The Nursery, June 1881, Vol. XXIX A Monthly Magazine for Youngest Readers

KITTY DIDN'T MEAN TO.

JOANNA scolds my kitty every day: I'm filled with grief. Just now to Mary Ann I heard her say, "That cat's a thief!" Poor kit! you did not wish for milk to-day, But wanted meat. You took a little bit from off the tray, And, with your feet, A glass of water, standing in the way, You tumbled down; And just for this you had to bear, all day, Joanna's frown. I think that Miss Joanna must be seen to; For, kitty, I am sure you didn't mean to.

AMANDA SHAW ELSEFFER.

A SAUCY VISITOR.

ONCE upon a time a mother-sparrow and her three children lived in a great big maple-tree, which stood before a great big house, which had a broad piazza in front of it. The mother-bird often used to talk to her children about the people who lived in the house, and their pets.

"See, Polly Dolly Adeline," she said to her oldest child one day, "see those lazy yellow canaries down there on the piazza. They have every thing they want. See how they are coddled while we are left to shift for ourselves."

"Boo-hoo!" said Polly Dolly. "I don't think it is a bit fair."

"I don't either," said the youngest of all. He was a pert little fellow. His name was Flop. He was so called, because, when he first began to fly, he would flop over on one side.

But he could fly well enough now, and so he said boldly, "I mean to go down to one of those cages, and eat some of that nice seed myself. I'll let young Canary know that I am as good as he."

At these words Mrs. Sparrow was so frightened that she fell off the branch; but she soon flew back, and said, "Flop, you naughty boy, don't you go! you may get killed."

"Cats, you know, Flop!" said Polly Dolly Adeline. "Cats with green eyes!"

"Pooh!" said Flop. "Who cares? I'm not afraid."

Flop flew gaily down to the piazza railing. Here he stopped, and looked around; while his mother and sisters watched him in fear and trembling. Nobody was on the piazza: so Flop flew straight to one of the cages.

"How do you do, my young friend?" he said, saucily helping himself to the seed that had been scattered. "I've come to take dinner with you."

Mr. Canary did not like this at all. "You've not been invited," he squeaked out, ruffling up his feathers, and flying at Flop with all his might. But the bars were between them; and Flop went on eating his dinner as calmly as possible.

Then the canary became so angry that he danced back and forth on his perch, and screamed. Flop made another very polite bow. "Oh, how good that hemp-seed tastes!" said he. "The rape-seed, too, is very nice,--nice as the fattest canker-worm I ever ate."

So he went on eating, looking up now and then to wink at his angry host. When he had eaten all he could find, he made his best bow and said saucily, "Thank you, sir, thank you. Don't urge me to stay longer now. I'll come again some other day," and he flew back to his anxious mother and sisters.

B. W.

HOW GEORGIE FED HIS FAWN.

GEORGIE stood at the kitchen-door with a piece of bread in his hand to feed his pet fawn. There was the fawn chained to a post in the grass-plat. Between them was a long gravel walk. How was Georgie to get the bread to the fawn?

Easily enough, one would think,--by carrying it straight to the fawn. But Georgie didn't find this such an easy thing to do. He met with difficulties.

In the first place there was Rover, the big brown pup. Georgie had not taken three steps, when Rover spied the bread, and, thinking it was for him, began jumping after it. Georgie thought he would have to run back to the house; but, seeing a stick on the ground, he picked it up, and shook it at Rover. Rover was afraid of the stick, and ran meekly away.

Nothing else happened to trouble Georgie until he had gone halfway up the walk. Then he met another difficulty. Two big turkey-gobblers, looking very red about the head, and with feathers all ruffled up, rushed towards him for the bread, crying, "Gobble, gobble!" in a frightful manner.

Georgie hesitated. Dare he go past them? "Gobble, gobble!" screeched the turkeys. Down went the bread on the ground, and back to the house, as fast as his legs could carry him, ran Georgie.

His mother saw two big tears in the little fellow's eyes and felt sorry for him. She cut another piece of bread, turned his apron up over it so the turkeys could not see it, and told him to run bravely past them. He hoped they were still eating the other piece, and would not notice him; but they had swallowed every crumb and ran toward him for more.

He screwed up his courage, and tried to run by them. Alas! he stumbled and fell. Away rolled the bread, and, before he could get it again, the gobblers had it and were quarrelling noisily, each trying to pull it away from the other one.

This second loss was more than little Georgie could bear. He went crying into the house. Then his sister Jennie said she would go with him, and keep off the turkeys. She took some bread in one hand, and held Georgie's hand with the other, and this time the turkeys were passed safely.

Georgie fed the pretty fawn, who took the bread from his hand, and capered about with delight, for he likes to have Georgie pet him, and pines for his company. Georgie is going to ask the gardener to buy two chains and fasten the two old gobblers in some other part of the yard. Then he can visit the fawn often.

AUNT SADIE.

THE ROSE.

ANNIE.

THE sweetest and the brightest days Of all the happy year! The green leaves dance, the gay birds sing, The merry June is here! We will of roses weave her crown, The fairest that unclose; Each one of different form and hue, Yet each a perfect rose.

BESSIE.

(With a red rose.)

And this one will outshine them all; Amid the garden's rare And splendid flowers, it raised its head, The brightest blossom there. All decked with dew like gems, its robe Of royal crimson glows-- The matchless queen of summer-time, The beautiful red rose!

CHARLOTTE.

(With a white rose.)

But this to me is lovelier far, So pure and sweet it seems; Among the green leaves on the bough Like fallen snow it gleams. Its breath gives perfume to the wind, As over it it blows; 'Tis stainless as an angel's wings, The fragrant, fair white rose.

DELIA.

(With a yellow rose.)