SUSY'S CHRISTMAS PRESENT.
: Other Popular Stories For Children"Tell us a story, nursie; please do", begged two little golden-haired
girls, as they snuggled on the soft rug before the fire. "Did you ever
have just what you wished for at Christmas, when you were a little
girl?"
"Yes, I did once. I was the oldest, and had two brothers and three
little sisters. We did not have a beautiful home like this. We lived
in a little cottage. It was pretty, though, in the summer
the roses and pinks were in bloom. My father was dead, and mother
worked for the rich people around the village. There was plenty to do
about holiday times.
"It was the day before Christmas. Mother was at the house of a
very rich and kind lady. She was going to have a grand party in the
evening.
"Mother told me, when she went away, to mind the children, and perhaps
I might have a nice Christmas present. I knew we should have plenty of
candy and cake, and other nice things, from Mrs. Reid's. We often had
pretty clothes, too, that Mamie and Robbie Reid had outgrown.
"I had been wishing for a muff; but I knew Mother could not afford to
buy me one. It was hard enough even to get shoes for us all. I thought
I should have to be satisfied with mittens.
"It was quite dark, and we all sat around the fire. I had rocked Tilly
to sleep and put her to bed. Willie and Joe were playing cat's-cradle.
The rest of us were making believe we were rich and could have all we
wanted for Christmas.
"All at once there was a heavy step on the porch, and a knock at the
door. I opened it, with Margie and Amy clinging to my dress. A boy
shoved a big box into the room and shouted, 'A merry Christmas to
you!' He then ran out at the gate.
"The box had all our names on the cover, and the children were wild to
see what was inside.
"'Wait till mother comes,' I said; and pretty soon we heard her at
the gate, She seemed surprised, and said Santa Claus had remembered us
early.
"Mother advised us to go to bed and wait until morning to see our
presents. It was pretty hard; but we had some oranges and candy, and I
put the boys to bed. Margie and I wondered and guessed what was in the
box; but at last we fell asleep.
"You may be sure we were up early in the morning. There were dolls and
toys for the little ones, with hoods and mittens, and for me a lovely
squirrel muff, lined with blue, with a soft little boa for my neck. I
was a happy girl that Christmas, I can tell you.
"And now, my dears, you must go to bed, or Santa Claus will not be
able to find your stockings."
"Oh! I hope I shall have what I want to-morrow!" said Gracie.
"And I, too," echoed Helen. "And your story was very nice, nursie."
"Good-night, and call us early in the morning."
More
-
RAB AND HIS FRIENDS
John Brown Four-and-thirty years ago, Bob Ainslie and I were coming up Infirmary Street from the High School, our heads together, and our arms intertwisted, as only lovers and boys know how, or why. When we got to the top of the street, and... RAGGYLUG
Once there was a little furry rabbit, who lived with his mother deep down in a nest under the long grass. His name was Raggylug, and his mother's name was Molly Cottontail. Every morning, when Molly Cottontail went out to hunt for food, she said to ... RESCUED AND RESCUERS.
Despite their very natural excitement, caused by this peril and its foiling, Professor Featherwit retained nearly all his customary coolness and presence of mind. Readily realising that after such a grim ordeal would almost certainly come a powe... RIDING SONG
Flippity-flop! Flippity-flop! Here comes the butcher to bring us a chop Cantering, cantering down the wide street On his little bay mare with the funny white feet; Cantering, cantering out to the farm, Stripes on his apron and basket on arm... RIDING THE TORNADO.
Whether it was that the air-ship itself had increased its speed during those few moments of dense obscurity, or whether the madly whirling winds had taken a retrograde movement at that precise time, could only be a matter of conjecture; but the omin... RIPPLE, THE WATER-SPIRIT.
DOWN in the deep blue sea lived Ripple, a happy little Water-Spirit; all day long she danced beneath the coral arches, made garlands of bright ocean flowers, or floated on the great waves that sparkled in the sunlight; but the pastime that she lov... ROBERT OF SICILY
An old legend says that there was once a king named Robert of Sicily, who was brother to the Great Pope of Rome and to the Emperor of Allemaine. He was a very selfish king, and very proud; he cared more for his pleasures than for the needs of his ... ROBIN HOOD AND ALLIN A DALE
Come listen to me, you gallants so free, All you that loves mirth for to hear, And I will tell you of a bold outlaw, That lived in Nottinghamshire. As Robin Hood in the forest stood, All under the greenwood tree, There was he ware of a ... RUTH AND NAOMI.
Naomi was the wife of a Jew named Elimelech, who left his own city of Bethlehem to go into the land of Moab, because there was a famine in Canaan. Some time afterwards he died, leaving Naomi a widow with two sons, all dwellers in a strange land. H... SANTA CLAUS DOES NOT FORGET.
Bertie was a very good boy. He was kind, obedient, truthful, and unselfish. He had, however, one great fault,--he always forgot. No matter how important the errand, his answer always was, "I forgot." When he was sent with a note to the dress-mak... SANTA CLAUS'S LETTER.
Christmas was coming. Jamie and Ted had already begun to write long letters to Santa Claus. But one thing was rather queer: both boys asked him for the same things. Each little letter ended with,--"Just like Brother's." They agreed to ask for... SAY NOT, THE STRUGGLE NOUGHT AVAILETH
Arthur Hugh Clough Say not, the struggle nought availeth, The labor and the wounds are vain, The enemy faints not, nor faileth, And as things have been they remain. If hopes were dupes, fears may be liars; It may be, in yon smoke conc... SEEKING FOR HIDDEN TREASURE.
The people of Canaan, both in ancient and modern days, have made a practice of hiding their treasures. This they have done to secure them in times of danger. When invaders flocked into the land, the people buried their gold and jewels, and fled. A... SHE WALKS IN BEAUTY
George Gordon Byron She walks in beauty, like the night Of cloudless climes and starry skies; And all that's best of dark and bright Meet in her aspect and her eyes: Thus mellow'd to that tender light Which heaven to gaudy day denies. ... SIR GOBBLE.
Bessie Curtis was in a great deal of trouble. She was spending a year in the country while her father and mother were in Europe. It was not that which was troubling her. She liked the country, she loved her uncle and aunt with whom she lived, and sh... SIR PATRICK SPENCE
The king sits in Dunferling toune, Drinking the blude-reid wine; "O whar will I get a guid sailór To sail this schip of mine?" Up and spak an eldern knicht, Sat at the king's richt kne: "Sir Patrick Spence is the best sailór, That ... SIXTY-TWO LITTLE TADPOLES
Look at this mass of white jelly floating in a bowl of pond water. It is clear and delicate, formed of little globes the size of pease, held together in one rounded mass. In each globe is a black dot. I have it all in my room, and I watch it eve... SOME PSALMS OF DAVID
1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. A... SOME PSALMS OF DAVID
... SOMETHING ABOUT FIRES.
It was a cold day. Fred was tired of reading, tired of looking out of the window, and so he poked the fire for a change. "I suppose there are a good many different sorts of fires," he said to his mamma, as he laid down the poker. "Yes, indeed,"... SOMETHING LIKE A WHITE ELEPHANT.
Only a lad, slight-limbed and slenderly framed to the eye, yet for all that gifted with a gallant heart, else he surely must have been cowed to terror by the huge bulk of such a dire adversary at close quarters. Instead of trying to find safety i... SOMETHING MAKES TOMMY VERY PROUD
Tommy Fox could think of nothing but Mr. Woodchuck. He thought there could be no use in going back to the hole beneath the big oak in the pasture until the next day, because Mr. Woodchuck would probably be afraid that Tommy was waiting for him to ... SOWING THE SEED.
A sower went out to sow his seed, and as he sowed some fell by the wayside and was trodden down, and birds came and devoured it. And some fell upon a rocky place, where there was not much soil, and as soon as it sprang up it withered away, because... SQUINTY AND THE BOY.
Did you ever have a little brother or sister who ran away from home, and was very glad to run back, or be brought back again, by a policeman, perhaps? Of course your little brother or sister may not have intended to run away, it may have been that t... SQUINTY AND THE DOG
Squinty was a little pig. You could tell he was a pig just as soon as you looked at him, because he had the cutest little curly tail, as though it wanted to tie itself into a bow, but was not quite sure whether that was the right thing to do. And Sq... SQUINTY AND THE MERRY MONKEY
"Where do you live, Squinty?" asked Slicko, the jumping squirrel, as she skipped from one tree branch to another, and so reached the ground near the comical little pig. "Oh, I live in a pen," answered Squinty, "but I'm not there now." "No, I se... SQUINTY AND THE SQUIRREL
Up, up, and up some more went Squinty, the comical pig. At first the fast motion in the balloon made him a little dizzy, just as it might make you feel queer the first time you went on a merry-go-'round. "Uff! Uff!" grunted Squinty. He was so surp... SQUINTY GETS HOME
The rows of corn, in the field where Squinty the comical pig was lost, were like the streets of a city. They were very straight and even, just like the street where your house is, and, if you liked, you could pretend that each hill of corn was a hou... SQUINTY IN THE WOODS
Bob, the boy who had bought Squinty, the comical pig, laughed and clapped his hands. His two sisters, who were playing with their dolls in the shade of an evergreen tree, heard their brother, and one of them called out: "What is it, Bob? What is ... SQUINTY IS LOST
This was the second time Squinty had run out of the pen and into the farmer's garden. The first time he had been caught and brought back by Don, the dog. This time Squinty did not intend to get caught, if he could help it. So, after crawling out ... SQUINTY LEARNS A TRICK
Squinty, the comical pig, tried to look out through the slats of the box, in which he was being taken away, to see in which direction he was going. He also wanted to watch the different sights along the road. But the sides of the farm wagon were so ... SQUINTY ON A JOURNEY
"Mamma, did you hear what they were saying about Squinty?" asked Wuff-Wuff, as the boy and the two men walked away from the pig pen. "Oh, yes, I heard," said Mrs. Pig. "I shall be sorry to lose Squinty, but then we pigs have to go out and take our... SQUINTY RUNS AWAY
Between the barking of Don, the dog, and the squealing of Squinty, the comical pig, who was being led along by his ear, there was so much noise in the farmer's potato patch, for a few moments, that, if you had been there, I think you would have wond... SQUINTY'S BALLOON RIDE
This was the third time Squinty had run away. But not once did he intend to do any wrong; you see he knew no better. He just found his pen door open and walked out--that was all there was to it. "I wonder what will happen to me this time?" thoug... STONE.
... STRINGING CRANBERRIES.
Arthur Bancroft was feeling very cross one morning in December. He had a bad cold, and his mother did not think it would be wise for him to go out-of-doors. That was why he was cross. The skating was finer than it had been that season; every other b... SUSY'S CHRISTMAS PRESENT.
"Tell us a story, nursie; please do", begged two little golden-haired girls, as they snuggled on the soft rug before the fire. "Did you ever have just what you wished for at Christmas, when you were a little girl?" "Yes, I did once. I was the o... T He King Who Would Have A Beautiful Wife
Sicilianische Mahrchen. Fifty years ago there lived a king who was very anxious to get married; but, as he was quite determined that his wife should be as beautiful as the sun, the thing was not so easy as it seemed, for no maiden came up to hi... T He True History Of Little Golden Hood
YOU know the tale of poor Little Red Riding-hood, that the Wolf deceived and devoured, with her cake, her little butter can, and her Grandmother; well, the true story happened quite differently, as we know now. And first of all the little girl was c... TARPEIA
There was once a girl named Tarpeia, whose father was guard of the outer gate of the citadel of Rome. It was a time of war,--the Sabines were besieging the city. Their camp was close outside the city wall. Tarpeia used to see the Sabine soldiers w... TEA TALK
'Excuse me if I sit on you,' the cup said to the saucer. 'I fear I've been here all the afternoon.' 'Spare excuses,' said the saucer; 'you have sat on me before, sir.' 'Oh, I'll stir him up directly,' said the spoon. 'Stop your clatter! Stop... THE ADVENTURES OF THE LITTLE FIELD MOUSE
Once upon a time, there was a little brown Field Mouse; and one day he was out in the fields to see what he could find. He was running along in the grass, poking his nose into everything and looking with his two eyes all about, when he saw a smoot... THE ALTAR ON MOUNT EBAL.
Before Moses died he called the Israelites together, and urged them to faithfully serve God; also directing that when they entered Canaan, they were to build an altar of rough stones, covered with plaster, on Mount Ebal, and to write the words of ... THE ANGEL'S TIDINGS.
It was night. In the fields near Bethlehem a company of shepherds kept watch over their flocks. Probably they were holy men, and often thought of God in the stillness of the early morn. And now they may have been thinking of the coming of the prom... THE ANGRY BOBOLINK.
Pretty little bobolink In your satin coat, Trimmed with white across the neck Black about the throat, Why so angry do you seem? Why so fierce your mien? That you're scolding somebody Plainly can be seen. "Don't you know," says bobolink, As h... THE ANT EXPLORER
Once a little sugar ant made up his mind to roam-- To fare away far away, far away from home. He had eaten all his breakfast, and he had his ma's consent To see what he should chance to see and here's the way he went-- Up and down a fern frond, rou... THE ANT'S HOUSE.
"What a curious picture that is at the head of this story." That is what I think I hear some of the "Little Ones" say. "What does it mean?" some one asks. It looks like a procession of ants. That is just what it is. A procession of ants all marching... THE AXE-MAN
High on the hills, where the tall trees grow, There lives an axeman that I know. From his little hut by a ferny creek, Day after day, week after week, He goes each morn with his shining axe, Trudging along by the forest tracks; And he chops and h... THE BAKER
I'd like to be a baker, and come when morning breaks, Calling out, "Beeay-ko!" (that's the sound he makes)-- Riding in a rattle-cart that jogs and jolts and shakes, Selling all the sweetest things a baker ever bakes; Currant-buns and brandy-sna... THE BALL GAME.
Did you ever know a boy Make believe he had a toy? That's the way Babies play; Babies who are young and small Make believe they play at ball! ... THE BAND
Hey, there! Listen awhile! Listen awhile, and come. Down in the street there are marching feet, and I hear the beat of a drum. Bim! Boom!! Out of the room! Pick up your hat and fly! Isn't it grand? The band! The band! The band is marching by... THE BARBER
I'd like to be a barber, and learn to shave and clip, Calling out, "Next please!" and pocketing my tip. All day I'd hear my scissors going, "Snip, Snip, Snip;" I'd lather people's faces, and their noses I would grip While I shaved most carefully al... THE BARREN FIG-TREE.
In the morning, when Jesus had left Bethany and was coming towards Jerusalem, He was hungry. Seeing a fig-tree afar off, covered with leaves, He came to it, hoping to find some fruit on it. But the tree was a young one, and had not yet commenced t... THE BEARS' FEAST.
A man had come to town with two tame bears. They were very clever bears, and could climb posts and trees, dance and turn summersets and do a great many other tricks besides. One day the man was taken ill and had to stay in the house all day. He t... THE BIGGEST SURPRISE OF ALL
It was a pretty big surprise for Tommy Fox, when Mr. Grouse sprang out of the snow, right beneath his feet. But it was nothing at all, compared with the surprise Tommy had when he reached home. Very late at night Tommy stole into his mother's ho... THE BIRDS' CHRISTMAS
Founded on fact. "Chickadee-dee-dee-dee! Chickadee-dee-dee-dee! Chicka--" "Cheerup, cheerup, chee-chee! Cheerup, cheerup, chee-chee!" "Ter-ra-lee, ter-ra-lee, ter-ra-lee!" "Rap-atap-atap-atap!" went the woodpecker; "Mrs. Chickadee may speak... THE BLACKBERRY-BUSH
A little boy sat at his mother's knees, by the long western window, looking out into the garden. It was autumn, and the wind was sad; and the golden elm leaves lay scattered about among the grass, and on the gravel path. The mother was knitting a ... THE BOX TUNNEL
The 10:15 train glided from Paddington May 7, 1847. In the left compartment of a certain first-class carriage were four passengers; of these two were worth description. The lady had a smooth, white, delicate brow, strongly marked eyebrow... THE BOY WHO CRIED "WOLF!"
There was once a shepherd-boy who kept his flock at a little distance from the village. Once he thought he would play a trick on the villagers and have some fun at their expense. So he ran toward the village crying out, with all his might,-- "W... THE BOY WHO RODE INTO THE SUNSET
Once upon a time--it was not so very long ago, either--a little boy, named Neville, lived with his people in a house which was almost in the country. That is to say, it was just at the edge of the city; and at the back of the house was a rather larg... THE BRAHMIN, THE TIGER, AND THE JACKAL
Do you know what a Brahmin is? A Brahmin is a very good and gentle kind of man who lives in India, and who treats all the beasts as if they were his brothers. There is a great deal more to know about Brahmins, but that is enough for the story. ... THE BRAVE HEBREW BOYS.
Brave boys and girls! We all wish to be brave, do we not? Then we must learn to say "No," when tempted to do wrong. These Hebrew boys were young nobles who had been carried captive from Jerusalem to Babylon; but though in a strange land, subject... THE BRAVE LITTLE BOWMAN
Once upon a time there was a little man with a crooked back who was called the wise little bowman because he used his bow and arrow so very well. This crooked little man said to himself: "If I go to the king and ask him to let me join his army, he... THE BRAZEN SERPENT.
Jesus Christ says that "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up." What did Jesus mean? Nearly forty years had passed since God gave His law from Mount Sinai; and frequently the people had sinne... THE BROWN THRUSH
There's a merry brown thrush sitting up in the tree. He's singing to me! He's singing to me! And what does he say, little girl, little boy? "Oh, the world's running over with joy! Don't you hear? Don't you see? Hush! Look! In my tree I'm ... THE BUCKWHEAT
Down by the river were fields of barley and rye and golden oats. Wheat grew there, too, and the heaviest and richest ears bent lowest, in humility. Opposite the corn was a field of buckwheat, but the buckwheat never bent; it held its head proud ... THE BUGLE SONG
Alfred Tennyson The splendor falls on castle walls And snowy summits old in story; The long light shakes across the lakes, And the wild cataract leaps in glory. Blow, bugle, blow, set the wild echoes flying, Blow, bugle; a... THE BURNING OF THE RICEFIELDS
Once there was a good old man who lived up on a mountain, far away in Japan. All round his little house the mountain was flat, and the ground was rich; and there were the ricefields of all the people who lived in the village at the mountain's fo... THE BUSY BLUE JAY
Olive Thorne Miller One of the most interesting birds who ever lived in my Bird Room was a blue jay named Jakie. He was full of business from morning till night, scarcely ever a moment still. Poor little fellow! He had been stolen fro... THE CAKE
A child quarrelled with his brother one day about a cake. "It is my cake!" said the child. "No, it is mine!" said his brother. "You shall not have it!" said the child. "Give it to me this minute!" And he fell upon his brother and beat him... THE CAPTAIN OF THE LORD'S HOST.
News of the miraculous way in which the Israelites had been brought across the Jordan spread rapidly among the Canaanites, and when they heard what God had done, they were very much afraid. We are told that "their heart melted, neither was there s... THE CARRYING TRADE
Who wants to engage in the carrying trade? Come, Lottie and Lula and Nina and Mary, all bring your maps, and we will play merchants, and see what is meant by the carrying trade. Lottie shall have the bark "Rosette," and sail from Boston to Calcu...