Chapter 2

4. Now the older boy thought, "My brother Tom does not know about this pole.

5. "If I slip the basket near him, his side will be heavy, and mine light; but if the basket is in the middle of the pole, it will be as heavy for me as it is for him.

6. "Tom does not know this as I do. But I will not do it. It would be wrong, and I will not do what is wrong."

7. Then he slipped the basket quite near his own end of the pole. His load was now heavier than that of his little brother.

8. Yet he was happy; for he felt that he had done right. Had he deceived his brother, he would not have felt at all happy.

LESSON XVII.

bus'y (biz'zy) mis'chief looked un'to glee

con triv'ing ring'lets nod'dle drew nun

press'ing fin'gers car'pet wise lips

em brace' pon'der lash'es climb true

MY GOOD-FOR-NOTHING.

1. "What are you good for, my brave little man? Answer that question for me, if you can,-- You, with your fingers as white as a nun,-- You, with your ringlets as bright as the sun. All the day long, with your busy contriving, Into all mischief and fun you are driving; See if your wise little noddle can tell What you are good for. Now ponder it well."

2. Over the carpet the dear little feet Came with a patter to climb on my seat; Two merry eyes, full of frolic and glee, Under their lashes looked up unto me; Two little hands pressing soft on my face, Drew me down close in a loving embrace; Two rosy lips gave the answer so true, "Good to love you, mamma, good to love you."

Emily Huntington Miller.

LESSON XVIII.

ber'ries strikes rob'in ea'gle short king rid

foe dart fails sharp hawk worms ac'tive

THE KINGBIRD.

1. The kingbird is not bigger than a robin.

2. He eats flies, and worms, and bugs, and berries.

3. He builds his nest in a tree, near some house.

4. When there are young ones in the nest, he sits on the top of a tree near them.

5. He watches to see that no bird comes to hurt them or their mother.

6. If a hawk, a crow, or even an eagle comes near, he makes a dash at it.

7. Though he is so small, he is brave, and he is also very active.

8. He never fails to drive off other birds from his nest.

9. He flies around and around the eagle, and suddenly strikes him with his sharp bill.

10. He strikes at his eye, and then darts away before the eagle can catch him.

11. Or he strikes from behind, and is off again before the eagle can turn round.

12. In a short time, the great eagle is tired of such hard blows, and flies away. He is very glad to get rid of his foe.

13. Is not the little fellow a brave bird?

14. Because he can drive off all other birds, he is called the KINGBIRD.

LESSON XIX.

watch'ing gath'ers an'gels be gin'

dark'ness a cross' lone'ly beasts

EVENING HYMN.

1. Now the day is over, Night is drawing nigh, Shadows of the evening Steal across the sky.

2. Now the darkness gathers, Stars begin to peep; Birds, and beasts, and flowers Soon will be asleep.

3. Through the lonely darkness, May the angels spread Their white wings above me, Watching round my bed.

LESSON XX.

di vid'ed quar'rel a gree' thus sey'tle

set'tling ker'nel e'qual apt parts

THE QUARREL.

1. Under a great tree in the woods, two boys saw a fine, large nut, and both ran to get it.

2. James got to it first, and picked it up.

3. "It is mine," said John, "for I was the first to see it."

4. "No, it is mine" said James, "for I was the first to pick it up."

5. Thus, they at once began to quarrel about the nut.

6. As they could not agree whose it should be, they called an older boy, and asked him.

7. The older boy said, "I will settle this quarrel."

8. He took the nut, and broke the shell. He then took out the kernel, and divided the shell into two parts, as nearly equal as he could.

9. "This half of the shell," said he, "belongs to the boy who first saw the nut.

10. "And this half belongs to the boy who picked it up.

11. "The kernel of the nut, I shall keep as my pay for settling the quarrel.

12. "This is the way," said he, laughing, "in which quarrels are very apt to end."

LESSON XXI.

crea'tures drones in'side hive i'dle

de fense' driv'en killed cells size

work'ers queen stings shape wax

THE BEE.

1. Bees live in a house that is called a hive. They are of three kinds,--workers, drones, and queens.

2. Only one queen can live in each hive. If she is lost or dead, the other bees will stop their work.

3. They are very wise and busy little creatures. They all join together to build cells of wax for their honey.

4. Each bee takes its proper place, and does its own work. Some go out and gather honey from the flowers; others stay at home and work inside the hive.

5. The cells which they build, are all of one shape and size, and no room is left between them.

6. The cells are not round, but have six sides. 7. Did you ever look into a glass hive to see the bees while at work? It is pleasant to see how busy they always are.

8. But the drones do not work. Before winter comes, all the drones are driven from the hive or killed, that they may not eat the honey which they did not gather.

9. It is not quite safe for children to handle bees. They have sharp stings that they know well how to use in their defense.

SLATE WORK.

LESSON XXII.

blos'soms drear'y wea'ry pinks smell'ing toil'ing

lev'ies buzz fra'grant this'tle weeds scent

treas'ure yel'low mead'ow tax sum'mer clo'ver

cloud'y dai'sy daf'fo dil lies columbine humming

THE SONG OF THE BEE.

1. Buzz! buzz! buzz! This is the song of the bee. His legs are of yellow; A jolly, good fellow, And yet a great worker is he.

2. In days that are sunny He's getting his honey; In days that are cloudy He's making his wax: On pinks and on lilies, And gay daffodillies, And columbine blossoms, He levies a tax!

3. Buzz! buzz! buzz! The sweet-smelling clover, He, humming, hangs over; The scent of the roses Makes fragrant his wings: He never gets lazy; From thistle and daisy, And weeds of the meadow, Some treasure he brings.

4. Buzz! buzz! buzz! From morning's first light Till the coming of night, He's singing and toiling The summer day through. Oh! we may get weary, And think work is dreary; 'Tis harder by far To have nothing to do. Marian Douglas.

LESSON XXIII.

un hap'py prom'ised heed'less be came' grow'ing

care'less harsh'ly leav'ing eas'i ly ef fects'

an noy' ma'am blame worse torn

hard'ly nic'est spend hab'it e'vil

THE TORN DOLL.

1. Mary Armstrong was a pretty little girl, but she was heedless about some things.

2. Her way of leaving her books and playthings just where she had used them last, gave her mother much trouble in picking them up and putting them in their proper places.

3. She had often told Mary the evil effects of being so careless. Her books became spoiled, and her toys broken.

4. But worse than this was the growing habit of carelessness, which would be of great harm to her all her life. It would make her unhappy, and would annoy her friends.

5. One day Mary and her mother went out into their pleasant yard, to spend an hour in the open air. Mrs. Armstrong took her work with her.

6. Mary ran about and played with Dash, her pet dog, and was having a happy time.

7. But in a corner of the yard she found her nicest doll all torn and broken, and its dress covered with mud.

8. She knew, at once, that Dash had done this, and she scolded him harshly.

9. Carrying the broken doll to her mamma. she showed it to her, and could hardly keep from crying.

10. Mrs. Armstrong asked Mary if she had not left the doll on the porch where Dash could easily get it; and Mary had to answer, "Yes, ma'am."

11. "Then you must not blame the dog, Mary, for he does not know it is wrong for him to play with your doll. I hope this will be a lesson to you hereafter, to put your things away when you are through playing."

12. "I will try," said Mary. And her mother promised to mend the doll as well as she could.

LESSON XXIV.

thor'ough ly month dried dyed cuts shear'er sheep

those spun dirt oth'er wise wov'en cloth wool rub

SHEEP-SHEARING.

1. Sheep are washed and sheared some time in the month of June. This should be done quite early in the month, before the hot days begin.

2. It is fine sport for those who look on, but not much fun for the sheep.

3. It is best for the sheep to have the wool taken off; otherwise they would suffer in the summer time.

4. When the time comes for washing the sheep, they are driven to a pond or a little river.

5. Then they are thrown into the water, one at a time. The men who are in the water catch them, and squeeze the wet wool with their hands to get the dirt all out of it.

6. Then the wool is thoroughly dried, the sheep are taken to the shearer; and he cuts off the wool with a large pair of shears.

7. It is then dyed, spun, and woven into cloth.

8. In a short time, before the cold winter comes, new wool grows out on the sheep. By the corning of spring there is so much, that it must be cut off again.

LESSON XXV.

bear'ers earth warm sul'try wan'der

rays grain clouds o'er we're

THE CLOUDS

1. "Clouds that wander through the sky, Sometimes low and sometimes high; In the darkness of the night, In the sunshine warm and bright. Ah! I wonder much if you Have any useful work to do."

2. "Yes, we're busy night and day, As o'er the earth we take our way. We are bearers of the rain To the grasses, and flowers, and grain; We guard you from the sun's bright rays, In the sultry summer days."

LESSON XXVI.

peo'ple for'est squir'rel cool near'est tame hol'low

snug shoul'der miles sticks gen'tly though Pat'ty

PATTY AND THE SQUIRREL.

1. Little Patty lives in a log house near a great forest. She has no sisters, and her big brothers are away all day helping their father.

2. But Patty is never lonely; for, though the nearest house is miles away, she has many little friends. Here are two of them that live in the woods.

3. But how did Patty teach them to be so tame? Patty came to the woods often, and was always so quiet and gentle that the squirrels soon found they need not be afraid of her.

4. She brought her bread and milk to eat under the trees, and was sure to leave crumbs for the squirrels.

5. When they came near, she sat very still and watched them. So, little by little, she made them her friends, till, at last, they would sit on her shoulder, and eat from her hand.

6. Squirrels build for themselves summer houses. Those are made of leaves, and sticks, and moss. They are nice and cool for summer, but would never do for the winter cold and snow.

7. So these wise little people find a hollow in an old tree. They make it warm and snug with soft moss and leaves; and here the squirrels live all through the long winter.

LESSON XXVII.

fright'ened int end' wheat Thom'as com plains' plums

choose shock'ing spar'row rip'est rob'bing

break'fast plen'ty share treat tales wait

THE SPARROW.

1. Glad to see you, little bird; 'Twas your little chirp I heard: What did you intend to say? "Give me something this cold day"?

2. That I will, and plenty, too; All the crumbs I saved for you. Don't be frightened--here's a treat: I will wait and see you eat.

3. Shocking tales I hear of you; Chirp, and tell me, are they true? Robbing all the summer long; Don't you think it very wrong?

4. Thomas says you steal his wheat; John complains, his plums you eat-- Choose the ripest for your share, Never asking whose they are.

5. But I will not try to know What you did so long ago: There's your breakfast, eat away; Come to see me every day.

LESSON XXVIII.

aft'er noon sup'per deep length car'riage threw hedge stood tru'ly road few sad

SAM AND HARRY.

1. One fine summer afternoon, Sam was walking home from school. He went along slowly, reading a book.

2. Sam had spent all his money for the book, but he was a happy boy.

3. At length he came into the highroad, where there was a gate. A blind man stood, holding it open.

4. The poor man said, "Please give me a few cents to buy some bread!" But Sam gave him nothing.

5. What! did Sam give the poor blind man nothing? Yes; for, as I told you, he had spent all his money.

6. So Sam walked on, very sad. Soon after, a fine carriage came up, and in it were Harry and his mother.

7. The blind man stood, and held out his hat. "Let us give the poor man something," said Harry to his mother.

8. His mother gave him some cents. Harry took them, but did not put them into the man's hat.

9. He threw them into the hedge as far as he could. The poor man could not find them, for, you know, ho was blind.

10. Sam had turned back to look at the fine carriage. He saw Harry throw the cents into the hedge; so he came back at once, and looked for the money until he found it all for the blind man.

11. This took so long a time, that he almost lost his supper.

12. Which of the boys do you think was truly kind to the poor man?

13. I know which he thanked most in his heart.

LESSON XXIX.

rip'pling fringe stray thou mill

vil'lage brink clear wild hill

course bathe tiny pool rill

THE LITTLE HILL.

1. Run, run, thou tiny rill; Run, and turn the village mill; Run, and fill the deep, clear pool In the woodland's shade so cool, Where the sheep love best to stray In the sultry summer day; Where the wild birds bathe and drink, And the wild flowers fringe the brink.

2. Run, run, thou tiny rill, Round the rocks, and down the hill; Sing to every child like me; The birds will join you, full of glee: And we will listen to the song You sing, your rippling course along.

LESSON XXX.

has'tened pos'si ble bal'ance Ed'gar save

boat'man dan'ger quick'ly move trip

stretched sev'er al start'ed folks fell

THE BOAT UPSET.

1. "Sit still, children. Do not move about in the boat," said Mr. Rose to the young folks he was taking for a trip on the water.

2. The boat was a large one, and could not easily be upset. There were in it Mr. and Mrs. Rose, the boatman, and several little boys and girls.

3. "Keep still, please, young gentlemen," said the boatman, when Edgar Rose and Thomas Read began to move from one side to the other.

4. They kept quiet for a short time only. Edgar soon wanted a stick which Thomas held in his hand. He lost his balance in trying to get the stick, and fell into the water.

5. Mr. and Mrs. Rose both started up, and stretched out their arms to save him; but in so doing, they upset the boat.

6. Every one fell into the water, and all were in the greatest danger of being drowned.

7. Another boat was near, with but one man in it. He hastened to them as quickly as possible, and saved them from drowning.

8. Children should always be careful and quiet when they are in a boat on the water, and should obey what older people tell them.

LESSON XXXI.

MARY'S LETTER.

LESSON XXXII.

li'on bod'y stripes de light' Eng'lish

prey ti'ger col'lar ti'gress fright'ful

seize chain un like' swift'est an'i mals

roar gi'ant slight'est of'fi cers whisk'ers

THE TIGER.

1. The tiger is a giant cat. His body is nearly covered with black stripes.

2. Unlike the lion, he runs so fast that the swiftest horse can not overtake him. He goes over the ground by making bounds or springs, one after another.

3. By night, as well as by day, the tiger watches for his prey. With a frightful roar, he will seize a man, and carry him off.

4. Have you ever thought what use whiskers are to cats? Lions have great whiskers, and so have tigers and all other animals of the cat kind.

5. Whenever you find an animal with whiskers like the cat's, you may be sure that animal steals softly among branches and thick bushes.

6. By the slightest touch on the tiger's whiskers, he knows when there is anything in his road.

7. A few years ago, some English officers went out to hunt. When coming home from their day's sport, they found a little tiger kitten.

8. They took it with them and tied it, with a collar and chain, to the pole of their tent. It played about, to the delight of all who saw it.

9. One evening, just as it was growing dark, they heard a sound that frightened them greatly. It was the roar of a tiger.

10. The kitten pulled at the chain, and tried to break away. With a sharp cry, it answered the voice outside.

11. All at once, a large tigress bounded into the middle of the tent. She caught her kitten by the neck, and broke the chain which bound it.

12. Then turning to the door of the tent, she dashed away as suddenly as she had come.

LESSON XXXIII.

then u'su al cous'in fire'side sew'ing (so-)

Ka'tie bet'ter crac'kle knit'ting per haps'

Jane rea'son to-night' hap'pi er in struct'ive

THE FIRESIDE.

1. One winter night, Mrs. Lord and her two little girls sat by a bright fire in their pleasant home. The girls were sewing, and their mother was busy at her knitting.

2. At last, Katie finished her work, and, looking up, said, "Mother, I think the fire is brighter than usual. How I love to hear it crackle!"

3. "And I was about to say," cried Mary, "that this is a better light than we had last night."

4. "My dears," said their mother, "it must be that you feel happier than usual to-night. Perhaps that is the reason why you think the fire better, and the light brighter."

5. "But, mother," said Mary, "I do not see why we are happier now than we were then; for last night cousin Jane was here, and we played 'Puss in the corner' and 'Blind man' until we all were tired."

6. "I know! I know why!" said Katie. "It is because we have all been doing something useful to-night. We feel happy because we have been busy."

7. "You are right, my dear," said their mother. "I am glad you have both learned that there may be something more pleasant than play, and, at the same time, more instructive."

LESSON XXXIV.

dew'drops hop'ping la'zi est bends sung

pa'tience in stead' dar'ling ought rest

slum'ber my self ' re ply' miss lose

BIRDIE'S MORNING SONG.

1. Wake up, little darling, the birdies are out, And here you are still in your nest! The laziest birdie is hopping about; You ought to be up with the rest. Wake up, little darling, wake up!

2. Oh, see what you miss when you slumber so long-- The dewdrops, the beautiful sky! I can not sing half what you lose in my song; And yet, not a word in reply. Wake up, little darling, wake up!

3. I've sung myself quite out of patience with you, While mother bends o'er your dear head; Now birdie has done all that birdie can do: Her kisses will wake you instead! Wake up, little darling, wake up! George Cooper.

LESSON XXXV.

sent store Bounce float'ing load cir'cle

rip'ples catch'ing cake blocks strolled how ev'er

WILLIE AND BOUNCE.

1. Two fast friends were Willie Brown and his little dog Bounce. Willie could never think of taking a walk without Bounce. Cake and play were equally shared between them.

2. Willie taught his dog many cunning tricks, and often said that Bounce could do almost anything in the world but talk.

3. There came a time, however, when Bounce really told Willie's father something, though he could not talk. Let me tell you how he did this.

4. It was on a bright summer afternoon. Willie had strolled with Bounce down to the river, which was not more than two blocks from his father's store.

5. Willie began to throw stones into the water, and to watch the ripples as they made one circle after another.

6. Bounce lay on the grass, watching the flies that buzzed around his nose, and catching any that came too near.

7. There were some logs floating in the river near the shore. Willie jumped upon one of them, to see if he could throw a stone across the river.

8. He drew back, and sent the stone with all his might. just as it left his hand, the log turned, and he fell into the water.

9. He was very much frightened, for he did not know how to swim, and there was no one to hear, though he called as loud as he could for help.

LESSON XXXVI.

yelp loud'ly against look'ing bark'ing

spring clothes o'pened dis'tress scratched

WILLIE AND BOUNCE. (CONCLUDED.)

1. Poor little Bounce gave a great yelp of distress. If he had been a big water dog, he could have jumped in and brought his master out.

2. He ran up and down the bank two or three times, barking, looking first at Willie and then around. Then he started, as fast as he could run, up the street to the store.

3. When he got there the door was shut, but he scratched against it and barked loudly, until some one came and opened it.

4. He caught hold of Mr. Brown's clothes, then ran to the door, then back again, catching at him, barking, and jumping.

5. A friend who was in the store said to Mr. Brown, "Something must be wrong; I would put on my hat, and go with the dog." Bounce, seeing Mr. Brown take his hat, started for the river.

6. Then Mr. Brown thought of Willie. As he came to the river, he saw Willie's hat floating on the water, and his small arm thrown up.