[i]
THE
NURSERY
A Monthly Magazine
For Youngest Readers.
VOLUME XXX.—No. 5.
BOSTON:
THE NURSERY PUBLISHING COMPANY,
No. 36 Bromfield Street.
1881.
[ii]
Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1881, by
THE NURSERY PUBLISHING COMPANY,
In the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington.
[iii]
IN PROSE. |
|
PAGE |
Where Jimmy Lives |
323 |
Jessie and her Kitten |
324 |
Fanchette |
329 |
Old Jack |
333 |
A Day in the Woods |
338 |
Milly and Jip |
342 |
Lawn-Tennis |
344 |
The Kitten's Necktie |
345 |
A Basket from Home |
348 |
[iv]A Letter from Honolulu |
350 |
IN VERSE. |
Hush-a-by |
322 |
Two Sides |
326 |
Sweet Good-day |
331 |
My Garden |
332 |
Off for the Winter |
335 |
Baby Bobby |
341 |
A Thrifty Family |
346 |
When will the Snow come |
347 |
Christmas-Time (with music) |
352 |
[321]
HUSH-A-BY.
VOL. XXX.—NO. 5.
[322]
HUSH-A-BY.
Hush-a-by baby: as the birds fly,
We are off to the island of Lullaby:
I am the captain, and you are the crew,
And the cradle, I guess, is our birch-bark canoe;
We'll drift away from this work-day shore,
Forty thousand long leagues or more,
Till we reach the strand where happy dreams wait,
Whether we're early, or whether we're late.
Hush-a-by baby: as the birds fly,
Let us make the snug harbor of Lullaby:
Some little folks are far on the way;
Some have put in at Wide-awake Bay;
Others, I fear, are long overdue;
Don't let this happen, my darling, to you:
Let us steer for the coast where happy dreams wait,
Whether we're early, or whether we're late.
MARY N. PRESCOTT.
[323]
WHERE JIMMY LIVES.
IMMY MASON lives on a ranche in Colorado. Do
you know what a ranche is? It is a kind of
farm,—not a farm for raising wheat and potatoes
and oats and corn, but for rearing horses and
cattle and sheep.
Jimmy's papa has about a hundred horses, as many cows,
and a great many hundred sheep. He does not keep them
in barns, or feed them with hay, but they roam over the
hills, and feed on grass both in winter and summer.
Mr. Mason's house is five miles from any neighbor, and
fifteen miles from town. There is no garden or fence round
it, and there are no trees to be seen anywhere near. But
there are wild flowers in abundance. One of them is a
species of cactus. It bears beautiful yellow blossoms in
summer, after which comes the fruit, a prickly pear, not[324]
good to eat. Another kind of cactus has crimson and
scarlet blossoms, but no prickly pears.
Both of these plants are covered with sharp thorns and
prickles. Jimmy thinks the blossoms are pretty; but he
does not like to pick them. Can you guess why?
Where do you suppose Jimmy goes to school? Well, he
goes to his mamma, and he has a very nice teacher. He
never gets lonesome; for he has so much to do and so much
to think about, that he has no time to be lonesome.
He helps his mother in the house, he takes care of the
chickens, he makes friends with the sheep. When he gets
a little bigger, he will ride on horseback and help his papa
in taking care of the horses and cattle out on the hills.
EMMA MITCHELL.
JESSIE AND HER KITTEN.
MAMMA!" said little Jessie one stormy afternoon,
"I'm tired of playing with dolly, I'm tired of looking
at pictures, I'm tired of my blocks, and I'm tired of
sitting still. What shall I do?"
"Call kitty," said her mother, "and let her try to
catch this ball while you hold the string."
"Oh, yes, that will be fun," said Jessie; "but if I make
a noise, mamma, you will be sure to say, 'Hush, my child!
or you will wake grandma.'"
Her mamma laughed, and said, "I think we can manage
that, dear. You shall go down in the large front-hall, and
there you can run and play as much as you please."
Jessie was delighted with this plan, and presently stood
holding the ball just out of reach of the kitten's paws,
saying, "Catch it if you can, kitty; catch it if you can!"
[325]
As soon as kitty, standing on her hind-legs, had her paw
almost upon it, away Jessie would run, shouting and laughing,
and kitty would follow her as fast as she could go.
When they had played till Jessie was quite tired, she
went to her mamma with kitty cuddled in her arms, and
said, "We have had a jolly time, mamma! Now I must
give kitty some milk and put her to bed; for I think she is
hungry and sleepy after so much exercise." This last was a
big word for such a little girl, and she said it quite slowly.
"Yes, dear," mamma said, smiling, "and I think I know
somebody else who will soon be hungry and sleepy too."
JANE OLIVER.
[326]
TWO SIDES.
H, dear! oh, dear! the summer's past;
The singing-birds have gone;
The robin, from the maple-bough,
Who waked me every morn;
The bobolink that used to make
The meadow-grass with music shake;
The humming-bird that dipped his bill
In lily-cup and rose,—
Not one would stay; I only hear
The cawing of the crows.
The fields look brown: oh, dear! oh, dear!
The dismal autumn days are here.
And all my pretty flowers are dead!
My roses and sweet-peas;
The hollyhocks, where, all the day,
There was a crowd of bees;
The lovely morning-glory vine,
That round my window used to twine;
The larkspur, with its horns of blue;
[327]The sunflower proud and tall,—
That thief the Frost, so sly and still,
Has come and stolen all!
Chill blows the wind; oh, dear! oh, dear!
The dreary autumn days are here.
The hives are full of honeycomb;
The barns are full of hay;
The bins are heaped with ripened grain,
[328]That empty were in May;
The red and yellow apples now
Bend many a heavy orchard bough;
Dark purple, 'mid their withered leaves,
The frost-grapes smell of musk;
The pumpkins lie in yellow heaps;
And, in its silver husk,
The corn now shows a golden ear;
Come! why be sorry autumn's here?
The sharp frost cracks the prickly burrs;
The keen wind scatters down
Upon the grass, for eager hands,
The chestnuts ripe and brown;
The orange woods, the flame-red bowers,
Are brighter than the gayest flowers;
'Tis constant changes make the year:
Then why be sorry autumn's here?
MARIAN DOUGLAS.
[329]
FANCHETTE.
HILE spending a winter in a quiet old town in
Southern France, I used to meet in my walks, a
girl about ten years of age, trudging along, bare-footed,
carrying on her arm a large basket.
The first time we met she looked up at me with
such a pleasant smile, that I bowed and smiled in return.
After a few days we became still better acquainted, and she
would say, "Bon jour, madame!" in answer to my greeting.
One day, besides the basket, she carried a large fagot, and[330]
her apron full of wild flowers and drooping vines. Then I
thought I would like to know more about her. So I said,
"You look tired, my little girl: will you not sit down under
this old tree with me, and tell me where you live, and where
you go every day with that big basket?"
She seemed quite pleased to do so, and then told me that
her father was a wood-cutter, and that every day she had to
walk three miles to the forest to carry him his dinner, and
sometimes to help bind fagots.
"My name," she said, "is Fanchette, and I have a sister
Marie, and a sister Claire, and a baby-brother named Pierre.
My sister Marie is ill, and cannot leave her bed, and I have
gathered these flowers to take to her."
"But are you not tired with walking so far?"
"A little tired, madam," she said; "but I do not mind,
for Marie will be so pleased with these flowers, and baby
will clap his hands and laugh when he sees me coming.
Then mother will take this fagot and light the fire, and give
us our supper, and we shall be very merry.
"There is my home," she said, pointing to a small brown
thatched cottage under a hill not far away. "Will you not
come to see us some day, madam?"
I promised to do so, and when I kept my word soon after,
I found all as she had said. Though they were poor, and
the mother had to work hard, their home was so neat, and
all seemed so happy in it, that it was a pleasure to go there.
I repeated my visits many times, carrying dainties for the
invalid, who was soon quite well and strong; and I shall
never forget bright, cheery little Fanchette.
ANNA LIVINGSTON.
[331]
SWEET GOOD-DAY.
"We are fading, little children;
One by one, we flutter down;
For the winds are harsh and chilly,
And the meadows, bare and brown.
We are fading," leaves of purple,
Leaves of amber, softly say;
"But we'll meet you in the May-time,
Our merry, merry play-time:
Little children, sweet good-day!"
"We are going, little children,"
Sigh the flowers in the sun;
"Oh! we soon shall end our singing,"
Lisp the brooklets as they run;
And the birds, with silver warble,
Long before they wing away,
Pipe, "We'll meet you in the May-time,
Our merry, merry play-time:
Little children, sweet good-day!"
GEORGE COOPER.
[332]
MY GARDEN.
When fields are green, and skies are fair,
And summer fragrance fills the air,
I love to watch the budding rose
That in my pleasant garden grows;
But when old Winter, fierce and free,
Has hushed the murmur of the bee,
And all the fields and hills are hid
Beneath his snowy coverlid,
Oh! then my only garden-spot
Is just this little flower-pot.
X. V. Z.
[333]
OLD JACK.
EAR me!" exclaimed Mrs. Smith, as she looked from
the kitchen-window of her farmhouse; "there are
uncle Joe, and aunt Peggy, and all the girls! They
have come to tea, I'm certain, and I haven't a speck
of green tea in the house. Uncle Joe can't drink
any thing else, and he must have white sugar in it too.
"Here, Mike, Mike! take a basket, jump on old Jack, and
go to the store just as fast as you can. Get a pound of the[334]
best green tea and three pounds of white lump sugar. Now
mind you are back in half an hour."
Mike was delighted. He had come to live on the farm
only the week before, and in all his life had never been on
the back of a horse or donkey. He had looked every day
with longing eyes at Jack grazing quietly in the pasture,
and had thought how happy he should be if he were ever
allowed to have a ride on him. So off he started in great
glee, saying to himself, "It will be easy enough to manage
this little fellow."
When about half a mile on the way, they came to a brook,
and Mike thought he would let Jack have a drink. This
was all very well; but, when Mike wanted to go on, Jack
had changed his mind, and concluded not to go any further.
Mike pulled and pulled on the bridle, trying to turn him
back into the road; but the obstinate creature planted his
feet firmly, and would not budge an inch.
Just then a kind old Irishman came, on the little foot-bridge,
over the brook, and Mike called to him to know what
he should do. "Sure, you must have a stick, sonny," said
the man. "Donkeys won't go without the stick."
So he cut a stick from a tree near by, and gave it to Mike,
who used it as hard as he could, but to no purpose. Then
the old man took another, and, going behind the little beast,
touched him up smartly with it, at the same time giving his
tail a funny little twist.
This was more than Jack could stand. He gave in and
jogged on. But he would go very slowly, in spite of Mike's
urging, and now and then he would amuse himself by kicking
out his hind-legs, and trying to throw Mike off.
Once, too, just as they were starting back from the
grocer's he suddenly lay down flat, and threw Mike over his
head, scattering basket and bundles.[335]
Poor Mike was half an hour late; but, when he told good
Mrs. Smith all his troubles, she excused him. She laughed
hard, too, when Mike said, like a true-born Irish boy, "Sure,
marm, I never want to ride Jack again till I've learned
how."
IDA FAY.
OFF FOR THE WINTER.
"O swallows! what can be the matter?
And what do you mean by your chatter?
You sit on the barn-roof by dozens,—
Aunts, grandmothers, uncles, and cousins;
You circle and wheel, then you twitter away:
[336]Oh, what are you saying? Do tell me, I pray."
"My little one, cold winds are blowing;
We swallows to South-land are going:
We meet in the clear autumn weather,
And plan our long journey together.
When spring-time returns, with its green dancing leaves,
We'll come back to our little nests under the eaves."
"Sweet wild flowers, oh, where are you hiding?
In what hidden nook are you biding?
I've wandered the meadows all over,—
There's no breath of wild rose or clover;
No violets peeping through grass-blades I see,
No daisies or buttercups nodding to me."
Then up spake a gentian, late comer,
The last blue-eyed darling of summer,—
"To our long winter rest we betake us:
Good-night, till May breezes awake us."
Then her soft downy cap she drew over her head,
And joined her sweet sisters asleep in their bed.
RUTH REVERE.
[337]
A DAY IN THE WOODS.
VOL. XXX.—NO. 5.
[338]
A DAY IN THE WOODS.
UTUMN days are going fast. Who
wants to spend a day in the woods?"
said uncle Tom to his nieces Jennie
and Kate.
"I!" shouted Jennie; "and I!"
shouted Kate; "and can aunt Jane and
cousins Tom and Ann go too?" said both.
"Yes," said uncle Tom: "I will take
the big wagon, and there will be room enough for all. Run
and ask your mother to put up a lunch for us. We must
start early in the morning."
Off they ran, and soon came back with Tom and Ann and
their little brother Johnny, all eager for a frolic.
The next morning, as soon as the sun peeped out of the
east, all the children were up and dressed. By the time
breakfast was over, the wagon stood at the door. Into
it they climbed one after another. The lunch-basket was
packed in safely. Aunt Jane sat on the front seat; uncle
Tom jumped up beside her with the reins in his hands; the
children shouted "Hurrah!" and off they started.
What fun they had as they rode along! The pure air
of the country, flavored with an odor of the sea (for the
road lay along the side of the ocean), seemed to put new
life into them all.
When they reached the woods, they jumped out of the
wagon and rambled about at will. The girls filled their
baskets with wild flowers; aunt Jane twined some of them[339]
in Kate's hair; and Jennie made a lovely wreath, which
she placed on Tom's head.
By and by they all began
to feel very hungry. So they
opened the lunch-basket under
a large tree, and found that
mamma had put into it just
what they wanted. They had
a grand feast. They laughed
and sang, and made the old
woods ring with their merry
voices. At last uncle Tom said, "Now, girls, give us one
song more, and then we must be getting ready to go
home."
While they were singing, uncle Tom went after the horse.
Pretty soon he drove up
with the wagon and said,
"Now pack in, every one
of you, and we will have
a jolly ride home."
They were about to
take their seats in the
wagon, when aunt Jane
said, "Where's Johnny?
We can't go home without
him."
Sure enough, Johnny
was missing.
"He strolled off while
we were singing," said
cousin Tom: "I guess he
went down to the beach;
for I saw him go in that[340]
direction, and he had a box under his arm, probably to put
shells in."
"I'll warrant that's where he's gone," said uncle Tom.
"And he is there exploring now, I dare say. But he can't
be far off. We'll call him."
Then uncle Tom shouted in his deep voice, "Johnny!"
Then aunt Jane and all the girls joined in the chorus of
"Johnny!"
"The boy must be deaf if he does not hear that," said
uncle Tom. Then they all shouted together once more. In
a moment they heard Johnny's voice in reply. "I'm coming
in a minute," said he.
"Hurry up," cried uncle Tom. "We are waiting for you."
It was five minutes before Johnny appeared, and then he
came holding something in his hand triumphantly.
"What in the world have you there?" said aunt Jane.
"Something better than wild flowers," said Johnny.
Now what do you suppose it was? It was a live crab,
which the boy had found among the rocks on the shore.
"You are not going to take it home with you, are you?"
said aunt Jane.
"Of course I am," said Johnny.
"Well, jump in," said uncle Tom, "crab and all. We
can't stop any longer."
So Johnny scrambled into the wagon with the rest, and
off they drove.
UNCLE SAM.
[341]
BABY BOBBY.
I know a house so full of noise,
You'd think a regiment of boys,
From early morn till close of day,
Were busy with their romping play.
And yet, I'm ready to declare,
There is but one small youngster there,—
A little golden-headed chap,
Who used to think his mother's lap
The nicest place that e'er could be,
Until he grew so big that he
Was most a man, and learned what fun
[342]It is to shout and jump and run.
This restless, noisy little elf
Has learned, alas! to think himself
Too old in mother's arms to sleep;
Yet his blue eyes he cannot keep
From hiding 'neath their lids so white;
And, climbing to the sofa's height,
He snuggles down, forgets his play,
And into Dreamland sails away;
And then it is that mamma knows
Why the whole house so silent grows.
MARY D. BRINE.
MILLY AND JIP.
HIS is a little English girl. Her name is Mildred; but
she is usually called Milly. She has always lived in
a fine old house, with lovely grounds about it, not far
from London. But now she is going, with her father and
mother, to India.
She thinks it will be very nice to be travelling so far
away with them; but she is sorry to leave her kind grandmother,
and all her aunts and cousins. She could not help
crying when she said good-by to them.
"I cannot go without my Jip," she said to her mother
the day before leaving.
"Oh, no, darling!" said her mother. "I wouldn't think
of leaving the little dog behind. He will be a fine play-fellow
for you on board the ship."
So she has Jip cuddled close in her arms, you see. It is[343]
late in November, and the weather is cold. But Milly has
plenty of warm fur wraps to protect her and her pet too.
She will soon be far away from cold weather, and when
she reaches India, she will laugh at the thought of ever
being bundled up in all that fur.
JANE OLIVER.
[344]
LAWN-TENNIS.
John sits on a three-legged
stool. What is
he doing? We can't
tell, for we can't see
through him: so we
must guess. I guess
he is watching a game of lawn-tennis.
I think I see one of the
players that John has
his eye on. It is a
bright little girl. Her
name is Julia. Look
at her. She is having
fine fun. John hopes
that her side will win.
And so do I. Let us all give
three cheers for her.
M. L. O.
[345]
THE KITTEN'S NECKTIE.
USS, Puss, Puss! where are you?" said little Nellie
Rich. She had tied a new, bright, cherry ribbon
on the kitten's neck, and told her to keep it nice;
"for," said Nellie, "my cousin Belle is coming to see
me this afternoon, and I want to show her how
pretty you can look."
And now naughty puss had run off, and she would come
back, perhaps, with the new ribbon all rumpled and soiled.
After searching through the house, Nellie ran out to the
barn to look for the lost pet.
Sure enough, there was the kitten, not taking the least
care of her necktie, just ready to pounce upon a big mouse.
Nellie's voice startled her so that she did not catch the
mouse, after all. The nimble little rogue darted into a hole
before kitty could even get her paw on his tail.
But the cherry bow was still safe and unsoiled. So, after[346]
giving pussy a lecture on her disobedience, Nellie took her
into the house.
She met Belle at the door, and told her what a search she
had made; while puss, cuddled in her arms, kept up a busy
purring, as much as to say, "I'm sorry you were displeased
with me. I really thought you would praise me for trying
to catch that big mouse; for I'm not much more than a
kitten yet."
DORA BURNSIDE.
A THRIFTY FAMILY.
'Twas a bitter cold morning; the new-fallen snow
Had pierced every crack where a snowflake could go;
The streams were all solid, the ice sharp and clear;
And even the fishes were chilly, I fear.
Almost all the wild creatures were troubled and cold,
And sighed for sweet summer,—the shy and the bold;
But one thrifty family, as you must know,
Was breakfasting merrily under the snow.
Close by a tall tree, in a hole in the ground,
Which led to a parlor, with leaves cushioned round,
Five jolly red squirrels were sitting at ease,
And eating their breakfast, as gay as you please.
D. H. R. Goodale.
[347]
When will the snow come, mother dear?
When will the soft white snow be here?
Upon my sled I want to go:
Oh for the snow! I long for snow.
I want to see it falling fast,
And covering all the ground at last,
So Dick and I can snowballs throw:
Oh for the snow, the splendid snow!
I look, as soon as it is light,
To see if all the earth is white;
I watch the clouds each day, but no,
There's not a single flake of snow.
I want to plunge about, waist deep,
In the great drifts so high and steep,
And wash Dick's face,—oh, you don't know
[348]What lots of fun we have with snow!
We're going to build a fort, and you'll
See battles fought there after school!
And cannon-balls will fly—hallo!
Look! mother, look! here comes the snow!
ELIZABETH SILL.
A BASKET FROM HOME.
ALLOA, boys! Here's old Trott, the expressman,
coming into the yard. What do you suppose he has
brought?" exclaimed one of a group of boys in the
playground of a country boarding-school.
"It is probably a box for me," said one of the
older boys, with rather an important air.
This boy, being somewhat selfish, was not a favorite with
the little ones, one of whom whispered to another, "I hope
it isn't for him, don't you? None of the rest of us will get
a peep into it if it is."
Presently the wagon stopped; and Mr. Trott pulled out a
basket, and reading the address, "Master Robert Rand,"
said, "Is there any boy of that name here?"
A bright little fellow answered quickly, "That is my
name."
"Then this basket is yours," said the driver.
"Hurrah for you, Rob!" called out four other boys about
his age. "Come on, we'll help you carry it in."
In a few minutes the same boys stood around the basket
with eager eyes; and Rob and his cousin Willy were seated
on the floor, unpacking it.
Oranges, lemons, and apples were soon displayed; then a
pot of jam appeared.[349]
"Halloa, what's down in that corner?" cried Tom, a
youngster in Scotch cap and velveteen suit. "Isn't that a
cake, though!" as a big round cake well stuffed with plums
appeared.
"And there's a box of sardines," shouted another boy.
"What's in this paper bag?" said Rob. "First-rate!
it's white sugar. That's for lemonade. Mother hasn't
forgotten how much I like it."
So all the good things that Rob's thoughtful mother had
sent him were one by one set out upon the floor.
Rob looked at each one with real delight, and, when the
basket was emptied, he said,—
"Now, boys, there's some eating to be done, and I want
you all to help me. It is Saturday afternoon: let us all go
into the woods and have a regular picnic."
All agreed that this would be jolly fun. One boy (who[350]
had a brother in college) remarked that it would be "just
immense."
Willy, the youngest boy, who was a great pet with the
housekeeper, was sent to borrow a pitcher and tumblers, and
whatever else was needed.
Instead of a pitcher, what do you think he brought back?—A
teakettle, just like this!
"Why, what did you bring that for?"
said Rob.
"Because I thought a pitcher wouldn't
hold lemonade enough," said Willy.
"There's something in that," said Tom.
"We'll put something in it, anyhow," said Rob; and they
all had a good laugh.
Several other boys joined them at Rob's invitation, and
they soon found a pleasant, shady spot near a cool spring.
"Very handy," said Tom, "for making lemonade."
We have not space to tell all the good things that were
said at the feast. In fact, there was no reporter present.
But it was a jolly affair. When it was ended, three cheers
were given for Robby Rand, and three more for his basket;
and then the boys started for home, to wind up the fun with
a game of ball.
UNCLE CHARLES.
A LETTER FROM HONOLULU.
AST Christmas my mamma gave me a bound volume
of "The Nursery," and I have been wanting to tell
you how much I like it.
I live in Honolulu, way off in the Pacific Ocean.
I wonder if many of your readers know what a
pretty place Honolulu is. The town faces the open sea;[351]
but those who have been accustomed to the stormy Atlantic
or the Northern Pacific would scarcely believe that this
calm blue water is the ocean.
Back of the town are two mountains,—"Punch-bowl"
and "Diamond Head." Between them there is a cocoanut-grove,
near which there is a nice place for sea-bathing. As
it is a short drive from town, we often go there to bathe,
and have great fun. We have no winter here, and it is
never too cold to bathe. I am trying to learn to swim.
Sometimes I get tired of having it always summer, and
wish for the fun that the snow and ice bring, about which
I read so much in "The Nursery."
I go to a kindergarten, and we learn a great many of
your songs. Some of your poetry we have made into songs,
and we like them very much. Last summer, at the closing
exercises of our class, we played the "Kindergarten Game"
published in the January number of last year, and every
one was delighted with it.
If you like this letter I may write again, and tell you
about a feast that I went to, in celebration of the birthday
of the little Victoria-Kawekin-Kaiulani-Lunalilo-Kalaninuiahilapalapa.
Is it not a pretty name? I cannot pronounce
it all for I do not speak the native language. I am a little
German girl and my name is
ALEXANDRA.
[352]
CHRISTMAS TIME.
T. Crampton.
[Transcriber's Note: You can play this music (MIDI file) by clicking here
and a larger image
of the music sheet may be seen by clicking on the image.]
1. Come, stir the fire, 'tis Christmas time!
While loud the winds howl o'er us,
We'll hail the day with joyful lay,
And raise the swelling chorus.
Time, who brings both care and sorrow,
Bids them slumber till to-morrow,
Bids them slumber till to-morrow.
2 To joyous music's merry strain
Responsive hearts are beating,
And happy voices join amain
The carol, Christmas greeting.
Hearts with fondest rapture swelling,
Glow while lips their thoughts are telling.
3 Then raise the song for Christmas time,
While winds are loudly blowing,
With carol old and chorus bold
Our joyful praises showing,
Bright the old yule-log is beaming,
Let each soul of joy be dreaming.
Transcriber's Notes
Obvious punctuation errors repaired.
The original text for the July issue had a table of contents that
spanned six issues. This was divided amongst those issues.
Additionally, only the July issue had a title page. This page was
copied for the remaining five issues. Each issue had the number added on
the title page after the Volume number.