Various
The Nursery, June 1873, Vol. XIII.
Bertha.
BAD LUCK
John went down to the brook to catch a mess of fish. He took off his boots, took his seat on the bank, and threw out his line.
The fishes took John's bait. He could see them dart at the bait as fast as he threw it in; but they did not take his hook.
While he watched them, some one touched him on the arm. It was his sister Jane.
"How many have you caught, John?" said she. "I'll help you take them home."
"Thank you," said John. "We shall not have much of a load. I have had bad luck."
There were three men a mile down stream, who did full as well as John did. Here is a sketch of them.
CHERRY AND FAIR-STAR
I could not have been quite six years old when I became the possessor of a canary-bird, to which I gave the name of Cherry.
There were three children of us,—myself (the oldest), Arthur, and baby. My father was at sea; and my mother had charge of us all in her little house near the ocean.
Well do I remember one cold day in winter when we were all gathered in the one little apartment that served us for nursery, dining-room, and sitting-room. Arthur, who had overslept himself, was at his breakfast; mother was feeding baby; and I was looking at my dear Cherry in his cage.
Pots of hyacinths in bloom were on the table; Mr. Punch, Arthur's Christmas present, lay as if watching the cat on baby's pillow in the basket; and Muff, the old cat, with Fair-Star her kitten, were lapping milk from a basin on the floor.
My dear mother had taught Muff to be good to Cherry; and Muff seemed to have overcome her natural propensities so far as to let Cherry even light on her head, and there sing a few notes of a song.
So, on the day I am speaking of, I let Cherry out of his cage; and he flew round, and at last lighted on the kitten's head. At this Muff seemed much pleased; and Fair-Star herself was not disturbed by the liberty the little bird took.
But all at once Muff sprang upon Cherry, and, seizing him in her mouth, jumped up on the bureau. At last it would seem as if the old cat had chosen her time to kill and eat my poor little bird.
No such thing! Our good Muff was all right. A neighbor, who had come to borrow our axe, had left the back-door open; and a hungry old stray cat had suddenly made her appearance. Muff saw that Cherry was in danger, and seized him so that the strange cat should not harm him.
Cherry was not only not hurt, but not frightened. Well do I remember how my mother placed baby on the pillows, drove out the strange cat, and then took up Muff, and petted and praised her till Muff's purr of pleasure was loud as the noise of a spinning-wheel.
After that adventure, Cherry and Muff and Fair-Star were all better friends than ever.
Lucy Korner.
THE FAT LITTLE PIGGIES
Said a sow to her piggies so white,
"Oh! the chilly winds whistle around,
There is ice on the old miller's dam,
And there's snow on the hard frozen ground;
But a warm, sheltered stackyard have we,
Where all day you may play hide-and-seek:
So away, little piggies, my white little piggies,
For a gambol and scramble and squeak.
"You have all had your breakfasts, I know;
For your trough was full, up to the top,
Of the sweetest potatoes and milk;
And you've not left a bit or a drop;
But, though an old sow, I'll not grunt:
So begone round the barn for a freak,
And I'll watch you, dear piggies, fat, curly-tailed piggies,
As you hurry and scurry and squeak."
So at once, 'mid the fresh-sprinkled straw,
The young pettitoes scampered away;
And they rooted and burrowed and hid,
Then all quiet a minute they lay:
Soon their pink-pointed, noses peeped out;
Then their bodies, so plump and so sleek.
Oh the glad little piggies, the mad little piggies—
How they snuffle and scuffle and squeak!
George Bennett.