No More Learning

Breakfast over, we started for the stables. It
was such fun to hear the horses whinning for
their share of the apples we carried to Bess, and
to see the little baby colts trot coyly away as
we attempted to rub their cunning faces. Our
next visit was made to the calves. I^othing could
be prettier than these timid little creatures. We
had hard work coaxing them to be friends, but
the salt held out to them was too great a tempta-
tion, and we won at last.
Aaron, the man, was milking. The milk rose
in a snowy foam as it poured into the shining
tin pail. We boys were great friends with
Aaron, and his round red face beamed like the
sun as we watched him with undisguised admira-
tion.
"Mew! Mew! " sounded from some far away
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? Vacation at Grandfather's. 153
corner. Dick went off to search for the cause,
and there in an empty stall lay Malty and her
four Malty babies. Aaron gave us a saucer of
milk for her, and she purred gently, as though
she were trying to express her thanks. The old
gobbler strutted around the barnyard, seeming
to suggest that he, too, was a subject for ad-
miration.
The boy, Dan, had gone to the corn field to
pull out the weeds that had gathered between the
rows. Dick and I started off to join him, but
what a laugh we had when we reached the top
of the hill. There stood the funniest looking
thing you ever saw. It was a scare-crow rigged.
up in an old suit of Dan's, with one of grand-
father's hats on its head, a wooden gun in its
hand, and a powder flask swung under its arm.
But the funniest sight of all was to see a crow
perched on the top of the hat, no more scared,
than Dick and I were.
Days went so fast that vacation was over be-
fore we realized it, and the time had come for
ns to go home. It was hard work to leave so
much fun, but we had to make the best of it,
and look forward to another summer and more
happy days at Grandfather's.
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? Ted's Birthday Gift.
It was Ted's birthday. Eight years ago,
grandma told him as she wished him many happy
returns of the day, and gave him a great, big
hug and a kiss -- he was just the tiniest mite of a
thing, but now she considers him quite a good
size boy for his age. Ted liked to be told he was
big, and he held up his head and threw back his
shoulders, just to make himself as tall as ever
he could.
154
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? Ted's Birtliday Girt. 155
Now papa had a birthday kiss for Ted, too,
but he had something besides that. Right along-
side of Ted's chair at the table was the loveliest
red wheel-barrow, all finished off in black and
gold. You should have seen. Ted's eyee when
they spied the treasure. They grew bigger and
bigger, until you might almost think they would
drop out of his head. He had wanted a wheel-
barrow for ever so long, and now that his wish
was to be fulfilled he- was too pleased to say one
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? 156 Ted's Birthday Gift.
word. Papa looked almost as pleased as Ted,
he did so like to make his boy happy.
Ted's birthday came in the spring. He thought
it was a beautiful time to have a birthday -- the
whole outside world seemed to put on its pret-
tiest dress in honor of the day, and as Ted sat at
the table trying to eat his breakfast, but too full
of delight over his wheel-barrow to care very
much, the breezes, heavy ladened with the per-
fume of the blossoms, stole softly in at the half
opened windows.
Little Bess was Ted's three year old sister, and
she was also his pet and plaything. Ted was an
idol to Bess, and to share in his play was her
greatest happiness. Bess thought the new wheel-
barrow the most beautiful thing she had ever
seen.
"Go put your bonnet on, and I'll take you for
a ride," said Ted.
"What fun they had, and how frightened Bess
grew when Ted trunneled her so swiftly around
the comers. Ted laughed at her fear, and went
all the faster.
But Ted's fearlessness led to sad trouble. Just
as they started at full speed down the hill, off
came the wheel, out went Bess, and the pretty
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? Ted's Birthday Gift. 157
red wheel-barrow fell all to pieces. ]^o bones
were broken, but two broken-hearted little chil-
dren picked up the pieces, and went into the
house to mother. Mother Hssed and petted them
both, and comforted Ted with the promise that
father would mend it and make it as good as
new.
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? The Little Indian Boy.
Did you ever think, when night comes and
you see mother undress the baby and tuck him
snugly in his snowy w^hite bed, that perhaps
there are some babies who have different cradles
from his, and very different treatment, too?
The little Indian baby who lives in the north-
western part of America has a very different
cradle. His is only a piece of wood, sometimes
birch bark, which is hollowed out. The baby is
laid on the board, and his mother laces him in,
passing the cord from side to side. A small piece
of wood, covered with bark, is used for his pil-
low. When the baby's mother goes for a walk,
she carries the cradle and baby on her back, the
little Indian's head just peeping over his
mother's shoulder. If she is busy, she hangs the
cradle and baby on a tree, and the mnd swings
the cradle gently to and fro, often sending the
little one to "Shut-eye-town. " Sometimes there
are tiny bells fastened to the cradle, and their
tinkle, tinkle, when the wind swings it, makes
very sweet music.
As soon as the little Indian boy is old enough,
his father takes him with him to learn hunting
158
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? The Little Indian Boy. 159
and fishing. He holds the lighted torch while
the old Indian spears the fish at night, and he
helps him also with the canoe or boat. He soon
learns to use the bow and arrow, and to bring
down the birds as they fly through the air. It is
the fate, at times, of some unlucky animal to
stop the arrow as it comes dashing towards the
ground, for of course every arrow does not pierce
the object toward which it is directed.
The Indian children do not wear dainty
clothes, like you little people. Sometimes they
have only a piece of cloth around them serving
for a skirt. The father and mother Indians
wrap themselves in blankets, and the brighter
the colors, the better they like them. Their hair
is long and straight and black, and they love to
dress it with tall, stiff feathers. Their shoes are
not made like ours, but are pieces of skin, often
beautifully trimmed with beads and worked with
fancy silks. These shoes are called moccasins.
Once there was a little Indian boy, who lived
not far from the railroad. It happened one day
that the train stopped for some reason or other,
and this little fellow, thinking he might coax
some goodies from the passengers, sat down and
cried as though his heart would break, sobbing
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? l6o The lyittle Indian Boy.
out from time to time how hungry he was. As
he sat there on the edge of the platform, the
people in the train felt very sorry for him, think-
ing he had in some way become lost, and possibly
might be starving; so, not knowing this was a
trick, pitied the poor little fellow, opened their
baskets, and generously shared their lunch with
him, giving him the very best they had. They
did not know that the father and mother were
hiding in the bushes, and that this was a scheme
of theirs to get their living. When the train
moved on, he gathered up his treasures, carried
them to his father and mother, and they had the
grandest kind of a feast. There was dainty
white bread, chicken, cakes and pies, good things
of all sorts. We should not blame the little fel-
low, for of course he thought it was all right, if
mother said so, just as our little boys and girls
think what their fathers and mothers say is just
right and the proper thing to do. Now this was
a very naughty trick for the little Indian boy to
play, but we must remember that he had no one
to teach him how wrong it is to deceive people,
for his father and mother had never been taught
either. It is we, who know how, who must try
to be good.
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? The First Pair of Trousers.
The rain was falling thick and fast in the dim
old forest. At first it had been nothing but a
gentle shower, but now the great drops came
dashing through the trees, twisting and turn-
ing the leaves, and even bending the swaying
branches. The clouds were so thick and black
that old Sol was hidden completely out of sight.
Little Cubby Bruin heard the sound of the
falling rain when he opened his eyes in the hol-
low of the great tree in which he lived. "Oh
deary, deary," muttered Cubby. "Now all my
fun is spoiled. This is the day of Cousin Wolfs
party, and mother will never let me go while the
rain pours do^vn in this style. "
He crawled to the opening in the tree, and
poked out his little head to see if there was any
show of its clearing off, but the clouds hung
heavy, and the rain poured do"s\Ti unceasingly.
Cubby crawled back again, and curled himself
up for another nap. He slept once more, and
dreamed of the games of catch and toss, and of
the frolics of every kind that he and Cousin
"Wolf would enjoy together. Pretty soon he
i6i
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? l62
The First Pair of Trousers.
awoke to find no wolf there, and he himself
tucked away in the old tree.
It was Mother Bruin that had aroused the
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? The First Pair of Trousers. 163
sleeping cub, and she was standing outside call-
ing him a lazy fellow, and telling him to get up.
^'Is it still raining, mother? " called Cubby.
'^Why, no," said she. "The rain has stopped, the
clouds are separating to let the sun peep out, and
a gentle breeze is blowing and drying the wet
grass. "
Cubby needed no calling now, but sprang out
of the tree with a bound.
"Xow, mother," said he, "I can go to "Wolfy's,
can't I? "
"Go to AVolfy's! " said mother. "You have
nothing to wear. " Cubby looked so sad that his
mother felt sorry, and so she gave him a good,
tight hug, and told him she would fix up some-
thing for him to wear.
She went riglit to work,
and Cubby jumped and capered around, listen-
ing to the snip, snap of her scissors as slie cut
and fitted her work. At last she had fashioned
the cutest pair of trousers you ever saw. It was
his first pair, and of course he was proud of them.
He strutted around with his hands in his pockets,
just as happy as he could be. This was more of
a treat than Cubby had dreamed of, for he had
not expected to be promoted to trousers so soon.
It would be hard to tell where mother found the
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? 1 64 The Tables Turned.
stuff to make them of, but they were certainly
very fine. They were made of tiny red and
white checked goods, and fastened over the
shoulders vath bright red suspenders, and the
fit was exquisite.
Father and Mother Bruin were just about as
proud and happy as he, and greatly pleased at
their son's happiness. They could do nothing
but stand and admire their boy as he stood be-
fore them in his new rig.
Cubby was so much taken up with his new
clothes that he forgot all about going to "VVolfy's,
and it was quite late in the afternoon before he
thought of it again. He did not care much, how-
ever, and told his mamma when she tucked him
in bed that night that he would rather have the
trousers than go to Wolfy's forty times.
The Tables Turned.
Old Jimmy Blake lived in a funny sort of a
shanty at the foot of a hill. He was too old to
work, and he lived upon the food the neighbors
gave him, and pretty good living it was, too, for
the neighbors pittied old Jimmy, and many of
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? The Tables Turned. 165
them remembered what good work he used to
do before the stiffness got into his old joints.
Some folks said that Jimmy lived alone, but
this was a mistake, for he shared his shanty, and
also his food, with a big, long-homed goat called
Billy. Billy loved old Jimmy dearly, and would
follow him around like a dog, but to every one
but Jimmy, Billy was the Grossest goat that ever
lived. If Jimmy was out of sight, strangers
dared not venture too near the shanty.
On the top of the hill, at the bottom of which
Jimmy's shanty was built, stood the school house.
A score or more of round-faced, red-cheeked
urchins came there every day to be taught their
a-b-c's and as much other learning as their little
brains could hold, for they were so crowded mth
mischief, it was hard work to wedge in any
knowledge.
'Now the boys all knew old Jimmy, and they
all knew Billy, too, and Billy knew them. He
had no liking for these school children. He re-
membered sticks and stones that had been aimed
at him from behind trees and other hiding places.
One day the boys planned to have some fun
with Billy. One of them had seen Jimmy's
%hanty tightly shut, and the goat tied to a tree*
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? i66 The Queen Bee's Ball:
Down tlie hill they started, well ladened with
stones and other missiles of one sort or another,
and for some time they pelted Billy to their
hearts' content. But all at once the tables were
turned; Billy gave one mighty leap, broke the
rope, and made a dash for his tormentors. Awsy
they flew, Billy after them as fast as he could
go. It was hard work getting up the hill, b-ut
they reached the school house at last, and entered
it, a lot of breathless, scared youngsters. In fact,
they had never before been quite so frightened,
and they all decided that, in the future, they
would let Billy alone, for they might never
again have such a lucky escape.
The Oueen Bee's Ball.
There was great excitement in the meadov/.
As soon as dawn peeped out and said good morn-
ing to the world, and old Sol smilingly lifted his
head from behind the trees in the pine woods,
the fuss and confusion began. The Queen of
the Bees was responsible for it all. She had de-
cided to give a ball, and had bidden her mea-
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? The Queen Bee's Ball.
167
sengers fly far and near to tell all the insects in
the meadow to come and join in the jolly dance
that night. One flew here, and another flew
there, their
noisy buzz, buzz,
as they flew
from place to
place making a
constant din.
A merry band
of fiddlers lived
in the swamp,
and the Queen's
favorite messen-
ger had been dispatched there in great haste, for
you see, they were needed to provide the music
for the dancing.
The katy-dids in their pretty green gowns
were invited to sing a duet, half singing ^*Katy-
did,'' and half responding Avith ^Tvaty-didn't. '^
The Queen Bee liked the crickets, and so did all
the bees; they were such cheerful little fellows,
and so, of course, they were invited, and thej
one and all accepted the invitation, for crickets
never miss a chance for having fun,, especially
when katy-dids are around.
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? i68
The Queen Bee's Ball.
'd'i^jjrff** Jfjfij^Ji
The spider, who was weaving a web in the
spruce tree, sent his
compliments to her royal
highness, the Queen,
and bade the messenger
tell her it would be his
pleasure to come, but it
was impossible for him
to leave his beautiful
web, that was so nearly
finished. This message
did not please Madame
Queen very well, for
she was always happiest when having her own
way.
The locusts had just shed their shells, and
were attired in their new spring suits, so they
accepted the invitation gladly, for the vain little
fellows thought it would be great fun to show
their fine clothes, even if they were not so giddy
as the yellow jackets, whose striped coat was the
envy of all the insects.
Tiny Mrs. Lady-bug promised to come, if she
could find any one to stay with her babies, for
only the night before she had left them alone,
and she had been so nervous she had had no
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? The Queen Bee's Ball.
169
p/easure, for
she kt^pt
h spring all
thic time,
''I^dy-bug,
lady -bird, fly
away home ;
your house
is ou fire,
your children
will bum. '' So she had made up her mind that
she would not leave them alone again.
Grand-daddy-long-legs thought he had grown
too old for halls, but the messengers coaxed so
hard that he promised to take a good long nap,
and to honor the occasion with his presence.
The sun ^-as shining in all his glory, and the
hour of noon had arrived before all the guests
had been notified. The messengers were weary
from their busy morning, and hid themselves in
the hearts of the flowers or among the tall, grace-
ful grasses to full asleep, and so refresh them-
selves that they, loo, might be ready for the fun
and frolic the evening was to bring.
"We could not begin to tell all the pleasant
things that happeLieil>> but one was the meeting
of Yellow-jacket and Hm ? rauzy Wings. They
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? I70
The Queen Bee's Ball.
had not been friends for a long time, but they
met this day on their way to the ball, and found
each other's company so pleasant that ere long
Yellow- jacket was on his knees, suing for Miss
Gauzy Wing's hand in marriage, and he must
have been accepted, for he was very attentive to
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? Widow Murphy's Pig. 171
her all tliroiigli the evening, and when the ball
was over, and all the insects said good-night and
hastened away to their
homes, they departed
hand in hand, and be-
fore very long there
was a gathering of the
insects to celebrate the
wedding of this happy pair. So the Queen Bee's
Ball was the means of bringing about the event.
Widow Murphy s Pig.
Everybody knew her -- she sold apples at the
crossing, and her cheeks were as red and her
smile as sweet as the tempting fruit that made
the children's eyes sparkle w^ith delight. Rain
or shine, she sat there, her stiff green bonnet
crowning her head in summer, and her big black
bonnet almost hiding her cherry face in winter.
The great gingham umbrella that shielded her
from rain and sun was often also the sheltering
place of many an unlucky school boy caught in
a shower.
She lived on a tiny place, just outside the
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? 172 Widow Murphy's Pig.
towiij and wlien Jack, the lame newsboy, or Ted,
the black boot-black, or when any of her regular
customers stopped for a chat, she loved to tell
them of her "foine pratie patch that did so well,
thanks to her airly risin," and of the hens that
troubled her so by scratching in this much-prized
garden, in spite of all the corn she scattered for
their comfort.
But by and by she revelled in a new treasure
-- a cunning black pig. One day, when Widow
Murphy went to the farm house for her daily
can of milk -- the farmer's wife gave it to her,
and what a prize i^; was to the poor old soul.
^Tvvas sick and tiny imd forlorn looking enough
when she got it, but she nursed it most carefully,
and its queer little g'/unt was like music to her
ears. Piggy learned ^o know her, and followed
her around like a dog; and he really grew fatter
every day in his comi^rtable new home.
One morning, it was time to go to town v/ith
apples -- and time for l^'iggy to be shut in his
pen; he was far too previous to be left roaming
around -- but where was fie? The widow searched
everywhere, and called Mid called, until at last
she gave up in despair, tind tired out, sat down
upon the well curb to rest and think.
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? Widow Murphy's Pig; I73
Then she heard a noise that made her jump
up in such a hurry that the ruffles on her snowy
cap almost danced. It was piggy's grunt, and it
certainly came from the well. AVay over leaned
the old lady -- and scarcely could she believe her
own eyes, for there in the bucket, safe and sound,
sat that naughty black pig. He had been peer-
ing over the well, perhaps, admiring his funny
snout in the clear waters below, lost his balance,
and tumbled in, fortunately into the bucket that
hung down low.
How glad the widow was to find him, and how
the boys laughed when she told them the tale.
We hor>e that piggy learned a lesson, and be-
came ever after a less vain and less curious piggy.
But one day a man came from a distant city
to buy a fine little pig for a Thanksgiving feast.
Widow Murphy did not want to sell, but the
price offered was too tempting, so she finally
agreed to sell him. H she could have looked
into that house on Thanksgiving Day, she would
have seen piggy perched on a big platter in tha
center of the table.
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? A Chance Acquaintance.
Miss Rhody Run had grown tired of her home
in the stable loft. It used to be very nice when the
boys used to play there, becanse they were sure
to drop crumbs of the cakes and crackers they
were forever eating. But now the boys had gone
away to school, and Rhody felt very lonely. Of
course she had plenty to eat, for it was not much
trouble to find her way to the feed box, and
John, the coachman, was not always careful to
drop the lid; but Rhody thought there was some-
thing in this world to think about besides eating.
She missed the merry laugh and the happy voices
of the children, and she grew more lonely every
day. She finally made up her mind that she
would leave her home in the stable, and travel
around the country until she found a place where
she could be happy. Early one morning she
started off, her red flannel cape pinned around
her shoulders, and an old salt bag, in which she
carried all her treasures, slung over her shoulder.
The village was just waking as she trotted
through the streets. The shop-keepers were just
taking down their shutters and opening their
doors, and as this was all new to Rhody, she
174
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? A Chance Acquaintance. 175
thonght she would step inside, and see what was
going on. She wanted to do this very badly,
but she could not get courage.
As the day grew older, and the noise and con-
fusion increased, she was so frightened that she
hid herself under a molasses barrel that was
propped up on the sidewalk. Aft-er things be-
gan, to grow quiet again, she dared to venture
out and continue her journey. She was getting
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? 176 A Chance Acquaintance.
pretty hungry by this time, so she timidly crept
into a bakery, and succeeded in getting a good
meal, for the baker was not the tidiest man in
the world, and there were plenty of crumbs on
the floor.
The next day found Rhody wandering along
the river bank, where the pond lilies grew and
the tall brown cat-tails nodded in the wind. All
at once Rhody was startled by the sound of a
strange voice, and turning, saw a spry young
frog at her side. "I see," said he, "that you are
admiring our river and its pretty, flowery banks.