<SPAN name="startofbook"></SPAN>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/cover.jpg" width-obs="444" height-obs="600" alt="Cover: The Jumble Book;" /></div>
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<h1>The Jumble Book</h1>
<hr class="chap" />
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i002.jpg" width-obs="442" height-obs="600" alt="PETER PIPER PUB. BY NAT. ART CO., N. Y." /></div>
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<div class="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="Title page">
<tr><td align="center"><ANTIMG src="images/i003.png" width-obs="111" height-obs="141" alt="Girl sitting in window seat reading" />
</td><td align="left"><span class='adtitle1'>THE</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 2em;"><span class='adtitle1'>JUMBLE</span></span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 6em;"><span class='adtitle1'>BOOK</span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td align="center" colspan='2'><div class='author'>By David Cory</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><span class='adtitle1'>A JUMBLE</span><br/>
<span class='adtitle1'><span style="margin-left: 2em;">OF GOOD</span></span><br/>
<span class='adtitle1'><span style="margin-left: 4em;">THINGS</span></span><br/></td><td align="left"><ANTIMG src="images/i003b.png" width-obs="111" height-obs="135" alt="boy sitting in chair at desk listening to story" />
</td></tr>
<tr><td align="center" colspan='2'>GEORGE SULLY & COMPANY<br/>
NEW YORK</td></tr>
</table></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<div class='copyright'>
<span class="smcap">Copyright, 1920, by</span><br/>
GEORGE SULLY AND COMPANY<br/>
—————<br/>
<i>All Rights Reserved</i><br/>
<br/><br/><br/>
<i>Printed in the U. S. A.</i><br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2>Contents</h2>
<div class="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="Contents">
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#HELLO_CENTRAL">"Hello Central!"</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#Little_Sir_Cat_Takes_a_Farewell_Look_at_the_Castle">Little Sir Cat Takes a Farewell Look at the Castle</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#How_a_Dog_Discovered_a_Hot_Spring">How a Dog Discovered a Hot Spring</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#TESSIE">Tessie, Tottie and Teddy</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 2em;"><SPAN href="#CHAPTER_I">Chapter I</SPAN></span></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 2em;"><SPAN href="#CHAPTER_II">Chapter II</SPAN></span></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 2em;"><SPAN href="#CHAPTER_III">Chapter III</SPAN></span></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 2em;"><SPAN href="#CHAPTER_IV">Chapter IV</SPAN></span></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 2em;"><SPAN href="#CHAPTER_V">Chapter V</SPAN></span></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#MR_BIG_TOE">Mr. Big Toe</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#TOO-WIT_TOO-WOO_AND">Too-Wit, Too-Woo and His Owl Family</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#COME_LITTLE_PUSSY_CAT">Come, Little Pussy Cat!</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#JIMMY_SAVES_HIS_TEDDY">Jimmy Saves His Teddy Bear</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#DO_UNTO_OTHERS">"Do Unto Others"</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#Mikey_Monk_Plays_Naughty_Pranks">The Jolly Jungle Folk: Mikey Monk Plays Naughty Pranks</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#LITTLE_BOY_BLUE">Little Boy Blue</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#MASTER_SPARROWS">Master Sparrow's Breakfast</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#TRANSPLANTING_THE">Transplanting The Flowers</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#Little_Sir_Cat_Helps_Piggie">Little Sir Cat Helps Piggie</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#AS_I_WAS_GOING_UP">As I Was Going Up Murray Hill</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#SANTAS_LETTER">Santa's Letter From Dot</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#THE_ANGELS_SONG">The Angels' Song</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#THE_LITTLE_RAG_A_MUFFINS">The Little Rag-a-Muffins</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#Little_Sir_Cat_Visits_Mrs_Porker">Little Sir Cat Visits Mrs. Porker</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#Dobbin">Dobbin</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#Ten_Little_Boy_Scouts">Ten Little Boy Scouts</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#THE_LITTLE">The Little Green Lady Frog</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#THE_PRINCESS_LIL">The Princess Lil</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#Pussy">Pussy</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#DOROTHYS">Dorothy's New Roller Skates</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#RAT-A-TAT-TAT_RAT-A-TAT-TAT">Rat-a-tat-tat, Rat-a-tat-tat</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#Little_Sir_Cat_Sees_the_Cow_Jump_Over_the_Moon">Little Sir Cat Sees the Cow Jump Over the Moon</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#Jack_be_nimble">Jack, Be Nimble</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#ROCK-A-BYE_BABY">Rock-a-Bye Baby</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#A_LITTLE_STORY_ABOUT">A Little Story About the Roses</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#A_LITTLE_BOYS_DREAM">A Little Boy's Dream</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#RUTHS_THANKSGIVING">Ruth's Thanksgiving Dinner</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#A_WELL-GROOMED_PUSSY">A Well-Groomed Pussy</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#Little_Sir_Cat_Kills_the_Wolf">Little Sir Cat Kills the Wolf</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#TED_FINDS_THE_RING">Ted Finds the Ring</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#Where_Does_the_Water_Go">Where Does the Water Go?</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#TOBYS_FRIEND">Toby's Friend</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#THE_LAZY_PINK_HEN">The Lazy Pink Hen</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#THE_PROFITEER">The Profiteer</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#The_First_Thanksgiving">The First Thanksgiving</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#Little_Sir_Cat_Sees_Cinderella">Little Sir Cat Sees Cinderella</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#A_LITTLE_GIRLS_DIARY_Monday">A Little Girl's Diary: Monday</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#Tis_July_Fourth">The Jolly Jungle Folk: 'Tis July Fourth</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#DUCKEY_DADDLES">Duckey Daddles</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#THE_COASTING_PARTY">The Coasting Party</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#A_frog_he_would_a_wooing_go">A Frog He Would A-Wooing Go</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#THE_HOBBY_HORSE">The Hobby Horse</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#Little_Sir_Cat_Meets_The_Maiden_All_Forlorn">Little Sir Cat Meets "The Maiden All Forlorn"</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#Little_Jack_Horner">Little Jack Horner</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#How_Mister_Breeze_Saved">How Mister Breeze Saved Marjorie's Easter Lily</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#Mary_Mary_quite_contrary">Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#WHAT_TO_DO_AT_NIGHT">What to Do at Night</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#A_JOKE_ON_UNCLE_JIMMY">A Joke on Uncle Jimmy</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#Goosey_goosey_gander">Goosey, Goosey, Gander</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#Little_Sir_Cat_Saves_the_Pussy_from_the_Well">Little Sir Cat Saves the Pussy from the Well</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#A_LITTLE_GIRLS_DIARY_Tuesday">A Little Girl's Diary: Tuesday</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#BILLY_LOVES_CANDY">Billy Loves Candy</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#DICKS_VALENTINE">Dick's Valentine</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#THE_ALPHABET">The Alphabet Animal Circus</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#Little_Sir_Cat_Tries_to_Comfort_Bo">Little Sir Cat Tries to Comfort Bo</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#THE_LITTLE_WHITE_HOUSE">The Little White House on the Hill</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#A_LITTLE_GIRLS_DIARY_Wednesday">A Little Girl's Diary: Wednesday</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#The_Man_in_the_Moon">The Man in the Moon</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#HOW_JAMIE_PLAYED">How Jamie Played Troubadour</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#FRIENDS_OF_OURS">Friends of Ours</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#How_a_Cow_Set_Fire_to_a_Big_City">Little Stories of Famous Animals: How a Cow Set Fire to a Big City</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#THE_MILKY_WAY">The Milky Way</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#COASTING">Coasting</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#A_LITTLE_GIRLS_DIARY_Thursday">A Little Girl's Diary: Thursday</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#Little_Sir_Cat_and_Mary_in_the_Garden">Little Sir Cat and Mary in the Garden</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#LILYS_CIRCUS">Lily's Circus</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#A_LITTLE_GIRLS_DIARY_Friday">A Little Girl's Diary: Friday</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#LILY_AND_THE_PAPOOSE">Lily and The Papoose</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#There_was_an_old_woman">There Was an Old Woman</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#Little_Sir_Cat_Meets_Jack_and_Jill">Little Sir Cat Meets Jack and Jill</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#A_BELL_TALE">A Bell Tale</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#HOW_A_TORTOISE">How a Tortoise Killed a Great Poet</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#EASTER_ON_A_FARM">Easter on a Farm</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#WHEN_ROBIN">When Robin Red-Breast Arrives</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#AFTER_MOTHERS_SAID">After Mother's Said Good Night</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#The_Fire_Engine">Little Sir Cat: The Fire-Engine</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#There_was_an_old_woman_lived_under_a_hill">There Was an Old Woman Lived Under a Hill</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#The_Little_Goose-Girl">The Little Goose-Girl</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#RISING_TIME">Rising Time</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#FEBRUARY">February</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#How_the_Geese_Saved_Rome">Little Stories of Famous Animals: How the Geese Saved Rome</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#THE_CARNIVAL">The Carnival</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#How_A_Spider_Saved_Scotland">Little Stories of Famous Animals: How a Spider Saved Scotland</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#Mother_Hubbard_finds_Little_Sir_Cat_at_Home">Mother Hubbard Finds Little Sir Cat at Home</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#MR_TURKEY_DECIDES_TO">Mr. Turkey Decides to Take a Day Off</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#A_LITTLE_GIRLS_DIARY_Saturday">A Little Girl's Diary: Saturday</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#How_A_Horse_Founded_A_City">Little Stories of Famous Animals: How a Horse Founded a City</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#Little_Sir_Cat_Meets_Tom_the_Pipers_Son">Little Sir Cat Meets Tom, the Piper's Son</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#A_NEW_YEARS_PRAYER">A New Year's Prayer</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#THE_OLD_WOMAN_UNDER">The Old Woman Under the Hill</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#The_First_Christmas">The First Christmas</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#PLANTING_A_PUSSY">Planting a Pussy</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#Little_Sir_Cat_and_Little_Boy_Blue">Little Sir Cat and Little Boy Blue</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#Peter_Peter_pumpkin_eater">Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#MAY_DAY_FROLICS">May Day Frolics in Merry Old England</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#THE_SPIDER_AND_THE_FLY">The Spider and the Fly</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#I_hate_to_go_to_bed_at_night">I Hate to Go to Bed at Night</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#Bennies_Easter_Dream">Bennies Easter Dream</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#A_LITTLE_GIRLS_DIARY_Sunday">A Little Girl's Diary: Sunday</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#Little_Sir_Cat_and_Dame_Trot">Little Sir Cat and Dame Trot</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#THE_LOST_PUSSY_CAT">The Lost Pussy Cat</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#ACROSS_THE_PRAIRIE">Across The Prairie!</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#Little_Sir_Cat_and_Tommy_Green">Little Sir Cat and Tommy Green</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#The_Trees">The Trees</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#THE_CANARY">The Canary</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#See_the_turkey_gobbler_run">See the Turkey Gobbler run</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#THE_LAND_OF_NOWHERE">The Land of Nowhere</SPAN></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><SPAN href="#Little_Sir_Cat_Visits_the_Old_Woman_Who_Lived_in_a_Shoe">Little Sir Cat Visits the Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe</SPAN></td></tr>
</table></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="HELLO_CENTRAL" id="HELLO_CENTRAL">"HELLO CENTRAL!"</SPAN></h2>
<p>"<i>Hello Central!</i>"</p>
<p>"Give me all the little boys and girls in the World. I
want to tell them about the JUMBLE BOOK!"</p>
<p>"<i>Hello! Is that you, Jimmy?</i>"</p>
<p>"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!"</p>
<p>"<i>Hello, Polly!</i>"</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>"<i>Hello, Billy.</i>"</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>"<i>Hello, Mary!</i>"</p>
<p>"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!"</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2>The Jumble Book</h2>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2>LITTLE SIR CAT</h2>
<div class='chaptertitle'><SPAN name="Little_Sir_Cat_Takes_a_Farewell_Look_at_the_Castle"></SPAN>Little Sir Cat Takes a Farewell Look at the
Castle</div>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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?</p>
<div class="figleft"> <ANTIMG src="images/i004.png" width-obs="351" height-obs="462" alt="cat with cane looking at castle in the distance" /> <span class="caption">LITTLE SIR CAT TAKES A FAREWELL LOOK AT THE CASTLE</span></div>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"Tell me where I may find my fortune," answered Little
Sir Cat.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>"He will not find it on Tart Island," said the old retainer.
"Mayhap in Mother Goose Island he will find it."</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"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:</p>
<div class='poem'>
"<i>Sleep, little pussy cat, sleep.<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">The little white clouds are like sheep</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">That play all the night while the moon's shining bright.</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Sleep, little pussy cat, sleep."</span></i><br/></div>
<p>And in the next story you will find what Little Sir Cat did
when he woke up in the morning.</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2>Little Stories of Famous Animals</h2>
<div class='chaptertitle'><SPAN name="How_a_Dog_Discovered_a_Hot_Spring"></SPAN>How a Dog Discovered a Hot Spring</div>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="TESSIE" id="TESSIE">TESSIE, TOTTIE AND TEDDY</SPAN></h2>
<div class='chaptertitle'>Or the Three Tiny T's</div>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i005.png" width-obs="311" height-obs="222" alt="Three toddlers sitting in a row" /> <span class="caption"><i>The Three Tiny T's All in a Row.</i></span></div>
<h3><SPAN name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I</SPAN></h3>
<p>"Listen," whispered Tessie, "I've got a secret to tell you;
snuggle up so nobody'll hear!"</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"What is it?" asked Tottie.</p>
<p>"Hurry up and tell," whispered Teddy, hugging Tessie's
arm, while Tottie squeezed her hand with her little fat
fingers.</p>
<p>"S-s-sh!" replied Tessie, "s-s-sh!"</p>
<p>"Tessie!" called mother's voice, "Tessie, come here, I
want you to run down to the grocer."</p>
<p>"Oh, dear!" sighed the three tiny T's.</p>
<p>Tessie jumped up quickly and ran inside the house,
closely followed by Tottie and Teddy.</p>
<p>"You can wear your roller skates," said mother, "and
Teddy can put on his and go with you, if he wishes."</p>
<p>In a few minutes the skates were strapped on each impatient
little foot, and mother's darling messengers were
gliding down the front walk.</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<h3><SPAN name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II</SPAN></h3>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"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!"</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>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!</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i006.png" width-obs="274" height-obs="352" alt="Tessie on the ground surrounded by smashed eggs; Teddy behind" /> <span class="caption"><i>Crash! There Were Scrambled Eggs All Over the Walk.</i></span></div>
<p>Tessie turned a frightened glance towards Teddy who
just came up.</p>
<p>"O dear me! How shall I ever explain to mother?"
cried poor little Tessie.</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<h3><SPAN name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III</SPAN></h3>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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!"</p>
<p>Pussy looked up out of the corners of her blinky green
eyes but said nothing.</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i007.png" width-obs="408" height-obs="451" alt="Tess and the kitten" /> <span class="caption"><i>Tess Was Telling Her Little Kitten What Mother Had Said.</i></span></div>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"I do believe," exclaimed Tessie, "that she is going to
try to bring down some eggs from the robin's nest."</p>
<p>"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?"</p>
<p>"Well, I don't believe pussy knows it," answered Tessie,
"for there she is now looking into the nest—how disappointed
she'll be!"</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<h3><SPAN name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV</SPAN></h3>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i008.png" width-obs="302" height-obs="318" alt="Tessie trying to button Tottie up" /> <span class="caption">"<i>Goodness Me, Tottie, Why Don't You Fasten the Button!</i>"</span></div>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"Pussy never has to bother with buttons," said Tessie,
looking over at Tottie, and smiling.</p>
<p>"No," answered Tottie, "'cause she has only fur."</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<h3><SPAN name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V</SPAN></h3>
<p>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."</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i009.png" width-obs="321" height-obs="283" alt="Tottie in the bath" /> <span class="caption"><i>It Was Lots of Fun in the Big Round Tin Tub.</i></span></div>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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!</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<div class='center'> <table class="toe" summary="toe">
<tr><td align='left'><br/><br/><br/>
<div class='poem'>
<SPAN name="MR_BIG_TOE" id="MR_BIG_TOE"></SPAN>Mr. Big Toe<br/>
Is a rogue, do you know<br/>
He tries to poke through<br/>
The tip of Ted's shoe?<br/>
And always, it's shocking.<br/>
He's half through his stocking!<br/></div>
<br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/></td>
</tr></table></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="TOO-WIT_TOO-WOO_AND" id="TOO-WIT_TOO-WOO_AND">TOO-WIT, TOO-WOO AND HIS OWL FAMILY</SPAN></h2>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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:</p>
<div class='poem'>
"<i>How happy I am<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">In the forest so deep;</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">I sing and I play</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">While other folks sleep!"</span></i><br/></div>
<p>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:</p>
<div class='poem'>
"<i>All thro' the night<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">I sing and I play,</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">While other folk do</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Just the opposite way!"</span></i><br/></div>
<p>T'wit was so surprised that he almost fell off the limb on
which he sat, winking and blinking in the early twilight.</p>
<p>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?"</p>
<p>Presently Mr. Too-Wit flew off for his evening flutter,
and both his small sons followed, while Mrs. Too-Wit went
inside the house.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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."</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>The next afternoon Little Indian and Too-Wit went to
see two funny little Frogs who lived in the lake.</p>
<p>"Look," said Little Indian to Too-Wit. "Aren't they
cunning?"</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"Hello, hullo, Too-woo!" cried Too-Wit.</p>
<p>Freddie jumped up so quickly that the lily-pad tilted to
one side, and overboard went Fannie Frog with a splash.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i011.png" width-obs="353" height-obs="251" alt="Frog offering Lady Frog a flower" /></div>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"Oh, where's my parasol?" screamed Fannie. "Oh,
dear! oh, dear! there it is, 'way out of my reach!"</p>
<p>Little Indian leaned over the bank and picked up the lily.</p>
<p>"Oh, thank you!" said Fannie, now smiling again;
"thank you so much!"</p>
<p>"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!"</p>
<p>Just then a breeze sprang up, and away drifted the lily-pad
with Freddie and Fannie.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>Then Too-Wit, Too-Woo said good-by, and flew back
to his home in the forest.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="COME_LITTLE_PUSSY_CAT" id="COME_LITTLE_PUSSY_CAT">COME, LITTLE PUSSY CAT!</SPAN></h2>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i012.png" width-obs="321" height-obs="390" alt="Lady talking to pussy cat" /></div>
<div class='poem'>
"Come, little Pussy Cat, let us go<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">To see a pussy cat movie show.</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Shaggy Angoras and kittens white,</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Big Tom Cats as black as night,</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">And nice old Tabby Cats drinking tea,</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Oh, the Pussy Cat Show is the one to see."</span><br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="JIMMY_SAVES_HIS_TEDDY" id="JIMMY_SAVES_HIS_TEDDY">JIMMY SAVES HIS TEDDY BEAR</SPAN></h2>
<p>"Clang, clang!" went the bell on the fire engine, and
the whistle blew fiercely as the wheels rumbled along over
the pavement.</p>
<p>Tommy ran across to the nursery window and pressed
his face against the pane.</p>
<p>"Nurse, nurse!" he called out. "The engine has stopped
just across the way. Why, it's at Jimmy Watson's."</p>
<p>Margaret, the nurse, looked out. "Why, so it is, dearie
me!" she cried. "Just see the smoke."</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"I guess Jimmy's room is all burning up," said Tommy.
"Just see the smoke going out of his window."</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"Dearie me!" said Nurse Margaret, "I'm afraid the house
will be all burned up."</p>
<p>"Well," replied Tommy, "there's one thing to be thankful
for, Jimmy has saved his Teddy bear."</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i013.png" width-obs="323" height-obs="86" alt="Jimmy and his bear" /></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<div class="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="">
<tr><td align="left"><ANTIMG src="images/i014a.png" width-obs="82" height-obs="76" alt="Butterfly" />
</td><td align="left">"<i>Will you come into my auto?"<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Said the spider to the fly.</span><br/>
"There is room in my Web-tonneau<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And I'll join you by and by."</span></i><br/>
</td></tr>
</table></div>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i014b.png" width-obs="600" height-obs="339" alt="Spider's car" /></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="DO_UNTO_OTHERS" id="DO_UNTO_OTHERS">"DO UNTO OTHERS"</SPAN></h2>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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."</p>
<p>"Let's give the poor blind man something, too," added
Marjorie, as she turned her bank upside down to get out
the money.</p>
<p>"And I'll give my other five-cent piece to the little boy
who was so kind to the blind man!" cried Phil.</p>
<p>When they returned both children were smiling happily.
"Did you see how glad the poor boy was to get the five
cents?" asked Phil.</p>
<p>"Yes," answered Marjorie, "and did you hear how gratefully
the blind man thanked me?"</p>
<p>But all that baby brother said was "Yum! Yum!" as he
sucked away on his pink and white peppermint stick!</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2>THE JOLLY JUNGLE FOLK</h2>
<div class='chaptertitle'><SPAN name="Mikey_Monk_Plays_Naughty_Pranks"></SPAN>Mikey Monk Plays Naughty Pranks</div>
<div class='poem'>
All The Jungle Folk were mad, every one was wild,<br/>
Everybody wore a scowl, not a creature smiled.<br/>
What was all this row about? Listen to what had<br/>
Happened in the Jungle to make them all so mad.<br/>
<br/>
Mikey Monk had climbed a tree. Who was Mikey Monk?<br/>
Mikey was a monkey and full of life and spunk;<br/>
Also full of naughty tricks, I am sad to say,<br/>
That is why the Jungle Folks are so mad to-day.<br/>
<br/>
Up a tree had Mikey climbed, clear up to the top,<br/>
Then he threw some cocoanuts, threw them down ker-flop.<br/>
Charlie Crocodile got mad, so did George Giraffe,<br/>
And they both grew angrier when they heard his laugh.<br/>
<br/>
Harry Hippopotamus happened to come near;<br/>
Suddenly a cocoanut whistled by his ear.<br/>
He had hardly time to wink when another shot<br/>
Made him think he'd better not linger in that spot.<br/>
<br/>
Tommy Tiger came along on his stealthy toes;<br/>
Suddenly a cocoa ball barely grazed his nose.<br/>
Oscar Ostrich sauntered by as a nut came down;<br/>
"Goodness, what was that?" he squawked, with an angry frown.<br/>
<br/>
Harry Hippopotamus looked around and said,<br/>
"Don't you think there's something queer happening overhead?<br/>
It is rather difficult," he added, with a sigh,<br/>
"Finding out why cocoanuts are raining from the sky!<br/>
<br/>
"Say, why don't you fellows ascertain the cause?<br/>
Where is a Policeman to enforce the laws?<br/>
Oscar Ostrich, won't you go—for you are so fleet—<br/>
See if you can run across a Copper on his beat?"<br/>
<br/>
Sure enough, in half a wink back again he came<br/>
With a big Policeman, Eddie Elephant by name.<br/>
"What is this disturbance? Move along!" he said.<br/>
Suddenly his helmet tumbled off his head.<br/>
<br/>
"Who did that?" he shouted, when another nut<br/>
Whistled by his ivories, hit him on the foot.<br/>
With his trunk he grabbed the tree, gave some mighty heaves,<br/>
My! what a commotion up amongst the leaves.<br/>
<br/>
Then he butted all his might with his great big head.<br/>
"Break it up in kindling wood!" Tommy Tiger said.<br/>
Back and forth the tall tree swayed with a swishing sound,<br/>
Then a little scream was heard, something bumped to the ground.<br/>
<br/>
Mikey Monk had lost his grip; on the ground he lay.<br/>
All the animals rushed in, pounced upon their prey.<br/>
"Break away!" the Copper said, "I arrest him now.<br/>
I will lock him up at once; we will show him how<br/>
<br/>
"To obey the Jungle Laws. He won't sleep a wink<br/>
After he has been to Court. He'll have time to think<br/>
In the Jungle Jail how bad he has been to-day.<br/>
After he gets out again he won't disobey."<br/>
<br/>
Over Tommy Tiger's head then he thrust his trunk;<br/>
By the ear he grabbed a hold of naughty Mikey Monk.<br/>
All the jungle populace joined in the parade.<br/>
Mikey Monk was crying—he was now afraid.<br/>
<br/>
"Let me go!" he cried and sobbed, "and I'll promise you<br/>
Never more a naughty thing will I ever do."<br/>
But the big Policeman just kept straight ahead.<br/>
Did not even answer him; only shook his head.<br/>
<br/>
At King Lion's Court at last stopped the big parade,<br/>
And before the King of Beasts Mikey was arrayed.<br/>
Very stern the Lion looked at the grave complaint,<br/>
Though of course he must have known Mikey was no saint.<br/>
<br/>
When the Cop had finished Mikey held his breath,<br/>
He was all a-tremble; almost scared to death.<br/>
All the angry animals shouted, "Do not fail<br/>
To commit this Monkey to the Jungle Jail!"<br/>
<br/>
"As you wish," King Lion answered with a roar.<br/>
Then they slipped the handcuffs over Mikey's paw<br/>
And Policeman Elephant took poor Mike away<br/>
To the Jungle Lockup, where he had to stay.<br/>
<br/>
Till the Jungle Animals thought that just about<br/>
Punishment enough he'd had! then they let him go;<br/>
And no better monkey after this than he<br/>
In the Jolly Jungle ever climbed a tree<br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="LITTLE_BOY_BLUE" id="LITTLE_BOY_BLUE">LITTLE BOY BLUE</SPAN></h2>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i015.png" width-obs="326" height-obs="427" alt="Pretty lady walking by a gate" /></div>
<div class='poem'>
Little Boy Blue, where have you gone?<br/>
The cows are eating the tall green corn.<br/>
Drive them away or Farmer Lane<br/>
Will give you a beating with his cane.<br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="MASTER_SPARROWS" id="MASTER_SPARROWS">MASTER SPARROW'S BREAKFAST</SPAN></h2>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>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?"</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>"Open the window gently," said Mother, "and throw out
the crumbs, and we will see what Master Sparrow will do."</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="TRANSPLANTING_THE" id="TRANSPLANTING_THE">TRANSPLANTING THE FLOWERS</SPAN></h2>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i016.png" width-obs="312" height-obs="72" alt="garden" /></div>
<p>"Oh, see that wagon full of flowers. I wish we could
get some," cried Bertie to sister Phillis.</p>
<p>"I'll ask Mother," replied Phillis; "she said the other
day that we might buy flowers for our garden."</p>
<p>"Good," said Bertie, "where's my bank?"</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"Look, Mother," said Phillis, "Bertie has two geraniums
and one lily, and I have three tulips."</p>
<p>"They are very pretty," said Mother; "be careful how
you handle these frail little plants. By-and-by they will be
stronger."</p>
<p>Then she helped take them out of the pots and place
them carefully in the earth.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2>LITTLE SIR CAT</h2>
<div class='chaptertitle'><SPAN name="Little_Sir_Cat_Helps_Piggie"></SPAN>Little Sir Cat Helps Piggie</div>
<p>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:</p>
<div class='poem'>
"<i>Last Saturday night a week ago<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">I went to the city to see a fine show.</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">And Sunday morning, just for a lark,</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">I chased a gray squirrel all over the Park!"</span></i><br/></div>
<div class='unindent'>and then he grinned like a cousin of his from Cheshire, and
climbed down the tree.</div>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i017.png" width-obs="343" height-obs="382" alt="Sir Cat talking to a pig" /> <span class="caption">LITTLE SIR CAT HELPS PIGGIE</span></div>
<p>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:</p>
<div class='poem'>
"<i>Oh, how brave is Little Sir Cat!<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">We like the feather in his hat,</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">But more than that we like the way</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">He saved our Mother Bird to-day!"</span></i><br/></div>
<div class='unindent'>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.</div>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>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:</p>
<div class='poem'>
"<i>Big 'A' and little 'B'<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Went a-sailing on the 'C.'"</span></i><br/></div>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>"He, he!" laughed little Piggie Porker, "that <i>was</i> a queer
place."</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>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:</p>
<p>"Come out of your castle!"</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"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, <i>unless</i></p>
<div class='poem'>
<i>The little mouse in the pantry<br/>
Catches my Tabby Cat,<br/>
And my little yellow canary<br/>
Runs away with a high silk hat.</i><br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="AS_I_WAS_GOING_UP" id="AS_I_WAS_GOING_UP">AS I WAS GOING UP MURRAY HILL</SPAN></h2>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i018.png" width-obs="314" height-obs="399" alt="Boy and girl sitting on a hill" /></div>
<div class='poem'>
As I was going up Murray Hill,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Murray Hill was dirty;</span><br/>
There I met a pretty Miss,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Very trim and perty.</span><br/>
<br/>
"Little Miss, pretty Miss,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">If I had a trillion</span><br/>
I would wed you, but, alas!<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">I only have a million!"</span><br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="SANTAS_LETTER" id="SANTAS_LETTER">SANTA'S LETTER FROM DOT</SPAN></h2>
<div class='poem'>
Dear Santa Claus, I hope that you<br/>
Will find it easy to get through<br/>
Our chimney, 'cause if you should stick<br/>
Up there where all the smoke is thick,<br/>
<br/>
What would we do, and what would you,<br/>
For goodness sakes, what would you do?<br/>
So if you find it is not wise<br/>
Enough for you to safely slide<br/>
<br/>
Down to our room without mistake,<br/>
The attic window you must take.<br/>
It's quite close to the chimney, too,<br/>
And big enough, I know, for you.<br/>
<br/>
I'll creep up there the day before<br/>
And leave unlocked the attic door;<br/>
And if I can I'll open, too,<br/>
The window so you can get through<br/>
<br/>
Without the leastest bit of fuss<br/>
With all the presents you've for us.<br/>
I don't see how you'll tell apart<br/>
Our stockings, so you'd better start<br/>
<br/>
With mine; it's close up to the clock;<br/>
The next is father's silken sock;<br/>
The others all are just like mine,<br/>
'Cept Jimmy's—his is tied with twine.<br/>
<br/>
I want a doll with violet eyes<br/>
Who, when you squeeze her, "Mamma!" cries;<br/>
And little baby carriage, too,<br/>
With pillows and a cover blue;<br/>
<br/>
Some candy and a china set<br/>
Of teacups for my dolly pet.<br/>
Jim wants a ball, a mask and bat,<br/>
A soldier suit, a gun and hat,<br/>
<br/>
Some candy and a picture book<br/>
For rainy days at which to look.<br/>
Mother says she'll write to you,<br/>
And father says that he will, too.<br/>
<br/>
Now, please remember what I've said<br/>
About the attic overhead;<br/>
The window which I'll leave for you<br/>
Wide open so you can get through;<br/>
<br/>
And whose each stocking is, and where,<br/>
When you come creeping down the stair,<br/>
Good-by, dear Santa Claus, I've wrote<br/>
All I can think of in this note.<br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="THE_ANGELS_SONG" id="THE_ANGELS_SONG">THE ANGELS' SONG</SPAN></h2>
<div class='poem'>
"Hark!" the herald angels cry<br/>
Leaning from the starry sky,<br/>
"In a manger Christmas morn<br/>
Christ the baby King is born!"<br/>
<br/>
Near Him stand the lowly kine,<br/>
O'er her little babe divine<br/>
Mother Mary bends her face<br/>
Full of wonder, tender grace.<br/>
<br/>
Kneeling are the Wise Men Three,<br/>
Silent in humility.<br/>
In the humble wooden stall<br/>
Sleeps the baby King of all.<br/>
<br/>
On the straw that warms His bed<br/>
Shines the halo 'round His head,<br/>
Like a little candle's light<br/>
Making all the stable bright.<br/>
<br/>
Hark! the dewy Heavens ring<br/>
With the song the Angels sing,<br/>
"In a manger Christmas morn<br/>
Christ the baby King is born!"<br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="THE_LITTLE_RAG_A_MUFFINS"></SPAN>THE LITTLE RAG-A-MUFFINS</h2>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i019.png" width-obs="313" height-obs="87" alt="Two children sitting at a table by a window with bookshelves in either side" /></div>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>"That's a fine idea," said Susan. "We can use your
water colors to paint our faces."</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>The Browns were very grateful and Bobby, Billy and
Susan were very happy to think that they had done it all
themselves.</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i020.png" width-obs="174" height-obs="117" alt="Two Chldren walking carrying packages" /></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i021.jpg" width-obs="465" height-obs="600" alt="HICKORY, DICKORY, DOCK PUB. BY NAT. ART CO., N. Y." /></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2>LITTLE SIR CAT</h2>
<div class='chaptertitle'><SPAN name="Little_Sir_Cat_Visits_Mrs_Porker"></SPAN>Little Sir Cat Visits Mrs. Porker</div>
<p>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:</p>
<div class='poem'>
"<i>Who wants to buy some nice fresh eggs<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Laid by a hen with yellow legs,</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Yellow legs and a bright red comb,</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">In a little round nest in my own dear home?"</span></i><br/></div>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i022.png" width-obs="344" height-obs="357" alt="Sir Cat visiting Mrs. Porker and children" /> <span class="caption">LITTLE SIR CAT VISITS MRS. PORKER</span></div>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"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:</p>
<div class='poem'>
"<i>Oh, I'm the bird as you all have heard<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Who fights for the U. S. A.</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">I love the stars on our beautiful flag</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">As I watch it wave from my lonely crag,</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">And I give a screech that is heard afar,</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Three cheers for every silver star,</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">And the bands of red and white and blue,</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">And the soldier boys who are brave and true,</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">And the sailor lads on the deep wide sea,</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Oh, the U. S. A. is the land for me!"</span></i><br/></div>
<p>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."</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<div class='poem'>
<i>On another page of this jolly book,<br/>
If you just turn over the pages and look,<br/>
You'll find a story about Sir Cat<br/>
And the Cow that jumped over the Moon Man's Hat.</i><br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<div class='center'> <table class="Dobbin" summary="Dobbin">
<tr><td align='left'><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/> <br/>
<div class='poem3'><SPAN name="Dobbin" id="Dobbin"></SPAN>
Dobbin has an iron shoe<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">On each of his feet, so you</span><br/>
Can see it's hard for him to go<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Anything but very slow.</span><br/></div>
<br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/></td>
</tr></table></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="Ten_Little_Boy_Scouts" id="Ten_Little_Boy_Scouts">Ten Little Boy Scouts</SPAN></h2>
<div class='poem'>
One little Boy Scout beating a tat-too;<br/>
A little comrade heard the call—then there were two.<br/>
<br/>
Two little Boy Scouts climbing up a tree;<br/>
Along came another one—then there were three.<br/>
<br/>
Three little Boy Scouts standing by the door;<br/>
Running out they met a Scout—then there were four.<br/>
<br/>
Four little Boy Scouts in the water dive;<br/>
Another one swam up to them—then there were five.<br/>
<br/>
Five little Boy Scouts doing lots of tricks;<br/>
Their captain called out, "Shoulder arms!"—then there were six.<br/>
<br/>
Six little Boy Scouts looking up to heaven;<br/>
An airship brought another down—then there were seven.<br/>
<br/>
Seven little Boy Scouts got to school quite late;<br/>
They found a scholar in the room—then there were eight.<br/>
<br/>
Eight little Boy Scouts dressed up very fine;<br/>
They caught a little ragged one—then there were nine.<br/>
<br/>
Nine little Boy Scouts chased a speckled hen;<br/>
They bumped into another Scout—then there were ten.<br/>
<br/>
Ten little Boy Scouts yelling "Hip, hurrah!"<br/>
This is all there is to tell—these are all there are!<br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="THE_LITTLE" id="THE_LITTLE">THE LITTLE GREEN LADY FROG</SPAN></h2>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i024.png" width-obs="244" height-obs="76" alt="Sun, earth, moon and stars" /></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="THE_PRINCESS_LIL" id="THE_PRINCESS_LIL">THE PRINCESS LIL</SPAN></h2>
<p>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.</p>
<p>Presently she heard the honk, honk of chauffeur Billy
Bullfrog's horn, and in another moment the turtlemobile
swung around the tall sedge grass.</p>
<p>"You're late," she said, as she took her seat.</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>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.</p>
<div class='poem'>
"<i>Gently the wind of the dewy night blows,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Over the quivering stream;</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">While children are sleeping, the fairies are peeping,</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Singing to them a dream.</span></i><br/>
<br/>
"<i>Over and over, from daisy and clover,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">From all of the sweet flower throng,</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">The fairies are swinging and drowsily singing,</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">A sweet little hush-a-by song."</span></i><br/></div>
<p>"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!'</p>
<p>"Good night, sweet moon!" she cried, as she paused before
the portal of her lily castle, "good night, sweet moon!"</p>
<p>And then the little fairy princess ran down the golden
staircase and disappeared in her pink and white chamber.</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<div class='center'> <table class="papa" summary="papa">
<tr><td align='left'><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/>
<div class='poem3'><SPAN name="Pussy" id="Pussy"></SPAN>
See the Papa Pussy go<br/>
Softly on his tippie-toe.<br/>
I don t think it's very nice<br/>
To catch the cunning little mice.<br/></div>
<br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/></td>
</tr></table></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="DOROTHYS" id="DOROTHYS">DOROTHY'S NEW ROLLER SKATES</SPAN></h2>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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!</p>
<p>"Mother, mother!" she called out, "come quick! Did
you or the fairies bring me these lovely new skates?"</p>
<p>Mother smiled. "Who do you think?" she asked, cuddling
her little daughter up close.</p>
<p>"I guess it was you, dear mother," answered the little
girl, with a grateful hug; "you're better than any fairy."</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>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."</p>
<p>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."</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="RAT-A-TAT-TAT_RAT-A-TAT-TAT" id="RAT-A-TAT-TAT_RAT-A-TAT-TAT">RAT-A-TAT-TAT, RAT-A-TAT-TAT</SPAN></h2>
<p>"Look! there go the soldiers," cried Mazie, leaning out
of the nursery window. "Jamie, come quick and see the real
soldiers."</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"Why, there's Harold Gray's papa!" said Mazie. "There
he is, Jamie, on that beautiful black horse."</p>
<p>The little boy clapped his hands. "Hurray!" he shouted;
"I wish my papa was a soldier."</p>
<p>"So do I," cried Mazie; "wouldn't father look fine on a
big horse?"</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2>LITTLE SIR CAT</h2>
<div class='chaptertitle'><SPAN name="Little_Sir_Cat_Sees_the_Cow_Jump_Over_the_Moon"></SPAN>Little Sir Cat Sees the Cow Jump Over
the Moon</div>
<p>One day as Little Sir Cat was riding along on his pony,
Dapple Gray, he met the Cow that jumped over the moon.</p>
<div class='poem'>
"<i>Come here to-night<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">When the moon is bright.</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">You'll hear a fine tune</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">When I jump o'er the moon."</span></i><br/></div>
<p>"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:</p>
<p>"Helloa, Muff. Have you spilt any snuff lately?"</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i026.png" width-obs="355" height-obs="462" alt="" /> <span class="caption">LITTLE SIR CAT SEES THE COW JUMP OVER THE MOON</span></div>
<p>"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.</p>
<div class='poem'>
<i>Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake,<br/>
Baker's man,<br/>
Bake me a doughnut<br/>
As fast as you can.</i><br/></div>
<p>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?"</p>
<p>"Nothing."</p>
<p>"What!" cried the Baker Man, in astonishment.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>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!"</p>
<p>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:</p>
<div class='poem'>
<i>We are the soldier birds of the air,<br/>
And we need no aeroplane,<br/>
For we can fly across the sky<br/>
In sunshine and in rain.<br/>
And if an enemy comes in view<br/>
With our bright sharp swords we'll cut him in two.</i><br/></div>
<p>"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.</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<div class='poem'><SPAN name="Jack_be_nimble"></SPAN>
<div class='cap'><i>Jack, be nimble!<br/>
Jack be quick!<br/>
Jack, jump over the candlestick!<br/>
Jack jumped when something struck his wheel,<br/>
For his candlestick was an automobile!</i><br/></div>
</div>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i027.png" width-obs="600" height-obs="392" alt="Jack driving a car made out of a candlestick; his feet in the air above him" /></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="ROCK-A-BYE_BABY" id="ROCK-A-BYE_BABY">ROCK-A-BYE BABY</SPAN></h2>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i028.png" width-obs="325" height-obs="285" alt="Tommy asleep" /></div>
<div class='poem'>
Some might call Tommy naughty<br/>
Because he sleeps too long,<br/>
But when you're fast asleep, I'm sure<br/>
You can't be doing wrong.<br/>
<br/>
Besides he's dreaming such good dreams<br/>
Of boys on time each day,<br/>
That never miss a day at school<br/>
Or straggle on the way.<br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="A_LITTLE_STORY_ABOUT" id="A_LITTLE_STORY_ABOUT">A LITTLE STORY ABOUT THE ROSES</SPAN></h2>
<p>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.'"</p>
<p>"Indeed!" replied the Hollyhock. "How lovely; I wish
a fairy would come through our garden."</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>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?"</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>"How interesting!" said the Hollyhock. "Where did
you learn all of these wonderful things?"</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>"How beautiful!" cried all the flowers. "Poets are like
us—for their poetry is the perfume of their souls."</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<div class='poem'>
Little Bo Peep had lost her sheep,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And didn't know where to find them;</span><br/>
But she turned them all to automobiles,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And now she rides behind them.</span><br/></div>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i029.png" width-obs="600" height-obs="458" alt="Bo Peep being driven in a car that looks like a sheep on wheels" /></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="A_LITTLE_BOYS_DREAM" id="A_LITTLE_BOYS_DREAM">A LITTLE BOY'S DREAM</SPAN></h2>
<div class='poem'>
If dreams were only real, just think<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">How happy I would be,</span><br/>
'Cause mostly all the heroes come<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And have a talk with me</span><br/>
When I'm asleep; if only they<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Would come when I'm awake,</span><br/>
I'd like to have my father give<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Their famous hands a shake.</span><br/>
I know I'll think that last night's dream<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Was best of all I've had,</span><br/>
For such a great, big gentleman<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Called out to me, "My lad,</span><br/>
Remember that to fight is brave,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But braver yet to be</span><br/>
A defender of the weak ones,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To set the captives free,</span><br/>
To preserve your country's honor,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And strive all wrongs to right."</span><br/>
I liked him best of all the men<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Who visit me at night.</span><br/>
His name is Abraham Lincoln,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The kindest of them all.</span><br/>
I only hope some other night<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">He'll make a longer call.</span><br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="RUTHS_THANKSGIVING" id="RUTHS_THANKSGIVING">RUTH'S THANKSGIVING DINNER</SPAN></h2>
<p>"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!"</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>"Yes, indeed," replied Ruth, "just see the fun they are
having."</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>"Don't they get any dinner?" she asked, turning to
Mother in surprise.</p>
<p>"Yes, but only a very poor one; no turkey, no nuts and
raisins."</p>
<p>"Mother," cried Ruth, "could I give my dinner to one
of these poor little children?"</p>
<p>"How do you mean?" Mother asked, delighted at the
generosity of her little daughter.</p>
<p>"Well," answered Ruth, suddenly realizing what she was
about to give up. "I mean, Mother dear, could I give <i>some</i>
of my dinner to that poor little boy over there by the lamp
post?"</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>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."</p>
<p>"Yes, Mother," answered Ruth with a smile, "some of
my very own dinner."</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="A_WELL-GROOMED_PUSSY" id="A_WELL-GROOMED_PUSSY">A WELL-GROOMED PUSSY</SPAN></h2>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i030.png" width-obs="316" height-obs="379" alt="Girl in smock combing cat's fur who is seated on a stool" /></div>
<div class='poem'>
Puss, come sit you on a chair<br/>
And I will brush your silken hair;<br/>
I'll so enhance its satin sheen<br/>
That of all cats you'll be the queen.<br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2>LITTLE SIR CAT</h2>
<div class='chaptertitle'><SPAN name="Little_Sir_Cat_Kills_the_Wolf"></SPAN>Little Sir Cat Kills the Wolf</div>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>"May I help you carry your basket?" he asked politely.</p>
<p>"Oh, dear!" screamed Little Red Riding Hood.</p>
<p>But when she saw Little Sir Cat, she said, with a sigh
of relief, "I thought you were the Big Gray Wolf!"</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"Come up, Kitten," she called down in a few minutes;
"Grandma, wants to see you. Hang your cap on the hat-rack."</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"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:</p>
<div class='poem'>
"<i>Look out for the Big Gray Wolf, my dears.<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">He has long sharp teeth and pointed ears,</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">And he roams through the forest dark and dim.</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Be careful you don't get caught by him!"</span></i><br/></div>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"Look," whispered Little Sir Cat, "there's the wolf."</p>
<p>"What shall we do?" sobbed Little Red Riding Hood.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i031.png" width-obs="345" height-obs="384" alt="Sir Cat killing the wolf with a sword" /> <span class="caption">LITTLE SIR CAT KILLS THE WOLF</span></div>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"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!"</p>
<p>And then Little Sir Cat once more set off to find his fortune,
and pretty soon you will hear something more about
him, if</p>
<div class='poem'>
<i>A little dog doesn't tie a can<br/>
On the tip of his waggy tail,<br/>
And a tiny minnow in the brook<br/>
Swallow a great big whale.</i><br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="TED_FINDS_THE_RING" id="TED_FINDS_THE_RING">TED FINDS THE RING</SPAN></h2>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<div class='center'> <table class="water" summary="water">
<tr><td align='left'><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/> <br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/> <br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/> <br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/>
<div class='poem'><SPAN name="Where_Does_the_Water_Go"></SPAN>
When Nursie puts me in my tub<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To make me clean and fit,</span><br/>
I wonder where the water goes<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">When I sit down on it.</span><br/></div>
<br/><br/><br/><br/><br/></td>
</tr></table></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="TOBYS_FRIEND" id="TOBYS_FRIEND">TOBY'S FRIEND</SPAN></h2>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"What is it, little girl?"</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>"Poor dog!" said mother. "Call James and tell him to
send the boys away and bring the dog inside."</p>
<p>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.</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i033.png" width-obs="171" height-obs="216" alt="Puppy" /></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="THE_LAZY_PINK_HEN" id="THE_LAZY_PINK_HEN">THE LAZY PINK HEN</SPAN></h2>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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:</p>
<p>"Snail, snail, come out of your hole, or else I'll beat you
as black as a coal!"</p>
<p>And the Sky-blue Rooster said to her:</p>
<p>"Twinkle, twinkle, little star!"</p>
<p>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.</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="THE_PROFITEER" id="THE_PROFITEER">THE PROFITEER</SPAN></h2>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i034.png" width-obs="320" height-obs="385" alt="Woman dancing with eggs flying out of her basket" /></div>
<div class='poem'>
I took some eggs to market<br/>
All on a summer's day.<br/>
I couldn't get high prices,<br/>
So I threw them all away.<br/>
<br/>
And then, my dears, how awful,<br/>
(Exactly as I feared)<br/>
The neighbors ran me out of town<br/>
Because I profiteered.<br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="The_First_Thanksgiving" id="The_First_Thanksgiving">The First Thanksgiving</SPAN></h2>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2>LITTLE SIR CAT</h2>
<div class='chaptertitle'><SPAN name="Little_Sir_Cat_Sees_Cinderella"></SPAN>Little Sir Cat Sees Cinderella</div>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"I'd like to have eaten one of those mice," thought Little
Sir Cat, "but it's too late now."</p>
<p>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.</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i035.png" width-obs="354" height-obs="396" alt="Sir Cat sees Cinderella and her carriage" /> <span class="caption">LITTLE SIR CAT SEES CINDERELLA</span></div>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"Looking for a place to sleep."</p>
<p>"Come right in," she answered, in a kind voice, and,
leaning out, helped tired little Puss over the windowsill.</p>
<p>"Take off your boots and make yourself comfortable,
while I get you a nice supper of cake and cream."</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"Good morning!" said Little Sir Cat.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>"Of course you shouldn't," he answered.</p>
<p>"Why, what do you know?" asked Cinderella.</p>
<p>"I saw you, but I won't tell," he added, as a frightened
look came over her pretty face. "Please give me some
breakfast."</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>And pretty soon—I'll tell you another story—unless—</p>
<div class='poem'>
<i>Tomorrow it rains dogs and cats<br/>
And ruins all the children's hats.</i><br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="A_LITTLE_GIRLS_DIARY_Monday" id="A_LITTLE_GIRLS_DIARY_Monday">A LITTLE GIRL'S DIARY</SPAN></h2>
<div class='chaptertitle'>Monday</div>
<div class='poem'>
<i>I love her on a Monday<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">When hanging out the clothes,</span><br/>
And I'm gunning for the blackbird<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">That dares trespass on her nose.</span></i><br/></div>
<p>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.</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2>THE JOLLY JUNGLE FOLK</h2>
<div class="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="Illustrations and poem">
<tr><td align="left" valign='top'><ANTIMG src="images/i036.png" width-obs="158" height-obs="562" alt="Elephant reading" />
</td><td align="left"><SPAN name="Tis_July_Fourth"></SPAN>'Tis July Fourth in Jungle Land,<br/>
And down the Forest's Emerald Strand<br/>
The animals in gay parade<br/>
March 'neath the big trees' leafy shade.<br/>
<br/>
With horn and trumpet, rattlers loud,<br/>
Which Rattle Snake has lent the crowd,<br/>
They make a noise that would compare<br/>
With a tornado anywhere.<br/>
<br/>
Our old friend Tommy Tiger grins,<br/>
As Mikey Monk some trick begins,<br/>
While Harry Hippopotamus<br/>
Says, "Don't you dare to make a fuss!"<br/>
<br/>
Then Oscar Ostrich says "How do!"<br/>
As Buster Bear comes into view;<br/>
I hope you have recovered quite—<br/>
Those Bumble Bees know how to bite!"<br/>
<br/>
"Forget it!" Buster growls with pluck,<br/>
"I haven't yet paid Doctor Duck!"<br/>
But seeing then their Lion Lord,<br/>
They all bow down with one accord.<br/>
<br/>King Leo, with his tawny mane,<br/>
Is sauntering down the Forest Lane,<br/>
In all his majesty and pride<br/>
His Ladyship close by his side.<br/>
<br/>
"It must be almost midnight now,"<br/>
Cries Mikey with a lowly bow;<br/>
"Will not your Royal Highness stay<br/>
And see the rockets glittering spray?"<br/>
<br/>
The Roman Candles shoot forth stars,<br/>
The rockets circle Jupe and Mars,<br/>
When suddenly across the sky<br/>
A big black cloud goes drifting by.<br/>
<br/>
It hides from view the silver moon,<br/>
The Jolly Junglers cease their tune;<br/>
A hush falls over leaf and root—<br/>
And then the Owl begins to hoot.<br/>
<br/>
Twelve times he toots his horn—<br/>
"Let's go to bed before the morn,"<br/>
King Leo cries, "This awful din<br/>
Has made my noodle fairly spin!"<br/>
<br/>
So all the Jolly Jungle Band<br/>
Go home to sleep at his command,<br/>
And all is quiet as a mouse<br/>
Within each Jolly Jungler's house.<br/></td><td align="left" valign='bottom'><ANTIMG src="images/i037.png" width-obs="160" height-obs="551" alt="Elephant and kangaroo" />
</td></tr>
</table></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="DUCKEY_DADDLES" id="DUCKEY_DADDLES">DUCKEY DADDLES</SPAN></h2>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"Quack! quack! hip! hurray!" cried Duckey Daddles,
flapping his wings. Then he jumped in, spattering water
all over Old Uncle Bullfrog.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i038.png" width-obs="156" height-obs="240" alt="Ducky and Frog" /></div>
<p>"Swim, you little side-wheeler!" shouted the boys, and
another stone fell uncomfortably near him.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i039.png" width-obs="488" height-obs="281" alt="Duck in pond" /></div>
<p>"Duckey Daddles, where have you been?" asked
Mamma Duck.</p>
<p>"Come over here!" cried his father, laying down the
Duckville "Evening Quack." "What has kept you out so
late?"</p>
<p>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."</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i040.png" width-obs="326" height-obs="271" alt="Ducky before his father" /></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="THE_COASTING_PARTY" id="THE_COASTING_PARTY">THE COASTING PARTY</SPAN></h2>
<div class="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="Illustrations and poem">
<tr><td align="right" valign='top'><ANTIMG src="images/i041.png" width-obs="177" height-obs="427" alt="Children coasting" />
</td><td align="left">The hill was fine for coasting,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The snow was well packed down,</span><br/>
And Sammy Black and Margie White,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And little Billy Brown,</span><br/>
<br/>
And also pretty Winnie Green<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And graceful Gertie Gray—</span><br/>
Now, please, my little readers,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Don't imagine what I say</span><br/>
<br/>
Means really that these boys and girls<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Were painted all this way;</span><br/>
If so, such colored children<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Would be a bit too gay!</span><br/>
<br/>
Their fathers' names were Mr. Black,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or Mr. White, or Mr. Brown;</span><br/>
And, funny, too, it was Greenville<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The name they called the town.</span><br/>
<br/>
Well, just as I was saying,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The coasting was immense,</span><br/>
And after school the boys and girls<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Were ready to commence.</span><br/>
<br/>
The sleds were in a big, long row,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">All tied together, too,</span><br/>
As Sammy Black lay down to steer<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The merry-making crew.</span><br/>
<br/>
He didn't seem to mind the wind<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">That o'er the snowdrifts blew,</span><br/>
That made his cheeks so bright and red,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">His stubby nose so blue!</span><br/>
<br/>
"Come on, you fellers; hurry up!<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Quick, girls, get on your sled!</span><br/>
And push against the other ones,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">I'm fixed to go ahead!"</span><br/>
<br/>
The last sled little Billy Brown<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Then pushed with all his might,</span><br/>
And down the hill the train of sleds<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Began its snowy flight.</span><br/>
<br/>
Such yells and cries! and "Hold on tight!<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Don't drag your feet! Keep still!</span><br/>
Don't lean so far upon the right,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or else we'll have a spill!"</span><br/>
<br/>
Each face was beaming with delight,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Each voice was loud and shrill,</span><br/>
The train was going all its might<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And nearly down the hill.</span><br/>
<br/>
Just as they reached the bottom,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The front sled gave a swing,</span><br/>
And plump into a big snowdrift<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">They went like anything!</span><br/>
<br/>
The Blacks were mixed up with the Whites,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The Browns on top of Green,</span><br/>
A sort of coast kaleidoscope,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">With sleds stuck in between.</span><br/>
<br/>
And when they all were sorted out,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">No easy thing to do,</span><br/>
They found that almost every boy<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And girl was black and blue!</span><br/>
</td><td align="left" valign='bottom'><ANTIMG src="images/i042.png" width-obs="145" height-obs="527" alt="Children coasting" />
</td></tr>
</table></div>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i042a.png" width-obs="250" height-obs="104" alt="boy on sled" /></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i043.jpg" width-obs="460" height-obs="600" alt="PETER, PETER, PUMPKIN EATER PUB. BY NAT. ART CO., N. Y." /></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i044.png" width-obs="600" height-obs="407" alt="Frog-shaped car" /></div>
<div class='poem'>
<SPAN name="A_frog_he_would_a_wooing_go"></SPAN>A frog he would a-wooing go<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">In a very stylish way,</span><br/>
So he bought a frogmobile, you know,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And the lady frog said "Yea!"</span><br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="THE_HOBBY_HORSE" id="THE_HOBBY_HORSE">THE HOBBY HORSE</SPAN></h2>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i045.png" width-obs="328" height-obs="382" alt="Cat riding a hobby horse" /></div>
<div class='poem'>
Pussy Cat, Pussy Cat on a fine horse<br/>
Is galloping off for Raspberry Cross.<br/>
When he gets there if he says "Please, Ma'am,"<br/>
A lady will give him some raspberry jam.<br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2>LITTLE SIR CAT</h2>
<div class='chaptertitle'><SPAN name="Little_Sir_Cat_Meets_The_Maiden_All_Forlorn"></SPAN>Little Sir Cat Meets "The Maiden All
Forlorn"</div>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>"Good morning, Miss," said Little Sir Cat, but for an
answer the maiden began to cry.</p>
<p>"Don't cry," he said, wiping the tears from her eyes, for
he was a very tender-hearted puss. "Don't cry."</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>"Did it tickle?" inquired Little Sir Cat.</p>
<p>"Tickle!" exclaimed the Maiden All Forlorn. "It
scratched! But where are you going?"</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i046.png" width-obs="343" height-obs="418" alt="Sir Cat standing by weeping maiden and cow" /> <span class="caption">LITTLE SIR CAT MEETS "THE MAIDEN ALL FORLORN"</span></div>
<p>"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.</p>
<div class='poem'>
"<i>Nobody, nobody cares for me,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">I feel as lonely as can be.</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">I'm a character in Mother Goose,</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">So I consider you've no excuse</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Not to speak a word to me,</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Piggie Porker, diddle dum dee."</span></i><br/></div>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>And maybe he will in the next story, unless—</p>
<div class='poem'>
<i>The big high church steeple<br/>
Falls down on the people.</i><br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<div class='center'> <table class="horner" summary="Jack Horner poem">
<tr><td align='left'><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/> <br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/> <br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/> <br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/>
<div class='poem'><SPAN name="Little_Jack_Horner"></SPAN>
Little Jack Horner sat in the<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 4em;">corner<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Of his father's candy shop.</span><br/>
He held in his thumb, not a<br/></span>
<span style="margin-left: 4em;">sugarplum.</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But a licious lolly-pop!</span><br/></div>
<br/><br/><br/><br/><br/></td>
</tr></table></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="How_Mister_Breeze_Saved" id="How_Mister_Breeze_Saved">How Mister Breeze Saved Marjorie's Easter Lily</SPAN></h2>
<p>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.</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i048.png" width-obs="300" height-obs="294" alt="Girl sitting on bench holding pot of lilies; bunny next to her" /></div>
<p>The little yellow chicken saw him, but he didn't say a
word to Marjorie; he just snuggled up under her arm.</p>
<p>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!</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>Marjorie gave a little scream when she saw what Mr.
Bunny had done, and then of course he scampered away.</p>
<p>"You naughty little rabbit," she cried, lifting up the half-eaten
leaf, "just see what you've done to my lily."</p>
<p>"If you had paid attention to me it wouldn't have happened,"
twittered the little sparrow. But of course Marjorie
didn't understand him.</p>
<p>"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!"</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<div class='poem'>
"<i><SPAN name="Mary_Mary_quite_contrary"></SPAN>Mary, Mary, quite contrary,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">How does your garden grow?"</span><br/>
"Oh, now that I have a car," she said,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"It grows twice as fast, you know."</span></i><br/></div>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i049.png" width-obs="600" height-obs="383" alt="Woman in bonnet driving car with flowers growing out of the engine" /></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="WHAT_TO_DO_AT_NIGHT" id="WHAT_TO_DO_AT_NIGHT">WHAT TO DO AT NIGHT</SPAN></h2>
<div class='poem'>
Outside my window in the tree<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The owl toots on his horn.</span><br/>
(It will be dark until the lark<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Comes singing in the dawn.)</span><br/>
<br/>
Above the sky one little star<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Looks down with friendly eye.</span><br/>
(Thro' all the night it won't be light<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Until the sun's on high.)</span><br/>
<br/>
It seems so long to wait to play<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">I've 'most forgotten how.</span><br/>
I guess I'll go to sleep and dream<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">About the fairies now!</span><br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="A_JOKE_ON_UNCLE_JIMMY" id="A_JOKE_ON_UNCLE_JIMMY">A JOKE ON UNCLE JIMMY</SPAN></h2>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>"I don't see just how," remarked May thoughtfully,
"unless it is so dark that Uncle Jimmy will almost run into
him."</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>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."</p>
<p>"You goose," said his sister, laughing; "how will you
manage that?"</p>
<p>"You just wait," said Jack, "I'll work out some sort of a
plan."</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>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!"</p>
<p>"All right," answered Uncle Jimmy, and with a rush
they all ran for the open door.</p>
<p>After kissing him mother turned to Jack and said:
"Goodness, what makes your face so red? Why, it's all
wet!"</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i050.png" width-obs="600" height-obs="417" alt="man driving car made out of a goose" /></div>
<div class='poem'>
<SPAN name="Goosey_goosey_gander"></SPAN>Goosey, goosey gander<br/>
Whither do you wander?<br/>
Of your winged motor car<br/>
Are you growing fonder?<br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2>LITTLE SIR CAT</h2>
<div class='chaptertitle'><SPAN name="Little_Sir_Cat_Saves_the_Pussy_from_the_Well"></SPAN>Little Sir Cat Saves the Pussy from the Well</div>
<div class='poem'>
"<i>Ding, dong bell,<br/>
Pussy's in the well!</i>"<br/></div>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>"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!"</p>
<p>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.</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i051.png" width-obs="344" height-obs="439" alt="Cat talking to people gathered at a well" /> <span class="caption">LITTLE SIR CAT SAVES THE PUSSY FROM THE WELL</span></div>
<p>"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!"</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>Wasn't that a wonderful little bird?</p>
<div class='poem'>
<i>Diddle Dum! Diddle Dum!<br/>
Went the little drum,<br/>
As Little Sir Cat marched off to war<br/>
Beating the drum sticks o'er and o'er.</i><br/></div>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>And pretty soon you will find another story—unless—</p>
<div class='poem'>
<i>The postman in the morning<br/>
Gives me a candy pill,<br/>
And the doctor sends me a valentine<br/>
Instead of a great big bill.</i><br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="A_LITTLE_GIRLS_DIARY_Tuesday" id="A_LITTLE_GIRLS_DIARY_Tuesday">A LITTLE GIRL'S DIARY</SPAN></h2>
<div class='chaptertitle'>Tuesday</div>
<div class='poem'>
<i>I love her on Tuesday<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">As she irons smooth and clean</span><br/>
Her little dolly's dresses<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">With the tucks and frills between.</span></i><br/></div>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="BILLY_LOVES_CANDY" id="BILLY_LOVES_CANDY">BILLY LOVES CANDY</SPAN></h2>
<p>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.</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="DICKS_VALENTINE" id="DICKS_VALENTINE">DICK'S VALENTINE</SPAN></h2>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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:</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>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."</p>
<p>Aunt Dorothy took the crumpled note and unfolded it
carefully. After a few minutes she managed to read the
scrawling letters:</p>
<div class='blockquot'><p>"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.</p>
<div class='sig'>
"<span class="smcap">Dick.</span>"<br/></div>
</div>
<p>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."</p>
<p>Mary led her down the hall.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>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?"</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>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."</p>
<p>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:</p>
<p>"Dick said there was angels that lived somewhere and
took care of folks. Are you one of them?"</p>
<p>"No, no, child," said Aunt Dorothy gently, "I am only
Aunt Dorothy. Go to sleep."</p>
<p>"Yes'm; but I do wish Dick was a valentine, too! It's
very cold in his box."</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i052.png" width-obs="318" height-obs="99" alt="five hearts and a ribbon" /></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="THE_ALPHABET" id="THE_ALPHABET">THE ALPHABET ANIMAL CIRCUS</SPAN></h2>
<p>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."</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i053.png" width-obs="322" height-obs="205" alt="alphabet lion" /></div>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i054.png" width-obs="169" height-obs="435" alt="alphabet hen and pig" /></div>
<p>"Hurrah!" cried Jamie, "you're the most wonderful alphabet
I ever saw!"</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i055.png" width-obs="158" height-obs="443" alt="circus owner in high silk hat" /></div>
<p>"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.</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i056.png" width-obs="344" height-obs="283" alt="Alphabet elephant" /></div>
<p>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.</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i057.png" width-obs="340" height-obs="393" alt="alphabet giraffe" /></div>
<p>"Oh, what fun!" cried Jamie. "I wonder what will happen
next?"</p>
<p>"Hello, my little man!" cried a voice close at hand. Jamie
looked around and there stood the Alphabet Clown smiling
at him.</p>
<p>"How do you do, Sir!" answered Jamie.</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i058.png" width-obs="113" height-obs="327" alt="alphabet clown" /></div>
<p>"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.</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i059a.png" width-obs="371" height-obs="225" alt="alphabet brothers" /></div>
<p>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.</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i059b.png" width-obs="308" height-obs="171" alt="alphabet rhinocerus" /></div>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i060a.png" width-obs="125" height-obs="214" alt="alphabet man on chair" /></div>
<p>"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!"</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i060b.png" width-obs="338" height-obs="202" alt="alphabet dog" /></div>
<p>"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.</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i061.png" width-obs="334" height-obs="249" alt="alphabet horse" /></div>
<p>"I wonder who he is?" thought Jamie.</p>
<p>"I'm the Lion Tamer," answered the man, as if reading
the little boy's thoughts.</p>
<p>"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?"</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i062.png" width-obs="157" height-obs="433" alt="alphabet lion tamer" /></div>
<p>"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.</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i063.png" width-obs="170" height-obs="441" alt="alphabet circus queen" /></div>
<p>"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.</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i064a.png" width-obs="325" height-obs="217" alt="alphabet cow" /></div>
<p>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.</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i064b.png" width-obs="162" height-obs="88" alt="alphabet small elephant" /></div>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i065.png" width-obs="344" height-obs="257" alt="alphabet camel" /></div>
<p>And Jamie was right, for the next instant there was no
little elephant, but instead, a quiet looking camel, with two
big humps.</p>
<p>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,</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i066.png" width-obs="213" height-obs="455" alt="alphabet man and sign" /></div>
<p>"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.</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i067a.png" width-obs="322" height-obs="176" alt="alphabet men crossing the Potomac" /></div>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i067b.png" width-obs="154" height-obs="198" alt="alphabet soldiers with flag" /></div>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i068.png" width-obs="152" height-obs="109" alt="alphabet Mother Goose" /></div>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"Wasn't it lucky I went to the circus with the "'Alphabet
Letters'?" he asked, and Mother said it certainly was.</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2>LITTLE SIR CAT</h2>
<div class='chaptertitle'><SPAN name="Little_Sir_Cat_Tries_to_Comfort_Bo"></SPAN>Little Sir Cat Tries to Comfort Bo-Peep</div>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i069.png" width-obs="348" height-obs="484" alt="" /> <span class="caption">LITTLE SIR CAT TRIES TO COMFORT BO-PEEP</span></div>
<p>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:</p>
<div class='poem'>
"<i>Cheer up, little comrade,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">And beat your little drum,</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">For nothing now shall hurt you</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Since I to you have come,</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">For I will bring you comfort,</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">So never, never fear.</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Cheer up, little comrade,</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">For help is very near."</span></i><br/></div>
<p>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."</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>"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"——</p>
<p>"Don't cry, I'll help you find them," said Little Sir Cat.</p>
<p>Well, they hadn't gone very far when they saw little
pieces of wool clinging to the bramble bushes.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<div class='poem'>
<i>Oh, Little Bo Peep<br/>
Has found her sheep<br/>
And now she'll take care to mind them.<br/>
No more will they roam,<br/>
For she'll lead them home<br/>
Bringing their tails behind them.</i><br/></div>
<p>And pretty soon you will find another story about Little
Sir Cat—</p>
<div class='poem'>
<i>Unless you lose this pretty book<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And cannot find it tho' you look</span><br/>
Inside the silver sugar bowl<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And down the cellar in the coal.</span></i><br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i070.jpg" width-obs="465" height-obs="600" alt="" /> <span class="caption">TOM, TOM, THE PIPER'S SON Pub. by Nat. Art Co., N. Y.</span></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="THE_LITTLE_WHITE_HOUSE" id="THE_LITTLE_WHITE_HOUSE">THE LITTLE WHITE HOUSE ON THE HILL</SPAN></h2>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"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?"</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>"Suppose we make believe the old mirror is a portrait,"
she said.</p>
<p>"And I'll make believe I'm naughty," added Billy. "It
will be the first time I've ever had to make believe!"</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"Come here!" she called, "come, see what I've found,"
and she held up a five-dollar gold piece before Madge's delighted
eyes.</p>
<p>"Oh, mother, darling!" screamed Madge, "where did it
come from?"</p>
<p>"What's the matter? Let me out!" yelled Billy from
the depths of the closet; "let me out! What's the matter?"</p>
<p>Madge rushed over to the closet, but in her excitement
found it difficult to turn the key.</p>
<p>"What's it all about?" cried Billy.</p>
<p>"Oh, Billy," gasped Madge, as she twisted and turned the
handle, "what do you think? Mother has found a five-dollar
gold piece!"</p>
<p>"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!"</p>
<p>"No, indeed, mother!" cried Madge, pinching the gold
piece, "it's as real as can be!"</p>
<p>"Let's all go down to the village and get the dinner
things," suggested Billy.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"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?"</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>"Just like a play," volunteered Billy, "with me as the
hero!"</p>
<p>"With Madge as the author," said mother.</p>
<p>"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!"</p>
<p>"No, indeed," laughed Madge, "you shall have the wishbone
for your reward, Mr. Hero Actor."</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="A_LITTLE_GIRLS_DIARY_Wednesday" id="A_LITTLE_GIRLS_DIARY_Wednesday">A LITTLE GIRL'S DIARY</SPAN></h2>
<div class='chaptertitle'>Wednesday</div>
<div class='poem'>
<i>I love her on a Wednesday<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">When she kneads the snowy dough,</span><br/>
For the dimples in her elbows<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Make such a pretty show.</span></i><br/></div>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<div class='poem'>
<i><SPAN name="The_Man_in_the_Moon"></SPAN>The Man in the Moon,<br/>
Came down too soon,<br/>
And asked his way to Norwich.<br/>
In his crescent machine,<br/>
Made of cheese so green,<br/>
He drove off after his porridge.</i><br/></div>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i071.png" width-obs="600" height-obs="413" alt="man in the moon driving crescent shaped car with stars all about it" /></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="HOW_JAMIE_PLAYED" id="HOW_JAMIE_PLAYED">HOW JAMIE PLAYED TROUBADOUR</SPAN></h2>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i072.png" width-obs="345" height-obs="486" alt="Girl looking out window with holly underneath the window" /></div>
<div class="figright"> <ANTIMG src="images/i073.png" width-obs="246" height-obs="415" alt="Jamie playiing violin" /></div>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"Why, Jamie," she cried, "are you
playing for money?"</p>
<p>"No," replied Jamie, quite indignantly,
"I'm playing for <i>you</i>."</p>
<p>"How lovely," answered Rosalie,
"and how beautifully you play!"</p>
<p>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!"</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="FRIENDS_OF_OURS" id="FRIENDS_OF_OURS">FRIENDS OF OURS</SPAN></h2>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i074.png" width-obs="325" height-obs="96" alt="row of cats" /></div>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="LITTLE_STORIES" id="LITTLE_STORIES">LITTLE STORIES OF FAMOUS ANIMALS</SPAN></h2>
<div class='chaptertitle'><SPAN name="How_a_Cow_Set_Fire_to_a_Big_City"></SPAN>How a Cow Set Fire to a Big City</div>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>So you see the people were not discouraged, although
Mrs. O'Leary's cow had burned up their beautiful city.</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<div class='center'> <table class="milky" summary="milky">
<tr><td align='left'><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/> <br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/> <br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/> <br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/>
<br/><br/>
<div class='poem'><SPAN name="THE_MILKY_WAY" id="THE_MILKY_WAY"></SPAN>
When nursey bids me drink my<br/>
milk<br/>
It gurgles down my throat<br/>
Just like the gurgle of the waves<br/>
Beneath a sailing boat.<br/></div>
<br/><br/><br/><br/><br/></td>
</tr></table></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i076.png" width-obs="414" height-obs="600" alt="childen on a sled" /></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="COASTING" id="COASTING">COASTING</SPAN></h2>
<div class='poem'>
Hip-hurrah! away they go<br/>
Gliding over the glittering snow,<br/>
Down the hill at a furious rate,<br/>
Over the lawn and out through the gate.<br/>
Jimmy in front is squeezed pretty tight,<br/>
But what does he care,—he's safe all right!<br/>
Billy, the motorman, guides the wheel<br/>
Which steers the sled on its runners of steel.<br/>
Flossie is cuddled up next to Bill,<br/>
And last on the sled is Sister Jill.<br/>
Hip-hurrah! as on they glide,<br/>
Isn't it lots of fun to slide?<br/>
Up again to the top of the hill<br/>
Dragging the sled for Motorman Bill.<br/>
Then once more they get into place,<br/>
All aboard! for another race.<br/>
What is more fun I'd like to know<br/>
Than coasting over the glittering snow.<br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="A_LITTLE_GIRLS_DIARY_Thursday" id="A_LITTLE_GIRLS_DIARY_Thursday">A LITTLE GIRL'S DIARY</SPAN></h2>
<div class='chaptertitle'>Thursday</div>
<div class='poem'>
<i>I love her on a Thursday<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">When she darns a gap that shows</span><br/>
In the sombre socks of Father<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or Brother's careless hose.</span></i><br/></div>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2>LITTLE SIR CAT</h2>
<div class='chaptertitle'><SPAN name="Little_Sir_Cat_and_Mary_in_the_Garden"></SPAN>Little Sir Cat and Mary in the Garden</div>
<div class='poem'>
"<i>Mistress Mary, quite contrary,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">How does your garden grow?"</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Sang Little Sir Cat</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">As he doffed his hat</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">To the cockle-shells all in a row.</span></i><br/></div>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>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:</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i077.png" width-obs="340" height-obs="490" alt="" /> <span class="caption">LITTLE SIR CAT AND MARY IN THE GARDEN</span></div>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>And pretty soon you will find another story—unless—</p>
<div class='poem'>
<i>The friendly clock upon the wall<br/>
Should strike out three times playing ball.</i><br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="LILYS_CIRCUS" id="LILYS_CIRCUS">LILY'S CIRCUS</SPAN></h2>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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."</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>One morning Lily rushed into the house calling out:</p>
<p>"Mama, mama, here's a circus! Come and see! It's
right outside the door!"</p>
<p>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."</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="A_LITTLE_GIRLS_DIARY_Friday" id="A_LITTLE_GIRLS_DIARY_Friday">A LITTLE GIRL'S DIARY</SPAN></h2>
<div class='chaptertitle'><br/>Friday</div>
<div class='poem'>
<i>I love her on a Friday<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">When the house is upside down</span><br/>
And her golden hair is muffled<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">In a twisted turban brown.</span></i><br/></div>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="LILY_AND_THE_PAPOOSE" id="LILY_AND_THE_PAPOOSE">LILY AND THE PAPOOSE</SPAN></h2>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>"What is 'Annuity'?" asked Lily. "Is it Indian for
birthday?"</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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:</p>
<p>"Washta papoose! Washta papoose!" (Pretty child!
Pretty child!) and held out his hand, saying: "Howe-howe?"
(How do you do?)</p>
<p>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."</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"Is that a real, live baby, ma'am, or a doll you keep for
your little girl?" asked Lily very politely.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>What a scream! Even the dignified chiefs turned their
plumed heads to find out what the cause of the noise
could be.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<div class='poem'>
<i><SPAN name="There_was_an_old_woman"></SPAN>There was an old woman<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Who lived in a shoe,</span><br/>
She had so many children<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">She didn't know what to do.</span><br/>
But she mounted the shoe<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">On a big motor car,</span><br/>
And now there is room<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For them all without jar.</span></i><br/></div>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i078.png" width-obs="600" height-obs="400" alt="chauffrer driving woman and chldren in shoe" /></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2>LITTLE SIR CAT</h2>
<div class='chaptertitle'><SPAN name="Little_Sir_Cat_Meets_Jack_and_Jill"></SPAN>Little Sir Cat Meets Jack and Jill</div>
<div class='poem'>
<i>Jack and Jill<br/>
Went up the hill<br/>
To fetch a pail of water.<br/>
Jack fell down<br/>
And broke his crown,<br/>
And Jill came tumbling after.</i><br/></div>
<p>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:</p>
<p>"Mother, come see a cat with red top boots!"</p>
<p>"Don't wait, children. Get me a pail of water, for father
will be home soon for dinner."</p>
<div class='poem'>
<i>So Jack and Jill<br/>
Went up the hill<br/>
But, oh, dear me, I hate to tell<br/>
They spilt the water when they fell.</i><br/></div>
<p>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.</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i079.png" width-obs="341" height-obs="505" alt="Cat and Jack and Jill" /> <span class="caption">LITTLE SIR CAT MEETS JACK AND JILL</span></div>
<p>"Come in," said the great big man. "You can sleep in
my fur cap—it will make you a fine bed."</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>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, <i>unless</i></p>
<div class='poem'>
<i>The Sun tomorrow morning<br/>
Should go upon a strike,<br/>
And want a penny extra<br/>
To do his daily hike!</i><br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="A_BELL_TALE" id="A_BELL_TALE">A BELL TALE</SPAN></h2>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i080.png" width-obs="309" height-obs="424" alt="bell tied to tail of ram" /></div>
<div class='poem'>
There was an old sheep<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">With a bell on his tail.</span><br/>
It rang with a clatter<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And clanged with a wail.</span><br/>
<br/>
Whenever that poor little sheep<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Hove in sight</span><br/>
The birds and the beasts<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Disappeared in a fright.</span><br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="HOW_A_TORTOISE" id="HOW_A_TORTOISE">HOW A TORTOISE KILLED A GREAT POET</SPAN></h2>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="EASTER_ON_A_FARM" id="EASTER_ON_A_FARM">EASTER ON A FARM</SPAN></h2>
<div class='chaptertitle'>Finding Eggs Is Much Fun, but Hiding Them
First Is More Fun</div>
<p>Easter was coming in a week and Donald, Elizabeth and
Ruth were going to invite their two cousins to an Easter
Egg Hunt.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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!</p>
<p>"Old Speckle and Rosy Comb wouldn't know what to
make of them now, would they?" remarked little Ruth.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>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."</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>"No one must hunt for his own eggs," said Donald.
"Then it will be fair for all. All ready!" and away they
went.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i081.png" width-obs="344" height-obs="125" alt="Three Easter eggs" /></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="WHEN_ROBIN" id="WHEN_ROBIN">WHEN ROBIN RED-BREAST ARRIVES</SPAN></h2>
<p>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!</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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?</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="AFTER_MOTHERS_SAID" id="AFTER_MOTHERS_SAID">AFTER MOTHER'S SAID GOOD NIGHT</SPAN></h2>
<div class='poem'>
When I'm in bed I feel so small,<br/>
And all the shadows seem so tall.<br/>
The little light out in the hall<br/>
A thin bright line throws on the wall;<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">It squeezes thro' the crack between</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">The half-closed door and nursery screen.</span><br/>
<br/>
And after I have said my prayer<br/>
And mother's footstep on the stair<br/>
Grows fainter, fainter, fainter, there<br/>
Creeps over me a sort of scare;<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">It prickles me from toe to head</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">And seems to wiggle all the bed.</span><br/>
<br/>
But if I cuddle down and keep<br/>
Real quiet, and don't kick my feet,<br/>
And have the clothes all smooth and neat,<br/>
Why, pretty soon I fall asleep;<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">And then the fairies from their glen</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Play with me till it's day again.</span><br/></div>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i081a.png" width-obs="423" height-obs="600" alt="Mother looking in" /></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2>LITTLE SIR CAT</h2>
<div class='chaptertitle'><SPAN name="The_Fire_Engine"></SPAN>The Fire-Engine</div>
<div class='poem'>
<i>Lady Bug, Lady Bug, fly away home;<br/>
Your house is on fire, your children are gone!</i><br/></div>
<p>Sang the little yellow bird whose name I shall tell you
some day when Little Sir Cat finishes his journey through
Mother Goose Country.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"Oh, save my children!" she cried.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i081b.png" width-obs="430" height-obs="600" alt="LIttle Sir Cat watdhing Fire Wagon go by" /> <span class="caption">THE FIRE ENGINE</span></div>
<p>"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?"</p>
<p>Then, quick as a wink, before the fire reached him, he
picked them all up and put them in his hat.</p>
<p>"Hurry, my brave fireman!" called the Mother Lady
Bug; "save my treasures."</p>
<p>And in less time than I can take to tell it, he carried them
out of danger.</p>
<p>Just then up came Dapple Gray, so Little Sir Cat said
good-by and rode away.</p>
<p>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?"</p>
<p>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—</p>
<div class='poem'>
<i>A giant goes down the street for a stroll,<br/>
And thinks a peppermint stick is a barber's pole.</i><br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i081c.png" width-obs="600" height-obs="402" alt="Woman driving a hill with a tree on it selling pies" /></div>
<div class='poem'>
<SPAN name="There_was_an_old_woman_lived_under_a_hill"></SPAN>There was an old woman lived under a hill<br/>
On auto'bile wheels that wouldn't stand still.<br/>
So she drove around selling her cranberry pies,—<br/>
And she's the old woman who never told lies.<br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="The_Little_Goose-Girl" id="The_Little_Goose-Girl">The Little Goose-Girl</SPAN></h2>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i082.jpg" width-obs="464" height-obs="600" alt="Goose girl in arched pasageway driving geese PUB. BY NAT. ART CO., N. Y." /></div>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="RISING_TIME" id="RISING_TIME">RISING TIME</SPAN></h2>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i083.png" width-obs="322" height-obs="357" alt="Cat in bed asleep, head on pillow under blanket" /></div>
<div class='poem'>
Pussy's asleep, and the little gray mouse<br/>
Is looking about the quiet house.<br/>
But oh, dear me! If Pussy should wake<br/>
The little mouse wouldn't get any cake.<br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="FEBRUARY" id="FEBRUARY">FEBRUARY</SPAN></h2>
<p>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?</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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."</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i084.png" width-obs="324" height-obs="76" alt="scenic decoration" /></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2>LITTLE STORIES OF FAMOUS ANIMALS</h2>
<div class='chaptertitle'><SPAN name="How_the_Geese_Saved_Rome"></SPAN>How the Geese Saved Rome</div>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="THE_CARNIVAL" id="THE_CARNIVAL">THE CARNIVAL</SPAN></h2>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>Let us hasten to our balcony, for here passes a band of
musicians, in scarlet and gold, to open the procession.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2>LITTLE STORIES OF FAMOUS ANIMALS</h2>
<div class='chaptertitle'><SPAN name="How_A_Spider_Saved_Scotland"></SPAN>How A Spider Saved Scotland</div>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2>LITTLE SIR CAT</h2>
<div class='chaptertitle'><SPAN name="Mother_Hubbard_finds_Little_Sir_Cat_at_Home"></SPAN>Mother Hubbard finds Little Sir Cat at Home</div>
<div class='poem'>
"<i>Old Mother Hubbard<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Went to the cupboard</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">To get her poor dog a bone,</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">But when she got there</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">The cupboard was bare,</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">And so the poor dog had none."</span></i><br/></div>
<p>"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:</p>
<div class='poem'>
"<i>I have a little husband<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">No bigger than my thumb,</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">So I put him in a bird cage</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">And keep him safe at home."</span></i><br/><br/></div>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i085.png" width-obs="349" height-obs="509" alt="Mother Hubbard looking at Sir Cat and the Dog" /> <span class="caption">MOTHER HUBBARD FINDS LITTLE SIR CAT AT HOME</span></div>
<p>"Why don't you bring him to the circus?" said Little
Sir Cat. "He'll make more money than in a bird cage."</p>
<p>"So he might," said the woman. "I will bring him
here this very day," and away she went as fast as she could.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"What! Are you old friends?" asked the woman,
stretching out her hand to take Tom Thumb.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>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!"</p>
<p>And pretty soon I'll tell you another story unless</p>
<div class='poem'>
<i>The Big Red Barn gets frisky<br/>
And jumps across the road,<br/>
And the buzzy, wuzzy horsefly<br/>
Eats up the little toad.</i><br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="MR_TURKEY_DECIDES_TO" id="MR_TURKEY_DECIDES_TO">MR. TURKEY DECIDES TO TAKE A DAY OFF</SPAN></h2>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i086.png" width-obs="308" height-obs="223" alt="Turkey wearing hat and waistcoat and smoking a cigar talking to a younger turkey" /></div>
<div class='poem'>
Said the great big Turkey Gobbler<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To the little Turkey Turk,</span><br/>
"I guess I'll stay at home today<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And not go down to work;</span><br/>
<br/>
"I have a sort of feeling<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">That it's wiser not to roam</span><br/>
And that it would be safer<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For me to stay at home."</span><br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="A_LITTLE_GIRLS_DIARY_Saturday" id="A_LITTLE_GIRLS_DIARY_Saturday">A LITTLE GIRL'S DIARY</SPAN></h2>
<div class='chaptertitle'>Saturday</div>
<div class='poem'>
<i>I love her on a Saturday<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">When she and Mother go</span><br/>
Together to a matinee<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or moving picture show.</span></i><br/></div>
<p>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?"</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2>LITTLE STORIES OF FAMOUS ANIMALS</h2>
<div class='chaptertitle'><SPAN name="How_A_Horse_Founded_A_City"></SPAN>How A Horse Founded A City</div>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>On Bucephalus and at the head of his army of 40,000
foot soldiers Alexander defeated Darius, with over 1,000,000
men.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>Alexander gave his noble horse a splendid burial and
founded a city on the battlefield, which he named in his
honor Bucephala.</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2>LITTLE SIR CAT</h2>
<div class='chaptertitle'><SPAN name="Little_Sir_Cat_Meets_Tom_the_Pipers_Son"></SPAN>Little Sir Cat Meets Tom, the Piper's Son</div>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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</p>
<div class='poem'>
<i>Little Johnny Curlytop<br/>
Sat in his father's shop.<br/>
In his thumb he held a plum<br/>
And a lollypop.</i><br/></div>
<p>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."</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i087.png" width-obs="353" height-obs="444" alt="Sir Cat sees Tom running off" /> <span class="caption">LITTLE SIR CAT MEETS TOM, THE PIPER'S SON</span></div>
<p>Well, just then, all of a sudden, a boy ran down the street
with a little pig under his arm.</p>
<div class='poem'>
"<i>Tom, Tom, the Piper's Son,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Stole a pig and away he run,"</span></i><br/></div>
<div class='unindent'>screamed a green poll parrot from her cage.</div>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>"Piggie what?" asked Tom, scratching his head.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>"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!"</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"I hope mother won't scold me for being away so long—I
hope she won't."</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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!"</p>
<div class='poem'>
<i>But just the same, dear children,<br/>
Remember to obey,<br/>
For you might be unlucky<br/>
And lose your homeward way.</i><br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="A_NEW_YEARS_PRAYER"></SPAN>A NEW YEAR'S PRAYER</h2>
<div class='poem'>
God grant that I the new year through<br/>
May strive with heart and soul to do<br/>
Those things which are most good and true.<br/>
<br/>
God grant that I each morning start<br/>
My duties with a cheerful heart,<br/>
And faithfully perform my part.<br/>
<br/>
To wear a smile all through the day,<br/>
To banish thoughts unkind away;<br/>
And when my bedtime comes, to pray.<br/>
<br/>
To say my prayers with folded hands<br/>
As night comes softly o'er the lands,<br/>
To Him, who always understands.<br/>
<br/>
And when the bells on New Year's dawn<br/>
Proclaim the bright New Year is born,<br/>
And I awake on New Year's morn,<br/>
<br/>
I pray Him whisper, low and sweet,<br/>
To help me guide my wayward feet,<br/>
Lest I forget my prayer to meet.<br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="THE_OLD_WOMAN_UNDER" id="THE_OLD_WOMAN_UNDER">THE OLD WOMAN UNDER THE HILL</SPAN></h2>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i088.png" width-obs="322" height-obs="420" alt="Old woman with shawl and BIG round skirt" /></div>
<div class='poem4'>
There was an old woman<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Lived under the hill,</span><br/>
And if she's not married<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">She's living there still.</span><br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="The_First_Christmas" id="The_First_Christmas">The First Christmas</SPAN></h2>
<p>Listen, dear littlest children, and you shall hear about
the very first Christmas Day.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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:</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>Suddenly a multitude of the heavenly host joined the
angel in singing praises to God.</p>
<div class='poem'>
"<i>Glory to God in the highest, and on earth<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Peace, good will toward men."</span></i><br/></div>
<p>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:</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i089.png" width-obs="148" height-obs="103" alt="Girls playing with dolls" /></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="PLANTING_A_PUSSY" id="PLANTING_A_PUSSY">PLANTING A PUSSY</SPAN></h2>
<p>Charlie was a little rogue, and Charlie's papa was a big
rogue; and two rogues together get into all sorts of mischief.</p>
<p>Charlie wanted a kitten, and one day when he was teasing
papa said carelessly:</p>
<p>"Plant old black Nig. I wouldn't wonder if she came
up sort of kittenish!"</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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!</p>
<p>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!</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2>LITTLE SIR CAT</h2>
<div class='chaptertitle'><SPAN name="Little_Sir_Cat_and_Little_Boy_Blue"></SPAN>Little Sir Cat and Little Boy Blue</div>
<div class='poem'>
"<i>Little Boy Blue,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Come blow your horn,</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Your cows are eating</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Farmer Green's corn,"</span></i><br/></div>
<div class='center'>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.</div>
<p>Goodness me! Dapple Gray was so startled that he stood
up on his hind legs and nearly upset his small rider.</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i090.png" width-obs="346" height-obs="440" alt="boy sitting at base of haystack talking to Sir Cat" /> <span class="caption">LITTLE SIR CAT AND LITTLE BOY BLUE</span></div>
<p>"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:</p>
<div class='poem'>
"<i>Old Mother Hubbard never goes to the cupboard<br/>
To get me a bone any more;<br/>
For she has an excuse, so what is the use?<br/>
She remembers what happened before.<br/>
So now we both go to a nice movie show,<br/>
And then to a restaurant fine,<br/>
Where we order a stew of giblets for two,<br/>
And the orchestra plays while we dine.</i>"<br/></div>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>Well, as soon as he saw Little Sir Cat, he gave a dreadful
loud croak and hopped out on the bank.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>"Of course not," answered Little Sir Cat. "Are you
really a frog, or an enchanted prince?" he asked, turning
to the Frog Prince.</p>
<p>And, would you believe it, the tears came to that poor
frog's eyes, as he answered:</p>
<p>"A wicked witch has cast a spell over me. I was once a
handsome prince."</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i091.png" width-obs="600" height-obs="400" alt="man driving woman in pumpkin-shaped car" /></div>
<div class='poem'>
<SPAN name="Peter_Peter_pumpkin_eater"></SPAN>Peter, Peter, pumpkin eater,<br/>
Had a wife and couldn't keep her;<br/>
He made a car of the pumpkin shell,<br/>
And there he kept her very well.<br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="MAY_DAY_FROLICS" id="MAY_DAY_FROLICS">MAY DAY FROLICS IN MERRY OLD ENGLAND</SPAN></h2>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i092.png" width-obs="171" height-obs="223" alt="children dancing around May-pole" /></div>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i093.jpg" width-obs="465" height-obs="600" alt="Jack jumping over candlestick PUB. BY NAT. ART CO., N. Y." /></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="THE_SPIDER_AND_THE_FLY" id="THE_SPIDER_AND_THE_FLY">THE SPIDER AND THE FLY</SPAN></h2>
<div class='poem'>
A big Black Spider was spinning away,<br/>
Spinning her lacey web all day;<br/>
And when she had finished it, close to the wall<br/>
She curled herself up in a round black ball.<br/>
<br/>
Lazily buzzing, buzzing away,<br/>
A little Blue Fly was buzzing all day.<br/>
Into the open window he flew<br/>
And close to the Spider's web he drew.<br/>
<br/>
"Oh, what a pretty piece of lace<br/>
Swinging away in the window space!"<br/>
The little Blue Fly remarked to himself,<br/>
As he carefully crawled on the narrow shelf.<br/>
<br/>
Then he brushed the dirt from his gauzy wing<br/>
And watched the spider web swing and swing.<br/>
Now this little Fly was a mischievous Fly,<br/>
And there wasn't a bit of green in his eye!<br/>
<br/>
So, as he watched it swing and swing,<br/>
He thought 'twould be fun to cut the string.<br/>
Then Mrs. Spider's hammock would fall<br/>
Down with a somersault off the wall.<br/>
<br/>
Creeping up to her hiding place,<br/>
He gave a pull on the flimsy lace.<br/>
Down one end of the hammock fell,<br/>
While the Big Black Spider gave a yell.<br/>
<br/>
Out thro' the window the little Fly flew;<br/>
'Twas safer out there for him, he knew.<br/>
And he said, as he winked his little blue eye:<br/>
"Good-by, Mrs. Spider; good-by, good-by!"<br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<div class='center'> <table class="bed" summary="bed">
<tr><td align='left'><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/> <br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/> <br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/>
<div class='poem5'>
<SPAN name="I_hate_to_go_to_bed_at_night"></SPAN>I hate to go to bed at night,<br/>
Or get up when again it's light—<br/>
It's funny that I love to do<br/>
'Most anything between these two.<br/></div>
<br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/></td>
</tr></table></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i095a.png" width-obs="496" height-obs="137" alt="three Easter eggs" /></div>
<h2><SPAN name="Bennies_Easter_Dream"></SPAN>Bennie's Easter Dream</h2>
<div class="figleft"> <ANTIMG src="images/i095b.png" width-obs="117" height-obs="294" alt="two Easter eggs" /></div>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"Come along!" he said. "I'm going to give
you a ride on my back."</p>
<p>In a few minutes Bennie had on his clothes and
tiptoeing down the stairs, they slipped out of the
front door.</p>
<p>"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:</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i095c.png" width-obs="486" height-obs="138" alt="three Easter eggs" /></div>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i096a.png" width-obs="490" height-obs="118" alt="three Easter eggs" /></div>
<div class="figright"> <ANTIMG src="images/i096b.png" width-obs="130" height-obs="296" alt="two Easter eggs" /></div>
<p>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:</p>
<div class='poem'>
<i>Cock-a-doodle doo!<br/>
You've got my egg of blue;<br/>
My yellow one, my purple one,<br/>
My little green one, too!</i><br/></div>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i096c.png" width-obs="492" height-obs="124" alt="three Easter eggs" /></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="A_LITTLE_GIRLS_DIARY_Sunday" id="A_LITTLE_GIRLS_DIARY_Sunday">A LITTLE GIRL'S DIARY</SPAN></h2>
<div class='chaptertitle'>Sunday</div>
<div class='poem'>
<i>I love her on a Sunday,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">As she goes to church with me,</span><br/>
With her little gilt-edged Bible<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Held close and reverently.</span></i><br/></div>
<p>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.</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2>LITTLE SIR CAT</h2>
<div class='chaptertitle'><SPAN name="Little_Sir_Cat_and_Dame_Trot"></SPAN>Little Sir Cat and Dame Trot</div>
<div class='poem'>
"<i>Little fishy in the brook,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Papa catch him with a hook,</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Mamma fry him in the pan,</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Johnny eat him like a man,"</span></i><br/></div>
<div class='unindent'>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.</div>
<p>"Of course," answered Dame Trot, "fish don't catch
themselves, unless they're playing tag in the pool."</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i097.png" width-obs="349" height-obs="342" alt="Cat sitting at a table with Dame Trot bringing in food" /> <span class="caption">LITTLE SIR CAT AND DAME TROT</span></div>
<p>"You can drop me a line," replied the fish with a swish
of his tail, "but I won't promise to bite."</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<div class='poem'>
"<i>If that's the case," replied the fish,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Giving his tail a shimmery swish,</span><br/>
"I'll go right home to Mrs. Trout<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And tell her it's safe for her to go out."</span></i><br/></div>
<p>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?"</p>
<p>"Oh, just traveling," he answered. "What have you
been doing?"</p>
<div class='poem'>
"<i>You remember the tramp all tattered and torn?<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Well, he made lots of money in cotton and corn.</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">So he bought me an automobile and a ring,</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">And the minister married us both in the spring,"</span></i><br/></div>
<div class='unindent'>she answered, taking the pink ribbon off her sun-bonnet and
tying it around Little Sir Cat's neck.</div>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>By-and-by Little Sir Cat met the Spider who frightened
Miss Muffet. She was busy spinning a big web and said to
him,</p>
<div class='poem'>
"<i>Please go 'way, don't bother me,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">For I'm as busy as can be."</span></i><br/></div>
<p>So you must wait for the next story to hear what happened
to Tommy Green, unless</p>
<div class='poem'>
<i>That little Black Spider<br/>
Puts salt in her cider.</i><br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="THE_LOST_PUSSY_CAT" id="THE_LOST_PUSSY_CAT">THE LOST PUSSY CAT</SPAN></h2>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i098.png" width-obs="318" height-obs="408" alt="Cat in striped dress with very full skirt and a bonnet" /></div>
<div class='poem'>
I've been waiting at the door<br/>
To see if pussy comes no more.<br/>
Yesterday he left the house<br/>
To go a-hunting for a mouse.<br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="ACROSS_THE_PRAIRIE" id="ACROSS_THE_PRAIRIE">ACROSS THE PRAIRIE!</SPAN></h2>
<p>'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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>Father and Uncle Billy made the fire and unhitched the
oxen and tethered the ponies.</p>
<p>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?</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>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."</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>"Where's Dick?" said his father, looking around anxiously.</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>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."</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i099.png" width-obs="400" height-obs="95" alt="outline of Indians on horseback" /></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2>LITTLE SIR CAT</h2>
<div class='chaptertitle'><SPAN name="Little_Sir_Cat_and_Tommy_Green"></SPAN>Little Sir Cat and Tommy Green</div>
<div class='poem'>
"<i>Please, Mister Cat, go ring the bell,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">I'm sure it won't be wrong.</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Perhaps my Mary will come out,</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">I've waited here so long,"</span></i><br/></div>
<div class='unindent'>said Mary's Little Lamb.</div>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i100.png" width-obs="341" height-obs="500" alt="LITTLE SIR CAT AND TOMMY GREEN: Sir Cat looking at a lamb in front of the schoolhouse" /></div>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>Well, goodness me. You should have seen that teacher
smile when Little Sir Cat called him "professor."</p>
<p>"This is certainly a lesson to you children," he said; "a
great lesson to be kind to all God's creatures."</p>
<p>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.</p>
<div class='poem'>
<i>Dear children, never be unkind<br/>
To small four-footed things.<br/>
Oh, never pinch a pussy's tail<br/>
Nor pull a poor fly's wings.<br/>
<br/>
And never tease your little dog,<br/>
With unkind act or word,<br/>
And never throw a cruel stone<br/>
At any little bird.</i><br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i101.png" width-obs="500" height-obs="648" alt="The trees poem" /></div>
<div class='poem'><SPAN name="The_Trees"></SPAN><br/>
I often think when Winter comes<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">How cold must be the trees;</span><br/>
More than in the Summer Time<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">They need their coats of leaves.</span><br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="THE_CANARY" id="THE_CANARY">THE CANARY</SPAN></h2>
<div class='poem'>
Canary Bird, Canary Bird,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">In your golden jail,</span><br/>
On your trapeze balancing<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">With your yellow tail,</span><br/>
<br/>
Don't you wish that you could fly<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Through the window pane</span><br/>
To the Robin Redbreast gay<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Singing in the lane?</span><br/>
<br/>
Where the apple trees in bloom<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Drop their petals white,</span><br/>
So you almost think it has<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Snowed 'most all the night?</span><br/>
<br/>
Would you love to see the nest<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Mrs. Robin's made,</span><br/>
And the eggs of china blue<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Which she just has laid?</span><br/>
<br/>
Don't you want to leave your cage?<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">See, the door is wide</span><br/>
Open and the window, too—<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">You can fly outside.</span><br/></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<div class="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="Turkeys and their poem">
<tr><td align="right" colspan='2'><ANTIMG src="images/i102a.png" width-obs="269" height-obs="120" alt="Two turkeys" /></td>
<td align="left" colspan='2'><ANTIMG src="images/i103a.png" width-obs="255" height-obs="99" alt="Two turkeys" />
</td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><ANTIMG src="images/i102b.png" width-obs="97" height-obs="123" alt="turkey" /></td>
<td align="left">
<i><SPAN name="See_the_turkey_gobbler_run"></SPAN>See the turkey gobbler run.<br/>
Guess he doesn't call it fun.<br/>
Don't you hope he gets away<br/>
Before it is Thanksgiving Day?</i><br/></td>
<td align="left"><i>Up and down the page he goes<br/>
On his long, thin pointed toes.<br/>
Now and then he gives a squawk—<br/>
That's the way a Turkey talks!</i><br/></td>
<td align="left"><ANTIMG src="images/i103b.png" width-obs="114" height-obs="103" alt="turkey" />
</td></tr>
<tr><td align="left" colspan='2'><ANTIMG src="images/i102c.png" width-obs="198" height-obs="122" alt="Two turkeys" />
</td>
<td align="right" colspan='2'><ANTIMG src="images/i103c.png" width-obs="257" height-obs="105" alt="Two turkeys" />
</td></tr>
</table></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2><SPAN name="THE_LAND_OF_NOWHERE" id="THE_LAND_OF_NOWHERE">THE LAND OF NOWHERE</SPAN></h2>
<p>Jack and Grace were in the nursery playing with their
toys, when suddenly they were startled by a tiny voice calling
out "Good-by!"</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>Just then something fluttered at their feet. Jack stooped
down and picked up a piece of paper on which was written:</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>"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?"</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"Isn't it lovely, Jack!" exclaimed Grace. "I'm so glad I
came!"</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>"Nowhere!" she answered.</p>
<p>"Don't you know where Nowhere is?"</p>
<p>"Well, not exactly," replied Jack. "I've often heard of
it, but I've never been there."</p>
<p>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?"</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>"Am I, dear?" said the Princess, looking at Grace with
a smile, "and why do you think so?"</p>
<p>"I never saw such wonderfully beautiful gold hair," exclaimed
Grace, admiringly, gradually getting over her bashfulness.</p>
<p>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."</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>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:</p>
<p>"Oh, dolly, I guess it was you I dreamed was the beautiful
Blue Princess!"</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i104.png" width-obs="308" height-obs="88" alt="Airplane flying" /></div>
<hr class="chap" />
<h2>LITTLE SIR CAT</h2>
<div class='chaptertitle'><SPAN name="Little_Sir_Cat_Visits_the_Old_Woman_Who_Lived_in_a_Shoe"></SPAN>Little Sir Cat Visits the Old Woman Who
Lived in a Shoe</div>
<div class='poem'>
<i>There was an Old Woman who lived in a shoe,<br/>
And it was a pity she didn't have two.<br/>
It was crowded so tight from the heel to the toe<br/>
The children were packed like sardines in a row.</i><br/></div>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i105.png" width-obs="349" height-obs="436" alt="Sir Cat and the woman and lots of children with the shoe" /> <span class="caption">LITTLE SIR CAT VISITS THE OLD WOMAN WHO LIVED IN A SHOE</span></div>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>"What are you doing here?" they asked, all in one voice.</p>
<p>"Bumpty bump!" replied the little bear.</p>
<p>"And what are <i>you</i> 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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>And that's how Little Sir Cat found his fortune.</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<div class='tnote'><h3>Transcriber's Notes:</h3>
<p>Obvious punctuation errors repaired.</p>
<p>As this book had no page numbers, errata will be listed by story or rhyme instead.</p>
<div class='unindent'><i>Little Sir Cat Helps Piggie:</i></div>
<p>"Chesire" changed to "Cheshire" (his from Cheshire)</p>
<div class='unindent'><i>What to Do at Night:</i></div>
<p>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.</p>
<div class='unindent'><i>Dick's Valentine:</i></div>
<p>"litle" changed to "little" (speak the little waif)</p>
</div>
<SPAN name="endofbook"></SPAN>
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