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special Canadian Series. 
 
 SECOND BOOK 
 
 or 
 
 BEADING LESSONS. 
 
 With Illustrations from Giacomelli and other Eminent Artists. 
 
 ' 
 
 Authorized by the Minister of Education for use in the 
 High and Public Schools of Ontario. 
 
 THOMAS NELSON AND SONS, 
 
 AND 
 
 JAMES CAMPBELL AND SON. 
 
Fu 
 
 sa-i 
 
 / / 1 
 
 Entered, according to Act of Parliament, in the Office of 
 the Minister of Agriculture, in the year of our Lord 1883, by 
 Thomas Nelson and Sons, and James Campbell and Son, 
 Toronto. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 The Second Book will be found to afford, in its opening 
 Lessons, an easy transition from the last pages of the 
 Primer to short continuous narratives. In common with 
 all the other Readers of this Series, the frame-work cf the 
 Second Book is so planned as to avoid all disturbance of 
 official programmes or of school classification. 
 
 Exercises in the reading of written words and in the 
 writing of printed words are still provided for. 
 
 The readings have been chosen with the desire and 
 expectation of making this little book not alone the child's 
 constant companion, but a dearly-loved friend — brimful of 
 charming pictures, overflowing with delightful rhymes 
 and stories. To the English-speaking race the Baltic is 
 the great fountain of folk-lore. Happily we can there 
 find exquisite imagination combined with pure morals 
 and with robust manhood. The winter scenes and 
 amusements there are the originals of our own. When 
 our children take to winter sports, they but live over 
 again the youth of the gray north Fatherland. There, 
 as here, " Christmas " calls up before the memory not 
 the sad, weeping skies of milder climates, but the keen, 
 
 \ 
 
I 
 
 iv 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 bracing air, the music of the sleigh-belis, the treasure- 
 trove of St. Nicholas. There is thus a peculiar propriety 
 in bringing our children into contact with that v/onderful 
 old Fatherland from which the British Empire has in- 
 herited so much. While not neglecting English writers, 
 we havvi here freely drawn upon the fancy of the versatile 
 brothers Grimm ; upon the Russian fabulist Krilof ; upon 
 the famous Danish story-teller Andersen ; and upon the 
 less known, but equally delightful, Swedish writers Tope- 
 lius and Gustafsson. In all of these writers, the narra- 
 tive is of the simplest ; while their fresh and joyous style 
 is in charming accord with the springtime of our lives. 
 
 Toronto, May 10, 1882. 
 
 mmt if x m u mm mm i m ' mn 
 
^ixxi 'JExixBt 
 
 The First School, 
 
 What does Little Birdie say ? 
 
 Little Robin Redbreast, 
 
 Robin and Rieliard, 
 
 In the Wood, 
 
 Piping Tom, 
 
 Little Bo- Peep, 
 
 Digging Dolly's Grave, 
 
 My Childhood, 
 
 Who Killed Cock Robin ? 
 
 The Star, 
 
 Old Gaelic Lullaby, 
 
 Two Ways of Asking, 
 
 The Hayfield, 
 
 The Xitten and the Wooden Shoe, 
 
 The Bee and the Dove, 
 
 The First Snow-Storm, 
 
 Santa Glaus, 
 
 The Brown Bear, 
 
 To a Child, 
 
 Pussy^s Class, 
 
 Story of a Drop of Water, 
 
 The Humming Bird, 
 
 The Child's Friends, 
 
 Old Mother Hubbard 
 
 The Chiire of the Harsbells, 
 
 The Captive, 
 
 Charlie's Pink, 
 
 Ann and Jane Taylor, 
 
 Tennyson, 
 
 '* Nursery Rhymes," ... 
 
 " Nursery Rhymes," . . . 
 
 *^ Nursery Rhymes," ... 
 ** Nursery Rhymes," ... 
 *^ Little Susy's Six Teachers," 
 Hans Christian Andersen, 
 
 L. 0. E., 
 
 Sarah Helen Whitman, 
 
 Lonnfellow, 
 
 Mary Mapes Dodge, . . . 
 
 From the German of Carove, 
 
 From the German of Carove, 
 
 From the German of Carove, 
 
 9 
 10 
 11 
 15 
 12 
 13 
 14 
 1^ 
 18 
 19 
 21 
 23 
 24 
 25 
 26 
 28 
 29 
 31 
 32 
 33 
 34 
 35 
 37 
 3» 
 40 
 42 
 43 
 45 
 
VI 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 OratUude, 
 
 PoorWili, 
 
 Little Grumblers, 
 
 The Children in the Wood, 
 
 The Swing, 
 
 Night Lull xhy^ 
 
 Watts, 47 
 
 49 
 
 From the German of Carovc, ... 50 
 
 52 
 
 ... ... ... ... 58 
 
 From the German, ... ... 59 
 
 M 
 
 S 
 
 Tennyson, 
 
 From the Swedish of Gustafsson, 
 Charles Kingsley, 
 Mrs. Howitt, ... 
 
 Grandpapa's Darling, From the German, 
 
 Round the Breakfast-Table (Part I.), 
 
 What the Winds Brinrj, E. C. Stedman, 
 
 Round the Breakfast-Table (Part II. ), 
 
 I'd be a Fairy King, Charles Sangster, 
 
 Pussy Cat, 
 
 A Hot Summer's Day, 
 
 The Three Butterflies, 
 
 Minnie and Wi)mie, 
 
 Tell me, Little Butterfly, 
 
 The Hedgehog, 
 
 Be Good, and do Good, 
 
 The Hedgehog, 
 
 The Little Conqueror, 
 
 The Boy's Wish, 
 
 Beautiful Water, 
 
 Susy and her Tea-Party, 
 
 The Wood-Mouse, 
 
 The Mushroom, Girl, 
 
 Little Red Riding Hood, 
 
 The Coot, 
 
 The Leap at Rhodes, 
 
 The Story of the Three Bears, ... 
 
 The Wise Beaver, 
 
 Who Stole the Bird's Nest 1 
 
 Robert of Lin<^oln, 
 
 Milking Time, 
 
 The Foolish Little Gnomes (Part I.), W. Alison, 
 „ . f T -J- ( Esperance,in"Ca7iadianMont}iln 
 Spring of Life, | Magazine;' 112 
 
 The Foolish Little Gnomes (Part II. ), ir. ^«son, 114 
 
 The Violet, Jane Taylor, 119 
 
 Fire, ... 120 
 
 Necer Ploy with Fire, A. and J. Taylor, 122 
 
 The Lambs'' Lullaby, Mary Lundie Duncan, ... 123 
 
 *' Siusifs Six Birthdays," 
 Mrs. Hov.'itt, ... 
 A. and J. Taylor, 
 
 Milt. Howitt, ... 
 " AEsop' 8 Fables," 
 
 Kingston, 
 
 W. C. Bryant, ... 
 
 61 
 62 
 64 
 65 
 67 
 68 
 09 
 70 
 71 
 72 
 73 
 75 
 76 
 78 
 80 
 80 
 81 
 83 
 85 
 80 
 91 
 94 
 95 
 101 
 102 
 103 
 106 
 107 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 vu 
 
 SSO II. 
 
 47 
 
 49 
 
 « 
 
 50 
 
 
 52 
 
 . 
 
 68 
 
 % 
 
 59 
 
 ^ 
 
 nthlij 
 
 61 
 
 
 62 
 
 
 64 
 
 
 65 
 
 
 67 
 
 
 68 
 
 
 69 
 
 
 70 
 
 «■ 
 
 71 
 
 » 
 
 72 
 
 
 73 
 
 
 75 
 
 
 76 
 
 
 78 
 
 
 80 
 
 
 80 
 
 
 81 
 
 
 83 
 
 
 85 
 
 
 86 
 
 - 
 
 91 
 
 
 94 
 
 
 95 
 
 
 101 
 
 
 102 
 
 
 103 
 
 :> 
 
 106 
 
 
 107 
 
 
 112 
 
 
 114 
 
 
 119 
 
 
 120 
 
 • 
 
 122 
 
 
 123 
 
 f 
 
 Burns, ... 
 
 My Hearfs in the Hu/hhtnas, 
 Ships and Boats (Part I. ), 
 
 Ships (Part II.), 
 
 The Steam-Boat, 
 
 On the Raft, 
 
 Lines from the ^^Wreek of the Hesperus," H. W. Longfellow, 
 The Laplander, 
 
 O. W. Holmes, 
 A. L. 0. E., ... 
 
 Winter Song, 
 
 The Brave Little Tailor, ... 
 
 Brave WiUie, 
 
 Deeds of Kindness, 
 
 The American Indians, ... 
 
 Welcome, Little Robin, 
 
 The Owl and the Ass, .. 
 
 The Straw, the Coal, i:.id the Bean, i ^^'^"^ ^^'' <^^^'"^" ^^ '^' ^- ""'^ 
 
 \ JV. K. Grimm, 
 
 j " Ilhistrated Book of Songs for 
 
 \ Children," 
 
 j From the German of J. L. and 
 \ IV. K. Orimm, 
 
 Sarah IVillia^ns, 
 
 Fanny J. Van Alxt line, 
 
 J. D. Burns, ... 
 
 The Factory GirVs Hymn, 
 
 The Wolf and the Man, 
 
 My Mother, 
 
 The Road to the Clouds, 
 
 The Hanging Nests, 
 NUjht and Morning, 
 The Squirrel, 
 
 The Canary^s Funeral, 
 Fortune and the Beggar, , 
 
 125 
 126 
 129 
 131 
 132 
 134 
 135 
 
 137 
 
 138 
 143 
 143 
 145 
 147 
 148 
 
 149 
 
 152 
 
 154 
 156 
 
 j "Illustrated Book of Songs for 
 
 \ Children," 
 
 j From the German of J. L. and 
 
 \ W. K. Grimm 
 
 Ann Taylor, ... 
 ( "Finland Idyls," from tlie 
 \ Swedish of Each. Topelius, ... 158 
 M. and E. Kirhy, ... ... 164 
 
 Charles Sangster, ... ... 166 
 
 From the Swedish of Gustafsson, 167 
 j "Illustrated Book of Songs for 
 
 \ Children," .: 172 
 
 Ivan A. Krilof, ... ... 174 
 
 ^nxi fourth. 
 
 The Spinng Nosegay, 
 
 The Dormouse, 
 
 The Cowslips, 
 
 The Way to Conquer, 
 
 How the Aster Gained its Name, 
 TJte Aster, 
 
 Ann and Jane Taylor, ... 175 
 
 Mrs. Howitt 176 
 
 From the Swedish of Gustafsson, 178 
 
 Mrs. Prosser, ... ... ... 181 
 
 W. Alison, 182 
 
 Dora Read Goodale, ... ... 183 
 
Vlll 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 Th e Ch ihl'n Fird arirf, . . . 
 
 »Sliutting Doors, 
 
 T/te Broken Pitcher, 
 The Prairie on Firo, 
 Somehodji'^ Darliuijs, 
 
 Telling Motlier, 
 
 Lines from ^' Rock me to Sleep" 
 
 Twiliiiht, 
 
 Peace, Be Stiff, 
 
 The Hardy Tin Soldier, ... 
 Above the Cloud, ... 
 T^e True Stori/ of Weft-Spinner, 
 The Land of our Forefathers, 
 The Best Safety- Valve, ... 
 
 The Rainbow, 
 
 Gentfy Think and Gently Speak, 
 What the Old Man does is alwayf 
 The Power of Gcntfeness, ... 
 To the Frinf/cd Gentian, ... 
 Those Errnintf Bcffs, 
 Abide with Me, 
 
 Mrs. ILwavs, ... 
 
 L. 0. E , ... 
 
 Eliznhcth A. Akers, 
 
 Loimfellow, 
 
 Mrs. Hi'»iam, ... 
 
 Hans Chri.ftian Andersen, 
 
 Mrs. Pros.Her, ... 
 
 Mrs, Howitt, ... 
 
 Cfiar let Dickens, 
 
 ll'ordswortfi, ... 
 J. S. B Mousell, 
 right, Hajw Christian Andersen, 
 
 lirif lilt, 
 Moore, ... 
 H. F. Lyte, 
 
 184 
 
 
 185 
 
 
 188 
 
 
 180 
 
 
 100 
 
 
 102 
 
 •t 
 
 103 
 
 
 194 
 
 
 105 
 
 
 10(5 
 
 
 201 
 
 
 202 
 
 
 208 
 
 
 210 
 
 
 211 
 
 
 212 
 
 
 213 
 
 
 221 
 
 ^H 
 
 222 
 
 
 223 
 
 
 224 
 
 
 
 '"■'i 
 
 s 
 
 ) 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 -♦♦- 
 
 PART I. 
 
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 THE FIRST SCHOOL. 
 
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 |l^ Who taught the bird to build her nest, 
 Of wool, and hay, and moss? 
 Who taught her how to weave it best, 
 And lay the twigs across? 
 
 Who taught the busy bee to fly 
 Amongst the sweetest flowers, 
 
 And lay her store of honey by 
 To eat in winter hours ? 
 
 Who taught the little ants the way 
 Their narrow holes to bore. 
 
 And through the pleasant summer day 
 To gather up their store ? — 
 
 'Twas God who taught them all the way, 
 
 And gave their little skill ; 
 And teaches children, w^hen they pray, 
 . To do his holy will. 
 
 Ann AND Jane Tayi OR. 
 
 H 
 
10 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 i 
 
 I 1-! i 
 
 ^^ 
 
 
 r-ri-r^ 
 
 
 What does little birdie say, 
 In her nest at peep of day 1 
 *' L t me fly," says little birdie ; 
 *' Mother, let me fly away." — 
 " Birdie, rest a little longer. 
 Till thy little wings are stronger." 
 So she rests a little longer, 
 Then she flies, she flies away. 
 
 
 What does little baby say, 
 
 In her bed at peep of day ? 
 
 Baby says, like little birdie. 
 
 Let me rise and fly away." — 
 
 Baby, sleep a little longer. 
 
 Till thy little limbs are stronger ;" 
 
 If she sleeps a little longer. 
 
 Baby, too, shall fly away. 
 
 Tennyson. 
 

 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS, 
 
 11 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 1. LITTLE ROBIN REDBREAST. 
 
 Little Robin Redbreast 
 
 Sat upon a tree ; 
 Up went Pussy Cat, 
 
 And down went he. 
 
 Down came Pussy Cat, 
 
 And away Robin ran ; 
 Said little Robin Redbreast, 
 '* Catch me if you can." 
 
 Little Robin Redbreast 
 Hopped upon a wall ; 
 
 Pussy Cat jumped after him, 
 And almost got a fall. 
 
 Little Robin chirped aloud ; 
 
 And what did Pussy say ? 
 Pussy Cat said " Mew ;" 
 
 And Robin flew away. 
 
 2 — ROBIN AND RICHARD. 
 
 Robin and Richard were two pretty men. 
 They lay abed till the clock struck ten ; 
 Then up starts Robin and looks at the sky, 
 " Oh, oh, brother Richard, the sun 's very high ; 
 You go before with bottle and bag, 
 And I'll follow after on little Jack Nag." 
 
 
 <» 
 
:' 
 
 12 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 iili 
 
 HM 
 
 ■y 
 
 I ^ 
 
 IS THE WOOD. 
 
 Minnie went for a walk in the wood. She took 
 her basket on her arm, to hold all the flowers and 
 berries that she found, for her dear little baby- 
 brother. 
 
 There are two butterflies on the flowers. Minnie 
 must not catch them, they are so happy in the 
 bright sunshine. 
 
 The flowers are for little girls to gather, but they 
 must only watch the pretty insects as they flutter 
 about. They live only one short summer. They 
 sip the honey from the flowers, flutter about a little 
 while, lay some tiny eggs, and then die. 
 
 Minnie must take care she does not lose her way. 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 13 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 1. — PIPING TOM. 
 
 Piping Tom was a piper's son ; 
 He learned to play when he was young ; 
 But the only tune that he could play, 
 Was " Over the hills and far away." 
 
 Now, Tom with his pipe made such a noise, 
 That he vastly pleased both girls and boys ; 
 And they all stopped to hear him play 
 *' Over the hills and far away." 
 
 Tom played on his pipe with so much skill, 
 That those who heard him could ne'er keep still ; 
 Whenever they heard, they began to dance — ^ 
 Even pigs on their hind legs would after him prance ! 
 
 As Dolly was milking her cow one day, 
 Tom took out his pipe and began to play ; 
 
 «r 
 
14 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 So Dolly and the cow must dance a lilt, 
 
 Till the pail fell down, and the milk was spilt. 
 
 He saw a cross fellow once beating an ass. 
 Heavy laden with pots, pans, dishes, and glass ; 
 He took out his pipe, and played them a tune. 
 And the poor donkey's load was lightened full soon. 
 
 
 A/^-'^^V 
 
 ^ 
 
 A 
 
 H. 
 
 
 >'; 
 
 
 2. — LITTLE BO-PEEP. 
 
 Little Bo-peep has lost her sheep, 
 And can't tell where to find them : 
 
 Leave them alone, and they'll come home, 
 And bring their tails behind them. 
 
 Little Bo-peep fell fast asleep, 
 
 And dreamt she heard them bleating ; 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 15 
 
 But when she awoke, she found it a joke, 
 For still they were all fleeting. 
 
 Then up she took her little crook. 
 
 Determined then to find them ; 
 She found them, indeed, but it made her heart bleed — 
 
 For they'd left their tails behind them ! 
 
 It happened one day, as Bo-peep did stray 
 
 Along a meadow hard by. 
 There she espied their tails side by side, 
 
 All hung up on a tree to dry ! 
 
 She heaved a sigh, and wiped her eye, 
 
 And ran o'er hill and dale. 
 And tried all she could, as a shepherdess should, 
 
 To tack to each sheep its tail ! 
 
16 
 
 1*^ 
 
 Si ! 
 
 I 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 DIGGING DOLLY'S GRAVE. 
 
 Susy petted her doll Peggy, and pretended to give 
 it medicine. Now her brother Charlie did not like 
 dolls, and he tried to think of some means to get 
 Miss Peggy out of the way. 
 
 " If she's so ill, she will die very soon," said he. ^ 
 " Oh, I am sure she won't die," said Susy. " She's 
 
SECOND LOOK OF HEADING LESSONS. 
 
 17 
 
 taken twenty-ten pills, and ever so much castor-oil, 
 and a dose of — a dose of — well, I don't know what 
 it was, but something dreadful." 
 
 " Let me see her," said Charlie. " Oh, she's dead. 
 She's quite dead. We'll bury her." 
 
 "Well, so wo will," cried Susy. 
 
 So they each took a stick and began to dig a 
 hole in the midst of grandmamma's garden. When 
 they had dug a pretty large one, they squeezed 
 Miss Peggy down into it, and covered her with 
 leaves. 
 
 " Now she is dead and buried," said Charlie, " let's 
 go and think about her. People always sit down 
 and think about dead folk." 
 
 So they sat down and looked very grave for 
 some minutes, when Susy said, — " There ! I've 
 thoughted an hour, and now I am going to take 
 her up." 
 
 " No, you mustn't. She's dead ; and we ought to 
 wear black. I am her father, and you are her 
 mother." 
 
 Susy was just going to cry. 
 
 " I don't want my dear dolly to be dead any 
 longer," said she. 
 
 " If you are going to cry, I'll go home," said 
 Charlie. " I don't like girls very well." 
 
 Just then nurse, who had heard • all their little 
 talk, came down. 
 
 " Dolly isn't dead," said she. " She is only muddy. 
 You mustn't bury her again." 
 
 "What for mustn't I?" asked Susy. 
 
 " Because it makes her all muddy. And dollies 
 
'>).to 
 
 !1 , 
 
 I 
 
 18 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 don't like to be buried. It makes them feel quite 
 sad to be buric^d." 
 
 " Then I won't do so again," said Susy. 
 
 Susy's Six Teachers. 
 
 MY CHILDHOOD. 
 
 Here lay, on the 2nd of April 1805, a living and 
 weeping child, — that was myself, — Hans Christian 
 Andersen. During the first day of my existence, 
 my father is said to have sat by the bed and read 
 aloud from Holberg ; but I cried all the time. " Wilt 
 thou go to sleep, or listen quietly ?" my father asked 
 in joke ; but I still cried on : and even in the church, 
 when I was taken to be baptized, I cried so loudly 
 that the preacher, who was a passionate man, said, 
 " The young one screams like a cat ! " which words 
 my mother never forgot. A poor emigrant Gomar, 
 who stood as god-father, consoled her in 'he mean- 
 time by saying that the louder I cried as a child all 
 the more beautifully should I sing when I grew 
 older. 
 
 I was the only child, and was very much spoiled ; 
 but I often heard from my mother how very much 
 happier I v/as than she had been, and that I was 
 brought up like the child of a noble. When a 
 child, my mother had been driven out by her parents 
 to beg ; and once, when she was not able to get any- 
 thing, she had sat for a whole day under a bridge 
 
 and wept. 
 
 Hans Christian Andersen. 
 
 ■:^ 
 
 mm 
 
 t iBBiii i li 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 19 
 
 
 e^i;i?>r 
 
 :n,^J' 
 
 ?i^M:'s:^ 
 
 ^T>.a£^^ 
 
 »»ifci» 
 
 rl5S 
 
 WHO KILLED COCK ROBIN? * 
 
 Who killed Cock Robin 1 
 I, said the Sparrow, 
 With my bow and arrow, 
 
 I killed Cock Robin. 
 
 Who saw him die ? 
 
 1, said the Fly, 
 
 With my little eye, 
 I saw him die. 
 
 Who caught his blood ? 
 
 I, said the Fish, 
 
 With my little dish, 
 I caught his blood. 
 
 Who'll make his shroud 1 
 
 I, said the Beetle, 
 
 With my thread and needle, 
 I'll make his shroud. 
 
 «^»:U3^;Vi:55^f^^ 
 
 M 
 
 i?A.l;c\ 
 
 i«Si\C\S¥t'~>^ 
 
 
 m;\^' 
 
 ..\sv 
 
 
 i-^-'i 
 
 ^l^JiOT! 
 
 ^.c^ 
 
 r*^is- 
 
 
 
 '•-^i- it 
 
 A^ *- ^y^-:^ 
 
 
 
 %-mM^ 
 
20 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 Who'll be the clerk 1 
 
 I, said the Lark, 
 
 I'll say amen in the dark, 
 I'll be the clerk. 
 
 Who'll be the parson ? 
 I, said the Rook, 
 With my little book, 
 
 I'll be the parson. 
 
 Who'll be chief mourner ? 
 I, said the Dove, 
 I mourn for my love, 
 
 I'll be chief mourner. 
 
 Who'll bear the torch 1 
 I, said the Linnet, 
 Will come in a minute, 
 
 I'll bear the torch. 
 
 Who'll dig his grave ? 
 I, said the Owl, 
 . With my spade and shovel, 
 I'll dig his grave. 
 
 Whu IX sing his dirge 1 
 
 I, said the Thrush, 
 
 As I sit in a bush, 
 I'll sing his dirge. 
 
 Who'll carry his coffin 1 
 
 I, said the Kite, 
 
 If it be very light, 
 I'll carry his coffin. 
 
 Who'll toll the bell 1 
 I, said the Bull, 
 Because I can pull, 
 
 I'll toll the bell. 
 
 . i 
 
 ^ ^'-J -"**■ *** 
 
 *%) 
 
 V^ V^^'A^ 
 
 
 GAM^^f'^ 
 
 V^ 
 
 \ 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 21 
 
 shovel, 
 
 1? 
 
 •»fi 
 
 THE STAR. 
 
 Here is little Ella looking out of the open vdndow 
 of her room, be- 
 fore she goes to 
 say good-night to 
 her mother. 
 
 It is night, and 
 all outside is dark 
 and still. The birds 
 have gone home 
 to their nests, and 
 the bees are safe 
 in their hives. 
 
 Ella sees a bright 
 bright star in the 
 sky. It is far far 
 away; much far- 
 ther than she can 
 tell. The star 
 makes her think 
 of the pretty ver- 
 ses Aunt Mary once taught her. Would you like 
 to learn them too ? Here they are : — 
 
 " Twinkle, twinkle, little star, 
 How I wonder what you are ! 
 Up above the world so high, 
 • Like a diamond in the sky. 
 
 " When the blazing sun is gone. 
 When he nothing shines upon. 
 Then you show your little light, 
 Twinkle, twinkle, all the night. 
 
22 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 " Then the traveller in the dark 
 Thanks you for your tiny spark ; 
 He could not tell which way to go 
 If you did not twinkle so. 
 
 " In the dark blue sky you keep, 
 And oft through my curtains peep; 
 For you never shut your eye 
 Till the sun is in the sky." 
 
 Ella said these lines over very slowly, all the time 
 keeping her eyes fixed on the star far away up in 
 the sky. Then she went to find her mother; and 
 she told her of the bright star that was shining in 
 the sky. That night, and on many nights after- 
 wards, Ella and her mother went together to look 
 at the bright evenin^^ star. 
 
 Write :- 
 
 — 
 
 
 
 
 bright 
 
 shines 
 
 spark 
 
 outside 
 
 think 
 
 light 
 
 thanks 
 
 far-ther 
 
 taught 
 
 night 
 
 look-ing 
 
 pret-ty 
 
 world 
 
 dark 
 
 win-dow 
 
 good-night 
 
 twin-kle 
 
 tn 
 
 nv-el-ler 
 
 moth-er 
 
 won-der 
 
 cur-tains 
 
 shin-ing 
 
 di-a-mond 
 
 slouj-ly 
 
 to-geth-er 
 
 blaZ'ing 
 
 keep-ing 
 
 e-uen-ing ^ 
 
 noth^in 
 
 g 
 
 1 fi^ 
 
 (ed 
 
 through 1 
 
 ■i 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 23 
 
 l;i 
 
 i 
 
 OLD GAELIC LULLABY. 
 
 Hush ! the waves are rolling in, 
 
 White with foam, white with foam ; 
 
 Father toils amid their din, 
 But baby sleeps at home. 
 
 Hush ! the winds roar hoarse and deep, — 
 
 On they come, on they come ! 
 Brother seeks the wandering sheep, 
 
 But baby sleeps at home. 
 
 Hush ! the rain sweeps o'er the knowes,"^ 
 Where they roam, where they roam ; 
 
 Sister goes to seek the cows. 
 But baby sleeps at home. 
 
 X. X. 
 
 * Hillocks [oiu sounded as in cow]. 
 
1!, 
 
 ! 
 
 11 
 
 24 SECOND BOOK OF BEADING LESSONS. 
 
 THE TWO WAYS OF ASKING. 
 
 Tom and Frank were errand boys in a shop. One 
 day they were sent out with some parcels. One 
 of the parcels was to be left at the Globe Bank ; 
 but as the boys did not know where the Globe 
 Bank was, they had to ask some one to tell them. 
 
 Tom stepped up to a man who was passing, and 
 said, " Say, where's the Globe Bank ? " 
 
 The man answered quickly, " Where it always 
 was," and kept on. . 
 
 " That's a mean man," said Tom. 
 
 " That's an ill-bred boy," said the man to himself. 
 
 " Let me ask this man that's cominix," said 
 Frank. 
 
 So, when the man came up with them, Frank 
 spoke to him. " Sir, will you please to tell me 
 where the Globe Bank is ? " 
 
 " Certainly," said the man ; " walk along with 
 me, and I will show you." 
 
 " This is a gentlemanly little fellow," said the 
 man to himself. 
 
 I like to hear a boy or a girl speak in a polite 
 way, and say, " Sir," " I thank you," " If you please." 
 
 Write : — 
 
 fel-low 
 
 stepped 
 
 er-rand 
 
 ill-bred 
 
 please 
 
 par-eels 
 
 cer-tain-ly 
 
 gen-tle-man-ly 
 
 po-lite 
 
 \ 
 
 mim 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 25 
 
 > .^ . '^ 
 
 ! I 
 
 ^^<N. ^*-'- 
 
 
 
 THE HAY-FIELD. 
 
 Make hay while the sun is shining, - 
 In the morning of life make hay ; 
 
 A child like you 
 
 But little can do, 
 Yet work a little he may. 
 
 He who cannot load a waggon 
 
 j> 
 
 Can a little go-cart fill ; 
 
 The stack will grow, 
 
 And it? size will show 
 You have worked with a heart and will 
 
 What small drops make the ocean ! 
 What grains of sand the shore ! 
 Let it be confessed 
 You have done your heat, — 
 
 A giant can do no more ! 
 
 A. L. 0. E. 
 
 
26 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 I 
 
 I' 
 
 Ai 
 
 sf 
 
 m 
 
 THE KITTEN AND THE WOODEN SHOE. 
 
 Once there was a very little kitten that lived in a 
 country house in France. Near the house there 
 was a pond. The kitten often used to run down 
 to the pond, and play among the long grass. 
 
 In France, as in French Canada, many of the 
 working people wear wooden shoes. One day the 
 gardener at the house where the kitten lived left 
 his large wooden shoes by the side of the pond. 
 The kitten found the shoes, and began to push them 
 about. She pushed one of them into the water ; 
 and jumping into it, she was soon sailing on the 
 pond ! 
 
 In a minute the wooden shoe was too far from 
 the side of the pond for the kitten to jump ashore. 
 Poor little thing ! she did not know what to do. 
 
 Carl and his sister, who were crossing the field, 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 27 
 
 saw the kitten in the wooden shoe. They ran down 
 to the pond ; but the shoe was beyond their reach. 
 Then they ran for the gardener ; and he came at 
 once to see what he could do. 
 
 Taking a long string, he tied a small stone to it, 
 and then threw the stone far into the pond, right 
 over the wooden shoe. The gardener gave Carl the 
 string, and he began to pull it very gently, drawing 
 the shoe with the kitten towards the shore. On 
 and on the tiny boat came, till it was close to where 
 Carl and his sister stood. Out jumped the kitten, 
 none the worse for her sail on the pond ; but she 
 was never again seen to touch the gardener's shoes. 
 
 Bovs and girls may learn a lesson from this story 
 of tne kitten — Never to meddle ivith things they 
 know nothing about. 
 
 Write : — 
 
 house 
 large 
 shoes 
 pushed 
 
 wood-en 
 
 gar-den-er 
 
 jump'ing 
 
 sail'ing 
 
 min-ute 
 
 reach 
 
 right 
 
 coun-try 
 
 could 
 
 learn 
 
 ujork'/ng 
 
 string 
 
 lit -tie 
 
 peo-ple 
 
 small 
 
 kit-ten 
 
 Oan-a-da 
 
 a-shore 
 
 cross-ing 
 
 be-yond 
 
 gen-tly 
 
 draw-ing 
 
 tow-ards 
 sis-ter 
 lesson 
 med-dle . 
 noth-ing 
 
mi 1 
 1 
 
 i 
 
 28 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 
 V 
 
 W 
 
 ^A v.! 
 
 w 
 
 \'^',Tt» 
 
 ■"'■>a 
 
 ^?1 
 
 m 
 
 ■ ■\ '"';•,' 
 
 k^'WA,* 
 
 ®A.^>r 
 
 J'\ ■T^ 1 
 
 /'];^^< 
 
 1^ 
 
 lAf^ 
 
 
 I' 
 
 
 
 
 
 THE BEE AND THE DOVE. 
 
 A bee was sipping honey, 
 The pretty blossom shook ; 
 
 The poor bee toppled overj 
 Into a tiny brook. 
 
 A dove within the bower 
 A leaf plucked from a tree ; 
 
 She flew unto the brooklet, 
 And dropped it to the bee. 
 
 The bee, with many struggles, 
 
 Got on the leaf afloat ; 
 And safely to the margin 
 
 Came the little silvan boat ! 
 
 The dove was cooing softly 
 Within her bower one day ; 
 
 A sportsman came so gaily, 
 With dog and gun, that way. 
 
 He raised the deadly weapon. 
 And pointed at the dove ; 
 
 The bee came swiftly flying 
 Upon the wings of love ; — 
 
 She lighted on his finger, 
 She darted down her sting, 
 
 And pufl"! the shot was scattered. 
 The dove was on the wing ! 
 
 Then welcome every kindness. 
 And pay it back with love ; — 
 
 Each one may help another. 
 Like the busy bee and dove. 
 
 
f^ 
 
 •*,*■ 
 
 :.^.'> 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 21) 
 
 THE FIRST SNOW-STORM. 
 
 Well, little boys, are you not glad to see the first 
 snow ? Isn't it fun to be out in it, if the flakes 
 only fall softly, like so many white blossoms ? 
 
 But the big boys like, best of all, to make the 
 soft snow into round balls, and then pelt each other 
 with them. This is good exercise as long as all 
 keep good-natured. 
 
 But when some unlucky ball hits the face a little 
 too hard, the fun often changes to something less 
 pleasant. 
 
 Then the snow brings with it such splendid coast- 
 
 
 
 >. 
 
 Sr 
 
. i 
 
 f 
 
 30 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 ing, that the boys hail it with delight. Even the 
 little boys can enjoy this now and then with their 
 big brothers. 
 
 The pigeons also are flying about as if really 
 enjoying the first snow-storm. Their master is 
 
 kind and will care for them, so why should they 
 fear the cold weather ? 
 
 Many poor people dread the long, cold winter. 
 Do you ever think, little boys, when you are sitting 
 around the warm, comfortable fire, with your apples 
 and nuts, that there are ever so many little boys 
 who can hardly get bread enough to eat ? 
 
 And when you are dressed warmly for a good • 
 run and play out of doors, do you ever think of the 
 poor boys who never have any overcoat, or warm 
 mittens, or thick shoes and stockings ? 
 
 
 fe( 
 or 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 31 
 
 Sometimes their shoes are so poor that their bare 
 feet touch the cold snow. And some have no shoes 
 or stockings either. 
 
 We should always treat the poor kindly, and 
 help them when we can. Do you know who said 
 that we always have the poor with us ? 
 
 SANTA CLAUS. 
 
 A healtli to good old Santa Claus, 
 
 And to his reindeer bold, 
 Whose hoofs are shod with eider-down, 
 
 Whose horns are tipped with gold. 
 
 
 He comes from utmost fairy -land 
 
 Across the wintry snows ; 
 
 He makes the fir-tree and the spruce 
 
 To blossom like the rose. 
 
 Sarah Helen Whitman. 
 
32 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 m -. 
 
 RJ- li 
 
 
 31 
 
 
 ^^ -St. 
 
 
 THE BKOWN BEAE. 
 
 The Brown Bear lives in the woods. He is a 
 good climber, and likes to make his home in a 
 hollow tree. 
 
 He is ver}'' fond of wild fruits, of which he finds 
 plenty in the forest. He is also fond of honey, and 
 robs the hives of the wild bees. The wild bees 
 make their hives in hollow trees, and the brown 
 bear finds them out by the smell of the honey. 
 
 When he finds a hive, he climbs the tree, and 
 for hours and hours he gnaw^s the bark and the 
 wood, till he makes a hole laro^e enouo-h to let his 
 paw in. 
 
 Then, in spite of the stings of the bees, he thrusts 
 in his paw, and scoops out lumps of the comb with 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 33 
 
 the honey in it. Nor does he stop till he has robbed 
 the poor bees of all their store. 
 
 When winter comes, the bear creeps into a hole 
 or cave under the thick trees. There he makes for 
 himself a bed of leaves and twigs ; and when the 
 snow comes it covers him, and he lies snugly hid 
 beneath it. He closes his eyes, and sleeps during 
 the rest of the winter. 
 
 In spring he wakens up again, and begins once 
 more to roam about the woods. 
 
 Men go to the forest to hunt the bear. They 
 wish to get his skin to make coats, and sleigh-robes, 
 and muffs. They also eat his flesh, and make oil 
 from his fat. 
 
 Write : — 
 
 climb-er 
 ho!" low 
 plen-ty 
 for-est 
 
 hon-ey 
 e-nough 
 himself 
 win-ter 
 
 un-der 
 cou-ers 
 snug-ly 
 be-neath 
 
 clos-es 
 dur-ing 
 wak-ens 
 be-gins 
 
 TO A CHILD. 
 
 Out, out ! into the open air ! 
 
 Thy only dream is liberty, 
 
 Thou carest little how or where. 
 
 I see thee eager at thy play, 
 
 Now shouting to the apples on the tree, 
 
 With cheeks as round and red as they ; 
 
 And now among the yellow stalks, 
 
 Among the flowering shrubs and plants, 
 
 As restless as the bee. 
 
 Longfellow. 
 
 3 
 
 i;l 
 
.'V 
 
 \li 
 
 34 
 
 SJ^COND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 PUSSY'S CLASS 
 
 " Now, children," said Puss, as she shook her head, 
 "It is time your morning lesson were said." 
 So her kittens drew near with footsteps slow. 
 And sat down before her, all in a row. 
 
 "Attention, class !" said the cat-mamma, 
 " And tell me, quick, where your noses are." 
 At this all the kittens sniffed the air. 
 As though it were filled with perfume rare. 
 
 " Now, what do you say when you want a drink ?" 
 The kittens waited a moment to think, ;. 
 
 And then came the answer clear and loud — 
 You ought to have heard how those kittens meow'd ! 
 
SECOND BOOK OF BEADING LESSONS. 
 
 35 
 
 " Very well ! 'Tis tlie same, with a sharper tone, 
 When you want a fish or a bit o£ bone. 
 Now what do you say when children are good?" 
 And the kittens purred as soft as they could. 
 
 " And what do you do when children are bad — • 
 When they tease and pull ?" Each kitten looked sad. 
 
 " Pooh !" said their mother, " that isn't enough ; 
 You must use your claws when children are rough ! 
 
 *' And where are your claws ? Look, look, my dear — 
 (As she took up a paw) — see ! they're hidden here !" 
 Then all the kittens crowded about 
 To see their sharp little claws brought out. 
 
 They felt quite sure they never should need 
 To use such weapons — oh no, indeed ! 
 But their wise mamma gave a pussy's " pshaw ! " 
 And boxed their ears with her softest paw. 
 
 " Now, sp-it ! as hard as you can !" she said ; 
 
 But every kitten hung down its head. 
 " Sp-it I I say," cried the mother-cat. 
 
 But they said, " O mamma, we can't do that ! " 
 
 " Then go and play," said the fond mamma — 
 
 " What sweet little darlings kittens are ! 
 Ah, well, I was once the same, I suppose ;" 
 And she looked very wise, and rubbed her nose. 
 
 d 
 
 Ivi 
 
 STORY or A DE3P OF WATER. 
 
 A long while ago I lived with my countless sisteriji 
 in the great oc^^an, in peace and unity. We had all 
 
f ^ 
 
 36 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 iL ; 
 
 i. 
 
 w 
 
 i( 
 
 sorts of pastimes : sometimes we mounted up high 
 into the air, and peeped at the stars ; then we sank 
 plump down deep below, and looked how the coral - 
 builders work till they are tired, that they may 
 reach the light of day at last. But I was conceited, 
 and thought myself much better than my sisters. And 
 so, one day, when the sun rose out of the sea, I 
 clung fast to one of his hot beams, and thought that 
 now I should reach the stars, and become one of them. 
 But I had not ascended far, when the sunbeam shook 
 me off, and, in spite of all I could say or do, let me 
 fall into a dark cloud. And soon a flash of fire 
 darted through the cloud, and now I thought I must 
 surely die ; but the whole cloud laid itself softly 
 upon the top of a mountain, and so I escaped with 
 my fright and a black eye. Now I thought I should 
 remain hidden, when all of a sudden I slipped over 
 a round pebble, fell from one stone to another down 
 into the depths of the mountain, till at last it was 
 pitch dark, and I could neither .3 nor hear any- 
 thing. Then I found, indeed, that "pride goeth 
 before a fall," and gave myself up to my fate ; and as 
 I had already laid aside all my foolish pride in the 
 cloud, my portion was now the salt of humility. 
 After being many times cleansed by the hidden 
 virtues of metals and minerals, I was at length 
 allowed to come up once more into the free, cheer- 
 ful air ; and now will I run back to my sisters, and 
 there wait patiently till I am called to something 
 better. 
 
 From the Gennan of Carove. 
 
SECOND B(WK OF BEADING LESSONS. 
 
 37 
 
 id 
 
 THE HUMMING-BIRD. 
 
 " Oh, dear auntie, why did you 
 come ? He lighted on that 
 branch, and now you have frightened 
 him away," said James. 
 
 " Yes, auntie ; he perched himself right 
 there, and he looked so cunning," said 
 Nellie. 
 
 " Nellie, did you see that spot of fire 
 on his throat ? It shone just like the 
 ruby in mamma's ring," added Annie. 
 
 Then James asked me what kind of 
 bird it was ; and I told him that it was 
 called the ruby-throated humming-bird. 
 
 " Just the name for him, isn't it?" said 
 Annie. 
 
 What does he do with his long bill 
 down in those flowers ?" Nellie asked. 
 
 " He sucks the honey of the flowers, 
 and catches the insects in them." 
 
 1' 
 
 r 
 
 f' 
 
 
 \ 
 
 
 1. 
 
 r 
 
 i 
 
 ■i' 
 
 
 '■ ',' 
 
 
 A' ■ 
 
 
 i 
 
 
 'f: 
 
 
 .ii 
 
 
38 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 I 
 
 *:*■' 
 
 i»! 
 
 "Does he catch them v.dth his bill ?" 
 
 " He mns out his long tongue ; it is forked at 
 the end, and the insects stick to it." 
 
 So they chatted with me about the little hum- 
 ming-bird with dazzling green plumage and ruby 
 throat. 
 
 The next day, James came running into the 
 house calling, " I've found its nest ! I've found its 
 nest!" 
 
 " Whose nest ? what nest ?" we asked. 
 
 As soon as he could get his breath he told us 
 that he meant the humming-bird's nest. Sure 
 enough ! it was in the back part of the garden. It 
 was a tiny round nest, lined with soft cotton from 
 plants, and covered on the outside with gray lichens.* 
 The mother bird had laid two eggs about the size of 
 peas. She was not so gay as her mate, for she did 
 not fasten her green dress together with a ruby pin 
 at her throat. 
 
 The children were very happy over their new- 
 found treasure, and promised me that they would 
 not go to see it unless I was with them. 
 
 James did not keep his promise, but went into 
 the garden ; and in reaching up to look into the nest 
 he broke the limb. The limb and the nest came down, 
 and the little eggs rolled out and were broken. 
 
 It was too bad that our little bird's home was 
 spoiled ; but James felt so grieved that I could not 
 blame him. He asked again and again to be for- 
 given, and told Annie and Nellie of his broken 
 promise. 
 
 * Pronounce, Il-kens. 
 
 \ 
 
SECOND BOOK OF BEADING LESSONS. 
 
 39 
 
 They felt distressed, too; but Annie put her arm 
 around his neck and sweetly said, " James will not 
 do so again ; will he, auntie ?" 
 
 Write : — 
 
 cou-ered 
 
 li'Chens 
 
 prom-ise 
 
 fast-en 
 
 un-less 
 
 spoiled 
 
 breath-less 
 
 si-lence 
 
 treas-ure 
 
 plu-mage 
 
 uis-it-ors 
 
 chat-ted 
 
 daz-zling 
 
 doc-tor 
 
 bus-y 
 
 ru-by 
 
 cun-ning 
 
 reach-ing 
 
 IJ.: 
 
 THE CHILD'S FRIENDS. 
 
 There was once a child who lived in a little hut ; 
 and in the hut there was nothing but a little bed, 
 and a looking-glass which hung in a dark corner. 
 Now the child cared nothing at all about the looking- 
 glass ; but as soon as the first sunbeam glided softly 
 through the casement and kissed his sweet eyelids, 
 and the finch and the linnet awoke him merrily with 
 their morning songs, he arose and went out into the 
 green meadow. And he begged flour of the prim- 
 rose, and s'lgar of the violet, and butter of the butter- 
 cup ; he shook dewdrops from the cowslip into the 
 cup of a harebell ; spread out a large lime-leaf, set 
 his little breakfast upon it, and feasted daintily 
 Sometimes he invited a humming-bee, oftener a gay 
 butterfly, to partake of his feast ; but his favorite 
 guest was the blue dragon-fly. 
 
 From the German of Carove. 
 
r 
 
 . [. 
 
 40 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 OLD MOTHER HUBBAED. 
 
 Old mother Hubbard 
 Went to the cupboard. 
 
 To get her poor dog a bone : 
 But when she went there 
 The cupboard was bare, 
 
 And so the poor dog got none. 
 
 She went to the baker's 
 To buy him some bread : 
 
 But when she came back 
 The poor dog was dead. 
 
 She went to the joiner's 
 
 To buy him a coffin : 
 But when she came back 
 
 The poor dog was laughing. 
 
 She took a clean dish 
 To get him some tripe : 
 
 But when she came back 
 He was smoking a pipe. 
 
 
SECOND BOOK OF HEADING LESSONS. 
 
 She went to the hatter's 
 
 To buy him a hat : 
 But when she came back 
 
 He was feeding the cat. 
 
 She went to the tailor's 
 
 To buy him a coat : 
 But when she came back 
 
 He was riding a goat. 
 
 She went to the cobbler's 
 To buy him some shoes : 
 
 But when she came back 
 He was reading the news. 
 
 She went to the hosier's 
 To buy him some hose : 
 
 But when she came beck 
 
 He was dressed in his clothes. 
 
 The dame made a courtesy, 
 
 The dog made a bow : 
 The dame said, " Your servant," 
 
 The dog baid, " Bow-wow." 
 
 This wonderful dog 
 
 Was dame Hubbard's deliofht : 
 He could sing, he could dance, 
 
 Ke could read, he could write. 
 
 41 
 
 She gave him rich dainties, 
 
 Whenever he fed ; 
 And built him a tomb-stone. 
 
 When he was dead. 
 
« 
 
 1 
 
 I 
 
 42 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 THE CHIME OF THE HAREBELLS. 
 
 The dragon-fly flew up to a harebell who stood near^ 
 and whispered in her ear that the lord and king of all 
 the flowers — meaning a child — was in the w^ood, and 
 ouofht to be received and welcomed as beseemed his 
 dignity. Forthwith that harebell began to ring her 
 sweet bells with all her might; and when her neigh- 
 bor heard the sound, she rang hers also ; and soon all 
 the harebells, great and small, were in motion, and 
 rang as if it had been for the marriage of mother 
 Earth herself with the prince of the Sun. The tone 
 of the blue bells was deep and rich ; and that of the 
 luhite, high and clear ; and all blended together in 
 delicious harmony. But the birds were fast asleep 
 in their high nests ; and the ears of the other animals 
 were not delicate enough, or were too much over- 
 grown with hair, t':^ ;;ear them. The fire-flies alone 
 heard the joyous peal ; for they were akin to the 
 flowers througl their common ancestor, light. They 
 inquired of their nearest relation, the lily of the 
 valley ; and from her they heard that a large flower 
 — meaning the child — had just passed along the foot- 
 path, more blooming than the loveliest rose, and with 
 two stars — his eyes — more brilliant than those of 
 the brightest fire-fly, and that he must needs be their 
 king. The child was delighted with the merry and 
 silvery tones of the bells, and with the many little 
 bright-eyed companions around him, and with the 
 deep red strawberries which bowed down their heads. 
 
 to his touch. From the German of Cailoye. 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 43 
 
 %l 
 
 in 
 
 
 THE CAPTIVE. 
 
 One morning Willie was out in the fields near his 
 father s house, when he happened to see in a hedge 
 what looked like a bundle of dry grass. Carefully 
 making his way to it, he found it was a linnet's 
 nest. In the nest there were three pretty little 
 birds. 
 
 Willie had often V ought how nice it would be 
 to have a bird in a cage ; and so taking one of the 
 linnets out of the nest, he started home in high glee. 
 Sitting on the door-step was his sister Minnie. To 
 her he at once showed his prize. Now let me tell 
 you what this good little girl said about the captive 
 bird. 
 
 " Wherefore would you take the linnet 
 From his little nest? 
 Blithe and merry he was in it, 
 Happy, and at rest : 
 
 it 
 
 
j i 
 
 44 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF BEADING LESSONS. 
 
 Why should he a prisoner be ? — 
 Set the little captive free ! 
 
 " Think, if some rude giant tore us 
 
 From our cottage here, 
 To a grated prison bore us 
 
 Far from all so dear : 
 Oh, how sad our hearts would be, — 
 Set the little captive free ! 
 
 " Life is sweet to him, when springing 
 Light from spray to spray ; 
 Life is sweet to him, when singing 
 
 In the buddin' May : 
 Shall his short liie saddened be ? — 
 Set the little captive free ! " 
 
 So the gentle Minnie pleaded 
 
 For the fluttering bird ; 
 Not another prayer was needed, 
 
 Not another word : 
 Kind was Willie's heart, for he 
 Set the little captive free ! 
 
 Write : — 
 
 morn-ing 
 
 fields 
 
 hap'pened 
 
 b'n-dle 
 
 care-ful-ly 
 
 lin-net 
 
 Wil'lie 
 
 Min-nie 
 
 thought 
 
 mer-ry 
 
 priS'On 
 
 priS'On-er 
 
 hap-py 
 
 cot'tage 
 
 grat-ed . 
 
 bud-ding 
 
 spring-ing 
 
 sing-ing 
 
 sad'dened 
 
 flut'ter-ing 
 
 cup-board 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 45 
 
 J! 
 
 CHARLIE'S PINK. 
 
 I ; It 
 
 " This wind cuts right through a fellow," said 
 Charlie Palmer to his brother as they stepped from 
 the cars. 
 
 " Yes ; and I'm glad we've only a few steps more 
 to go," replied Nat, as he hurried to the door of the 
 depot. 
 
 " Stop half a second, Nat ! " exclaimed Charlie as 
 he waited a moment. 
 
 " Come along ! What are you waiting for ? " 
 said Nat, sharply. 
 
 " I thought I heard a child's — Why, Nat ! " cried 
 Charlie, suddenly, "here's a child in the corner here;" 
 and he dropped his bundle, and was bending 
 kindly over a little girl, before Nat could say a 
 word in reply. 
 
 " Sis," said Charlie, softly, and the brown eyes 
 opened slowly, " what are you here for ? " 
 
 " I runned off — I's goin' to stay here ; " and she 
 turned her head away. 
 
 "What's jovx name?" asked !Nat, who had also 
 come near. 
 
 " Pinky." 
 
 " Pinky ? That's 9. funny name. What else is 
 it ? " asked Charlie, gently, as he put his hand on 
 her shoulder. 
 
 " I'm Pinky ? " she exclaimed, earnestly. 
 
 " Charlie, you'd better take your Pink home. 
 Just tuck her under your coat and come along. 
 We shall freeze here," said Nat, laughiug. 
 
4C 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 
 N 'il 
 
 " You needn't laugh. I shan't leave her here all 
 alone. I'll see if Mr. Newcomb knows anything 
 about her ; " and he hurried away. 
 
 " He knows nothing, and everybody has gone," 
 said Charlie, running back. 
 
 " What'll mother say if you carry her home ? " 
 asked Nat. 
 
 " Say ? She'll say I did only what was right, of 
 course. I know mother," was Charlie's answer, as 
 he stooped over the little girl. 
 
 " Come, Pinky, go home with me," said Charlie, 
 trying to lift her up. 
 
 She hung back till she had taken one good, long 
 look at the pleasant face above her ; then she held 
 lip her arms, saying, " You keep Pinky ? " 
 
 " Yes, I'll take care of you," replied Charlie, 
 taking her up in his arms, and wrapping his coat 
 about her as well as he could. 
 
 " O mother," cried Nat, as he opened the door, 
 " Charlie 's got the queerest flower you ever saw ; " 
 and he stepped aside to let Charlie enter. 
 
 After his mother had heard the story, she took 
 the child in her arms, saying, " We'll keep Pinky 
 till her friends come for her. She got lost, I 
 suppose, when the people were hurrying from the 
 depot." 
 
 But no one came to claim her ; and Charlie's Pink, 
 as she was called for a long time, became his adopted 
 sister. 
 
 Write :— 
 
 ex-claimed \ sud-den-ly \ ear-nest-ly 
 
)> 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 47 
 
 
 ~\ 
 
 
 ' i I 
 
 J Sj 
 14 
 
 ft 
 
 l\n 
 
 't !IJ 
 
 GRATITUDE. 
 
 Whene'er I take my walks abroad, 
 
 How many poor I see ! 
 What shall I render to my God 
 
 For all his gifts to me 1 
 
 Not more than others I deserve, 
 Yet God has given me more ; 
 
 For I have food while others starve, 
 Or beg from door to door. 
 
 How many children in the street 
 Half naked I behold ! 
 
48 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 * r 
 
 While I am clothed from head to foot, 
 And covered from the cold. 
 
 While some poor wretches scarce can tell 
 Where they may lay their head, 
 
 I have a home wherein to dwell. 
 And rest upon my bed. 
 
 While others early learn to swear, 
 And curse, and lie, and steal, 
 
 Lord, I am taught thy name to fear, 
 And do thy holy will. 
 
 Are these thy favours, day by day. 
 
 To me above the rest ? 
 Then let me love thee more than they, 
 
 And try to serve thee best. 
 
 Watts. 
 
 
 i* 
 
 it 
 
 ill 
 
 hi 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 49 
 
 POOR WILL. 
 
 " Oh dear, if I could only run and play, I shouldn't 
 care," thinks poor Will as he sits watching the boys 
 on their way to school. 
 
 Poor Will is a cripple. He cannot walk a step 
 without the aid of his two crutches. And it is very 
 hard to sit still nearly all day, when he wants so 
 much to run and play. 
 
 He is a good scholar, even if he has never attended 
 school. His mother teaches him at home ; and she 
 takes a great deal of pains, for she knows he will 
 enjoy his books very much when he can read them 
 well. 
 
 But Will has one little comforter which he has 
 entirely forgotten now. His little sister Minnie 
 loves him dearly, and cheers him with her bright, 
 pretty ways, much more than he thinks. 
 
 As he sits by the door now, feeling sad and un- 
 

 L I 1 
 
 |] 
 
 50 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 pleasant, she comes softly to his side, and then sud- 
 <lenly springs upon the seat, saying, — ■ 
 
 " Oh, my dear little Will ! " and she puts her 
 jirms about his neck and kisses him. " Minnie's come 
 to 'muse you now. Minnie wants to see her poor 
 little Will laugh." 
 
 She stoops down and looks into his face so queerly 
 that he laughs in spite of himself. 
 
 This makes her clap her hands and try to amuse 
 liim still more. 
 
 " What'll I do next, little Will ? Does you know 
 what'll make you laugh hard ? '.' 
 
 She looks into his face so roguishly that he can- 
 hot wait for her to do more, but laughs loud and 
 lonff enoufi^h to suit even Minnie. 
 
 " Does you feel better now ? " she asks. 
 
 " Yes, little sunshine, ever so much. You are a 
 * dear darling,' as papa says." 
 
 Should you rather be in Dick's place, and go down 
 into the deep, dark mine, than in poor, crippled 
 Will's? 
 
 Dick often wishes he could stay in the bright sun- 
 shine ; but his father is poor, and he must earn what 
 he can. 
 
 Poor Will has many blessings for which the little 
 miner would be very thankful. 
 
 LITTLE GRUMBLERS. 
 
 As the child sat there, a little mouse rustled from 
 •among the leaves of the former year, and a lizard 
 lialf glided from a crevice in the rock ; and when 
 
SECOND BOOK OF BEADING LESSONS. 
 
 51 
 
 they saw that he meant them no harm, they took 
 courage and came nearer to him. — " I should like 
 to live with you," said the child to the two little 
 creatures, in a soft, gentle voice, so that he might 
 not frighten them. " Your houses are so snug, so 
 warm, and yet so shaded ; and the flowers grow in 
 at your windows ; and the birds sing to you their 
 morning song, and call you to table and to bed with 
 their clear warblings." — " Yes," said the mouse, " it 
 would be all very well, if all the plants bore nuts 
 and acorns, instead of those silly flowers ; and if I 
 were not obliged to grub under ground in the spring, 
 and gnaw the bitter roots, whilst they are dressing 
 themselves in their flne flowers, and bearing them- 
 selves proudly before the world, just as if they had 
 endless stores of honey in their cellars." — " Hold 
 your tongue," said the lizard pertly ; " do you think, 
 because you are gray, that other people must throw 
 away their handsome clothes, or let them lie in the 
 dark wardrobe under ground, and wear nothing but 
 gray too ? I am not so envious ! The flowers may 
 dress themselves as they like for me ; they pay 
 for it out of their own pockets, and they feed bees 
 and beetles from their cups : but what I want to 
 know is, of what use are birds in the world ? Such 
 a fluttering and chattering, truly, from morning 
 early to evening late, that one is worried and 
 stunned to death, and there is never a clay's peace 
 
 tor them. p^.^^^ ^^^ German of Carove. 
 
 ipiH 
 
 \ 
 

 / \ 
 
 52 
 
 .^, 
 
 l^ 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 r\ii 
 
 • fsf 
 
 rn^i^-^ 
 
 
 i«'!- 
 
 <^T 
 
 V^igi 
 
 % 
 
 P, 
 
 ^1 
 
 m 
 
 m 
 
 rf' 
 
 <e 
 
 ■'>^ 
 
 k\ 
 
 THE CHILDREN 
 IN THE WOOD. 
 
 A long time ago 
 there lived, in the 
 
 w^^ 
 
 county of Norfolk in England, two 
 little children, whose names were Willie 
 and Jane. Their parents were very 
 good and kind to them, and loved 
 them dearly. They lived in a fine 
 house, had plenty of servants to wait 
 on them, and, in fact, had everything they 
 could desire to make them happy. 
 
 When they were both quite young, Willie 
 being only six and Jane four years old, their 
 mamma was taken ill; and two days after, 
 their papa fell ill also. They had caught a 
 dreadful fever which was raging at that 
 time, and the doctors said that there w^as no 
 hope for them. It would not have grieved 
 the parents to have died and left all their 
 riches behind them, for they had been taught 
 to love God before all things ; but they 
 were much grieved to leave behind them 
 their two sweet helpless children. At b-st, 
 one evening, the children were called to 
 their parents' bedside to hear their last 
 words, and to receive their dying blessing. 
 
 n 
 
SECOND BOOK OF BEADING LESSONS. 
 
 53 
 
 It was a sad sight, and the children wept many 
 tears, although the poor things could not know what 
 a loss they were about to suffer. Their uncle, a 
 brother of their mother's, was there too. Their 
 father's will was read, by which all his riches 
 were left to the children ; but in case they died 
 first, their uncle was then to have all. The good 
 mother kissed her little ones, then took them by 
 the hand, and said to her brother : — ■ 
 
 " Brother, take these dear little children. Be good 
 to my poor boy Willie, and to my darling Jane. 
 They have no friends now but you. I leave them 
 to God and to you. If you are kind to them, God 
 will repay you ; but if you neglect them, you may 
 be sure that God will not fail to mark your ne- 
 glect." 
 
 The uncle said, " My dear sister, I will take care 
 of them as long as I live, and they shall be to me 
 like my own children. If I do harm to these poor 
 orphans, I pray that God may never prosper me or 
 mine." 
 
 After these sad speeches, the parents kissed their 
 dear children again, and as they pressed their cold 
 lips to the warm rosy lips of their little ones, they 
 said gently, " God bless our Little Willie — God bless 
 our darling Jane;" and soon after God took the 
 parents to himself. 
 
 As soon as the remains of their dear parents were 
 laid in the grave, their uncle took the children to his 
 own home. For a while he was very kind to them, 
 and did everything he could to please and amuse 
 them. But he was a wicked man, and soon forgot 
 
 .j. 4 i I 
 H 
 
54 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 
 I 
 
 all that he had said to his dying sister ; for he 
 thought how all their riches might be his, if the 
 poor little ones were only dead. He soon found out 
 two bad men, who would do anything for money ; 
 and he agreed with them to take the little orphans 
 away into a lonely wood, and there to kill them, 
 where no one could hear their cries. So this wicked 
 uncle went home and told a lie to his wife, who 
 loved the little ones. He said that a friend in 
 London, who had lost his own children, wanted to 
 take Willie and Jane to live with him, as he was so 
 lonely. His wife, not knowing that this was a lie, 
 agreed to let the children go, as she had some of her 
 own, who needed all her care. 
 
 Next morning, a coach drove up to the door of 
 their uncle's house, and the dear orphans, thinking 
 they were going to London, kissed their aunt and 
 uncle, and got into the coach with one of the bad 
 men who had agreed with their uncle, while the 
 other got up on the box to drive. 
 
 The man who rode inside the coach tried to amuse 
 them with all sorts of prattle, for he had two little 
 babes of his own about the same age. They chatted 
 to him about London and all the pretty sights they 
 were to see, and were so good that their pretty 
 speeches melted his hard heart, and he began to 
 repent that he had ever agreed to harm such sweet 
 little darlings. 
 
 At last they came to the wood where the wicked 
 deed was to be done, and the man who drove got 
 down, and told the man Walter, who rode inside, 
 that he had better get out, and let the children have 
 
 a w 
 
 gai 
 
 owi 
 
 Th 
 
 flov 
 
 but 
 
 to I 
 
 the 
 
 k 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS, 
 
 55 
 
 a walk while the horses rested. The children jumped 
 gaily out, and Walter, taking a hand of each in his- 
 own, led them along a pretty path into the wood. 
 There they played about, and picked the pretty 
 flowers and the nice berries, and chased the gaudy 
 butterflies, imtil they were tired, and all sat down 
 to rest on a mossy bank. Walter was seated, full 
 of painful thoughts, when Roland, the other bad man, 
 came up, and bade him take the girl while he took 
 the boy. 
 
 But Walter said, " Let us rather think what we 
 are about to do, and do not let us be so wicked, but 
 let us take the poor little ones home to some of our 
 friends." 
 
 At this Roland got into a dreadful rage, and said 
 that he would have his share of the money if Walter 
 would not, and called him a coward, to be afraid of 
 a child. With that he tried to seize Willie ; but 
 Walter drew his sword and stood before the child,, 
 and the two men began to fight, while the two timid 
 children clung to each other, not knowing what it 
 meant. At last Roland was killed ; and as he fell 
 dead, Walter turned to the children, and told them, 
 how that wicked man had wanted to kill them. 
 
 At this they cried ; but Walter told them not to- 
 fear now, and he led them away further into the 
 wood. The poor things began to feel very hungry^ 
 and tired; but Walter had nothing to give them, and 
 was much puzzled to know what to do with thenu 
 So they walked on and on till they saw a church- 
 spire and heard the bells, although they were still 
 far away from them. Then Walter told the children. 
 
1 1 f 
 
 56 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 to rest while he went to get them some food ; and 
 he went off to the towm, but never came back to the 
 little darlings. They played about, and watched 
 the fishes in the brook ; they picked the pretty 
 flowers, and ate the berries ; but although they 
 looked and looked, yet no Walter could be seen. 
 Their clothes were torn by the thorns, and their 
 faces were smeared with crying and with the berries : 
 surely no such lonely, sad little things were ever 
 seen. They held fast to each other, for it began to 
 grow dark and cold. They had no house to go ' 3 
 now, no nice warm bed to creep into, and no supper 
 to eat, and they were so cold and tired and hungry. 
 They heard the bells ringing far away; and, as they 
 used to do at home, they knelt down on the grass, 
 and put their tiny hands together to pray to God. 
 And God heard them too ; for he soon took them away 
 from all wicked men, and brought them to their own 
 dear mamma an J papa again. 
 
 " Let us lie down under this bush," said little 
 Jane, " for I am so tired." 
 
 " I am very tired too," said poor Willie, " and so 
 cold. We will lie down close together until Walter 
 comes with the food." 
 
 So they lay down under the bush, and Jane put 
 ]ier arms round Willie, and the little orphans cried 
 themselves to sleep. 
 
 The night was cold, and the wind was bleak, and 
 their blood was so chilled that the little darlings died ; 
 and God took them as little angels up to heaven, 
 away from all wicked things. 
 
 Two days afterwards a forest rancrer was ffoinof 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 57 
 
 through the wood, and saw the robins flying to and 
 fro, and carrying leaves to what he thought must be 
 their nest. Coming nearer, he saw the sweet babes 
 clasped in ':'ach other's arms, and nearly covered 
 
 with the softest leaves of the forest. Those dear 
 kind birds, the robins, that care so tenderly for their 
 own children, were trying to bring back the warmth 
 to these poor darlings by covering them up from 
 the autumn winds. But the poor children were 
 now dead, and they no longer felt hunger or the 
 cold night winds. 
 
 *' Thus wandered these poor innocents 
 
 Till death did end their grief; 
 In one another's arms they died, 
 
 As wanting due relief: 
 No burial this pretty pair 
 
 Of any man receives, 
 
 Till robin redbreast piously 
 
 Did cover them with leaves." 
 
 Old BciUad (a.d. 1595). 
 
 
 f i i 
 
i: 
 
 1 1, g 
 1« 
 
 
 58 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 THE SWING. 
 
 School is closed, and tasks are done, 
 Flowers are laughing in the sun; 
 Now th*^ woods with music ring, 
 Merrily merrily goes the swing ! 
 
 «t»* 
 
 Swing away ! — how safe it goes ! — 
 Cheeks are glowing like the rose; 
 Health and joy our pastimes bring, 
 Merrily merrily goes the swing ! 
 
 3 wing away, and never fear; 
 Only gladness enters here; 
 Free from care, we'll laugh and sing; 
 Merrily merrily goes the swing ! 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 59 
 
 NIGHT LULLABY. 
 
 The bright moon shines, 
 The baby whines, — 
 The clock strikes twelve. 
 It's getting too late to toil and delve. 
 
 In quiet nights 
 The mousie bites, — 
 The clock strikes one. 
 May naughty dreams little cradles shun ! 
 
 Little Bo Beep 
 Is fast asleep, — 
 The clock strikes two. 
 May good girls be many, and naughty girls few 
 
 The night wind blows. 
 The shrill cock crows, — 
 
 r' 
 
 It 
 
60 
 
 1 i 
 
 si I 
 
 r 
 
 <> 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF BEADING LESSONS. 
 
 The clock strikes three. 
 The ship sails quietly over the sea. 
 
 The horse says " Neigh !" 
 He wants some hay, — 
 The clock strikes four. 
 The coach is standing before the door. 
 
 The cat says " Mew," 
 The dog barks too, — 
 The clock strikes five. 
 The bees are all waking up in the hive. 
 
 The hen cackles. 
 The duck quackles, — 
 The clock strikes six. 
 Time to get up and pick mother some sticks. 
 
 The cook will bake 
 A nice little cake, — 
 The clock strikes seven. 
 Put on the pudding and boil till eleven. 
 
 You shall be fed 
 With milk and bread, — 
 The clock strikes eight. 
 Come ! eat your breakfast, before it's too late. 
 
 From the German. 
 
PART II. 
 
 I? >, 
 
 GRANDPAPA'S DARLING. 
 
 Bread and milk are finished quite, 
 Kiss me now, my heart's delight ! 
 Always first from bed to spring, 
 j3lithe and gay, you darling thing ! 
 Pinafore and frock so white, 
 Golden hair so smooth and briglit; 
 Sunny smile and laugh so clear — 
 Sweetest music to my ear ! 
 
 Bring your little book, and say 
 
 Hymn and lesson for to-day. 
 
 Quick, and perfect ! — I declare 
 
 Every little word is there ! ' 
 
 Teacher will be glad, I know. 
 
 When in school you say it so; 
 
 Now run off to school with pleasure — 
 
 One more kiss, my little treasure ! 
 
 A. M. From the German. 
 
i 
 
 '% 
 
 I 
 
 
 62 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 ROUND THE BREAKFAST-TABLE. 
 
 PART I. 
 
 •' I wish everything could speak," sa id Jane, as the 
 family sat at breakfast one morning. " I should 
 like to hear everything I see tell me what it is 
 made of, and where it comes from." 
 
 " You s ee the things before us," said Aunt Mary. 
 " Now let each of us speak for some article, and in 
 its place tell its history." 
 
 Then one said, " I will speak for the table." 
 Another, " I for the cloth." Another, " I for the 
 cups and saucers." Another, " I for the tea ;" and 
 so on, till all the things were named. 
 
 The first said, " I am a walnut table. The wood 
 
 out of which I was 
 made grew in one of 
 our Canadian forests. 
 
 " It was cut down 
 and sold to a cabinet- 
 maker. Some parts 
 of it were made into 
 tables, some into chairs, 
 and some into sofas. 
 Twenty years ago your 
 father bought me, and 
 I have been here ever 
 since." 
 
 "It is my turn to speak now," said the table- 
 cloth. " I am made of linen. Linen is tho iibre of 
 the stem of the flax plant. Flax grows in Ireland, 
 Holland, Germany, and other countries. It is a 
 
 WiLNUT TREE. 
 
 pret 
 
 lea^ 
 
 in 
 
 resti 
 
 tak( 
 
 comi 
 
 are 
 
 are 
 
 m 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 63 
 
 FLAX. 
 
 pretty grass-like plant, with slender stalks, small 
 
 leaves, and blue flowers. The threads 
 
 in the stem are separated from the 
 
 rest of the plant. Then they are 
 
 taken to a mill, where they are 
 
 combed and dressed. After that the}' 
 
 are spun into yarn, and then they 
 
 are woven into cloth." 
 
 " We are called china," said the 
 cups and saucers. " We are the finest 
 earthenware that is made. We are 
 made of clay, powdered flint, and 
 water. The man that makes us is 
 called a potter. 
 
 " In England there is a part of the 
 country where so much earthenware 
 is made that it is called ' The Potteries.' 
 were made only in 
 a far-off* land called 
 China : hence the 
 name of china- w^are." 
 
 The spoons spoke 
 next. "We are 
 made of silver," 
 said they. " Silver 
 is wdiite and shining. 
 It is dug out of the ground mixed wdth stones and 
 earth. In that state it is called silver-ore. 
 
 " Then it is put into a furnace and melted. The 
 pure silver separates from the rest of the ore, which 
 is called dross. Silver is found in America and in 
 various countries in Europe." 
 
 ; 'f 
 
 f 
 
 i 
 
 
 Is '.* 
 
 
 11 
 
 1 
 
 Once w^e 
 
 CHINA. 
 
64 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 " We are made of steel," said the knives and foiks, 
 ' Steel is a fine kind of iron. Iron is dug out of 
 the ground, and prepared by melting in a furnace. 
 
 " Iron is found in many parts of Great Britain 
 and America. The man who makes knives and 
 forks is called a cutler. Sheffield, a town in York- 
 shire, is famous for its cutlery."- 
 
 " We are made of horn," said the handles of the 
 knives and forks. " Some of us have been taken 
 from the cow, and some from the buffalo." 
 
 Write:— 
 
 break-fast 
 ar-ti-cle 
 
 poLu-dered 
 fur-nace 
 
 Hol-land 
 Ger-man-y 
 
 • ;i 
 
 WHAT THE WINDS BRING. 
 
 *' Which is the wind that brings the cold?" 
 
 The North wind, Freddy, and all the snow ; 
 And the sheep will scamper into the fold 
 When the North begins to blow. 
 
 " Which is the wind that brings the heat?" 
 
 The South wind, Katy; and corn will grow, 
 And peaches redden for you to eat, 
 When the South begins to blow. 
 
 " Which is the wind that brings the rain?" 
 The East wind, Arty; and farmers know 
 That cows come shivering up the lane 
 When the East begins to blow. 
 
 •' Which is the wind that brings the flowers?" 
 The West wind, Bessie; and soft and low 
 The birdies sing in the summer hours 
 
 When the West begins to blow. E. C. Stedman. 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 65 
 
 -^iim^tri' 
 
 WHEAT. 
 
 ROUND THE BREAKFAST-TABLE. 
 
 PART II. 
 
 There was only a crust of bread left on the plate, 
 but it sp^ke out quite as 
 boldly as if it had been a 
 four-pound loaf. 
 
 " I am made of flour," it 
 began. " Flour is made of 
 wheat. It is grain ground 
 to powder and sifted. The 
 flour is mixed with water, 
 and salt, and yeast. This 
 forms dough, which is made 
 into loaves, and baked in an 
 oven." 
 
 " Being such near relations, 
 we shall all speak together," said milk, butter, and 
 cheese. " We come from the cow. 
 First of all, we are milk, which is 
 used to drink, and to put in your 
 tea and coffee, and in various other 
 articles of food. Sometimes milk 
 is put into a churn, and worked 
 about until the oily part becomes 
 butter. Milk is also made into 
 cheese. To curdle the milk, rennet 
 is put into it. The curd is salted, 
 pressed, and dried, and then it is 
 cheese. Rennet is the stomach of 
 a calf salted." 
 
 Up went the lid of the tea-pot, tea-plant. 
 
 5 
 
 J 1 < 
 
 i 
 

 
 • 
 
 1 
 
 1 ■ 
 
 '! 
 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 \ 
 
 |f 
 
 } 
 
 rh 
 
 ^. 
 
 i 
 
 ' 
 
 1 
 
 i ; 
 
 1 1 
 
 1 
 
 hi 
 
 
 i :1 
 
 : i 
 
 
 l 
 
 1 
 ■ 
 
 : 
 
 [I 
 
 ) ■ 
 
 1 ■. . 
 
 1 
 
 f)6 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 and the tea-leaves said, " We are the leaves of a 
 
 plant which grows in India, 
 China, and other distant lands. 
 The tea-plant bears a flower 
 something like the wild rose. 
 It has also narrow pointed 
 leaves. We are picked off 
 the bushes, dried, and packed 
 in chests. Then we are sent 
 in ships to all parts of the 
 world. The Chinese are very- 
 fond of tea. They use large 
 quantities. They drink it 
 without milk and sugar." 
 
 COFFEE-PLANT. 
 
 Coffee 
 cousin tea. 
 from the 
 
 evergreen 
 
 followed its 
 " I am made 
 berry of an 
 shrub which 
 grows in Arabia, in the 
 West Indies, and in Brazil. 
 When ripe, the fruit of 
 the coffee-plant is like a 
 cherry. It contains two 
 seeds called coffee-beans. 
 When I am picked and 
 dried, I am roasted, and 
 ground into powder. 
 Then I am ready for 
 
 use. 
 
 >» 
 
 SUGAR-CANE. 
 
 " I am the juice of the 
 sugav - cane," said the 
 " I grow in hot 
 
 sugar. 
 
 coui 
 
 Indj 
 
 ((I 
 
 roll] 
 liquj 
 raw! 
 
 is 
 
 a 
 
SECOND BOOK OF BEADING LESSONS. 
 
 67 
 
 ("i I i 
 
 ■\' r 
 
 countries, both in the East and in the West 
 Indies. 
 
 " To get the juice, the cane is crushed between 
 rollers. After that it is boiled and strained. The 
 liquid drawn off is called molasses or sirup. The 
 raw sugar is taken and refined; and some of it 
 is made, like me, into lump-sugar." 
 
 " I came out of a well at Goderich," said the salt. 
 " Sometimes salt is made from sea-water. There 
 are very large salt -wells in Canada and in the 
 United States." 
 
 Here the stories told round the breakfast-table 
 ended ; and the young folk went off in search of 
 other amusements. 
 
 I'D BE A FAIRY KING. 
 
 At night, when the moon spake down, 
 With her bland and pensive tone. 
 The fairest queen 
 That ever was seen 
 Would sit on my pearly throne; 
 And we'd lead such a merry, merry life, 
 That the stars would laugh in showers 
 Of silver light 
 All the summer night 
 To the airs of the passing hours. 
 I'd be a fairy king, 
 
 With mv vassals brave and bold; 
 We'd hunt all day 
 Through the wild wood gay. 
 In our guise of green and gold. 
 
 Charles Sangster. 
 
68 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 \ 
 
 Si \ 
 
 PUSSY CAT. 
 
 Pussy cat lives in the servants' hall; 
 
 She can set up her back and purr : 
 The little mice live in a crack in the wall ; 
 
 But they hardly dare venture to stir. 
 
 For whenever they think of taking the air, 
 
 Or filling their little maws, 
 The pussy cat says, " Come out if you dare ; 
 
 I will catch you all with my claws." 
 
 Scrabble, scrabble, scrabble, went all the little 
 mice, 
 
 For they smelt the Cheshire cheese; 
 The pussy cat said, " It smells very nice. 
 
 Now do come out, if you please." 
 
 "Squeak!" said the little mouse; "Squeak, 
 squeak, squeak ! " 
 
 Said all the young ones too; 
 " We never creep out when cats are about. 
 
 Because we are afraid of you" 
 
 So the cunning old cat lay down on a mat 
 By the fire in the servants' hall : 
 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 69 
 
 " If the little mice peep, they'll think I'm asleep ; " 
 So she rolled herself up like a ball. 
 
 " Squeak ! " said the little mouse; " we'll creep out, 
 And eat some Cheshire cheese : 
 That silly old cat is asleep on the mat, 
 And we may sup at our ease." 
 
 Nibble, nibble, nibble, went the little mice, 
 
 And they licked their little paws ; 
 Then the cunning old cat sprang up from her mat, 
 
 And caught them all with her claws ! 
 
 ■■p*\ 
 
 A HOT SUMMER'S DAY. 
 
 Beside a green meadow a stream used to flow, 
 So clear one might see the white pebbles below; 
 To this cooling brook the cattle would stray. 
 To stand in the shade on a hot summer's day. 
 
 A cow, quite oppressed by the heat of the sun, 
 Comes here to refresh, as she often has done. 
 And standing quite still, stooping over the stream, 
 Is musing, perhaps; or perhaps she may dream. 
 
70 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 ft 
 
 it lii 
 
 4 
 
 il 
 
 I i 
 
 I .1 
 
 r ! 
 
 
 ■r 
 
 
 ^)K^ 
 
 l»W 
 
 THE THREE BUTTERFLIES. 
 
 Once there were three Butter- 
 flies, a white one, a red one, and a 
 yellow one, playing in the sunshine. 
 Soon the rain fell and made them 
 J' wet, and they hastened to fly home. 
 But the house-door was shut, and the 
 key was nowhere to be found. 
 
 So they went to the Tulip, all gayly 
 striped in red and yellow, and said, 
 " Tulip, open your flower a little — 
 will you, kindly ? — that we may slip 
 in out of the rain." 
 
 The Tulip said, " I will open to the 
 red Butterfly, and to the yellow one 
 — they may come in ; but I won't let 
 in the white one." 
 
 Then the red and the yellow Butter- 
 flies said, " If you won't let in our 
 white brother, we won't come in 
 either ; thank you." 
 
 Now it rained harder and harder, 
 and they flew away to the Liij. " Good 
 Lily," said they, " will you kindly open 
 your flower a little, and let us slip in 
 out of the rain ? " 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 71 
 
 Then the Lily said, " I shall be glad to let in the 
 white one, for he looks like myself ; but I won't let 
 in the other two." 
 
 Then the white Butterfly said, " If my two 
 brothers cannot come in, I will not come either ; 
 thank you." 
 
 And so they all flew away together. Now, the 
 Sun behind the clouds had heard how the Butterflies 
 were true to each other, and he shone out again, 
 bright and clear, and dried the wings of the three 
 Butterflies. 
 
 They danced once more over the flowers, and 
 played till it was night, and then went home. And 
 there was the door wide open ! The last sunbeam 
 h'ld opened it for them. In they flew, and went to 
 bod. 
 
 iiii 
 
 i' :li) 
 
 Ji I 
 
 MINNIE AND WINNIE. 
 
 Minnie and Winnie 
 Slept in a shell : 
 
 Sleep, little ladies ! 
 And they slept well. 
 
 Sleep, little ladies I 
 Wake not soon ! 
 
 Echo on echo 
 Dies to the moon. 
 
 Pink was the shell within, 
 
 Silver without ; 
 Sounds of the gi'eat sea 
 
 Wandered about. 
 
 Two bright stars 
 
 Peoped into the shell— 
 *' What are they dreaming of ?"- 
 " Who can tell ? " 
 
 Started a green linnet 
 Out of the croft : 
 
 Wake, little ladies, 
 The sun is aloft ! 
 
 Tennyson. 
 
I.' 1 
 
 li ' 
 
 i I 
 
 1 ' 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 I ■' 
 
 
 1 
 
 ■ ! 
 
 1 * 
 
 
 i i 
 
 
 I 
 
 72 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF BEADING LESSONS. 
 
 TELL ME, LITTLE BUTTERFLY. 
 
 u 
 
 Tell me, little butterfly, 
 
 What you see there in the sky 1 
 
 Would it always be as blue 
 
 If I went as high as you "i 
 
 Tell me, do you ever go 
 
 Where the wind begins to blow, 
 
 Where the rain is kept, and where 
 
 Snow is made, and angels are 1 
 
 Is it very strange to be 
 
 Up away so far from me?" 
 
 " Little girl, I never go 
 Where the wind begins to blow, 
 Where the rain is kept, and where 
 Snow is made, and angels are ; 
 And however far I fly 
 Up away from you, the sky 
 Always looks as high and blue 
 As 'tis looking now to you." 
 
 m\ '•' 
 
 •wHwwpiwwmtwmmn 
 
i \ 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 73 
 
 THE HEDGEHOG. 
 
 /^ ^o, (( Good-morning, ooocl-morning ! 
 
 the busy 
 bee hummed as it passed the hedge- 
 hog, who was on his way to the cab- 
 bage field to have his breakfast. The 
 hedgehog leered at the bee, shrugged 
 ^§ his shoulders with compassion, nAd 
 ^ muttered in his beard, " Oh fie ! what 
 a saucy little being, and how ugly ! " 
 Two steps further on, a little yellow- 
 spotted butterfly sat kissing a blue corn- 
 1 flower, to whom he was betrothed. And 
 the butterfly was repeating a joyous 
 B strain : — 
 
 " 'Mongst thousand blossoms roaming, 
 Thee I have chosen at last." 
 
 lip 
 
 
 
 1 
 
ni 
 
 f "~ 
 
 %m 
 
 74 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 The blue corn-flower wliispered,- 
 
 " And I will be true unto death." 
 
 The hedgehog first intended to pass them, but he 
 could not refrain from stopping, and saying to the 
 butterfly, " Oh fie ! what a stupid thing you are ! 
 When any one is as ugly as you are, he ought not to 
 flatter himself that lie is admired." 
 
 The hedo'eh' raised himself with an air of self- 
 satisfaction, anu waiiood himself to kiss the blue 
 corn-flower ; but the flower turned itself away, and 
 trembled on its stem with fear. 
 
 " Oh ^Q ! do you think that I really wanted to 
 kiss your pale blue lips ! " the hedgehog called out, 
 angrily, " such a hypocrite as you, and so ugly ! " 
 
 And the hedgehog bit ofl' the flowery stem close 
 to the root, and the blue corn-flower fell down and 
 breathed her last, with a sigh. 
 
 " Served you right ! " the hedgehog said, and con- 
 tinued his way to the cabbage garden, which was 
 situated between two ranges of gooseberry bushes, 
 near a large birch tree. 
 
 High up in this tall tree two thrushes were 
 sitting singing a duet, and in the bushes all around 
 sat the sparrows and listened. 
 
 " Queeveevit ! " the one thrush sang ; " Veevee- 
 quit ! " the other trilled, and it blended delightfully. 
 
 " Oh fie ! the wretched birds will kill me with 
 their stupid songs ! " snarled the hedgehog, and then 
 he himself began to sing; " for," he thought, " they will 
 at least keep quiet while they are listening to me." 
 
 But the hedgehog had scarcely begun his song 
 
 bef| 
 am( 
 drei 
 had 
 
 selfl 
 begl 
 self 
 but 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 76 
 
 before thrushes, sparrows, and all the tiny creatures 
 amongst the grass scampered off; for anything so 
 dreadful as the song of the hedgehog no one ever 
 had heard before. 
 
 " 'Tis only envy," the hedgehog muttered to him- 
 self, and sang his song all through ; after which he 
 began feasting heartily. When he had gorged him- 
 self enough, he went down to the brook to drink : 
 but when he looked down into the water, his eyes lit 
 upon an image so fearfully ugly, that ^e grinned at it; 
 but then the effigy in the water grimif i even worse. 
 
 " Oh fie ! that is the ugliest thiijg I ever saw ! " 
 the hedgehog exclaimed, and he a; tually spit with 
 disgust at it; but then the ugly : nage did the same. 
 
 " You horrible, ugly beast!" the hedgehog growled 
 in a rage. " If only I knew who you were, I 
 would — " 
 
 " It is yourself, your own image," hummed the bee, 
 who just then flew across the brook. The hedgehog- 
 trembled all over at these words ; and when he saw 
 that the image on the water trembled likewise, then 
 he knew that the bee had spoken the truth. In 
 his fright he lost his balance and his sense, and 
 tumbled into the brook and was drowned. 
 
 From the Sivedish of GusTAFSSON. 
 
 >) 
 
 BE GOOD, AND DO GOOD. 
 
 Be good, sweet maid, and let who will be clever; 
 
 ' Do noble things, not dreaw them, all day long; 
 
 And so make life, death, and that vast for ever, 
 
 One grand, sweet song. 
 
 Charles Kingsley (1819-1875). 
 
76 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
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 t^f^. 
 
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 K^J^;v 
 
 
 
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 Av 
 
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 0\xVV 
 
 v, 
 
 ■;5<ri^'- 
 
 
 'S 
 
 
 
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 THE HEDGEHOG. 
 
 •^., 
 
 ^Y. 
 
 >^ Thou poor little timid porcupine, 
 :^ What a harassed and weary life is thine ! 
 ^ "VJ^o And thou art a creature meek and mild, 
 
 ^ 
 
 \ That wouldst not harm a sleeping child. 
 
 vJ 
 
 .1^ 
 
 !^ 
 
 ^-^ 
 
 
 <J<^^ 
 
 J'>S> 
 
 1;^ Thou scarce canst stir from thy tree-root, 
 But thy foes are up in hot pursuit ; 
 Thou mightst be an asp, or horned snake. 
 Thou poor little martyr of the brake ! 
 
 Thou scarce canst put out that nose of thine, 
 Thou canst not show a single spine, 
 But the urchin-rabble are in a rout, 
 With terrier curs to hunt thee out. 
 
 .■i -' 
 
 ^^mi 
 
 Poor old beast ! one would think he knew 
 His foes so many, his friends so few ; 
 
 M* 
 
4^ 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 77 
 
 For wlien he comes out, he's in a fright, 
 And hurries back to be out of sight. 
 
 How unkind the world must seem to him, 
 Living under the thicket dusk and dim ; 
 And finding liis food of dry liedge-fruits, 
 And insects small amongst the roots I 
 
 How hard it must be to be kicked about, 
 If by chance his prickly back peeps out ; 
 To be all his days misunderstood, 
 When he could not harm us if he ivould/ 
 
 ' 
 
 It;- 
 
 :l 
 
 ,i: 
 
 '€ 
 
 He's an innocent thing living under the blame; 
 That he merits not, of an evil name ; 
 He is weak and small, — and all he needs 
 Lies under the hedge amongst the weeds. 
 
 He robs not man of rest or food. 
 And all that he asks is quietude ; 
 To be left by him as a worthless stone, 
 Under the dry hedge-bank alone ! 
 
 Poor little timid porcupine. 
 
 What a troubled and weary life is thine ! 
 
 T would that my pity thy foes could quell, 
 
 For thou art ill-used, and meanest well ! 
 
 ' Mary Howitt. 
 
 1 I: >tm 
 hi 
 
i 
 
 
 I- 
 
 tl 
 
 78 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 THE LITTLE CONaTJEROR. 
 
 " Oh, dear ! " said little Edward, " I never shall 
 be able to learn this long* lesson ; it is so hard ! I 
 think I must give it up ! " 
 
 " Give it up ? " said his mother. " Never let it 
 be said that a lesson which thousands of children have 
 learned has conquered you." 
 
 " Well, mother," said Edward, " I have read this 
 lesson over more than twenty times in the last hour, 
 and still I cannot repeat it." 
 
 " And yet," said his mother, " you have not tried 
 one hcdf so many times as the little ant did to get 
 a grain of corn into his cell." 
 
 " Why, mother," said Edward, " how many times 
 did he try ? Please tell me the story." 
 
 " The story is this," said his mother : " Timour, a 
 great warrior, was several times defeated by his 
 enemies, and he had to flee from them, and hide in 
 an old building. 
 
 " He was very much cast down by his defeat, and 
 he almost resolved that he would never try to 
 conquer them again. 
 
 " One day he saw a little ant trying to get a 
 grain of corn into his cell, which was high up on a 
 wall. As he was just about to reach it his strength 
 failed, and he fell to the floor. 
 
 " But the little ant did not give up. He seized 
 hold of the grain of corn and tried again ; and he 
 fell to the floor a second time. 
 
 " Thus he went on trying for sixty-nine times. 
 
 bul 
 till] 
 
 try! 
 
 cess 
 
SECOND BOOK OF BEADING LESSONS. 
 
 79 
 
 but as often he fell to the floor. The seventieth 
 time he reached the cell with his prize ! 
 
 " The conduct of the ant gave Timour courage to 
 try again to conquer his enemies ; and he was suc- 
 cessful." 
 
 " Well done, little ant ! " exclaimed Edward. " I 
 will do by my lesson as the ant did by the grain of 
 corn : I will not give it up : I wuU conquer it." 
 
 With another effort he learned his lesson thor- 
 oughly. And seldom after that did Edward fail to 
 conquer his lessons. 
 
 If at first you don't succeed, 
 
 Try, try, try again : 
 All that other boys can do, 
 Why, with patience, may not you 1 
 Only keep this rule in view — 
 
 T7'y, try again. 
 
 If you find your task is hard, 
 
 Try again ; 
 Time will bring you your reward, 
 
 Try again. 
 All that other folk can do, 
 Why, with patience, should not you ? 
 Only keep this rule in view — 
 
 Try again. 
 
 Write : — 
 
 Ed'Ward 
 lesson 
 thousands 
 learned 
 
 war-ri'Or 
 seu-er-al 
 Ti-mour 
 en-e-mies 
 
 seu-en-ti-ech 
 cour-age 
 suC'Ceed 
 suC'CesS'fu/ 
 
80 
 
 .; 
 
 
 I !■ I 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 THE BOY'S WISH. 
 
 
 ^*S?'2C%'-'--?; 
 
 I would I were a little bird ! 
 
 Then gaily I would soar away ; 
 From place to place I'd fly so quick, 
 And crumbs and berries I would ])ick, 
 
 And liapjiy be, the livelong day. 
 
 Oh, that I were a little bird ! 
 
 To please myself I'd then be free ; 
 No tasks or books would me concern, 
 No tiresome lessons I would learn, 
 
 But fly about at liberty. 
 
 Yet, if I were a little bird, 
 I know not if I'd happier be : 
 
 Our present lot, my parents say, 
 
 Is better for us, every way, 
 
 Than one of our own choice could be. 
 
 So now I am a little child, 
 
 Then let me try to be content ; 
 My duty let me strive to do, 
 And, with a thankful heart and true. 
 Accept the blessings Heaven has sent. 
 
 BEAUTIFUL WATER. 
 
 Beautiful water, so fresh and so free ! 
 God gave it to you and he gave it to me : 
 To him we give thanks that, wherever we go, 
 He made the clear water so freely to flow. 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 81 
 
 WBSON 
 
 SUSY AND HER TEA-PARTY. 
 
 When they came in from their walk Freddy was 
 awake, and Susy said it was time for her party to 
 begin. You will wonder whom she expected to see 
 at this party, so I must tell you at once that nobody 
 had been invited but Freddy and all the dolls! 
 
 6 
 
 
 i* 
 
Rr r 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 f 
 
 And a funny little party they made, I can tell you. 
 Susy set out her talble, and a cup and saucer for 
 each one ; also a plate and spoon for each. Then 
 her mamma filled the little tea-pot with " milk- 
 tea," as Susy called it, and gave her some sponge- 
 cakes, and a few sugar-plums, and an orange nicely 
 cut ; and then they all sat down to the feast, Susy 
 and her new doll on one side, and Freddy and 
 Peggy and old black Dinah on the other. Freddy 
 was a dear little boy. He did not pull the cups 
 about, or snatch the cake ; he sat very still, and 
 opened his mouth now and then when Susy offered 
 him a little tea or a crumb of cake. The dollies, 
 too, were ve^^y good. They did not fall over upon 
 their faces, as some ill-bred dollies do, nor slip down 
 from their chairs, nor push each other. They sat 
 as still as mice, and behaved far better than mice 
 would have done. Susy thought her party a very 
 nice one ; and I think her papa and mamma did so 
 too, for I saw them peeping in at the nursery door, 
 laughing and rejoicing. 
 
 Susy was a very busy little girl. She was 
 always at work upon something, as if she felt 
 afraid she should not get out of each day all the 
 fun there was in it. So as soon as she had eaten 
 up all there was on the table (with the help of 
 mamma and nurse), she began to play again. She 
 made a great yard witli a fence round it — the fence 
 was made of blocks — and put her animals into the 
 yard. Her papa sat down on the floor, and helped 
 her to make it, and showed her how to drive her 
 
 cattle in. ^^^^y^^ ^.^^ Birthdays. 
 
 
 
 £^- i^^ 
 
 
 
 t.- \i: 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 83 
 
 1 you. 
 er for 
 
 Then 
 milk- 
 Donge- 
 nicely 
 , Susy 
 y and 
 Veddy 
 I cups 
 1, and 
 )ffered 
 lollies, 
 ' upon 
 down 
 ey sat 
 
 mice 
 
 very 
 lid so 
 
 door, 
 
 was 
 felt 
 1 the 
 eaten 
 Ip of 
 She 
 fence 
 o the 
 elped 
 i her 
 
 kins. 
 
 
 
 
 L Do you know the little wood-mouse, 
 That pretty little thing, 
 That sits amongst the forest leaves, 
 Beside the forest spring 1 
 
 2. Its fur is ix'd as the cliestnut, 
 And it is small and slim ; 
 
 It leads a life most innocent 
 Within the forest dim. 
 
 3. Tis a timid, gentle creature, 
 And seldom comes in sight ; 
 
 It has a long and wiry tail, 
 
 And eyes both black and bright. 
 
 1 It 
 
 . !,' r, 
 
 
 ■ -i ^ 
 

 i' 
 
 St' 
 
 5, ,) 
 
 84 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 4. It snakes its nest of soft dry moss. 
 In a hole so deep and strong ; 
 And there it sleeps, secure and warm, 
 The dreary winter long. 
 
 5. And though it keeps no calendar, 
 
 It knows when flowers are springing ; 
 And waketh to its summer life 
 When nightingales are singing. 
 
 } ■' 
 
 6. Upon the boughs the squirrel sits, 
 The wood-mouse plays below ; 
 And plenty of food it finds itself 
 Where the beech and chestnut qyow. 
 
 7. In the hedge-sparrow's nest it sits, 
 
 When the summer brood is fi.ed. 
 And picks the berries from the bough 
 Of the hawthorn overhead. 
 
 8. I saw a little vvood-mciF once, 
 
 Like Oberon"^ in his hall, 
 With the green green moss beneath his feet, 
 Sit under a mushroom tall. 
 
 9. I saw him sit and his dinner eat. 
 
 All under the forest- tree — 
 His dinner of chestnut ripe and red, 
 And he ate it heartily. 
 
 10 T W!f-,h you could have seen him there ; 
 It did my spirit good, 
 
 Oberon ami Titania were kinf,' and qrieeu of the fairies. 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LKSSONS. 
 
 85 
 
 
 
 < r- 
 
 >:'^ 'V'-c. 
 
 
 1*^ ■ .^^ 's 
 
 
 
 
 >r 
 
 '•\ 
 
 To see the small thing God had made 
 Thus eating in the wood. 
 
 11. I S9.W that He regard eth them, 
 
 Those creatures weak and small ; 
 Their table in the wild is spread 
 By Him who cares for all ! 
 
 Mrs. Hov 
 
 THE MUSHEOOM GIRL. 
 
 1. I'll rove the wide heath, far and near, 
 
 Of mushrooms fine in quest: 
 But you remain, kind mother, here; 
 Lie still and take your rest, 
 Though we're with poverty oppressed. 
 
 2. No toadstool in my basket's found; 
 
 My mushrooms when I sell. 
 I'll buy some bread : our labors crowned, 
 Then let our neighbors tell 
 That you and I live wondrous well. 
 
 I 1; 
 
 il 
 
 
 A. AND J. Taylor, 
 
86 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 i 
 
 fi 
 
 w^ 
 
 k 
 
 ^'1 
 
 LITTLE RED RIDING-HOOD. 
 
 Far away in the heart of the country, near a 
 pretty village, there once lived a little girl. She 
 was one of the sweetest and best children you ever 
 saw. 
 
 Her mother loved her dearly, and her grand- 
 mother was very fond of her too. Grandma had 
 given her darling a little hood of red velvet ; and 
 (.his became her so well, that every one who knew 
 her always called her by the name of Little Red 
 Ridino'-Hood. 
 
 Well, one day her mother baked a batch of cakes, 
 and she said to Red Riding-Hood, " I hear your poor 
 grandma has not been well lately ; so I want you 
 to go, like a ;^ood child, to see if she is any better. 
 Take this cake and a pot of butter with you." 
 
 Little Ived Ridlug-Hood, who was a dear, willing 
 child, put the tliiLgs into a basket with great care, 
 and off she sen. The house in which her grandma 
 lived was on the other side of a thick wood. 
 
 On rau Little Red Riding-Hood ; but, just as she 
 came to the wood, what should she meet but a great 
 ugly wolf ! The wolf would have liked to eat her 
 up then and there ; but you must know there were 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 87 
 
 some wood-cutters hard by, and they would soon 
 have killed him in turn. 
 
 So the wolf trotted up to the little girl, and said 
 as softly as he could, " Good-morning, Little Red 
 Riding-Hood." 
 
 " Good-morning, Master Wolf," said she. 
 
 " And where may you be going so early?" he asked. 
 
 "Oh, I'm going to grandma's," said Little Red 
 Riding-Hood; for she thought there was no harm in 
 being civil. 
 
 " Indeed ! And what have you got in the bas- 
 ket, my pretty maid ?" asked the wolf, as he sniffed 
 and sniffed at the lid. 
 
 " Oh," said she, " only a cake and a pot of butter; 
 for my granny is ill, you know." 
 
 "Dear me!" cried the wolf; "and where does 
 she live, pray ?" 
 
 " Down by the mill, through the wood," said she. 
 
 " Well, if that's the case," said the wolf, " I don't 
 mind going and seeing her too. I shall go by the 
 road, now ; you take the path through the wood ; 
 and let us see who will be there first." 
 
 Away went the wolf, and he made all haste, as 
 you may guess. Sure enough he stood at granny's 
 door in a very short time. 
 
 Thump, thump went the wolf at the door. 
 
 " Who's there ?" cried out grandma from within. 
 
 Then the wolf said, in a small, child-like voice, 
 " It's only Little Red Riding-Hood ; and I've brought 
 you a cake and a pot of butter from mother." 
 
 So grandma, who was in bed, cried out, " Pull the 
 string, my dear, and it will lift the latch." 
 
 
 r\ 
 
 Sli 
 
I 
 
 88 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF BEADING LESSONS. 
 
 I 
 
 M 
 
 i ;■ 
 
 f 
 
 i. *i 
 
 This the great ugly wolf did, and in he %vent. As 
 soon as he was in, he fell on the poor old woman, 
 and ate her up in a trice. Next, he shut the door, 
 put on grandma's night-cap and night-gown, and 
 got into the bed. Then he drew the curtains quite 
 close, and hid his head on the pillow. 
 
 There the ugly wolf lay, how merry you can't 
 think, licking his lips, and waiting for Little Red 
 Riding-Hood. 
 
 All this while she toddled on through the wood, 
 here plucking a wild flower, there picking some 
 nice berries for her grandma. Then down she sat 
 on a mossy bank to sort her flowers, red, blue, and 
 yellow. 
 
 In a little while a wasp came up to her. He 
 buzzed about, and at last dropped on Red Riding- 
 Hood's posy of flowers. 
 
 " Sip away, my poor little wasp, and take as much 
 honey ar. you like," said Little Red Riding-Hood. 
 
 The wasp hummed his thanks, as he flew from 
 flower to flower ; and when he had sipped enough, 
 away he sped. 
 
 Soon a little wren hopped up, and he began to 
 peck with his wee bill at a berry. " Peck away, 
 my little wren, as much as you like ; only leave 
 enough for grandma and me," said Riding-Hood. 
 
 " Tweet, tweet," said the wee wren, for " Thank 
 you." So he ate his fill, and away he flew. 
 
 Now Little Red Ridino--Hood thoucifht it was hio[h 
 time for her to get on her way, so she picked up her 
 basket and set ofl*. Soon she came to a brook, and 
 there she saw an old woman, bent almost double. 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 89 
 
 Ln to 
 [way, 
 leave 
 
 I 
 
 hank 
 
 ligh 
 her 
 and 
 
 " What are you looking for, Goody ?" said the 
 little girl. 
 
 " For water-cresses, my pretty chick," said she ; 
 " and a poor trade it is, let me tell you." 
 
 Little Red Riding -Hood gave Goody a bit of 
 cake, saying, " Sit down. Goody, and eat. I will 
 pick the water-cresses for you." So the old woman 
 sat down and ate the cake, while Riding-Hood got 
 a heap of cresses. 
 
 "There's a dear!" said Goody. "Now, if you 
 meet the Green Huntsman on your way, tell him 
 there's game in the wind." 
 
 That she would ; and away went Red Riding- 
 Hood ; but when she looked round, the old woman 
 was gone. 
 
 Little Red Riding-Hood looked everywhere for 
 the Green Huntsman, but she could not see him, 
 until at last, just as she was passing a still pool, she 
 met him. He was all green from top to toe, so that 
 she could not mistake him. 
 
 '' Good-morning, Master Huntsman," said Little 
 Red Riding-Hood. " The old water-cress woman 
 bade me tell you that there's game in the wind." 
 
 The Green Huntsman nodded, but said nothing. 
 He bent his ear to the ground, strung his bow and 
 fitted an arrow, while Little Red Riding-Hood 
 toddled away, trying to think what it could all 
 mean. 
 
 In a short time she got to her grandma's house, 
 and she tapped at the door. 
 
 " Who's there ?" cried the wolf from within, in a 
 queer, gruff sort of voice. 
 
i i' 
 
 90 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS, 
 
 
 f- 'I 
 
 ■i\ 
 
 i 
 
 ! j I' '''!■ 
 
 " It's only your grandchild, Red Riding-Hood ; 
 and I've brought you a nice cake and a pot of fresh 
 butter from mother." 
 
 Then said the wolf more mildly, " Pull the string, 
 my dear, and it will lift the latch." So she did as 
 she was bid, and in she went. 
 
 Now the wolf hid his head under the bed-clothes, 
 and said, " Put the cake and pot of butter on the 
 shelf, my pet, and then come and help me to get 
 up." 
 
 Well, Little Red Riding-Hood did so ; but when 
 she came to help her grandma, and drew back the 
 curtains, she could not make out how her grandma 
 had got so ugly. So she said, — 
 
 " Dear me, grandma, what long arms you've got!" 
 
 " The better to hug you, my dear." 
 
 "But, grandma, what great eyes you've got '" 
 
 " The better to see you, my child." 
 
 " But, grandma, what big teeth you've got !" 
 
 " The better to eat you up," said the wolf, as he 
 got ready to make a spring on her. 
 
 But, at that moment, the wasp, who had come 
 into the house alono^ with Ridincr-Hood, stun^^ the 
 wolf on the nose, so that he sneezed and sneezed 
 
 again. 
 
 Then the little wren, who was sitting on the win- 
 dow-sill, when he heard this, said, " Tweet, tweet." 
 
 And the Green Huntsman, who was outside, hear- 
 ing the wren, let fly his arrow ; and it struck the 
 wolf through the heart, and killed him on the spot. 
 
SIJCOND HOOK OF HEADING LESSONS. 
 
 91 
 
 1. O Coot ! O bold, adventurous Coot 
 
 I pray thee, tell to me 
 The perils of that stormy time 
 That bore thee to the sea ! 
 
 2. I saw thee on the river fair, 
 
 AVithin thy sedgy screen ; 
 Around thee grew the bulrush tall, 
 And reeds so strong and green. 
 
 3. The kingfisher came back again, 
 
 To view thy fairy place ; 
 
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92 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 The stately swan sailed statelier by, 
 As if thy home to grace. 
 
 4. But soon the mountain flood came down. 
 And bowed the l)ulrush strong ; 
 And far above those tall green reeds 
 The waters poured along. 
 
 5. "And where is she, the Water-Coot," 
 I cried, " that creature good ? " 
 But then I saw thee in thine ark, 
 Regardless of the flood. 
 
 6. Amid the foaming waves thou sat'st, 
 
 And steer 'dst thy little boat, — 
 Tliy nest of rush and water-reed, — 
 So bravely set afloat 
 
 7. And on it went, and safely, on 
 
 That wild and stormy tide ; 
 And there thou sat'st, a mother-bird, 
 Thy young ones at thy side. 
 
 8. Coot ! O bold, adventurous Coot ! 
 
 I pray thee, tell to me 
 The perils of that stormy voyage 
 That bore thee to the sta ! 
 
 '■ ■ T i. 
 
 ■i } 
 
 9 Hadst thou no fear, as night came down 
 Upon thy watery way, 
 Of cruel foes, and dangers dire 
 That round about thee lay ? 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 
 
 ^- •:.^-^. 
 
 
 
 
 -^,^fiP*>f 
 
 ~:>r'^ 
 
 
 
 93 
 
 i 
 
 
 10. Didst thou not see the falcon grim 
 
 Swoop down as thou passed by i 
 And 'mongst the waving water-flags 
 The lurking otter lie ] 
 
 11. The eagle's scream came wildly near, 
 
 Yet caused it no alarm 1 
 Nor man, who seeing thee, weak thing. 
 Did strive to do thee harm 1 
 
 12. And down the foaming waterfall. 
 
 As thou wast borne along, 
 Hadst thou no dread 1 O daring bird, 
 Thou hadst a spirit strong I 
 
94 
 
 SECOND BOO OF BEADING LESSONS. 
 
 13. Yes, thou hadst fear ! But He wlio sees 
 
 The sparrows when they fall ; 
 He saw thee, bird ! and gave thee strength 
 To brave thy perils all. 
 
 14. He kept thy little ark afloat ; 
 
 He watched o'er thine and thee ; 
 And safely through the foaming flood 
 
 Hath brought thee to the sea 
 
 Mrs. Howitt. 
 
 THE LEAP AT RHODES, 
 
 A man who had bien in all parts of the world, 
 used to tell his old friends, when he returned home, 
 of the wondrous feats he had done. These stories 
 they at first heard with great pleasure ; but after a 
 time they found out that he shot with a long bow; 
 nay, more than this, that he told falsehoods; and 
 when once he did that, he set less and less guard 
 upon his tongue, till he made those who heard him 
 stare. " How happens it," they asked, " that this 
 person, who, when at home, could perform no great 
 feats, should, when he reaches strange lands, ac' lieve 
 such wondrous things ? " One day he was celling 
 them that there was no place in the world where 
 men leaped like the men of Rhodes. " But I jumped 
 further than any of them," said he, " for I took a 
 leap there of twenty yards ! " A thoughtful old 
 man who was sitting near him, said, with a sneer, 
 *' Sir, if your story be true, suppose this place to be 
 Rhodes, and, to prove your statement, take the leap 
 once more." The man kept his seat and had nothing 
 more to say. ^sop's Fabks. 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 96 
 
 THE STORY OF THE THREE BEARS 
 
 A very long time ago, there was a 
 
 bold, rude little girl, who lived in a 
 
 far-off country, and the village people 
 
 called her Silverlocks, because her cuily 
 
 hair was so light and shiny. She was a 
 
 sad romp, and so full of pranks, that her 
 
 parents could never keep her quiet at 
 
 home. 
 
 One day when she had been told not to 
 
 go out, she trotted off into a wood, to string 
 
 necklaces of blossoms, to chase tlie bees, and 
 
 to pull wild roses ; and she ran about from 
 
 place to place, until at last she came to a 
 
 lonely spot, where she saw a pretty-looking 
 
 small house. Finding the door a little way 
 
 open, and the parlor window also, she peeped in, 
 
 but could see no one ; and slyly she laughed to think 
 
 what fine fun she would have before the good folk 
 
 ^h 
 *{ 
 
96 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF BEADING LESSONS, 
 
 ■; 
 
 came back : so sho made up her mind to go boldly 
 into the house and look about her. 
 
 Now it chanced that a family of three bears was 
 living in this house. The first was the great papa, 
 called Rough Bruin, from his thick, shaggy coat ; 
 the second was a smaller bear, called Mrs. Bruin, 
 and sometimes Mammy Muff, from her soft fur ; 
 the third was a little funny brown bear, their own 
 dear pet, called Tiny. The house was empty when 
 little Sib ocks found it out, because the bears had 
 all gone out for a morning walk. Before going from 
 home, the great bear had told Mrs. Bruin to rub down 
 Tiny's face, and make him tidy, while he was busy 
 brushing his own hair, that all three might have a 
 pleasant walk in the woods, while the rich rabbit- 
 soup, which they were to have for dinner, cooled 
 upon the table in the parlor. When they were all 
 ready, they went out for their walk, and they left 
 both the door and the window a little open. 
 
 In the Bears' house there were only a parlor 
 and a bedroom; and when that saucy puss. Silver- 
 locks, threw open the door and went in, she found 
 there was a pleasant smell, as if something nJce 
 had just been cooked ; and on looking into the par- 
 lor, she saw three jars of steaming soup stand- 
 ing on the table, dinner having been got ready for 
 the three bears by Mrs. Bruin. There was a big 
 black jar quite full of soup for Rough Bruin, a 
 smaller white jar of soup for Mammy MufF, and a 
 little blue jar for Tiny; and with every jar there 
 was a deep wooden spoon. The little girl was now 
 as hungry as she was full of mischief, and felt quite 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 97 
 
 glad when she saw the soup-jars on the table. It 
 did not take her long to make up her mind how to 
 act — taste the nice-smelling soup she would, happen 
 what might. It would, she thought, be such good 
 fun. She would then run home again, and have a 
 fine tale to tell old Mike the groom, one that would 
 make him laugh till Christmas : for that silly fel- 
 low, too, liked mischief, and taught Silverlocks all 
 sorts of foolish tricks, and laughed at all her naughty 
 ways; which was surely not the best plan to correct 
 her faults, and make a good child of her. 
 
 After looking outside to see that no one was 
 coming, she began first to taste the soup in Rough 
 * Bruin's great jar; but it was so very hot with pepper 
 that it burned her mouth and throat : then she 
 tried Mammy Mufi*'s jar; but the soup was too salt 
 — there was no bread in it either, and she did not 
 like it at all: then she tried Tiny's soup; and she 
 found it was just to her taste, and had nice bits of 
 white bread in it, so that she would have it and run 
 all risks. 
 
 Now, before the little wilful child sat down to 
 eat Master Tiny's soup, as she was tired she looked 
 for a seat, and she saw there were three chairs in the 
 room ; one, a very large oak chair, was the great 
 bear's seat ; another, of a smaller size, with a velvet 
 cushion, was Mrs. Bruin's chair ; and a little chair • 
 with a rush bottom belonged to the little bear Tiny. 
 These chairs Silverlocks tried all in turn. She could 
 not sit in the very large chair, it was so hard ; she 
 did not like the smaller chair, it was too soft ; but 
 the little chair with the rush bottom, she found to 
 
 ifc 
 
 li 
 
98 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 ■«! 
 
 \i ^ 
 
 be very nice, indeed it was just the thing ; and so 
 she sat down in it with the jar upon her knees, and 
 began to enjoy herself. She dipped and dipped 
 again, eating away till she had eaten up all the soup 
 in the little blue jar ; not leaving one bit or drop of 
 either bread, meat, or soup for the poor little bear, 
 who at that very minute was begging the old folk 
 to go home to their dinner — for indeed all three 
 were hungry enough after their walk. 
 
 Just as Silverlocks had taken the last spoonful of 
 soup, and had got up on the chair to put back the 
 jar upon the table, the bottom of the chair fell out, 
 and she tumbled on the floor; but she was not hurt, 
 and the little mad-cap jumped up and danced round 
 the broken chair, thinking it all fine fun. Silver- 
 locks then began to wonder where the stairs could 
 lead to; so up she went into the bedroom, where the 
 bears used to sleep, and there she saw three beds 
 side by side. Now one of these was a largo bed 
 for the big bear, there was also a smaller bed for 
 Mrs. Bruin, and a nice little bed for Master Tiny. 
 Being sleepy, she thought she would lie down, and 
 have a bit of a nap : so, after taking off her shoes, 
 she first jumped on to the largest bed, but it was 
 made so high at the top that she could not lie on it; 
 she then tried the next bed, but that was too high 
 at the foot ; but she found the little bear's bed to 
 be just right, so she got snugly into it. She let her 
 cheek rest gently on the soft pillow, and watched 
 the vine nodding in at a broken window-pane, and 
 the blue-fly buzzing about in the fold of the cur- 
 tain, till she fell fast asleep, and dreamed about the 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 99 
 
 cur- 
 the 
 
 same thing over and over again, often laughing in 
 her sleep too, because the dream was all about her 
 breaking the little chair. 
 
 While she was dreaming away, the bears came 
 home very tired and hungry, and went to look after 
 their soup. The big bear cried out, in a loud, angry 
 voice : — 
 
 "WHO HAS MEDDLED WITH MY SOUP?" 
 
 Mammy Muff next said, in a loud voice too, but 
 not so gruffly as Rough Bruin : — 
 
 " Who has meddled with my soup ? " 
 
 But when the little bear saw his jar lying 
 empty on the table, he bit his paws for grief, 
 and asked over and over again, with his shrill little 
 voice : — 
 
 " Who has meddled with my soup ? " 
 
 Soon after, the big bear, with a voice of thunder, 
 said : — 
 
 " WHO HAS BEEN SITTING IN MY CHAIR, 
 AND PUT IT OUT OF ITS PLACE?" 
 
 And Mrs. Bruin grumbled out : 
 
 " Who has been sitting in my chair, and put 
 IT out of its place ? " 
 
 But poor Tiny was more angry than either of 
 them, and sadb'' sobbed aij he cried : 
 
 " Who has been sitting in my little chair — and 
 broken it?'' 
 
 They now looked about below-stairs, feeling sure 
 there was some one in the house; a.nd then up-stairs 
 they all went, snuffing and grunting in a very bad 
 humor. 
 
 Said the great bear in a fury : 
 
100 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 ..> 
 
 I :t 
 
 " SOME ONE HAS BEEN ON MY BED, AND 
 RUMPLED IT!" 
 
 Then said Mammy MufF: 
 
 " Some one has been on my bed, and rumpled 
 
 IT 
 
 • ♦» 
 
 Tiny next mounted a stool, and jumped on to 
 the foot of his own small bed. In a moment he 
 squeaked out : 
 
 " Some one has been on my bed — and here she is ! 
 oh, here she is ! " And he opened his mouth, and 
 looked as fierce and as wicked as could be at Silver- 
 locks. 
 
 The little girl had not been roused from her sleep 
 by the loud voices of Mr. and Mrs. Bruin, but the 
 shrill, piercing tones of Tiny's voice, waked her right 
 up; and she was startled enough to find herself 
 nose to nose with the angry little bear ; and she 
 was still more afraid when she also saw two great 
 bears in the room. Now, the great bear had, very 
 well for her, opened the window. So she quickly 
 slid off* the bed and flew across the room, to#k one 
 jump at the open sash, and dropped upon the turf 
 below. She rolled over and over on coming to the 
 ground ; but up again she soon got, for, on looking 
 at the open window, she saw the three bears staring 
 wildly at her, and making a great noise. When the 
 little busy-body safely reached home, she got a severe 
 scolding for her pains. She never forgot the fright 
 which the sight of the three bears had given her; 
 and so she took good care ever after to keep away 
 from places where she had no right to go, and also to 
 avoid meddling- with things that did not belong to her. 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 101 
 
 THE WISE BEAVEE. 
 
 You have often heard of the wonderful way in 
 which our beavers in Canada construct their houses 
 and dams. They seem, however, in these opera- 
 tions, to be guided by instinct rather than by reason. 
 I will tell you of a beaver which lived a captive in 
 France. 
 
 To supply him with nourishment, all sorts of 
 things — fruits, vegetables, and small branches of 
 trees — were thrown to him. His keepers, knowing 
 that he came from a cold climate, bestowed little 
 care, however, in keepHg him warm. Winter 
 coming on, one night large flakes of snow were 
 driven by the wind into a comer of his cage. The 
 poor beaver, who, in his own country, forms a re- 
 markably warm house for himself, almost perished 
 with the cold. If man would not help him, he 
 must try to help himself to build a cell which 
 would shelter him from the icy blast. The mate- 
 rials at his disposal were the branches of trees given 
 him to gnaw. These he wove between the bars of 
 his cage, filling up the openings with the carrots 
 and apples which had been thrown in for his food. 
 Besides this, he plastered the whole with snow, 
 which froze during the night ; and next morning it 
 was found that he had built a wall of some height, 
 which perfectly suited his purpose. 
 
 Make the best of the means at your disposal, as 
 well as of the talents you possess. 
 
 Kingston : Sagacity of Animals. 
 
 i| 
 
I*» 
 
 102 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS, 
 
 A i 
 
 WHO STOLE THE BIRD'S NEST? 
 
 1. To-whit ! to- whit ! to-whee ! 
 Will you listen to me ? 
 Who stole four eggs I laid, 
 And the nice nest I made 1 
 
 2o Not I, said the cow — moo-oo ! 
 Such a thing I 'd never do : 
 I gave you a wisp of hay, 
 But didn't take your nest away ; 
 Not I, said the cow — moo-oo ! 
 
 3. To-whit ! to-whit ! to-\vhee I 
 Will you listen to me ? 
 Who stole four eggs I laid. 
 And the nice nest I made 1 
 
 4. Bob-o'-link ! Bob-o'-link ! 
 Now what do you think 1 
 
 ^ Whr stole a nest away 
 
 From the plum-tree to-day 1 
 
 
 w, 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 5. A little boy hung down his head, 
 And went and hid behind the bed ; 
 For he stole that pretty nest 
 From little Robin Redbreast ; 
 And he felt so full of shame 
 He did not like to tell his name. 
 
 103 
 
 ROBEET OF LINCOLN. 
 
 Merrily swinging on brier and weed, 
 Near to the nest of his little dame 
 Over the mountain-side or mead, 
 
 Robert of Lincoln is telling his name : 
 Bob-o'-link ! Bob-o'-link ! 
 Spink, spank, spink : 
 Snug and safe is that nest of ours. 
 Hidden among the summer flowers. 
 
 Chee, chee, chee. 
 
 Robert of Lincoln is gayly drest, 
 
 Wearing a bright black wedding-coat ; 
 White are his shoulders and white his crest. 
 Hear him call, in his merry note : 
 Bob-o'-link ! Bob-o'-link ! 
 Spink, spankj spink : 
 Look what a nice new coat is mine, 
 Sure there was never a bird so fine. 
 
 Chee, chee, chee. 
 
 Robert of Lincoln's Quaker wife. 
 
 Pretty and quiet, with plain brown wings, 
 Passing at home a patient life, 
 
 Broods in the grass while her husband sings 
 
I'l 
 
 I! 
 
 ^ « 
 
 1 ^ 
 
 It . 1 
 
 I' 
 
 » . 
 
 104 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 Bob-o'-link ! Bob-o'-link ! 
 
 Spink, spank, spink : 
 Brood, kind creature ; you need not fear 
 Thieves and robbers while I am here. 
 
 Chee, chee, chee. 
 
 Modest and shy as a nun is she ; 
 
 One weak chirp is her only note. 
 Braggart and prince of braggarts is he, 
 Pouring boasts from his little t^nroat : 
 Bob-o'-link ! Bob-o'-link ! 
 Spink, i. lank, spink : 
 Never was I afraid of nian ; 
 Catch me, cowardly knaves, if you can I 
 
 Chee, chee, chee. 
 
 Six white eggs on a bed of hay, 
 
 Flecked with purple — a pretty sight ! 
 There, as the moth or sits all day, 
 
 Robert is singing with all his might : 
 Bob-o'-link ! Bob-o'-link ! 
 Spink, spank, spink : 
 Nice good wife, that never goes out, 
 Keeping house while I frolic about. 
 
 Chee, chee, chee. 
 
 ffi^ 
 
 Soon as the little ones chip the shell. 
 Six wide mouths are open for food. 
 Robert of Lincoln bestirs him well, 
 Gathering seeds for the hungry brood : 
 Bob-o'-link ! Bob-o'-link ! 
 Spink, spank, spink : 
 
SECOUD BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 This new life is likely to be 
 Hard for a gay young fellow like me. 
 
 Chee, chee, chee. 
 
 Robert of Lincoln at length is made 
 
 Sober with work, and silent with care ; 
 Off his holiday garment laid, 
 Half forgotten that merry air : 
 Bob-o'-link ! Bob-o'-link ! 
 Spink, spank, spink : 
 Nobody knows but my mate and I 
 Where our nest and our nestlings lie. 
 
 Chee, chee, chee. 
 
 Summer wanes ; the children are grown ; 
 
 Fun and frolic no more he knows : 
 
 Robert of Lincoln's a humdrum crone; 
 
 Off he flies, and we sing as he goes, — 
 
 Bob-o'-link ! Bob-o'-link ! 
 
 Spink, spank, spink ; 
 
 When you can pipe that merry old strain, 
 
 Robert of Lincoln, come back again. 
 
 Chee, chee, chee. 
 
 W. C. Bryant. 
 
 105 
 
 
106 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF BEADING LESSONS, 
 
 l,M 
 
 t" 
 
 111 
 
 n<' 
 
 .» . 
 
 MILKING TIME 
 
 Tinkle, tinkle through the Jane, 
 
 Open wide the barn-yard gate ; 
 For the cows are coming in. 
 
 And we must not make them wait. 
 Hear the music of their bellf^ ; 
 Of the milking time it tells. 
 
 lo ! lo ! lo ! 
 To the yard we all will go. 
 
 Pleasant hour, so fresh and cool ; 
 
 Pleasant light of setting sun : 
 Bring the pails and milking-stool ; 
 Close the gate till all be done. 
 Milk the cows with gentle hand, 
 While so patiently thev stand. 
 
 lo! lo! lo! 
 The stream is white as snow. 
 
 Now the sweet and foamy milk 
 In our little bowls we pour ; 
 And a pleasant supper make, 
 Sitting in the open door. 
 
 Shadows fall, we softly sing, — 
 This is pleasure for a king. 
 
 lo ! io ! lo ! 
 No greater joy we knoW: 
 
 -.:: 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 107 
 
 ii 
 
 LAZY AND DREAMER. 
 
 THE FOOLISH LITTLE GNOMES. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Once upon a time, under the foot of a large hill 
 there lived a colony of gnomes. They were a very 
 tiny race of men, but they made up for that short- 
 coming by their number. When they were at work 
 by their work-shops under the hill, the whole place 
 seemed to be alive with little people. All around, 
 you saw them hammering away at golden orna- 
 ments and sparkling jewellery ; though for what 
 purpose they spent all their time thus, no one knew 
 less than the little workmen themselves. For they 
 treasured up their golden rings and bracelets and 
 other exquisite things low beneath the earth, and 
 nobody ever saw them again, except the little gnome 
 watchman who was set there to OTard them. 
 
 The gnomes all lived very happily together, were 
 quite contented with their mode of life, and all went 
 
108 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 !■ t 
 
 u 
 
 well. But one day one of the little men happened 
 to fall into a talk with an old mole who lived in 
 the same hill. Mr. Digger, as he was called, had 
 been gazing with wondering eyes at the gnome as 
 he was making a fine ring, studded with precious 
 stones — emeralds, rubies, and diamonds. After a 
 while he said : — 
 
 " I say, gnome, could not you make me one of 
 these things for my foot ? I'm thinking of going 
 a-courting before long, and the doar little mole- 
 maiden I have in view blinked so kindly at me 
 yesterday, that I think if I had your ring on my 
 foot she would have me at once. She might think 
 she would get it after we were married, you know. 
 Come, what do you want for it ? " 
 
 " Well," said the gnome, " what have you got to 
 offer?" 
 
 " I am a poor mole, as you know, and there is 
 nothing of much value in my burrow," replied Mr. 
 Digger ; " but my collection of snail-shells is one of 
 the finest that mole ever made. All the colors of 
 the rainbow shine in their bright sides, and it does 
 one's eyes good to look at them. You shall have 
 them all for your ring. And I will promise you, 
 also, a dinner of ten fine fat slugs with a dessert of 
 two fresh young worms every day for a whole 
 month, in addition." 
 
 " Oh, you cunning Mr. Digger ! You know your 
 broken snail-shells do no good to me -, and as for 
 your slugs and worms — bah ! the very thought of 
 them makes me think I shall never want £. dinner 
 again ! No ! everybody knows that you have a 
 
 or 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 109 
 
 of 
 
 rich store of precious stones and gems, which you 
 have found by your mining, and which you have 
 hidden away. Two handfuls of them for my ring, 
 or you shall not have it — there ! " 
 
 [In the end, Mr. Digger made the gnomes believe 
 that snail-shells were then greatly needed in the 
 Land of the Beetles, for the building of the vast 
 Beetle Palace ; and that the gnomes would make 
 their fortunes by buying his snail-shells, and trading 
 them off in Beetle Land. At last, four of the 
 gnomes, who had earned for themselves the names 
 of Crazy, Lazy, Silly, and Dreamer, carried out Mr. 
 Digger's plan, and prepared to set out for Beetle 
 Land. 
 
 So they each took a tiny sack, and at once went 
 to the old mole. They knocked at the door of his 
 mole-hill.] 
 
 " Mr. Digger ! Mr. Digger ! are you at home ? 
 It is Crazy, Lazy, Silly, and Dreamer come to pay 
 vou a visit. Let us in ; it is not the mole-catcher ! 
 We want to give you the golden ring in exchange 
 for your snail-shells ! " 
 
 When the old mole heard this, he opened the 
 door and peeped out. 
 
 " Come in, come in, my dear sirs," he said, as 
 soon as he had made sure that it was not the mole- 
 catcher ; " here is my lot of snail -shells, and a very 
 valuable and lovely one it is too. Fill your sacks, 
 — but first give me the ring ! " 
 
 The gnomes handed him the ring, and filled their 
 sacks. They then went away in high spirits, 
 saying, — 
 
110 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 W\\ 
 
 m 
 
 
 ^1 
 
 ^1 
 
 
 i 
 
 " Good-bye, Mr. Digger, good-bye ! When we re- 
 turn, we will come and see you again. Thank you!" 
 
 " — For nothing ! " muttered the mole to him- 
 self, and then he chuckled and laughed until his 
 sides ached. " Oh, I shall burst if I go on laughing 
 like this ! " he said to himself ; and very likely he 
 might have, too, if he had not stopped, for his little 
 arms were so short that they did not reach far 
 enough to hold his sides. 
 
 The next morning the four gnomes set out for 
 Beetle Land, their sacks over their shoulders. After 
 they had journeyed on some time, they got very 
 hot and tired in the bright sunshine. Then Lazy 
 cried out, — 
 
 " I cannot walk any further with tlis heavy 
 sack upon my back. I do not see what we want 
 with snail-shells ! Let us leave them here. If 
 need be, we can fight the beetles ; but I am sure 
 they will give us the jewels as soon as they see the 
 four of us. We shall only have to look fierce, like 
 this!" 
 
 [Two of the little men disputed about looking 
 fierce, but the quarrel was stopped by Silly, who 
 hit Crazy with his sack of snail-shells, and knocked 
 him over into a muddy ditch. Crazy was in great 
 grief over his new trowsers.] 
 
 As Silly's sack was already in the ditch, the 
 others thought they might as well throw theirs in 
 too. 
 
 They then looked out for weapons, and armed 
 themselves with green acorns attached to the stems, 
 which made good clubs for them. But Silly cut a 
 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS, 
 
 111 
 
 twig of white-thorn into the right shape for his 
 club. And a bold crew they were. 
 
 After they had gone on some time, they came to 
 a road with two deep furrows running along the 
 whole length of it, which a heavily laden waggon 
 had made. 
 
 " Highty, tighty ! what are we to do now?" cried 
 Lazy. " Here's a pickle ! We shall have to clamber 
 over these hills. If we had only brought our 
 mining tools with us, we would have been through 
 in a minute." 
 
 Yet they managed to get over the ridges without 
 much difficulty, though Crazy had again cause to 
 bewail having his best trowsers on. " They will be 
 ruined before I get back, I know they will 1 " the 
 poor little man moaned, with big tears in his eyes. 
 
 " Never mind. Crazy, cheer up ; we will buy you 
 a new pair with the jewels we shall bring away 
 from Beetle Land," the others said. 
 
 Crazy wiped his eyes, and the four little gnomes 
 continued on their way. Soon they came upon a 
 large bumble-bee sitting on a dog-daisy resting himself. 
 
 " Can you tell us the way to Beetle Land, Mr. 
 Bumble ? " they asked. " We are going there to 
 fetch away the jewels. See ! we have our clubs 
 ready for battle ! " And the lour little warriors 
 tried to look fierce each in his own way, whirling 
 their clubs over their big heads. " Don't you think 
 we shall terrify the poor beetles ? " they said. 
 
 " Yes ; you seem to me very terrible warriors 
 indeed. Ugh ! I must look the other way, if you 
 will excuse me, for I cannot bear to gaze upon your 
 
 il 
 
112 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS, 
 
 %'■ 
 
 warlike faces." Bu^ I, for my part, believe Mr. 
 Bumble turned his back upon them that they might 
 not see his smile. " Cannot you, really ! Don't be 
 afraid ; we shall not htrm you, Mr. Bumble," they 
 replied. " We mean to be friendly to you, and we 
 are not looking fierce any more." And it was true, 
 for their faces now beamed with good-nature. 
 
 " I will lead you to Beetle Land, then," answered 
 the bee : " follow me ; but you must run quickly 
 after me, for it is a long way off." 
 
 The little gnomes set off running as fast as their 
 legs would bear them, and their big heads shook 
 from side to side as they ran. The bee led them 
 over meadow and iield, up hill and through wood, 
 and the foolish little men did not for a moment 
 look whither they were running, when suddenly — 
 cricketty-cracketty-cricketty — plomp-plomp-plomp ! 
 — through the bushes they fell, down the bank they 
 slid, down into the pone, — one, two, three of them. 
 
 " That is the land of the Water Beetles ! Is ^ hat 
 
 what you want ? " laughed the bee ; and away he 
 
 flew, leaving poor Crazy, Lazy, and Silly struggling 
 
 in the water. Fortunately it was very shallow, or 
 
 my story might have ended here. As it was, the 
 
 poor little fellows scrambled up on to the bank, 
 
 drenched and draggled like drowned rats. 
 
 W. Allson. 
 
 THE SPRING OF LIFE. 
 
 Lightly from the childish brow 
 Blows the curling golden hair, 
 
 Tossed upon the sportive wind 
 Here and there and everywhere. 
 
Mr, 
 
 SECOND BOOK Oif' READING LESSONS. 
 
 113 
 
 V " -^.N 
 
 lat 
 
 Lightly dance the hazel eyes, 
 Telling forth the childish glee — 
 
 O how blessed to be young ! 
 O how glorious to be free ! 
 
 Dreaming not of care or grief. 
 Knowing not what life can give; 
 
 Feeling only in her glee 
 What a joy it is to live ! 
 
 Lightly from the girlish brow 
 Blows the curling golden haii', 
 
 Tossed upon the sportive wind 
 Here and there and everywhere. 
 
 Brightly beam the hazel eyes, 
 
 Outlets of a happy heart ! 
 Brightly glows the lovely face. 
 
 Eyes alight and lips apart ! 
 
 Dreaming not of coming pain, 
 Knowing but what love can give, 
 
 Feeling only in her joy 
 What a joy it is to live ! 
 
 EsPEBANCE, in Canadian Monthly Magazine. 
 
 i 
 
114 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS, 
 
 THE FOOLISH LITTLE GNOMES. 
 
 v! 
 
 M 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 [Dreamer, who was at the top of th \ k, and had 
 not; rolled into the ditch, left the other little men 
 
 and stole off home. Crazy, 
 Lazy, and Silly dried them- 
 selves in the sun, and slept 
 over night in a hay-stack. 
 In the morning they 
 started off afresh, and be- 
 fore long came to a pool 
 where a frog was sitting 
 on the leaf of a water-lily, 
 basking in the sun. The 
 gnomes asked him the way 
 to Beetle Land.] 
 
 " Beetle Land ? " he 
 asked ; " why, it is not this 
 way at all ! Come closer, 
 and I will whisper in your 
 ear where it is." 
 
 " You go. Crazy," " You 
 go. Lazy," " You go. Silly," 
 cried the three gnomes all at once. But Crazy had 
 to go, because he was the captain of the little army. 
 He ran towards the edge of the water, but the 
 bank was covered with lonsf grass which hid the 
 Qd.gQ. Crazy had not noticed this, though he 
 quickly found it out ; for the earth slipped from 
 beneath his feet, and headlong he was plunged 
 through the prickly briers and wild rose-trees. 
 
 DREAMEA STEALING HOME. 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS, 
 
 115 
 
 he 
 
 5> 
 
 He would have had another and deeper bath if 
 he had not as he fell grasped hold of a strong 
 branch that overhung the surface of the water. 
 His club dropped from his hand, but he caught it 
 cleverly between his feet before it reached the 
 water. There he hung in a terrible fright, as he 
 called aloud, — 
 
 " Hi ! hi 1 help ! help ! Mud and ditch-water — 
 I'm dead ! Help ! !" 
 
 " Is it help you want ?" spoke a gruff voice from 
 above. " I'll give you help !" 
 
 Crazy looked up, and before him he saw a huge 
 stag-beetle slowly drawing nigh him. His antlers 
 moved backwards and forwards, as though he were 
 already enjoying the delicious morsel he saw before 
 him. 
 
 . " Dear Mr. Stag-beetle, will you really help me ? 
 I am so fond of your beautiful race, that I am sure 
 you will. We luere going to Beetle Land, to carry 
 away all the beetles' jewels ; but now we won't go, 
 because you are so kind !" 
 
 " Oh — ho !" answered the Stag-beetle, " you were 
 going to steal the jewels from Beetle Land, were 
 you ? Well, I'll see if I can help you out of your 
 scrape. Clamber higher up the branch. It will 
 not bear us both at the end " 
 
 " Don't go ! don't go, Crazy !" shouted Lazy and 
 Silly, as they peeped through the bushes and rose- 
 trees above ; " he only wants to gobble you up. 
 Stay where you are. Crazy !" 
 
 " V/ho are you up there, jon wicked little sin- 
 ners, to talk such nonsense ? " cried the Stag-beetle, 
 
116 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 ' I 
 
 !li( 
 
 ■ 31 
 
 i! ■•t- 
 
 *' ril be after you." And he walked backwards to 
 the top of the branch, and then gave chase to Lazy 
 and Silly, who rushed off in great fright. 
 
 [The Stag-beetle chased the two gnomes until he 
 became short of breath. Meanwhile Crazy had 
 
 
 
 t "^S'i 
 
 
 crawded along his branch to land, and so escaped. 
 He soon joined the other two gnomes. They went 
 forward together, and suddenly ran against a beetle 
 that was one of the police of Beetle Land. The 
 gnomes foolishly told this beetle their plans. The 
 beetle reported the news to his king.] 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 117 
 
 s to 
 .azy 
 
 I he 
 had 
 
 iped. 
 
 went 
 
 eetle 
 
 The 
 
 The 
 
 Presently he returned with the beetle-king, and 
 his servant-man, the grasshopper. 
 
 " At them ! at them, my men ! I'll take the big 
 one !" screeched the king; and poor Crazy was hurled 
 to the ground before he could raise his acorn-club. 
 The king leaped upon him, and began stabbing him 
 in the face with his legs. Crazy cried lustily for 
 help ; at which Silly grasped hold of the beetle- 
 king's wing to pull him off, when he felt a sudden 
 shock in his chest — he fell roughly backwards, for 
 the grasshopper, who had been standing some dis- 
 tance behind the king, had made a sudden spring at 
 him. 
 
 Lazy, who had wanted to look on, fared little 
 better. As soon as he saw the others so fiercely 
 attacked, he gave a tremendous leap into the air, 
 and seized hold of the branch of a tree above him. 
 But no good ! the beetle they had first met laid 
 hold of him as he hung there, and no one can tell 
 what would have been the end of it all if a swallow 
 had not at that moment swept across the ground. 
 
 "The sw^allow ! the swallow !" cried the enemy, 
 and rushed into the bush. 
 
 " What next ? I'm nearly dead !" gasped Silly. 
 " Oh, my chest ! my che — st !" 
 
 "^And I'm quite dead! Oh, my nose, my no — ose !" 
 cried Crazy. 
 
 " And so am I ! Oh, the fright I had ! A minute 
 more, and he would have eaten me," cried Lazy. 
 
 "I am more hurt than you, you coward!" an- 
 swered Crazy. " You ran away. I fought like a 
 hero!" 
 
m 
 
 118 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 '»r 
 
 
 I 
 
 ; fi i 
 
 m 
 
 s', 
 
 t!fcl 
 
 I, ! , 
 
 . 1 
 
 m ! ( 
 
 I' 
 
 ¥ 
 
 I f 
 
 
 til 
 
 I ; 
 
 I 
 
 ^i 
 
 The gnomes now made their way home, having 
 found to their cost that telHng one's plans is not 
 the way to success. They went to their house, but 
 what was their surprise to find the door locked 
 inside ! They rapped loudly. 
 
 " Umph ! umph !' sounded from within. . 
 
 "Who is that in there?" they shrieked in a 
 passion. 
 
 " Umph ! umph ! what do you want, disturbing 
 me in my sleep ? Ever since the four foolish little 
 gnomes went to Beetle Land to fetch away the 
 jewels — ha ! ha ! — I have slept here in peace. Who 
 are you ?" 
 
 " The wicked old mole ! the wicked old mole 1 
 he has taken our house !" screamed Crazy, his big 
 face purple with rage ; and he stamped upon the 
 gt'ound in his passion. He rushed backwards and 
 forwards, and then threw himself headlonof aorainst 
 the door. It burst open ; and Mr. Digger, who had 
 recognized the gnomes by their voices, scrambled out 
 through their legs, upsetting the enraged little men 
 on the ground. Up they jumped, and after the mole. 
 
 " That won't do, Mr. Digger ! Oh, no ! we don't 
 mean to let you off like that ! " they cried ; and 
 after him they ran at full speed. They easily over- 
 took him, and he turned round to face thein. 
 
 " What do you want with me, my good little 
 friends?" asked Mr. Discover. 
 
 OCT 
 
 " That ! ! " the gnomes roared ; and their three 
 acorn-clubs descended, as if from one arm, upon the 
 old mole's head. He rolled over — dead, as dead as 
 a mole ever was or ever will be. w. Allson. 
 
 U 
 

 SECOND BOCK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 119 
 
 
 THE VIOLET. 
 
 Down in a green and shady bed, 
 
 A modest violei; grew; 
 Its stalk was bent, it hung its head, 
 
 As if to hide from view. 
 
 And yet it was a lovely flower, 
 Its colors bri.fjht and fair; 
 
 It might have graced a rosy bower 
 Instead of hiding there. 
 
 Yet there it was content to bloom, 
 
 In modest tints arrayed; 
 And there diffused its sweet perfume, 
 
 Within the silent shade. 
 
 Then let me to the valley go, 
 
 This pretty flower to see: 
 That I may also learn to grow 
 
 I'l'-i 
 
 4') 
 i 
 
 In sweet humility. 
 
 Jane Taylor. 
 
120 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 \^ P 
 
 HOUSE ON FIRE. 
 
 FIRE. 
 
 Here is a house on fire. What a fearful sight! 
 
 Look how the flames 
 have burst through 
 the roof. The heat 
 has broken all the 
 windows. Soon there 
 will be nothing left 
 standing but the 
 bare walls. 
 
 It is not often 
 that anv one can 
 tell either where a 
 fire has begun or 
 what has caused it. 
 A little spark may set a large building in a blaze. 
 Sometimes children play with matches or lighted 
 paper, and, afraid of burning their fingers, they 
 throw the blazing thing down, never thinking of the 
 harm they may do. 
 
 One minute's carelessness may cost many thou- 
 sands of dollars, and even a number of lives, for we 
 often hear of persons having been burned to death. 
 Therefore, never either play with fire or use it care- 
 lessly. 
 
 If you once hear the cry "Fire! fire!" you will 
 never forget it as long as you live. All the people 
 near run at once to the spot, to try to put it out. 
 
 Some one runs for the firemen. As soon as they 
 hear the news, they jump on to their fire-engine 
 and drive to the fire as fast as the horses can gallop. 
 
 
' 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 121 
 
 a 
 
 
 The firemen have hehnets on their heads, so that 
 they may be protected from falling stones and other 
 things as they move about in the burning building. 
 
 As soon as they arrive, pipes are quickly laid, 
 and streams of water 
 are poured on the ^ ^^j'l/i 
 building. Sometimes 
 the firemen put a fire 
 out by this means. 
 But often they arrive 
 too late to save the 
 building in which it 
 began. 
 
 Then chey try to 
 prevent the fire from 
 spreading. They 
 throw streams of water 
 on the houses near, to 
 keep them from catching fire. They also pull down 
 part of the buildings .^^^ 
 on each side of that 
 which is burning. 
 
 Sometimes there 
 are people in the 
 burning house, who 
 have not been able 
 to escape. Fires often 
 happen at night. |!| 
 Then those who live 
 in the house are asleep 
 in their beds ; and 
 when the staircase is fire escape. 
 
 FIREMAN AT WORK. 
 
122 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 ■^.•m-- 
 
 burned, they cannot get away. So a fire-escape Is 
 placed against a window. 
 
 It is like a long ladder on wheels. Some of the 
 people are brought down the outside in the arms of 
 the firemen ; others save themselves by sliding down 
 through the inside of it. 
 
 Yet fire is a very useful thing. We need it to 
 warm our rooms, bake our bread, boil our water, 
 and cook our meat. But how very careful we 
 should be ! The youngest child may set a house on 
 fire, but often no power on earth can put it out. 
 Let us all remember, then, that fire is a good ser- 
 vant but a bad master. 
 
 Write : — 
 
 
 
 fear-ful 
 
 fire -man 
 
 spread-ing 
 
 brok-en 
 
 care-less 
 
 catch-ing 
 
 ei'ther 
 
 care-less-ness 
 
 stair-case 
 
 fin-gers 
 
 care-less-ly 
 
 slid-ing 
 
 blaze 
 
 care-ful 
 
 youn-gest 
 
 blaz-ing 
 
 en-gine 
 
 re-mem-ber 
 
 match-es 
 
 gal-lop 
 
 pro-tect-ed 
 
 NEVER PLAY WITH FIRE 
 
 The roof and wall, the stairs and all, 
 
 And rafters tumble in ; 
 Hed flames and blaze now all amaze, 
 
 And make a dreadful din. 
 Some burn, some choke, with fire and smoke ! 
 
 And oh ! what was the cause 1 
 My heart 's dismayed — last night I played, 
 
 With Tommy, lighting straws ! 
 
 A. AND J. TAtLOR. 
 
■#': 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 123 
 
 
 
 THE LAMBS' LULLABY. 
 
 1. The pretty little lambs iliat lie 
 
 And sleep upon the grass, 
 Have none to sing them lullaby, 
 But the night winds as they pass ; 
 
 2. While I, a happy little maid. 
 
 Bid dear papa good-night, 
 And in my crib so warm am laid. 
 And tucked up snug and tight. 
 
 3. And then some pretty hymn Ann sings, 
 
 Until to sleep I go; 
 But the young helpless lambs, poor things, 
 Have none to lull them so. 
 
 4. Haste, kind mamma, and call them here, 
 
 Where they'll be warm as I ; 
 For in the chilly fields, T fear. 
 Before the morn they'll die. 
 
 MOTHER. 
 
 5. The lambs sleep in the fields, 'tis true, 
 
 Without a lullaby; 
 
124 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 
 m 
 
 
 m 
 
 I'M: 
 
 ■'Mil 
 
 1^ 
 
 m 
 
 And yet they are as warm as you, 
 Beneath a summer sky. 
 
 6. They choose some dry and grassy spot, 
 
 Beneath the shady trees; 
 To other songs they listen not 
 
 Than the soothing evening breeze. 
 
 7. And when the night is bitter cold, 
 
 The shepherd comes with care, 
 And leads them to his peaceful fold ; — 
 They're safe and sheltered there. 
 
 8. How happy are the lambs, my love! 
 
 How safe and calm they rest ! 
 But you a Shepherd have above, 
 Of all kind shepherds best. 
 
 9. His lambs He gathers in His arms, , 
 
 And in His bosom bears; — 
 How blest, how safe from all alarms, 
 Each child His love who shares ! 
 
 10. Oh, if you'll be His gentle child, 
 
 And listen to His voice. 
 
 Be loving, dutiful, and mild, 
 
 How will mamma rejoice ! 
 
 Mary Lundie Duncan. 
 
 " Homeward, homeward, little sheep. 
 O'er the dreary wold ; 
 Homeward, soon ye all shall sleep 
 Safe from wet and cold." 
 
PART III. 
 
 f. 
 
 1- 
 
 if.MCOKELli;t5^«?j3C= 
 
 MY HEART'S IN THE HIGHLANDS. 
 
 My heart 's in the Highlands, my heart is not here; 
 My heart 's in the Highlands a-chasing the deer — 
 Chasing the wild deer, and following the roe ; 
 My heart 's in the Highlands wherever I go. 
 Farewell to the Highlands, farewell to the North, 
 The birthplace of valor, the country of worth ; 
 Wherever I wander, wherever I rove, 
 The hills of the Highlands for ever I love. 
 
 Farewell to the mountains high covered with snow, 
 Farewell to the straths* and green valleys below; 
 Farewell to the forests and wild-hanging woods; 
 Farewell to the torrents and loud-pouring Hoods. 
 My heart 's in the Highlands, my heart is not here ; 
 My heart 's in the Highlands a-chasing the deer — 
 Chasing the wild deer and following the roe ; 
 My heart 's in the Highlands wherever I go. 
 
 Broad valleys traversed by streams. 
 
 Burns. 
 
> I 
 
 "t 
 
 i;i 
 
 it 
 
 \f§ 
 
 s ,< ■ 
 
 t 
 
 ■•' 
 
 . If 
 
 '1 
 
 ■■¥■ 
 
 iv 
 
 if ^ 
 
 
 1 ft 
 
 126 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 SHIPS AND BOATS. 
 
 PART I. 
 
 Tom and Martha lived in a house on the bank of 
 
 a river not very far from the sea. In the picture 
 
 you may see the end of the house, and the brother 
 
 and sister at play on the green. --- 
 
 Every day ships sailed past their home ; and the 
 
 children often 
 stopped in their 
 play to watch the 
 vessels pass up and 
 down the river. 
 Sometimes they 
 called the ships 
 birds with white 
 wings ; and one 
 day, when the 
 wind was blowing 
 very hard, they 
 made a sail with 
 Martha's handker- 
 chief. 
 
 Putting his hoop 
 and stick on the 
 ground, Tom took 
 hold of the two 
 corners at one side, and Martha took hold of the 
 two corners at the other side. 
 
 Then they held the handkerchief against the 
 wind. What fun it was ! Martha was almost 
 
 ^iiMii'iHiiiiiM 
 
 iimimiiiii 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS, 
 
 127 
 
 blown over; and Tom laughed to see their sail filled 
 by the wind. 
 
 When they went home, 
 they told their mother what 
 they had been doing. She 
 told them that sailors use a 
 large sheet for a sail ; but 
 that instead of holding the 
 corners with their hands, 
 they fix the sheet to a long 
 pole called a mast, and 
 stretch it with spars and ropes. 
 
 Here is a picture of a boat with sails. The men 
 in the boat have 
 fastened the sails to 
 the mast. The wind 
 has filled the sails, and 
 the boat is moving 
 quickly through the 
 water. 
 
 Large ships have a 
 number of sails fast- 
 ened to their masts ; 
 and by means of these 
 sails they are blown 
 alono: over the sea from 
 one country to another. 
 
 One day Tom and 
 Martha were taken to 
 the sea-side, where the 
 river that ran past their home ended. Here were 
 quite a number of large ships. How the children 
 
 ( 
 
128 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 'i 
 
 clapped their hands with delight, when they saw a 
 vessel bounding along with all its sails set to the 
 breeze ! 
 
 When they got home, their mother showed them 
 how the sailors can roll up the sails when they wish 
 to stop their ship,, or not to go so fast on their 
 voyage. Tom made a good use of what he had 
 learned ; for he made a little boat, and showed 
 his sister how to sew a sail on the mast. Then they 
 took it down to the pond in the garden ; and the 
 wind filled the sail and blew the little vessel across 
 the pond. 
 
 Tom says that when he becomes a man he will 
 be the captain of a large ship, and that he will take 
 his sister for a long voyage over the sea. 
 
 si'p-ter 
 
 sailed 
 
 stopped 
 
 ues-sel 
 
 some-times 
 
 showed 
 
 uoy-age 
 
 gar-den 
 
 cap-tain 
 
 clap -ping 
 
 blow-ing 
 
 Write :— 
 
 
 lived 
 
 breeze 
 
 green 
 
 learned 
 
 ground 
 
 riu-er 
 
 laughed 
 
 pic-ture 
 
 stretch 
 
 broth-er 
 
 hand-ker-chief 
 
 cor-ners 
 
 a-gainst 
 
 sail-ors 
 
 instead 
 
 fast-ened 
 
 mou-ing 
 
 quick-ly 
 
 coun-try 
 
 clapped 
 
 de-light 
 
 bound-ing 
 
 I 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 129 
 
 I 
 
 
 SAILING-SHIP, 
 
 SHIPS. 
 
 PART II. 
 
 Ships are not always built of wood. They are 
 often built of iron 
 or steel. Here we 
 have a wooden 
 three - master ; but 
 the great vessels 
 which bring letters 
 from our friends 
 across the Atlantic 
 are built of ircn, and 
 they have foui masts, 
 or even more. When 
 there is no wind a 
 sailing-ship cannot go on. 
 
 Now for a steam-ship ! It can sail not only with- 
 out wind, but against 
 it. It has engines 
 which force it 
 through the water. 
 Steamers also have 
 masts and carry 
 sails. Sometimes, 
 when the wind fills 
 their sails, and their 
 engines are also 
 going, they sail very 
 fast. 
 
 Some steam-ships 
 have a larsfe wheel at each side. Such wheels are 
 
 9 
 
 STEAM-SHIP, 
 
130 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 PADDLE-WHEEL. 
 
 called paddle-wheels. These wheels are forced round 
 
 by steam - engines. 
 As they catch the 
 water it resists 
 their pressure, and 
 so the ship is pushed 
 along. 
 
 Here is a picture 
 of a paddle-wheel. 
 It is almost covered 
 bv a laro'e box. On 
 this box the name 
 of the steamer is 
 often painted. The steamer to which this paddle- 
 box belongs is called the John Bull. 
 
 Ships are very useful. They are constantly 
 crossing the ocean to fetch from far-off lands a great 
 many things which we need every day. 
 
 They bring tea from China ; sugar from the West 
 Indies ; coffee from Arabia, Java, and Brazil ; raisins 
 from Egypt ; currants from Greece ; oranges from 
 Florida and Spain ; and a thousand other useful 
 things from all parts of the world. 
 
 Some ships are large enough to convey two thou- 
 sand passengers across the ocean. They are like 
 little towns. They have dining-rooms, bed-rooms, 
 kitchens, and store-rooms for all kinds of food. 
 
 The men who work a ship are called sailors. 
 When they wish to stop their vessel, they throw out 
 a large iron hook called an anchor. Here is a pic- 
 ture of one. 
 
 The anchor is fastened to one end of a long rope 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 131 
 
 or chain, the other end of which is fixed to the ship. 
 When tlie anchor is 
 caught in the ground, 
 it keeps the sliip 
 from sailing away. 
 A ship wdiich is 
 used in war is called 
 a man-of-war. It 
 carries a number of 
 
 large guns or 
 nons, which are 
 
 can- '•"'<^^- 
 fired anchor. 
 
 through holes 
 
 in the sides of the 
 
 vessel, ca-led 
 
 port-holes. 
 
 
 
 Write :— 
 
 
 
 sail'ing 
 
 pressure 
 
 CO f 'fee 
 
 car-ry 
 
 pic-ture 
 
 rai-sins 
 
 car-n'ed 
 
 cou-ered 
 
 cur-rants 
 
 en-gines 
 
 paint-ed 
 
 use-ful 
 
 steam-ers 
 
 con-stant-ly 
 
 an-chor 
 
 pad-die 
 
 crosS'ina 
 
 caught 
 
 forced 
 
 sug-ar 
 
 can-nons 
 
 THE STEAM-BOAT. 
 
 See how yon flaming herald treads 
 
 The ridged and rolling waves, 
 As, crashing o'er their crested heads, 
 
 She bows her surly slaves ! 
 With foam before and fire behind, 
 
 She rends the clinging sea, 
 That flies before the roaring wind, 
 
 Beneath her hissing lee. o. W. Holmes. 
 
 ./* 
 
 li 
 
 ^ 
 
132 
 
 :i,.ii ' 
 
 m-iJ.:.i 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 ON THE RAFT. 
 
 " Darkness around me closes, 
 
 And not a sail is nigh ; 
 No human ear can hear my call, 
 
 No human voice rejily ; 
 The lowering sky above, around 
 
 Waves, waves, spread everywhere; 
 Dread prospect ! yet my sinking soul 
 
 Still struggles with despair ! 
 
 2. 
 
 ii 
 
 Upon my rude and sea- washed raft . 
 
 I float upon the wave. 
 With my poor dog, who suffers with 
 
 The friend he cannot save. 
 Our strained eyes scan the horizon dark ; 
 
 In vain — no hope is there ! 
 I clench my hands in anguish wild — 
 
 In anguish, not despair ! 
 
 3. " No, though fell thirst an<l hunger 
 
 May claim us for their prey ; 
 No, though my chill and shuddering frame 
 
 Be drenched with ocean spray : 
 Though fainting, helpless, desolate, 
 
 I'm still the Almighty's care ; 
 His eye beholds, his hand protects, 
 
 And I will not despair 1 
 
 4. " Farewell, my friends beloved. 
 
 Still in this dark hour dear ; 
 Ye little know the fearful night 
 Which closes round us here ! 
 
 --r-. ,.li II— 1 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 Lord, bless them ; and, if such thy will, 
 
 Oh, spare — for thou canst spare — 
 Him who, confiding in thy love, 
 
 May die, but not despair ! " 
 * :i^ * * 
 
 5. The dreary night has passed away, 
 
 The dawn is in the skies ; 
 Now senseless on his heaving raft 
 
 The shipwrecked Edwin lies. 
 
 133 
 
 ON THE RAFT. 
 
 But, sleepless, watchful, faithful friend, 
 
 His dog is striving there, 
 To rouse the sailor from his swoon. 
 
 To bid him not despair. 
 
■i I 
 
 Is; r 
 
 J is ,';^ 
 
 134 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 6. The dog has seen the distant sail 
 
 Across the rolling seas ; 
 The dog's loud, eager bark for help, 
 
 Is borne upon the breeze ! 
 And larger, larger looms the sail, 
 
 And gallant tars prepare 
 To launch the boat to reach the raft — 
 
 Oh ! who would now despair ? 
 
 7. They're saved ! they're saved ! oh, blessed day ! 
 
 The dog and shipwrecked boy; 
 Companions once in sufferings. 
 
 Companions now in joy. 
 And Edwin lives to tell at home 
 
 How God had heard his prayer. 
 And sent in mercy help to one 
 
 Who never would despair. 
 
 A. L. 0. E. 
 
 IS*' 
 
 LINES FROM THE ''WRECK OF THE HESPERUS." 
 
 " O father ! I hear the church-bells ring ; 
 
 O say, what may it be 1 " — 
 " 'Tis a fog-bell on a rock-bound coast ! " — 
 
 And he steered for the open sea. 
 
 " O father ! I hear the sound of guns ; 
 
 O say, what may it be?" — 
 " Some ship in distress, that cannot live 
 
 In such an angry sea ! " 
 
 " father ! I see a gleaming light j 
 
 O say, what may it be 1 " — 
 
 But the father answered never a word - 
 
 A frozen corpse was he. 
 
 H. W. Longfellow. 
 
 
 ■mMi 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 135 
 
 THE LAPLANDER. 
 
 The Laplander's home is far away in the north of 
 Europe, in a very cold 
 country. During a great 
 part of the year the 
 ground is covered with 
 snow. The winter of 
 Lapland is far more 
 severe than our Canadian 
 winter. 
 
 The I^aplander has a 
 copper-colored skin. His 
 eyes are dark and nar- 
 row. His mouth is large 
 and wide. His hair is 
 black and long. Many 
 of the men are not more than four feet high. 
 
 Look at his fur dress. How very cold his country 
 must be ! All his clothes are made of the skins of 
 animals. Around his waist he wears a broa<l 
 leathern belt. He has a fur cap and thick fur 
 gloves or mittens. 
 
 See his long snow-skates. They are several 
 feet in length. With them he can move quickly 
 over the snow. In his hand he carries a long pole. 
 He uses it to supp jrt and to guide him as he goes 
 along. Near its end is a round board, which pre- 
 vents it from sinkinof in the snow. 
 
 The Laplander lives in a tent. It is made by 
 setting up several poles and covering them with 
 
 LAPLANDER. 
 
 •n 
 
136 
 
 SECOND POOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 ? . 'i M 
 
 skins or pieces of cloth. In the centre of the tent 
 there is a fire. The smoke finds its way out 
 through an opening in the top. 
 
 The Laplander has no horses, no cows, and no 
 sheep. These animals could not live in so cold a 
 country. The reindeer takes their places, and sup- 
 plies all he needs. 
 
 He harnesses it 
 to a sledge, and it 
 draws him quickly 
 over the snow. His 
 sledge is like a small 
 boat. A reindeer has 
 been known to travel 
 at the rate of nine- 
 teen miles an hour. 
 The milk of the 
 reindeer is very 
 rich, and is made into ciicose. Its flesh is used for 
 food, and its skin is made into clothes. When 
 v/inter comes and the wild-fowl have flown away, 
 and the sea is so frozen as to prevent him from 
 catching fish, the Laplander goes to his herd of 
 reindeer and kills one of them for a supply of food. 
 
 SLEDGE. 
 
 ^t .' 
 
 Write : — 
 
 Eu-rope 
 
 coun-try 
 
 cou-ered 
 
 nar-row 
 
 mit-tens 
 
 seu-er-al 
 
 quick-ly 
 
 car-ries 
 
 sup-port 
 
 board 
 
 set'ting 
 
 cou-er-ing 
 
 piec-es 
 
 through 
 
 O'pen-ing 
 
 rein-deer 
 
 fast-ens 
 
 sledge 
 
 trau-el 
 
 nine-teen 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 137 
 
 WINTER SONG. 
 
 1. 'Tis winter still, and still the blast 
 Howls through the forest loud ; 
 
 Still on the gale comes, driving fast; 
 In flakes, the snowy shroud. 
 
 2. The sheep and cattle shivering 
 stand 
 
 Around the barn-yard gate, 
 And wistful at the farmer's hand 
 Their coming meal await. 
 
 wm 
 
 
 3. The dog sits howling at the door, 
 And begs you'll let him in ; 
 
 Jack Frost, alas ! bites very sore, 
 And Pincher's boots are thin. 
 
 4. The boys and girls to school that 
 
 go, 
 In caps and mittens run ; 
 With noses red they spurn the snow, 
 And have a deal of fun. 
 
 - — -^~<, 
 
 <^- 
 
 5. But oh ! the poor whose fire is low, 
 Whose clothes are very thin ; 
 
 Whose roof admits the driving snow, 
 And lets the rough blast in ! — 
 
 6. Think, think of them, and let them 
 
 know 
 ' Your pity and your prayer ; 
 This chill chill time of frost and snow, 
 They ask, they need your care. 
 
138 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 THE BRAVE LITTLE TAILOR. 
 
 One bright summer morning a little tailor sat upon 
 his board by the window, and busily sewed with all 
 his might. A peasant came by, in her way down 
 the street, crying, " Good jelly, cheap ! good jelly, 
 cheap !" This sounded pleasantly in the tailor's 
 ears ; so he put his little head through the window, 
 saying, " Here, my good woman ! here you have a 
 customer !" 
 
 The woman, with her heavy basket on her head, 
 ascended the three steps !'eading to the tailor's house, 
 and was obliged to unpack all the pots for him to ' 
 look at. 
 
 He examined them all, took them into his hand, 
 put his nose to them, and said finally, " The jelly 
 seems good ; weigh me out two ounces, good woman, 
 or perhaps I should not mind a quarter of a 
 pound." 
 
 The woman, who had hoped for a muca larger 
 order, g-^^ve him what he required, and then went 
 away grumbling and crying. 
 
 " Now this jelly will be a blessing to me," said 
 the tailor, " and give me strength and power." So 
 he fetched the bread out of the closet, and cutting a 
 large slice, spread some of his new purchase upon 
 it. " That will not be bad," said he ; " but I must 
 finish my waistcoat before I have a morsel." So he 
 laid tliu bread near him, continued to sew, and in 
 his joy the stitches became every moment longer. 
 In the meantime the smell of the sweet jelly arose, 
 and as crowds of flies were on the walls they were 
 
 'ii'niiimi 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 139 
 
 said 
 So 
 
 attracted by it, and came down in swarms. " Ah ! 
 who invited you ?" asked the Httle tailor, driving 
 them away ; but the flies, not knowing the tailor's 
 language, were not to be driven off, and returned in 
 greater numbers. At this, losing all patience, he 
 looked about him for some destructive weapon ; and 
 taking a strip of cloth, he said, " Now I will give 
 it you," at the same time laying about him in all 
 directions without mercy. Upon counting the num- 
 ber of the slain, there lay before him no less than 
 seven dead, with outstretched legs. " What a brave 
 fellow, you see !" said he, admiring his own prowess; 
 "the whole town must know this!" Hastily cut- 
 ting himself a girdle, he stitched upon it, in large 
 letters, " Seven at one blow !" " Town !" then said 
 he, " that is not sufiicient ; the whole world shall 
 learn it !" and his heart went pit-a-pat for joy like a 
 lamb's tail. 
 
 The tailor bound the girdle round his body, and 
 made up his mind to go abroad into the world, 
 thinking the work-shop far too small a field for his 
 courage. Before he left the shop, however, he 
 looked round the house for something to take with 
 him ; but he found nothing except an old cheese and 
 a tame pigeon, both of which he put into his pocket. 
 He then started at a fast walk, and, being light and 
 active, felt no weariness. T.ie road led over a high 
 mountain ; and upon reaching its highest summit 
 he saw a. great giant sitting on the peak, looking 
 quite comfortably around. The tailor went up to 
 him and said boldly, " Good day, comrade ; you sit 
 there and overlook the wide world ! I am on the 
 
 ■ik 
 'ft 
 
140 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 i&u:! 
 
 way thither, and am going to try my fortune. Have 
 you a mind to go with me ?" 
 
 The giant looked on the little tailor with con- 
 tempt, and replied, " You ragamuffin ! — you miser- 
 able beggar !" 
 
 " We shall see about that," said the tailor, un- 
 buttoning his coat, and showing his belt. " Come, 
 read there what sort of man I am !" 
 
 The giant read, " Seven at one stroke ! " thought 
 it me^-nt men whom the tailor had killed, and felt a 
 little more respect for him ; yet, willing to prove 
 him first, he took a stone in his hand and squeezed 
 it until the water dropped from it. " Now, do that !" 
 said the giant, " if you are as strong as you pretend 
 to be." 
 
 "Only that!" said the little tailor; "that is 
 mere play!" Saying this, he thrust his hand into 
 his pocket, pulled out the soft cheese, and pressed it 
 until the whey came out. " Confess," said he, " that 
 that is still better." 
 
 The giant knew not what to say, and could 
 hardly think the little fellow so strong ; but he 
 picked up a stone, and throwing it into the air, it 
 went so high that it was scarcely possible to follow 
 it with the eye. " Now, little fellow !" said he, 
 " do better." 
 
 " It is very well thrown," said the tailor ; " but 
 your stone has returned to the earth. Now, I will 
 throw one so hio^h that it shall never come down 
 again." Putting his hand into his pocket, he drew 
 forth the bird and cast it into the air ; which, rejoic- 
 ing in its liberty, rose high, flew away, and, of 
 
 "fmm-^'vmrvv 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 141 
 
 course, did not come back. " What do you think of 
 that?" asked the tailor. 
 
 " You can certainly throw very well !" returned 
 the giant ; " but we will now see if you are able to 
 carry something more than common." He then led 
 the little tailor to an enormous oak lying on the 
 earth, and said, " If you are strong enough, help me 
 to carry this tree out of the wood." 
 
 " Very willingly ! " answered the little man ; 
 " you take the trunk on your shoulder, I will raise 
 all the branches and twigs, and carry them, and 
 they are certainly the heaviest." 
 
 The giant took the trunk on his shoulder ; but 
 the tailor seated himself on a branch, and not being- 
 able to look round, the giant, without knowing it, 
 did all the work, carrying the little tailor into the 
 bargain. Then he sat behind, as merry and wicked 
 as possible, whistling the air of " Three Tailors, they 
 rode beyond the Gates 1" as if to carry such trees 
 were child's play. The giant, however, after going 
 part of the way found the load too heavy, and could 
 go no further, crying out, " Wait, I must let the tree 
 fall !" 
 
 The tailor sprang nimbly off, seized the tree with 
 both arms, as if he had been carrying it, and said 
 to the giant, " What a big fellow, and not able to 
 carry such a tree !" 
 
 They continued their way together, and arriving 
 at a cherry-tree growing by the wayside, the giant 
 seized the top of the tree, where the ripest fruit 
 hung, bent it down, gave it into the tailor's hand, 
 and bid him eat away. But the little tailor was 
 
142 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 if i 
 
 much too weak to hold the tree clown, therefore, 
 when the giant let go, it sprang into the air, and 
 the tailor was carried up with it. When he had 
 returned to the ground unhurt, "What is this?" 
 said the giant ; " have you not strength to hold such 
 a bush as this ?" 
 
 " I do not want for strength," replied the tailor ; 
 " do you think that was any feat for one who had 
 killed seven with one stroke ? I sprang over the 
 tree because the hunters down there are shootinsr in 
 the thicket ; spring over it if you can." 
 
 The giant made the attempt, but remained caught 
 in the branches, so that the little tailor again claimed 
 the victory over him. The giant now said, " As you 
 are such a brave fellow, come into our cave, and 
 pass the night with us." 
 
 The tailor was ready, and followed him to the 
 cave, where he found several other giants seated 
 by the fire, each with a roasted sheep in his hand, 
 of which he was making his supper. The little tailor 
 looked around, and thought to himself, " It is much 
 more roomy here than in my work-shop." The giant 
 pointed to a bed, and told him he might take pos- 
 session of it for the night ; but it was far too big 
 for the little tailor, so he would not lie in it, but 
 crept into a corner. When it was midnight, and 
 the giant thought the tailor was sound asleep, he 
 took a large iron bar and struck the bed with it, 
 until he thought he had killed the little grasshopper. 
 And when day broke they all went out into the 
 wood, quite forgetting the tailor ; therefore their 
 astonishment may be conceived when they saw him, 
 
 'V. .>-«^*sraBi*i„)ii 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 143 
 
 shortly after, coming towards them as coolly and 
 boldly as if nothing had happened. Thinking he 
 would do nothing less than slay them all, they ran 
 away in their fright, and the tailor saw them no 
 
 more. From the German of J. L. and W. K. Grimm. 
 
 BRAVE WILLIE. 
 
 Old mother sheep was feeding : — 
 " What brings that boy this way 1 " — 
 Slowly she followed Willie, 
 And Willie edged away ; 
 One of the two was in earnest, 
 Neither enjoyed the play. 
 " This is the giant," said Willie, 
 " And I am the valiant knight ; 
 If only he would not come so close, 
 
 I think I should like to fight ! " 
 But the sheep came closer, and closer yet, 
 
 And Willie grew pale with fright. 
 Over the hedge went Willie, 
 And into the ditch fell he ; 
 But the ground was dry, and nothing was hurt- 
 Only one dimpled knee. — 
 " This a mortal combat, 
 
 And I am the slain ! " said he. 
 
 Sarah Williams. 
 
 DEEDS OF KINDNESS. 
 
 1. Suppose the little cowslip 
 
 Should hang its golden cup, 
 And say, " I'm such a tiny flower, 
 I'd better not grow up ;" 
 
144 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 How many a weary traveller 
 Would miss its fragrant smell, 
 
 How many a little child would grieve 
 To lose it from the dell. 
 
 '"n» 
 
 ;l: 
 
 {^ 
 
 ■v;f ? 
 
 ,^< 
 
 IffW 
 
 } 
 
 \.e 
 
 r^ 
 
 Suppose the glistening dew-drop 
 
 Upon the grass should say, 
 What can a little dew-drop do 1 
 
 I'd better roll away ;" 
 The blade on which it rested, 
 
 Before the day was done, 
 Without a drop to moisten it, 
 
 Would wither in the sun. 
 
 i \ 
 
 : 
 
 
 
 ifL 
 
 :-'/ 
 
 
 
 
 !?1 
 
 ^ 
 
 1% 
 
 S 
 
 w 
 
 3. Suppose the little breezes, 
 Upon a summer's day. 
 Should think themselves too small to 
 cool 
 The traveller on his way ; 
 Who would not miss the smallest 
 
 And softest ones that blow. 
 And think they made a great mistake 
 If they were talking so ? 
 
 4. How many deeds of kindness 
 
 A little child may do. 
 Although it has so little strength, 
 
 And little wisdom too. 
 It wants a loving spirit. 
 
 Much more than strength, to prove 
 
 How many things a child may do 
 
 For others by his love. 
 
 Fanny J. Van Alstyne. 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 145 
 
 ^•vV.; 
 
 THE AMERICAN INDIANS. 
 
 The American Indian's home is in the dark forests 
 and on the great plains of Canada and the United 
 States. He is tall and 
 strong. His skin is red 
 or copper-colored. He 
 paints his face, so that his 
 enemies may be afraid 
 of his fierce looks. He 
 paints on his body pic- 
 tures of birds, and beasts, 
 and fishes. 
 
 When the Indiar is 
 in full dress, he has a 
 plume of feathers on his 
 head. His robe is the 
 skin of a buffalo or a 
 deer. It has figures painted on it. He wears 
 moccasins on his feet instead of shoes. 
 
 The Indian in the picture is a warrior. He is 
 the chief of his tribe. In one hand he carries a 
 small hatchet, and in the other hand a spear. His 
 shield is on his left arm. 
 
 The Indians are still, in some parts of America, a 
 very warlike race. They are divided into tribes. 
 The head man or king of each tribe is called the 
 Sachem. The tribes are often at war with one 
 another. 
 
 When at peace, the Indians spend much of their 
 time in hunting. The flesh of the animals they 
 
 10 
 
 AMERICAN INDIAN. 
 
rt r 
 
 146 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF BEADING LESSONS. 
 
 l!. !l 
 
 J 1 1 
 
 h\ 
 
 
 kill is used for food. The skins are made into 
 clothes. 
 
 Yonder are two Indian houses. They are made by 
 
 stretching skins on 
 poles. They are like 
 tents. The Indians 
 call them wigwams. 
 
 The American In- 
 dians call their god 
 Manitou, or the Great 
 Spirit. They believe 
 that when they die 
 they will go to a land 
 in whose great forests 
 they will hunt for 
 ever. 
 
 Many of the In- 
 dians have become Christii^ns, and now live in villages 
 and till the land as th-^ white people do. 
 
 Write : — 
 
 A-mer-i-can 
 
 In-dian 
 
 for-ests 
 
 pic-tures 
 
 featfi-ers 
 
 buf-fa-lo 
 
 fig 'U res 
 
 paint-ed 
 
 leath-er 
 
 instead 
 
 hat'Chet 
 
 shield 
 
 di-uid-ed 
 
 tribes 
 
 an-i-mals 
 
 clotlies 
 
 stretcii'ing 
 
 spir-it 
 
 be-lieue 
 
 uil'lag-es 
 
 Sa-cliem 
 
 I . 
 
 MHHP 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 147 
 
 I 
 
 i 
 
 If 
 
 
 WELCOME, LITTLE ROBIN. 
 
 1. Welcome, little robin, 
 
 With the scarlet breast; 
 In this winter weather 
 
 Cold must be your nest. 
 Hopping o'er the carpet, 
 
 Picking up the crumbs, 
 Robin knows the children 
 
 Love him when he comes. 
 
 2. Is the story true, robin, 
 
 You were once so good 
 To the* little orphans 
 
 Sleeping in the wood 1 
 Did you see them lying 
 
 Pale, and cold, and still. 
 And strew leaves about them 
 
 With your little bill 1 
 
148 
 
 I' 
 
 '■t? 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF BEADING LESSONS. 
 
 3. Whether true or not, robin, 
 
 We are glad to see 
 How you trust us children. 
 
 Walking in so free ; 
 Hopping o'er the carpet. 
 
 Picking up the crumbs, 
 Kobin knows the children 
 
 Love him when he comes. 
 
 4. And though little robin 
 
 Has no gift of speech, 
 Yet he can a lesson 
 
 To the children teach : 
 Still to trust that blessings 
 
 Will be richly given. 
 When they ask their Father 
 
 For their bread from heaven. 
 
 J. X). Burns. 
 
 THE OWL AND THE ASS. 
 
 A blind ass, which had begun a long journey, 
 wandered from the road into a forest. As the 
 night came on, the foolish fellow went so far into 
 the thicket that he could not move either backwards 
 or forwards ; and even one who had eyes would 
 have been unable to get out of that difficulty. But 
 an owl, by good luck, happened to be in the neighbor- 
 hood, and offered to act as a guide to the ass. We 
 all know how well owls see at night. Hills, hillocks, 
 ditches, ravines — all these our owl saw as if it had 
 been daylight, and by daybreak he had made his 
 way with the ass to the level road. Now, how 
 could any one part with such a guide ? So the 
 ass besought the owl not to desert him, and under- 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 149 
 
 took to visit the whole world in the owl's company. 
 Our owl seated himself like a lord on the back of 
 the ass, and the two friends began to continue their 
 journey. But did this plan succeed ? No. The 
 sun had scarcely begun to glow in the morning sky, 
 when a deeper darkness than the darkness of the 
 night hid everything from the owl's eyes. But our 
 owl is obstinate ; he directs the ass by guess-work. — 
 " Take care ! " he cries. " We shall tumble into a 
 pool, if we go to the right." There was really no 
 pool on the right ; but on the left there was even 
 worse. — " Keep more to the left — another pace to 
 the left ! " And the owl and the ass fell into the 
 ravine together. Krilof. 
 
 THE STRAW, THE COAL, AND THE BEAN. 
 
 In a village there lived an old woman, who one day 
 gathered some beans from her garden to cook for 
 her dinner. She had a good fire on the hearth ; 
 
150 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF BEADING LESSONS. 
 
 ?f-W I; 
 
 i w, r 
 
 11 :: 
 
 ■ h 
 
 W^ I 
 
 but, to make it burn more quickly, she threw on a 
 handful of straw. As she threw the beans into 
 the pot to boil, one of then fell on the floor unseen 
 by the old woman, and not far from a wisp of straw 
 which was lying near. Suddenly a glowing coal 
 bounced out of the fire, and fell close to them. 
 They both started away and exclaimed " Dear 
 friend, don't come near me till you arc cooler. 
 Whatever brings you out here?" — "Oh," replied 
 the coal, " the heat luckily made mc so strong, that 
 I was able to bounce from the fire. Had I not done 
 so, my death would have been certain, and I should 
 have been burned to ashes by this time." 
 
 " Then," said the bean, " I have also escaped Vv ith 
 a whole skin ; for had the old woman put me in the 
 pot with my comrades, 1 should, without doubt, 
 have been boiled to broth." 
 
 " I might have shared the same fate," said the 
 straw ; " for all my brothers were pushed into fire 
 and smoke by the old woman. She packed sixty of 
 us in a bundle, and brought us in here to take away 
 our lives; but luckily I contrived to slip through her 
 fingers." — " Well, now, what shall we do with our- 
 selves ? " said the coal. 
 
 " I think," answered the bean, " as we have been 
 so fortunate as to escape death, we may as well be 
 companions, and travel away together to some more 
 friendly country ; for here we may expect nothing 
 but new misfortunes." 
 
 This proposal was gladly accepted by the two 
 others ; so they started at once on their journey 
 together. After travelling a little distance, they 
 
SECOND BOOK OF BEADING LESSONS. 
 
 161 
 
 came to a stream, over which there was no bridge 
 of any sort — not even one of wood ; so they were 
 puzzled to know how to get over to the other side. 
 
 Then the straw took courage, and said.. " I will 
 lay myself across the stream, so that you can step 
 over me, as if I were a bridge." 
 
 So the straw stretched himself from the one shore 
 to the other, and the coal, who from his nature is 
 rather hot-headed, tripped out quite boldly on the 
 newly -built bridge; but when he reached the 
 middle of the stream, and heard the water rushing 
 under him, he was so frightened that he stood still, 
 and dared not move a step further. Sad were the 
 consequences : for the straw, being slightly scorched 
 iix the middle by the heat still in the coal, broke in 
 pieces, from its weight, and fell into the brook ; 
 the coal, with a hiss, slid after him into the water, 
 and sank to the bottom. 
 
 The bean, who had cautiously remained behind 
 on the shore, could not contain herself when she 
 saw what had happened, and laughed so heartily 
 that she burst. Now would she have been in a 
 worse plight than her comrades ; but, as good luck 
 would have it, a tailor, who was out on his travels, 
 came to rest by the brook, and noticed the bean. 
 He was a kind-hearted man, so he took a needle and 
 thread out of his pocket, and, taking up the bean, 
 sewed her together. She thanked him very much ; 
 but, unfortunately, he hsA only black thread to sew 
 with, and, in consequence, since that time all beans 
 have a black mark down their backs. 
 
 From the German of J. L. and W. K. Grimm. 
 
... J. 
 
 152 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS, 
 
 
 H'l 
 
 THE FACTORY GIRL'S HYMN. 
 
 1. I love to think of liappy heaven, 
 
 The cit'T^ of our God ; 
 Where all his little ones are given 
 A safe and blest abode. 
 
 2. When to my work, through cold and sleet, 
 
 I haste, with feet all bare, 
 I think upon the golden street. 
 And shining sunlight there. 
 
 3. And as I run with eager pace 
 
 Where'er the men desire, 
 I think, how wonderful the place 
 Where children never tire ! 
 
 4. And when the noise is loud and long 
 Of engines ever near. 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 153 
 
 I think, how beautiful the song 
 Which angel children hear ! 
 
 5. And I am happy all the day, 
 Whatever task is given; 
 Because I know this is the way 
 God trains my soul for heaven. 
 
 6. Within the busy factory hall 
 
 He bids me serve him well ; 
 And then, for Jesus' sake, I shall 
 With him in glory dwell. 
 
 7. Though some dear children's journey there 
 
 Less rough and steep may be. 
 They are not more our Father's care, 
 Nor better loved than me. 
 
 X. X. 
 
w 
 
 IP 
 
 !-' i I 
 
 m 
 
 154 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF BEADING LESSONS. 
 
 THE WOLF AND THE MAN. 
 
 A fox was once telling stories of man's strength to 
 a wolf; and, according to his account, no animal was 
 able to resist him openly, their only resource being 
 cunning, if they hoped to escape his wiles. To 
 this the wolf replied, " If I had only an opportunity 
 of seeing a man, I should not hesitate about attack- 
 ing him." 
 
 " Well," said the fox, " as you seem to be rather 
 courag(3ous in the matter, come to me to-morrow 
 morning early, and I will show you a man." 
 
 So the wolf came early, and the fox led him to 
 the road which was taken by the hunters every 
 morning. The first person who appeared was an 
 old disabled soldier. — " Is that a man ? " inquired 
 the wolf. — " No," was the reply ; " he was once." 
 
 Then came a little boy on his way to school. 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 155 
 
 " Is that a man ? " said the wolf.—" No," replied 
 the fox ; " but he may become one some day." 
 
 A hunter now came, with his double-barrelled gun 
 on his shoulder and his hunting-knife at his side. 
 
 " Now," said the fox, " here comes a man — you 
 may attack him if you like, but I shall only consider 
 myself safe when in my cave." — The wolf instantly 
 flew upon the hunter; who, when he saw him, said, 
 " What a pity I have no ball in my rifle ! " Never- 
 theless, taking aim at the wolfs face, he fired a 
 charge of small shot at him. The wolf made wry 
 faces at the unpleasant salute, but, not deterred, he 
 pressed on ; upon which the hunter fired the second 
 barrel. The wolf did not show his pain, but seized 
 the man ; who, instantly drawing his knife, struck 
 at him right and left, until, bleeding and maimed, 
 the wolf ran howling back to his friend the fox. 
 
 " Well, brother wolf," said the fox, " how have 
 you got on with the man ? " 
 
 " Oh," replied he, " I never could have imagined 
 anything like his strength. First, he took a stick 
 from his shoulder and blew into it, when something 
 flew into my face that scorched me ; then he puffed 
 again into the stick, and it was like hail and light- 
 ning in my eyes ; and w^hen I got nearer to him, he 
 took a polished rib out of his body, with which he 
 beat me so severely that I had nearly been left for 
 dead on the ground." 
 
 " Now, you see what a boaster you were," said 
 the fox ; " you let your arrow fly so far that you 
 could not find it again." 
 
 From the German of J. L. and W. K. Grimm. 
 
 
 
r^ 
 
 m 
 
 156 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 .. ^li ■■' 
 
 ik 
 
 'ih 
 
 w'^ 
 
 m 
 
 MY MOTHER. 
 
 L Who fed me from her gentle breast, 
 And hushed me in her arms to rest, 
 And on my cheek sweet kisses prest ? 
 
 My Mother. 
 
 2. When sleep forsook my open eye, 
 Who was it sung sweet lullaby, 
 
 And rocked me that I should not cry ? 
 
 My Mother. 
 
 3. Who sat and watched my infant head, 
 When sleeping in my cradle bed, 
 And tears of sweet affection shed ? 
 
 My Mother. 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 4. When pain and sickness made nie cry, 
 Who gazed upon my heavy eye, 
 And wept for fear that I should die ? 
 
 My Mother. 
 
 6. Who ran to help me when I fell. 
 And would some pretty story tell. 
 Or kiss the part to make it well ? 
 
 My Mother. 
 
 6. Who taught my infant lips to pray, 
 To love God's holy word and day. 
 And walk in wisdom's pleasant way 1 
 
 My Mother. 
 
 7. And can I ever cease to be 
 Affectionate and kind to thee, 
 Who wast so very kind to me. 
 
 My Mother? 
 
 8. Oh no ! the thought I cannot bear : 
 And, if God please my life to spare, 
 I hope I shall reward thy care, 
 
 My Mother. 
 
 9. When thou art feeble, old, and gray. 
 My healthy arm shall be thy stay. 
 And I will soothe thy pains away. 
 
 My Mother. 
 
 157 
 
 10. And when I see thee hang thy head, 
 'Twill be my turn to watch thy bed, 
 And tears of sweet affection shed. 
 
 My Mother. 
 
 AXN TAYLOlt. 
 
PI 
 
 168 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 THE EOAD TO THE CLOUDS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Jeered at the boy deserves to be who is always 
 roasting himself before the fire ! Well, boy, you may 
 remain there, afraid to stir out into the world ; and 
 you are welcome too to laugh at the other lads, who 
 are fools enough to run about and play, hardening 
 themselves in the pure, cold, frosty winter's day. I 
 will tell you something which, maybe, you are not 
 aware of : no lad that is so fond of himself will ever 
 turn out to be a proper man. There is something 
 worse than chilled hands : that of being in life a 
 chicken-hearted ninny. Such a youngster had 
 better be kept under a glass shade, or be put to bed 
 for the rest of his life. Believe me, it takes a man 
 to battle with life. It won't do for a boy to be 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 159 
 
 brought np afraid of a breath of bracing winter, like 
 a delicate flower. If so, it will be all the worse for 
 him in after-life. 
 
 It is glorious to live where the sun shines on the 
 sparkling fields of snow ! How the boys' little 
 hand-sledges glide down the frozen hill ! and how 
 merrily the bells tinkle as swiftly they fly past, far 
 out on the ice of the lake below. If you feel cold, 
 well, stay at home, the best place for such as you ; 
 or stand aside and look on. The little sledges have 
 nimble runners, and require neither horses nor whip. 
 
 Walter was one of those hardy little fellows who 
 never seem to feel cold at all, even if he had for- 
 gotten his mittens. If the tip of his merry little 
 nose was a bit frozen, well — then he blew it and 
 was as jolly as ever. If his fingers ached with cold, 
 he rubbed them with snow against one another, and 
 beat his arms across his chest. Afraid he never was — 
 not he, unless he had done something wrong, and then 
 he felt ashamed to look anybody in the face. God 
 brands every evil-doer with disgrace, so that every- 
 body can read it in their faces. He did so with Cain, 
 and he does so still : they all carry it in their eyes. 
 
 On the steep mountain slope near the lake was i /• 
 path which was called the "Road to the Clouds;" 
 because, looking up from below, it seemed to lead 
 straight to the sky. No horse could ascend this 
 high hill ; but all the boys in the neighborhood did*** 
 so with their tiny sledges, and a fine sight it was. 
 The Road to the Clouds was divided half-way up 
 by a piece of level ground ; so that those who did 
 not venture to start from the summit could con- 
 
 If 
 
 III 
 
 til 
 
160 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF BEADING LESSONS. 
 
 5'!i 
 
 :iW 
 
 ^i: ,1 , 
 
 tent themselves with a run half-way down, when 
 the speed would not be quite so terrific. 
 
 It was a fine winter day, and the boys were 
 thoroughly enjoying the fun of flying down the hill 
 on their tiny tinkling sledges. Some of them had 
 little girls sitting in front; and then it required all 
 their skill and nerve to steer the swift sledge 
 properly through the twistings and turnings, and 
 sometimes it happened that the young lasses would 
 scream with fright. " Don't be afraid ; it is all right'" 
 the boys would shout in return. And really the 
 sledging went off splendidly : rapidly they sped far 
 out on the ice. To be sure, now and then a sledge 
 would tumble over with its merry occupants, and 
 then some lost their caps, or got a scratch on the 
 nose ; but they did not mind that a bit, and they 
 would soon resume their sport, merrier than ever. 
 
 Father Christmas had brought Walter a small 
 sledge, which was quite peerless in its way. It was 
 shod with iron, which soon became polished by the 
 friction. It could be steered by reins, as if drawn 
 by a horse, if its master did not care to direct its 
 course with his heels when he sat across it. It 
 was christened " Pikku-Buck," because it overtook 
 all other sledges going down hill, and then would 
 give them a punch in the back. Pikku-Buck and 
 Walter were great chums. I wish you could have 
 \seen them darting down the glassy road. They 
 came shooting along in a whirlwind of snow, as if 
 direct froni the clouds. In fact, the little sledge 
 was a wonder of speed and beauty, and Walter 
 never grew tired of telling its merits. 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 161 
 
 By the side of the Road to the Clouds was 
 another high hill, up which no path had been 
 made ; and the space between had been named by 
 the youngsters the " Land of Sugar ;" and anyone 
 who ventured on its treacherous ground was at 
 once engulfed in its soft snow, just as if caught in a 
 trap of powdered sugar (hence the name), and noth- 
 ing remained on the sparkling surface but his cap 
 to tell where the luckless boy had gone. 
 
 No one had ever dared to risk the plunge, not even 
 the rashest of the dauntless boys. But Walter, rely- 
 ing on his trusty Pikku-Buck, resolved upon a dash 
 into the Land of Sugar. No sooner said than done, 
 and all the little girls and boys stared at him in 
 amazement. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Walter mounted the highest point of the rocky 
 snow-clad hill, and Pikku-Buck followed in his 
 track like a faithful dog. When they could get 
 no higher, the young master took the reins, and, 
 giving the word of command, steered straight into 
 the snowy field of the Land of Sugar. Pikku-Buck 
 obeyed, of course, and darted at full speed — not 
 forward, but downward on his nose ! Walter, riding 
 on Pikku-Buck, disappeared in an instant, and 
 nothing was seen of him but his cap, left as a land- 
 mark to tell where he had been buried in the soft, 
 yielding snow. 
 
 He shut his eyes when he felt himself sinking 
 deeper and deeper, and fluttering to the ground like 
 a crow shot on the wing. At last he got an awful 
 whack on his head. When he looked up he found 
 
 11 
 
 '.i ^^i 
 
 
162 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 ' , 
 
 I !T : 
 
 (t! '. 
 
 ^ H 
 
 himself with Pikku-Biick in 
 front of a splendid palace 
 of ice, with pillars of glitter- 
 ing crystal, and banqueting 
 halls whose very walls shone 
 like silver. King Winter 
 hurried out from his castle, 
 clothed in. a dress of wolfskin 
 and bearskin. He had a 
 long, wavy beard of hoar- 
 frost ; and on his arm leaned 
 his queen, dressed in snowy- 
 white robes, and with a coronet 
 of ice diamonds on her brow. 
 " Welcome to my dominions !" 
 said the frosty king. " When 
 once here you will never re- 
 turn. I like plucky little 
 rascals like you ; and I appoint 
 you master of the revels at 
 my court, and you and Pikku- 
 Buck shall be made much of." 
 
 " I like that very much," 
 said Walter, " but I should 
 like still better tc get some- 
 thins^ nice and warm to eat, 
 for I am awfully hungry." 
 
 " Very well, come with 
 me," said the king coldly, 
 " and I'll first dip you in icy 
 water, and you shall have an 
 ice-pudding, such as you have never eaten before, 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 163 
 
 tick in 
 
 palace 
 o^litter- 
 |iieting 
 ; shone 
 Winter 
 
 castle, 
 rolfskin 
 
 had a 
 I hoar- 
 i leaned 
 
 snowy- 
 , coronet 
 3r brow, 
 inions I 
 
 " When 
 ever re- 
 y little 
 
 appoint 
 evels at 
 I Pikku- 
 luch of." 
 much/' 
 should 
 
 et some- 
 
 1 to eat, 
 
 le with 
 
 coldly, 
 
 u in icy 
 
 have an 
 
 1 before, 
 
 made of delicious frozen dew-drops, and sugared 
 all over with crystallized snow." 
 
 " I am very much obliged to you, Mr. Snowbeard," 
 answered Walter, " but your account of it has given 
 me enough." 
 
 " You little vagabond ! " said the king, enraged, 
 " I'll teach you to despise my kindly-offered gifts. — 
 Come here, my chilly queen. Breathe on this Will- 
 o'-the-wisp and turn him into a snowbird, doomed 
 to be constantly on the wing in the boundless realm 
 of King Winter." 
 
 The soft-featured, graceful Queen of Snow, fanned 
 on Walter a cold, icy wind, which shivered him into 
 little atoms, and he found his spirit had become 
 enveloped in a little snow-flake, which danced 
 merrily away amongst billions of other Uttle 
 brothers and sisters between heaven and earth. 
 It was a delightful feeling of unbounded freedom, 
 but still a sad, cold fate ; and the worst of all, per- 
 haps, was that he could not help feeling anxious 
 about Pikku-Buck. 
 
 He looked around very earnestly, and found 
 himself lying in his own cosy bed at home ; but 
 his head felt very heavy. Around the bed stood 
 his parents and brothers and sisters ; and his 
 mother said softly, " Thank Heaven, he is getting 
 better ! " 
 
 " Where am I ? " asked Walter, as he sat up- 
 right. " Have I not been riding on Pikku-Buck 
 in the Land of Sugar ? Did I not meet King Winter, 
 who wanted to dip me in his sea of ice ; and his 
 
 1' 
 
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 IP' 
 
 III! 
 
 7' ' i I ' 
 
 
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 1 ^^1| 
 
 Ii 
 
 164 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 chilling queen, who changed me into a snow-flake ? 
 How have I been able to return home ? " 
 
 " My clear boy," said his papa, " your mind has 
 indeed been wandering; but you have forgotten that, 
 like a booby, you sped down the high hill with your 
 head foremost, so that you at last got a nasty thump 
 against the trunk of a tree. The other boys pulled 
 you out of the snow-drift ; and in consequence of the 
 blow, you have been dreaming about the Land of 
 Sugar. But you must keep very quiet now, and 
 have your head bathed in cold water; then you will 
 soon be all right again." 
 
 " But where is Pikku-Buck ? " asked Walter, who 
 could scarcely realize the fact. 
 
 " Pikku-Buck has broken his nose in the adven- 
 ture, and is waiting at the back door for you to get 
 well again and have him mended." 
 
 Finland Idyls, from the Sioedish of Zach. Topelius. 
 
 THE HANGING NESTS. 
 
 The little birds that live in the forest have a 
 great many enemies. The monkey likes to peep 
 into their nests, to see if there is anything in them 
 that he can run away with. He is as fond of eggs 
 as we are. 
 
 Then there comes the snake, winding slowly up 
 the tree. If the poor mother bird sees him, she is 
 in great distress. She flies round and round his 
 head, making a screaming noise, as if she hoped to 
 drive him away. But the snake takes no notice. 
 His bright eye is fixed upon her. If she does not 
 
 ' 
 
 \{ 
 
v-flake ? 
 
 ind has 
 ;en that, 
 ith your 
 -f thump 
 s pulled 
 ;e of the 
 Land of 
 LOW, and 
 you will 
 
 ter, who 
 
 3 adven- 
 lu to get 
 
 ?OPELIUS. 
 
 have a 
 to peep 
 in them 
 
 of eggs 
 
 iowly up 
 in, she is 
 )und his 
 hoped to 
 notice, 
 does not 
 
 'in 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 165 
 
 mind, she will flutter too near. He will open his 
 great jaws and eat her up. 
 
 What is the little bird tu do, with such deadly 
 enemies around her ? 
 
 Nature tells her what to do. It teaches her to 
 build her nest in as safe a place as she can And ; 
 and to make it in such a way that neither snake 
 nor monkey can get in. 
 
 The nest in the picture is a little like a pouch 
 
 or pocket. It hangs from a tree over a stream or 
 river. It has an opening at the bottom, and the 
 little bird is just going to fly in. She will fly up 
 a dark, narrow passage, to the place where ^'ou see 
 the pouch bui^^e out. Here the nest really : ; and 
 here she can sit upon her eggs, without any fear of 
 the snake or of the monkey. 
 
 No creature, that has not wino-s to flv as she 
 does, can come in. M. and E. Kirby. 
 
 ¥ 
 
 ■ 
 
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 *'\ 
 
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 m i^'i 
 
 y-y -' 
 
 166 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 NIGHT AND MORNING. 
 
 The winds are i)iping loud to-night, 
 The waves roll strong and high ; 
 
 God pity the watchful mariner 
 Who toils 'neath yonder sky ! 
 
 1 saw the vessel speed away 
 
 With a free, majestic sweep, 
 At evening, as the sun went down 
 
 To Ills palace in the deep. 
 
 An aged crone sat on the beach, 
 And, pointing to the ship, 
 " She '11 never return again," she said, 
 With a scorn upon her lij). 
 
 The morn rose tempestuous. 
 
 The winds blew to the shore. 
 There were corpses on the sand that morn ; 
 
 But the ship came nevermore ! 
 
 Charles Sangstkr. 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 167 
 
 -cyo 
 
 
 ^'^.J' 
 
 C^Jv.V*,"!^ ^''"."•^-'NV^ 
 
 
 
 
 ^••N yi'" 
 
 
 THE SQUIRREL. 
 
 He lived inside the trunk of an old gnarled oak 
 tree. The entrance was very small; but, when you 
 got well in, you might have seen a great big room, 
 several feet deep, for the trunk was hollow from 
 where the first branches stretched out their arms 
 right down to the roots. It was a splendid store- 
 room for nuts and acorns; but it was greatly wanted, 
 for the squirrel who lived there had got in his head 
 that the moie he could gather, the more happiness 
 he would enjoy when he grew old. 
 
 All round the oak was a thick hazel-wood, where 
 grew the finest nuts, so that there was every reason 
 to think that the squirrel had excellent prospects of 
 making his way in the world and living comfortably. 
 But the squirrel himself did not think so, and it 
 really cut him to the heart when sometimes he saw 
 another squirrel coming to the hazel-wood to gather 
 
 : ! 
 
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 ■ \ 
 
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 i- 
 
 I 1 
 
 168 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 Mm 
 
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 >B< 
 
 M 
 
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 m 
 
 bunches of nuts there. Then he set to work to 
 scare away the intruder; for he was determined to 
 keep the nuts all to himself. 
 
 From the moment that the squirrel had left his 
 parents, who lived on the other side of the wood, 
 he had begun collecting stores of his own. Every- 
 thing that he thought of any value whatever, he 
 picked up and hid ir ^hd trunk of the old oak tree. 
 
 " You are preparing >r x )use-keeping, I perceive," 
 chirped a little robin, vv^ho ^ :s sitting on a small 
 twig of the tree, cocking his head on one side, and 
 contemplating the ceaseless work of the squirrel. 
 
 " Oh, dear me, no ; it won't be sufficient even for 
 myself," sighed the impudent little hypocrite of a 
 squirrel. " Really, I haven't been able to gather 
 enough to suffice for one single day." 
 
 " Oh ! come now, you have got heaps down in 
 the hollow," said the little robin, winking his eye 
 knowingly. 
 
 " 'Tis not true ! " said the squirrel, in a passion. 
 " I possess nothing. And if you spread any such 
 rumor about me, I'll just bite your head off when 
 I get hold of you." 
 
 " Don't flurry yourself, neighbor. I merely 
 thought you worked so hard with the intention of 
 soon having yonr wedding day." 
 
 " A poor thing like me can't afford to marry." 
 
 " Oh, my dear friend, if you get a good wife she 
 will relieve you of half the burden of life, and make 
 everything happy around you. I know a little 
 lady- squirrel, pretty, and a good housekeeper, and if 
 you like, I'll fly away and pop the question for you.' 
 
tvork to 
 lined to 
 
 left his 
 e wood, 
 
 Every- 
 ever, he 
 ak tree, 
 irceive," 
 a small 
 ide, and 
 rrel. 
 5ven for 
 te of a 
 
 gather 
 
 own in 
 his eye 
 
 passion, 
 ly such 
 f when 
 
 merely 
 tion of 
 
 rrv." 
 ife she 
 d make 
 a little 
 , and if 
 )r you.'' 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 169 
 
 
 " Are you mad ?" ciled the squirrc 1, looking fright- 
 ened. " A wife ! and have my snuggery all crowded 
 with hungry youngsters ! That would indeed be 
 the greatest misfortune that could befall me." 
 
 " Don't say that, for what is life without love," 
 twittered the little robin ; and he gave a trill of pure 
 delight at the mere thought of his mate, whom he 
 soon hoped to meet. But at this moment the 
 squirrel ran away, to continue his restless labor of 
 adding to his stores. 
 
 The season came on when the nuts a.(d acorns 
 were ripe. The squirrel gathered from v arly da^wn 
 till late at night, as long as he was able to see the 
 nuts. He grudged himself a minute's rest, and all 
 the day kept on running with whole clii^ters of nuts, 
 and dropping them down into his big store-room in 
 the oak. Often he would not eat anything from 
 morning till evening ; and when night came, and he 
 was sitting on his heaped- up treasure of nuts, he 
 even grudged himself a good meal, and would instead 
 go out to pick up some seeds and any other eatables 
 he could find in the dark. When he returned to 
 his nest, faint and worn oiit from fasting and work, 
 he still felt a certain pleas Lire in seeing that he had 
 gathered such a heap of nuts, that it would take 
 weeks, perhaps months, to be able to count them. 
 
 " I can't feel quite happy, though, before I have 
 got my store quite full," he thought ; and gloating 
 over his wealth, he fell asleep. However, he could 
 never enjoy a perfect sleep, for at least every quarter 
 of an hour he would wake to see that no one came 
 to take anything from the hoarded treasure. 
 
170 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 
 W 
 
 m 
 
 t 
 
 \ \ 
 
 i.j'i 
 
 Late in the autumn there came one day to the 
 oak an old squirrel, who had had the misfortune 
 of being bitten by a dog, so that he now was unable 
 to jump about amongst the trees and find food for 
 himself. And so he had to become a beggar, and 
 wander about in the woods, asking other squirrels to 
 give him something to live upon during the winter 
 that soon would set in. Every one gave the poor 
 cripple something — those who had least perhaps 
 gave the most ; but when the beggar came to this 
 squirrel, who had his whole store-room so full of the 
 finest nuts, the stingy fellow snapped at him in a 
 rage, and said : "I have worked like a slave for 
 what little I have, and it won't be enough for me, 
 let alone anybody else, and I can't afford to throw 
 anything away to beggars and tramps such as you." 
 
 The poor cripple was not even able to get a 
 hearing from the rich squirrel, who quite drew a 
 breath of relief when the poor beggar had limped off. 
 
 The frost came, and still more intent became the 
 squirrel on his work of gathering in. There was 
 now only just enough room left for the owner to 
 creep in. 
 
 But even that he wanted to fill up, and so off he 
 went again, hieing along from branch to branch ; 
 away and then home, away again and home again ; 
 and one evening, just as the snow was coming on, 
 the store-room was at last quite full, to the very 
 entrance. Yes, so crammed full that the squirrel 
 himself had to remain outside. 
 
 Now the moment had arrived when the wealthy 
 squirrel had expected to feel quite happy. He tried 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 171 
 
 also to persuade himself that he really was happy ; 
 but somehow he did not quite succeed. Certainly, 
 he felt quite cosy and content at the thouglit of the 
 thousands upon thousands of nuts he had hoarded 
 in the hollow trunk ; but for all that, he trembled 
 and shivered, for the evening grew cold. During 
 the night he felt quite stiff in his limbs from the 
 frost, and he would have liked to creep into the 
 hollow of the oak tree ; but to get room he would 
 have been compelled to throw out a great number 
 of nuts, and that he grudged. 
 
 " Hu ! hu ! hu ! where's the wife that would have 
 helped me now ? '" the squirrel thought, shivering, 
 for he felt that he was ill and needed assistance. 
 
 But not a living creature was to be seen, for he 
 had driven everybody away long ago with his 
 greediness. 
 
 And the cold increased, and the squirrel became 
 more and more stiff* in his limbs, till at last, when he 
 thought he would sacrifice a portion of his treasures 
 to gain entrance to his nest, he was too weak to pull 
 out the nuts; and when the early dawn was gray he 
 was dead, and sat erect in death, with his eyes wide 
 open, for he had not even a friend to close them. 
 
 The next day the little robin flew to the distant 
 poor relations of tlu; rich squirrel and told them 
 what had happened; and they all hastened immedi- 
 ately to the old oak tree, and had a jolly time of it 
 dividing the treasure. 
 
 Who pitied the poor rich dead miser ? I fear 
 
 not one of them. 
 
 From the Sivedish of Rich. Gustafsson. 
 
 m 
 
 *":? 
 
 
n 
 
 172 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF BEADING LESSONS. 
 
 
 "Mm-: 
 
 
 
 ir^ti 
 
 ' * ] 
 
 
 THE CANARY'S FUNERAL. 
 
 1. My little bird, I'll lay you 
 
 Where the cowslips soon will wave 
 Their pretty heads above you, 
 
 In your solitary grave. 
 Cruel were the hands that brought you 
 
 From your sunny home afar. 
 Where yet among the forests 
 
 All your brother-nestlings are. 
 
 2. My little bird, I loved you, 
 
 And I made your exile sweet — 
 I knew it by the warbling 
 
 That was sure my steps to greet. 
 
 ♦ 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 I watched, and nursed, and fed you, 
 All to make you brave and strong ; 
 
 But winter, cold and sullen, 
 
 Came and hushed your pleasant song. 
 
 3. My little bird, I'll lay you 
 
 Where the cowslips soon will wave 
 Their pretty heads above you, 
 
 In your solitary grave. 
 But then, in fond remembrance, 
 
 And to fill your place, I'll take 
 Another little exile, 
 
 And love it for your sake. 
 
 X. X. 
 
 173 
 
 FORTUNE AND THE BEGGAR. 
 
 A wretched beggar, carrying a ragged old wallet, 
 was creeping along from house to house ; and, as he 
 grumbled at his lot, he kept wondering that folks 
 who lived in rich houses, and were up to their 
 throats in money, and had endless comforts, should 
 always be unsatisfied, however full their pockets 
 might be ; and that they should go so far as often 
 to lose all they have, through craving for, and lay- 
 ing their hands on, new riches. " Here, for in- 
 stance," he said, " the former master of this house 
 was well of, and made himself very rich by trade. 
 But then, instead of stopping, and handing over his 
 business to another, and spending the rest of his 
 years in peace, he took to fitting out ships for the 
 sea in the spring. He hoped to get mountains of 
 gold ; but the ships were wrecked, and his treasures 
 were swallowed up by the waves. Now they all 
 lie at the bottom of the sea, and he has found his 
 
 
 i/f 
 
 ! 
 
 < 
 
"T* 
 
 174 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS, 
 
 s 
 
 
 I 
 
 
 ■ir 
 
 riches melt away like those in dreams. Another 
 man became one of the farmers of the spirit-tax, 
 and so gained a million. That was a trifle ; he 
 wanted to double it. So he plunged up to his ears 
 in schemes for making money, and was utterly 
 ruined. Indeed, instances of this kind are countless. 
 And (juite right too ; a man should use discretion." 
 
 At this moment Fortune suddenly appeared to 
 the beij^^far, and said : " Listen ! I have lono- wished 
 to help you. Here is a lot of gold coins I have 
 found. Hold out your wallet, and I will fill it 
 with them ; but only on tliis condition : — All shall 
 be gold that falls into the wallet ; but if any of it 
 falls out of the wallet to the ground, it shall be- 
 come dust. Consider this well. I have warned you 
 beforehand. I shall keep strictly to my bargain. Your 
 wallet is old : don't load it beyond its strength." 
 
 Our beggar is too overjoyed to breathe. He 
 scarcely feels the ground beneath his feet. He opens 
 his wallet, and with generous hand a golden stream 
 of ducats is poured into it. The wallet soon be- 
 comes rather heavy. 
 
 " IS that enough ? " " Not yet." — " Isn't it 
 cracking ? " " Never fear." — " Consider; you're quite 
 a Croesus." " Just a little more ; just add a hand- 
 ful."—" There, it's full. Take care ; the wallet is 
 jj^oinix to bur.^t." " Just a little bit more." — But 
 at that moment the wallet split ; the treasure 
 fell through, and turned to dust ; and Fortune dis- 
 appeared. The beggar had nothing but his empty 
 
 wallet, and remained as poor as before. 
 
 Ivan A. Khilof (17G8 1844). 
 
Another 
 ►irit-tax, 
 ifle ; he 
 his ears 
 
 utterly 
 )untless. 
 :etion." 
 sarecl to 
 ; wished 
 
 I have 
 1 fill it 
 ill sliall 
 ly of it 
 lall be- 
 led you 
 1. Your 
 th." 
 
 e. He 
 .e opens 
 
 stream 
 3on be- 
 
 [sn't it 
 re quite 
 a liand- 
 allet is 
 "—But 
 reasure 
 me dis- 
 empty 
 
 8-1844). 
 
 
 
 
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 P A 11 T 1 V, 
 
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 THE SPRING NOSEGAY. 
 
 Come, my child, 'tis pleasant Spring, 
 Let us make a posy gay ; 
 
 'iS 
 
 y 
 
 IIj ' Every pretty f^o^ver we'll bring, 
 
 Which we'll gather while they stay. 
 Here's hepatica so blue, 
 Holding little drops of dew ! 
 
 
 ^9 
 
 m--:^ 
 
 •V. 
 
 There the snowdrop, hanging low, 
 On its green and narrow stalk ; 
 
 Golden crocuses that blow 
 
 Up and down the garden walk ; 
 
 With the violet's purple bloom 
 
 Telling tales in sweet perfume. 
 Ann and Jane Taylor. 
 
 :4:5« 
 
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pa!! w ? ig i g:i-_x i j i .--iiLLJi.-jiij^ji.i;a^» i iMi|iaJ« 
 
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 176 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 4 ^ 
 
 The little Dormouse is tawny 
 red ; 
 
 ^''^^jf \j. He makes a.ijainst winter a nice 
 
 1^ He makes liis bed in a mossy 
 
 Where the plants in the sun^mer 
 Q-row tall and rank. 
 5 Away from the daylight, far underground, 
 His sleep through Lhe winter is quiet and 
 
 sound ; 
 And when all above him it freezes and 
 
 snows, 
 What is it to him, for he nought of it knows? 
 And till the cold time of the winter is gone, 
 
 i^.^A^!^. i- 1 Tlie little dormouse keeps sleeping on. 
 
 li 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READlJSO LESSONS. 
 
 
 But at last, in the fresh breezy days of the spring, 
 
 When the green leaves bud, and the merry birds sing,, 
 
 And the dread of the winter is over and past. 
 
 The little dormouse peeps out at last. 
 15 Out of his snug quiet burrow he wends. 
 
 And looks all about for his neighbors and friends ; 
 
 Then he says, as he sits at the foot of a larch, — 
 " 'Tis a beautiful day for the first day of March ! 
 
 The violet is blowing, the blue sky is clear , 
 20 The lark is upspringing — his carol I hear ; 
 
 And in the green fields are the lamb and the foal ; 
 
 I am glad I 'm not sleeping now down in my hole 1 '' 
 
 Then away he runs, in his merry mood. 
 
 Over the fields and into the wood, 
 25 To find any grain there may chance to be, 
 
 Or any small berry that hangs on the tree. 
 
 So from early morning till late at night 
 
 Has the poor little creature his own delight. 
 
 Looking down to the earth and up to the sky, 
 
 30 Thinking, " Oh ! what a happy dormouse am I ! '* 
 
 Mrs. Howitt. 
 
 er a nice 
 
 I Hunnner 
 
 THE COWSLIPS. 
 
 The whole hill was bright with blue and white 
 violets, but down by the side of the ditch, which 
 lay basking in the sun of early spring, grew a 
 family of newborn cowslips. They were the very 
 first ones which the sunbeam had awakened with 
 its kiss, and they were rejoicing in the morning 
 of life. 
 
 " Hoy ! here comes the wes. wind to rock us ! " 
 one of them called out, and swayed to and fro on 
 its tall stalk 
 
 12 
 
1-1 
 
 t ! 
 
 f 
 
 ¥ it 
 
 j mT 
 
 iil 
 
 ^1*-* 
 
 178 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF BEADING LESSONS. 
 
 i 1 I; 
 
 " The sun has colored me so that I shine like 
 briorht Cfold," said another, and nodded to the sim. 
 
 " To stand here on the edge of the ditch and 
 bask in the sunlight is most delightful," whispered 
 a third ; and they all agreed that no one could be 
 happier than they. 
 
 Suda.:nly two children's piercing voices were 
 heard, and two ragged little girls hastened to 
 where the cowslips grew. 
 
 *' Oh, look , v hat pretty cowslips !" 
 
 " They are the first this year ! " 
 
 "' I am so t{' vl we have found them." 
 
^.EGOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 179 
 
 "We will o^ather theiv* and make iiitle biinolies" 
 
 ■^^ 
 
 me like 
 Q 8un. 
 tch and 
 lispered 
 ould be 
 
 3s were 
 3ned to 
 
 then 
 
 we 
 
 will 
 
 go 
 
 to town and sell 
 
 " And 
 them." 
 
 The flowers all quivered when they heard their 
 fate ; and they were ready to cry when they felt 
 the children break their stems and carry them 
 away from the sunny ditch. 
 
 When the children came home to their little 
 cottage, they placed the cowslips in old broken 
 bottles into which the}^ poured water, and there 
 they had to remain during the night. It was 
 a very different lot from being out in the 
 glorious sunshine. The hut was dark and dismal ; 
 and in a bed lay the mother of tlie children, ailing 
 and moanincf. 
 
 " We have found some cowslips, mother ! " cried 
 the children. The poor mother stretched forth her 
 hands to embrace her little ones. 
 
 " Early to-morrow morning we will go to town 
 and sell the flowers, and wdth the money we will 
 buy something nice for you, mother, that will make 
 you well again." 
 
 A faint smile hovered for a moment over her 
 lips, and her eyes glowed as she fixed them on the 
 children clinofins: to her bedside. 
 
 A strange feeling came suddenly over the cow- 
 slips, and somehow they fancied that the room was 
 no longer dark and dreary ; — nay, that it was even 
 much lighter than it had been out on the edo-e of the 
 ditch. And the children's voices 
 
 sons" 
 
 sounded even 
 longst the wood- 
 
 prettier than the thrush's 
 
 lands; and the look from the mother's eyes felt 
 
 I J 
 
180 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READIJSG LESSONS. 
 
 u t 
 
 warmer than the sunbeams. The little flowers, that 
 but a while ago had been so sad, now felt glad that 
 the children had taken them with them, and they 
 did not get a wink of sleep the whole night from 
 sheer joyous excitement. 
 
 In the morning the cowslips were arranged in 
 a neat little bunch, and the little girls carried them 
 to the large town, where everything appeared only 
 in the colors of gray and white, and where no 
 flowers peered forth to enjoy the gladness of the 
 lauo^hincy sunshine. The children went to the 
 market-place, and soon a flne lady came and looked 
 at the cowslips. 
 
 " Cowslips already ! " she said, and bent down to 
 smell their fragrance : and the little flowers tried to 
 do their best ; for they thought, " If ^-e please the 
 fine lady well, the little ones will get more money 
 for lis." 
 
 And the flne lady took the cowslips, and gave 
 the little children a large silver coin. They looked 
 first at the coin, and then at each other, and their 
 eyes beamed with joy as they nodded good-bye to 
 the cowslips, which were now carried up into a 
 
 large house, and 
 
 placed in a a:ilded vase. There 
 
 o 
 
 they remained a iow day.s in water, and then they 
 bes^an to wither. 
 
 " If we had remained on the edge of the ditch, 
 certainly we sh«juld ha;e lived longer," one of the 
 flowers whispered ; " but rather than enjoy myself 
 a whole summer, I prefer to wither here, with the 
 pleasure of knowing that I have brought happiness 
 to others." All the other cowslips joyfully agreed 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 181 
 
 irs, that 
 ad that 
 id they 
 it from 
 
 iged ill 
 d theiii 
 ed only 
 here no 
 i of the 
 to the 
 [ looked 
 
 down to 
 
 tried to 
 
 3ase the 
 
 money 
 
 nd gave 
 f looked 
 id their 
 l-bye to 
 into a 
 There 
 en they 
 
 ne ditch, 
 of the 
 myself 
 Adth the 
 lappiness 
 y agreed 
 
 with this one ; and then they thought of the little 
 children, and how happy they must have felt when 
 they met their mother. And at this thought all the 
 little flowers c^ave out their last frao-rance, and with 
 a sioh breathed their last in life, and sank down 
 withered and dead in the gilded vase. 
 
 From the Swedish of Rich. Gustafsson. 
 
 THE WAY TO CONaUER. 
 
 '^ I'll master it ! " said the axe, and his blows fell 
 heavily on the iron ; but every blow made his edge 
 more blunt, till he ceased to strike. 
 
 " Leave it to me," said the saw, and with his 
 relentless teeth he worked backwards and forwards 
 on its surface till they were all worn down or broken ; 
 then he fell aside. 
 
 " Ha ! ha ! " said the hammer ; " I knew you 
 wouldn't succeed. Fit show you the way." But 
 at his first fierce stroke ofi" flew his head, and the 
 iron remained as before. 
 
 " Shall / try ?" asked the soft, small flame. But 
 they all despised the flame ; but he curled gently 
 round the iron, and embraced it, and never left it 
 till it melted under his influence. 
 
 There are hearts hard enough to resist the force 
 of wrath, the malice of persecution, and the fury of 
 pride, so as to make their acts recoil ; but there is a 
 power stronger than any of these, and hard indeed 
 is that heart that can resist love. 
 
 Mrs. Prosskr. 
 
t 
 
 r& I i 
 
 
 1 
 
 I ill 
 
 l»ll 
 
 
 r: 
 
 11: 1 
 
 182 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF BEADING LESSONS. 
 
 m 
 
 
 
 HOW THE ASTER* GAINED 
 
 ITS NAME. 
 
 A little boy lay sleeping among the 
 perfumed flowers, and had a wonder- 
 ful dream. He dreamed that three 
 angels came down to him in the form 
 of little boys ; and he spoke to them, 
 and showed them all the beautiful 
 flowers. Then he gave to each of 
 them one of the loveliest nosegays he 
 could gather, and said to them, — ■ 
 
 " If you come down from heaven 
 again, 'pvsij bring me a nosegay from 
 there. Oh, in heaven there must be far 
 lovelier flowers than we have here on 
 earth." — "Ay, lovelier far," said the an- 
 gels ; "but we cannot bring them down 
 to earth with us. Do you not see the 
 stars shining up there, lighting up the 
 whole dark expanse of sky ? These 
 are the flowers of heaven. They are 
 not planted in the ground, but in vast 
 space ; and they are not fed by the 
 sunbeams, but by the light of God's own 
 
 * Various species of the aster (in flower) will be found on 
 the edges of our Canadian woods from July to September. 
 
 i.- 
 
SEOOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 183 
 
 INED 
 
 ong the 
 voncler- 
 \kj three 
 le form 
 them, 
 3autiful 
 3ach of 
 ^'ays he 
 
 heaven 
 ,y from 
 b be far 
 lere on 
 the an- 
 il down 
 see the 
 up the 
 These 
 ley are 
 in vast 
 by the 
 i's own 
 
 e found on 
 eptember. 
 
 loving eye. That is why they bloom and shine so 
 gloriously, so that no earthly blossom can compare with 
 them. But though we cannot pluck a star for you from 
 the heavenly gardens, yet we will bring you a tiny 
 seed from one of the flowers : you can sow it in your 
 little garden ; and watch it well, to see what will be- 
 come of it." With these words, the angels vanished. 
 When the boy awoke, he found the tiny seed 
 beside his pillow of moss and violets. He bore it 
 in his clenched hand to his little garden, and buried 
 it beneath the earth. Daily he watered it with 
 clear water, and watched. And he told all his little 
 friends how he had planted a star in his garden ; and 
 the children came together every evening, to see 
 whether it had yet appeared. At length, in the 
 autumn, it grew into a beautiful variegated flower 
 of round shape ; and a little crown of pointed blades 
 ensheathed it, just like a lovely star. The children 
 tended it with most anxious care, and called it by 
 the heavenly name of aster ; for aster means, in 
 English, a star. And this is how the star-like flower 
 
 gained its name, w. Allson. 
 
 THE ASTER. 
 
 The autumn wood the aster knows, 
 
 Tlie empty nest, the wind that grieves, 
 
 The sunhght breaking through the shade, 
 
 The squirrel chattering overhead, 
 
 The timid rabbit's Hghter tread 
 
 Among the rustling leaves. 
 
 And still beside the shadowy glen 
 
 She holds the color of the skies : 
 
 Along the pur})ling wayside steep 
 
 She hangs her fringes passnig deep ; 
 
 And meadows, drowned in happy sleep, 
 
 Are lit by starry eyes. 
 
 Dora Read Goodale. 
 
 t 
 
 ii 
 
 : 
 
184 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 til 
 
 ' i. 
 
 ■I- 1 
 
 
 
 M : i 
 
 HI 
 
 
 ^<i^ 
 
 
 i 
 
 :': , 
 
 * 
 
 \ '-;',; . 1 
 
 ' 
 
 
 '' Oh ! call my brother back to me, 
 I cannot play alone ; 
 The summer comes with flower and bee 
 Where is my brother gone ? 
 
 2. " The butterfly is glancing bright 
 Across the sunbeam's track ; 
 I care not now to chase its flight- 
 Oh ! call my brother back. 
 
 3. " The flowers run wild — the flowers we sowed 
 Around our garden tree ; 
 Our vine is drooping with its load — 
 Oh ! call him back to me. " — 
 
 •i 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 185 
 
 ^. 
 
 =^^A' 
 
 i^^ 
 
 
 ^r^'i 
 
 4. "He would not hear my voice, fair child ! 
 
 He may not come to thee ; 
 The face that once, like spring-time, smiled, 
 On earth no more thou'lt see ! 
 
 5. " A rose's brief, bright life of joy. 
 
 Such unto him was ffiven : 
 Go — thou must play alone, my boy — 
 Thy brother is in heaven ! " — 
 
 6. " And has he left the buds and flowers, 
 
 And must I call in vain? 
 And through the long, long summer hours. 
 Will he not come again ? 
 
 7. " And by the brook, and in the glade, 
 
 Are all our wanderings o'er 1 — 
 
 Oh ! while my brother with me played, 
 
 Would 1 had loved him more !" 
 
 Mrs. Hemans. 
 
 Write : — 
 
 but-ter-fly 
 
 glan-cing 
 
 sun-beams 
 
 droop'ing 
 
 spring-time 
 
 heau-en 
 
 wan-der-ings 
 
 pon-der-ous 
 
 uel-uet 
 
 pon-der 
 
 beau-ti-ful 
 ho-ly 
 pray-er 
 sur- prise 
 dove-lilie 
 
 
 SHUTTING DOORS. 
 
 " Don't look so cross, Edward, when I call you back 
 to shut the door," said his grandmother. " I feel 
 the cold wintry wind; besides, you will have to 
 
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 I/. 
 
186 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 spend all your life shutting doors, so you may as 
 well begin now." 
 
 " Do forgive me, grandmother ; I ought to be 
 ashamed for vexing you. — But what do you mean ? 
 I am going to college, you know ; and then I am 
 going to be a lawyer." 
 
 " Well, admitting all that," said his grandmother. 
 " I imagine you will have a good many doors to 
 shut, if you are ever to become much of a man." 
 
 " What kind of doors ?" said Edward. ' Do tell 
 me, grandmother." 
 
 " Sit down a moment, and I will tell you," said 
 the old lady. 
 
 " In the first place, Edward, the door of your 
 ears must be closed against bad language, and the 
 bad advice of the boys and young men you will 
 meet with. 
 
 " The door of your eyes, too, must be shut against 
 bad books, and low, wicked papers, else your lessons 
 will not be learned, and you will grow up to be an 
 ignorant man. 
 
 " You nmst also close your eyes sometimes against 
 the fine things placed for sale in shop windows, else 
 you will never learn to save money, or have any left 
 to give away. 
 
 " The door of your lij)s will need much care ; for 
 they guard an unruly member, which makes great 
 use of the bad company let in at the doors of the 
 eyes and the ears. 
 
 " This door must be constantly watched, else it 
 v/ill let out false, angry, trifling, or vulgar words. 
 
 *•' The inner door of your heart must be well shut 
 
 a< 
 is 
 af 
 
 tl 
 b 
 
tmmim 
 
 i h ii imami'i '* 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF BEADING LESSONS. 
 
 187 
 
 ; for 
 
 the 
 
 against temptation ; for Conscience, the door-keeper, 
 is apt to grow very careless, and sometimes he drops 
 asleep at his post. 
 
 " If you carefully guard the doors of the ears, 
 eyes, and lips, you will keep out many wicked 
 things. This ' shutting doors,' you see, Eddy, will 
 be a serious business — one on which your well-being 
 in this life and the next depends." 
 
 Edward thanked his grandmother; and all through 
 life he remembered the lesson she had tauojht him. 
 
 Write : — 
 
 bus-iness 
 
 win -try 
 
 shut-ting 
 
 ashamed 
 
 vex-ing 
 
 ad-mit-ting 
 
 i-mag-ine 
 
 a-gainst 
 
 ad-vice 
 
 ig-no-rant 
 
 guard 
 
 un-ru-ly 
 
 com-pa-ny 
 
 con-stant-ly 
 
 watched 
 
 temp-ta-tion 
 
 con-science 
 
 care-fui-ly 
 
 grand-moth-er 
 
 re-mem-bered 
 
 law-yer 
 
 THE BROKEN PITCHER. 
 
 1. Young Ella was sent to fill 
 
 Her pitcher at a well ; 
 She must not linger on the hill. 
 
 Or loiter in the dell. 
 " Return home quickly," said her mother, 
 '' And help to nurse your baby brother." 
 
 2. But Ella's foolish heart was set 
 
 On frolic and on play , 
 She said she loved her mother, yet 
 She cared not to obey. 
 
 
188 
 
 if] 
 
 ■ H, 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 
 
 She would not practise self-denial, 
 To nurse the child was such a trial. 
 
 
 3, And nov/ when Raby she espied 
 
 Lie basking in the sun, 
 She put her duty quite aside, 
 
 To have a little fun ; — 
 To gambol and to run with Raby 
 Was pleasanter than rocking baby. 
 
 4 " Now leap, sir, leap !" — he leapt with glee, 
 
 Then ran in circles wid j ; 
 Loud barked the dog, and loud laughed she, 
 
 And loud the baby cried ! 
 At last, in bounding o'er the clover. 
 Doggie knocked the pitcher over. 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 5. The frolic then was changed to dread, 
 
 The pleasure into pain, 
 And bitter tears poor Ella shed, 
 
 But knew her tears were vain ; 
 They could not make her mother richer. 
 Or mend the matter — or the pitcher ! 
 
 6. A gentle, pitying friend drew near, 
 
 Who whispered, " Dry your eyes ; 
 Go home and own the truth, my dear, 
 
 And learn to be more wise ; — 
 That sorrow may not follow laughter, 
 Put duty first, and pleasure after !" 
 
 189 
 
 A. L. O. E. 
 
 THE PRAIRIE ON FIRE. 
 
 Do you see those red streaks in the sky ? I won- 
 der where they come from. Volumes of smoke 
 keep rolling on, and there is a queer crackling noise. 
 The noise seems to come nearer and nearer, and now 
 it rolls alung with a mighty sound like thunder 
 On come the red, leaping flames. It is easy to see 
 what is the matter. The prairie is on fire ! I can- 
 not tell who has done the mischief. Perhaps an 
 Indian left his fire burning, or dropped a spark from 
 his pipe ', or the dry weather has lasted a long time, 
 and the grass has taken fire of its own accord. At 
 any rate, the mischief is done. If men are at hand, 
 they try to save themselves by burning a large space 
 all round where they stand. When the fire gets to 
 the bare place it stops. There is nothing more for 
 it to burn. But such a fire as this has got beyond 
 the power of any one to stop. 
 
S i'l.! 
 
 tr^ 
 
 IM. 
 
 Ml 
 
 ■i 
 
 g 
 
 i!:; 
 
 
 "'^ 
 
 
 k 
 
 i 
 
 11 ' 
 
 li' 
 
 It: 
 
 190 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 SOMEBODY'S DAELINGS. 
 
 L Somebody's darlings are floating 
 Away on the re^t-less sea ; 
 All hearts will ache in the home-nests,- 
 Oli, where will the darlings be ? 
 
 2. Will the cruel, treacherous waves, 
 
 Bear them safely o'er the deep 1 
 Will they rock in this cradle-bed. 
 And sweetly, peacefully sleep ] 
 
 3. Oh, how happy were the birdlings, 
 
 When they fluttered from the nest ! 
 Dancing up and down the pathway, 
 Stopping here and there to rest. 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 191 
 
 4. They ran gayly along the shore, 
 
 They laughed at the rippling wave ; 
 The pebbles and shells they gathered, 
 Yet they did not care to save. 
 
 5. "We'll ride in this funny waggon," 
 
 They shouted in childish glee ] 
 They clambered into the dory. 
 As merry as they could be, 
 
 ^?""^ 
 
 6. They rode, as babies often ride 
 Rocking in their cozy beds ; 
 Yet not so safe was the journey. 
 
 With spray dashing o'er their heads. 
 
 7. "Oh, see ! we are riding so fast, 
 
 We can cross the ocean wide ; 
 Oh, we'll have the nicest supper, 
 When we reach the other side ! " 
 
 8. Poor little darlings ! no supper 
 
 Did one of them taste that night ; 
 When deep slumber closed their eyelids, 
 They were far far out of sight. 
 
 9. But Love, all tender, was o'er them ; 
 
 It guided the searching boats ; 
 Each throbbing heart it comforted. 
 And revived all drooping hopes. 
 
 10. Fervent the thanks that ascended 
 
 From each darling's home next morn ; 
 For safely sheltered from danger 
 Was each at earliest dawn. 
 
:n: i 
 
 192 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF BEADING LESSONS. 
 
 
 IH' 
 
 TELLING MOTHER 
 
 A number of girls were standing talking together, 
 wlu;n another girl joined them, and asked what they 
 were speaking about. 
 
 " I am telling the girls £, secret, Kate ; and we 
 will let you know, if you promise not to tell any 
 one," was the reply, 
 
 " I won't tell any one but my mother," replied 
 Kate. " I tell her everything, for she is my best 
 friend." 
 
 " But you must not tell even your mother ; you 
 must tell no one in the world." 
 
 " Well, then, I can't hear it ; for what I can't tell 
 my "inother is not fit for me to know." 
 
 I am sure that, if Kate continue to act in that 
 way, she will become a good and useful woman. 
 
 As soon as boys and girls listen to words at 
 school, or in the play-ground, which they would 
 
 to 
 pai 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 193 
 
 /her, 
 hey 
 
 v\^e 
 any 
 
 lied 
 
 3est 
 
 you 
 
 tell 
 
 hat 
 
 at 
 uld 
 
 fear or blush to repeat to their mother, they are in 
 the way of temptation, and no one can tell what 
 may become of them. 
 
 Many a man has looked back with great sorrow 
 to the time when first he allowed a sinful com- 
 panion to come between him and his mother. 
 
 Boys and girls ! if yoa would lead truthful lives, 
 make Kate's reply your rule : " What I cannot tell 
 my mother is not fit for me to know ; " for your 
 mother is your best friend. 
 
 'Tis wrong for you to do a thing 
 
 That mother must not know ; 
 And should your playmates, old or young, 
 
 E'er tell you so to do, 
 Leave them at once, and quickly go 
 
 To your dear mother's side, 
 Tell her — for well she knows what's wrong — 
 
 And she will be your guide. 
 
 LINES FROM "ROCK ME TO SLEEP" 
 
 Over m}^ heart, in the days that are flown, 
 
 No love like mother-lo^ e ever has shone ; 
 
 No other devotion abides and endures, 
 
 Faithful, unselfish, and patient like youis; 
 
 None like a mother can charm away pain 
 
 From the sick soul and world-weary brain : 
 
 Slumbers, soft, calm, o'er my heavy lids cre^p — 
 
 Rock me to sleep, mother — rock me to sleep ! 
 
 Elizabeth A. Akers. 
 
 13 
 

 194 
 
 -ii 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF HEADING LESSONS. 
 
 TWILIGHT. 
 
 1. The twilight is sad and cloudy, 
 
 The wind blows wild and free, 
 And, like the wings of sea-birds, 
 Flash the white caps of the sea, 
 
 2. But in the fisherman's cottage 
 
 There shines a ruddier light. 
 And a little face at the window 
 Peers out into the night. 
 
 3. Close, close it is pressed to the 
 
 window. 
 As if those childish eyes 
 Were looking into the darkness 
 To see some form arise. 
 
 4. And a woman's waving shadow 
 Is passing to and fro — 
 Now rising to the ceiling. 
 
 Now bowing and bending low. 
 
 5. What tale do the soaring ocean 
 
 And the night- wind, bleak and wild, 
 As they beat at the crazy casement. 
 Tell to that little child 1 
 
 6. And why do the roaring ocean 
 
 And the night- wind, wild and bleak, 
 
 As they beat at the heart of the mother. 
 
 Drive the color from her cheek 1 
 
 Longfellow. 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 195 
 
 PEACE, BE STILL! 
 
 1. Fear was witliin the tossing bark 
 
 When stormy winds grow loud, 
 And waves came rolling high and dark, 
 And the tall mast was bowed. ' 
 
 2. And men stood breathless in their dread, 
 
 And baffled in their skill ; 
 But One was there, who rose and said 
 To the wild sea — Be still/ 
 
 3. And the wind cease;^ — it ceased ! that word 
 Passed through the gloomy sky ; 
 The troubled billows knew their Lord, 
 And fell beneath His eye. 
 
 4. And slumber settled on the deep, 
 And silence on the blast ; 
 They sank, as flowers that fold to sleep 
 When sultry day is past. 
 
 5. Thou that in its wildest hour 
 Didst rule the tempest's mood. 
 Send Thy meek spirit forth in power, 
 Soft on our souls to brood ! 
 
 6 Thou that didst bow the billow's pride 
 
 Thv mandate to fulfil. 
 
 Oh, speak to passion's raging tide. 
 
 Speak, and say, Peace^ be still ! 
 
 Mrs. Hemans. 
 
 •wr 
 
' I 
 
 196 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 f: 
 
 
 14^ 
 
 li 
 
 I 
 
 i 
 
 THE HARDY TIN SOLDIER. 
 
 There were once five and twenty tin soldiers ; 
 they were all brothers, for they had all been born 
 of one old tin spoon. They shouldered their mus- 
 kets, and locked straight before them : their uniform 
 was red and blue, and very splendid. The first 
 thing they had heard in the world, when the lid 
 was taken off their box, had been the words " Tin 
 soldiers 1 " These words were uttered by a little boy, 
 who was clapping his hands. The soldiers had been 
 given to him, for it was his birthday ; and now he 
 put them upon the table. Each soldier was exactly 
 like the rest ; but one of them had been cast last of 
 all, and there had not been enough tin to finish him . 
 but he stood as firmly upon his one leg as the others 
 on their two ; and it was just this soldier who be- 
 came remarkable. 
 
 On the table where they had been placed stood 
 many other playthings, but the toy that attracted 
 most attention was a neat castle of cardboard. 
 Through the little windows one could see straight 
 into the hall. Before the castle some little trees 
 were placed round a little looking-glass, which was 
 ^ to represent a clear lake. Waxen swans swam on 
 this lake, and were mirrored in it. This was all 
 very pretty j but the prettiest of all was a little 
 dancing lady, who stood at the open door of the 
 castle. She was also cut out in paper, but she had a 
 dress of the clearest gauze, and a little narrow blue 
 ribbon over her shoulders, that looked like a scarf , 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 197 
 
 and in the middle of this ribbon was a shinino" tinsel 
 rose as big as her whole face ! 
 
 When the evening came, all the other tin soldiers 
 were put into their box, and the people in the house 
 went to bed. Now the toys began to play at 
 " visiting," and at " war," and at " giving balls." The 
 tin soldiers rattled in their box, for they wanted to 
 join, but could not lift the lid. The nut-cracker 
 threw somersaults, and the pencil amused itself on 
 the table ; there was so much noise that the canary 
 woke up, and began to speak too, and even in verse. 
 The only two who did not stir from their places 
 were the tin soldier and the dancing lady : she 
 stood straight up on the point of one of her toes, 
 and stretched out both her arms ; and he was just 
 as enduring on his one leg, and he never turned 
 his eyes away from her. 
 
 Now the clock struck twelve — and, bounce ! — 
 the lid flew off* the snuff-box , but there was not 
 snuff* in it, but a little black goblin : you see, it was 
 a trick. 
 
 "Tin soldier!" said the goblin, "don't stare at 
 things that don't concern you." 
 
 But the tin soldier pretended not to hear him. 
 
 " Just you wait till to-morrow ! " said the 
 goblin. 
 
 But when the morning came, and the children got 
 up, the tin soldier was placed in the window ; and 
 whether it was the goblin or the draught that did 
 it, all at once the window flew open, and the soldier 
 fell head over heels out of the third story. That 
 was a terrible fall ! He put his leg straight up, 
 
 -^ *- 
 
 »^dm 
 
I* ill'' 
 
 
 u 
 
 i • !• 
 
 198 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 and stuck with helmet downwards and with his 
 bayonet between the paving-stones. 
 
 The servant-maid and the little boy came down 
 directly to look for him ; but though they almost 
 trod upon him, they could not see him. If the 
 soldier had cried out " Here I am ! " they would 
 have found him ; but he did not think it manly to 
 call out loudly, because he was in uniform. 
 
 Now it began to rain ; the drops soon fell thicker, 
 and at last it came down in a complete stream. 
 When the rain was past, two street boys came by. 
 
 " Just look ! " said one of them ; " there lies a 
 tin soldier. He must come out and sail in the 
 boat." 
 
 And they made a boat out of a newspaper, and 
 put the tin soldier in the middle of it ; and so he 
 sailed down the gutter, and the two boys ran beside 
 him and clapped their hands. How the waves rose 
 in that gutter, and how fast the stream ran! But 
 then it had been a heavy rain. The paper boat 
 rocked up and down, and sometimes turned round 
 so fast that the tin soldier trembled ; but he stood 
 firm, and never chansed countenance, and looked 
 ^Lraight before him, and shouldered his musket. 
 
 All at once the boat went into a long drain, and 
 it became as dark as if he had been in his box. 
 
 " Where am I o^oino- now ?" he thouiirht. " Yes. 
 yes, that's the goblin's fault." 
 
 Suddenly there came a great water rat, which 
 lived in the drain. 
 
 " Have you a ticket ?" said the rat. " Give me 
 your ticket." 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 199 
 
 But the tin soldier kept silence, and held his 
 musket tighter than ever. 
 
 The boat went on, but the rat came after it. 
 Hu ! ho\v he gnashed his t jth, and called out to 
 the bits of straw and wood, " Hold him ! hold 
 him ! He hasn't paid toll ! — he hasn't shown his 
 iiicketl" 
 
 But the stream became stronger and stronger. 
 The tin soldier could see the bright daylight where 
 the arch ended ; but he heard a roaring noise, which 
 might well frighten a bolder man. Only think — ^just 
 where the tunnel ended, the drain ran into a great 
 canal ; and for him that would have been as danger- 
 ous as for us to be carried down a great waterfall. 
 
 Now he was already so near it that he could not 
 stop. The boat was carried out, the poor tin sol- 
 dier stiffening himself as much as he could, and no 
 one could say that he moved an eyelid. The boat 
 whirled round three or four times, and was full of 
 water to the very edge — it must sink. The tin 
 soldier stood up to his neck in water, and the boat 
 sank deeper and deeper, and the paper was loosened 
 more and more ; and now the water closed over the 
 soldier's head. Then he thought of the pretty little 
 dancer, and how he should never see her again ; 
 and it sounded in the soldier's ears — 
 
 '* Farewell, farewell, thou warrior brave, 
 For this day thou must die ! " 
 
 And now the paper parted, and the tin soldier 
 fell out ; but at that moment he was snapped up 
 by a great fish. 
 
 ■ ^— 1 " 
 
200 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 * 4 
 
 Oh, how dark it was in that fish's body ! It 
 was darker yet than in the drain tunnel ; and then it 
 was very narrow too. But the tin soldier remained 
 unmoved, and lay at full length shouldering his mus- 
 ket. The fish swam to and fro ; he made the most 
 wonderful movements, and then became quite still. 
 At last something flashed through him like light- 
 ning. The daylight shone quite clear, and a voice 
 said aloud, " The tin soldier !" The fish had been 
 caught, carried to market, bought, and taken into 
 the kitchen, where the cook cut him open with a 
 large knife. She seized the soldier round the body 
 with both her hands, and carried him into the room, 
 where all were anxious to see the remarkable man 
 who had travelled about in a fish ; but the tin 
 soldier was not at all proud. They placed him on 
 the table, and there — no 1 What curious things 
 may happen in the world ! The tin soldier was 
 in the very room in which he had been before ! he 
 saw the same children, and the same toys stood on 
 the table ; and there was the pretty castle with the 
 graceful little dancer. She was hardy too That 
 moved the tin soldier : he was very nearly weep- 
 ing tin tears, but that would not have been proper. 
 He looked at her, but they said nothing to each 
 other. 
 
 Then one of the little boys took the tin soldier 
 and flunof him into the stove. He crave no reason for 
 doing this. It must have been the fault of the goblin 
 in the snufl'-box. The tin soldier stood there quite 
 lighted upland felt a heat ^hat was terrible; but 
 whether this heat came from the real fire or from love 
 
It 
 
 F?' 
 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 201 
 
 he did not know. The colors had quite gone off from 
 him ; but whether that had happened on the journey, 
 or had been caused by grief, no one could say. He 
 looked at the little lady, she looked at him, and he 
 felt that he was melting ; but he still stood firm, 
 shouldering his musket. Then suddenly the door 
 flew open, and the draught of air caught the dancer, 
 and she flew like a sylph just into the stove to the 
 tin soldier, and flashed up in a flame, and she was 
 gone. Then the tin soldier melted down into a 
 lump ; and when the servant-maid took the ashes 
 out next day, she found him in the shape of a little 
 tin heart. But of the dancer nothing remained but 
 the tinsel rose, and that was burned as black as a 
 coal. Hans Christian Andersen. 
 
 ABOVE THE CLOUD. 
 
 " Mother, mother !" cried the young larks in great 
 distress, — " look at father ! Oh, he has gone now 
 into that cloud, and we have lost him ! mother ! 
 why did he fly so high ? Why did he let the cloud 
 swallow him up?" — "Foolish children !" answered 
 the mother bird. " He is safe enough. I can hear 
 him singing even now. That cloud, which looks so 
 gloomy to you, is dark only on the under side. He 
 is above it, and sees a brighter blue sky than we 
 do who are down here. Be content. He will return 
 to us happier and wiser than when he left us, and 
 will tell us that if he had not pierced that darkness 
 he would never have believed how much glory and 
 beauty were above it." Mrs. Prosser. 
 
 I 
 
1 1 
 
 202 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 
 mh 
 
 <f,-i 
 
 THE TRUE 
 STORY OF WEB-SPINNER. 
 
 Web-Spinner was a miser old, 
 
 Who came of low degree 
 His body was large, his legs were thin, 
 
 And he kept bad company. 
 His visage had the evil look 
 
 Of a black felon grim ; ' 
 To all the country he was known. 
 
 But none spoke well of him. 
 His house was seven stories high, 
 
 In a corner of the street ; 
 And always had a dirty look. 
 
 Whilst other liomes were neat. 
 Up in liis garret dark he lived. 
 
 And from the windows high 
 
 10 
 
 il 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 203 
 
 *A\; 
 
 ! 
 
 ^y;N" 
 
 IS, 
 
 i 
 
 S' 
 
 Looked out in the dusky evening 15 
 
 Upon the passers-by. 
 Most people thought he lived alone, 
 
 And many have averred 
 That dismal cries from out his house 
 
 Were often loudly heard ; 20 
 
 And that none living left his gate, 
 
 Although a few went in ; — 
 For he seized the very beggar old, 
 
 And stripped him to the skin ; 
 And though he prayed for mercy, 25 
 
 Yet mercy ne'er was shown — 
 The miser cut his body up. 
 
 And picked him bone from bone. 
 Tln:s people said, and all believed 
 
 The dismal story true ; — 30 
 
 As it was told to me, in truth, 
 
 I tell it so to you. 
 There was an ancient widow. 
 
 One Mrs. Margery Moth, 
 A stranger to the man, or she 35 
 
 Had ne'er gone there, in troth; 
 But she was poor, and wandered 
 out 
 
 At nightfall in the street, 
 To beg from rich men's tables 
 
 Some scraps of broken meat. 40 
 So she knocked at old Web-Spinner's 
 door 
 
 With a modest tap and low. 
 And down-stairs came he speedily, 
 
 Like an arrow from a bow. 
 "Walk in, walk in, mother ! " said he, 
 
 And shut the door behind ; 46 
 
 r 
 
r\ i 
 
 204 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF BEADING LESSONS. 
 
 .J 
 
 ■ i ■; 
 
 fr 
 
 r^ 
 
 M^ 
 
 
 |\^-v 
 
 f/u 
 
 ^ 
 
 fit r'v'ii'i 
 
 ® 
 
 i;*i •' '; 
 
 She thought, for such a gentleman, 
 
 That he was wondrous kind. 
 But ere the midnight clock had 
 tolled, 
 
 Like a tiger of the wood. 
 
 50 
 
 He had eaten the flesh from off her 
 bones. 
 
 And drunk of her heart's blood ! 
 Now after this fell deed was done, 
 
 A little season's space. 
 The burly Baron of Bluebottle 55 
 
 Was riding from the chase ; 
 Thy sport was dull, the day was 
 hot. 
 
 The sun was sinking down, 
 When wearily the baron rode 
 
 Into the dusty town. 
 Says he, " I'll ask a lodging 
 
 At the first house T come to ^ 
 With that the gate of Web-Spinner 
 
 Came suddenly in view. 
 Loud was the knock the baron 
 gave, — 65 
 
 DoiVn came the churl with 
 
 60 
 
 5) 
 
 glee 
 
 Says Bluebottle, ""Good sir, to-night 
 
 I ask your courtesy ; 
 I'm wearied with a long day's chase, 
 My friends are far behind." 70 
 ' You may need them all," said Web- 
 Spinner, 
 " It runneth in my mind." 
 ' A baron am I," said Bluebottle ; 
 
 u 
 
 V|, 
 
 From a foreign land I come. 
 
 )} 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 205 
 
 •■* 
 
 " I thought as much," said Web- 
 Spinner, 75 
 '* For wise men stay at home 
 Says the baron, " Churl, what 
 meaneth this"? 
 I defy you, villain base ! " 
 And he wished the while with all 
 his heart 
 He were safely from the place. SO 
 Web-Spinner ran and locked the 
 door, 
 And a loud laugh laughed he ; 
 With that each one on the other 
 sprang, 
 And they wrestled furiously. 
 The baron was a man of might, 85 
 
 A swordsman of renown ; 
 But the miser had the stronger arm. 
 And kept the baron down . 
 
 i 
 
1 • 
 
 r: 
 
 li 
 
 I 
 
 Hi 
 
 i 
 
 
 ■' II 
 
 if -^ 
 
 206 
 
 kt. 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF BEADING LESSONS, 
 
 Then out he touk a little cord 
 
 From a pocket at his side, 
 And with many a craity, cruel knot. 
 
 His hands and tV-iet he tied ; 
 And bound him down unto the floor, 
 
 And said, in savage jest, 
 " There's heavy work in store for you, 
 
 So, baron, take your rest ! " 
 Then up and down his house he wont, 
 
 Arranging dish and platter, 
 With a dull and heavy countenance. 
 
 As if nothins: were the matter. 
 
 90 
 
 95 
 
 II 
 
 100 
 
 [ 
 
 At length he seized on Bluebottle, 
 
 That strong and burly man. 
 And with many and many a desperate tug 
 
 To hoist him up began : 
 And step by step, and step by step, 105 
 
 He went, with heavy tread ; 
 But ere he reached the garret door 
 
 Poor Bluebottle was dead ! 
 
 ,5 
 ■J 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 207 
 
 
 110 
 evil 
 
 \ 
 
 Now all this while a magistrate, 
 Who lived in the houiije hard by, 
 Had watched Web - Spinner's 
 deeds 
 Through a window privily ; 
 So in he bursts, through bolts and bars, 
 
 With a loud and thundering sound. 
 And vows to burn the house with fire, 
 And level it with the ground ! [116 
 But the wicked churl, who all his life 
 
 Had looked for such a day, 
 Passed through a trap-door in the wall. 
 And took himself away. 120 
 
 But where he went no man could 
 tellj 
 
 'Twas said that under ground 
 He died a miserable death, 
 
 But his body ne'er was found. 
 They pulled his house down, stick and stone; 125 
 " For a caitiff vile as he," 
 Said they, '' within our quiet town 
 Shall not a dweller be ! " 
 
 Mrs. Howitt. 
 
208 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 > 
 
 THE LAND OF OUR FOREFATHERS. 
 
 If you look at a map of the world you * ' see, in 
 the left-hand upper corner of the Eastern Hemi- 
 sphere, two islands lying in the sea. They are 
 England and Scotland, and Ireland. England and 
 Scotland form the greater part of these islands. 
 Ireland is the next in size. The little neighboring; 
 islands, which are so small upon the map as to be 
 mere dots, are chiefly little bits of Scotland, broken 
 off, I dare say, in the course of a great length of 
 time, by the power of the restless water. 
 
 In the old days, a long, long while ago, before 
 our Saviour was born on earth and lay asleep in the 
 manger, these islands were in the same place, and 
 the stormy sea roared round them, just as it roars 
 now. But the sea was not alive then w4th great 
 ships and brave sailors, sailing to and from all parts 
 of the world. It was very lonely. The islands lay 
 solitary in the great expanse of water. The foam- 
 ing waves dashed against their cliffs, and the bleak 
 winds blew over their forests. But the winds and 
 waves brought no adventurers to land upon the 
 islands ; and the savage islanders knew nothing of 
 the rest of the world, and the rest of the world 
 knew nothing of them. 
 
 It. is supposed that the Phoenicians, w^ho were an 
 ancient people, famous for carrying on trade, came 
 in ships to these islands, and found that they pro- 
 duced tin and lead — both very useful things, as 
 you know, and both produced to this very hour 
 
 i 
 '-■■ 
 
 
J»"«» 
 
 ''•f"^^ 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF BEADING LESSONS. 
 
 209 
 
 ig of 
 ^orld 
 
 ^e an 
 jame 
 I pro- 
 as 
 lOur 
 
 \} 
 
 upon the sea-coast. The most celebrated tin-mines 
 in Cornwall are still close to the sea. One of them, 
 which I have seen, is so close to it that it is hol- 
 lowed out underneath the ocean , and the miners 
 say that in stormy weather, when they are at work 
 down in that deep place, they can hear the noise of 
 the waves thundering above their heads ! So the 
 Phoenicians, coasting about the islands, would come 
 without much difficulty to where the tin and lead 
 were. The Phoenicians traded with the islanders 
 for these metals, and gave the islanders some other 
 useful things in exchange. 
 
 The islanders were at first poor savages, going 
 almost naked, or only dressed in the rough skins of 
 beasts, and staining their bodies, as other savages 
 do, with colored earths and the juices of plants. 
 
 The whole country was covered with forests and 
 swamps. The greater part of it was very misty and 
 cold. There were no roads, no bridges, no streets, 
 no houses that you would think deserving of the 
 name. A town was nothing but a collection of 
 straw-covered huts, hidden in a thick wood, with a 
 ditch all round, and a low wall made of mud, or the 
 trunks of trees placed one upon another. The 
 people planted little or no corn, but lived upon the 
 flesh of their flocks and cattle. They made no 
 coins, but used metal rings for money. They were 
 clever in basket-work, as savage people often are ; 
 and they could make a coarse kind of cloth, and 
 some very bad earthenware. 
 
 Charles Dickens. 
 
 14 
 
 #' 
 
210 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 THE BEST SAFETY-VALVE. 
 
 Many years ago, there was a steam-boat plying on 
 one of the American rivers. She was called the 
 Fame. Captain Gordon, her commander, allowed no 
 spirituous liquors to be used or kept by any of the 
 officers or crew. About that time a new safety- 
 valve for steam-boilers had been invented, which it 
 was thought would tend to prevent explosions. It 
 was called " Evan's Patent Safety- Valve." A good 
 many people were unwilling to travel in any steam- 
 boat, unless it was supplied with these valves. One 
 day a gentleman called on Captain Gordon in the 
 cabin of his boat, and told him that he and twenty 
 persons in his company were desirous of going on in 
 his boat. " But," said the gentleman, " I can't do it, 
 neither can my company ; for I have been below 
 looking at your machinery, and I lind you haven't 
 got ' Evan's Patent Safety- Valve ' attached to your 
 boilers. For this reason we can't go with you." 
 
 " I shall be very happy to have your company," 
 said Captain Gordon. " Come below, and I will 
 show you the best safety-valve in the world." 
 
 They walked together to the engine-room. The 
 captain stepped up to his sturdy engineer, and clap- 
 ping him on the shoulder, said to the gentleman, 
 *' There, sir, is my safety-valve, the best to be found 
 anywhere ; a man who never drinks anything but 
 
 PURE COLD WATER !" 
 
 " You are right, captain," said the stranger ; " I 
 want no better safety-valve than that. We will 
 come on board, sir." 
 
 i 
 
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 iteam- 
 
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 do it, 
 
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 The 
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 SECOND BOOK OF READIXa LESSONS. 
 
 211 
 
 % 
 
 I 
 
 -1 
 
 
 S^M 
 
 iiMMiMittK^^SaUWI 
 
 THE RAINBOW. 
 
 My heart leaps up when 1 behold 
 
 A rainbow in the sky : 
 So was it when my life began ; 
 So is it now I am a man ; 
 So be it when I shall grow old, 
 
 Or let me die ! 
 
 The child is father of the man ; 
 
 And I could wish my days to be 
 
 Bound each to each by natural piety. 
 
 Wordsworth. 
 
212 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 s 
 
 HYMN. 
 
 1 Gently think and gently speak. 
 
 Art thou strong ? — respect the weak; 
 Art thou weak ? — from what thou art 
 Gently judge another's heart. 
 
 2. He who knew the thoughts of men, 
 He was gentle. Let us, then, 
 Gentle be in thought and tone, 
 We who scarce can read our own. 
 
 3. Rain, and dews, and sunshine fall 
 With unbounded love on all : 
 Shall thy narrow heart refuse 
 
 Its poor sun, and rain, and dews 1 
 
 4. Then be gentle, O my soul ; 
 Thouofhts and words alike control. 
 If thou must in aught decide, 
 Err upon the gentle side. 
 
 5. Gentleness can do no wrong 
 To the weak or to the strong ; 
 Be thou strong, or be thou weak, 
 Gently think and gently speak. 
 
 Rev. J. S. B. Monsell. 
 
 
' 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 213 
 
 WHAT THE OLD MAN DOES IS ALWAYS RIGHT. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 ELL. 
 
 I will tell you a story which was told to me 
 when I was a little boy. Every time I thought of 
 the story it seemed to me to become more and more 
 charming; for it is with stories as it is with many 
 people — they become better as they grow older. 
 
 I take it for granted that you have been in the 
 country, and have seen a very old farm-house, with a 
 thatched roof, and mosses and small plants growing 
 wild upon the thatch. There is a stork's nest on 
 the summit of the gable ; for we can't do without 
 the stork. The walls of the house are sloping, and 
 
214 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF BEADING LESSONS, 
 
 the windows are low, and only one of the latter is 
 made so that it will open. The baking-oven sticks 
 out of the wall like a little fat body. The elder 
 tree hangs over the paling; and beneath its branches, 
 at the foot of the paling, is a pool of water in which 
 a few ducks are disporting themselves. There is a 
 yard-dog too, that barks at all comers. 
 
 Just such a farm-house stood out in the country ; 
 and in this house dwelt an old couple — a peasant 
 and his wife. Small as was their property, there 
 was one article among it that they could do without 
 — a horse, which made a living out of the grass it 
 found by the side of the highroad. The old peasant 
 rode into the town on this horse ; and often his 
 neighbors borrowed it of him, and rendered the old 
 couple some service in return for the loan of it. But 
 they thought it would be best if they sold the horse, 
 or exchanged it for something that might be more 
 useful to them. But what might this something be ? 
 
 " You'll know that best, old man," said the wife. 
 " It is fair-day to-day, so ride into town, and get 
 rid of the horse for money, or make a good ex- 
 change ; whichever you do will be right to me. 
 Ride off to the fair." 
 
 And she fastened his necktie for him, for she 
 could do that better than he could ; and she tied it 
 in a double bow, for she could do that very prettily. 
 Then she brushed his hat round and round with the 
 palm of her hand, and gave him a kiss. So he 
 rode away upon the horse that was to be sold or to 
 be bartered for something else. Yes, the old man 
 knew what he was about. 
 
 f 
 
 ^ 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 215 
 
 ^ 
 
 The sun shone hotly down, and not a cloud was 
 to be seen in the sky. The road was very dusty, 
 for many people, who were all bound for the fair, 
 were driving, or riding, or walking upon it. There 
 was no shelter anywhere from the sunbeams. 
 
 Among the rest, a man was trudging along, and 
 driving a cow to the fair. The cow was as beautiful 
 a creature as any cow can be. 
 
 " She gives good milk, I'm sure," said the peasant. 
 " That would be a very good exchange — the cow 
 for the horse." 
 
 " Hallo, you there with the cow ! " he said ; " I 
 tell you what : I fancy a horse costs more than 
 a cow, but I don't care for that ; a cow would 
 be more ^' eful to me. If you like, we'll ex- 
 change." 
 
 " To be sure I will," returned the man ; and so 
 they exchanged. 
 
 Well, that was settled, and the peasant might 
 have turned back, for he had done the business he 
 came to do ; but as he had once made up his mind 
 to go to the fair, he determined to proceed, m'^rely 
 to have a look at it ; and so he went to the town 
 with his cow. 
 
 Leading the animal, he strode sturdily on ; and 
 after a short time he overtook a man who was 
 driving a sheep. It was a good fat sheep, with a 
 fine fleece on its back. 
 
 "I should like to have that fellow," said our 
 peasant to himself. "He would find plenty of 
 grass by our palings, and in the winter we could 
 keep him in the room with us. Perhaps it would 
 
216 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 be more useful to have a sheep than a cow. Shall 
 we exchange ? " 
 
 The man with the sheep was quite ready, and 
 the bargain was struck. So our peasant went on 
 in the highroad with his sheep. 
 
 Soon he overtook another man, who came into 
 the road from a field, carrying a great goose under 
 his n,rm. 
 
 " That's a heavy thing you have there. It has 
 plenty of feathers and plenty of fat, and would look 
 well tied to a string, and paddling in the water at 
 our place. That would be something for my old 
 woman ; she could make all kinds of profit out of 
 it. How often she has said, ' If we only had a 
 goose ! ' Now, perhaps, she can have one ; and, if 
 possible, it shall be hers. Shall we exchange ? 
 I'll give you my sheep for your goose, and thank 
 you into the bargain." 
 
 The other man had not the least objection ; and 
 accordingly they exchanged, and our peasant became 
 owner of the goose. 
 
 By this time he was very near the town. The 
 crowd on the highroad became greater and greater; 
 there was quite a crush of men and cattle. They 
 walked on the road and close bv the fence ; and at 
 the toll-gate they even walked into the toll-man's 
 potato field, where his own hen was strutting about 
 with a string to its leg, lest it should take fright at 
 the crowd, and stray away, and so be lost. This 
 hen had short tail-feathers, and winked with both 
 its eyes, and looked very cunning. " Cluck ! cluck ! " 
 said the hen. What it thought when it said this I 
 
 '^^ 
 
 1 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS 
 
 217 
 
 cannot tell you ; but directly our good man saw it 
 he thought, " That's the finest hen I've ever seen in 
 my life ! Why, it's finer than our parson's brood 
 hen. On my word, I should like to have that fowl. 
 A fowl can always find a grain or two, and can 
 almost keep itself. I think it would be a good 
 exchange if I could get that for my goose." 
 
 " Shall we exchange ? " he asked the toll-taker. 
 
 " Exchange ! " repeated the man ; " well, that 
 would not be a bad thing." 
 
 And so they exchanged : the man at the toll-gate 
 kept the goose, and the peasant carried away the hen. 
 
 •^ 
 
 I 
 
 ■ 
 
 I 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Now, he had done a good deal of business on his 
 way to the fair, and he was hot and tired. He 
 wanted something to eat and drink, and soon he 
 was in front of the inn. He was just about to step 
 in, when the hostler came out, so they met at the 
 door. The hostler was carrying a sack. 
 
 "What have you in that sack?" asked the 
 peasant. 
 
 " Rotten apples," answered the hostler ; " a whole 
 sackful of them — enough to feed the pigs with." 
 
 " Why, that's terrible waste. I should like to 
 take them to my old woman at home. Last year 
 the old tree by the turf -hole only bore a single 
 apple, and we kept it in the cupboard till it was 
 quite rotten and spoiled. ' It was always property,' 
 my old woman said ; but here she could see a 
 quantity of property — a whole sackful. Yes ; I 
 shall be glad to show them to her." 
 
 I 
 
218 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 "What will you give me for the sackful ?" asked 
 the hostler. 
 
 " What will I give ? I will give my hen in ex- 
 change." 
 
 And so he gave the hen, and took the apples, 
 whTch he carried into the guest-room. He laid the 
 sack carefully by the stove, and then went to the 
 table. But the stove was hot. He had not thought 
 of that. 
 
 Many guests were present, — horse-dealers, ox- 
 herds, and two Englishmen ; and the tw^o English- 
 men were so rich that their pockets bulged out with 
 gold coins and almost burst; and they could bet, too, 
 as you shall hear. 
 
 Hiss-s-s ! hiss-s-s ! What was that by the stove ? 
 The apples were beginning to roast. 
 
 "What is that?" 
 
 " Why, do you know — " said our peasant. And 
 he told the whole story of the horse that he had 
 exchanged for a cow, and all the rest of it, down 
 to the apples. 
 
 " Well, your old woman will give it you well 
 when you get home," said one of the Englishmen. 
 " There will be trouble." 
 
 "What? — give me what?" said the peasant. 
 " She will kiss me and say, ' What the old man does 
 is always right.'" 
 
 " Shall we make a bet ?" said the Englishman. 
 " We'll bet coined gold by the ton — a hundred 
 pounds to the hundredweight." 
 
 " A bushel will be enough," replied the peasant. 
 " I can only set the bushel of apples against it ; and 
 
 1 
 
 '■ 
 
 " 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 2m 
 
 f 
 
 
 I'll throw myself and my old woman into the bar- 
 gain, and I fancy that's piling up the measure." 
 
 "Done!— taken!" 
 
 And the bet was made. The landlord's carriage 
 came up, and the Englishmen got in, and the peasant 
 got in. Away they went, and soon they stopped 
 before the peasant's hut. 
 
 " Good evening, old woman." 
 
 " Good evening, old man." 
 
 " I've made exchange." 
 
 *'Yes, you know what you're about," said the 
 woman. 
 
 And she hugged him, and paid no attention to 
 the stranger guests, nor did she notice the sack. 
 
 '•' I got a cow in exchange for the horse," said he. 
 
 " Heaven be thanked ! " said she. " What glori- 
 ous milk we shall now have, and butter and cheese 
 upon the table ! That was a most capital exchange." 
 
 " Yes, but I changed the cow for a sheep." 
 
 " Ah, that's better still ! " cried the wife. " You 
 always think of everything : we have just pasture 
 enough for a sheep. Ewes' -milk and cheese, and 
 woollen jackets and stockings ! The cow cannot 
 give those, and her hair will only come off. How 
 you think of everything ! " 
 
 " But I exchanged the sheep for a goose." 
 
 " Then this year we shall really have roast goose 
 to eat, my dear old man. You are always thinking 
 of something to give me pleasure. How charming 
 that is ! We can let the goose walk about with a 
 string to her leg, and she'll grow fatter still before 
 we roast her." 
 
 
 f 
 
220 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 " But I gave away the goose for a hen," said the 
 man. — "A hen? That was a good exchange !" replied 
 
 the woman. " The hen 
 
 will lay eggs and hatch 
 them, and we shall 
 soon have chickens : 
 we shall have a whole 
 poultry - yard ! Oh, 
 that's just what I was 
 wishing for." — " Yes, 
 but I exchanged the 
 fowl for a sack of 
 shrivelled apples." — 
 " What ! — I must posi- 
 tively kiss you for 
 that," exclaimed the 
 wife. " My dear, good 
 husband ! Now I'll 
 tell you something. 
 Do you know, you had 
 hardly left me this 
 morning, before I began 
 thinking how I could 
 give you something very nice this evening. I 
 thought it should be panca.kes with savory herbs. 
 I had eggs, and bacon too ; but I wanted herbs. 
 So I went over to the schoolmaster's — rthey have 
 herbs there, I know, — but the schoolmistress is 
 a mean woman, though she looks so sweet. I 
 be^ojed her to lend me a handful of herbs. 
 * Lend ! ' she answered me ; ' nothing at all grows 
 in our garden, not even a shrivelled apple. I could 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 221 
 
 r 
 
 ^ 
 
 not even lend you a shrivelled apple, my dear 
 woman.' But now / can lend her twenty, or a 
 whole sackful. That I'm very glad of ; that makes 
 me laugh ! " And with that she gave him a sound- 
 ing kiss. — " I like that 1" exclaimed both the English- 
 men together. " Always going down-hill, and always 
 merry ; that's worth the money." 
 
 So they paid a hundredweight of gold to the 
 peasant, who was not scolded, but kissed. 
 
 Yes, it always pays, when the wife sees and 
 says that her husband knows best, and that what- 
 ever he does is right. 
 
 You see, that is my story. I heard it when I was 
 a child ; and now you have heard it too, and know 
 that " What the old man does is always right." 
 
 Hans Christian Andersen. 
 
 THE POWER OF GENTLENESS. 
 
 I saw £L streamlet sleeping 
 
 Beneath stern Winter's reign ; 
 It seemed no power could wake it 
 
 To life and mirth again. 
 The north wind roared and whistled, 
 
 The angry storm raged loud ; 
 But still unmoved the streamlet 
 
 Slept in its wintry shroud. 
 At last the wind was weary, 
 
 The tempest passed away ; 
 There came a little sunbeam, 
 
 And on the streamlet lay, — 
 A whisper from the south wind, 
 
 A breath quite soft and low ; 
 But see ! the stream has heard it, — 
 
 The melting waters flow ! 
 
 • 
 
222 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 »4 
 
 ^^^#^ TO THE 
 
 mS^X ^ FRINGED GENTIAN.* 
 
 ^^ Thou blossom bright with autumn dew, 
 
 And colored with the heavens' own blue, 
 That openest when the quiet light 
 Succeeds the keen and frosty night ; 
 
 
 r^ 
 
 
 <^ 
 
 ..V 
 
 Thou comest not when violets lean 
 O'er wandering brooks and springs unseen, 
 Or columbines, in purple dressed, 
 Nod o'er the ground-bird's hidden nest. 
 
 Thou waitest late and com'st alone, 
 When woods are bare and birds are flown. 
 And frosts and shortening days portend 
 The aged year is near his end. 
 
 * Two species of fringed gentian may, during September, be found 
 in bloom in moist, shady nooks. 
 
 T« 
 
 \% 
 
SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 
 
 223 
 
 k^'i^ 
 
 _i;<^ 
 
 '.'^v^ 
 
 ''■T^V 
 
 
 5t^ 
 
 ^:i^ 'k 
 
 
 
 ^M 
 
 m 
 
 s^-^r.'sSI 
 
 
 Then doth tliy sweet and quiet eye 
 Look through its fringes to the sky, 
 Blue — blue — as if that sky let fall 
 A flower from its cerulean wall. 
 
 I would that thus, when I shall see 
 
 The hour of death draw near to me, 
 
 Hope, blossoming within my heart, 
 
 May look to heaven as I depart. 
 
 Bryant. 
 
 THOSE EVENING BELLS. 
 
 Those evening bells ! those evening 
 
 bells ! 
 How many a tale their music tells. 
 Of youth and home, and that sweet 
 
 time 
 When last I heard their soothing 
 
 chime. 
 
 Those joyous hours are passed away ; 
 And many a heart that then was 
 
 gay, 
 
 Within the tomb now darkly dwells, 
 And hears no more those evening 
 bells. 
 
 And so 'twill be when I am gone ; 
 That tuneful peal will still ring on. 
 While olher bards shall walk these 
 
 dells, 
 And sing )0ur praise, sweet evening 
 
 bells. 
 
 MoORE. 
 
 7« 
 
324 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF READING LESSONS, 
 
 ABIDE WITH ME. 
 
 Abide with me ! fast falls the eventide : 
 The darkness deepens ; Lord, with me abide ! 
 When other helpers fail, and comforts flee, 
 Help of the helpless, O abide witS me ! 
 
 Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day ; 
 Earth's joys grow dim, its glories pass away ; 
 Change and decay in all around I see : 
 
 Thou who changest not, abide with me ! 
 
 1 need Thy presence every passing hour : 
 
 What but Thy grace can foil the tempter's power? 
 
 Who like Thyself my guide and stay can be 1 
 
 Through cloud and sunshine, abide with me ! 
 
 Rev. H. F. Lite. 
 
 I 
 
1S0NS. 
 
 ie : 
 
 le abide t 
 
 s flee, 
 
 e! 
 
 day; 
 3 away ; 
 
 I 
 
 me I 
 
 ur : 
 
 Dter's power? 
 can be ? 
 with me ! 
 Ev. H. r. Lyte.