Three little children going to bed;
How do you think that mother guessed
Which of them really loved her best?
Joy Allison.
LESSON LVIII.
JOHN CARPENTER.
1. John Carpenter did not like to buy toys that somebody
else had made. He liked the fun of making them himself. The
thought that they were his own work delighted him.
2. Tom Austin, one of his playmates, thought a toy was
worth nothing unless it cost a great deal of money. He never
tried to make anything, but bought all his toys.
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3. "Come and look at my horse," said he, one day. "It cost
a dollar, and it is such a beauty! Come and see it."
4. John was soon admiring his friend's
horse; and he was examining it carefully, to see how it was
made. The same evening he began to make one for himself.
5. He went into the wood shed, and picked
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out two pieces of wood--one for the head of his horse, the
other for the body. It took him two or three days to shape
them to his satisfaction.
6. His father gave him a bit of red leather for a bridle, and
a few brass nails, and his mother found a bit of old fur with
which he made a mane and tail for his horse.
7. But what about the wheels? This puzzled him. At last
he thought he would go to a turner's shop, and see if he could
not get some round pieces of wood which might suit his
purpose.
8. He found a large number of such pieces among the
shavings on the floor, and asked permission to take a few of
them. The turner asked him what he wanted them for, and he
told him about his horse.
9. "Oh," said the man, laughing, "if you wish it, I will
make some wheels for your horse. But mind, when it is
finished, you must let me see it."
10. John promised to do so, and he soon ran home with
the wheels in his pocket. The next evening, he went to the
turner's shop with his horse all complete, and was told that
he was an ingenious little fellow
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11. Proud of this compliment, he ran to his friend Tom,
crying, "Now then, Tom, here is my horse,--look!"
12. "Well, that is a funny horse," said Tom; "where did
you buy it?" "I did n't buy it," replied John; I made it."
13. "You made it yourself! Oh, well, it's a good horse for
you to make. But it is not so good as mine. Mine cost a
dollar, and yours did n't cost anything."
14. "It was real fun to make it, though," said John, and
away he ran with his horse rolling after him.
15. Do you want to know what became of John? Well, I
will tell you. He studied hard in school, and was called the
best scholar in his class. When he left school, he went to
work in a machine shop. He is now a master workman, and
will soon have a shop of his own.
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LESSON LIX.
PERSEVERE.
1. The fisher who draws in his net too soon,
Won't have any fish to sell;
The child who shuts up his book too soon,
Won't learn any lessons well.
2. If you would have your learning stay,
Be patient,--do n't learn too fast:
The man who travels a mile each day,
May get round the world at last.
LESSON LX.
THE CONTENTED BOY.
Mr. Lenox was one morning riding by himself. He got off
from his horse to look at something on the roadside. The
horse broke away from him, and ran off. Mr. Lenox ran after
him, but soon found that he could not catch him.
A little boy at work in a field near the road, heard the
horse. As soon as he saw him running from his master, the
boy ran
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very quickly to the middle of the road, and, catching the
horse by thc bridle, stopped him till Mr. Lenox came up.
Mr. Lenox. Thank you, my good boy, you have caught my
horse very nicely. What shall I give you for your trouble?
Boy. I want nothing, sir.
Mr. L. You want nothing? So much the better for you.
Few men can say as much. But what were you doing in the
field?
B. I was rooting up weeds, and tending the sheep that
were feeding on turnips.
Mr. L. Do you like to work?
B. Yes, sir, very well, this fine weather.
Mr. L. But would you not rather play?
B. This is not hard work. It is almost as good as play.
Mr. L. Who set you to work?
B. My father, sir.
Mr. L. What is your name?
B. Peter Hurdle, sir.
Mr. L. How old are you?
B. Eight years old, next June.
Mr. L. How long have you been here?
B. Ever since six o'clock this morning.
Mr. L. Are you not hungry?
B. Yes, sir, but I shall go to dinner soon.
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Mr. L. If you had a dime now, what would you do with it?
B. I do n't know, sir. I never had so much.
Mr. L. Have you no playthings?
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B. Playthings? What are they?
Mr. L. Such things as ninepins, marbles, tops, and wooden
horses.
B. No, sir. Tom and I play at football in winter, and I have
a jumping rope. I had a hoop, but it is broken.
Mr. L. Do you want nothing else?
B. I have hardly time to play with what I have. I have to
drive the cows, and to run on errands, and to ride the horses
to the fields, and that is as good as play.
Mr. L. You could get apples and cakes, if you had money,
you know.
B. I can have apples at home. As for cake, I do not want
that. My mother makes me a pie now and then, which is as
good.
Mr. L. Would you not like a knife to cut sticks?
B. I have one. Here it is. Brother Tom gave it to me.
Mr. L. Your shoes are full of holes. Do n't you want a new
pair?
B. I have a better pair for Sundays.
Mr. L. But these let in water.
B. I do not mind that, sir.
Mr. L. Your hat is all torn, too.
B. I have a better one at home.
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Mr. L. What do yon do when it rains?
B. If it rains very hard when I am in the field, I get under a
tree for shelter.
Mr. L. What do you do, if you are hungry before it is time
to go home?
B. I sometimes eat a raw turnip.
Mr. L. But if there is none?
B. Then I do as well as I can without. I work on, and never
think of it.
Mr. L. Why, my little fellow, I am glad to see that you are
so contented. Were you ever at school?
B. No, sir. But father means to send me next winter.
Mr. L. You will want books then.
B. Yes, sir; each boy has a Spelling Book, a Reader, and a
Testament.
Mr. L. Then I will give them to you. Tell your father so,
and that it is because you are an obliging, contented little
boy.
B. I will, sir. Thank you.
Mr. L. Good by, Peter.
B. Good morning, sir.
Dr. John Aiken
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LESSON LXI.
LITTLE GUSTAVA.
1. Little Gustava sits in the sun,
Safe in the porch, and the little drops run
From the icicles under the eaves so fast,
For the bright spring sun shines warm at last,
And glad is little Gustava.
2. She wears a quaint little scarlet cap,
And a little green bowl she holds in her lap,
Filled with bread and milk to the brim,
And a wreath of marigolds round the rim:
"Ha! ha!" laughs little Gustava.
3. Up comes her little gray, coaxing cat,
With her little pink nose, and she mews, "What's that ?"
Gustava feeds her,--she begs for more,
And a little brown hen walks in at the door:
"Good day!" cries little Gustava.
4. She scatters crumbs for the little brown hen,
There comes a rush and a flutter, and then
Down fly her little white doves so sweet,
With their snowy wings and their crimson feet:
"Welcome!" cries little Gustava.
5. So dainty and eager they pick up the crumbs.
But who is this through the doorway comes?
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Little Scotch terrier, little dog Rags,
Looks in her face, and his funny tail wags:
"Ha! ha!" laughs little Gustava.
6. "You want some breakfast, too?" and down
She sets her bowl on the brick floor brown,
And little dog Rags drinks up her milk,
While she strokes his shaggy locks, like silk:
"Dear Rags!" says little Gustava.
7. Waiting without stood sparrow and crow,
Cooling their feet in the melting snow.
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"Won't you come in, good folk?" she cried,
But they were too bashful, and staid outside,
Though "Pray come in!" cried Gustava.
8. So the last she threw them, and knelt on the mat,
With doves, and biddy, and dog, and cat.
And her mother came to the open house door:
"Dear little daughter, I bring you some more,
My merry little Gustava."
9. Kitty and terrier, biddy and doves,
All things harmless Gustava loves,
The shy, kind creatures 't is joy to feed,
And, oh! her breakfast is sweet indeed
To happy little Gustava!
Celia Thaxter.
LESSON LXII.
THE INSOLENT BOY.
1. James Selton was one of the most insolent boys in the
village where he lived. He would rarely pass people in the
street without being guilty of some sort of abuse.
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2. If a person were well dressed he would cry out,
"Dandy!" If a person's clothes were dirty or torn, he would
throw stones at him, and annoy him in every way.
3. One afternoon, just as the school was dismissed, a
stranger passed through the village. His dress was plain and
somewhat old, but neat and clean. He carried a cane in his
hand, on the end of which was a bundle, and he wore a
broad-brimmed hat.
4. No sooner did James see the stranger, than he winked to
his playmates, and said, "Now for some fun!" He then
silently went toward the stranger from behind, and, knocking
off his hat, ran away.
5. The man turned and saw him, but James was out of
hearing before he could speak. The stranger put on his hat,
and went on his way. Again did James approach; but this
time, the man caught him by the arm, and held him fast.
6. However, he contented himself with looking James a
moment in the face, and then pushed him from him. No
sooner did the naughty boy find himself free again, than he
began to pelt the stranger with dirt and stones.
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7. But he was much frightened when the "rowdy," as he
foolishly called the man, was struck on the head by a brick,
and badly hurt. All the boys now ran away, and James
skulked across the fields to his home.
8. As he drew near the house, his sister Caroline came out
to meet him, holding up
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a beautiful gold chain and some new books for him to see.
9. She told James, as fast as she could talk, that their
uncle, who had been away several years, had come home,
and was now in the house; that he had brought beautiful
presents for the whole family; that he had left his carriage at
the tavern, a mile or two off, and walked on foot, so as to
surprise his brother, their father.
10. She said, that while he was coming through the
village, some wicked boys threw stones at him, and hit him
just over the eye, and that mother had bound up the wound.
"But what makes you look so pale?" asked Caroline,
changing her tone.
11. The guilty boy told her that nothing was the matter
with him; and running into the house, he went upstairs into
his chamber. Soon after, he heard his father calling him to
come down. Trembling from head to foot, he obeyed. When
he reached the parlor door, he stood, fearing to enter.
12. His mother said, "James, why do you not come in?
You are not usually so bashful. See this beautiful watch,
which your uncle has brought for you."
3, 11.
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13. What a sense of shame did James now feel! Little
Caroline seized his arm, and pulled him into the room. But
he hung down his head, and covered his face with his hands.
14. His uncle went up to him, and kindly taking away his
hands, said, "James, will you not bid me welcome?" But
quickly starting back, he cried, "Brother, this is not your son.
It is the boy who so shamefully insulted me in the street!"
15. With surprise and grief did the good father and mother
learn this. His uncle was ready to forgive him, and forget the
injury. But his father would never permit James to have the
gold watch, nor the beautiful books, which his uncle had
brought for him.
16. The rest of the children were loaded with presents.
James was obliged to content himself with seeing them
happy. He never forgot this lesson so long as he lived. It
cured him entirely of his low and insolent manners.
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LESSON LXIII.
WE ARE SEVEN.
1. I met a little cottage girl:
She was eight years old, she said;
Her hair was thick with many a curl,
That clustered round her head.
2. She had a rustic, woodland air,
And she was wildly clad:
Her eyes were fair, and very fair;--
Her beauty made me glad.
3. "Sisters and brothers, little maid,
How many may you be?"
"How many? Seven in all," she said,
And, wondering, looked at me.
4. "And where are they? I pray you tell."
She answered, "Seven are we;
And two of us at Conway dwell,
And two are gone to sea.
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5. "Two of us in the churchyard lie,
My sister and my brother;
And, in the churchyard cottage, I
Dwell near them with my mother,"
6. "You say that two at Conway dwell,
And two are gone to sea,
Yet ye are seven! I pray you tell,
Sweet maid, how this may be."
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7. Then did the little maid reply,
"Seven boys and girls are we;
Two of us in the churchyard lie,
Beneath the churchyard tree."
8. "You run about, my little maid,
Your limbs, they are alive;
If two are in the churchyard laid,
Then ye are only five."
9. "Their graves are green, they may be seen,"
The little maid replied,
"Twelve steps or more from mother's door,
And they are side by side.
10. "My stockings there I often knit,
My kerchief there I hem;
And there upon the ground I sit,
And sing a song to them.
11. "And often after sunset, sir,
When it is light and fair,
I take my little porringer,
And eat my supper there.
12. "The first that died was sister Jane;
In bed she moaning lay,
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Till God released her from her pain;
And then she went away.
13. "So in the churchyard she was laid;
And, when the grass was dry,
Together round her grave we played,
My brother John and I.
14. "And when the ground was white with snow,
And I could run and slide,
My brother John was forced to go,
And he lies by her side."
15. "How many are you, then?" said I,
"If they two are in heaven?"
Quick was the little maid's reply,
"O master! we are seven."
16. "But they are dead; those two are dead!
Their spirits are in heaven!"
'T was throwing words away: for still
The little maid would have her will,
And said, "Nay, we are seven."
William Wordsworth.
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LESSON LXIV.
MARY'S DIME.
1. There! I have drawn the chairs into the right corners,
and dusted the room nicely. How cold papa and mamma will
be when they return from their long ride! It is not time to
toast the bread yet, and I am tired of reading.
2. What shall I do? Somehow, I can't help thinking about
the pale face of that little beggar girl all the time. I can see
the glad light filling her eyes, just as plain as I did when I
laid the dime in her little dirty hand.
3. How much I had thought of that dime, too! Grandpa
gave it to me a whole month ago, and I had kept it ever since
in my red box upstairs; but those sugar apples looked so
beautiful, and were so cheap--only a dime apiece--that I
made up my mind to have one.
4. I can see her--the beggar girl, I mean--as she stood
there in front of the store, in her old hood and faded dress,
looking at the candies laid all in a row. I wonder
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what made me say, "Little girl, what do you want?"
5. How she stared at me, just as if nobody had spoken
kindly to her before. I guess
she thought I was sorry for her, for she said, so earnestly and
sorrowfully, "I was thinking how good one of those
gingerbread rolls would taste. I have n't had anything to eat
to-day."
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6. Now, I thought to myself, "Mary Williams, you have
had a good breakfast and a good dinner this day, and this
poor girl has not had a mouthful. You can give her your
dime; she needs it a great deal more than you do."
7. I could not resist that little girl's sorrowful, hungry
look--so I dropped the dime right into her hand, and, without
waiting for her to speak, walked straight away. I'm so glad I
gave her the dime, if I did have to go without the apple lying
there in the window, and looking just like a real one.
LESSON LXV.
MARY DOW.
1. "Come in, little stranger," I said,
As she tapped at my half open door;
While the blanket, pinned over her head,
Just reached to the basket she bore.
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2. A look full of innocence fell
From her modest and pretty blue eye,
As she said, "I have matches to sell,
And hope you are willing to buy.
3. "A penny a bunch is the price,
I think you'll not find it too much;
They are tied up so even and nice,
And ready to light with a touch."
4. I asked, "'What's your name, little girl?"
"'Tis Mary," said she, "Mary Dow;"
THIRD READER. 171
And carelessly tossed off a curl,
That played on her delicate brow.
5. "My father was lost on the deep;
The ship never got to the shore;
And mother is sad, and will weep,
To hear the wind blow and sea roar.
6. "She sits there at home, without food,
Beside our poor, sick Willy's bed;
She paid all her money for wood,
And so I sell matches for bread.
7. "I'd go to the yard and get chips,
But then it would make me too sad
To see the men building the ships,
And think they had made one so bad.
8. "But God, I am sure, who can take
Such fatherly care of a bird,
Will never forget nor forsake
The children who trust in his word.
9. "And now, if I only can sell
The matches I brought out to-day,
I think I shall do very well,
And we shall rejoice at the pay."
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10. "Fly home, little bird," then I thought,
"Fly home, full of joy, to your nest;"
For I took all the matches she brought,
And Mary may tell you the rest.
LESSON LXVI.
THE LITTLE LOAF.
1. Once when there was a famine, a rich baker sent for
twenty of the poorest children in the town, and said to them,
"In this basket there is a loaf for each of you. Take it, and
come back to me every day at this hour till God sends us
better times."
2. The hungry children gathered eagerly about the basket,
and quarreled for the bread, because each wished to have the
largest loaf. At last they went away without even thanking
the good gentleman.
3. But Gretchen, a poorly-dressed little girl, did not
quarrel or struggle with the rest,
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but remained standing modestly in the distance. When the
ill-behaved girls had left, she took the smallest loaf, which
alone was left in the basket, kissed the gentleman's hand, and
went home.
4. The next day the children were as ill behaved as before,
and poor, timid Gretchen received a loaf scarcely half the
size of the one she got the first day. When she came home,
and her mother cut the loaf open, many new, shining pieces
of silver fell out of it.
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5. Her mother was very much alarmed, and said, "Take
the money back to the good gentleman at once, for it must
have got into the dough by accident. Be quick, Gretchen! be
quick!"
6. But when the little girl gave the rich man her mother's
message, he said, "No, no, my child, it was no mistake. I had
the silver pieces put into the smallest loaf to reward you.
Always be as contented, peaceable, and grateful as you now
are. Go home now, and tell your mother that the money is
your own."
LESSON LXVII.
SUSIE AND ROVER.
1. "Mamma," said Susie Dean, one summer's morning,
"may I go to the woods, and pick berries?"
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2. "Yes," replied Mrs. Dean, "but you must take Rover
with you."
3. Susie brought her little basket, and her mother put up a
nice lunch for her. She tied down the cover, and fastened a
tin cup to it.
4. The little girl called Rover--a great Newfoundland
dog--and gave him a tin pail to carry. "If I bring it home
full, mamma," she said, "won't you make some berry
cakes for tea?"
5. Away she tripped, singing as she went down the lane
and across the pasture. When she got to the woods, she put
her dinner basket down beside a tree, and began to pick
berries.
6. Rover ran about, chasing a squirrel or a rabbit now and
then, but never straying far from Susie.
7. The tin pail was not a very small one. By the time it
was two thirds full, Susie began to feel hungry, and thought
she would eat her lunch.
8. Rover came and took his place at her side as soon as
she began to eat. Did she not give him some of the lunch?
No, she was in a selfish mood, and did no such thing.
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9. "There, Rover, run away! there's a good dog," she said;
but Rover staid near her, watching her steadily with his clear
brown eves.
10. The meat he wanted so much, was soon eaten up; and
all he got of the nice dinner, was a small crust of gingerbread
that Susie threw away.
11. After dinner, Susie played a while by
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the brook. She threw sticks into the water, and Rover swam
in and brought them back. Then she began to pick berries
again.
12. She did not enjoy the afternoon as she did the
morning. The sunshine was as bright, the berries were as
sweet and plentiful, and she was neither tired nor hungry.
13. But good, faithful Rover was hungry, and she had not
given him even one piece of meat. She tried to forget how
selfish she had been; but she could not do so, and quite early
she started for home.
14. When she was nearly out of the woods, a rustling in
the underbrush attracted her attention. "I wonder if that is a
bird or a squirrel," said she to herself. "If I can catch it, how
glad I shall be!"
15. She tried to make her way quietly through the
underbrush; but what was her terror when she saw it large
snake coiled up before her, prepared for a spring!
16. She was so much frightened that she could not move;
but brave Rover saw the snake, and, springing forward,
seized it by the neck and killed it.
17. When the faithful dog came and rubbed his head
against her hand, Susie put her
3, 12.
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arms 'round his neck, and burst into tears. "O Rover," she
cried, "you dear, good dog! How sorry I am that I was so
selfish!"
18. Rover understood the tone of her voice, if he did not
understand her words, and capered about in great glee,
barking all the time. You may be sure that he had a plentiful
supper that evening.
19. Susie never forgot the lesson of that day. She soon
learned to be on her guard against a selfish spirit, and
became a happier and more lovable little girl.
Mrs. M. O. Johnson--Adapted.
LESSON LXVIII.
THE VIOLET.
1. Down in a green and shady bed,
A modest violet grew;
Its stalk was bent, it hung its head,
As if to hide from view
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2. And yet it was a lovely flower,
Its colors bright and fair;
It might have graced a rosy bower
Instead of hiding there.
3. Yet there it was content to bloom,
In modest tints arrayed,
And there it spread its sweet perfume,
Within the silent shade.
4. Then let me to the valley go,
This pretty flower to see;
That I may also learn to grow
In sweet humility.
Jane Taylor.
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LESSON LXIX.
NO CROWN FOR ME.
1. "Will you come with us, Susan?" cried several little
girls to a schoolmate. "We are going to the woods; do come,
too."
2. "I should like to go with you very much," replied
Susan, with a sigh; "but I can not finish the task grandmother
set me to do."
3. "How tiresome it must be to stay at home to work on a
holiday!" said one of the girls, with a toss of her head.
"Susan's grandmother is too strict."
4. Susan heard this remark, and, as she bent her head over
her task, she wiped away a tear, and thought of the pleasant
afternoon the girls would spend gathering wild flowers in the
woods.
5. Soon she said to herself, "What harm can there be in
moving the mark grandmother put in the stocking? The
woods must be very beautiful to-day, and how I should like
to be in them!"
6. "Grandmother," said she, a few minutes afterwards, "I
am ready, now." "What, so
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soon, Susan?" Her grandmother took the work, and looked at
it very closely.
7. "True, Susan," said she, laying great stress on each
word; "true, I count twenty turns from the mark; and, as you
have never deceived me, you may go and amuse yourself as
you like the rest of the day."
8. Susan's cheeks were scarlet, and she did not say,
"Thank you." As she left the cottage, she walked slowly
away, not singing as usual.
9. "Why, here is Susan!" the girls cried, when she joined
their company; "but what is the matter? Why have you left
your dear, old grandmother?" they tauntingly added.
10. "There is nothing the matter." As Susan repeated these
words, she felt that she was trying to deceive herself. She
had acted a lie. At the same time she remembered her
grandmother's words, "You have never deceived me."
11. "Yes, I have deceived her," said she to herself. "If she
knew all, she would never trust me again."
12. When the little party had reached an open space in the
woods, her companions ran about enjoying themselves; but
Susan sat on
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the grass, wishing she were at home confessing her fault.
13. After a while Rose cried out, "Let us make a crown of
violets, and put it on the head of the best girl here."
14. "It will be easy enough to make the crown, but not so
easy to decide who is to wear it," said Julia.
15. "Why, Susan is to wear it, of course," said Rose: "is
she not said to be the best girl in school and the most
obedient at home?"
16. "Yes, yes; the crown shall be for Susan,"