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Citation |
- Permanent Link:
- https://original-ufdc.uflib.ufl.edu/UF00084146/00001
Material Information
- Title:
- The birds wedding the owl & the bat and other merry tales
- Cover title:
- Brownies
- Creator:
- Veale, E
Cox, Palmer, 1840-1924 ( illustrator )
Hubbard Publishing Co ( Publisher )
- Place of Publication:
- [Philadelphia
- Publisher:
- Hubbard Publishing Co.]
- Publication Date:
- c1896
- Language:
- English
- Physical Description:
- 1 v. (unpaged) : ill. (some col.) ; 23 cm.
Subjects
- Subjects / Keywords:
- Animals -- Juvenile fiction ( lcsh )
Children's stories ( lcsh ) Children's stories -- 1896 ( lcsh ) Fantasy literature -- 1896 ( rbgenr ) Bldn -- 1896
- Genre:
- Children's stories
Fantasy literature ( rbgenr ) novel ( marcgt )
- Spatial Coverage:
- United States -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia
- Target Audience:
- juvenile ( marctarget )
Notes
- General Note:
- With: The busy Brownies / illustrations by Palmer Cox ; stories by E. Veale. [Philadelphia : Hubbard Publishing Co.], c1896. -- and 10 other books.
- Statement of Responsibility:
- illustrations by Palmer Cox ; stories by E. Veale.
Record Information
- Source Institution:
- University of Florida
- Rights Management:
- This item is presumed to be in the public domain. The University of Florida George A. Smathers Libraries respect the intellectual property rights of others and do not claim any copyright interest in this item. Users of this work have responsibility for determining copyright status prior to reusing, publishing or reproducing this item for purposes other than what is allowed by fair use or other copyright exemptions. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions may require permission of the copyright holder. The Smathers Libraries would like to learn more about this item and invite individuals or organizations to contact The Department of Special and Area Studies Collections (special@uflib.ufl.edu) with any additional information they can provide.
- Resource Identifier:
- 004149517 ( ALEPH )
232606055 ( OCLC )
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Full Text |
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THE OWL AND THE BAT,
“Goop EVENING, Miss Bat†said the grave gray owl
“ pray may I come up and chat a while?â€
sa Indeed you may Mr. Owl,†replied the bat, “ It’s such
a beautiful evening that I have been sitting up here ever
so long watching the ‘moon, as she played hide and seek
among the trees, the stars seem to be enjoying the game
as much as I, for they twinkle as brightly as diamonds so
far above us all.†,
“T see you have an eye for the beautiful, my dear
young lady,†said the owl “but if you but knew it, the
most beautiful thing Ihave seen in all my life is yourself.â€
The bat hung her head and looked quite shy, while
the owl blinked his eyes and looked as though he thought
he had really said something most elegant.
“Do you know, my dear,†continued the owl, “I have
watched you night after night as you floated around so
gracefully, never interfering with the other birds, but
going quietly about your own affairs, and I decided that
some day or other I would ask you if you would not con-
sent to be Mrs. Owl. The time has come Batty dear, and
I hope you will say yes.†|
The Bat did say yes, for she had long admired the
Owl. She liked his solemn ways and thought him a very
eeaulsons Dis le = .
It was decided that they should be married very
soon—the very next week, in fact, for the moon would be
shining in all her glory then, and the guests could not be
asked to come in the dark ay though it might be
pleasanter for the bride and groom.
The stork wrote the invitations. He wrote them on
the leaves of the water lillies, using his long sharp beak
for a pen.
The night of the wedding came and with it the many
guests. The stork and the crane came together, for they
_ both lived in the same pond. The eagle and the buzzard
met as they cme sailing through the air.
The happy pair were soon made one, and then what
merry times they had. The lark and the night-in-gale
sang their brightest songs and all joined hands in a lively
dance. Morning came only too soon, and the guests must
go, and as the Owl kissed his little bride he wished that
all her life might be just as happy as the first night had
been. What a happy time the bridal party had for the.
next few weeks. When the guests had all gone, they |
packed their trunks and hastened away to spend their
honey-moon among the pine forests of the’Green Moun-
tains. They travelled from place to place, journeying by
night and resting by day, for strange as it may seem, these
queer creatures can neither of them see when the beautiful
sun is shining. They have such curious eyes that the
light makes them blind. So they used to spend the long
atime days nestled close together on the branch of some
high tree. At night they would fly about here and there,
watching the other animals and enjoying the pure air. |
The owl is a very wise bird, you know, so he was able
to tell his trusting little wife many interesting things.
After spending a very pleasant time, they returned to
their home, and settled down to spend a very happy life.
UNHAPPY BRUIN.
Poor Brutn’s life seemed marked with misfortunes.
Bruin was not one of he Ince creatures who have the
good fortune to be born under a lucky star—the night
must have been cloudy and most miserably starless when :
he opened his ne in this wide, wide world. As the
yone went on poor Bruin’s troubles seemed to grow.
Fortune had no kindly smile for him Bad try as he might
all his efforts to succeed were in vain.
One time Bruin left his home, and went strolling
througttic woods. He was all alone for. the other bears
had gone off long before, but Bruin had not oe wanted.
Sorrowfully and lonely he trotted along, taking no heed
of where he was going until all at once he was brought to
"his senses by a sharp click, and try with all his might he
could not move. You've euessed what had happened—he
had stumbled into a trap and was held there as fast as fast
could be. The hot sun poured down upon him, but no
\
one came to release him, but at last just as twilight fell
upon the world, two great big men drove upin a cart and
with a loud shout at their horses, stopped infrontof Bruin.
“ Bine luck we have had to-day,†said one of them. “ We
will make a good thing out of him,†said the other. Then
as quick asa wink a big, black bag was thrown over
Bruin’s head, and he was hoisted into the wagon.
This was the beginning of poor Bruin’s new life.
These men were street players—one of them brought forth
squeaky sounds from an old fiddle, while the other made
most dismal noises upon the harp.
Bruin was taken to their miserable home and day by
day was trained to dance and play tricks to amuse the
people. Bruin found it was wisest to please these men
for cruel blows and kicks rewarded his failures.
One day they rigged him up ina suit of clothes, put
shoes on his feet and a hat in his hand, and let him out to
dance upon the street. All day long he kept it up and
when night came he could scarcely move. His masters
had gone to join some friends and chat with them, and had
left Bruin in charge of aboy. The boy grew tired of be-
ing alone and seeing a chum hurried after him, leaving
Bruin to his own devices. Bruin knew his chance had
come and trotted away just as fast as ever his tired feet
‘would carry him. He wandered on and on until at last
the woods were reached. Then as he lay down under a
tree, nearly worn out, butvery happy hefeltthat at last the
wheel had turned and fortune had surely smiled on him.
THE OSTRICH.
Dip you ever think anything about the way in which
we obtain the beautiful feathers that help to ornament
our hats and bonnets? Away off in a country called
Africa lives a bird known as the Ostrich. It is a large
bird with long, slender legs, and such a great long neck
that it is as tall as a very tall man. Nature has given it
these long legs.to help it go over ground very rapidly.
When pursued it travels across the sandy plains where
it lives with strides that carry it twenty-five miles an hour.
The Ostrich has very ren sight and sharp hearing, and
its long neck aids it in seeing great distances.
The nest where the mother bird lays the eggs is just
a hollow made in the sand with a shallow border all
around it. The old bird sits on the eggs and keeps them
warm at night, but the rays of the hot tropical sun do the
work in the day time. These eggs are very large, weigh-
ing from two to thrée pounds.
The baby ostriches are very pretty birds. ‘They look
like young partridges, only they are many, many times
larger and have little bristles all over them mixed with
down.
When. the ostrich is about a year and a half old it
falls a victim to the hunter’s pursuit. There are a num-
ber of ways for catching them. Sometimes the hunter
clothes himself in the skin of the bird and imitates its
motion so exactly that it is almost impossible to tell the
sham from the real bird. Then when he is within bow
shot of some unlucky bird, his arrow pierces it and it
falls his prey. Sometimes the bird is caught with a
lasso, and in some places the hunter Ont on horse
back and pursues it in that way.
The ostrich lives on roots and grasses and often snails
and small fish. They are shy birds, but with the proper
training can be made quite tame and gentle. They are
very strong, and are sometimes used instead of horses.
Way off in California, there are a number of ostrich
farms, and when you get to be big, perhaps you will be
able to go there and see them. . But the Sena next time
you go to the Zoological Garden, you must get your
mammas to take you to see these wonderful birds. I am
sure you will wonder how such beautiful feathers can
come from such ugly looking birds.
KING LEO’S RESOLVE.
MoTHER Nature had carpeted the earth with a cover-
ing soft and brown and rustling. Deep in the reds and
yellows she had fined her paint brush and the trees
gleamed in their grandeur like a feanae forge. The
squirrels had been busy for weeks filling their store houses
with the nuts that would serve for the winter’s food, and
the song of the birds had long since ceased, for far away
they'd flown, seeking a warmer home. All the woods
seemed hushed and forsaken.
, King Leo noticed all this as he paced through the
forest with restless strides this autumn day. Things had
gone wrong with his majesty and he wondered that the
trees should glow in such brilliancy when all else seemed
dressed in sombre colors. “Why must nature,†muttered
he, “have this dash of brightness in her adorning while
my life is all gloom andallsadness. Long have I reigned
inthe forestas King of Beasts. I’ve held sway over the
largest of them all, the tigers, wolves and bears have
trembled at my roar, and at my command all have yielded.
Now I’m deserted. No longer am I consulted in affairs
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of wisdom. It’s months since I have sat on my throne of
holly boughs. I’m forsaken and alone. Is there no way
in which I can win them again? Must all my life be thus
sorrow and gloom ?â€
He sat down to think, and as he thought his heart
grew lighter, and something almost like a smile cme 7
over his face. “I'll try it,†he said to himself, as he rose
from the rock on which he had been sitting and went
towards home.
And this was what King Leo fed been thinking.
Have I ever done anything to make them care for me.
They Groncd me their king, but all my reign I have
governed through fear. My roars were as mighty as the
thunder, my will was hard and cruel. For a trifling of-
fense I have taken their lives, and now I am reaping my
reward. If itis not too late Pil begin again. Love, not:
fear shall be my motto this time and perhaps someday my
life will be full of happiness instead of woe and misery.
And poor King Leo did begin again and although the
struggle was hard and the time of conquest long he did
prove himself victor at last and died at a very old age,
loved and respected by all the beasts of the forest, having
proved to them all that Love hath greater power than Fear,
ot eee s
are
THE WILLFUL YOUNG GOBBLER.
Mapame Turkey put on hershawl andbonnettogoto
hunt for the silliest young turkey about the place, because
that silly young turkey was her son. He had been gone
since early morning, and what had kept him his mother
could not guess. Mother Turkey and her young offspring
lived on a great big farm and had been a very happy pair,
but Mother Turkey was growing anxious. The fields had
become bare and yellow, the trees stood around them tall
and leafless, and this meant a most serious matter.to the
Turkey family—it meant that Thanksgiving Day was
drawing near, and Madame Turkey well knew that per-
haps this handsome young son of hers might grace the
table at some beautifully prepared dinner. She had little
fear for herself for she had grown old and tough, but such
a big, fat bird, as the young gobbler would hardly escape
the farmer’s noticé. Well she remembered how year after
year her children had fallen victims to the farmer’s axe,
and she had tried to show this great big son how day by
day he was running into danger. But talk seemed to
count for nothing, he did not heed his mother’s warning
words but ate freely of the yellow cornand the handfuls of
wheat that the farmer’s wife scattered temptingly before
them, and of course he grew fatter all the time.
Now do you wonder that Madame Turkey put on her
bonnet and shawl to search for her head-strong son? She
did not have far to go for she met him coming home his
hands in Bie rouce pockets, and his head. up in the air,
looking as though he knew neither fear nor danger. Once
more this good, thoughtful mother reasoned with her fool-
ish son, but he only laughed at her fears, and told her not
to worry about him for no turkey on the place could run
faster than he, and he could easily escape the farmer
should he choose him for his Thanksgiving dinner.
But old heads are often the wisest, and had this silly
young gobbler only listened to his mother he might still
be strutting around the barn yard or perhaps wandering
through the wheat fields, picking up the full ripe grains
that he loved so dearly. The farmer one day as he saun-
tered through the poultry yard spied this well fed gobbler
and decided that no finer bird than he could be found, and
before Mr. Turkey had time to run, he was firm in the.
farmer’s clutches, and before many minutes his life was
over. What a foolish bird he was, and how much better
it would have been had he only listened to the words of
warning from his good old mother.
THe BICYCrEE WACE:
Tue, glorious Fourth had proclaimed: fisele al day
long. Bang! Bang! Bang! went the cannons. Bang! |
Bang ! Bang!echoed the crackers, Aad Bang! Bang! Bang!
sounded the torpedoes small and great. Gun powder
made the air heavy and oppressive, and the clouds gather-
ing in the sky made one very uncertain as to whether or
not the rain would put an end to all the fun. Large post-
ers in red and blue letters had notified the people that
the most beautiful fire works they had ever seen would
be put off back of the Grove house—so do you wonder
that the sky was arena most anxiously ?
_ Now the people of the town were not alone in wishing
for a clear night. The young folks who dwelt in the
woods were watching the clouds with just the keenest
interest, even the tiniest speck of blue sky was hailed with
shouts of delight. Were they too going to celebrate this
day of Independence? Why to be sure they were. They
were not going to send off rockets and bombs. Roman
candles and pin wheels were not part of theirfun. These
forest folks had invited all their friends to witness a
bicycle race. The bear, the wolf, the fox, the rabbit, the
porcupine and the catamount were to take part, and as no
bicycle race had ever been ridden in these parts the great-
est interest was taken in it by all the animals in the
country round.
For weeks they had been practicing.
Early and late you might see these four
footed fellows |
mounted on their
| wheels and pushing
them along just as
fast as ever they
could. It was. not alt fun either, for tires would fie off
the rims, nuts constantly became loose and sometimes it
happened that a stone or a twig or something of the sort.
ae sent the rider off his wheel,
and then bent handle bars
must be straightened, or worse
still bruised heads must be
tied up—but all these woes
were part of the undertaking
so no one dared complain, but
must go towork and try again.
Well, all these trials were over now and the evening
had come when fate should decide to whom the honor
belonged. Whata crowd had gathered to see them!) ihe
squirrels sat chattering together up in the trees, the
crickets and katy-dids tried to out do each other in their
lively chirrup, and the night-in-gale raised her sweet
voice and poured forth the loveliest music.
One! two! three! croaked the frog, and off they started.
The rabbit ee first. “Three cheers for Bun!†shouted
the crowd. “Bruin is ahead! Three cheers for Bruin.â€
“It’s the Fox this time!†“No, he has lost his place,
Bruin is ahead again!†“Oh, what a shame the wolf has
fallen off! No use in trying again, poor wolf, the others
are far ahead.â€
First it was one and then another until at last just as
the goal was reached little Bun with one mighty effort
came in first. How the crowd cheered and what a happy
fellow Bun was. It was hard for the others, but as some
one must win all felt satisfied that it should be the little
rabbit. Then the lion, who was judge, awarded the prize,
which was the nicest bicycle ever made, and little Bun
went home very happy.
THE PAGLES CHRISTMAS.
On the top of a high mountain a Mother Eagle had
built a nice soft nest. She did not build where some
eagles do, in the cleft of the rocks, but in top of a large
tree. In the nest she laid four eggs, and there, day after
day, she sat on the nest keeping the eggs warm, until one
day she heard a gentle rap-rap against theshell. The knock-
ing grew louder and louder, and a bit of the shell fell off
the end of the egg, and slowly a little head came out, and
then a little body, aa in the course of a few hours the old
Mother Eagle found herself with four little ones to look
after. It kept her very busy indeed, supplying all their
wants and she had to make agood many trips to the val-
ley to get them the food they wanted.
All babies must havea name and sothe old Mother
Eagle put on her thinking cap, and tried to finda name
for each child; but like all mammas none was good
enough. At last she decided to call them Tim, Sam,
Chirp and Baldy.
They were a funny looking lot of creatures to be sure,
with their big heads, and mouths always open, and we would
not think them at all pretty ; but they seemed beautiful to
their mamma, and she was always trying to think up ways
of making them happy. No children ever spent more
happy days than these little eagles. Strange to say they
never quarrelled. If Sam felt cross and was likely ‘to
scold, the other little ones would creep away and leave
him to himself until he was good natured once more.
They loved one another very dearly, and each one was
ready to do as the others wished. They never said, “I
won't play, if you Eo thats some little boys and girls do.
They were still quite young, so young that they had
not yet learned to fly, when the glad Christmas time
rolled around. The snow had. been falling for several
days and the aaenetin tops were covered with a beautiful
white blanket. On the fir trees just near the eagle’s nest
the snow glistened like diamonds in the TAO Enine sun.
Sam and Tim, Baldy and Chirp were up early that Christ-_
mas morning, for, like all little folks, they wanted to see
if Santa Claus had brought them anything. All the week,
they had been wild with excitement, for, although they
had never had a Christmas, their mamma had told them
all about it and it seemed as if they could never wait for
the day tocome. Each tiny eagle had written down just
what he wanted and Mamma had a long list, when she
started off that morning to get the gifts and the Christmas |
dinner. Santa Claus was so busy supplying the wants of
the children down in the valley that he did not have time
to visit the nest, but he met the Mother Eagle one day as
he was driving over the mountain, and he had promised
to leave a lot of nice toys for the little ones hidden in the
hollow tree at the foot of the mountain, where she could
get them. Santa Claus has such a good kind heart that
he could not bear to think that even little eagles should
be forgotten on this glad day, when all of God's creatures
should be happy.
All day the little eagles sat on the branches of the tree
which was their home, craning their long necks and
straining their eyes tocatch the first sight of their mother
as she flew homeward. They did not even take time for
their mid-day nap, and if hay fe not been so anxious to
see what their mamma would bring, I fear they would -
have dropped asleep and perhaps would have fallen out of
the tree to the ground below. It was nearly twilight
when the mother came home, and how joyfully the little
ones greeted her, and how delighted they were with her
well filled basket. They chattered and chirped in their
own language until their poor mother was almost wild
with their noise, but she was also very much pleased to
see them all so happy.
What a nice Christmas dinner they had. True, their
turkey was not roasted or garnished as ‘ours is, but they
liked it all the better. First there was the nicest, sweet-
est fish you ever saw, served up in ae eagle style.
Then a nice rabbit, two young pigeons and some fat
ducks When the youngsters had finished their dinner,
their mamma brought out a bag of yellow corn and a lot
of rosy cheeked apples, which she had stolen from a far-
mer’s wagon. My, how those little eagles did eat. It was
a great wonder they did not All die.
When the feast was over, and the horns and drums,
the bright micnite books, and the other pretty toys were
‘distributed, they all decided that Christmas was the
happiest time imaginable. “ Well, really,†said little Baldy,
“JT wish Christmas came oftener.†And all the others
cried, “So do we.â€
THE BEARS AND THE HIVE.
Hue and Squeese were two tat little cubs who lived
with their grandmother. Their mother had been captured
ina trap when they were little tiny bears and Mother
Bruin had taken them to her home and cared for them
ever since. Such times as she had with them—they
seemed to have been born under an unlucky star, and
poor old grandmother Bruin had her hands full. They
had of course fallen victims to the measles and next to the
whooping-cough and they would eat so many sweets, that
the toothache was almost A daily visitor. Grandmother
Bruin used to shake her poor old head until her stiffly
starched cap with its large purple bow would slip away
off over her ear. She did want very much that they
should be good little bears, and she would talk to Hug and
Squeeze so earnestly that they would promise to be
| ever so much better, and they really meant it when they
promised, but when mischief came into their heads, like
a good many little boys and girls—they forgot.
Tommy Jones was the gardner’s son, and Tommy
‘wanted very much to become rich. He had been given
some money one day in the fall for gathering chestnuts
for his master’s children. Tom was proud to have money
of his own, and tried and tried to think of some plan to
make it more. One day as he passed a shop window he
_ saw little boxes with honey in them for sale, this put an
idea inf Tommy’s head. He would go home build some
hives and when spring came get a swarm of bees and then
he too could have honey to sell. ZTommy was a wise iittle
chap to settle on this plan, for the roses grew in great.
profusion, the lillies and honey suckle made rich food for
the bees, and the buckwheat fields that gleamed so white
and beautiful. had sweetness beyond measure for these
busy little food gatherers. |
Well, spring came and Tommy beamed with delight
upon the neatly built hives that were to be the homes of
the honey makers and the source of his wealth.
Then summer came and the work went bravely on until
the cones were dripping with the store of gold_. honey.
Now Hug and Squeeze had been growing all this
while, and the spirit for adventure kept growing with
them. One night Grandmother Bruin had put them to
bed and bade them be good, @bedient children. They lay
very still until their grandmother had gone and then as
quietly as mice they crept out of bed and stole cautiously
away. Through the woods they scampered, wild with joy
over their freedom. The road reached, they could not
make up their minds where to go, but the apples in the
gardner’s yard had made such fine balls before that they
decided to try agame once more. Off they trotted, reached
-the garden, but stopped with wonder when they saw
numbers of queer looking houses standing side by side.
They had never seen hives before and knew nothing Aone
the savage little creatures that lived inside.
“We will take one home,†said Hug, “it ail be fine
to play with.â€
Ball was forgotten and Hug shouldered the hive,
while little Squeeze scampered along at his side. But
they had not gone far when Hug felt a sharp pinch on his
ear, then one on his arm, and then he began to feel as
though he was being stabbed all over. The bees were not
long in finding out Squeeze, and run as they might the
cubs could not escape their fonmentons
“ They are in the box,†said Squeeze, “ throw it away,
do.â€
Hug threw away the box, but the bees still held
fast. The more the bears tried to get rid of them, the
closer they clung, and the deeper they drove their stings.
What a dreadful time they had getting rid of them, and
what pitiful sights they were when they reached home.
Their faces were so swollen that it was hard to tell
who they were. Their ‘ears were as large as two, and
their poor ee were smarting, as if froma burn. They |
were almost afraid to go home, for they knew they were to
blame for all ier suffering, but they felt so very badly
that they decided they must go to grandméther for help.
. For little bears are like little children, when they get hurt,
they.always want to get home right away. ‘So off they
trotted as fast as possible, and grandmother was very kind
to them in their trouble, she did not punish them for she
thought they had been’ well rewarded for their dis-
obedience and meddlesome ways, but as she tucked them
in bed eae more, after spreading mud on their swollen
hands and faces sheleaned Over on and said, “Will ou
try to let this be a lesson and listen more carefully here-
after to your old grandmothers advice.†I think the little
bears learned a lesson which lasted them all their lives,
for they lived a great many -years in their old home and
never again meddled with what did not belong to them.
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THE OWL AND THE BAT,
“Goop EVENING, Miss Bat†said the grave gray owl
“ pray may I come up and chat a while?â€
sa Indeed you may Mr. Owl,†replied the bat, “ It’s such
a beautiful evening that I have been sitting up here ever
so long watching the ‘moon, as she played hide and seek
among the trees, the stars seem to be enjoying the game
as much as I, for they twinkle as brightly as diamonds so
far above us all.†,
“T see you have an eye for the beautiful, my dear
young lady,†said the owl “but if you but knew it, the
most beautiful thing Ihave seen in all my life is yourself.â€
The bat hung her head and looked quite shy, while
the owl blinked his eyes and looked as though he thought
he had really said something most elegant.
“Do you know, my dear,†continued the owl, “I have
watched you night after night as you floated around so
gracefully, never interfering with the other birds, but
going quietly about your own affairs, and I decided that
some day or other I would ask you if you would not con-
sent to be Mrs. Owl. The time has come Batty dear, and
I hope you will say yes.†|
The Bat did say yes, for she had long admired the
Owl. She liked his solemn ways and thought him a very
eeaulsons Dis le = .
It was decided that they should be married very
soon—the very next week, in fact, for the moon would be
shining in all her glory then, and the guests could not be
asked to come in the dark ay though it might be
pleasanter for the bride and groom.
The stork wrote the invitations. He wrote them on
the leaves of the water lillies, using his long sharp beak
for a pen.
The night of the wedding came and with it the many
guests. The stork and the crane came together, for they
_ both lived in the same pond. The eagle and the buzzard
met as they cme sailing through the air.
The happy pair were soon made one, and then what
merry times they had. The lark and the night-in-gale
sang their brightest songs and all joined hands in a lively
dance. Morning came only too soon, and the guests must
go, and as the Owl kissed his little bride he wished that
all her life might be just as happy as the first night had
been. What a happy time the bridal party had for the.
next few weeks. When the guests had all gone, they |
packed their trunks and hastened away to spend their
honey-moon among the pine forests of the’Green Moun-
tains. They travelled from place to place, journeying by
night and resting by day, for strange as it may seem, these
queer creatures can neither of them see when the beautiful
sun is shining. They have such curious eyes that the
light makes them blind. So they used to spend the long
atime days nestled close together on the branch of some
high tree. At night they would fly about here and there,
watching the other animals and enjoying the pure air. |
The owl is a very wise bird, you know, so he was able
to tell his trusting little wife many interesting things.
After spending a very pleasant time, they returned to
their home, and settled down to spend a very happy life.
UNHAPPY BRUIN.
Poor Brutn’s life seemed marked with misfortunes.
Bruin was not one of he Ince creatures who have the
good fortune to be born under a lucky star—the night
must have been cloudy and most miserably starless when :
he opened his ne in this wide, wide world. As the
yone went on poor Bruin’s troubles seemed to grow.
Fortune had no kindly smile for him Bad try as he might
all his efforts to succeed were in vain.
One time Bruin left his home, and went strolling
througttic woods. He was all alone for. the other bears
had gone off long before, but Bruin had not oe wanted.
Sorrowfully and lonely he trotted along, taking no heed
of where he was going until all at once he was brought to
"his senses by a sharp click, and try with all his might he
could not move. You've euessed what had happened—he
had stumbled into a trap and was held there as fast as fast
could be. The hot sun poured down upon him, but no
\
one came to release him, but at last just as twilight fell
upon the world, two great big men drove upin a cart and
with a loud shout at their horses, stopped infrontof Bruin.
“ Bine luck we have had to-day,†said one of them. “ We
will make a good thing out of him,†said the other. Then
as quick asa wink a big, black bag was thrown over
Bruin’s head, and he was hoisted into the wagon.
This was the beginning of poor Bruin’s new life.
These men were street players—one of them brought forth
squeaky sounds from an old fiddle, while the other made
most dismal noises upon the harp.
Bruin was taken to their miserable home and day by
day was trained to dance and play tricks to amuse the
people. Bruin found it was wisest to please these men
for cruel blows and kicks rewarded his failures.
One day they rigged him up ina suit of clothes, put
shoes on his feet and a hat in his hand, and let him out to
dance upon the street. All day long he kept it up and
when night came he could scarcely move. His masters
had gone to join some friends and chat with them, and had
left Bruin in charge of aboy. The boy grew tired of be-
ing alone and seeing a chum hurried after him, leaving
Bruin to his own devices. Bruin knew his chance had
come and trotted away just as fast as ever his tired feet
‘would carry him. He wandered on and on until at last
the woods were reached. Then as he lay down under a
tree, nearly worn out, butvery happy hefeltthat at last the
wheel had turned and fortune had surely smiled on him.
THE OSTRICH.
Dip you ever think anything about the way in which
we obtain the beautiful feathers that help to ornament
our hats and bonnets? Away off in a country called
Africa lives a bird known as the Ostrich. It is a large
bird with long, slender legs, and such a great long neck
that it is as tall as a very tall man. Nature has given it
these long legs.to help it go over ground very rapidly.
When pursued it travels across the sandy plains where
it lives with strides that carry it twenty-five miles an hour.
The Ostrich has very ren sight and sharp hearing, and
its long neck aids it in seeing great distances.
The nest where the mother bird lays the eggs is just
a hollow made in the sand with a shallow border all
around it. The old bird sits on the eggs and keeps them
warm at night, but the rays of the hot tropical sun do the
work in the day time. These eggs are very large, weigh-
ing from two to thrée pounds.
The baby ostriches are very pretty birds. ‘They look
like young partridges, only they are many, many times
larger and have little bristles all over them mixed with
down.
When. the ostrich is about a year and a half old it
falls a victim to the hunter’s pursuit. There are a num-
ber of ways for catching them. Sometimes the hunter
clothes himself in the skin of the bird and imitates its
motion so exactly that it is almost impossible to tell the
sham from the real bird. Then when he is within bow
shot of some unlucky bird, his arrow pierces it and it
falls his prey. Sometimes the bird is caught with a
lasso, and in some places the hunter Ont on horse
back and pursues it in that way.
The ostrich lives on roots and grasses and often snails
and small fish. They are shy birds, but with the proper
training can be made quite tame and gentle. They are
very strong, and are sometimes used instead of horses.
Way off in California, there are a number of ostrich
farms, and when you get to be big, perhaps you will be
able to go there and see them. . But the Sena next time
you go to the Zoological Garden, you must get your
mammas to take you to see these wonderful birds. I am
sure you will wonder how such beautiful feathers can
come from such ugly looking birds.
KING LEO’S RESOLVE.
MoTHER Nature had carpeted the earth with a cover-
ing soft and brown and rustling. Deep in the reds and
yellows she had fined her paint brush and the trees
gleamed in their grandeur like a feanae forge. The
squirrels had been busy for weeks filling their store houses
with the nuts that would serve for the winter’s food, and
the song of the birds had long since ceased, for far away
they'd flown, seeking a warmer home. All the woods
seemed hushed and forsaken.
, King Leo noticed all this as he paced through the
forest with restless strides this autumn day. Things had
gone wrong with his majesty and he wondered that the
trees should glow in such brilliancy when all else seemed
dressed in sombre colors. “Why must nature,†muttered
he, “have this dash of brightness in her adorning while
my life is all gloom andallsadness. Long have I reigned
inthe forestas King of Beasts. I’ve held sway over the
largest of them all, the tigers, wolves and bears have
trembled at my roar, and at my command all have yielded.
Now I’m deserted. No longer am I consulted in affairs
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of wisdom. It’s months since I have sat on my throne of
holly boughs. I’m forsaken and alone. Is there no way
in which I can win them again? Must all my life be thus
sorrow and gloom ?â€
He sat down to think, and as he thought his heart
grew lighter, and something almost like a smile cme 7
over his face. “I'll try it,†he said to himself, as he rose
from the rock on which he had been sitting and went
towards home.
And this was what King Leo fed been thinking.
Have I ever done anything to make them care for me.
They Groncd me their king, but all my reign I have
governed through fear. My roars were as mighty as the
thunder, my will was hard and cruel. For a trifling of-
fense I have taken their lives, and now I am reaping my
reward. If itis not too late Pil begin again. Love, not:
fear shall be my motto this time and perhaps someday my
life will be full of happiness instead of woe and misery.
And poor King Leo did begin again and although the
struggle was hard and the time of conquest long he did
prove himself victor at last and died at a very old age,
loved and respected by all the beasts of the forest, having
proved to them all that Love hath greater power than Fear,
ot eee s
are
THE WILLFUL YOUNG GOBBLER.
Mapame Turkey put on hershawl andbonnettogoto
hunt for the silliest young turkey about the place, because
that silly young turkey was her son. He had been gone
since early morning, and what had kept him his mother
could not guess. Mother Turkey and her young offspring
lived on a great big farm and had been a very happy pair,
but Mother Turkey was growing anxious. The fields had
become bare and yellow, the trees stood around them tall
and leafless, and this meant a most serious matter.to the
Turkey family—it meant that Thanksgiving Day was
drawing near, and Madame Turkey well knew that per-
haps this handsome young son of hers might grace the
table at some beautifully prepared dinner. She had little
fear for herself for she had grown old and tough, but such
a big, fat bird, as the young gobbler would hardly escape
the farmer’s noticé. Well she remembered how year after
year her children had fallen victims to the farmer’s axe,
and she had tried to show this great big son how day by
day he was running into danger. But talk seemed to
count for nothing, he did not heed his mother’s warning
words but ate freely of the yellow cornand the handfuls of
wheat that the farmer’s wife scattered temptingly before
them, and of course he grew fatter all the time.
Now do you wonder that Madame Turkey put on her
bonnet and shawl to search for her head-strong son? She
did not have far to go for she met him coming home his
hands in Bie rouce pockets, and his head. up in the air,
looking as though he knew neither fear nor danger. Once
more this good, thoughtful mother reasoned with her fool-
ish son, but he only laughed at her fears, and told her not
to worry about him for no turkey on the place could run
faster than he, and he could easily escape the farmer
should he choose him for his Thanksgiving dinner.
But old heads are often the wisest, and had this silly
young gobbler only listened to his mother he might still
be strutting around the barn yard or perhaps wandering
through the wheat fields, picking up the full ripe grains
that he loved so dearly. The farmer one day as he saun-
tered through the poultry yard spied this well fed gobbler
and decided that no finer bird than he could be found, and
before Mr. Turkey had time to run, he was firm in the.
farmer’s clutches, and before many minutes his life was
over. What a foolish bird he was, and how much better
it would have been had he only listened to the words of
warning from his good old mother.
THe BICYCrEE WACE:
Tue, glorious Fourth had proclaimed: fisele al day
long. Bang! Bang! Bang! went the cannons. Bang! |
Bang ! Bang!echoed the crackers, Aad Bang! Bang! Bang!
sounded the torpedoes small and great. Gun powder
made the air heavy and oppressive, and the clouds gather-
ing in the sky made one very uncertain as to whether or
not the rain would put an end to all the fun. Large post-
ers in red and blue letters had notified the people that
the most beautiful fire works they had ever seen would
be put off back of the Grove house—so do you wonder
that the sky was arena most anxiously ?
_ Now the people of the town were not alone in wishing
for a clear night. The young folks who dwelt in the
woods were watching the clouds with just the keenest
interest, even the tiniest speck of blue sky was hailed with
shouts of delight. Were they too going to celebrate this
day of Independence? Why to be sure they were. They
were not going to send off rockets and bombs. Roman
candles and pin wheels were not part of theirfun. These
forest folks had invited all their friends to witness a
bicycle race. The bear, the wolf, the fox, the rabbit, the
porcupine and the catamount were to take part, and as no
bicycle race had ever been ridden in these parts the great-
est interest was taken in it by all the animals in the
country round.
For weeks they had been practicing.
Early and late you might see these four
footed fellows |
mounted on their
| wheels and pushing
them along just as
fast as ever they
could. It was. not alt fun either, for tires would fie off
the rims, nuts constantly became loose and sometimes it
happened that a stone or a twig or something of the sort.
ae sent the rider off his wheel,
and then bent handle bars
must be straightened, or worse
still bruised heads must be
tied up—but all these woes
were part of the undertaking
so no one dared complain, but
must go towork and try again.
Well, all these trials were over now and the evening
had come when fate should decide to whom the honor
belonged. Whata crowd had gathered to see them!) ihe
squirrels sat chattering together up in the trees, the
crickets and katy-dids tried to out do each other in their
lively chirrup, and the night-in-gale raised her sweet
voice and poured forth the loveliest music.
One! two! three! croaked the frog, and off they started.
The rabbit ee first. “Three cheers for Bun!†shouted
the crowd. “Bruin is ahead! Three cheers for Bruin.â€
“It’s the Fox this time!†“No, he has lost his place,
Bruin is ahead again!†“Oh, what a shame the wolf has
fallen off! No use in trying again, poor wolf, the others
are far ahead.â€
First it was one and then another until at last just as
the goal was reached little Bun with one mighty effort
came in first. How the crowd cheered and what a happy
fellow Bun was. It was hard for the others, but as some
one must win all felt satisfied that it should be the little
rabbit. Then the lion, who was judge, awarded the prize,
which was the nicest bicycle ever made, and little Bun
went home very happy.
THE PAGLES CHRISTMAS.
On the top of a high mountain a Mother Eagle had
built a nice soft nest. She did not build where some
eagles do, in the cleft of the rocks, but in top of a large
tree. In the nest she laid four eggs, and there, day after
day, she sat on the nest keeping the eggs warm, until one
day she heard a gentle rap-rap against theshell. The knock-
ing grew louder and louder, and a bit of the shell fell off
the end of the egg, and slowly a little head came out, and
then a little body, aa in the course of a few hours the old
Mother Eagle found herself with four little ones to look
after. It kept her very busy indeed, supplying all their
wants and she had to make agood many trips to the val-
ley to get them the food they wanted.
All babies must havea name and sothe old Mother
Eagle put on her thinking cap, and tried to finda name
for each child; but like all mammas none was good
enough. At last she decided to call them Tim, Sam,
Chirp and Baldy.
They were a funny looking lot of creatures to be sure,
with their big heads, and mouths always open, and we would
not think them at all pretty ; but they seemed beautiful to
their mamma, and she was always trying to think up ways
of making them happy. No children ever spent more
happy days than these little eagles. Strange to say they
never quarrelled. If Sam felt cross and was likely ‘to
scold, the other little ones would creep away and leave
him to himself until he was good natured once more.
They loved one another very dearly, and each one was
ready to do as the others wished. They never said, “I
won't play, if you Eo thats some little boys and girls do.
They were still quite young, so young that they had
not yet learned to fly, when the glad Christmas time
rolled around. The snow had. been falling for several
days and the aaenetin tops were covered with a beautiful
white blanket. On the fir trees just near the eagle’s nest
the snow glistened like diamonds in the TAO Enine sun.
Sam and Tim, Baldy and Chirp were up early that Christ-_
mas morning, for, like all little folks, they wanted to see
if Santa Claus had brought them anything. All the week,
they had been wild with excitement, for, although they
had never had a Christmas, their mamma had told them
all about it and it seemed as if they could never wait for
the day tocome. Each tiny eagle had written down just
what he wanted and Mamma had a long list, when she
started off that morning to get the gifts and the Christmas |
dinner. Santa Claus was so busy supplying the wants of
the children down in the valley that he did not have time
to visit the nest, but he met the Mother Eagle one day as
he was driving over the mountain, and he had promised
to leave a lot of nice toys for the little ones hidden in the
hollow tree at the foot of the mountain, where she could
get them. Santa Claus has such a good kind heart that
he could not bear to think that even little eagles should
be forgotten on this glad day, when all of God's creatures
should be happy.
All day the little eagles sat on the branches of the tree
which was their home, craning their long necks and
straining their eyes tocatch the first sight of their mother
as she flew homeward. They did not even take time for
their mid-day nap, and if hay fe not been so anxious to
see what their mamma would bring, I fear they would -
have dropped asleep and perhaps would have fallen out of
the tree to the ground below. It was nearly twilight
when the mother came home, and how joyfully the little
ones greeted her, and how delighted they were with her
well filled basket. They chattered and chirped in their
own language until their poor mother was almost wild
with their noise, but she was also very much pleased to
see them all so happy.
What a nice Christmas dinner they had. True, their
turkey was not roasted or garnished as ‘ours is, but they
liked it all the better. First there was the nicest, sweet-
est fish you ever saw, served up in ae eagle style.
Then a nice rabbit, two young pigeons and some fat
ducks When the youngsters had finished their dinner,
their mamma brought out a bag of yellow corn and a lot
of rosy cheeked apples, which she had stolen from a far-
mer’s wagon. My, how those little eagles did eat. It was
a great wonder they did not All die.
When the feast was over, and the horns and drums,
the bright micnite books, and the other pretty toys were
‘distributed, they all decided that Christmas was the
happiest time imaginable. “ Well, really,†said little Baldy,
“JT wish Christmas came oftener.†And all the others
cried, “So do we.â€
THE BEARS AND THE HIVE.
Hue and Squeese were two tat little cubs who lived
with their grandmother. Their mother had been captured
ina trap when they were little tiny bears and Mother
Bruin had taken them to her home and cared for them
ever since. Such times as she had with them—they
seemed to have been born under an unlucky star, and
poor old grandmother Bruin had her hands full. They
had of course fallen victims to the measles and next to the
whooping-cough and they would eat so many sweets, that
the toothache was almost A daily visitor. Grandmother
Bruin used to shake her poor old head until her stiffly
starched cap with its large purple bow would slip away
off over her ear. She did want very much that they
should be good little bears, and she would talk to Hug and
Squeeze so earnestly that they would promise to be
| ever so much better, and they really meant it when they
promised, but when mischief came into their heads, like
a good many little boys and girls—they forgot.
Tommy Jones was the gardner’s son, and Tommy
‘wanted very much to become rich. He had been given
some money one day in the fall for gathering chestnuts
for his master’s children. Tom was proud to have money
of his own, and tried and tried to think of some plan to
make it more. One day as he passed a shop window he
_ saw little boxes with honey in them for sale, this put an
idea inf Tommy’s head. He would go home build some
hives and when spring came get a swarm of bees and then
he too could have honey to sell. ZTommy was a wise iittle
chap to settle on this plan, for the roses grew in great.
profusion, the lillies and honey suckle made rich food for
the bees, and the buckwheat fields that gleamed so white
and beautiful. had sweetness beyond measure for these
busy little food gatherers. |
Well, spring came and Tommy beamed with delight
upon the neatly built hives that were to be the homes of
the honey makers and the source of his wealth.
Then summer came and the work went bravely on until
the cones were dripping with the store of gold_. honey.
Now Hug and Squeeze had been growing all this
while, and the spirit for adventure kept growing with
them. One night Grandmother Bruin had put them to
bed and bade them be good, @bedient children. They lay
very still until their grandmother had gone and then as
quietly as mice they crept out of bed and stole cautiously
away. Through the woods they scampered, wild with joy
over their freedom. The road reached, they could not
make up their minds where to go, but the apples in the
gardner’s yard had made such fine balls before that they
decided to try agame once more. Off they trotted, reached
-the garden, but stopped with wonder when they saw
numbers of queer looking houses standing side by side.
They had never seen hives before and knew nothing Aone
the savage little creatures that lived inside.
“We will take one home,†said Hug, “it ail be fine
to play with.â€
Ball was forgotten and Hug shouldered the hive,
while little Squeeze scampered along at his side. But
they had not gone far when Hug felt a sharp pinch on his
ear, then one on his arm, and then he began to feel as
though he was being stabbed all over. The bees were not
long in finding out Squeeze, and run as they might the
cubs could not escape their fonmentons
“ They are in the box,†said Squeeze, “ throw it away,
do.â€
Hug threw away the box, but the bees still held
fast. The more the bears tried to get rid of them, the
closer they clung, and the deeper they drove their stings.
What a dreadful time they had getting rid of them, and
what pitiful sights they were when they reached home.
Their faces were so swollen that it was hard to tell
who they were. Their ‘ears were as large as two, and
their poor ee were smarting, as if froma burn. They |
were almost afraid to go home, for they knew they were to
blame for all ier suffering, but they felt so very badly
that they decided they must go to grandméther for help.
. For little bears are like little children, when they get hurt,
they.always want to get home right away. ‘So off they
trotted as fast as possible, and grandmother was very kind
to them in their trouble, she did not punish them for she
thought they had been’ well rewarded for their dis-
obedience and meddlesome ways, but as she tucked them
in bed eae more, after spreading mud on their swollen
hands and faces sheleaned Over on and said, “Will ou
try to let this be a lesson and listen more carefully here-
after to your old grandmothers advice.†I think the little
bears learned a lesson which lasted them all their lives,
for they lived a great many -years in their old home and
never again meddled with what did not belong to them.
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