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+Project Gutenberg's The Nursery, March 1878, Vol. XXIII. No. 3, by Various
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: The Nursery, March 1878, Vol. XXIII. No. 3
+       A Monthly Magazine for Youngest Readers
+
+Author: Various
+
+Release Date: February 20, 2009 [EBook #28142]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE NURSERY, MARCH 1878 ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Emmy, Juliet Sutherland and the Online
+Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net. Music
+by Linda Cantoni.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+THE
+
+NURSERY
+
+
+_A Monthly Magazine_
+
+
+FOR YOUNGEST READERS.
+
+
+VOLUME XXIII.--No. 3.
+
+
+
+
+Contents
+
+
+In Prose
+
+                                          PAGE
+  In the Swing                             67
+  How My Boys Helped Their Mother          69
+  "Stop That Quarrelling."                 71
+  A Letter from Calcutta                   73
+  Prairie Dogs                             75
+  The Catbird                              79
+  How to Draw a Cat                        80
+  Playing Cook                             81
+  How a Boy Caught a Fish with His Nose    82
+  An Old Fable                             83
+  Our Fly                                  84
+  Grandpa's Watch                          85
+  Helen's Bird                             87
+  The Geese and the Hawk                   90
+  Mabel's Secrets                          91
+  The Snow Country                         94
+
+
+In Verse
+
+                                          PAGE
+  Nobody's Dog                             66
+  The New Moon                             68
+  The Girl Who is Always Good              72
+  The Street-Player                        77
+  Three Little Chicks Born in a Shoe       89
+  The Little Student                       93
+  The Froggie's Party (_with music_)       96
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: NOBODY'S DOG.]
+
+
+
+
+NOBODY'S DOG.
+
+
+  [Illustration: O]NLY a dirty black-and-white dog!
+                   You can see him any day,
+                 Trotting meekly from street to street:
+                   He almost seems to say,
+                 As he looks in your face with wistful eyes,
+                   "I don't mean to be in your way."
+
+                 His tail hangs drooping between his legs;
+                   His body is thin and spare:
+                 How he envies the sleek and well-fed dogs,
+                   That thrive on their masters' care!
+                 And he wonders what they must think of him,
+                   And grieves at his own hard fare.
+
+                 Sometimes he sees a friendly face,--
+                   A face that he seems to know;
+                 And thinks it may be the master
+                   That he lost so long ago;
+                 And even dares to follow him home,
+                   For he loved his master so!
+
+                 Poor Jack! He's only mistaken again,
+                   And stoned and driven back;
+                 But he's used to disappointments now,
+                   And takes up his beaten track;
+                 Nobody's dog, for whom nobody cares,--
+                   Poor unfortunate Jack!
+
+                                                 FRED B. KING.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+IN THE SWING.
+
+
+THE swing was hung from an old oak-tree in grandmother's grove. There
+Mabel and I used to go every fine summer morning before breakfast, and
+swing for five minutes. We did not swing longer than that because too
+much of this kind of exercise is not healthy.
+
+Once, when I had swung her very high, Mabel had a fall, but it did not
+hurt her, for she fell among some tufts of soft grass; but, if her head
+had struck a stone, it might have done her great harm. After that we
+were both more careful.
+
+Five years have gone by since those days. We both go to school, and I do
+not think you would know us, from the likenesses in the picture. But
+next summer we hope to visit grandmother once more, and we shall revive
+old times in the swing under the old oak-tree.
+
+The sly squirrels will come out and look at us; the birds will twitter,
+and try to make us think that they have no nests in the trees and bushes
+thereabouts: but we shall say, "We shall do you no harm, birds,
+squirrels, beetles--no harm--for we love you all! So play on, and please
+let us play too."
+
+                                                        EDITH.
+
+
+
+
+THE NEW MOON.
+
+
+          PRETTY new moon, white new moon,
+            What do you bring in your horn?
+          Silver light to paint black night
+            As fair as the early dawn?
+
+          Sweet new moon, pretty new moon,
+            Where did you harvest your rays?
+          In the deeps of dark were you but a spark
+            Till the sun shone along your ways?
+
+          Fair new moon, kind new moon,
+            Will my wish come true some day,
+          When you're but a ghost of yourself, at the most,
+            And your glory passes away?
+
+                                             MARY N. PRESCOTT.
+
+
+
+
+HOW MY BOYS HELPED THEIR MOTHER.
+
+
+WHEN we first came here to live, the lot next to ours was vacant; but
+afterwards a house was built on it, and the boys were very much
+interested in the progress of the building. Often, when obliged to stay
+in doors, they would sit by the window, watching the work on the "new
+house," as they called it.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Mr. Little, the owner of the house, was an old acquaintance of ours, and
+very fond of children. So occasionally, when he came to oversee the
+work, I would allow the boys to go up and see him; and he would give
+them a few nails, or some blocks to play with.
+
+One day, Mr. Little called their attention to the wood which the
+carpenters had thrown aside as rubbish, and told them he was going to
+pick up some of it, and send it home to burn; "and now, boys," said Mr.
+Little, "if you would like to help your mother, here is a chance to get
+her some kindling-wood. You may come every day, and get all you can
+carry home."
+
+They came home delighted with the plan; and the next morning, as soon as
+breakfast was done, they were ready to begin their work. The two oldest
+boys took their wheelbarrows, and the youngest one his cart, and off
+they started. I could see them from my window, working very diligently,
+and they soon came back, each with a good-sized load.
+
+They knocked at the back-door, and asked me where I would have my wood
+put. I told them they could put it in the cellar, and opened the outside
+cellar-door for them. Each one threw out his load, and started for
+another; and so they kept at work nearly the whole forenoon.
+
+They continued to work in this way for a week, sometimes getting one
+load a day, and sometimes four or five; and every night, when their papa
+came home, they invited him down cellar to see how much wood they had.
+
+In a little room back of the parlor, there was an old-fashioned
+fireplace, in which, when the evenings began to grow cool, papa would
+build up a nice fire, just after supper. Then he would sit down in the
+firelight with the boys, and tell them stories till their bed-time,
+greatly to their delight.
+
+So you see they had a reward for their labor, besides having the
+satisfaction of knowing that they helped their mother.
+
+                                                         H. L.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+"STOP THAT QUARRELLING."
+
+
+IN England recently, a curious incident of geese-life was witnessed. A
+number of very fine geese, belonging to a Mr. Woodford were having their
+morning ramble, when suddenly a strange noise was heard.
+
+Two of the geese had begun quarrelling, probably over some choice
+morsel of food. They fought each other furiously, when they were
+suddenly stopped in a way that caused no little surprise to the
+beholders.
+
+An old goose came flying across the road, and cackling in tones that
+must have meant, "Stop that quarrelling!" for they seemed to be well
+understood by the combatants. Having chided them well, the old goose
+proceeded to punish them.
+
+Instantly the quarrelsome geese obeyed the command of the old goose; and
+the whole flock, that had been witnesses of the fight, began to gobble
+their approval of the peace that had been brought about. How much wiser
+they were than some bad boys, who like to see a fight, and do not try to
+stop it!
+
+                                                UNCLE CHARLES.
+
+
+
+
+THE GIRL WHO IS ALWAYS GOOD.
+
+
+          SHE never sighs;
+            She never grumbles;
+          She never cries
+            When down she tumbles.
+
+          She never soils
+            Her pretty dresses;
+          She never spoils
+            Her silken tresses.
+
+          With cap on head,
+            And wee hands folded,
+          She's put to bed,
+            And never scolded.
+
+          Oh, she's a pearl!
+            No mischief scheming;
+          There's such a girl,--
+            Don't think I'm dreaming.
+
+          But not to tell
+            Her name were folly:
+          You know her well,
+            For she's your Dolly!
+
+                                                GEORGE COOPER.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+A LETTER FROM CALCUTTA.
+
+
+_Dear "Nursery,"_--Way out here, a long distance from my real home,
+which is not far from Boston, my grandmamma sends you; and I am so fond
+of hearing the stories read, that I think some of your children would
+like to read a story about this country.
+
+There are many things here which would be new and strange to most of
+them; but few things are more funny than the crows playing their pranks.
+The crows are very like those at home, except that these little fellows
+have slate-colored necks, and are much more bold.
+
+If a window or door is left open, it will not be a minute before one or
+more crows will arrive and look about in search of food. If you chance
+to leave any thing about that is eatable, it is seized and carried off
+in an instant.
+
+There is a great park here, known as the Maidan, where dogs run with
+bones to pick; and this habit of the dogs suits the crows perfectly, for
+they always try to get away the bones, and often succeed too. This is
+the way they usually go to work. The first crow that sees a dog with a
+bone calls all his friends, and off they fly to where the dog is. There
+they alight, and stand around him.
+
+Then they talk to one another. Perhaps one says, in crow language, "This
+is an ugly cur;" another says, "He has crooked legs;" another, "His tail
+is cut off;" and so they keep talking until the dog gets angry, and with
+a snap and a bark, tries to drive them away. This only makes them laugh;
+and they begin again to torment the dog by talking, and even by jumping
+upon his back, and pulling his tail.
+
+Now, no dog of any spirit will stand this insult. So he springs up in a
+rage, to punish the saucy birds. That is precisely what the crows want;
+for, as soon as he turns his head around to bite one crow, another darts
+down, seizes the bone, and carries it away. Then how they do laugh at
+the poor dog! and isn't he angry!
+
+We have also a bird commonly called a "kite," but often called the
+"Indian swallow," as it sails about in the air just as our home swallows
+do. It does not seize its food with its bill, as the crow does, but with
+its claws or talons, and eats as it flies. Now, the crow can't help
+tormenting something; and the kite often gets his share of their
+attention.
+
+I have seen crows sit on a fence on both sides of a kite, and provoke
+him by their talk, just as one boy often provokes another by saying
+saucy little things. At first the kite pretends not to care; but very
+soon his feathers ruffle, and he flies at a crow, as if to tear him in
+pieces. The crow is quick and darts away, but returns just as soon as
+the kite flies at another crow. And in this way the crows amuse
+themselves for a long time.
+
+It is believed here that crows hold meetings, and decide upon the
+punishment due to other crows that have been bad; for they have often
+been seen to gather in large numbers, and, after chattering like magpies
+for a time, take one of their number, and peck him severely, sometimes
+even killing him.
+
+Good-by, dear old "Nursery." Your little friend,
+
+                                                LEON K. DAVIS.
+
+
+
+
+PRAIRIE DOGS.
+
+
+HOW many of the bright-eyed boys and girls who read "The Nursery," or
+hear it read, month after month, ever saw a prairie-dog village? Ah! I
+see several little hands up. "The Nursery" has many readers in Western
+Kansas; and there is the very place where prairie-dog villages are
+found.
+
+I will tell you about my first visit to one of them. As we were riding
+over the beautiful green prairie, we came to a place dotted here and
+there with hillocks about a foot high, and on each sat a funny little
+yellow dog.
+
+These little hills, which have a hole in the top for a door, are the
+houses of the prairie-dogs. They would let us come quite close to them,
+when, with a comical squeak, intended, I suppose, for a bark, down they
+would go, head first, into the holes, giving their tails a "good-by"
+shake.
+
+The noise they make sounds exactly like the noise made by toy-animals
+when you press them in your hands. Fifty prairie-dogs all barking
+together could not be heard very far.
+
+On a number of the hills sat solemn old owls, trying to look very wise.
+Most of these owls sat perfectly still as we drove by; but I saw two or
+three fly slowly away, as if half asleep. I wonder if these sober old
+birds teach the little prairie-dogs any of their wisdom.
+
+All the prairies in this part of Kansas are covered with a short, thick
+grass, called "buffalo-grass," and the dogs live on its roots. These
+roots are little bulbs, and make nice rich food for the funny little
+fellows.
+
+A gentleman who has lived here for many years tells me that all their
+houses are connected underground by halls or passages, so that they can
+travel a mile or so without coming to the top of the ground.
+
+Wherever you see a prairie-dog village, there you will find good water
+by digging a few feet. Sometimes boys capture these queer little dogs,
+and they become quite tame and make cunning pets.
+
+                                            MARY MAXWELL RYAN.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+THE STREET-PLAYER.
+
+
+          UNDER my window I hear a sound,
+            The scrape of a fiddle, the clatter of feet;
+          And a curious crowd of boys and men
+            Has gathered there in the street.
+
+          And in their midst is a little child,
+            With ragged shoes and a brimless hat,
+          Not bigger than Hop-O'-my-Thumb, at most,
+            And wan and thin at that.
+
+          I see his fingers like little claws,
+            His berry-brown eyes, and wistful smile,
+          As he plies the bow of his fiddle fast,
+            And tries to sing meanwhile.
+
+          And when his shrill brief song is done,
+            He plucks the hat from his curly head,
+          And begs a penny from every one,
+            Though not a word is said.
+
+          Just fit for a mother's arms to fold,
+          Yet here alone in the heat and dust,
+          Doing his poor, tired, baby best
+          To earn for himself a crust.
+
+          He looks like Teddy, for all the world;
+            Just such a tanned and rosy skin;
+          Only he lacks the apple cheeks,
+            The dimples, and double-chin.
+
+          And I think if Teddy were motherless,
+            And had to wander from place to place,
+          How quickly the twinkle would leave his eye,
+            And the dimples leave his face.
+
+          So, Teddy, open the little bank,
+            And give him the pennies kept for toys,
+          And under my window let me see
+            Two little nut-brown boys!
+
+                                        MRS. CLARA DOTY BATES.
+
+[Illustration: ]
+
+
+
+
+THE CATBIRD.
+
+
+THE catbird belongs to the family of thrushes, and is one of the most
+peculiar of our American birds. It is dark colored, with brown head and
+neck, and greenish-black tail. The bird is fond of society, and usually
+builds its nest near the dwellings of men, rather than in the quiet of
+the forest.
+
+Its voice, when angry or disturbed, is harsh and shrill, but at other
+times, soft and sweet. It has also a cry like the mewing of a cat, from
+which it derives its name. It is very courageous, and will defend its
+young until it falls exhausted.
+
+The catbird can be tamed, but is as mischievous as a young
+monkey,--meddlesome, full of curiosity, and so jealous, that it will
+drive any other pet bird out of the house. It dislikes to be caged,
+preferring the freedom of the room, so that it may look in the
+looking-glass, take pins off from the cushion, or perch on the plants in
+the window.
+
+                                                   AUNT ALICE.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: HOW TO DRAW A CAT.]
+
+          When Ellen makes up dough for bread,
+          A roll like this you see.
+
+          One turnover she puts on top,
+          Because it pleases me.
+
+          Now when I saw Miss Pussy's back
+          As she lay upon the mat,
+          I thought of Ellen's bread and pie
+          It surely looks like that,
+          So adding ears and tail I had,
+          The rear view of my cat.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+PLAYING COOK.
+
+
+JENNY was at her little table, making a pudding for her doll's dinner,
+when brother Albert came in with Snap the dog, and said, "Let me be the
+cook, sister: I know how to make a pudding. First I will break these
+three eggs into the dish."
+
+"But I can see no eggs," said Jenny.
+
+"Look sharp," said Albert, going through the motion of breaking an egg.
+"Good and fresh."
+
+"I see no eggs," said Jenny.
+
+"You must be losing your eyesight," said the cook, taking a spoon. "Now,
+then, I will stir up the eggs; and now I will put in a little flour; and
+now I will grate in some nutmeg."
+
+"I think you had better put in some milk," said Jenny.
+
+"Of course, I shall," replied the cook. "Where's the basin of milk?"
+
+"You will find it on the floor," said Jenny.
+
+Albert looked, and cried out, "Go away, Snap!--See, Jenny, that greedy
+dog has lapped up all the milk!"
+
+"No matter," said Jenny. "You can get some more where you got the eggs."
+
+So Albert seized the little pitcher, went through the motion of emptying
+it, stirred the pudding once more, and then placed it on the little
+doll-stove.
+
+"Oh, what a fine cook you are!" said Jenny. "But, when I am very hungry,
+I think I shall not come to you for my dinner."
+
+                                                      IDA FAY.
+
+
+
+
+HOW A BOY CAUGHT A FISH WITH HIS NOSE.
+
+
+A FEW years ago, a little boy was out fishing with his mother, on
+Crooked Lake, in the western part of New York; or perhaps I should say,
+_she_ was fishing, and he was looking over the side of the boat. He
+could see the fish darting about here and there, and liked to watch
+them, and he put his face as close down to the water as he could to see
+them more plainly.
+
+A big trout came along, and saw something smooth and round and white
+close to the top of the water. It was the boy's nose. The trout was
+hungry, and I suppose he thought it was a piece of meat, or something
+else good to eat: so he gave a spring out of the lake, and caught fast
+hold of it with his teeth.
+
+Very much startled, the boy jerked his head back suddenly, and landed
+Mr. Trout in the boat. He was a fine large fellow, and weighed several
+pounds. I hope he did not bite off the end of the boy's nose. I wonder
+if the boy would like to try to catch another trout in the same way.
+
+Everybody thought this so funny, that the boy became, for a while, quite
+famous, and had his photograph taken, with the mark of the bite on his
+nose. This may seem a very tough story, but it is true. The thing took
+place only a few miles from where I live.
+
+                                               ELIZABETH SILL.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+AN OLD FABLE.
+
+
+AN ass, having put on a lion's skin, roamed about in the forest, and
+amused himself by frightening all the animals he met with in his
+wanderings. At last he met a fox, and tried to frighten him also; but
+the fox no sooner heard the sound of his voice than he exclaimed, "I
+might have been afraid, if I had not heard you bray."
+
+This fable was written by AEsop, a famous Grecian who lived nearly three
+thousand years ago.
+
+A fable is a fictitious story designed to enforce some useful lesson or
+moral. See if you can tell the moral of this one.
+
+                                                UNCLE CHARLES.
+
+
+
+
+OUR FLY.
+
+
+[Illustration]
+
+I WANT to tell "The Nursery" readers about a fly who has lived in my
+mamma's room all winter. At night he hides away in some warm place; but,
+when the sun shines, he flies all about the room, and acts as if he were
+very happy.
+
+When my mamma was sick, he used to fly about her, and make a great
+buzzing; and, when the girl brought up her dinner, he would crawl about
+the tray as if he were hungry. Mamma would give him some sugar, which he
+liked very much.
+
+We missed him once for a whole week. We looked all over the room, but
+could not find him anywhere. At last, one day, we saw him on the window
+trying to fly, and what do you think? The poor fellow had lost one of
+his wings. Mamma said that he must have flown into the gas-light, and
+got burnt. She gave him some sugar, and he seemed to feel better for
+eating it.
+
+I watched him a long time, and when he had eaten enough he crawled on to
+my hand. I took him off, and put him on the window again; but he kept
+coming back to my hand, and I think, if he could have spoken, he would
+have said, "Thank you, little girl, for my nice dinner."
+
+I will tell you more about him some time.
+
+                                                        VIOLA.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+GRANDPA'S WATCH.
+
+
+GEORGE is never so happy as when he is on grandpa's knee; and the first
+thing that grandpa has to do, when little George is seated there, is to
+pull out his watch.
+
+"Watch, watch!" cries little George; and grandpa takes it out, opens it,
+and lets him see all the queer little wheels and the bright works, that
+shine and glitter so, and keep up the quick movements, and make the
+watch say, "Tick, tick!"
+
+Grandpa and George are good friends, because grandpa tries to explain
+things to him. One day he brought home a watch and gave it to the little
+boy for his own, and showed him how to wind it up, and make it tick.
+
+George is very proud of it, and will soon learn to tell the time of day.
+He knows now how to count ten.
+
+                                                      A. B. C.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+HELEN'S BIRD.
+
+
+WHEN Helen was eight years old, a pretty little canary-bird was given to
+her as a birthday present. She named it "Chirp;" and she and Chirp soon
+got to be very fond of each other.
+
+Helen took the whole care of him; and he grew so tame that he would
+perch on her hand, and take seeds from her finger, and even from her
+lips. He was a fine singer, and Helen liked to be waked in the morning
+by his music.
+
+His cage was placed on her table near her bed, and she always began the
+day by having a little talk with Chirp. There was not the least risk in
+opening the cage, and letting him out into the room; for he would fly to
+Helen as soon as she called him.
+
+So for years the little bird and the little girl lived happily together.
+One November day, when Helen was almost eleven years old, she had been
+out making a call, and, on her return, Chirp was missing. Helen saw that
+a window had been left open, and knew that he must have flown out.
+
+"Oh, dear!" said she, in great distress, "my poor little Chirp is gone,
+and I shall never see him again."
+
+Her mother tried to comfort her by saying that he had not been gone
+long, and could not be far away. "But," said Helen, "it is cold weather,
+and is snowing too, and he must be chilled to death."
+
+However, without wasting time in talk, she snatched up a handful of
+canary-seed, and ran out of doors at once in search of her little pet.
+She looked up into the vine that grew on the side of the house, and
+called, "Chirp, Chirp!"
+
+She could see nothing of him; but Chirp saw her, and in a moment came
+fluttering down among the snowflakes, and perched upon her hand. Oh, how
+delighted Helen was to see him! The first thing she did was to give him
+some seeds to eat; for she knew he must be half starved.
+
+"You dear little venturesome thing," she said. "You wanted to see the
+world, didn't you? But why couldn't you wait for warmer weather? You
+have given me a dreadful fright. Come into the house now and be
+contented, and next summer you shall go out with me."
+
+                                                  JANE OLIVER.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+THREE LITTLE CHICKS BORN IN A SHOE.
+
+
+          THREE little chickens,
+            Born in a shoe,
+          When the freshet came,
+            Didn't know what to do:
+          One went on deck,
+            Just to watch the weather,
+          While down below
+            The others sat together.
+
+          "Oh, what shall we do!
+            Mother is not here:
+          Captain there on deck!
+            Oh, what cheer? what cheer?"
+          "Water everywhere,
+            Far as I can see!
+          But the wind is fair;
+            Let us easy be."
+
+          "Oh, we want our mother,"
+            Cried the other two:
+          "Stop that!" said the captain,--
+            Captain of the shoe:
+          "We are lucky chickens
+            In our little boat;
+          Water-tight it is,
+            And it keeps afloat.
+
+          "I hear mother calling
+            From the barn-yard wall:
+          Courage, little sisters!
+            Don't you hear her call?"
+          Yes, they heard it plainly;
+            Oh, how glad they were!
+          "Now blow fair, thou gentle wind,
+            Bear us all to her!"
+
+          And the wind kept blowing,
+            Fair and fair it blew,
+          Bearing to the barn-yard wall
+            All that little crew.
+          When their mother saw them,
+            She flew down apace;
+          On her back she bore them
+            To a nice dry place.
+
+                                                 EMILY CARTER.
+
+
+
+
+THE GEESE AND THE HAWK.
+
+
+ONE day in May as Charles walked through the fields, he saw a large hawk
+hovering in the air, and heard a noise as of geese cackling. Soon an old
+mother-goose with a troop of little ones came running towards him.
+
+She knew that Charles would protect her and her fledglings from the
+cruel hawk; and she was not mistaken. He took up a stick, and, looking
+up at the hawk, said, "Now come on if you dare, you old thief!"
+
+The hawk made a swoop down to the top of a tree near by, caught sight of
+the goslings, and would, no doubt, have liked to clutch one of them, and
+carry it off; but the robber-bird was not quite bold enough to do this
+while Charles stood by.
+
+At last the hawk flew off out of sight, and Charles called his good dog
+Fido, and pointed at the geese, and said, "Take care of them, sir." So
+Fido sat down near by, and watched the geese. I think if the hawk had
+come then, Fido would have been more than a match for him.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+                                                UNCLE CHARLES.
+
+
+
+
+MABEL'S SECRETS.
+
+
+AND what were her secrets? She was one of the children allowed to make
+Christmas-gifts to their friends.
+
+But it was hard for Mabel to keep her secrets. When her papa came home
+at night, she always climbed upon his knee to tell him every thing that
+had happened in her little world during the day; and her papa always
+listened to her prattle with a great deal of interest.
+
+Now, that there was something she must not tell, Mabel could think of
+nothing else. She climbed upon his knee, and sat so silent, that her
+papa said, "Well, puss, have you nothing to tell papa to-night?"
+
+"Oh, I mustn't tell you my secrets, papa," said wise little Mabel: "I've
+lots of 'em, and one is for you; and, if I tell, you will know all about
+it."
+
+Now that the ice was broken, Mabel chatted on, innocently thinking that
+her secrets were safe in her wise little head. "Mamma knows," she
+continued; "but you mustn't know; and we are going to have a
+Christmas-tree to put 'em on, and everybody will be so _sprised_."
+
+Sure enough, when Christmas Eve came, every one was surprised, but, most
+of all, little Mabel; for a beautiful doll and many other pretty things
+hung upon the tree for her. "Why, mamma," she exclaimed, "somebody else
+must have had secrets too!"
+
+                                                      M. B. L.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+THE LITTLE STUDENT.
+
+
+          IN the sun by the wall, with Lion close by,
+          With her book in her hand, little Ruth you may spy:
+          She is getting her lesson as fast as she can,
+          While the birds sing their song and the soft breezes fan.
+
+          See, that is her slate lying there on the ground:
+          She can make a square figure, and then make a round;
+          She can add up a sum, if it's not very big;
+          But she cannot yet draw me a cat or a pig.
+
+          But she tries to learn something, though little it be,
+          Each day of her life,--something useful, you see:
+          And in two or three years you will find she can spell,
+          Read, cipher, and write, and do it all well.
+
+                                                ELLEN SIMPSON.
+
+
+
+
+THE SNOW-COUNTRY.
+
+
+"WHAT a funny looking man!" cried Harry, running to me with his book
+open, to show me a picture. "Where does he live, aunty? and why does he
+wear such clothes?"
+
+"He is an Esquimau, and lives in the snow-country, and his clothes are
+made of fur."
+
+"Tell me about the snow-country, aunty."
+
+"Up in the far north, near the north pole, it is winter all the time.
+There the snow is always on the ground; and instead of having, as we do,
+many days and nights, they have only one day and one night in all the
+year.
+
+"You will wonder if the people sleep all through the long night, and if
+they do not get tired of the long day. No; for they go to bed and get up
+about as often as we do.
+
+"During the night they have the stars to light them, and bright flashing
+colors in the sky, such as we call the 'Northern Lights.' When the sun
+comes back, he makes them a long visit; but never gets so high in the
+sky as he does with us, and never makes the weather warm."
+
+[Illustration]
+
+"What are those things in the picture that look like bee-hives?" said
+Harry.
+
+"The picture shows you an Esquimaux village, and those are the houses.
+They are made of blocks of snow. Some of the houses have pieces of clear
+ice for windows. Others have no windows at all; only a small hole for a
+door, which is closed up with snow after the family have all gone in."
+
+"A snow-house with ice windows!" said Harry. "Why, how do they keep
+warm?"
+
+"They warm the houses with oil lamps, and get them very warm and very
+smoky too."
+
+"Well," said Harry, "the Esquimaux are a queer people. I should like to
+hear more about them."
+
+"I will tell you more some other time."
+
+                                                      G. D. Y.
+
+
+
+
+THE FROGGIE'S PARTY.
+
+
+[Illustration: Music]
+
+          1. The frog who would a-wooing go,
+          Gave a party, you must know;
+          And his bride dress'd all in green,
+          Look'd as fine as any queen.
+          Their reception number'd some
+          Of the best in Froggiedom:
+          Four gray froggies play'd the fiddle,--
+          Hands all round and down the middle;
+          Oh! oh! oh! oh! away we go!
+          Hopping and jumping away we go!
+
+          2. Some stern old croakers there did come,
+          In white chokers to the room;
+          While the belles with rush-leaf fans,
+          Danc'd with beaux in green brogans,
+          Flirted in the bowers there,
+          Hidden from the ball-room's glare:
+          Three old froggies tried a reel,--
+          Twist 'em, turn 'em, toe and heel,
+          With a oh! oh! oh! away we go!
+          Hopping and jumping away we go!
+
+          3. One little Miss was ask'd to sing,
+          But she had a cold that spring;
+          Little frogs were sound asleep,
+          Late hours--bad for them to keep.
+          Each one wish'd the couple joy,
+          No bad boys came to annoy:
+          This next fall the news is spreading
+          They will have their silver wedding!
+          Oh! oh! oh! oh! away we go!
+          Hopping and jumping away we go!
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Transcriber's Notes:
+
+The title page and table of contents were created for this issue
+following the pattern from the 1877 issues.
+
+Page 70, period added at end of paragraph (a good-sized load)
+
+Page 75, extra comma removed. Original read (crow, is quick)
+
+Page 95, single quotation mark changed to double quotation mark (more
+about them.")
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Nursery, March 1878, Vol. XXIII.
+No. 3, by Various
+
+*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE NURSERY, MARCH 1878 ***
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