our kind of work. Wouldn't like to pull the binder with its shining
knives and whirling arms, for whoever does that has to walk fast and
make sudden turns and stops. Wouldn't like being hitched to the carriage
to carry the farmer's family to town. Wouldn't like to take care of the
Sheep, like Collie, or to grow feathers like the Geese--but we can draw
stone-boats and all sorts of heavy loads, if we do say it."
The Red Calf, who was always running and kicking up his heels, said,
"Oh, it's such slow work! I should think you'd feel that you would never
reach the end of your journey."
"We don't think about that," answered the Nigh Ox. "It doesn't pay. We
used to, though. I remember the time when I wished myself a Swallow,
flying a mile a minute, instead of step-step-stepping my way through
life. My mother was a sensible Cow, and wore the bell in our herd. She
cured me of that foolishness. She told me that Swallows had to fly one
wing-beat at a time, and that dinners had to be eaten one mouthful at a
time, and that nothing really worth while could be done in a minute. She
said that if we were forever thinking how much work we had to do and
how tiresome it was, we'd never enjoy life, and we wouldn't live long
either. Lazy Oxen never do. That's another thing which doesn't pay."
The Red Calf and the White Calf spoke together: "We will always be
sensible. We will never lose our tempers. We will never be afraid to
work. We will be fine and long-lived cattle."
"Might you not better say you will _try_ to be sensible?" asked the Nigh
Ox. "You know it is not always easy to do those things, and one has to
begin over and over again."
"Oh, no," they answered. "We know what we can do."
"You might be mistaken," said the Oxen gently.
"I am never mistaken," said the Red Calf.
"Neither am I," said the White Calf.
"Well, good-morning," called the Oxen, as they moved off. "We are going
to talk with our sisters, the Cows."
After they had gone, the pretty Black Calf spoke in her pleasant way:
"It seems to me I shall be an old Cow before I can learn to be good and
sensible like them, but I am going to try."
"Pooh!" said the Red Calf. "It is easy enough to be sensible if you want
to be--as easy as eating."
"Yes," said the White Calf. "I shall never lose my temper again, now
that I am sure it is foolish to do so."
"Dear me!" said the pretty Black Calf. "How strong and good you must be.
I can only keep on trying."
"Pooh!" said the Red Calf again. Then he lowered his voice and spoke to
her. "Move along," said he, "and let me stand beside you in the cubby
while I chew my cud."
"Don't you do it," cried the White Calf. "I want that place myself."
[Illustration: THE RED CALF AND THE WHITE CALF.]
"I guess not!" exclaimed the Red Calf. "I'll bunt you first."
"Bunt away, then," said the White Calf, "but I'll have that place."
"Oh, please don't fight!" exclaimed the Black Calf. "I'll let one of you
have my corner."
"Don't you move," cried each of them. "I want to stand by you." Then
they lowered their heads and looked into each other's eyes. Next, they
put their hard foreheads together, and pushed and pushed and pushed.
Sometimes the Red Calf made the White Calf go backward, and sometimes it
was the other way. Once in a while they stood still and rested. Then
they began pushing again.
While they were quarrelling in this way, getting warmer and more angry
all the time, and losing those very tempers which they had said they
would always keep, a young Jersey had stepped into the cubby beside the
Black Calf, and they were having a pleasant visit. "What are those
fellows fighting about?" he asked.
The Black Calf smiled a funny little smile. "They are fighting," said
she, "to see which one shall stand in the cubby with me and chew his
cud."
The Jersey Calf was a shrewd young fellow of very good family.
"Perhaps," said he, "I ought to stay and guard the place until it is
decided who shall have it."
"I wish you would," said she.
And that was how it happened that the two Calves who lost their tempers
had a cross, tiresome, and uncomfortable day, while another had the very
corner which they wanted. When night came, they grumbled because the
Jersey Calf had come out ahead of them, and they thought it very
strange. But it was not strange, for the people who are quiet and
good-natured always come out ahead in the end. And the people who are so
very sure that it is easy to be good when they really want to, are just
the very ones who sometimes do not want to when they should.
The Black Calf was right. The only way to be sensible and happy is to
try and try and try, and it does pay.
* * * * *
Among the Forest People.
By CLARA D. PIERSON.
Illustrated by F. C. Gordon.
12mo, 220 pages, cloth, gilt top--$1.25.
[Illustration]
"A most charming series of stories for children--yes, and for children
of all ages, both young and old--is given us in the volume before us. No
one can read these realistic conversations of the little creatures of
the wood without being most tenderly drawn toward them, and each story
teaches many entertaining facts regarding the lives and habits of these
little people. Mothers and teachers must welcome this little book most
cordially. One cannot speak too strongly in praise of it."--_Boston
Transcript._
"In pleasant story-telling guise, much information is conveyed, and the
pictures are a further help. A clever and charming book."--_Philadelphia
Eve. Telegraph._
"Is a book that every child will like to read."--_Hartford Courant._
"The scheme of the book is felicitous, and it is worked out with an
acute and sympathetic appreciation of methods for enlisting the
attention and impressing intelligently the memory of children. The
illustrations are distinctly helpful."--_Troy Daily Press._
"One does not know which to admire most--the intimate footing upon which
the author stands with the forest folk, or the intelligent sympathy she
has with sweet child life. She seems to be equally in touch with
both."--_Churchman._
Sent by mail, post-paid, on receipt of price.
E. P. DUTTON & CO., Publishers, 31 West 23d Street, New York.
* * * * *
"_Many a mother and teacher will accord a vote of thanks to
the author._"
[Illustration]
~Among the Meadow People.~
STORIES OF FIELD LIFE, WRITTEN FOR THE LITTLE ONES.
By CLARA D. PIERSON.
Illustrated by F. C. GORDON.
12mo, 127 pages, cloth, gilt top $1.25.
* * * * *
"One of the daintiest and in many ways most attractive of the many books
of nature study which the past year has brought forth."--_Boston
Advertiser._
"They are like Mrs. Gatty's well-known 'Parables from Nature,' written
in the best of English, as fascinating as fairy tales, and yet 'really
true,' a quality which we all know appeals to the childish mind."--_N.
Y. Evangelist._
"We have seen nothing better for its purpose, and hope many a teacher of
kindergartens and many a mother may avail herself of the privilege of
using these little tales."--_N.Y. Christian Advocate._
"It will be a great advance in the work of education in the school and
the home when such books are more generally utilized."--_Zion's Herald._
"These charming stories of field life will delight many a child of
kindergarten age; and it is safe to say that older brothers and sisters
will also want to claim a share in them."--_Christian Register._
* * * * *
Sent by mail, post-paid, on receipt of price.
E. P. DUTTON & CO., Publishers,
31 West 23d Street, New York.