THE
NURSERY
A Monthly Magazine
For Youngest Readers.
BOSTON:
JOHN L. SHOREY, No. 36, BROMFIELD STREET.
1873.
JOHN L. SHOREY,
In the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington.
Boston:
Stereotyped and Printed by Rand, Avery, & Co.
| IN PROSE. | |
| PAGE. | |
| The Queer Things that happened to Nelly | 65 |
| The Six Ducks | 69 |
| The Bunch of Grapes | 71 |
| A True Story about a Dog | 73 |
| Pitcher-Plants and Monkey-Pots | 76 |
| Under the Cherry-Tree | 77 |
| Rambles in the Woods | 80 |
| What I Saw at the Seashore | 82 |
| Blossom and I | 85 |
| How Norman became an Artist | 87 |
| A Boot-Race under Difficulties | 89 |
| Pictures for Walter | 90 |
| The Fisherman’s Children | 92 |
| IN VERSE. | |
| PAGE. | |
| Rose’s Song | 68 |
| A Little Tease | 75 |
| Sleeping in the Sunshine | 78 |
| Young Lazy-Bones (with music) | 96 |
THE QUEER THINGS THAT HAPPENED TO NELLY.
THE QUEER THINGS THAT HAPPENED TO NELLY.
nearly all the summer forenoon; and she
was quite tired out. “Oh, if I could only be
dressed up in fine clothes, and not have to
work!” thought she.
No sooner had the thought passed through her mind, than,
as she looked down on the closely-mown grass by the edge
of the pond, she saw the queerest sight that child ever
beheld.
A carriage, the body of which was made of the half of a
large walnut-shell, brightly gilt, was moving along, dragged
by six beetles with backs glistening with all the colors of
the rainbow.
Seated in the carriage, and carrying a wand, was a young
lady not larger than a child’s little finger, but so beautiful
that no humming-bird could equal her in beauty. She had
the bluest of blue eyes, and yellow crinkled hair that shone
like gold.
She stopped her team of beetles, and, standing upright,
said to Nelly, “Listen to me. My name is Pitpat; and I am
a fairy. I see how tired you are with work. Your father,
though a good man, is a blacksmith; and there is often a
smirch on his face when he stoops to kiss you. Your mother
wears calico dresses, and doesn’t fix her hair with false
braids and waterfalls. Would you not like to be the daughter
of a king and queen, and live in a palace?”
“Oh, yes, you beautiful Pitpat! I would like that ever so
much!” exclaimed Nelly. “Then I should be a princess,
and have nothing to do but amuse myself all day.”[67]
“Take the end of my wand, and touch your eyes with it,”
said the little fairy.
Nelly obeyed; and in a moment, before she could wink,
she found herself in a beautiful room, with mirrors reaching
from the ceiling to the floor. By these she saw that she
was no longer clad in an old dingy dress, nor were her feet
bare; but she had on a beautiful skirt of light-blue velvet,
and a bodice of the most costly lace, trimmed with ribbons;
while diamonds were in her hair, and a pair of gold slippers
on her feet.
Servants were in attendance on her, one of whom said,
“May it please your Highness, his Majesty, your royal
father, is coming.” Nelly’s heart fluttered. The door opened,
and, preceded by two or three lackeys, a pompous old gentleman
entered, clad in rich robes, a golden crown on his
head, and no smirch on his face.
But, dear me, instead of catching her up in his arms, and
calling her his own precious little Nelly, his Majesty simply
gave her his hand to kiss, and passed on.
The queen followed in his steps. Her hair was done up
in a tower of top-knots and waterfalls; and there was drapery
enough on the back of her dress to astonish an upholsterer.
Instead of calling Nelly “her darling,” as Nelly’s first
mother used to do, the queen merely said, as she swept by,
“Where are your manners, child?” for you must know
that poor Nelly had forgotten to courtesy.
Nelly put her face in her hands, and began to cry. “Oh,
you cruel Pitpat!” said she, “why did you tempt me? Oh!
give me back my own dear mother in her calico dress, my
own dear father with the smirch on his face, my doll Angelica,
my black-and-white kitten Dainty, and my own dear,
dear home beside the lovely pond where the air is so sweet
and the bushes are so green.”[68]
“Take the end of my wand again, and touch your eyes
with it,” said the voice of Pitpat. And there on the carpet,
in her little gilded carriage, stood the fairy once more with
her wand held out. Nelly seized it eagerly, and touched
her eyes.
“Why, Dainty, what are you about?” said Nelly, as she
felt the kitten’s head against her arm; and then, opening
her eyes, she started to find herself in the old wood-shed,
seated with her back against the door, Angelica in her lap,
and the soft breeze from the pond fanning her cheek and
bosom. She looked at her feet. Ah! the golden slippers
had disappeared. “Dear me! I must have been dreaming,”
said Nelly.
ROSE’S SONG.
Hush-a-by now,
Mamma’s gone to buy something good;
And she will not forget
Her own darling pet,
But will buy her a bonny blue hood:
Yes, she’ll buy her a bonny blue hood.
Oh! she will not forget
Her own baby pet,
But will buy her a bonny blue hood.
Then it’s crow away, baby,
Crow away, sweet,
Papa he is coming to-night;
And he’ll bring home a kiss,
Like this and like this,
For his sweet little Minnie so bright,
For his dear little Minnie so bright.
Oh! he’s many a kiss,
Like this and like this,
For his sweet little Minnie to-night.
THE SIX DUCKS.
In the pond near Emily’s house six tame ducks used to
have a fine time swimming about, except in winter, when
the pond was frozen. Emily had a name for each one of
them. They used to run to her when she called; for they
knew she loved them all, and would treat them well.
Among these six happy ducks there was a white one
that was at one time of his life a wild duck. Emily named
him Albus; for albus is Latin for white. I will tell you how
Albus happened to become tamed.[70]
He was once on his way to the South with a large flock
of his wild companions, when, as they were alighting near
a creek, Albus was shot in the wing by Dick Barker, a
sportsman who was out gunning. Dick ran with his dog
Spot to pick up the poor wounded bird; but Albus was not
so much hurt that he could not fly a little.
He flew and flew till he came to Emily’s little garden;
and then he fell at her feet, faint, but not dead, as if pleading
for protection. Emily took him up in her arms, though
she soiled her apron with blood in so doing. Dick and Spot
came up; and Dick said roughly, “Give me up that duck.”
“The duck has flown to my feet for protection; and I
would be shot myself before I would betray him and give
him up,” said Emily. “I shall keep him, and heal his
wounds.”
Mr. Dick Barker scolded wildly; but it was of no use.
He had to go off duckless. As for Albus, he soon grew well
under Emily’s tender care; but his wing was not as strong
as it used to be: so he concluded he would become a tame
bird, and not try to fly off again with his wild companions.
He had a happy home, a kind mistress, and pleasant duck
acquaintances. So, like a good sensible waddler, he was
content.
THE BUNCH OF GRAPES.
“I am thinking what I shall do with this beautiful bunch
of grapes,” said Reka Lane as she sat on the bench near
the arbor. Her real name was Rebecca; but they called
her, for shortness, Reka.
“I know what I should do with it,” said little Matilda,
who had been wading in the brook, and was without shoes
and stockings. “I should divide it among the present company.”
“Good for Matty!” exclaimed brother Henry. “The
best use you can put grapes to is to eat them before they
spoil. Come, Reka, divide, divide.”
“I am not sure that I shall do that,” said Reka.[72]
“Look at that queer dog!” said Matty. “He has crept
under the shawl on the ground, and looks like a head with
no body to it.”
“That shawl was left there the other day by old Mrs.
Merton,” said Reka. “The dog is her son’s terrier; and his
name is Beauty.”
“He is any thing but a beauty,” said Matty. “I think
him the ugliest dog I ever saw.”
“I suppose they call him Beauty to make up for the bad
word he gets from every one as being ugly,” said Reka.
“He is a good dog, nevertheless; and he knows that shawl
belongs to his mistress.—Don’t you, Beauty?”
Here Beauty tore out from under the shawl, and began
barking in a very intelligent manner.
“Now I will tell you what we will do,” said Reka. “Put
on your shoes and stockings, Matty, and we will all go and
call on Mrs. Merton, who is ill; and we’ll take back her
shawl, and give her this beautiful bunch of grapes.”
“Bow, wow, wow!” cried Beauty, jumping up, and trying
to lick Reka’s face.
When the children left Mrs. Merton’s, after they had presented
the grapes, Henry Lane made this remark, “I’ll
tell you what it is, girls, to see that old lady so pleased
by our attention gave me more pleasure than a big feast on
grapes, ice-creams, and sponge-cake, with lemonade thrown
in.”
A TRUE STORY ABOUT A DOG.
I am a middle-aged gentleman who is blessed with only
one child, a little girl now nearly six years old. Her name
is Fanny; and her cousin Gracie, who is about the same
age, lives with us.
Both of these little girls are very fond of having me tell
them stories; and I have often told them about a dog I once
had. They liked this story so much, that they made me
promise I would send it to “The Nursery,” so that a great
many little girls and boys might hear it also. This is the
story:—
When I was a little boy, not more than eight years old, my mother consented
to my having a dog which a friend offered to give me. He was a
little pup then, not more than five weeks old. I fed him on milk for
a while, and he grew very fast. I named him Cæsar.
When he got to be six months old, he became very mischievous. Things
were constantly being missed from the house. Handkerchiefs, slippers,
shoes, towels, aprons, and napkins disappeared; and no one could tell what[74]
became of them. One day Cæsar was seen going into the garden with a
slipper in his mouth; and I followed him to a far-off corner where stood
a large currant-bush.
I looked under the bush, and saw Cæsar digging a hole, into which he
put the slipper, and then covered it up with earth. Upon digging under
this bush, I found all the things that had been missed.
A neighbor’s dog, called “Dr. Wiseman,” was Cæsar’s particular
friend. One day we heard a loud scratching at the front-door; and, when
we opened it, in walked Cæsar and Dr. Wiseman. Cæsar took the
Doctor by the ear, and led him up to each of the family, just as if he were
introducing him, and then led him into the garden, and treated him to a
bone.
Although Cæsar did many naughty things, we all loved him; for he
was quite affectionate as well as intelligent: but our neighbors complained
of him because he chased their chickens, bit their pigs, and scared their
horses. A farmer who came to our house one day with a load of potatoes
took a great fancy to him. He wanted him for a watch-dog on his farm,
which was only four miles from our house.
As he promised to treat him kindly, my mother thought it was best to
let him have the dog; and I finally consented, although I believe I cried
a good deal about it.
So Cæsar was put into the farmer’s wagon, much against his will; and
off he went into the country. About three months afterwards, when there
was a foot of snow on the ground, there came a great scratching at the front-door
of our house, early in the morning, before I was up; and, when the
servant opened the door, in bounded Cæsar with a rope around his neck,
and a large chunk of wood fastened to the other end of it.
He ran by the servant, and up the stairs, with the piece of wood going
bump, bump, all the way, dashed into my room, jumped right up on my
bed, and began licking my face.
I was very glad to see my dog again. He staid with us several days;
and, when the farmer came for him, he lay down on the floor, closed his
eyes, and pretended to be dead; but the farmer took him back to the farm
in his wagon.
About a year and a half after that, when I came home for a vacation, we
all went up to the farm, hoping to see Cæsar; but we never saw him again.
The farmer had shot him, because he killed the chickens, and chased the
sheep, and would not mind any thing that was said to him. Thus you
see, children, that Cæsar came to a bad end, although he had every
advantage of good society in his early youth.
C. R. W.
A LITTLE TEASE.
Who is such a wilful tease,
That, when he’s not in mischief,
He is never at his ease:
He dearly loves to frolic,
And to play untimely jokes
Upon his little sister,
And upon the older folks.
He rings the bell for Sarah,
And then slyly runs away;
And tries to make a fool of her
A dozen times a day:
He hides away in corners,
To spring suddenly in sight;
And laughs, oh! very heartily,
To see her jump with fright.
When kitty’s lying quiet,
And curled up warm and snug,
This little fellow always feels
Like giving her a hug;
And kitty from his fond embrace
Would surely never flinch,
Did she not know the little tease
Would give her many a pinch.
But this provoking fellow
Has a very curious way
Of feeling rather hurt at tricks
That other people play,—
Just like some older jokers,
Who laugh at fun they make,
But never can enjoy the fun
Of jokes they have to take.
PITCHER-PLANTS AND MONKEY-POTS.
Pitcher-plants are so called, because, at
the end of the leaves, the midrib which runs
through them is formed into a cup shape; and
in some it looks very like a pitcher or water-jug
You will understand this better if you
look at the drawing.
There are various kinds of pitcher-plants. Some are
shorter and broader than others; but they are all green like
true leaves, and hold water as securely as a jug or glass.
They grow in Borneo and Sumatra, hot islands in the East.
The one shown in the drawing grows in Ceylon.
Some grow in America; but they are altogether different
from those in Borneo and Ceylon. One beautiful little
pitcher-plant grows in Australia: but this is also very different
from all the rest; for the pitchers, instead of being at
the end of the leaves, are clustered round the bottom of the
plant, close to the ground.
All these pitcher-plants, though very beautiful to look at,
are very cruel enemies to insects: for the pitchers nearly
always have water in them; and flies and small insects are
constantly falling into them, and getting drowned.
Monkey-pots are hard, woody fruits; some as large and
round as a cannon-ball, and some shaped like a bowl. They
grow on large trees in Brazil and other parts of South
America; and the natives take out the seeds, and use the
fruits for holding water, or to wash themselves in.
They are called monkey-pots because monkeys are very
fond of the seeds. Some of the seeds are so good, that they
are collected, and sent to London and other places, where
they are sold in the markets. The Brazil-nut is one of
them.
UNDER THE CHERRY-TREE.
“Now is the time to pick the cherries!” shouted Charles
as he came running in from the garden one July afternoon.
“Are they quite ripe?” said his mother.
“Ripe? I should think so. Just look at them!” answered
Charles, pointing to the trees.
“O mamma!” said Mary, “the birds are getting them
all. We must have them picked at once.”
“Never fear, little girl,” said her mother. “There will
be enough for the birds and ourselves and our neighbors
too. But it really is time to begin to pick them. So,[78]
Charles, get a basket, and we will all go out under the
cherry-tree.”
So out they all went,—Charles and Mary and Ellen
and Julia and Ruth; and mamma followed with the baby.
“I told the gardener to bring a ladder,” said mamma.
“He will be here in a moment, Charles. You can’t pick
cherries without a ladder, you know.”
“Of course,” said that saucy boy. “Nobody can pick
cherries without a ladder.” And with that he gave a spring,
and in about half a minute had climbed up into the tree.
“Now, girls, hold your aprons,” said he. And down came
a shower of the delicious fruit.
Then what a glorious scramble those little girls had!
How they laughed and jumped and knocked heads together
in picking up the cherries! They ate as many as they
wanted; and still Charles kept throwing down more.
“Have you had enough?” said he. “So have I. Now
it’s time to think about filling the basket. Ah! here comes
the ladder at last, with a man under it.”
SLEEPING IN THE SUNSHINE. Sleeping in the sunshine, Sleeping in the sunshine, |
RAMBLES IN THE WOODS.
Rachel has been used to a life in the city, but she is
now on a visit to her uncle’s in the country; and she has
fine times rambling through the woods and fields.
Her cousin Paul takes her to pick berries, and tells her
the names of the things she sees. “Smell of these leaves,”
Paul will say, breaking a twig from a shrub, somewhat like
a huckleberry-bush, and crushing the leaves in his hand.
“This is the bayberry-shrub. How fragrant the leaves are!
It bears a berry with a gray wax-like coating; and in Nova
Scotia this wax is much used instead of tallow, or mixed
with tallow, to make candles.”
“But what is this little red berry on the ground?” asked
Rachel once when they were on one of their rambles. “It
has a dark glossy leaf; and I like the taste and the smell
of it very much.”
“That is the checkerberry,” said Paul. “Some people
call it the boxberry; and some call it wintergreen. It has a
flavor like that of the black birch. It is used to scent soap,
and sometimes to flavor candy. It is an evergreen plant.”
RAMBLES IN THE WOODS.
“What do you mean by an evergreen?” asked Rachel.
“I mean, it is green the whole year round: it does not
dry up and fall off, like the leaves of the strawberry-plant,”
said Paul.
“What other sweet-smelling plants are there about
here?” asked Rachel.
“Did you ever taste the bark of the sassafras-tree?”
asked Paul. “If not, here is one; and I will break off a twig
for you to chew. The color of the inner bark, near the root,
is red, like cinnamon. A beer is made from it; and it is also
used in soaps.”[81]
“I like the odor of it very much,” said Rachel.
“Here is a black-birch tree,” cried Paul. “Some people
call it the sweet-birch. I will cut off a piece of the bark
for you to taste.”
“Why, it tastes like checkerberry-leaves,” said Rachel.
“Yes,” replied Paul. “It is a beautiful tree, and is good
for fuel. But here is a white-birch. See how white the bark
is! It grows on poor land, and is a very pretty tree when
well taken care of.”
Here there was the sound of a horn; and Rachel asked,
“What is the meaning of that sound?”
“It means that we must run home to dinner,” said Paul.
“So give me your hand, Cousin Rachel. You need not be
afraid of snakes. There are none here that can do any
harm. Come, we will make a short cut through the grove
to the house.”
WHAT I SAW AT THE SEASHORE.
Last summer I went to spend a few weeks at a quiet
little island on the New-England coast. Every morning I
used to go to the beach, and sit on the sands, and watch the
blue sea with its sparkling waves, and listen to the surf
breaking in white foam all along the shore.
On pleasant days the beach was lively with bathers, shouting
and laughing as they plunged into the cool waves; and[83]
little boys and girls playing in the clean sand, digging with
their shovels, and loading and unloading their wagons, or
picking up shells and sea-mosses to carry home.
On the brightest days of all, I noticed a pale-faced lady
who came to sit a while in the sunshine, propped up with
shawls and pillows. She always brought with her a little
sky-terrier, of which she seemed as fond as if it had been a
real baby.
After a while, I got acquainted with the invalid lady, and
found that her name was Miss Dean, and that her dog
was named Skye. He was a shaggy-looking little creature;
but he had very bright eyes, and he knew almost as much
as the children who played with him. He was very fond of
his mistress, and very thoughtful of her comfort.
Let me tell you one thing about him that made me think
so. Skye slept in the room with his mistress, on a soft
cushion, with a little blanket spread over him; and in the
morning, when he woke, if she was still asleep, he never
disturbed her. He just sat up on his cushion as still as he
could be, and watched her till she woke. As soon as she
opened her eyes, he gave a little bark, for “good-morning,”
and sprang up on her bed, to be loved and petted.
Well, Skye was a good little dog; and we all learned to
love him; and none of us would have hurt him for the world.
But one day, as we were walking up from the beach, ladies
and gentlemen and children and all, Skye ran down a lane,
out of sight; and a thoughtless, wicked boy, who had a stone
in his hand, and wanted to hit something with it, threw it
with all his might at poor Skye, and broke one of his legs.
Skye cried out with the pain; and we all hurried back to
see what was the matter. There we found him, whining
and howling, and trying to limp along on three legs; and we
just caught sight of the bad boy, running away far down[84]
the lane. Miss Dean picked up her poor little darling, and
carried him home.
Now, it happened that
there was a very skilful surgeon
staying at the hotel,
who had come down to the
island for a short vacation.
Miss Dean sent for him,
and begged him to set poor
Skye’s broken leg. He was
a kind-hearted man, and
I could not refuse to use his
skill to relieve the dumb
little sufferer.
So Miss Dean took Skye
on her lap, and stroked him
gently, and talked lovingly
to him, calling him “Poor
doggy!” and “Dear Skye,” while the doctor made the
splints, and pressed the broken bones back into their place.
Then the doctor sent for some plaster of Paris, and made a
soft mortar of it, and put it all around the mended leg, and
let it harden into a little case, so that the bones would have
to stay just as he put them till they grew together again.
All the time the doctor was doing this, Skye kept as still
as a mouse; but, when it was all done, the little creature
laid his head on Miss Dean’s shoulder, and cried great tears,
just like a child. Miss Dean had to cry, too, at the helplessness
of her poor dumb darling.
For a good many weeks, Skye could only hobble about on
three legs, and had to keep still on his cushion, or lie on his
mistress’ lap, most of the time; but he was very patient.
And at last, when the good doctor said it would do to remove[85]
the plaster and the splints, we did so; and Skye ran
around the room as well and lively as ever. Wasn’t he
glad to have his liberty again!
BLOSSOM AND I.
I will tell you a true story about my sister and me. I am
five years old, and Fanny (papa calls her Blossom) is three.
We are in Germany now, but our home is in America;
and, when I go out to play with the boys here, they call me
“America.” We came over the ocean in a big ship. Papa
and mamma were seasick; but Fanny and I were not, and
we liked to live on the water.
When mamma packed our
trunks, I wanted her to put
in my little pails and wheelbarrow;
and she said there
wasn’t room, but that we could
bring as many numbers of
“The Nursery” as we pleased.
So we brought all we had.
We have used them so
much, that papa says they
are not fit to be bound; but
I don’t want to put them away on a shelf to be kept nice. I
like to have them every day; and so does Fanny.[86]
When we were coming on the steamer, Fanny used to sit
in the captain’s lap, and tell him the stories.
Our auntie sends us a new “Nursery” every month. One
was lost, and we were very sorry; for we can’t read other
picture-books so well. Fanny always has a “Nursery” to
take to bed with her; and in the morning, when I wake up,
I hear her talking to the boys and girls in the pictures.
HOW NORMAN BECAME AN ARTIST.
The landscape-painter sat on a camp-stool with an umbrella
over his head. His palette and his box of paints
were on the ground by his side. He was there to draw a
picture of the village of F——.
Hardly had he begun his crayon outline when he heard a
boy’s voice behind him. “May I look on? sir?” said the
boy. “Yes, look as much as you please, but don’t talk,”
said the painter without turning his head.[88]
The boy had a basket strapped to his back, and stood
looking intently, with both hands resting on his knees. His
name was Norman Blake. Other boys, and a young woman,
soon came up, and joined him as spectators.
Norman studied every movement of the painter’s hand;
and, when he got home, he took a piece of charcoal, and
tried to draw a picture on the wall. Rather a rough picture
it was, but pretty good for a first attempt.
The next day Norman went again, and looked on while
the painter sketched. “You’ve got that line wrong,” cried
Norman all at once, forgetting that the painter had told
him not to talk.
“What do you know about it, you young vagabond?”
cried the painter angrily. “Out of this! Run, scamper,
and don’t show your rogue’s face here again! But stop.
Before you go, come here, and point out what struck you
as wrong.”
Norman pointed to a certain line which made the village
church seem a little out of its right place in the picture.
The landscape-painter seized him by the ear, and said, “You
little scamp, how did you find that out? You are right,
sir! But what business have you to criticise my picture?
I am hesitating whether to thrash you, or to make a painter
of you.”
“Make a painter of me, by all means;” said Norman,
laughing; for he saw that the honest painter was only half
in earnest.
Well, the end of it was, that Norman accompanied the
painter to the city, and began to study drawing and painting.
He succeeded so well, that, after he had been studying
six years, he one day brought to his friend the painter the
sketch which we have had copied above.
“Do you remember that?” asked Norman.[89]
“Of course I do!” said the painter. “It represents our
first meeting. Little did I think that the young vagabond
with the basket on his back would one day beat me in
sketching.”
Hurrah! Great boot-race under difficulties.
“Now, when she comes out, I shall be sure of her!”
PICTURES FOR WALTER.
birds having a ride
on the weather-vane.
The vane is
on the top of the barn.
the birds dizzy to swing backwards
and forwards. But they
like it just as well as some boys
like to swing on a gate.
crow sitting on the
fence. He is a sly
old thief. There
is a nest in the grass; and he
is after the eggs. If you try to
get near him, he will fly away,
saying “Caw, caw, caw!”
set down her pail
of milk, and went
to the orchard. A
little pig came along, and tipped
the pail over; and the milk was
all spilled. Never leave milk
where a pig can get at it.
a hollow tree. A boy climbed
up to get the eggs; but the old
birds flew at him, and pecked
him, and made him get down.
I am glad they drove him away.
What right had he to meddle
with their nest?
THE FISHERMEN’S CHILDREN.
There were three children on the beach looking out to
see the boats of the fishermen sail off to the fishing-grounds.
Little Joe Bourne and his sister Susan stood side by side,
watching their father’s boat. Rachel, who was with them,
was not their sister, but an orphan-child, whose grandfather,
Mr. Harrison, was in one of the boats.
It was a windy day in November. The waves broke with
a great noise on the shingly beach. Soon the wind rose
higher: the sea rose too, and the rain fell fast. The children
walked back to the village; and there the old men said,
shaking their heads, “We shall have a storm.”
That night, all the boats came safely back into the harbor,
excepting the boat in which Rachel’s grandfather had sailed.
It was a long, sad night for poor Rachel. The next day
and the next passed by; and no grandfather came back to
take care of her, and find her in food and clothes, and
carry her in his strong arms when she was tired out with
walking.[93]
Susan and Joe in their own house felt sad for the little
orphan. One day their mother went to market. Baby was
in the cradle, and Susan was rocking it, whilst Joe was cutting
out a boat with an old jack-knife. The kettle on the
stove began to sing; and Susan and Joe began to talk.
“Poor Rachel will have to be sent to the workhouse
now,” said Joe.
“I hope not,” said Susan. “I hope father will give her
a home in our own house.”
“Why, he says he can hardly earn enough to feed his
own family,” said Joe.
“But can’t we do something to help him?” asked Susan.
“I know of nothing children like us can do,” said Joe.
When their mother came home, Susan begged so earnestly
to have Rachel come and stay with them, that Mrs. Bourne
at last replied, “Well, we will take her in for a week or two,
and see; but mind, Susan, you must try and earn a little
money somehow. You will now have less time to play on
the sands, remember.”[94]
So Susan went and found Rachel, and brought her home
to live with them all. The poor little orphan was a bright,
joyous child. She had a strange hope that she should see
her grandfather again; that he was not lost; for he had told
her many stories of his escape from great dangers at sea.
“Why, grandfather was on a wreck once a whole week,”
said Rachel: “he was cast away once on an island where
he had to live on clams a long while before he was rescued.
I think we shall hear from him soon.”
One day Joe caught a fine basket of perch from the rocks,
and went round to try and sell them. But all the folks in the
village told him they could get as many fish as they wanted
without buying them. So Joe walked off to a town four
miles away from the sea, and there he sold his fish.
He told a kind blind lady, to whom he sold some, that his
sister wanted to get work, so that she could help a poor little
orphan-girl. The kind lady sent Susan half a dozen handkerchiefs
to hem; and the next morning Susan rose early,
and sewed by candle-light, while the other children were in
bed and asleep.[95]
For three years the poor Bourne family gave Rachel a
nice happy home in their little house; and they would have
kept her longer, but one day, while the children were all
playing on the beach, they heard a great shouting, and ran
to see what it was about.
It was all in honor of Grandfather Harrison. He had
come back, as Rachel had always said he would. He had
been picked up at sea in his sinking boat by a ship bound
for Australia. The old man was carried to that far country.
He went to the mines, and helped some men dig gold. He
made a good deal of money, thinking it would be a good
thing if he could only be rich enough to send his dear little
grand-daughter to school.
But Rachel was not the only one who was benefited by
his good fortune. The Bournes shared in it. Joe and Susan,
and all the rest of the children, were sent to school also; and
they studied with a will. It was always a happy thought
to Rachel that the great kindness of these good people did
not miss its reward even in this life.
YOUNG LAZYBONES.
| 2. Then little Maggie sings to him, And plays upon the harp; While rapid Robert, keen and slim, Cries, “Lazybones, look sharp!” And Lucy tickles with her wand, This sleepy, lazy boy; And one and all with tricks and jokes In teasing him take joy. | 3. But Lazybones must take his nap Before he goes to bed: He does not move his weary limbs Or lift his heavy head. And though a dozen brewers’ drays Should rumble o’er the stones, Not all the noise that they can make Would rouse Young Lazybones. |
Transcriber’s Note:
Obvious punctuation errors repaired.
This issue was part of an omnibus. The original text for this issue did
not include a title page or table of contents. This was taken from the
July issue with the “No.” added. The original table of contents
covered the second half of 1873. The remaining text of the table of
contents can be found in the rest of the year’s issues.