[Illustration]
[Illustration: The Farmyard.]
[Illustration: Waiting to be Hired.]
Doggie's Woes.
I'm a doggie who has many troubles to tell,
For my master and mistress don't treat me quite well.
The worst of my woes I really must say
Is a horrid old muzzle I wear every day.
It's put on so tight and is so very strong,
Why if I tear and bite it the whole day long,
It would not come off, oh dear me no,
My spirits are sinking each day more low.
Then again there are those stupid fluffy things,
Who have funny beaks and curious wings;
Well, what do you think, they come round and stare,
And say to each other, “What's that fellow there?”
Yet I'm quite unable to frighten them now
Except by a very loud bow wow wow;
They know I can't bite them with this muzzle on,
So I hope I shall not have to wear it for long.
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Off to the Front.
“We are off to the Front!” cried the three children when they were ready
for their walk.
“Have you got all you want for the Front?” asked their mother, laughing.
“Yes, everything,” said May. “Tom has a drum and Bertie a bugle, and I
am the rest of the army.”
“Very well. Don't be too long at the War, because tea will soon be
ready. Better go to meet your father.”
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“So we will!”
And away went the three over the white snow in the bright winter day;
Tom beating the drum till it was a wonder the parchment did not burst,
and Bertie blowing the bugle till he had hardly any breath left. What a
splendid noise they all made together! Birds flew out of the hedges and
rabbits scuttled away as the army marched on, feeling very warlike
indeed; and presently met the army's father.
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“Please be our General, father,” they begged, “and lead us against the
enemy.”
“Certainly,” he replied; “but first we will return to camp and storm the
tea-table.”
So home they went in the same fashion, with drum beating and bugle
blowing.
After tea, the younger children also volunteered for the Front, and
Uncle Bob was little Dick's horse, for of course cavalry was needed. How
Uncle Bob pranced and galloped! The trumpeter nearly fell off his back,
but went on blowing the trumpet all the same. Uncle Bob told him to blow
it well away from the horse's ears, so Dick sat backwards. As for Baby,
big brother Gerald put him on the rocking-horse, to be a rough-rider.
“The great thing is to learn to stick on,” said Gerald, “because you
will find falling off is very easy. Hold the horse's nose, Nellie; it
seems rather a wild one.”
At last everybody joined the army, except the cat. She sat on a chair
and turned up her whiskers; for cats like peace and quietness, and there
cannot be much of either when soldiers go to the Front.
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Tommy's First Day at School.
“Tommy, my dear,” said the old Tabby Cat,
“Here is your pinafore, put on your hat,
And go off to school with the others at once:
We don't want our kitten to grow up a dunce.”
But Tommy was naughty, “I won't go,” he said.
“Well, choose,” said his mother, “between that and bed;
You either shall go off to school as I say,
Or go straight to bed for the rest of the day!”
At this Tommy's cousin looked in at the door,
And gave a loud mew of surprise when he saw
The kitten was crying:—“Why, what's that I see?
Come, Tommy,” he said, “come to school then with me.”
He took Tommy's paw, and old Tabby Cat said,
As she stood at the door with a cap on her head,
“Now, Tommy, remember! if good you will be,
I'll catch you a mouse or a rat for your tea.”
So Tommy was dragged by the paw up the lane,
Nor stopped he his mewing at all till they came
To where old Dame Smut kept a school for those cats,
Who learnt something more than the killing of rats.
The kitten ceased mewing, and gazed on the rows
Of good little cats, and he murmured, “Who knows
That p'raps after all I shall like school as well,
And quite enjoy learning to write and to spell!”
When lessons were over, Dame Smut said, “I see
That Tommy a very good kitten can be.”
And Tommy in triumph laughed gaily the while
He ate up the mouse for his tea with a smile.