Chapter 3

7. He sprang in and caught him just as he was going down for the last time, and quickly carried him to the bank. "Willie soon got over his fright, and no one seemed to be more delighted than Bounce.

LESSON XXXVII.

talk'a tive im prove' o bli'ging writ'ten tick-tock

clock truth'ful it self' kitch'en fear

reach'es most

THE KITCHEN CLOCK.

1. Listen to the kitchen clock! To itself it ever talks, From its place it never walks; "Tick-tock-tick-tock: " Tell me what it says.

2. "I'm a very patient clock, Never moved by hope or fear, Though I've stood for many a year; Tick-tock-tick-tock: " That is what it says.

3. "I'm a very truthful clock: People say about the place, Truth is written on my face; Tick-tock-tick-tock: " That is what it says.

4. "I'm a most obliging clock; If you wish to hear me strike, You may do it when you like; Tick-tock-tick-tock: " That is what it says.

5. "I'm a very friendly clock; For this truth to all I tell, Life is short, improve it well; Tick-tock-tick-tock: " That is what it says.

6. What a talkative old clock! Let us see what it will do When the hour hand reaches two; "Ding-ding--tick-tock: " That is what it says.

LESSON XXXVIII.

Her'bert or'ange find post inch'es thread

beam thick pine next groove scales

hole peel gim'let rib'bon

THE NEW SCALES.

I. "Herbert, will you please peel my orange?" said Lucy. Herbert was reading his new book, but he put it down at once, and took the orange from his little sister.

2. "Shall I make a pair of scales, Lucy, for you to use when you play store?"

3. "Oh yes! but how can you do that'!"

4. "I'll show you. First, we must take the peel off in two little cups, one just as large as the other. While I do this, see if you can find me two nice sticks about ten inches long."

5. Lucy ran out to the woodhouse to find the sticks.--" Will these do?"

6. "No, they are too hard. Find some pine sticks if you can."

7. "Here are some."

8. "These will do nicely. Now I must make a scale beam and a post. Can you find me a little block for a post, Lucy'!"

9. "Will a ribbon block do, Herbert?"

10. "Yes, if it is not too thick."

11. "Here is one an inch thick."

12. "That will be just right. Now get the little gimlet."

[Footnote: gimlet: Hand tool with a spiraled shank, a screw tip, and a cross handle; used for boring holes.]

13. Herbert worked away until he had made the beam and the post. Then he made a hole in the middle of the block, and put the post in. Next, he put the beam into a little groove at the top of the post, so that it would balance nicely.

14. "Now, Lucy, we must have a needle and some thread. We must put four threads to each cup; then we will tie the threads to the ends of the beam.

15. "There, Lucy, what do you think of that?"

16. "Why, Herbert, that is just as nice as the real scales in father's store; and you may have all my orange for making them."

LESSON XXXIX.

smelt hide crept laid floor inn bear fur

young'est danced joy'ful ly marched

sol'diers bad'ly run'ning eld'est

THE BEAR AND THE CHILDREN.

1. In the parlor of an inn in a small town, sat a man who had been going about with a bear. He was waiting for his supper, and the bear was tied up in the yard.

2. Up in the attic, three little children were playing together. The eldest might have been six years old; the youngest, not more than two.

3. Stump! stump! stump! Some one was coming up the stairs.

4. The door flew open suddenly, and there stood the great, shaggy bear. He had got tired of waiting, and had found his way to the stairs.

5. The children were badly frightened. Each one crept into a corner, but the bear found them all out, and smelt their clothes, but did not hurt them.

6. "This must be a great dog," they said, and they began to pat him.

7. Then the bear lay down on the floor, and the youngest boy climbed on his back, hid his head in the shaggy fur, and played at "hide and seek."

8. The eldest boy took his drum and began to strike it, when the bear rose on his hind legs and danced. At that the children gave a merry shout.

9. The two younger boys took their wooden guns, and gave the bear one. Away they all marched around the room, keeping step.

10. Now the frightened mother of the children came to the door. But the youngest boy shouted, joyfully. "See, we are playing soldiers!"

11. Then the bear's master came running up, and took the bear away.

LESSON XL.

fair la'dy drear cling'ing hare'bell

fled ne'er de spair' nod'ding bloom'ing

[Footnote: harebell: Perennial with slender stems, dense clusters of leaves, and bell-shaped blue or white flowers -- bluebell.]

THE LITTLE HAREBELL.

"Tell me, little harebell, Are you lonely here. Blooming in the shadow On this rock so drear?"

"Clinging to this bit of earth, As if in mid-air, With your sweet face turned to me, Looking strangely fair?"

"Lady" said the harebell, Nodding low its head, "Though this spot seem dreary, Thought the sunlight's fled.

"Know that I'm not lonely That I ne'er despair. God is in the shadow God is everywhere."

LESSON XLI.

rough (ruf) of'ten (of'n) be neath' fierce'ly

sea'side twen'ty tim'id ly com pels'

rob'ber breast spots mode

os'prey hook'ed

THE FISHHAWK.

1. The fishhawk, or osprey, is not so large as the eagle; but he has, like the eagle, a hooked bill and sharp claws.

2. His color is a dark brown, with black and white spots, and his length is from twenty to twenty-two inches. His breast is mostly white. His tail and wings are long.

3. The fishhawk is often found sitting upon a tree over a pond, or lake, or river. He is also found by the seaside.

4. He watches the fish as they swim in the water beneath him; then he darts down suddenly and catches one of them.

5. When he catches a fish in his sharp, rough claws, he carries it off to eat, and, as he flies away with it for his dinner, an eagle sometimes meets him.

6. The eagle flies at him fiercely with his sharp bill and claws, and compels the hawk to drop the fish.

7. Then the eagle catches the fish as it falls, before it reaches the ground, and carries it off.

8. The poor fish hawk, with a loud cry, timidly flies away. He must go again to the water and catch another fish for his dinner.

9. Thus you see, that the eagle is a robber. He robs fishhawks, whose only mode of getting a living is by catching fish.

LESSON XLII.

leaf task twice sigh'ing hol'i days

gay twig meant stopped dif'fer ent

puff edge mat'ter au'tumn hun'dreds

lead grew rus'tled Oc to'ber trem'bling

WHAT THE LEAF SAID.

1. Once or twice a little leaf was heard to cry and sigh, as leaves often do, when a gentle wind is blowing. And the twig said, "What is the matter, little leaf?"

2. "The wind," said the leaf, "just told me that one day it would pull me off, and throw me on the ground to die."

3. The twig told it to the branch, and the branch told it to the tree. When the tree heard it, it rustled all over, and sent word back to the trembling leaf.

4. "Do not be afraid," it said; "hold on tight, and you shall not go off till you are ready."

5. So the leaf stopped sighing, and went on singing and rustling. It grew all the summer long till October. And when the bright days of autumn came, the leaf saw all the leaves around growing very beautiful.

6. Some were yellow, some were brown, and many were striped with different colors. Then the leaf asked the tree what this meant.

7. The tree said, "All these leaves are getting ready to fly away, and they have put on these colors because of their joy."

8. Then the little leaf began to want to go, and grew very beautiful in thinking of it. When it was gay in colors, it saw that the branches of the tree had no bright colors on them.

9. So the leaf said, "O branch! why are you lead- colored while we are all beautiful and golden?"

10. "We must keep on our working clothes," said the tree, "for our work is not yet done; but your clothes are for holidays, because your task is now over."

11. Just then a little puff of wind came, and the leaf let go without thinking, and the wind took it up and turned it over and over.

12. Then it fell gently down under the edge of the fence, among hundreds of leaves, and has never waked to tell us what it dreamed about.

LESSON XLIII.

gold lambs fond'ly crick'et whirl'ing

fields leaves flee'cy fare'well cov'er let

glade vale dream con tent' flut'ter ing

THE WIND AND THE LEAVES.

1. "Come, little leaves," said the wind one day. "Come o'er the meadows with me, and play; Put on your dress of red and gold Summer is gone, and the days grow cold."

2. Soon as the leaves heard the wind's loud call, Down they came fluttering, one and all; Over the brown fields they danced and flew, Singing the soft little songs they knew.

3. "Cricket, good-by, we've been friends so long; Little brook, sing us your farewell song,-- Say you are sorry to see us go; Ah! you will miss us, right well we know.

4. "Dear little lambs, in your fleecy fold, Mother will keep you from harm and cold; Fondly we've watched you in vale and glade; Say, will you dream of our loving shade?"

5. Dancing and whirling, the little leaves went; Winter had called them, and they were content. Soon fast asleep in their earthy beds, The snow laid a coverlet over their heads.

George Cooper.

LESSON XLIV.

wore green joke Jessie pres'ents

jol'ly deal trim ex pect' leg'gings

MAMMA'S PRESENT.

1. Jessie played a good joke on her mamma. This is the way she did it.

2. Jessie had gone to the woods with Jamie and Joe to get green branches to trim up the house for Christmas. She wore her little cap, her white furs, and her red leggings.

3. She was a merry little girl, indeed; but she felt sad this morning because her mother had said, "The children will all have Christmas presents, but I don't expect any for myself. We are too poor this year."

4. When Jessie told her brothers this, they all talked about it a great deal. "Such a good, kind mamma, and no Christmas present! It's too bad."

5. "I don't like it," said little Jessie, with a tear in her eye.

6. "Oh, she has you," said Joe.

7. "But I am not something new," said Jessie.

8. "Well, you will be new, Jessie," said Joe, "when you get back. She has not seen you for an hour."

9. Jessie jumped and laughed. "Then put me in the basket, and carry me to mamma, and say, 'I am her Christmas present.' "

10. So they set her in the basket, and put green branches all around her. It was a jolly ride. They set her down on the doorstep, and went in and said, "There's a Christmas present out there for you, mamma."

11. Mamma went and looked, and there, in a basket of green branches, sat her own little laughing girl.

12. "Just the very thing I wanted most," said mamma.

13. "Then, dear mamma," said Jessie, bounding out of her leafy nest, "I should think it would be Christmas for mammas all the time, for they see their little girls every day."

LESSON XLV.

pur'ple plumes pail hap'pened coat

shal'low wad'ed Charles nap yes'ter day

MARY'S STORY.

1. Father, and Charles, and Lucy, and I went to the beach yesterday. We took our dinner, and stayed all day.

2. Father and Charles went out a little way from the shore in a boat, and fished, while Lucy and I gathered sea mosses.

3. We took off our shoes and stockings, and waded into the shallow water. We had a pail to put our seaweeds in.

4. We found such beautiful ones. Some wore purple, some pink, and some brown. When they were spread out in the water, the purple ones looked like plumes, and the brown ones like little trees.

5. Such a funny thing happened to Lucy. She slipped on a stone, and down she went into the water. How we both laughed! But the wind and sun soon dried Lucy's dress.

6. Then father came and took us in the boat for a row. After that we had a picnic dinner in the woods.

7. Then father spread his coat on the grass, and took a nap while we children played on the beach.

LESSON XLVI.

bid sore smile Ralph for get'

hay stem shone Wick scream

tore point pluck thorns snatched

RALPH WICK.

1. Ralph Wick was seven years old. In most things he was a fine boy, but he was too apt to cry.

2. When he could not have what. he wanted, he would cry for it and say, "I will have it."

3. If he was told that it would hurt him, and he could not have it, he would begin to tease and cry.

4. One day, he went with his mother into the fields. The sun shone. The grass was cut. The flowers were in bloom.

5. Ralph thought he was, for once, a good boy. A smile was on his face. He wished to do as he was told.

6. He said, "Mother, I will be good now. I will do as you bid me. Please let me toss this hay."

7. "That I will," said his mother. So they threw the hay, as Ralph wished, and he was very happy.

8. "Now you must be tired," said his mother. "Sit down here, and I will get a nice red rose for you."

9. "I would like to have one," said Ralph. So his mother brought the red rose to him.

10. "Thank you, mother," he said. "But you have a white one, also. Please give me that."

11. "No, my dear," said his mother. "See how many thorns it has on its stem. You must not touch it. If you should try to pluck a rose like this, you would be sure to hurt your hand."

12. When Ralph found that he could not have the white rose, he began to scream, and snatched it. But he was soon very sorry. The thorns tore his hand. It was so sore he could not use it for some time.

13. Ralph did not soon forget this. When he wanted what he should not have, his mother would point to his sore hand. He at last learned to do as he was told.

LESSON XLVII.

slope voic'es rush'ing beam'ing track cheeks

flood'ing laugh'ter health a glow' coast'ing trudg'ing

frost'y Is'a bel pleas'ure land'scape

COASTING DOWN THE HILL.

LESSON XLVIII.

heed sight sly'ly stream drift'ing

flock flight snaps hid'den cir'cling

THE FOX AND THE DUCKS.

1. On a summer day, a man sitting on the bank of a river, in the shade of some bushes, watched a flock of ducks on the stream.

2. Soon a branch with leaves came drifting among them, and they all took wing. After circling in the air for a little time, they settled down again on their feeding ground.

3. Soon another branch came drifting down among them, and again they took flight from the river; but when they found the branch had drifted by and done them no harm, they flew down to the water as before.

4. After four or five branches had drifted by in this way, the ducks gave little heed to them. At length, they hardly tried to fly out of their way, even when the branches nearly touched them.

5. The man who had been watching all this, now began to wonder who had set these branches adrift. He looked up the stream, and spied a fox slyly watching the ducks. "What will he do next?" thought the man.

6. When the fox saw that the ducks were no longer afraid of the branches, he took a much larger branch than any he had yet used, and stretched himself upon it so as to be almost hidden. Then he set it afloat as he had the others.

7. Right among the flock drifted the sly old fox, and, making quick snaps to right and left, he seized two fine young ducks, and floated off with them.

8. The rest of the flock flew away in fright, and did not come back for a long time.

9. The fox must have had a fine dinner to pay him for his cunning, patient work.

LESSON XLIX.

saint silk'en sim'ple pov'er ty plain sin'ner

spin'ner splen'dor worth stead'y mur'der plan'ning

sil'ver ten'der prov'erb re mem'ber

PRETTY IS THAT PRETTY DOES.

1. The spider wears a plain brown dress, And she is a steady spinner; To see her, quiet as a mouse, Going about her silver house, You would never, never, never guess The way she gets her dinner.

2. She looks as if no thought of ill In all her life had stirred her; But while she moves with careful tread, And while she spins her silken thread, She is planning, planning, planning still The way to do some murder.

3. My child, who reads this simple lay, With eyes down-dropt and tender, Remember the old proverb says That pretty is which pretty does, And that worth does not go nor stay For poverty nor splendor.

4. 'Tis not the house, and not the dress, That makes the saint or sinner. To see the spider sit and spin, Shut with her walls of silver in, You would never, never, never guess The way she gets her dinner. Alice Cary.

LESSON L.

civil Pe'ter Tow'ser ap pear'

a lone' Pin'dar per'sons trav'el ers

THE STORY-TELLER

1. Peter Pindar was a great storyteller. One day, as he was going by the school, the children gathered around him.

2. They said, "Please tell us a story we have never heard." Ned said, "'Tell us something about boys and dogs."

3. "Well," said Peter, "I love to please good children, and, as you all appear civil, I will tell you a new story; and it shall be about a boy and some dogs, as Ned asks.

4. "But before we begin, let us sit down in a cool, shady place. And now, John, you must be as still as a little mouse. Mary, you must not let Towser bark or make a noise.

5. "A long way from this place, there is a land where it is very cold, and much snow falls.

6. "The hills are very high there, and traveler's are often lost among them. There are men there who keep large dogs. These are taught to hunt for people lost in the snow.

7. "The dogs have so fine a scent, that they can find persons by that alone.

8. "Sometimes it is so dark, that they can not see anything. Those who are lost often lie hid in the snowdrifts. "

LESSON LI.

lain weak stiff shrill rode bleak

THE STORY TELLER (CONCLUDED)

1. "One cold, bleak night, the snow fell fast, and the wind blew loud and shrill. It was quite dark. Not a star was to be seen in the sky.

2. "These good men sent out a dog, to hunt for those who might want help. In an hour or two, the dog was heard coming back.

3. "On looking out, they saw him with a boy on his back. The poor child was stiff with cold. He could but just hold on to the dog's back.

4. "He had lain for a long time in the snow, and was too weak to walk.

5. "He felt something pull him by the coat, and heard the bark of a dog. He put out his hand, and felt the dog. The dog gave him another pull.

6. "This gave the poor boy some hope, and he took hold of the dog. He drew himself out of the snow, but ho could not stand or walk.

7. "He got on the dog's back, and put his arms round the dog's neck, and held on. He felt sure that the dog did not mean to do him any harm.

8. "Thus he rode all the way to the good men's house.

9. "They took care of him, till the snow was gone. Then they sent him to his home."

LESSON LII.

oak dusk fight squeak ruf'fled

bag Fred whoo a wake' creep'ing

THE OWL.

1. "Where did you get that owl, Harry?"

2. "Fred and I found him in the old, hollow oak."

3. "How did you know he was there?"

4. "I'll tell you. Fred and I were playing 'hide and seek' round the old barn, one night just at dusk.

5. "I was just creeping round the corner, when I heard a loud squeak, and a big bird flew up with something in his claws.

6. "I called Fred, and we watched him as he flew to the woods. Fred thought the bird was an owl, and that he had a nest in the old oak.

7. "The next day we went to look for him, and, sure enough, he was there."

8. "But how did you catch him? I should think he could fight like a good fellow with that sharp bill."

9. "He can when he is wide awake; but owls can't see very well in the daytime, and he was taking a nap.

10. "He opened his great eyes, and ruffled up his feathers, and said, "Whoo! Whoo!' 'Never mind who,' Fred said, and slipped him into a bag."

LESSON LIII.

while bones scarce'ly mous'er

mice rolled sur prised' swal'lows

wink'ing com'ic al duck'lings cap'ture

THE OWL. (CONCLUDED.)

1. "What are you going to do with him, Harry?"

2. "Let him go. He doesn't like this cage half so well as his old oak tree. A young owl can be tamed easily, but this one is too old to tame."

3. "But won't he catch all your ducklings and little chickens?"

4. "No, not while there are any rats or mice around. Father says an owl is a good mouser, and can catch more mice than half a dozen cats."

5. "I'm glad I had a look at him before you let him go. What soft feathers he has!"

6. "Yes, he can fly so softly that you can scarcely hear him, and for this reason he can easily surprise and capture his prey."

7. "How comical he looks, winking his big eyes slowly, and turning his head from side to side!"

8. "Yes; he is watching your dog. Be still. Bounce!

9. "We have just found out a funny thing about his way of eating. He breaks the bones of a mouse, and then swallows it whole. After an hour or two, he throws up the bones and fur rolled up in a little ball."

LESSON LIV.

broad knee fig fresh city trout un der neath'

fought (fawt) sur prised' clap'ping gar'den

car'ry ing fight'ing

GRANDFATHER'S STORY.

1. "Come and sit by my knee, Jane, and grandfather will tell you a strange story.

2. "One bright Summer day, I was in a garden in a city, with a friend. "We rested underneath a fig tree. The broad leaves were green and fresh.

3. "We looked up at the ripe, purple figs. And what do you think came down through the branches of the fig tree over our heads?"