Our Young Folks at Home and Abroad Part 24

We were all sitting in the parlor one evening last summer when in flew a creature through the open window. b.u.mp--b.u.mp, he went against the wall and ceiling.

"A bat! a bat!" shrieked aunt Mary, and ran behind the door. Mamma jumped up into a chair and gathered her skirts about her, just as though it were a mouse. Grace and Mabel ran out of the Room, while papa and Frank and Kate chased the bat.

The poor little bat fluttered about, and almost fell into the kerosene lamp chimney. Then he got entangled in the window draperies. You know a bat cannot see by a light any more than an owl can. He finally tumbled behind the sofa where papa caught him.

Mamma then got down from the chair, aunt Mary came out from behind the door, Grace and Mabel ventured in, and we all gathered about and looked at the bat. How he panted!

"Think of being afraid of such a little creature as that," said Kate scornfully.

"But he bites," said Grace. "Doesn't he, papa?"

"I don't think he would bite," said papa. "He's a good deal more frightened than you were."

"What made him fly into the window then?" asked Grace.

"He is out after insects," replied papa. "He was dazzled by the light from the window, and flew towards it, as all half-blind creatures will."

Our little bats, the bats that live in cool countries, do not harm any one. But there is a big bat, called the Vampire bat, that will do a good deal of mischief, if he can get a chance.

The Vampire bat lives in the tropics. It is very comfortable, sleeping out of doors, in the tropics.

A traveller will oftentimes swing his hammock on a tree, and sleep in it all night. But he must be careful, and not sleep too soundly.

For a Vampire bat may find him; and if he does, he will bite the traveller's toe and suck his blood; and when the traveller wakes in the morning, he will feel weak and faint from loss of blood.

A bat does not perch, and tuck his head under his wing, and sleep like a bird. He has some hooks on his wings, and he just hangs himself up by those, and that's the way he sleeps!

THE NIGHT MONKEY.

Isn't this the very queerest creature you ever saw? He looks as though he had a candle in each eye; and just look at his feet! His eyes are round, like the eyes of owls. Like the owl, this monkey can see well only in the night.

These monkeys are called night monkeys. Most other monkeys have long forelegs, but this monkey's forelegs are short.

He is very small; his body is six inches long, his tail is over nine inches.

These little creatures sleep in the daytime, and go out in search of food, and to play in the night. They eat insects, lizards and crabs.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE NIGHT MONKEY.]

They are greedy creatures. They leap at one bound on their prey. They live in warm countries. They make very nice pets.

[Ill.u.s.tration: {BABY WAKING UP.}]

BABY'S NAP.

Now Baby's asleep, mamma can sew-- "Rock-a-by-baby--by-lo, by-lo!"

Baby's asleep and Tommy can tell Of the cat that was drown'd in the great big well.

"She had the weest, _teentiest_ toes, And the leastest speck of a blackish nose, With great, great eyes"--"Coo, coo! coo, coo!"

Baby's awake--and listening too!

HURRAH! HURRAH!

Hurrah for old winter, he's coming at last!

The snow flakes are falling so thick and so fast!

Hurrah! Hurrah!

My skates I have mended, and painted my sled; Now, boys, you will soon see this chap go ahead!

Hurrah! Hurrah!

I've jolly thick mittens, a brand-new fur cap; Now, what does it matter if I get a rap?

Hurrah! Hurrah!

I've got such a secret! We've built us a fort!

But you must tell no one, 'twould spoil all our sport.

Hurrah! Hurrah!

Jack, Clement, and Robbie, are garrison men, And we can defend it against any ten.

Hurrah! Hurrah!

We've made heaps of s...o...b..a.l.l.s, each one round and hard, They're hid away safe in the old schoolhouse yard.

Hurrah! Hurrah!

Pell-mell through the snow rush the merry boy crowd; While the bare woodlands echo the hearty and loud Hurrah! Hurrah!

[Ill.u.s.tration: SOMEWHERE IN LEAFY FORESTS THE WILD DEER ROAM AND SLEEP.]

MOSES GOES TO A CANDY PARTY.