GOING TO SCHOOL
: A Book For KidsDid you see them pass to-day, Billy, Kate and Robin,
All astride upon the back of old grey Dobbin?
Jigging, jogging off to school, down the dusty track--
What must Dobbin think of it--three upon his back?
Robin at the bridle-rein, in the middle Kate,
Billy holding on behind, his legs out straight.
Now they're coming back from school, jig, jog, jig.
See them at the corner where the gums grow b
Dobbin flicking off the flies and blinking at the sun--
Having three upon his back he thinks is splendid fun:
Robin at the bridle-rein, in the middle Kate,
Little Billy up behind, his legs out straight.
HIST!
Hist! . . . . . . Hark!
The night is very dark,
And we've to go a mile or so
Across the Possum Park.
Step . . . . . . light,
Keeping to the right;
If we delay, and lose our way,
We'll be out half the night.
The clouds are low and gloomy. Oh!
It's just begun to mist!
We haven't any overcoats
And--Hist! . . . . . . Hist!
(Mo . . . . . . poke!)
Who was that that spoke?
This is not a fitting spot
To make a silly joke.
Dear . . . . . . me!
A mopoke in a tree!
It jarred me so, I didn't know
Whatever it could be.
But come along; creep along;
Soon we shall be missed.
They'll get a scare and wonder where
We--Hush! . . . . . . Hist!
Ssh! . . . . . . Soft!
I've told you oft and oft
We should not stray so far away
Without a moon aloft.
Oo! . . . . . . Scat!
Goodness! What was that?
Upon my word, it's quite absurd,
It's only just a cat.
But come along; haste along;
Soon we'll have to rush,
Or we'll be late and find the gate
Is--Hist! . . . . . . Hush!
(Kok!. . . . . . Korrock!)
Oh! I've had a shock!
I hope and trust it's only just
A frog behind a rock.
Shoo! . . . . . . Shoo!
We've had enough of you;
Scaring folk just for a joke
Is not the thing to do.
But come along, slip along--
Isn't it a lark
Just to roam so far from home
On--Hist! . . . . . . Hark!
Look! . . . . . . See!
Shining through the tree,
The window-light is glowing bright
To welcome you and me.
Shout! . . . . . . Shout!
There's someone round about,
And through the door I see some more
And supper all laid out.
Now, run! Run! Run!
Oh, we've had such splendid fun--
Through the park in the dark,
As brave as anyone.
Laughed, we did, and chaffed, we did,
And whistled all the way,
And we're home again! Home again!
Hip . . . . . . Hooray!
More
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CINDERELLA OR THE LITTLE GLASS SLIPPER.
Once there was a gentleman who married for his second wife the proudest and most haughty woman that was ever seen. She had by a former husband two daughters of her own humor, who were, indeed, exactly like her in all things. He had likewise, ... CLARA'S "FUNERAL."
Clara was the most unfortunate of dollies. She had had the mumps and whooping cough; and no sooner did she recover from the scarlet fever than she contracted pneumonia and nearly died. One morning Blanche was applying hot bandages to relieve bronchi... CLOVER-BLOSSOM.
IN a quiet, pleasant meadow, Beneath a summer sky, Where green old trees their branches waved, And winds went singing by; Where a little brook went rippling So musically low, And passing clouds cast shadows On t... COLUMBUS
Joaquin Miller Behind him lay the gray Azores, Behind the Gates of Hercules; Before him not the ghost of shores, Before him only shoreless seas. The good mate said: "Now must we pray, For lo! the very stars are gone, Brave Adm'r'l, spe... CONCORD HYMN
Ralph Waldo Emerson By the rude bridge that arched the flood, Their flag to April's breeze unfurled. Here once the embattled farmers stood, And fired the shot heard round the world. The foe long since in silence slept; Alike the c... CUPPACUMALONGA
'Rover, rover, cattle-drover, where go you to-day?' I go to Cuppacumalonga, fifty miles away; Over plains where Summer rains have sung a song of glee, Over hills where laughing rills go seeking for the sea, I go to Cuppacumalonga, to my broth... CURED OF CARELESSNESS.
Mrs. Bertram sat reading a book one morning, or trying to. It was not easy to do so, for her little boy, Roger, was out in the hall playing with his drum. Suddenly the drumming ceased, and in a moment Roger rushed into the room crying as if his hear... CURING THE INCURABLE.
Jesus went into Capernaum, followed by a great crowd of people, and among them was a woman who for twelve years had suffered from a disease which no doctor could cure, though she had consulted many, and spent all her wealth upon them. She had said... DANIEL AND THE LIONS.
When Darius came to the throne, upon the death of Belshazzar, he set over the kingdom a hundred and twenty princes. Over these he appointed three presidents, of whom Daniel was first. Now the princes and other presidents were jealous of Daniel, an... DAVID AND ARAUNAH.
After David had reigned may years, he numbered the people of Israel. This was wrong; and God sent a pestilence which destroyed seventy thousand men. David was grieved, and prayed that God would punish him and spare the people. God stayed the hand ... DAVID AND GOLIATH
A long time ago, there was a boy named David, who lived in a country in the Far East. He was good to look upon, for he had fair hair and a ruddy skin; and he was very strong and brave and modest. He was shepherd-boy for his father, and all day--of... DAVID AND GOLIATH.
How attentively David looks at the stones in his hand. His sling is on his arm, and his bag by his side. What is he about to do with those stones? And who is that tall man in armour, strutting about with such a long spear in his hand? Two armie... DAVID AND JONATHAN.
Jonathan was the son of Saul, the king. He loved David greatly, and regretted that his father, through jealousy, sought David's life. David, after the last attempt of Saul to smite him to the wall by a javelin, fled away, and meeting with Jonathan... DEATH OF ELI AND HIS SONS.
In the morning Samuel feared to tell Eli what the Lord had shown him; but Eli bade him do so, saying to Samuel, "God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide any thing from me of all that He said unto thee." So Samuel told Eli all God had said, ... DEFENDING THE SUN CHILDREN.
Louder than ever rose the voice of Lord Hua, after witnessing the fall of his ally, the high priest. In spite of the great odds against the body-guards, he began to fear lest his intended prey should even yet slip through his evil clutches. Fier... DIFFERENCE AND AGREEMENT; OR, SUNDAY MORNING
Dr. John Aiken and Mrs. Anna Letitia Barbauld It was Sunday morning. All the bells were ringing for church, and the streets were filled with people moving in all directions. Here, numbers of well-dressed persons and a long train of charity ch... DINAH'S NEW YEAR'S PRESENT.
Dinah Morris is a colored girl. She lives in the South. By South we mean in the southern part of the United States. Dinah is one of the most good-natured children that ever lived, but she is very, very lazy. There is nothing she likes, or used to... DISCUSSING WAYS AND MEANS.
In good measure prepared for some such result, in case their expectations should prove true, friendly hands at once closed upon the exile, hurrying him back, and still more completely under cover, as quickly as might be. Cooper Edgecombe seemed a... DOWN AMONG THE DEAD.
Ixtli spoke with a degree of earnestness which left no room for doubt, even if the young man's own keen sense of hearing had not given warning but an instant later. Ominous sounds came from the entrance, which had served them but so brief a time ... EDWARD LEAR
There was an Old Man of the West, Who never could get any rest; So they set him to spin on his nose and his chin. Which cured that Old Man of the West. * * * * * There was an Old Man with a beard, Who said, ... ELI AND SAMUEL.
Elkanah went up to Shiloh yearly to offer sacrifice: and when Samuel was old enough, Hannah went with her husband and took her little boy with her. They came to Eli the high priest, and Hannah said: "Oh, my Lord, I am the woman that stood by thee ... ELIJAH FED BY RAVENS.
God was displeased with King Ahab, and sent His prophet, Elijah the Tishbite, to say unto him, "As the Lord God of Israel liveth there shall not be dew nor rain for years in all Israel." God knew that these words would make Ahab angry with Elijah,... ESTHER BEFORE THE KING.
Ahasuerus reigned over the vast empire of Persia, and Esther, the adopted daughter of a Jew named Mordecai, was Queen. None in the palace knew she was a Jewess, for Mordecai had charged her not to make it known. He abode in the king's palace, and ... ETHELDRED B. BARRY.
... EVA'S VISIT TO FAIRY-LAND.
DOWN among the grass and fragrant clover lay little Eva by the brook-side, watching the bright waves, as they went singing by under the drooping flowers that grew on its banks. As she was wondering where the waters went, she heard a faint, low so... EYES, AND NO EYES; OR, THE ART OF SEEING
Dr. John Aiken and Mrs. Anna Letitia Barbauld "Well, Robert, where have you been walking this afternoon?" said Mr. Andrews to one of his pupils at the close of a holiday. _R_. I have been, sir, to Broom Heath, and so around by the windmill ... FANNY'S TELEPHONE ORDER.
Little Fanny Desmond was a dear child, and, like a good many other little children, she liked to do whatever she saw the grown people do. She would listen with great interest when she saw her mother use the telephone. She was especially surprised... FARMER JACK
Old farmer Jack gazed on his wheat, And feared the frost would nip it. Said he, "it's nearly seven feet-- I must begin to strip it." He stripped it with a stripper and He bagged it with a bagger; The bags were all so lumpy that The... FEEDING FIVE THOUSAND.
One day Jesus went on board a ship and sailed to another part of the coast, where He and His disciples might have rest. For the people in the cities crowded them so closely that they did not even have time to eat. They landed, and went into a dese... Fire! Fire! Burn stick!
And old woman was sweeping her house, and she found a little crooked sixpence. "What," said she, "shall I do with this little sixpence? I will go to market and buy a little pig." As she was coming home she came to a stile; the piggy would not go over ... FIRE! FIRE!! FIRE!!!
Where is it? Where is it? Why, it is in the water! Isn't tbat funny? But you see it isn't a real fire, but only a fire-fish.* Sweet creature, isn't he? Suppose you were a little, innocent mermaid, swimming alone for the first time; how would you fee... FIVE LITTLE WHITE HEADS
Five little white heads peeped out of the mould, When the dew was damp and the night was cold; And they crowded their way through the soil with pride; "Hurrah! We are going to be mushrooms!" they cried. But the sun cam... FOR A' THAT AN' A' THAT
Robert Burns Is there for honest poverty That hings his head, an' a' that? The coward slave, we pass him by,-- We dare be poor for a' that! For a' that, an' a' that, Our toils obscure, an' a' that, The rank is but the guinea'... FRED'S STOLEN RIDE.
One day little Fred's motber, who bad been sick a long time, told him she was going out with a friend to take a drive. Fred wanted to go, too, but his mother said there would not be room in the buggy. Fred felt very cross and unhappy, and sat down o... GIDEON AND THE FLEECE.
After the death of Joshua, the Israelites turned away from God, and served idols. Therefore the evils came upon them of which they had been warned by Moses and Joshua. But at different times God, seeing their distress, raised up "judges" to delive... GOING TO SCHOOL
Did you see them pass to-day, Billy, Kate and Robin, All astride upon the back of old grey Dobbin? Jigging, jogging off to school, down the dusty track-- What must Dobbin think of it--three upon his back? Robin at the bridle-rein, in the middle Kat... GOLDEN-ROD AND ASTERS
Do you know that flowers, as well as people, live in families? Come into the garden, and I will show you how. Here is a red rose: the beautiful bright-colored petals are the walls of the house,--built in a circle, you see. Next come the yellow sta... GOOD ENOUGH
I do not think there ever was, Or ever will, or ever could be, A little girl or little boy As good as she or as he should be. But still, I think, you will agree, Though perfect very, very few are, They're not so bad when "pretty good"-... GOOD NIGHT
And so, Good Night. I'm rather tired. I hardly thought I'd be required To draw a lot of pictures, too, When I arranged to write for you. I found it hard, but did my best; And now I need a little rest. If you are pleased, why, that's all r... GRANDMA'S CHRISTMAS GIFTS.
Grandma Burns sat knitting busily in the sun one bright morning the week before Christmas. The snow lay deep, and the hard crust glistened like silver. All at once she heard little sighs of grief outside her door. When she opened it there sat Pete... GRAPPLING A QUEER FISH.
At nearly the same moment both Bruno and Waldo caught a glimpse of water, shining clear and distinct amidst that sombre setting; but as yet a tree-crested elevation interfered with the prospect, and it was not until after the course of the air-ship ... GROWING UP
Little Tommy Tadpole began to weep and wail, For little Tommy Tadpole had lost his little tail; And his mother didn't know him as he wept upon a log, For he wasn't Tommy Tadpole, but Mr. Thomas Frog. ... GUY AND THE BEE
One day a jolly bumble-bee, In coat of black and yellow, Got caught inside a window-pane; The silly little fellow. He buzzed and buzzed against the glass, To Guy's great enjoyment, Who thought to watch this funny thing Was just the best emplo... HANNAH PRAYING BEFORE THE LORD.
The Tabernacle, which had been set up by the Israelites in the wilderness, was after the conquest of Canaan erected at Shiloh, a city about ten miles south of Shechem. There it remained for more than three hundred years. No Temple was at Jerusalem... HANS IN LUCK
Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm Hans had served his master seven years, and at last said to him, "Master, my time is up; I should like to go home and see my mother; so give me my wages." And the master said, "You have been a faithful and good servant, ... HEALING THE CENTURION'S SERVANT.
Jesus entered into Capernaum, a city by the Sea of Galilee, and while He was there a certain Centurion, or captain in the Roman army, had a favourite servant who was sick of the palsy and in great pain. When this Roman heard of Jesus, he sought th... HELHEIM
When at last the ship Ringhorn had floated out so far to sea that it looked like a dull red lamp on the horizon, Frigga turned round and said, "Does any one of you, my children, wish to perform a noble action and win my love forever?" "I do," c... HEZEKIAH AND SENNACHERIB.
Sennacherib, the King of Assyria, invaded the land of Judah, and threatened to lay siege to Jerusalem. Then Hezekiah took counsel with his princes and mighty men, and repaired the broken walls, and made them higher. He made many other preparations... HOW BROTHER RABBIT FOOLED THE WHALE AND THE ELEPHANT
One day little Brother Rabbit was running along on the sand, lippety, lippety, when he saw the Whale and the Elephant talking together. Little Brother Rabbit crouched down and listened to what they were saying. This was what they were saying:-- ... HOW HIRAM SPENT HIS SHRIMP MONEY.
"I wish my mother had a ring like those the ladies wear at the hotel," said Hiram Green to himself one day. "There isn't one of those ladies as pretty as my mother; she ought to wear rings too." Hiram was the son of a fisherman, but the fisherman... HOW JASON LOST HIS SANDAL IN ANAUROS
And ten years came and went, and Jason was grown to be a mighty man. Some of his fellows were gone, and some were growing up by his side. Asclepius was gone into Peloponnese to work his wondrous cures on men; and some say he used to raise the ... HOW JERICHO WAS CAPTURED.
When men in olden times attacked a city, they tried to batter down the walls with heavy beams of wood, having heads of iron, called battering rams; but God did not instruct the Israelites thus to capture Jericho. They were to remember that it was ... HOW LITTLE GLUCK SET OFF ON AN EXPEDITION TO THE GOLDEN RIVER
When Gluck found that Schwartz did not come back, he was very sorry, and did not know what to do. He had no money, and he was obliged to go and hire himself again to the goldsmith, who worked him very hard, and gave him very little money. So, af... HOW MOSES WAS SAVED
Thousands of years ago, many years before David lived, there was a very wise and good man of his people who was a friend and adviser of the king of Egypt. And for love of this friend, the king of Egypt had let numbers of the Israelites settle in h... HOW MR. HANS SET OFF ON AN EXPEDITION TO THE GOLDEN RIVER
The King of the Golden River had hardly made the extraordinary exit related in the last chapter before Hans and Schwartz came roaring into the house very savagely drunk. The discovery of the total loss of their last piece of plate had the effect... HOW MR. SCHWARTZ SET OFF ON AN EXPEDITION TO THE GOLDEN RIVER
Poor little Gluck waited very anxiously alone in the house for Hans' return. Finding he did not come back, he was terribly frightened, and went and told Schwartz in the prison all that had happened. Then Schwartz was very much pleased, and said ... HOW PERSEUS AND HIS MOTHER CAME TO SERIPHOS
Once upon a time there were two princes who were twins. Their names were Acrisius and Proetus, and they lived in the pleasant vale of Argos, far away in Hellas. They had fruitful meadows and vineyards, sheep and oxen, great herds of horses fee... HOW PERSEUS CAME HOME AGAIN
And when a year was ended Perseus hired Phoenicians from Tyre, and cut down cedars, and built himself a noble galley; and painted its cheeks with vermilion, and pitched its sides with pitch; and in it he put Andromeda, and all her dowry of jewel... HOW PERSEUS CAME TO THE AETHIOPS
So Perseus flitted onward to the north-east, over many a league of sea, till he came to the rolling sand-hills and the dreary Lybian shore. And he flitted on across the desert: over rock-ledges, and banks of shingle, and level wastes of sand... HOW PERSEUS SLEW THE GORGON
So Perseus started on his journey, going dry-shod over land and sea; and his heart was high and joyful, for the winged sandals bore him each day a seven days' journey. And he went by Cythnus, and by Ceos, and the pleasant Cyclades to Attica; ... HOW PERSEUS VOWED A RASH VOW
Fifteen years were past and gone, and the babe was now grown to be a tall lad and a sailor, and went many voyages after merchandise to the islands round. His mother called him Perseus; but all the people in Seriphos said that he was not the son... HOW QUERCUS ALBA WENT TO EXPLORE THE UNDER-WORLD: WHAT CAME OF IT
Quercus Alba lay on the ground, looking up at the sky. He lay in a little brown, rustic cradle which would be pretty for any baby, but was specially becoming to his shining, bronzed complexion; for although his name, Alba, is the Latin word for wh... HOW THE AGRICULTURAL SYSTEM OF THE BLACK BROTHERS WAS INTERFERED
In a secluded and mountainous part of Stiria there was in old time a valley of the most surprising and luxuriant fertility. It was surrounded on all sides by steep and rocky mountains, rising into peaks which were always covered with snow, and f... HOW THE ARGONAUTS SAILED TO COLCHIS
And what happened next, my children, whether it be true or not, stands written in ancient songs, which you shall read for yourselves some day. And grand old songs they are, written in grand old rolling verse; and they call them the Songs of Orp... HOW THE ARGONAUTS WERE DRIVEN INTO THE UNKNOWN SEA
So they fled away in haste to the westward; but Aietes manned his fleet and followed them. And Lynceus the quick-eyed saw him coming, while he was still many a mile away, and cried, 'I see a hundred ships, like a flock of white swans, far in th... HOW THE CENTAUR TRAINED THE HEROES ON PELION
I have told you of a hero who fought with wild beasts and with wild men; but now I have a tale of heroes who sailed away into a distant land, to win themselves renown for ever, in the adventure of the Golden Fleece. Whither they sailed, my ch... HOW THE FIR TREE BECAME THE CHRISTMAS TREE
When you stand round the Christmas tree and look longingly at the toys hanging from the prickly branches, it does not occur to you to ask why it is always this particular tree that is so honoured at Christmas. The dark green Fir looks so majestic ... HOW THE INDIAN CORN GROWS
The children came in from the field with their hands full of the soft, pale-green corn-silk. Annie had rolled hers into a bird's-nest; while Willie had dressed his little sister's hair with the long, damp tresses, until she seemed more like a merm... HOW THE MONKEY SAVED HIS TROOP
A mango-tree grew on the bank of a great river. The fruit fell from some of the branches of this tree into the river, and from other branches it fell on the ground. Every night a troop of Monkeys gathered the fruit that lay on the ground and cl... HOW THE SEA BECAME SALT
This story was told long ago by our Northern forefathers who brought it with them in their dragon ships when they crossed the North Sea to settle in England. In those days men were apt to invent stories to account for things about them which seeme...