday
_I love her on a Wednesday
When she kneads the snowy dough,
For the dimples in her elbows
Make such a pretty show._
Wednesday, as soon as I get back from school, if cook is making bread I
beg her to let me have some of the dough, and then Dolly sits by me
while I make it into all sorts of pretty little cakes and things, and
put it in the oven in the stove--I mean, of course, the doll house
stove, for the kitchen is all fitted up with everything just like a real
kitchen. There is a big dresser, and shelves full of tin pans, and
crockery. There is a cunning, little towel on a wooden roller, and a
sink with faucets, and real water. The range is heated by electricity
and really cooks the cakes, only Dolly and I don't eat them, for mother
says our cook's are better, so we eat little pieces of cookies instead.
Of course, if it is a nice day, I go out to the park on my roller
skates, or take my hoop, but I usually get time before I go to help
Dolly with her household duties.
[Illustration: _Harvey Peake_]
_The Man in the Moon,
Came down too soon,
And asked his way to Norwich.
In his crescent machine,
Made of cheese so green,
He drove off after his porridge._
HOW JAMIE PLAYED TROUBADOUR
[Illustration]
Jamie had received a violin for Christmas, much to his delight, for he
was very fond of music and wanted to learn to play the violin more than
any instrument he could think of--even his big drum, which sometimes he
would beat with all his might after a long, long lesson on his violin.
[Illustration]
When New Year's Day came he made up his mind that he would make believe
he was a little troubadour. So he tucked his beloved violin under his
arm and set gaily forth. On the next block lived a little girl named
Rosalie, of whom Jamie was very fond. When he reached the house in which
she lived, he stopped before the big parlor window which was quite close
to the sidewalk, and, taking his violin from under his arm, commenced to
play. Very soon, who should come to the window but little Rosalie
herself, and as soon as she saw Jamie she opened the window and leaned
out.
"Why, Jamie," she cried, "are you playing for money?"
"No," replied Jamie, quite indignantly, "I'm playing for _you_."
"How lovely," answered Rosalie, "and how beautifully you play!"
Jamie's face became quite red when she said this, and he almost made a
mistake in the music. But he kept on playing, and very soon there was
quite a crowd around him. Just then an old gentleman said, "Look out,
little Juliet--you may catch cold!"
"Why, it's Grandpapa," cried Rosalie, and in another minute he and
Rosalie were pulling the little musician and his beloved violin into the
house, where they all had a merry New Year's afternoon, with cake and
ice cream.
FRIENDS OF OURS
[Illustration]
When did human beings first begin to love dogs? So long ago that we have
forgotten just when it all started, but some of the oldest writers and
artists whose works have been preserved up to the present time have left
us words or pictures which show that the dog is a very ancient friend of
man.
Little Egyptian boys and girls, playing on the banks of the Nile,
probably loved their dogs as well as Brooklyn children love theirs. In
that old country the dog was particularly well liked, and it is said
that when a family dog died all the people of the household shaved
themselves. This was an expression of mourning, and was a mark of
respect for the dog.
Egyptians had a special reason for honoring the animal which has always
been used as a symbol of faithfulness. In lower Egypt the prosperity of
the people depended upon the Nile River. Every year it overflowed its
banks, giving the dry land a much needed drink and making possible the
raising of different crops. The people watched for the overflow with
great anxiety, fearing that it would not take place. At the time of year
when the overflow was due a certain star appeared in the sky, which we
know as Sirius. When they saw that the Egyptians drove their cattle to
high pastures and left the lowland to be watered by the river. In time
the people began to associate the constant appearance of the star with
the overflow which meant so much to them, and they began to think that
the star watched over them, as a good dog watches the home of its
master. So they called the star the "Dog Star" and worshipped it, and
also lavished a great deal of love on all.
LITTLE STORIES OF FAMOUS ANIMALS
How a Cow Set Fire to a Big City
It is said that Nero, when he was Emperor of Rome, set fire to the city,
and watched the flames from a high tower, while he sang to his lyre
verses on the burning of Troy. He then laid the blame on the Christians,
whom he persecuted with great cruelty. Afterwards he rebuilt the ruined
portion of Rome with great magnificence, erecting a beautiful palace for
himself on the Palatine Hill, which was called Nero's golden house.
This was all very long ago, for he killed himself with a dagger in the
year 68 when, after many cruel deeds, the Senate condemned him to death.
In 1871 there lived in Chicago, Illinois, a woman named Annie O'Leary
who has since become known throughout the country as the owner of the
cow that set fire to Chicago. One evening this cow, while being milked,
became unruly, and kicked over a kerosene lamp. Soon the whole city of
Chicago was in flames and Mrs. O'Leary's cow probably rang her cowbell
quite as frantically as did the Emperor Nero complacently fiddle while
his beautiful city was burning.
Though Chicago was destroyed by one of the most terrible fires in the
world, the city was rebuilt in a year or two, even better than before.
Prior to the fire, it was one of the newest cities in the country, for
in 1830 there were only a few families there besides the soldiers in the
fort which Uncle Sam had built in 1804.
So you see the people were not discouraged, although Mrs. O'Leary's cow
had burned up their beautiful city.
THE MILKY WAY
[Illustration]
When nursey bids me drink my milk
It gurgles down my throat
Just like the gurgle of the waves
Beneath a sailing boat.
[Illustration]
COASTING
Hip-hurrah! away they go
Gliding over the glittering snow,
Down the hill at a furious rate,
Over the lawn and out through the gate.
Jimmy in front is squeezed pretty tight,
But what does he care,--he's safe all right!
Billy, the motorman, guides the wheel
Which steers the sled on its runners of steel.
Flossie is cuddled up next to Bill,
And last on the sled is Sister Jill.
Hip-hurrah! as on they glide,
Isn't it lots of fun to slide?
Up again to the top of the hill
Dragging the sled for Motorman Bill.
Then once more they get into place,
All aboard! for another race.
What is more fun I'd like to know
Than coasting over the glittering snow.
A LITTLE GIRL'S DIARY
Thursday
_I love her on a Thursday
When she darns a gap that shows
In the sombre socks of Father
Or Brother's careless hose._
Thursday, Mother teaches me how to mend. She says that every little girl
should know these things. Father gives me a penny for every hole I mend
in his socks, and brother Jack gives me little presents; once he gave me
a whole set of furniture which he had cut out with his fretsaw.
There is one nice thing about Dolly--she very seldom has a hole in her
stocking. If she did, I hardly know what I would do, for Father and Jack
keep me pretty busy--at least, Mother laughs and says they do. Learning
all the accomplishments of a grown-up woman is pretty hard work, and,
really, I often wonder how I'll ever get any time for play in the park.
Mother, however, finishes lots of my duties so that I shan't miss my
regular hours in the open air with my friends.
LITTLE SIR CAT
Little Sir Cat and Mary in the Garden
"_Mistress Mary, quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?"
Sang Little Sir Cat
As he doffed his hat
To the cockle-shells all in a row._
It was a lovely garden, full of flowers and shrubs, and in one corner
was a little girl playing with pretty shells on a pile of sand.
"Come in and play with me," she said. So he jumped over the garden wall,
but he didn't stay very long, for he wished to find his fortune, you
know.
Well, after a while, as he journeyed on he came to a bridge, and, all of
a sudden, whom should he meet but Sir Launcelot of the Lake, that noble
knight whom you remember he had met a long time ago. And when Sir
Launcelot had reined in his great charger he cried out in a loud voice:
[Illustration: LITTLE SIR CAT AND MARY IN THE GARDEN]
"Come with me, Kitten!" So Little Sir Cat sprang up lightly behind the
noble knight and together they rode across the bridge and out upon the
King's Highway. And after they had gone for many miles, they came
across Little Miss Muffet who sat on a tuffet. But this time she wasn't
running away from the big cruel spider who had sat down beside her.
"Whither are you bound, little maid?" asked the knight. And then without
waiting for an answer he leaned over and lifted her up into the saddle
beside Little Sir Kitten. And wasn't she glad to see our little traveler
again? Well, if you had only been there you would have laughed with joy,
for she was so happy that she hugged him again and again.
After a while they came to an old mill where the rusty, dusty miller
ground the corn for the farmers. "Please let me down here," said little
Miss Muffet, "for mother asked me to bring home some meal." So the kind
knight pulled in his great steed and Little Miss Muffet ran into the
mill.
But Sir Launcelot didn't wait, for he wasn't going back, you see, so he
and Little Sir Cat called out good-by and went upon their way. And the
sun shone down and glittered on the bright armor of the noble knight and
pussy cat felt very proud to be riding with him.
"You shall go with me to King Arthur's Court," said Sir Launcelot, "for
little friend Tom Thumb is with my good king and he has told all the
knights what a good comrade you are."
Towards evening, they came to the Court of King Arthur where all the
knights were eating their evening meal at the great round table. But
when they heard the hoof beats of Sir Launcelot's great horse, they ran
outside to greet him. Little Sir Kitten was taken into the great dining
hall and placed on the right hand of King Arthur and merry was the
feast that followed, for they had all heard of brave Little Sir Cat and
loved him and Mother Goose, although they had grown up to be great
strong knights.
And pretty soon you will find another story--unless--
_The friendly clock upon the wall
Should strike out three times playing ball._
LILY'S CIRCUS
Captain Morton was an officer in the United States Army and for many
years had lived in the far west--that wonderful country where the sun
blazes down upon miles of grassy prairie, undulating to the horizon as
if it were a great heaving sea, the little hillocks rising like dark
waves upon its surface.
Over those vast plains roved the Indians, hunting antelopes, wolves,
etc. At these times the "red man" looks his best; mounted on his swift
pony, his gaudy blanket and bright feathers gleaming in the sunshine,
his long black hair streaming in the wind, he seems truly the "noble
savage."
To control these savages, soldiers were needed on the plains, to prevent
war parties from dashing into little frontier villages, stealing horses
and cattle, burning barns and houses and murdering the people who were
trying to cultivate the prairies, to turn the great plains of dry, burnt
grass into fields of wheat and beautiful green meadows.
All Indians are not wicked; but the tribe near which Captain Morton was
stationed was extremely wild and cruel, and refused to live on friendly
terms with white people.
All day and all night the "tom-tom," or big drum, was being beaten by
the Indians; for the time I am telling you of was just after that
dreadful battle, when the great Indian chief, Sitting Bull, killed brave
General Custer and half of his noble regiment of cavalry. This success
had made all the other Indians very fierce and restless, and the small
garrison of which Captain Morton had command were kept busy day and
night ready for attack.
But Lily, Captain Morton's little daughter, did not trouble herself
about danger. She was not allowed to go out of the garrison inclosure,
but she played with her chickens and her little pony, which her father
had bought and trained for her. Its name was Tecumseh Sherman, after the
general of the army, but Lily called it Tic for short. It soon followed
her in and out of the log house and wherever she went, and showed a most
decided liking for anything of a red color. When Lily wore a red dress,
Tic would take a fold in his mouth and pull her about, and even knock
her down in his play, for he never meant to hurt her. In the evening
Lily's little sidesaddle was put on Tic, and she would gallop over the
prairie with her father.
One morning Lily rushed into the house calling out:
"Mama, mama, here's a circus! Come and see! It's right outside the
door!"
Sure enough, just outside the garrison was a great crowd of gayly
dressed people, and near the front were six girls mounted on ponies, the
saddles beautifully embroidered with beads, and fine large umbrellas
over their heads made of red, white and blue cloth. These were
princesses, daughters of the great chief of the tribe. Lily ever after
talked of them as the "six Pocahontases."
A LITTLE GIRL'S DIARY
Friday
_I love her on a Friday
When the house is upside down
And her golden hair is muffled
In a twisted turban brown._
Friday is the last of school for the week, and Saturday is coming. There
are two reasons why I like Friday. One is that it is the last day of
school week, and the other--because tomorrow is Saturday.
I do just about the same things on Friday, that is, school as usual, and
then a romp or walk in the park, rolling my hoop or skating on my
rollers. But at home I'm very busy. It's doll's house cleaning day, and
oh, dear me! I have to brush it out from attic to kitchen. It is a lot
of work, for all the rooms have carpets or hardwood floors with little
rugs, and everything must be dusted thoroughly. I do my hair up just as
regular grown-up cleaners do, and by and by Dolly's house is all done.
For a little girl it is hard work, and Mother says she thinks I will
make a fine housekeeper when I grow up. I hope I won't get another
doll's house next Christmas, for I don't see how I could run two houses
at once.
LILY AND THE PAPOOSE
"This is 'Annuity Day,' Lily," said her father. "Get your hat and we
will go and see the Indians get their clothes and provisions for the
next year."
"What is 'Annuity'?" asked Lily. "Is it Indian for birthday?"
"Well, yes, it is sort of a birthday, for the United States Government
gives a good many presents that day to the Indians--food and clothes for
the men, women and children for a whole year."
"Well, let's go," said Lily, "and I'll just touch one of those papooses
with my own hand if I get near enough. I think they are just dolls. No
real, live baby would stay quiet tied on a board and fastened up all in
a bunch to its mother's back. They do wink their eyes, that's certain;
but I can make my Rosy wink her eyes, too, only I have to pull a wire to
get her to shut them."
So off started Lily with her papa, and soon they came to an open space,
in the center of which was a great pile of blankets, clothing, bacon,
flour, corn, coffee, sugar, tobacco and many other things which good
Uncle Sam gives once a year to his "wards," the Indians. Around this
pile of things sat a large circle of Indians, men, women and children.
The men were, as a general rule, well dressed in tight leggins, with
strips of gay bead embroidery down the sides; deerskin or calico shirts
fringed with tiny bells and tassels of colored worsted and bright
feathers in their scalp locks. The women wore flannel pantaloons and a
single calico slip, and a blanket drawn over their heads.
Many of these wild people had never seen a little white girl before.
They gazed at Lily's fair skin and long bright hair with great interest.
One old man wrapped in a buffalo robe advanced waving his covering like
some immense bird flapping its wings. When he got near Lily he stood
still, saying:
"Washta papoose! Washta papoose!" (Pretty child! Pretty child!) and held
out his hand, saying: "Howe-howe?" (How do you do?)
And now Lily found a good opportunity to decide whether the funny little
objects on the Indian women's backs were dolls or "really babies."
While the Indian agent and his clerks were busily distributing the
"annuities," giving to the chief of each band the allowance for himself
and his family, Lily went up very close to the squaw who had a
black-eyed bundle tied upon her back, and stood for several minutes
absorbed in contemplation.
"Is that a real, live baby, ma'am, or a doll you keep for your little
girl?" asked Lily very politely.
The squaw, of course, did not understand a word she said, and only
responded: "Ugh! Howe! Washta papoose!" as a general expression of her
good will. So Lily presently put out her hand very softly and touched
the bundle.
What a scream! Even the dignified chiefs turned their plumed heads to
find out what the cause of the noise could be.
There was the papoose shrieking on its mother's back, proving most
positively its claim to be considered a "real, live baby," and there was
a drop of bright red blood on its little brown arm. Lily had stuck a pin
in the Indian baby to find out if it was alive or not.
Poor little girl! She stood frightened and trembling, crimson blushes on
her cheeks, and two great tears just brimming over her eyes. Not until
she had made a peace offering of candy to the baby, and left it
contentedly sucking away at a peppermint stick, could she be consoled
and interested once more in the strange scenes around her.
[Illustration: Harvey Peake]
_There was an old woman
Who lived in a shoe,
She had so many children
She didn't know what to do.
But she mounted the shoe
On a big motor car,
And now there is room
For them all without jar._
LITTLE SIR CAT
Little Sir Cat Meets Jack and Jill
_Jack and Jill
Went up the hill
To fetch a pail of water.
Jack fell down
And broke his crown,
And Jill came tumbling after._
As Little Sir Cat came to a pretty cottage, a yellow bird sang this Old
Mother Goose song. And just then a little girl and boy ran out of the
front door, and said:
"Mother, come see a cat with red top boots!"
"Don't wait, children. Get me a pail of water, for father will be home
soon for dinner."
_So Jack and Jill
Went up the hill
But, oh, dear me, I hate to tell
They spilt the water when they fell._
And poor Little Sir Cat's boots were spattered all over. But he didn't
care, for the big warm sun soon dried them, and he set off once again on
his journey through Mother Goose Country, and by-and-by he came to a
giant's castle on a big high mountain.
[Illustration: LITTLE SIR CAT MEETS JACK AND JILL]
"Come in," said the great big man. "You can sleep in my fur cap--it will
make you a fine bed."
When Little Sir Cat woke up in the morning the sun was shining through
the window and it was time to get up. So he hurriedly dressed, for he
didn't know what time the Giant had breakfast and he didn't dare be
late, and ran down to the dining room, where the Giant was just about to
eat his buckwheat cakes and maple syrup. After they had finished, the
Giant took him out to the stables and showed him all his horses. "I have
a very small horse which I will give you," he said, and he led Little
Sir Cat into another stable. There stood Dapple Gray, only, of course,
he seemed like a little toy to the Giant, for his other horses were all
giant horses, you see. And wasn't Sir Cat glad to see the little pony?
Well, I guess he was, for he was tired walking and one of his boots had
a hole in the toe.
"Oh, I'm so glad to see you, little master," whinnied Dapple Gray, as
Little Sir Cat untied the halter and jumped on his back.
Well, after a while as he rode down the mountain he came to a little
cottage all covered with climbing rose vines. In this cottage lived a
shepherd and his wife who tended the sheep in the big meadow close by.
"Are they little Bo Peep's?" asked Little Sir Cat; but the kind-faced
shepherd said no, so Little Sir Cat rode on, and pretty soon you will
hear what happened to the poor Lady Bug, _unless_
_The Sun tomorrow morning
Should go upon a strike,
And want a penny extra
To do his daily hike!_
A BELL TALE
[Illustration]
There was an old sheep
With a bell on his tail.
It rang with a clatter
And clanged with a wail.
Whenever that poor little sheep
Hove in sight
The birds and the beasts
Disappeared in a fright.
HOW A TORTOISE KILLED A GREAT POET
There was once a boy in olden times who dreamed that he could write
verses, and the dream came true, and he became a very famous writer. And
the way it happened was that this boy, whose name was Æschylus, fell
asleep one day while guarding the grapes in a vineyard. He dreamed that
Bacchus, the god of the vine, came and told him that he could write
poetry. Immediately he awoke and tried, and to his delight he found out
that it was true.
He kept on writing, and afterwards became very famous. In those days
prizes were given for the best tragedies, and at the age of 41 he won
his first prize. He wrote, also, many wonderful plays, and for many
years was esteemed one of the greatest of tragic poets.
When quite an old man, he was sitting in a field, plunged in deep
thought. An eagle, which was flying overhead, mistook his bald head for
a stone and dropped the tortoise which it was carrying in its claws to
break its shell. The force of the blow killed the famous poet and
warrior, who had fought in the Battle of Marathon and received great
honors for his bravery as well as thirteen prizes for his tragedies. He
might have written a great many more if the eagle had not dropped the
tortoise.
EASTER ON A FARM
Finding Eggs Is Much Fun, but Hiding Them First Is More Fun
Easter was coming in a week and Donald, Elizabeth and Ruth were going to
invite their two cousins to an Easter Egg Hunt.
Their mother had agreed to give them one egg out of every six which they
brought in to Mary, their good-natured cook, and it was surprising how
many egg nests these industrious little folks discovered in
out-of-the-way places around the big barn and the farm buildings.
In fact the family had never been so plentifully supplied with eggs
before, and their mother laughingly remarked that she thought it would
be a good plan to continue the arrangement indefinitely, to which the
children gave their hearty consent.
The day before Easter they had almost two dozen. With the help of their
mother they dissolved the various colored powders which they had
purchased at the drug store and poured the liquid into several tins. It
was great fun boiling the eggs in green water, or yellow water, or blue
water, as the case might be, and after they were all done, what a
pretty pile of rainbow-colored eggs!
"Old Speckle and Rosy Comb wouldn't know what to make of them now, would
they?" remarked little Ruth.
"No," answered Donald, "I wonder if we'd get a pink rooster if this one
was hatched!" he added, jokingly, holding up a brilliant carmine egg.
"Well, let's hide them; you hide yours first, Ruth, 'cause you're the
youngest. Remember, for goodness sake, where you put them in case we
can't find them."
You see, the game was for each one to hide his share, and when all the
eggs were hidden they were to invite their two cousins over and
everybody was to hunt as fast as he could, except, of course, for his
own eggs, so as to get as many as possible, for "findings were
keepings."
It took little Ruth quite a while to hide hers. She put a big red egg
carefully in the oat bin and covered it over with oats. The next one she
put deep down in the bran bin, and then she looked around for another
safe place. There was father's old coat hanging on a nail by the harness
room. In the pocket nearest her she slipped a green egg carefully lest
it fall through a possible hole in the well-worn garment, but the lining
was sound and the egg was safe out of sight.
The door of the harness room was ajar. Ruth stepped inside and looked
around. The very thing! An old tin can stood half-hidden in the corner
behind a pile of rubbish. In went the purple egg, and now she had only
two left.
"What shall I do?" said Ruth to herself. Just then an old lantern
hanging on the wall met her eyes, and in a moment she had carefully
lifted the dingy shade and placed an egg inside. Only one egg was now
left, and soon that was tucked away behind an old picture advertising
harness, which rested on a beam running along the side of the wall.
"No one must hunt for his own eggs," said Donald. "Then it will be fair
for all. All ready!" and away they went.
The two cousins had been told that the barn, the wagon house and the
orchard were the places where the eggs were hidden, and in a few minutes
a yell was heard in the barn. Dan had discovered Ruth's green egg in the
overcoat pocket.
"I've got one!" screamed Ruth from the wagon house, as she pulled out a
yellow beauty from under the seat of the old buggy. Then a shout was
heard from Donald, and the can in the corner of the harness room gave up
its prize.
"Who'll get the last one?" Here and there they ran, looking with the
utmost care, but the little egg still defied the hunters. "Let's give up
and let Donald have it," they at last agreed, and Donald, proudly
marching up to a big cherry tree, from a crotch of a limb just above
their reach picked out a red egg, the only one that had resisted
successfully all efforts of capture.
[Illustration]
WHEN ROBIN RED-BREAST ARRIVES
Everybody loves Robin Redbreast. Who of us in early spring is not
gladdened by the sight of this red waistcoated little chap hopping about
on the lawn? But few of us stop to think that our robin is totally
unlike the English robin, the dear old Robin Redbreast of nursery days;
he who covered with leaves the Babes in the Wood and was shot by the
Sparrow with his little arrow!
The Redbreast of Europe is only half the size of our robin, being about
five inches and three-quarters from the tip of its bill to the end of
its tail feathers. Its color is a yellowish olive-brown. The throat and
breast are of a reddish orange color, and this gives to him the name of
Redbreast.
They remain all the year round, and when the fields and gardens are
covered with snow, making it difficult for them to obtain food they come
up to the door steps, picking up the crumbs which are thrown to them.
When they are well treated they soon become very familiar and make
themselves quite at home, entering the cottage door and often roosting
confidently over night in the warm kitchens. Their trust and confidence
have made friends for them everywhere and they become domestic pets in
almost every country in Europe. Their song is sweet and plaintive and
is heard from early spring until late in the autumn. In this respect
they are very like our own bluebird.
English books of natural history are full of interesting narratives of
the beautiful confidence in man shown by the Redbreast in selecting a
place for its nest.
Our pair chose for their nest a shelf in a schoolroom in which there
were seventy children and directly over the heads of a little class of
girls, who never once disturbed them. One of the little birds died and
the parents carried out its dead body during school hours. The other
four little robins were fed and reared, day by day, in the presence of
the seventy children. Do you wonder that the boys and girls of England
are so fond of their Robin Redbreast?
The robin of North America belongs to a very different family--that of
the thrushes. It is nearly twice the length of the English bird and more
than twice its size. Audubon calls it the Migratory Thrush, because it
leaves us when winter comes on and does not return until the frost is
out of the ground.
Like the robin of Europe, our bird also has a confiding disposition. It
builds its nest early in the spring, long before there are any leaves to
hide it. It is a devoted parent and when taken sufficiently young is
easily tamed and becomes strongly attached to its benefactor.
With the coming of the first robin we feel sure that spring is here.
Looking out of the window, we see our little friend with his red breast
shining in the sunlight, singing his simple song of faith and hope.
AFTER MOTHER'S SAID GOOD NIGHT
When I'm in bed I feel so small,
And all the shadows seem so tall.
The little light out in the hall
A thin bright line throws on the wall;
It squeezes thro' the crack between
The half-closed door and nursery screen.
And after I have said my prayer
And mother's footstep on the stair
Grows fainter, fainter, fainter, there
Creeps over me a sort of scare;
It prickles me from toe to head
And seems to wiggle all the bed.
But if I cuddle down and keep
Real quiet, and don't kick my feet,
And have the clothes all smooth and neat,
Why, pretty soon I fall asleep;
And then the fairies from their glen
Play with me till it's day again.
[Illustration]
LITTLE SIR CAT
The Fire-Engine
_Lady Bug, Lady Bug, fly away home;
Your house is on fire, your children are gone!_
Sang the little yellow bird whose name I shall tell you some day when
Little Sir Cat finishes his journey through Mother Goose Country.
And just then the fire engine went by, so he jumped up behind and away
they went over a bridge across the River Dee near which the Jolly Miller
on his pillow found a flea.
Well, pretty soon they came to a meadow in which a little bush was on
fire. And right there close beside it, was the poor Lady Bug flapping
her red wings wildly in fear and panic for hidden under the bush were
all her little lady bugs.
"Oh, save my children!" she cried.
Little Sir Cat scrambled under the thicket but the brambles kept
catching in his boot straps and pulling him back. So he kicked them off,
taking care not to burn his bare toes on the hot stubbles, and carefully
felt his way through the smoke until he finally reached the nest near
the heart of the thicket. There lay all the Lady Bug's children,
hundreds of them huddled together, frightened and smothered nearly to
death.
[Illustration: THE FIRE ENGINE]
"Oh, I hope they are not quite dead," he said, tenderly picking up the
smallest one. "But what shall I do now? How can I carry them all out?"
Then, quick as a wink, before the fire reached him, he picked them all
up and put them in his hat.
"Hurry, my brave fireman!" called the Mother Lady Bug; "save my
treasures."
And in less time than I can take to tell it, he carried them out of
danger.
Just then up came Dapple Gray, so Little Sir Cat said good-by and rode
away.
By-and-by, he whispered to Dapple Gray, "Yonder stands the lady who rode
you far away. Do you want to run right by her, or do you want to stay
behind this clump of bushes until she walks away?"
Dapple Gray made no reply. He stood perfectly still and didn't even peek
around until the lady was out of sight. So that was answer enough for
Little Sir Cat, and he rode off towards a little church, for it was
vesper time and the bell was ringing for the people to come to worship.
Pretty soon the organ began to play, so he stopped to listen, and so did
the stars and the big moon up in the sky. They didn't move, but shone
right down on the little white building. After a while he got down and
led Dapple Gray into a grove of trees and lay down on some leaves for
the night. And pretty soon you shall hear how he and his pony had
another adventure,--unless--
_A giant goes down the street for a stroll,
And thinks a peppermint stick is a barber's pole._
[Illustration: _Harvey Peake_]
There was an old woman lived under a hill
On auto'bile wheels that wouldn't stand still.
So she drove around selling her cranberry pies,--
And she's the old woman who never told lies.
The Little Goose-Girl
Many years ago there lived a little goose-girl named Helena. Every
morning at sunrise she left the hut where her mother lived, and trudged
away in the midst of her flock of geese. All day long she stayed in the
fields with them to see that they did not wander away, and in the
evening she brought them back to the village.
The hamlet she lived in was very small, and Helena had the care of all
the geese in the place. Ten of the flock belonged to her mother, the
rest belonged to the neighbors.
Helena was almost as fat as the fattest goose in her flock. Over her
plump, freckled face she wore a flat cap, and her flaxen hair in two
long braids down her back. Her waist was black, without any sleeves and
opened in the front, while the sleeves of her smock were full and long.
Her skirt was very short and full, and plaited all around the waist. In
summer she went barefooted, but in winter she wore thick stockings and
wooden shoes.
She carried in her hand a long stick, with which to manage her goose
family, but she was kind-hearted and never struck them hard. Her little
dog, Hero, helped her keep them in order. He was so well trained that
when they wandered away, he would bark and snap at them until he
frightened them back.
[Illustration: THE GOOSE GIRL PUB. BY NAT. ART CO., N. Y.]
Every morning at sunrise the geese waited in front of the huts for
Helena. Amid a great squawking and hissing they were collected from door
to door, and when the flock was all gathered, Helena drove them off to
the feeding ground, a low flat marshy place, near the river, where they
delighted to waddle in the greenish pools and coarse grasses.
Helena had collected a pile of stones on a dry spot which was a little
higher than the marshy ground around it, and here she would sit on her
throne, like a queen looking over her goose kingdom.
When dinner time came, she would take from a basket a slice of very
coarse bread, almost black, a piece of cheese, or a slice of thick, raw
sausage. When she had finished eating, she would take from the same
basket her spinning, and with her distaff she twirled the thread around
and drew it through her fingers. This was the old-fashioned way of
spinning, and even now one often sees girls and women with their
distaffs spinning in the fields while they watch their cows or sheep or
geese.
There were many beautiful flowers growing in the marshy land, and when
Helena grew tired of spinning, she gathered violets and forget-me-nots.
She would make a wreath of blue lilies and yellow dandelions and hang it
about her neck. Sometimes she would make a collar for her dog, and once
she made a wreath for a pet gander, but he twisted his long neck and ate
up the flowers, at which Helena laughed, showing that she was a happy
little girl, although she did have to tend the geese all day.
RISING TIME
[Illustration]
Pussy's asleep, and the little gray mouse
Is looking about the quiet house.
But oh, dear me! If Pussy should wake
The little mouse wouldn't get any cake.
FEBRUARY
Dear Boys and Girls--Did it ever occur to you that February is a famous
month, for in it were born two of the greatest men that ever lived,
George Washington and Abraham Lincoln?
Perhaps the determination of Washington never to allow himself to be
discouraged in the face of tremendous difficulties and treachery stands
out as one of the biggest factors in his character.
Looking back through history every boy as he gazes on the face of
Washington feels a thrill of pride; the Father of His Country, the man
who never told a lie, the man who never admitted there was such a word
as "fail."
And when we turn to Lincoln, who in the crisis of our country's welfare
stood like a rock and brought order out of chaos, preserved the Union,
"now and forever," and, with "malice toward none," brought the men of
the North and the men of the South under the Stars and Stripes again as
brothers--we find the Savior of our Country.
For the boy of to-day two such men as Washington and Lincoln are an
inspiration. Human nature was just the same in those days as
now--politics were just as corrupt and morals just as bad--but each of
those men shone out with the attributes of greatness--courage, honesty
and truth.
And for the girl of to-day who realizes how the mothers of those two men
gave to this country each a hero; how those mothers by early training
and instruction brought their boys up to reverence courage and honesty
and truth, there is an inspiration; for the sweetest word that is
murmured in the nursery or whispered in prayer on the battlefield is
Mother.
[Illustration]
LITTLE STORIES OF FAMOUS ANIMALS
How the Geese Saved Rome
The Capitol in the city of Rome was built on a high, steep hill called
the Tarpeian Rock. When in 390 B. C. the Gauls entered Rome, after
having defeated the Roman Army, most of the citizens fled, except a few
who had taken refuge on this steep hill. One very dark night, the Gauls
attempted to climb the steepest part and capture the Capitol. The Roman
sentinels were all fast asleep, and the enemy had nearly reached the
top, when suddenly some geese began to cackle and raise a great hub-bub.
The noise awakened a Roman soldier named Marcus Manlius, who rushed out
to the spot just in time to throw down the Gauls and save the Capitol.
After this, the Gauls agreed to leave the city for a thousand pounds of
gold, but the Romans took so long to weigh it, that Camillus arrived
with a big army just in time. "Rome buys her freedom with iron!" he
cried, and attacking the Gauls, drove them out in great confusion. But
if it hadn't been for the geese, who were wide awake and not sound
asleep like the Roman sentinels, Rome would have been captured that dark
night by the Gauls.
THE CARNIVAL
Let us make believe we are in Nice during Carnival time and are
hastening to the Promenade du Cours, up and down which the procession is
to pass.
First, however, I shall buy for you each a little blue gauze mask; for
you cannot even peep at Carnival unmasked. And if any of you can wear
linen dusters with hoods attached, all the better. Don't leave a square
inch of skin unprotected, I warn you.
Besides the little masks, you may buy, each of you, a whole bushel of
these "sugar plums," and have them sent to our balcony. Also for each a
little tin scoop fastened on a flexible handle, which you are to fill
with confetti but on no account to pull--at least, not yet.
The crowds are gathering. Pretty peasant girls in their holiday attire
of bright petticoats, laced bodices, and white frilled caps; stray
dominoes; richly dressed ladies with mask in hand; carriages so
decorated with flowers as to be artistically hidden--even the wheels
covered with batiste--blue, pink, purple, green or buff. Even the
sidewalk, as we pass, is fringed with chairs at a franc each.
The "Cours" is gay with suspended banners, bright with festooned
balconies and merry faces. Sidewalks and streets are filled with
people; but the horses have the right of way, and the people are fined
if they are run over.
Let us hasten to our balcony, for here passes a band of musicians, in
scarlet and gold, to open the procession.
It is "the theater"--an open car of puppets--but the puppets are men;
all attached to cords held in the hand of the giant, who sits in
imposing state above them on the top of the car which is on a level with
the third-story balconies.
The giant lifts his hand and the puppets whirl and jump. But alas! his
head is too high. His hat is swept off by the hanging festoons, and the
giant must ride bare-headed, in danger of sunstroke.
Next behind the car moves in military order a regiment of mounted
grasshoppers. Their sleek, shining bodies of green satin, their gauzy
wings and antennae, snub noses and big eyes, are all absolutely perfect
to the eye; but--they are of the size of men.
You lower your mask to see more clearly, you are lost in wonder at the
perfect illusion, your mouth is wide open with "Ohs!" and "Ahs!" when
pop! pop! slings a shower of confetti, and the little hailstones seem to
cut off your ears and rush sifting down your neck.
For, while you were watching the grasshoppers, a low open carriage,
concealed under a pink and white cover, has stopped under our windows.
Four merry masqueraders, cloaked and hooded in hue to match, have a
bushel of confetti between them, and are piled with nosegays. We slink
behind our masks, we pull the handles of our confetti scoops--then the
battle begins and waxes fierce.
But they are crowded on. A colossal stump follows, trailing with mosses
and vines. Upon it a bird's nest filled with young, their mouths wide
open for food; wonderful, because the artistic skill is so perfect that,
although so immense, they seem living and not unnatural.
Up and down the procession sweeps. Up one side the wide "Cours" and down
the other; the space within filled with the merry surging crowd, under
the feet of the horses it would seem. But no matter. Horses and men and
women and children bear a charmed life to-day.
LITTLE STORIES OF FAMOUS ANIMALS
How A Spider Saved Scotland
For several years, Robert Bruce, the hero King of Scotland, was an
outlaw with but a few followers. He even had to leave his beloved
Scotland at one time, and hide himself on a small island off the coast
of Ireland.
He had only a wretched hut to live in, although he was a king, but he
was as patient as he was brave, and willing to suffer hardships if he
could only free his native land.
While lying on his bed one day, he noticed a spider who was spinning its
web. Time after time it failed to run its slender thread from one beam
to another. Six times it tried and as many times it failed. This was
just the number of battles that Bruce had been defeated by the English.
"If the spider tries again," he said to himself, sitting up on his bed
and watching the determined little insect intently, "if the spider tries
again, so will I!" Once more the spider tried, and this time with
success. Bruce jumped from his bed, and in a few days was back in
Scotland.
It was indeed a happy omen, for from that time the tide turned in his
favor, and gradually he won back all the cities and castles which the
English had conquered. And so Bruce freed Scotland and won back his
throne, but if it had not been for the little spider, perhaps he never
would have had the heart to attempt it.
LITTLE SIR CAT
Mother Hubbard finds Little Sir Cat at Home
"_Old Mother Hubbard
Went to the cupboard
To get her poor dog a bone,
But when she got there
The cupboard was bare,
And so the poor dog had none._"
"Oh, dear me!" said Little Sir Cat, "that's too bad," and he pulled out
a shilling and gave it to Mother Hubbard. And after that he went away
and by and by he came to a big circus tent. And while he stood there, a
woman came by and stopped to talk to him. For everybody was interested
in Little Sir Cat. He rode Dapple Gray as well as a circus man, and
there was nothing he couldn't do on horseback, except, perhaps, go to
sleep. Well, the woman stopped and looked at him for a few minutes, and
then she said:
"_I have a little husband
No bigger than my thumb,
So I put him in a bird cage
And keep him safe at home._"
[Illustration: MOTHER HUBBARD FINDS LITTLE SIR CAT AT HOME]
"Why don't you bring him to the circus?" said Little Sir Cat. "He'll
make more money than in a bird cage."
"So he might," said the woman. "I will bring him here this very day,"
and away she went as fast as she could.
Well, by and by, she returned carrying a leather bag, and when she
opened it, who should jump out but Tom Thumb. Wasn't that strange? And,
oh, how glad he was to see Little Sir Cat.
"What! Are you old friends?" asked the woman, stretching out her hand to
take Tom Thumb.
"She is cruel, don't let her take me," cried the little fellow, and of
course Sir Cat didn't, although the woman became very angry.
Well, pretty soon Little Sir Cat turned to her and said with a fierce
look, "Leave him with me. He shall be my comrade. You have no right to
him," and then he took Tom Thumb into the tent, leaving the woman to do
what she might. He didn't care, for he was in the right, and when that
is the case, one can be brave even if he is a small cat. And as soon as
he told the clown what had happened, he said: "We'll never let her have
Tom Thumb. He shall stay with us as long as he likes," and then the
lovely circus lady came up and shook hands with him, and everybody said,
"Hurrah for Little Sir Cat!"
And pretty soon I'll tell you another story unless
_The Big Red Barn gets frisky
And jumps across the road,
And the buzzy, wuzzy horsefly
Eats up the little toad._
MR. TURKEY DECIDES TO TAKE A DAY OFF
[Illustration]
Said the great big Turkey Gobbler
To the little Turkey Turk,
"I guess I'll stay at home today
And not go down to work;
"I have a sort of feeling
That it's wiser not to roam
And that it would be safer
For me to stay at home."
A LITTLE GIRL'S DIARY
Saturday
_I love her on a Saturday
When she and Mother go
Together to a matinee
Or moving picture show._
Saturday is a holiday all the time. In the morning I take a run in the
park to get the fresh air and exercise; and then after lunch, Mother and
I--oh, it's such fun!--go to a matinee or a motion picture play. When we
come out, we have a cup of hot chocolate somewhere, with little cakes or
crackers, and it's just lovely! After that, it's time to go home. Dolly
is waiting for me, and I tell her all about everything while I undress
her and put her to bed, and she is so good she never cries or says: "Why
didn't you take me, too?"
LITTLE STORIES OF FAMOUS ANIMALS
How A Horse Founded A City
There was once a horse named Bucephalus whom nobody could ride except
his master, the famous Alexander the Great; and the reason was because
this horse was afraid of his own shadow. He wasn't afraid of anything
else, for he would carry his master into the thickest of the fight
without flinching.
In those days every boy was trained to be a warrior, as well as to be
proficient in all kinds of knowledge, and as Alexander was a very bright
youth and loved reading as well as fighting his father sent for the
famous Aristotle to be his teacher, under whose teaching he grew up to
be a very fine young man. Every night when Alexander went to bed he
placed his favorite book, Homer's "Iliad," under his pillow with his
sword. Soon he became very expert in all manly sports and excelled every
one at his father's court, especially in riding. But had he not been a
very bright and observing youth he never would have been able to ride
Bucephalus, notwithstanding his splendid horsemanship.
The way it happened was that one day this horse was offered for sale to
his father, the King, but none of the grooms or nobles could mount him.
Alexander, who had been very carefully watching the beautiful white
animal, noticed that Bucephalus was afraid of his own shadow. He
therefore turned his head toward the sun and after patting the animal
until he grew quiet mounted and rode him without any trouble. After that
he was always his favorite charger.
When Alexander set out to conquer the Persians Bucephalus was the first
to swim across the River Granicus with Alexander, amid a shower of
arrows and spears.
On Bucephalus and at the head of his army of 40,000 foot soldiers
Alexander defeated Darius, with over 1,000,000 men.
For five years longer Bucephalus carried Alexander to victory, but
finally in a battle in India against King Porus Bucephalus was so badly
wounded that he died.
Alexander gave his noble horse a splendid burial and founded a city on
the battlefield, which he named in his honor Bucephala.
LITTLE SIR CAT
Little Sir Cat Meets Tom, the Piper's Son
One can't stay with a circus and travel up high mountains and cross
rivers and visit castles and dungeons, so Little Sir Cat said good-by to
the kind circus people and little Tom Thumb, who was making so much
money exhibiting himself that he wanted to remain with them until he had
made a million dollars.
So once more Little Sir Cat was traveling alone. Well, on he tramped
till by-and-by he came to a village, and as he walked down the main
street
_Little Johnny Curlytop
Sat in his father's shop.
In his thumb he held a plum
And a lollypop._
But when he saw Little Sir Cat, he almost dropped his candy, for he had
never seen a cat with boots and spurs riding on a pony. But Little Sir
Cat only grinned and said: "Pick up your candy, Johnny Curlytop, for
candy doesn't grow on trees, and you are a lucky boy to have a
lollypop."
[Illustration: LITTLE SIR CAT MEETS TOM, THE PIPER'S SON]
Well, just then, all of a sudden, a boy ran down the street with a
little pig under his arm.
"_Tom, Tom, the Piper's Son,
Stole a pig and away he run,_"
screamed a green poll parrot from her cage.
"Why, it's Piggie Porker," cried Little Sir Cat, "the little pig I
helped through the fence. O, please let him go. It's Piggie Porker."
"Piggie what?" asked Tom, scratching his head.
"I want to go home to mother," squealed Piggie, and this so surprised
Tom that he dropped Piggie, who, quick as a wink, darted between his
legs and ran away. And, would you believe it? Little Sir Cat jumped on
his back, and off they went down the street to the country. Pretty soon
Piggie stopped to rest, and Little Sir Cat jumped down to the ground.
"How did you ever get caught?" he asked.
"I disobeyed mother," answered Piggie when able to speak, for he was all
out of breath with running, you see. "I squeezed through the fence and
ran out to the road, and then that bad boy caught me. Oh, dear, oh,
dear!"
Poor little Piggie's pink nose was very red and his cheeks wet with
tears. "Don't cry," said Little Sir Cat kindly, "you can't be far from
home." And then together they ran across the meadow to the wood to look
for the path that led to Piggie's cabin. And pretty soon Piggie found
it, so off he scampered.
"I hope mother won't scold me for being away so long--I hope she won't."
In the distance he could see the stout figure of his mother standing in
the cabin door. At the sight of her Piggie began to cry, he was so glad
to be home again.
And his mother never punished him after all, but just hugged him until
he squeaked, "Oh, mother, you're squeezing the breath out of me!"
_But just the same, dear children,
Remember to obey,
For you might be unlucky
And lose your homeward way._
A NEW YEAR'S PRAYER
God grant that I the new year through
May strive with heart and soul to do
Those things which are most good and true.
God grant that I each morning start
My duties with a cheerful heart,
And faithfully perform my part.
To wear a smile all through the day,
To banish thoughts unkind away;
And when my bedtime comes, to pray.
To say my prayers with folded hands
As night comes softly o'er the lands,
To Him, who always understands.
And when the bells on New Year's dawn
Proclaim the bright New Year is born,
And I awake on New Year's morn,
I pray Him whisper, low and sweet,
To help me guide my wayward feet,
Lest I forget my prayer to meet.
THE OLD WOMAN UNDER THE HILL
[Illustration]
There was an old woman
Lived under the hill,
And if she's not married
She's living there still.
The First Christmas
Listen, dear littlest children, and you shall hear about the very first
Christmas Day.
In a country across the sea, far away from here, shepherds were watching
their flocks one night. The sheep were resting on the grass, the little
lambs were fast asleep beside their mothers, but the kind shepherds were
not asleep. They were watching that no harm should happen to the sheep.
Perhaps they were looking up at the stars and the beautiful moon above
them, when suddenly there appeared a wonderful light in the sky,
brighter than the moon or stars, as if the sky had opened and they saw
the glory within.
And while they stood there, looking up, wondering what was the cause of
that strange light, a beautiful, shining angel came near to them and
said:
"Fear not. I bring you good tidings which shall be to all people. This
day is born a Saviour, and ye shall find the babe lying in a manger."
Suddenly a multitude of the heavenly host joined the angel in singing
praises to God.
"_Glory to God in the highest, and on earth
Peace, good will toward men._"
When the angels had gone back to heaven the shepherds said they would go
to Bethlehem and see this Saviour of whom the angels sang. They went,
and found Him, a little baby, in a stable, with no cradle to lie in;
only a manger for His bed. That little baby was Jesus, who when He grew
up said:
"Let the little children come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such
is the kingdom of heaven." His birthday was the first Christmas Day, and
ever since that time we keep that day as a joyful and happy one.
[Illustration]
PLANTING A PUSSY
Charlie was a little rogue, and Charlie's papa was a big rogue; and two
rogues together get into all sorts of mischief.
Charlie wanted a kitten, and one day when he was teasing papa said
carelessly:
"Plant old black Nig. I wouldn't wonder if she came up sort of
kittenish!"
Papa laughed behind his paper to see him march out to the garden with
the big, sleepy black cat under one arm and a hoe under the other.
But when Charlie began to dig, Pussy began to struggle out from under
his arm, and, getting away, she ran for her life. Charlie dropped his
hoe and ran too. Tears also would have run had there been less wisdom in
that little curly head. But Charlie knew that Puss would not wait while
he mourned her departure!
What a race that was! Puss led him under fences, through bushes, over
gates, up trees, and, at last, through the open window, Charlie of
course followed, and what a fall was that!
When Charlie rose, the black cat sat calmly upon the table. Charlie
thought she actually laughed at his forlorn appearance. Well, he didn't
look as well as when the race began, but his courage was still good; so
he resolved to try again, if the Big Rogue would help.
So Charlie asked papa to hold Puss while he dug. Papa was willing, and
the digging began again. Soon papa said the hole was big enough, but he
had no sooner said the word, when Puss thought it was time to run away
again, and off she darted. She looked so funny, with her tail all
swelled up, that Charlie forgot all about the planting and began to
laugh, and then papa began to laugh too. "I don't believe she's the
right kind of a cat to plant," he said, and then he and Charlie went
into the house for lunch, as mama was at the window waiting for them.
LITTLE SIR CAT
Little Sir Cat and Little Boy Blue
"_Little Boy Blue,
Come blow your horn,
Your cows are eating
Farmer Green's corn,_"
sang Robbie Redbreast as Little Sir Cat passed through a meadow in new
Mother Goose Land. And just then a little boy dressed in blue jumped out
from behind a haystack and began to blow on his silver horn.
Goodness me! Dapple Gray was so startled that he stood up on his hind
legs and nearly upset his small rider.
[Illustration: LITTLE SIR CAT AND LITTLE BOY BLUE]
"Don't blow it again till I get out of the meadow," said Little Sir Cat,
and he rode away. By-and-by, after a while, he came to a neat-looking
cottage with a red chimney and pink blinds. So he knocked on the door,
and who do you suppose opened it? You'll never guess, so I'll tell you
right away. Why, Old Mother Hubbard and her dog. Wasn't that strange?
For the last time Little Sir Cat had seen them was in Old Mother Goose
Country, and of course he was surprised to meet them. All of a sudden,
the Dog began to sing:
"_Old Mother Hubbard never goes to the cupboard
To get me a bone any more;
For she has an excuse, so what is the use?
She remembers what happened before.
So now we both go to a nice movie show,
And then to a restaurant fine,
Where we order a stew of giblets for two,
And the orchestra plays while we dine._"
"Hurray!" cried Little Sir Cat, "things are certainly very different in
this country." And pretty soon he told them he must be on his way. So
off he went through the woods, and by-and-by he came to a deep pool
under a great oak tree. But he didn't know that a Frog Prince lived in
it. No, Siree. And perhaps it was just as well that he didn't, for the
Frog Prince didn't like cats at all.
Well, as soon as he saw Little Sir Cat, he gave a dreadful loud croak
and hopped out on the bank.
"Shall I kick him?" asked Dapple Gray with a toss of his head, for he
wasn't afraid of that croaky old frog, not the least little bit.
"Of course not," answered Little Sir Cat. "Are you really a frog, or an
enchanted prince?" he asked, turning to the Frog Prince.
And, would you believe it, the tears came to that poor frog's eyes, as
he answered:
"A wicked witch has cast a spell over me. I was once a handsome prince."
"I will help you," answered Little Sir Cat, and, jumping off Dapple
Gray, he hunted through the grass until he found a tiny, little flower,
blue as the summer sky.
"Tomorrow morning when the cock crows eat this flower," he said, handing
it to the Frog Prince, "and you will once more be your natural self."
And before the happy frog could thank him he jumped on Dapple Gray and
rode away to the next story.
[Illustration]
Peter, Peter, pumpkin eater,
Had a wife and couldn't keep her;
He made a car of the pumpkin shell,
And there he kept her very well.
MAY DAY FROLICS IN MERRY OLD ENGLAND
[Illustration]
Suppose we "go a-Maying" among old traditions and see with what
ceremonies our English ancestors welcomed the "merry month." We do not
celebrate the first day of May to any extent in this country, but in
England, where the season is much earlier than ours, and the earth is
already covered with wild flowers, May-day is more fitly celebrated; but
even in England the old customs have sadly fallen away.
Once upon a time every village had its annual setting up of the
May-pole, which was consecrated to the Goddess of Flowers, and early on
May morning the young people went out to "gather the May." The first
thing was to select the May-pole. The landed gentry allowed the
villagers the choice of a suitable tree on their domains. A tall,
straight sapling having been selected, it was speedily cut down and
dragged to the village green by oxen gayly decorated with flowers and
bright colored ribbons. Following after came the youths and maidens with
wreaths of flowers, which they twined around cottage doorways on their
way to the green, where they were to choose from among their number a
Lord and Lady of May.
After a bower was built for them and the May-pole set up, there were
merry dances, the revellers donning mask and costume to represent Robin
Hood, Friar Tuck, Maid Marian, Much the Miller's Son, Little John, Will
Scarlet and all the other famous characters of merry Sherwood. Pantomime
was also indulged in, for this was a simple age, when simple pleasures
satisfied the country people. Into the ring would come a hobby-horse and
a dragon, the former ambling and prancing about, while the latter hissed
and shook his wings, to the great delight of the spectators. There were
also morris-dancers, with bells attached to their knees and elbows, who
danced and capered musically. After this came trials of skill in archery
by Robin Hood and his fellows, and when all these amusements grew
tiresome, the villagers thronged about the May-pole and spent the
remainder of the day in dancing.
But these May-day observances were not confined only to the country. In
London at one time tall poles were erected on May morning, and green
arbors and branches decorated the streets. It was a great day for the
milkmaids and chimney-sweeps, who paraded the streets in companies,
begging a trifle from their customers.
The leader of the chimney-sweeps, called "Jack in the Green," was
covered, with the exception of his legs, with green boughs, garlands and
nosegays. He looked like a dancing bouquet, as he moved up and down the
street. Many a penny the sweeps collected from the admiring bystanders.
This was a custom up to about one hundred years ago, and will perhaps
remind some of my little readers of the ragamuffins who parade the
streets of New York on Thanksgiving Day, begging a penny from every
passer-by.
Finally, many abuses arose in the observance of the day. In 1644
Parliament passed an act forbidding the erection of May-poles. Later,
during the restoration of the gay Charles the Second, the May-poles came
back and flourished for a long time. Gradually, however, as the ancient
simplicity of manners departed from the lower orders of the people, who
were its chief upholders, the May-day festival fell into disuse, and now
there are neither May-poles nor morris-dancers nor Jacks in the Green.
[Illustration: JACK BE NIMBLE, JACK BE QUICK PUB. BY NAT. ART CO., N.
Y.]
THE SPIDER AND THE FLY
A big Black Spider was spinning away,
Spinning her lacey web all day;
And when she had finished it, close to the wall
She curled herself up in a round black ball.
Lazily buzzing, buzzing away,
A little Blue Fly was buzzing all day.
Into the open window he flew
And close to the Spider's web he drew.
"Oh, what a pretty piece of lace
Swinging away in the window space!"
The little Blue Fly remarked to himself,
As he carefully crawled on the narrow shelf.
Then he brushed the dirt from his gauzy wing
And watched the spider web swing and swing.
Now this little Fly was a mischievous Fly,
And there wasn't a bit of green in his eye!
So, as he watched it swing and swing,
He thought 'twould be fun to cut the string.
Then Mrs. Spider's hammock would fall
Down with a somersault off the wall.
Creeping up to her hiding place,
He gave a pull on the flimsy lace.
Down one end of the hammock fell,
While the Big Black Spider gave a yell.
Out thro' the window the little Fly flew;
'Twas safer out there for him, he knew.
And he said, as he winked his little blue eye:
"Good-by, Mrs. Spider; good-by, good-by!"
[Illustration]
I hate to go to bed at night,
Or get up when again it's light--
It's funny that I love to do
'Most anything between these two.
[Illustration]
Bennie's Easter Dream
Bennie woke up on Easter morning and saw a little rabbit with a big bow
of blue ribbon around his neck standing in the doorway.
"Come along!" he said. "I'm going to give you a ride on my back."
In a few minutes Bennie had on his clothes and tiptoeing down the
stairs, they slipped out of the front door.
"Hold on to my ears!" said the rabbit, and away they went down the
garden walk. When they reached the barnyard the rabbit stopped before
the haystack, and pulling out a small basket and a big silver spoon,
said to Bennie:
"Take this basket and come with me to the hen-house. If we get there
before the fairies we will find the pretty colored eggs which the hens
lay for Easter. But hurry, for we must get there first."
They opened the door quietly, just as the big Red Rooster began to crow.
"Lift up the eggs with the silver spoon," said the rabbit, as they
peeped into the nests; "don't touch one with your hand or it will lose
its lovely color." Soon the basket was full. "Come on," cried the
rabbit; "hurry up and get on my back; it's getting late." Bennie jumped
on, but just as they started off four little chickens ran out of their
coop and screamed:
_Cock-a-doodle doo!
You've got my egg of blue;
My yellow one, my purple one,
My little green one, too!_
Suddenly he found himself in his own little bed, while outside the happy
Easter bells were ringing. He wondered where his little friend the
rabbit had disappeared to, and the four little chickens.
Then he looked down at the counterpane, and what do you suppose he saw.
A whole nest full of beautiful, painted Easter eggs with the funniest
faces and the brightest colors. Bennie gave a squeal of delight and
hopped out of bed to dress so that he could show his treasure to all the
other children he knew, but in his excitement forgot all about the dear
little bunny.
[Illustration]
A LITTLE GIRL'S DIARY
Sunday
_I love her on a Sunday,
As she goes to church with me,
With her little gilt-edged Bible
Held close and reverently._
Sunday morning Father and I start off for church before the rest of the
family, because Father wants his early walk, and I love to go with him.
Through the park we go, watching the pretty little squirrels who run up
to us, for they seem to know that Father will let me wait a few minutes
to give them some nuts or little pieces of cracker which I have almost
always in my pocket. I call one squirrel the "Little Minister" because
he looks so solemn, and walks up so quietly and slowly to me, and then
holds his nut between his paws and looks it over, as if it were a book,
before he starts to open the cover and eat the inside. After church we
all come home and have early dinner. In the afternoon, brother and I go
for a long walk in the park. After supper, the nicest part of all the
day, we sing hymns and Brother Jack and I say a piece of poetry, which
we learn for each Sunday. Then we kiss everybody good night.
LITTLE SIR CAT
Little Sir Cat and Dame Trot
"_Little fishy in the brook,
Papa catch him with a hook,
Mamma fry him in the pan,
Johnny eat him like a man,_"
sang a sweet voice, and in came Dame Trot with a big platter of fish.
"Did Mr. Trot catch them?" asked Little Sir Cat politely, sitting down
to the table and tucking the napkin under his chin.
"Of course," answered Dame Trot, "fish don't catch themselves, unless
they're playing tag in the pool."
Well, it didn't take Little Sir Cat long to finish his meal, and when
Dapple Gray was saddled, he set out again on his journey through Mother
Goose Land, and by-and-by, after a while, he came to a bridge, and when
he looked over the railing, he saw a pretty silver fish swimming on the
top of the water.
"Helloa there, silver fish! If I had a hook and line I'd soon catch
you," and Little Sir Cat grinned at his own reflection in the clear
water. But if the fish had seen it I guess he would have darted away,
for it looked just like a real cat in the water.
[Illustration: LITTLE SIR CAT AND DAME TROT]
"You can drop me a line," replied the fish with a swish of his tail,
"but I won't promise to bite."
"I don't care for any more fish to-day," answered Little Sir Cat, "I've
just had a feast at Dame Trot's little Inn."
"_If that's the case," replied the fish,
Giving his tail a shimmery swish,
"I'll go right home to Mrs. Trout
And tell her it's safe for her to go out._"
And away went that poetical old trout, and so did Little Sir Cat, and
after he had ridden for maybe a mile or three, he met the Maiden All
Forlorn Who Milked the Cow with the Crumpled Horn. But she wasn't
miserable now at all. No, Siree. She wore a lovely smile and a pink
sun-bonnet with a bit of ribbon on it. And as soon as she saw Little Sir
Cat her smile broke into a laugh: "Here is my dear little puss. Where
has he been this long time?"
"Oh, just traveling," he answered. "What have you been doing?"
"_You remember the tramp all tattered and torn?
Well, he made lots of money in cotton and corn.
So he bought me an automobile and a ring,
And the minister married us both in the spring,_"
she answered, taking the pink ribbon off her sun-bonnet and tying it
around Little Sir Cat's neck.
"There, you look like a prize winner," she laughed, and after that she
ran back into the farm yard to see if the Little Black Hen had laid a
white egg for breakfast.
By-and-by Little Sir Cat met the Spider who frightened Miss Muffet. She
was busy spinning a big web and said to him,
"_Please go 'way, don't bother me,
For I'm as busy as can be._"
So you must wait for the next story to hear what happened to Tommy
Green, unless
_That little Black Spider
Puts salt in her cider._
THE LOST PUSSY CAT
[Illustration]
I've been waiting at the door
To see if pussy comes no more.
Yesterday he left the house
To go a-hunting for a mouse.
ACROSS THE PRAIRIE!
'Way back in the early days of this country, when there weren't any
railroad trains crossing the great Western plains, only big herds of
wild buffalo by day and fierce wolves by night; when the only way to
reach one's destination was in a big, canvas-covered wagon drawn by
oxen; when every man rode a horse and carried a gun, and when even the
women knew how to handle a rifle--then there were lots of Indians.
Those were dangerous times, and it needed a brave heart and a quick hand
and a steady head to overcome the perils of crossing the great plains in
search of a new home and a fortune.
This was what Dick's father was doing, however, and Dick was the
happiest boy on earth, he thought, when they started out on their
journey. The big "prairie schooner" was their Pullman car, and the
patient team of oxen the motive power. Dick was old enough to straddle a
mustang, and so he rode by father and Uncle Billy. Mother and Aunt Mary,
Sister Lou and Cousin Tommy all rode in the wagon, and when night came
on they got the supper, all except Billy, of course; he just watched.
Father and Uncle Billy made the fire and unhitched the oxen and tethered
the ponies.
Dick soon learned that the most important thing to do as the day came to
a close was to find a good grazing place on which to pitch tent for the
night, as the best grass for the animals must be selected with care,
near water if possible. The animals must be looked out for first,
otherwise how would they ever get anywhere if these faithful friends
should become sick and die?
The next thing Dick did was to collect for the fire the dry buffalo dung
which covered the prairie, and after making a pile in the shape of a
huge cone he lighted a few sticks of kindling, a supply of which was
always carried in a sack hung from the bottom of the wagon, and soon the
heap was a mass of dull, glowing coals; then the tin coffee pail and the
frying pan, and then, thank goodness!--for Dick was always
hungry--supper.
After that they pulled down the big, long canvas back of the wagon
cover, which was spread double over the top of the wagon during the day,
and fastened it to the ground with pegs, and under this slanting roof,
with their blankets between them and the earth, with their toes towards
the fire, they slept quite comfortably through the night.
The oxen and the ponies knew enough not to stray any great distance from
the campfire, and if frightened at anything would come rushing back,
helter-skelter, for protection. They know that on the prairie man is
their best friend and protector.
"What are those figures away over there to the westward?" said Dick's
father. Uncle Billy shaded his eyes with his hand and looked in that
direction for a few minutes without answering. "Don't know," he replied,
uneasily. "They look like horses, but I don't see any riders." "Nor I,"
replied Dick's father, "but those wily redskins have a way of hanging
over the far-side of the animal so's to deceive any one who happens to
catch sight of them. They don't act like wild horses."
It was an anxious moment. Neither man spoke for some time, but rode
along quietly, keeping a sharp look-out, however, in order to detect the
slightest change in the appearance of the figures to the westward. "They
seem to be following our way," suggested Uncle Billy about an hour
later. "Supposing we pitch camp to-night a little earlier. That clump of
trees yonder will give us some protection in case they turn out to be
redskins."
"Good plan," murmured Dick's father, turning in the direction of the
trees. "We needn't let on we're worried to the women folks," he added,
"we'll just wait and see how things turn out. Maybe nothing will
happen."
But something did happen. About midnight Dick's father awoke with a
start. A shadow fell across the opening in the canvas. In another moment
he was grappling with an Indian. Over and over he rolled, but the Indian
had found his match. Dick's father was a powerful man, and, whipping out
his revolver, shot him dead. None too soon, for Uncle Billy was being
hard pressed by a number of redskins, two of whom he had already laid
low with his rifle.
"Get into the wagon, Mother!" yelled Dick's father, "and pick off a few
with your rifle!" Mother and Aunt Mary were soon blazing away from the
canvas fort, and after a short time the Indians retired, evidently to
consider what was the next best move.
"Where's Dick?" said his father, looking around anxiously.
"Here I am!" came a voice, and sure enough, under the wagon, crouching
down behind the bag of kindling wood, which he had used for a shield,
was Dick. "I cracked two, dad!" he called out, "one Injun was sneaking
up by the pole, when I dropped him; he's out there now, I can just see
his outline."
Just then, a number of arrows fell around the wagon, and Uncle Billy
caught sight of half a dozen shadowy figures creeping along the grass in
the shadows of the trees to the right. "Look out," he whispered, "let
'em get pretty close and then give 'em hail Columbia."
It was a fierce struggle, for the Indians outnumbered our brave
defenders. Twice the redskins rushed up close to the wagon, only to be
beaten off in time by courage and good marksmanship. Both Dick's father
and Uncle Billy were "nipped" by arrows, but not seriously hurt, and
Dick himself had a narrow escape from being captured by a daring enemy
who sneaked up behind. But Dick turned and saw him just in time,
otherwise our story would have had a sad ending. Mother and Aunt Mary
bravely kept up the firing, and the Indians, thinking that there were
more defenders than there were, finally withdrew, much to the relief of
the besieged.
There was no more sleep in the camp that night, and in the morning, at
the first break of day, Dick's father went out to investigate. Two dead
Indians close to the camp testified to the good aim of its defenders.
"They took the other dead and wounded with them," said Dick's father,
turning to his brave boy, "they didn't dare come in so close to get
them. Here's the fellow you shot, sonny--I remember he was just about to
tomahawk me as you shot him in the nick of time--guess you saved your
dad's life," and Dick felt as proud as Punch when his father slapped him
on the back like a man.
[Illustration]
LITTLE SIR CAT
Little Sir Cat and Tommy Green
"_Please, Mister Cat, go ring the bell,
I'm sure it won't be wrong.
Perhaps my Mary will come out,
I've waited here so long,_"
said Mary's Little Lamb.
"I can't do that," answered Little Sir Cat, "the teacher wouldn't like
it." Just then all the children ran out of the little red school-house.
But, oh, dear me! One of the boys pinched Little Sir Cat's tail.
And I don't know what would have happened if the teacher hadn't looked
out of the window at that moment. Well, it didn't take him long to run
out and give that naughty boy a good shaking.
"I know it was you, Tommy Green. You're the boy who drowned poor pussy
cat, who never did you any harm but killed the mice in your father's
barn!" And then that angry teacher pulled that naughty boy into the
school-house.
[Illustration: LITTLE SIR CAT AND TOMMY GREEN]
"Tommy Green, I'm going to send you home with a letter to your father. I
think he had better keep you away from school. We don't want boys who
are unkind to animals."
"Oh, please sir," sobbed Tommy Green, "don't do that. I got an awful
whipping when I put pussy in the well; I didn't mean to drown her, I
only wanted to see her swim. And I didn't pull this cat's tail hard. I
just gave it a little pinch to see how thick the fur was."
"Please, professor," said tender-hearted Little Sir Cat, holding up his
paw as he had seen the children do in school, "if it's all the same to
you, I'd like to give Tommy a chance to be good. I don't want him
whipped. My tail doesn't hurt at all now, professor."
Well, goodness me. You should have seen that teacher smile when Little
Sir Cat called him "professor."
"This is certainly a lesson to you children," he said; "a great lesson
to be kind to all God's creatures."
And then Tommy began to cry. You see, he wasn't a bad boy at heart, and
Little Sir Cat's forgiveness made him feel dreadfully ashamed. I guess
it did him more good than any number of whippings.
_Dear children, never be unkind
To small four-footed things.
Oh, never pinch a pussy's tail
Nor pull a poor fly's wings._
_And never tease your little dog,
With unkind act or word,
And never throw a cruel stone
At any little bird._
[Illustration]
The Trees
I often think when Winter comes
How cold must be the trees;
More than in the Summer Time
They need their coats of leaves.
THE CANARY
Canary Bird, Canary Bird,
In your golden jail,
On your trapeze balancing
With your yellow tail,
Don't you wish that you could fly
Through the window pane
To the Robin Redbreast gay
Singing in the lane?
Where the apple trees in bloom
Drop their petals white,
So you almost think it has
Snowed 'most all the night?
Would you love to see the nest
Mrs. Robin's made,
And the eggs of china blue
Which she just has laid?
Don't you want to leave your cage?
See, the door is wide
Open and the window, too--
You can fly outside.
[Illustration]
_See the turkey gobbler run.
Guess he doesn't call it fun.
Don't you hope he gets away
Before it is Thanksgiving Day?_
[Illustration]
_Up and down the page he goes
On his long, thin pointed toes.
Now and then he gives a squawk--
That's the way a Turkey talks!_
THE LAND OF NOWHERE
Jack and Grace were in the nursery playing with their toys, when
suddenly they were startled by a tiny voice calling out "Good-by!"
They looked up quickly, and to their surprise their little tin airship
was slowly rising from the floor. In another moment it sailed across the
room and out of the top of the window, which was down a little to let in
fresh air. The little man at the steering wheel waved his hand as the
airship disappeared. Jack rushed to the window.
"Grace, Grace!" he shouted, "did you ever hear of such a thing? Come on.
I'm going to run outside and see where it goes." Both children hurried
down stairs and out on the sidewalk. Sure enough, just over the top of
the next house they could distinguish their Christmas present ascending
higher and higher into the clear blue sky.
Just then something fluttered at their feet. Jack stooped down and
picked up a piece of paper on which was written:
"Sorry I didn't have time to tell you as the airship was under way and I
didn't dare make a turn inside the room, but if you both will come up
on the roof, I will come back and tell you something lovely."
"Let's!" exclaimed Grace, who had read the note over Jack's shoulder;
and in another moment both children were running up to the attic. After
some difficulty, they raised the little door in the ceiling and stood
upon the roof. Sure enough, just overhead and about to descend was an
airship. But, goodness me! it was a regular airship, just like the kind
they had seen in pictures, and not the little toy machine which they had
but a few minutes before seen sailing out of the window and up over the
next house. Nor did the lovely fairy who now alighted from the airship
look anything like the queer little painted man. "Hello!" she said, in a
very friendly voice: "would you like to take a sail?"
Jack helped Grace in, and before long they were flying above the clouds,
which looked like huge snow banks below them, white and fluffy.
Everything was blue about them, and the air seemed full of perfume.
"Isn't it lovely, Jack!" exclaimed Grace. "I'm so glad I came!"
"So am I," replied her brother, "but I wonder where we are going. I
don't see the earth any more; we must be going somewhere. Where are you
taking us, little Fairy Queen?" he called out, and he and Grace waited
anxiously for the answer.
"Nowhere!" she answered.
"Don't you know where Nowhere is?"
"Well, not exactly," replied Jack. "I've often heard of it, but I've
never been there."
Just then the airship swerved to the right and in a few seconds landed
gracefully on the broad steps of a beautiful castle. Everything was
blue, even the tall chimney was built of blue bricks. The fairy had
hardly turned off the power, and the big airship was still quivering,
when the castle door opened, and a beautiful princess, dressed all in
blue, came graciously forward. The only thing about her that wasn't blue
was her long flowing hair, which was of the most wonderful golden hue
that Grace had ever seen. "How do you do?" she said in a sweet voice.
"Come in. Have you come from very far away?"
"We don't know, Princess," answered Jack, bowing politely, while Grace
made a pretty courtesy; "we really don't know how far we have come, nor
just where we are."
"Well, I'll tell you then," answered the lovely blue Princess, taking
them each by the hand and walking between them through the open castle
door; "at least, I'll tell you where you are and then after that you can
tell me where you came from, and then we'll know a little more about
each other."
"How beautiful you are," said Grace as they all three sat down on a big
blue sofa in the big blue hall of the stately blue castle.
"Am I, dear?" said the Princess, looking at Grace with a smile, "and why
do you think so?"
"I never saw such wonderfully beautiful gold hair," exclaimed Grace,
admiringly, gradually getting over her bashfulness.
The lovely Blue Princess laughed. "When I was a little girl," she said,
taking hold of Jack's hand so as not to leave him out in the cold, "the
Sun Man told me if I would comb my hair every morning for a whole year,
at break of day, when he first got up, that it would turn gold. And so
every morning for a whole year I got up at peep o' day and stood by the
east window and combed my hair."
"And it did?" said Jack, speaking for the first time since they had
entered the Blue Castle. "Why don't you try it, Grace? You love gold
hair so much," and he gave her braid a mischievous pull behind the back
of the Blue Princess.
Grace gave a little scream. "Don't, Jack"--and then, to her surprise,
she found herself with her arms around her new dolly in the big armchair
in their own room at home. She looked over to where Jack was busily
engaged with his train of cars. "I must have been dreaming," Grace
exclaimed, and as she looked at her golden-haired doll, with the
beautiful blue dress, she laughed and said:
"Oh, dolly, I guess it was you I dreamed was the beautiful Blue
Princess!"
[Illustration]
LITTLE SIR CAT
Little Sir Cat Visits the Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe
_There was an Old Woman who lived in a shoe,
And it was a pity she didn't have two.
It was crowded so tight from the heel to the toe
The children were packed like sardines in a row._
Well, as Little Sir Cat went on his way to find his fortune in Mother
Goose Land, he came in sight of a queer-looking little house, and when
he drew nearer he found it wasn't a house at all, but a big shoe, with a
little chimney on top and a tiny door in the toe and two small windows
above the heel.
"I'd ask you to make us a visit," said the Old Woman, "but, dearie me! I
haven't even a spare closet, and rents are so high I've not been able to
hire another old shoe."
"Thank you just the same," replied Little Sir Cat, and off he went, and
by-and-by, after a while, not so very long, he saw a little bear dressed
in a red cap and khaki trousers, but I don't think he wore anything on
his feet because his claws were so sharp they made holes in his shoes
and his mother wouldn't buy him any more.
[Illustration: LITTLE SIR CAT VISITS THE OLD WOMAN WHO LIVED IN A SHOE]
"If you want to find your fortune?" said the little bear, "follow me,"
and he led Little Sir Cat down a narrow path till they came to a cave in
a great rock. And, oh my, it looked dark inside, but the little bear
wasn't afraid, and by-and-by he found a candle. And when he had lighted
it, they went farther into the big dark cave till they came to a little
iron door. But before the little bear opened it, he said, "If anybody
speaks to you, you mustn't say anything but 'Bumpty bump!'" Then the
little bear opened the door and there sat twenty-one little dwarfs at a
table filling little bags with gold.
"What are you doing here?" they asked, all in one voice.
"Bumpty bump!" replied the little bear.
"And what are _you_ doing here?" And, oh, dear me! for a moment Little
Sir Cat forgot what the little bear had told him. And if he hadn't
remembered to say "Bumpty bump!" pretty quick I guess something dreadful
might have happened.
Then all the little dwarfs looked frightened to death, and they
whispered together and tried to hide the bags of gold under the
three-legged stools. But the little bear wouldn't go away, and of course
Little Sir Cat did just what the little bear did, for he didn't know
what else to do, you know.
Well, after a while the dwarfs asked, "What do you want?" And Little Sir
Cat replied, "Bumpty bump!" And then the little dwarfs looked at one
another, and, oh, dear me! how they did scowl. But pretty soon one of
them filled two small bags with gold and gave them to him.
"Bumpty bump!" said Little Sir Cat with a bow, and then the little bear
opened the door and led him back through the big cave till they came out
into the sunlight again.
And that's how Little Sir Cat found his fortune.
* * * * *
Transcriber's Notes:
Obvious punctuation errors repaired.
As this book had no page numbers, errata will be listed by story or
rhyme instead.
Little Sir Cat Helps Piggie,
"Chesire" changed to "Cheshire" (his from Cheshire)
What to Do at Night:
The final line of the first stanza was not indented in the original.
This was changed to match the form of the rest of the poem.
Dick's Valentine:
"litle" changed to "little" (speak the little waif)
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