Boys and Girls Bookshelf; a Practical Plan of Character Building Part 41

"Yes, a good dinner," replied the little girl, "right here in the corn-field."

"We could have a pumpkin table," said the little boy.

"And pumpkin chairs," said the little girl.

So, as Thanksgiving was that very day, and there was no time to lose, they began to work. They found a fine, big, flat-topped pumpkin, and placed it for a table at the foot of the Owl's tree. Then they found three little pumpkins for stools.

"They won't want to eat until night," said the little boy.

"No," said the little girl; "the Owl and the Turtle and the Rabbit, too,--they like dinner at night."

"We will lay everything out for them before we go to Grandmother's,"

said the little boy, "and when we come home, we can see all eating their good Thanksgiving dinner."

The little boy ran and brought parsley and cabbage leaves for the Rabbit; and when the Rabbit saw that, he trotted home in a hurry, for fear he might be tempted to eat before it was time.

The little girl brought a fine big mushroom for the Turtle, for she had once seen a turtle nibble all around the edge of a mushroom.

"The Owl will have to bring his own dinner," said the little boy, "but I will get him a piece of bread to eat with it." So he did.

That night the little girl and boy drove home by moonlight from their grandmother's farm. When they were in their own room they looked out of the window toward the corn-field. They saw the corn-shocks, like wigwams, with black shadows. They saw the tree dark against the sky.

They saw the big round yellow moon rising above the ridge of the field.

They saw the pumpkin table and pumpkin chairs. They saw, sitting on one chair, the Rabbit, with his ears sticking straight up as he ate his parsley and cabbage. They saw the Turtle, stretching his head out of his sh.e.l.l as he nibbled his mushroom. They saw the Owl on his chair, eating the dinner he had brought. "Oh, isn't it beautiful!" said the little girl. "Beautiful!" said the little boy.

HOMES

BY ANNIE WILLIS McCULLOUGH

My bunnies like their cozy house, although they scamper out to play; My chickens like the slatted coop where all the mother hens must stay.

My kitten likes her basket bed out in the woodshed near our door, My puppy loves his cellar box; he sleeps and plays, then sleeps some more.

But _I_ have got the nicest home. My house is better far than theirs; Its windows let the suns.h.i.+ne in; it has a porch, it has some stairs.

But I like best the kitchen warm, with table, stove, and pantry neat; The place where Dinah works, and makes good things for us to eat!

[Ill.u.s.tration: Bill of Fare

Fish Perch Entree Bread Vegetables Corn Carrots Tomatoes Dessert Watermelon Apples.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Here comes our dinner!]

[Ill.u.s.tration: A Shower of good things.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: MEAL-TIME IN THE BEAR-PITS AT THE ZOO.]

A Glutton.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "FULL INSIDE."

FROM AN ENGRAVING OF THE PAINTING BY ARTHUR J. ELSLEY.]

THE FINE GOOD SHOW

BY JESSIE WRIGHT WHITCOMB

[Ill.u.s.tration: "'GOOD MORNING, COW, COME AND TAKE A WALK WITH US.'"]

A little girl and a little boy started down the road together to take a walk. They met a dog.

"Good morning, Dog," said the little girl. "Bow-wow!" answered the dog.

"Come and take a walk with us, Dog," said the little boy.

So they all went down the road together.

Pretty soon they met a cat.

"Good morning, Cat," said the little boy. "Miaouw!" answered the cat.

"Come and take a walk with us, Cat," said the little girl. So they all went down the road together.

Pretty soon they met a rooster.

"Good morning, Rooster," said the little girl. "c.o.c.k-a-doodle-doo!"

answered the rooster.

"Come and take a walk with us, Rooster," said the little boy.

So they all went down the road together.

Pretty soon they met a duck.

"Good morning, Duck," said the little boy. "Quack, quack!" answered the duck.

"Come and take a walk with us, Duck," said the little girl.

So they all went down the road talking merrily with one another.

Pretty soon they saw a little pinky-white pig with a funny little curly tail.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "'GOOD MORNING, DUCK, COME AND TAKE A WALK WITH US.'"]

"Good morning, Pig," said the little girl. "Grunt, grunt!" answered the pig.

"Come and take a walk with us, Pig," said the little boy.

So they all went down the road together.