Our Young Folks at Home and Abroad Part 10

Carl waked up long enough to drink some, and say, "Dood, dood." Then he grew sleepy again, and Mrs. Brown laid him on a shawl upon the gra.s.s, under the trees. The hens gathered around him, looked at each other and clucked, as much as to say, "What kind of a queer creature is this?" Young Mr. Bantie was about to peck him to find out, when they heard a little voice calling "Biddy, Biddy, Biddy!" from the barn. Off they went, half flying and half running.

Mrs. Brown had given Lina a tin pail, with corn in it to scatter to the hens. They came from all directions, and got around her so closely that she was afraid to stir. She had taken out one handful of the corn, but was afraid to throw it. Then the greedy hens began to peck her hand, and try to get it out of the pail. She began to cry so loud that every one ran out of the house to see what was the matter. It was funny enough to see her, standing in the middle of that greedy crowd of hens, with her eyes shut very tightly, and her mouth very wide open.

When Carl waked up, he wanted some more milk. Mrs. Brown said, "We'll go down and see Brindle milked, and you shall have it nice and warm."

Lina had seen pictures of cows, but never a live one. She had no idea they were so big. Mrs. Brown asked her if she would like to milk; but she thought she would rather stand at a little distance. As for Carl, he shut up his eyes, and tried to get out of sight of the creature.

However, he liked the warm milk very much.

Lina spent most of the next day in the garden. She helped pick the peas and beans, and stem the currants. She went with Mr. Brown to find the eggs, and held Billy's halter while he drank at the trough. Every day was full of pleasure, and Mr. and Mrs. Brown had just as good a time as the children. At the end of the week they couldn't bear to let them go; so it came about that the children's week, for Lina and Carl, lasted all summer.

J. A. M.

[Ill.u.s.tration: {A SPRIG OF BERRIES.}]

THE ROAD TO SCHOOL.

[FROM THE GERMAN.]

In winter, when it freezes, In winter, when it snows, The road to school seems long and drear, O'er which the school-boy goes.

[Ill.u.s.tration: {WALKING THROUGH FALLING SNOW.}]

But when the pleasant summer comes, With birds and fruit and flowers, The road to school, how short it is!

And short the sunny hours!

[Ill.u.s.tration: {WALKING UNDER SHADY TREES.}]

But to the boy who loves to learn, And wisdom strives to gain, The road to school is always short, In suns.h.i.+ne, snow, or rain.

L. A. B. C.

WHAT SAMMY'S MONKEY DID.

Sammy Brown had a monkey. He bought him of an organ-player. He named him Billy.

[Ill.u.s.tration: {SAMMY AND BILLY.}]

Sammy's mother did not know what a naughty monkey he was. If she had, she would not have given Sammy the money to buy him.

Sammy thought he was very cunning. All the boys at school thought so too. They all wanted one just like him. Sammy had him out every Sat.u.r.day afternoon. He was dressed in a gay little uniform. He would play on a drum. He was fond of mischief; and when no one was watching him he would do some very queer things. He would take the spools from Mrs. Brown's work-basket. He would carry them away and hide them.

He would take her thimble and wax, and hide them too.

Sometimes he would bring them back again. Sometimes Mrs. Brown would have to find them herself. This gave her a good deal of trouble.

At last Billy acted so badly, that Mrs. Brown told Sammy that she could not have him in the house any longer. One morning Mrs. Brown went away to spend the day.

She thought the monkey was fastened out of the house. But he got in through a window. When Mrs. Brown came home she did think of Billy.

She opened the door of her pantry. She saw a dreadful sight. She knew at once that Billy had been there. He had moved the dishes all about, from one shelf to another. He had poured milk and sugar over the floor. He had emptied bottles of medicine into clean dishes. He had broken up a whole loaf of cake and scattered it around. He had eaten out the middle of a pie, and turned it over in the plate. Mrs. Brown could not find her spoons and forks anywhere. But she found them afterwards in the cellar.

Now Mrs. Brown had to go right to work and clean her pantry. After she had put that in order, she made a fire in the stove. All this time Billy was not seen anywhere.

[Ill.u.s.tration: {BILLY POURING MILK ON THE FLOOR.}]

The fire had been burning a few minutes, when Mrs. Brown heard a terrible scratching in the oven, and out jumped Billy as spry as ever.

He ran out of doors. He was not seen again until the next morning.

Then Mrs. Brown told Sammy that the monkey had made so much work for her, that she could not have him any longer.

Sammy saw that his mother was very much in earnest.

So he sold Billy to a pedler who came along the next day.

The pedler gave him fifty cents for Billy.

Sammy was sorry to let him go, but he wanted to please his mother.

M. M. H.

[Ill.u.s.tration: {AN OWL.}]

[Ill.u.s.tration: {A COTTAGE, BIRDS AND b.u.t.tERFLIES.}]

BESSIE IN THE MOUNTAINS.

Bessie Lee was six years old when she went to the mountains of North Carolina with her father.

What Bessie liked best of all were the nice donkey rides every morning. The poor donkeys didn't get much rest, for the little folks kept them busy all day. Bessie was kind to them, but some of the children were not. Bessie liked a donkey named Kate best of all.

[Ill.u.s.tration: {KATE IS UNHAPPY AT BEING RIDDEN.}]

One day Bessie's father put her in the saddle, and Kate kicked up.

When Bessie was lifted off, and the saddle removed, a great bleeding sore was found on the poor donkey's back.

Bessie felt very sorry for poor Kate, and said, "Papa, I don't want to ride to-day, but please do not send Kate back to the stables."