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قراءة كتاب The Nursery, February 1881, Vol. XXIX A Monthly Magazine for Youngest Readers
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The Nursery, February 1881, Vol. XXIX A Monthly Magazine for Youngest Readers
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RANDMA sat at the window one fine afternoon, knitting. In a group, on the ground below, sat three little boys dressed in blue sailor suits, red stockings, and polo caps. "What nice-looking little boys!" thought grandma.
Presently up jumped one boy, and said, "Come on, fellows, let's play something."—"All right," said another boy, "One-old-cat." Then they all ran into the house.
"Dear me!" said grandma, "I thought they were good boys; but they seem to be going to tease pussy." In a few minutes the boys came back. One of them carried a large club, while another had something which grandma, who could not see very well, took to be a stone.
"Oh, what cruel boys!" thought the old lady. "It's bad enough to tie things to a cat's tail; but to beat her with a club and to throw stones at her is still worse."
"I'll be pitcher," shouted one of the boys. "There!" said grandma, "he says he'll pitch her. Who would believe that boys in red stockings and blue suits could be so cruel?"
"I'll be inner," cried another boy.
"Inner!" said grandma. "What does that mean? Some new expression. I have no doubt, which I never before heard; but an old lady of eighty years can't be expected to keep up with the times. It's something dreadful, of course."
But what was the old lady's surprise when the boys threw aside their blue jackets, and two of them began to throw the "stone" back and forth, one to the other; while the third boy stood between, striking at it as it flew through the air, and sometimes hitting it and sometimes not. There they staid all the afternoon doing the same thing.
"Why," said grandma, putting on her glasses, and looking more closely. "I declare! they're only playing ball, after all. Well, I'm glad they're not so cruel as I thought them. They are such pretty little boys, and have such pretty red stockings too!"
"But," said she, after a long pause, "there is still one thing that troubles me. Where is the 'old cat'?"
WHAT IS THE HORSE DOING?
AN any one of my young readers guess from the picture what the horse is doing to the dog? Do not read the rest of my story till you have tried to answer this question.
Some boys had placed in a field a snare by which they hoped to catch a rabbit. It was a sort of noose made of coarse, twisted grass. Fido, the dog, put one of his forefeet in the noose, and in trying to get away his leg was doubled up by it.
He limped off howling to his friend Hero, an old horse that was grazing near by. Fido lifted up his leg, and Hero at once saw what was the matter. But Hero had no knife with which to cut the noose. What could he do?
He did not stay long in doubt. He put down his head, and began to gnaw at the noose. Taking good care not to bite Fido, he nibbled at the wisp of twisted grass till it dropped off, and the good dog was free.
You should have seen Fido as he scampered round, jumped up, and barked at his old friend. "Barked at him?" Yes; but it was all in play, as much as to say, "You dear old Hero! How I thank you! I will do as much for you, should you ever get into trouble. Bow, wow, wow!"
And Hero galloped round, and threw up his heels, but took good care not to hit his friend Fido. Each seemed to be glad in the feeling that a kind act had been done.
This is a true story, and Mr. Harrison Weir has told it well in his drawing.
A QUEER KITTEN.
Our Marion found a prize,—
A dear little spotted kitten
With wonderful bright blue eyes;
With fur that was fluffy as cotton,
Yellow and white and gray,
With paws that were soft as velvet,
And brimful of fun and play.
She looked at her little mistress,
And loved her, it seemed, at sight;
For she climbed on Marion's shoulder,
Purring with all her might,—
Careful never to hurt her
With sharp little tooth or nail;
But one thing was very funny,—
The kitty had never a tail.
"O mamma!" Marion shouted,
"What in the world can ail
This dear little baby-kitty,
That she hasn't a bit of tail?
"How funny!" said Marion puzzled,
And wondering almost frowned,
"What will she have to play with,
And run after, round and round?
"Did somebody snip it with scissors
Or pinch it off in the door?
Did you ever see a kitten
Without a tail, before?"
Then mamma laughed at her darling,
And kissed her, and then began
To tell her about the kittens
That come from the Isle of Man.
HOW BLUE-EYES WATCHED
FOR THE NEW YEAR.
At nurse's call, "Come, time for bed!"
"Oh, no! oh, no indeed! not yet!
I'm 'stonished at you! you forget
That I and all my family
Must watch the Old Year out, you see,
And I must be the first to say
To all, 'A happy New Year's Day!'"
"Oh, bless your little heart, my dear!"
Said nurse, "the New Year won't be here
Till midnight hour: your curly head
Must long ere then be snug in bed."
But Blue-Eyes answered, "No, no, NO!
Please, nursie, do not make me go!
I mean to keep awake, and hear
The bells that ring in the New Year."
But, when the nurse came back to peep,
A minute later, sound asleep
Was little Blue-Eyes on the floor;
And still she slept while nursie bore
Her softly to the pretty bed
Which waited for the curly head.
And the New Year was bright with sun,
Ere little Blue-Eyes' sleep was done.
