Chapter 10

Then Billie came along and of course they had to invite him.

But they had forgotten how fat Billie was, so their ride ended very suddenly!

THE ADVENTURES OF THREE LITTLE KITTENS

THE LITTLE KITTENS' SURPRISE

TED'S FOOLISH WISH

"I WISH I WAS AN OWL" SAID TEDDY, WITH A SCOWL, "CAUSE THEN I COULD SIT UP THE WHOLE NIGHT THROUGH." BUT SOME FAIRIES HEARD HIM SCOLD, AND HERE YOU MAY BEHOLD

CHARLES FITCH LESTER

Nonsense Rhyme.

from the Negro quarters

Jay-bird a-sittin' on a Hickory limb. He winked at me, I winked at him. 'Taint gwine to rain no mo'.

Hawk and Buzzard went to law; Hawk fell down and broke his jaw. 'Taint gwine to rain no mo'.

Oh, de Wren and de Thrush go clackety-clack, Dey bofe talk at once an dey bofe talk back, Dey say: "Jim Crow, my but you =is= black!" 'Taint gwine to rain no mo'.

TIMOTHY TRUNDLE.

By FREDERICK MOXON.

Oh! Timothy Trundle was bouncingly fat, As round as a robin was he; The jolliest babe ever sat on a mat To frolic and gurgle with glee! His father who tossed him now up and now down, Called him "Timothy Trundle of Topplety Town."

When Timothy Trundle grew up to be "Tim", A rotund, jolly chunk of a lad, The hoop that he played with looked slim, beside him, Such a sphere of a shape as he had; And folks on the street lost all signs of a frown, To see Timothy Trundle of Topplety Town.

Once Timothy Trundle went out for a slide, He dragged up the sled with a will; But as he pushed off on his ride, o'er the side He rolled, and then rolled down the hill;-- A snowball, like Heidelberg's fun of renown, Buried Timothy Trundle of Topplety Town.

Of Timothy Trundle, the youth like an O, For years I had never a trace Till I went to a circus, and lo! in the show I found his full-moon of a face. A troup of trick tumblers performed, and the clown Was Timothy Trundle of Topplety Town!

PICTURES

BY CULMER BARNES

THE BABY MICE ARE INSTRUCTED BY THEIR FOND PAPA

ROLY POLY ON VACATION

DRAWN BY CULMER BARNES

MOTHER GOOSE'S LAST TROLLEY RIDE

IVAN AND THE WOLF

HOMEWARD BOUND

THEIR LITTLE JAR

Little Eski and the Polar Bear

An Arctic Story in Four Chapters

#FUNNY VERSES AND PICTURES#

_The_ Frog's Fiasco

by D. K. Stevens

There was once a Frog In a lonesome Bog With a voice that was well worth praising. He had one song and it used to go Way down in the added lines below Like this: [Symbol: music] which is quite amazing.

So he said one day In a casual way "Although it is scarcely vital And I may be wrong, it appears to me That a frog with a voice like mine should be First class in a Song Recital."

So he posted sheets In the village streets With the date and the price: one shilling; And he billed himself "_Signor_" because He thought he would get immense applause By the aid of a little _frilling_.

Well, it came about That his friends turned out From the Crane to the Curious Cricket, With the Hare and the Hedgehog, Coon and Fox, And the Critical Owl in a private box, (On a Complimentary Ticket.)

When the clock struck eight _Signor_ Frog in state Thus opened the exhibition: "For my first attempt on the concert-stump I shall render a song that is called '_Ger-rump_.' An original composition."

Then the Critical Owl With a guttural growl, Or a noise which was something near it, Stood up and observed: "All summer long From dusk till day you have sung that song-- And why should we _pay_ to hear it?"

So they all marched out In a regular rout, With remarks most decidedly chilling, And every one, as he passed the stand Where the Muskrat kept all the cash in hand, Demanded and _got_ his shilling!

And the luckless Frog, In the lonesome Bog, Relapsed into deep dejection; As he broods alone on his dismal case And sings all night in a booming bass, "_Ger-rump_" is his one selection.

The Musical Trust

By D. K. Stevens

There was once a man who could execute "Old Zip Coon" on a yellow flute, And several other tunes to boot, But he couldn't make a penny with his tootle-ti-toot Tootle-ootle-_oot_le--tootle-ti-toot! Tootle-ootle-_oot_le--tootle-ti-toot! Though he played all day on his yellow flute, He couldn't make a penny with his tootle-ti-toot.

One day he met a singular Quaint old man with a big tu_ba_, Who said: "I've travelled wide and far But I haven't made a penny with my _oom_-pah-pah." _Oom_-pah! _Oom_-pah! _Oom_-pah-pah! _Oom_-pah! _Oom_-pah! _Oom_-pah-pah! Though he played all day on his big tu_ba_ He couldn't make a penny with his _oom_-pah-pah.

Then they met two men who were hammering On a big bass drum and a cymbal thing, Who said: "We've banged since early spring And we haven't made a penny with our boom-zing-zing." _Boom_-zing! _Boom_-zing! _Boom_-zing-zing! _Boom_-b-b-_boom_-boom--zing-zing! Though the banged on the drum and the cymbal thing They couldn't make a penny with their _boom_-zing-zing.

So the man with the flute Played tootle-ti-toot, And the other man he played _oom_-pah, While the men with the drum and the cymbal thing Went: _boom_-b-b-_boom_-boom--zing-zing! And they travelled wide and far. Together they made the welkin ring With a Tootle-ootle! _Oom_-pah! _Boom_-zing-zing! Tootle-ootle! _Oom_-pah! _Boom_-zing-zing! Tootle-ootle! _Oom_-pah! _Boom_-zing-zing! And Oh! the pennies the people fling! When they hear the tootle-_oom_-pah-_boom_-zing-zing!

Katherine Maynadier Browne

The Cautious Cat

by D.K. Stevens

A Cautious Cat And a Reckless Rat Went to sea with an Innocent Lamb. They sailed in a yawl With nothing at all To eat but a Sugar-cured Ham. The wind blew high In a sky-blue sky, At a rate they had never foreseen. The wind blew low, And the wind also Blew a little bit in between-- Just a little bit in between.

Said the Cautious Cat To the Reckless Rat, Likewise to the Innocent Lamb: "We'll tack this smack And sail right back To send a Mar-coni-o-gram. For the winds might blow Both high and low And I wouldn't care a Lima Bean, But I never can sail When the ocean gale Blows a little bit in between-- Just a little bit in between.

"Of course with me You will never agree," Said the Cat to the Rat and the Lamb, "But if you balk You will have to walk,-- That's the kind of kitten I am!" So they sailed right back On the larboard tack To the nearest port of call, And the Reckless Rat Let it go at that, While the Lamb said nothing at all-- Said nothing--whatever--at all.

Katherine Maynadier Browne

THREE LITTLE BEARS

BY M. C. McNEILL

Three little bears came into the town. "How do you do?" said everybody. Their faces were smiling, with never a frown. "How sweet!" said everybody. The three little bears made three little bows. "How very polite!" said everybody. They bowed as boys bow in dancing-school. "What airs and what grace!" said everybody.

One little bear had a little red coat. "How smart!" said everybody. One had a tippet all made of soft down. "How cozy and warm!" said everybody. And one was a fiddler of great renown. "What charming music!" said everybody.

The three little bears began then to dance. "How cute!" said everybody. "What do you want, you little black bears With manners so nice?" said everybody. "I don't like to be a fool, so I want to go to school," Said the red-coated bear to everybody.

Then Tommy Perkins, making a bow, Right in front of everybody, Took down his book and his slate as well, And began to explain to everybody Just what the little black bears should do To read and to cipher like everybody.

"Sit up quite straight, and mind your stops; Say, 'A, B, C,' for everybody." "A, B, C," said the three little bears, All in one voice, to everybody. "A, B, C! What fiddle-dee-dee!" Was whispered aloud by everybody.

"I want to count," said one little bear. "One! Two! Three! Four!" shouted everybody. "We're not at all deaf!" said the three little bears. "Oh! I beg your pardon!" said everybody.

"We'd like to learn manners," said the three little bears; "And we'd like to learn from everybody, But every one hasn't fine manners," they said. "Some have very bad manners," said everybody.

"What manners you have may be better than ours," Said the three little bears to everybody, "For we live in the wood--which no manners requires." "Then how did you learn?" said everybody.

"For when you came in you were quite as polite As Tommy Perkins," said everybody. "You bowed and you danced, while we all sat entranced, So sweet were the notes," said everybody.

"You wanted to learn to say, 'A, B, C,' Like good little bears," said everybody. "And when we exclaimed, 'Such fiddle-dee-dee!' No notice you took," said everybody. "And when we all shouted out, 'One! Two! Three! Four!' Instead of roaring," said everybody, "You gently reminded us all that in school We must not be noisy," said everybody.

"If you won't teach us manners, We're going back home," Said the three little bears to everybody. "For after the night falls it won't do to roam; So we'll say our farewells to everybody."

Then they stood up and bowed, and held out their paws, And shook hands all round with everybody.

"We'll dance all the way, for we know how to play," Said the three little bears to everybody. "And with our best compliments we wish you good day."

"Good day and good luck!" said everybody.

THE SNOWMAN

BY W. W. ELLSWORTH

One day we built a snowman. We made him out of snow; You'd ought to see how fine he was-- All white from top to toe!

We poured some water on him, And froze him, legs and ears; And when we went indoors to bed _I_ said he'd last two years.

But in the night a warmer kind Of wind began to blow, And winter cried and ran away, And with it ran the snow.

And in the morning when we went To bid our friend good day, There wasn't any snowman there-- _Everything_'d runned away!

#ANIMAL STORIES#

TINY HARE AND THE WIND BALL

A STORY FOR VERY LITTLE FOLK TO READ. NO WORD IN IT HAS MORE THAN FOUR LETTERS

BY A. L. SYKES

"I want to do just as I like," said Tiny Hare to his Mama one day, as he ran to the door of his home.

"What do you want to do, my dear?" she said.

"I do not know, but I want to do just as I like," said Tiny Hare.

"You may run out a wee bit of a way, and run and jump and play in the sun," said his Mama.

"I do not want to run and jump and play. I want to do just as I like," said Tiny Hare.

"You may eat the good food that you can find near our home," said his Mama, "but if you go far MAN may get you, or DOG may eat you, or HAWK may fly away with you."

"I do not want to eat the good food that I can see here. I want to do just as I like."

Papa Hare then said very low and deep, "_What_ do you want to do, my son?"

"I do not know," said Tiny Hare, "but I want to do just as I like."

Then said Papa Hare, "Do not wake me from my nap any more now, and when the big moon is high in the sky, and it is just like day. I will take you far out in the wood, and you may run and jump and play and eat, and be very safe, for MAN will be in his home, and DOG in his, and HAWK in hers."

"I do not want to go out in the wood, and run and jump and play when the moon is high in the sky. I want to do just as I like."

"Do not wake me," said Papa Hare, and he shut his eyes and put his ears down.

"Come here," said Mama Hare, "and I will tell you a tale of the cold time of the year when snow is over bush and tree and our good food, and what came to the hare who did just as his Mama told him not to. Step, step, step in the snow he went till he came to the Red Fire, and--"

"I do not want to hear the tale," said Tiny Hare. "I want to do just as I like."

"Do not wake me from my nap, then," said his Mama, and she shut _her_ eyes and put _her_ ears down.

Just then Tiny Hare saw a Wind Ball roll by. A Wind Ball is the part of one kind of a weed that is left when the weed does not grow any more, and it is dry and like wool, and it can roll like a ball, and fly as fast as a bird.

"I can run as fast as you," said Tiny Hare. "I can do just as I like, and I want to get you."

On went the Wind Ball, roll, roll, roll, and on went Tiny Hare, leap, leap, leap. Just as he was near it, the Wind Ball rose into the air, and flew like a bird, and on went Tiny Hare, jump, jump, jump. Roll and fly, roll and fly went the Wind Ball, and leap and jump, leap and jump went Tiny Hare till he was not able to run any more, and his feet were sore. He lay down to rest, but soon MAN came by, and Tiny Hare ran into a hole in a tree, and now how he _did_ wish that he was at home!

By and by he came out to try to hunt for his home, and DOG came by, and Tiny Hare ran into a hole in a wall, and how he _did_ wish he was at home! By and by he came out to try to hunt for his home, and he ran, and he ran, and he ran! And, by and by, he saw HAWK far up in the sky, and Tiny Hare ran into a bush, and how he _did_ wish he was at home.

By and by he came out to try to hunt for his home, and Wind Ball went by once more.

"I can't get you, and I don't want to," said Tiny Hare, but the wind was low, and Wind Ball went roll, roll, roll, slow, slow, slow, and Tiny Hare went with it, limp, limp, limp, and by and by he saw his home. Tiny Hare ran as fast as a hare with lame feet can run, and soon he went in and lay down in the home by his Mama.

"I have not been good, Mama," he said very low in her ear in a way that a tiny hare has.

"Be good now, then," she said.

"I want to," said Tiny Hare, and then he said, "Do not wake me," and he shut _his_ eyes, and put _his_ ears down, and they _all_ took a nap.

HOW TINY HARE MET CAT

[IN WORDS OF NOT MORE THAN FOUR LETTERS]

BY A. L. SYKES

Once, just as the long, dark time that is at the end of each day came, Mama Hare said to Tiny Hare, who was at play,

"Come in, now, it is time for bed. You know you must hide from Man, and Dog, and Hawk; but I must tell you that you are to hide from Cat, also."

"Who is CAT?" said Tiny Hare.

"CAT is not so big as DOG. She has soft fur and two big wild eyes."

"She is just like me," said Tiny Hare. "I have soft fur and big eyes; then CAT is just a Hare."

"The very idea!" said Mama Hare. "You have not big _wild_ eyes, and your tail is not long like CAT'S. CAT is not good for a Hare to meet. She can run very fast, and she has a claw for each toe," and she gave Tiny Hare a wee bite.

"Does CAT live in our wood?" said Tiny Hare.

"No, she is with MAN and DOG, but she goes out in the day time or at dark, and she can get a Tiny Hare who runs away from home when he is _too_ tiny."

"Am I too tiny?" said Tiny Hare. "Yes, yes, yes; far too tiny," said his Mama; and _how_ she did wash him from his head to his feet!

"I wish to see CAT," said Tiny Hare.

"No, no, no," said his Mama; and _how_ she did wash his soft fur!

He did not wish to see CAT for many, many days, but one day the rain came, and it was cold, and his Mama told him to stay at home in the dry hay.

"I want to go with you," said Tiny Hare to his Mama and Papa when they were to go out for food.

"It is too wet," said his Mama. "If your fur gets too wet you can't run far and fast, and it is not safe for you to go."

"I like rain. I like the wet. I want to go out. I want to do just as I like," said Tiny Hare, and he laid his ears back, and half shut his eyes, and put his pink lip out, and did not look kind.

"Hush!" said Papa Hare, in a low, deep tone. And Mama Hare and Papa Hare went away, and left Tiny Hare at home.

Do you know what Tiny Hare did then? Oh, it was not good!

"I will go to see CAT," he said, very loud. He ran out, over the damp moss in the wet, wet wood, and, oh, dear me! up the path to the door of MAN and CAT. The door was open. CAT sat by the fire in a box. She was most sad, for once she had two baby cats in that box, and now they were gone. She did not purr. She did not eat. She did not wash her soft fur. She just sat by the fire and was sad. By and by she was _so_ sad with no baby cat to love that she said very low and deep: "Mew! Mew!" Tiny Hare was so wet and so weak he just _had_ to lie down on the step. Then CAT saw him.

How fast she did jump out of the box, and run to the door! Tiny Hare saw her long tail, and her big wild eyes. He shut his eyes; and how he _did_ wish he was at home! But CAT did not eat him. She took him in her soft lips, and laid him in the box by the fire.

"_Now_ she will eat me," said Tiny Hare; and how he _did_ wish he was at home!

Then MAN and DOG came in. MAN was wet, and had much mud on him. He took the box away from the fire to put fresh hay in it, and then he saw Tiny Hare. Then MAN went near the fire to get warm and dry, and DOG ran to CAT to look at her baby cat. When he saw Tiny Hare he gave a loud bark, "Bow-wow-wow-wow!" and his tail did not wag any more. But just as he was to JUMP on Tiny Hare, CAT put a claw on his nose.

"Wow!" said DOG, and MAN made DOG lie down, and he came once more to look at CAT in her box. "Well, well," said he, "a hare for a baby cat! Do you mean to eat it, Puss?"

"Purr, purr, purr," said CAT, and Tiny Hare did not like to hear her purr, and he said: "She _will_ eat me now"; and how he _did_ wish he was at home!

CAT did not want to eat Tiny Hare, but she did want to wash him, and play that he was her own baby cat. And she did wash him, oh, _so_ hard, and _so_ much, from head to feet, and from feet to head, over and over and over. She gave him a wee bite now and then when she felt a knot in his wet fur.

"Wee! Wee! Wee!" said Tiny Hare, very loud and high, when she hurt him too much, but CAT did not care, and did not stop.

By and by when Tiny Hare was warm and dry, and his fur was like silk, MAN and DOG went out to tea; and CAT saw that the eyes of Tiny Hare were shut, so _she_ went out to tea. When CAT was gone, oh, how fast did Tiny Hare _jump_ out of the box, and _run_ out of the door, and _skip_ up the long road, and _leap_ past the wet wood, home to his Mama. The rain was over, and the sun was warm, so he was now dry, and his fur was like silk.

"I _will_ be good now, Mama." "Oh, dear," said his Mama. "This is a CAT."

"Oh, no, no, no, no, NO!" said Tiny Hare. "I _am_ your Tiny Hare."

"Is it our Tiny Hare?" said Mama Hare to wise Papa Hare.

"Yes," said Papa Hare, "it is, but he is too much like CAT."

Tiny Hare was not glad, and he did not want to play, so he sat near his home till the dark came. Then his Mama grew too sad for his sake, and she came out to him. How she _did_ rub him with moss and hay, and how she _did_ wash him, from his head to his feet. Tiny Hare did not like it, but he did not say one word.