No More Learning

145
scratches a hole in the ground, thus making her
nest. She lays ten or twelve eggs in the same
place. In the daytime she allows the heat of the
sun to hatch them^ but at night she sits on them
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? 146 Tale of the Ostrich Hunter.
and keeps them warm. These eggs are said to
weigh three pounds apiece and to be good to eat.
The father ostrich sometimes grows weary of
the long term of hatching, and breaks the eggs
before the tiny bird is ready to come out.
The feathers of the ostrich are worth a great
deal of money. Sometimes the birds are hunted
by natives on horseback, and the horses are
trained for this long, tedious ride for a great
while -- the bird is not easily caught by its pur-
suer.
There are farms, called ostrich farms, where
the birds are raised in great numbers. The eggs
are set, and the baby ostriches hatched, watched
and cared for until they are old enough to jield
the beautiful plumage.
If the ostrich is taken away from its home and
put in a cage, it will in time become quite tame
and gentle toward those to whom it is used, but
it does not like a stranger, and if it gets a chance
will knock him down and trample on him.
Somebody told a funny story about an old fel-
low, who thought he would take his gun and go
hunting for ostriches, as he wanted to get a lot
of nice feathers and some of the birds to send
away to a museum. So he started out on the
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? Tale of the Ostrich Hunter.
147
desert to hunt his prej. Pretty soon he came
upon an ostrich that was resting in the sun, and
raising his gun to his shoulder, he fired. He
wounded the bird so that it could not walk very
fast, and thinking that he would be able to cap-
ture it, if he could wound it in such a manner as
to stop its walking, he crept carefully toward it,
and stooping down, attempted to cut off its leg
with his sharp, strong sword. He felt quite sure
of his prize now, but had not counted on what
was going to happen. The ostrich is a very wise
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? 148 Vacation at Grandfather's.
bird, and this fellow knew that he had the hunter
just where he wanted him -- completely in his
power. What do you think that ostrich did?
He dropped right down on top of the poor
hunter, completely hiding him from view. That
poor hunter wished he had not been so foolish
as to get so near the huge bird, at least we sup-
pose he wished so ; but we shall never know just
how he did feel, for vv^hen the ostrich at last
arose, there lay the poor hunter just as flat as
a pancake, looking very much as if he had been
under a heavy rolling machine. The ostrich
hurried away as fast as he could go, leaving the
poor hunter to his fate. "We see what a powerful
bird this is and how careful the poor hunter has
to be.
Vacation at Grandfather's.
Vacation had come, and Dick and I were two
of the happiest boys you could find after a good
long search. Vacation did not simply mean to
us that examinations were over, that, now books
and slates could be put away, and study hour
given over to play, l^o, indeed! Vacation
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? Vacation at Grandfather's. 149
meant lots more to us, it meant Grandfather^s.
If and boy lias a grandfather who lives on a big
farm, with lots of horses and cews, and whose
place is just filled with trees that grow in exactly
the right style for climbing, and if he has a
grandmother who knows how to make the best
pies and puddings and ginger cake men that no
baker could possibly make half as good, then he
has some idea of what vacation meant to Dick
and me.
Grandfather's place was many miles from our
home. "We had to start quite early in the morn-
ing, and ride on the train all day -- then, just
about the time the sun commenced to creep down
back of the hill, the train stopped at Clearfield,
-- that's the name of the station -- and out we
popped, eyes wide open for the two big grays
that grandfather always drove. They never
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? I50
Vacation at Grandfather's.
failed us, and after getting a good big hug from
grandfather, we always rubbed their soft noses,
and patted their sleek, fat necks.
Grandmother knew the appetites of her two
healthy grand-
sons, and made
ample prepara-
tions. Such piles
of bread and
butter as she cut
for us, and how
good it tasted,
spread mth
grandmother's
lovely butter
and the golden
honey that the
busy bees made.
"Early to bed, and early to rise," was grand-
father's motto; so Ave boys must wait until
breakfast time to tell all the home news,
and to ask after Towser, the watch-dog, and
Bess, the old donkey, and to hear about the
cunning gray kittens in the bam, and the little
fluffy ducklings only two days old, and the baby
lambs.
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? Vacation at Grandfather's. 151
The sun was not up long, when grandfather
called, "Dick ! Rob ! It's time you were a stirrin'.
Don't let the outside world enjoy all the morn-
ing's loveliness; get up, and enjoy yourselves. "
How we did love the well-cured ham that
grandmother had for breakfast, and the new-laid
eggs that were fried just right. Everything
tasted wonderfully good to us boys, for hunger
is a good sauce, you know.
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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?