A First[-fifth] Reader

Front matter

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Contents

The Cat-Rabbit 12, 15, 18

A Lnn.fi Goose 21

Hop-Picking 30

I

sen-tenced lec-tured foot-board fid-get

ca-pa-ble cap-i-tal con-demned pre-tend-ed

HIS SISTER'S STORY. — Part I.

1. Fred was six, and the top of his head just reached to the tip of Hilda's nose; Hilda was ten, and thought herself quite capable of being Fred's aunt, instead of his sister. They often quarrelled, and while together hardly knew how much they loved each other ; but when Hilda was at school Fred felt out of sorts, and did as much mischief as possible ; and once, when Fred went away with his father for a whole week, Hilda felt very dull, and longed to have the naughty boy back again.

2. This wise little person one day made up her mind to write a history of her boy's mischievous pranks, and some time or other read it to him.

That would be a capital way of making him ashamed of the past, and making him wise and good all at once; so one dark day, just before Christmas, the holidays having begun, and Fred having been more troublesome than ever, Hilda said, —

" Fred, come here."

3. But Fred was sitting in a corner trying to mend the hind leg of his wooden horse, which he had most unluckily just broken off. He was cross, and pretended not to hear.

" Do come here, Fred ; I am going to read to you," said Hilda, in a coaxing voice, and she held up the wonderful history, and Fred came. Like everybody in the world, he was fond of stories.

4. " Now sit down on that stool, and don't kick and fidget, and I'll tell you the story of the robber chief Rufus Roughwig, and his wonderful deeds and adventures."

Fred sat on the stool, and neither kicked nor fidgeted, and Hilda began.

5. " Once upon a time there lived a robber chief called Rufus Roughwig. He had a fairy godmother, and, because he was always doing such dreadful things, this fairy made a book about him, and wrote in it everything he did. Then she sent his sister's story.

the book to the city to be printed, that everybody in the whole world might read it, and see what a shocking robber chief Rufus Roughwig was. I have the fairy's book, and you shall hear the whole story."

6. Fred pricked up his little ears. Never had he heard of a robber chief with a fairy godmother. What a jolly story !

"Now listen. { January 1. — Rufus began the year by kicking the footboard out of his bed, and when he got up he put his clean sock to swim in the basin.' "

Fred's eyes opened wide, but he said nothing.

7. "' January 18. — All the boys were out with their sleds. Rufus thought it would be nice to bury his hat in the snow, so that it would not be found before the snow melted in the spring. He did it, but as his left ear got frost-bitten, this time his mamma let him off with a warning.' "

"I looked for my hat, I did."

8. " Listen again. ' February 14. — Mamma had eggs in a basket, and she put them in the ante-room , because there was no fire there. Rufus found the basket, and played at marbles with the eggs till they got broken, and the green sofa was spoiled. For this crime he was sentenced to be shut up in the little pantry ; and he found a pot of jam and ate it all up. He was then shut up in papa's study, and condemned to sit still.' "

9. Fred looked ill at ease, but laughed.

" What a horrid robber chief ! But there's more still. ' March 7. — Rufus had a sister.' " "Her name was Hilda," said Fred.

10. "The book says her name was Arabella. ' Arabella had a most lovely, good doll, called Ellen. One day, while she was at school, Rufus poked out one of Ellen's eyes to see what it was made of. Afterwards he hung Ellen up by the curls to the bell-pull. When Arabella came home and saw the darling, she began to cry.' "

11. Fred grew very red, and his heels were heard kicking against the stool.

"< Rufus cried too, and asked his papa to be doctor and cure Ellen.' What a cruel robber chief ! "

" But she's all right now."

12. " Only it is a pity that Rufus should do such dreadful deeds. 6 A week afterwards, on the 14th of March, he was in a hurry to go out to skate, and he could not find his woollen mittens ; so he took a pair of his mamma's nice white kid gloves, and put them on his brown little hands. Off he set, and when he came home one was* lost in the snow, and there was not a finger left on the other/ Was not that a noble deed ?"

" My hands were cold."

" ' His mamma lectured, but Rufus did not improve,

9 99

Adventure. — Anything out of the common way that a person goes through.

Ante-room. — A small room leading into a larger one.

Capable of being. — Fit to be.

Condemned to sit still. — It was

ordered that he should sit still

as a punishment.

Find in the reading the place where " out of sorts " is used ; then read the paragraph, using an expression of your own instead. Do the same with "longed," "pranks," "a capital way," " unluckily," " lecture," and " improve."

II

ar-rest-ed pun-ish.-ment beam-ing re-proof snow-ball-ing por-trait

HIS SISTER'S STORY. — Part II.

1. Hilda went on reading : —

"' April 22. — His mamma had sowed peas in the morning, and in the evening Rufus pulled up a whole row to see which of them had grown the most. This time he escaped with a reproof.

FOURTH READER.

2. " 'April 23. — He broke one of the best teacups, and then pounded it in the mortar, to make the cook believe it was sifted sugar.

3. " ' St. John's day. — Eufus committed so many crimes on this day that it was not ; to write them all.' "

"Hilda, I only tore two holes in my jacket, and one was a very little one."

i. " Listen again. ' June 30. — Ruf us dug a hole in the garden, and buried papa's seal-ring, mamma's gold thimble, sis fir-apples, and a toad his sister's story.

in it; this was a robber's cave. The house was turned upside down to find the ring and the thimble. At last Rufus was taken prisoner as a suspicious character; he admitted that he had buried the treasure.' Was that good ? "

" But I told the truth the minute I was asked."

5. "'July 27. — Rufus went to the shore, took the boat, and tried to row. The water was rough, and the noble chieftain drifted out to sea ; he began to cry for help.'"

" I could have rowed quite well, only — the oars were too big."

6. " ' And Rufus Roughwig was too little. Sam followed in the big boat, and saved the brave captain, and this time the judge thought the fright was punishment enough. Next day he tried to ride on the biggest cow, fell off, and was wounded in the head.' "

" I know how to ride horses."

7. " c August 11. — The robber chief resolved to mount Billy, the goat; Billy butted, Rufus ran away, and the enemy pursued him. If Mary had not come up just then with the milk-pails, there would have been a dreadful defeat.' "

" I hit that goat, I did."

" * It is supposed that Rufus fancied he hit the

FOURTH READER.

goat, but that he really shouted, ' Oh, Mary, help me ! '

8. " ( September 4. — Rufus drew his schoolmaster's portrait on the clean white wall in the kitchen with horrid black coal. He was put in prison for an hour.' "

"I climbed out of the window," broke in Fred.

" ' The prisoner was removed to the garret, where it was not easy to escape through the window.

" c October 16. — Rufus set fire to Mary's flax while she was spinning. He was condemned to go to bed at six o'clock.

" ' November 3. — Without waiting to ask leave, he crept out over the thin ice to pull out a little boy who had fallen in. For this crime the chief was first arrested and afterwards rewarded.

9. "' December 4. — This was a dreadful day. Rufus fought with the Roberts boys for a priceless treasure found in the stable, — this was a dead mouse. The chief struck Charlie Roberts, and gave him a black eye. He was condemned to say he was sorry.' "

" Charlie struck me first."

10. " Yes, but he was only four, and Rufus was six, past ; a big boy strike a little one, dreadful ! 'When Rufus would not say that he was sorry, then papa whipped him — the first time this year. The next day the boys were snow-balling, and the robber chief flung quite a hard ball at Charlie, and his cheek swelled.' Was that right?"

11. Fred was silent.

" That was what is called revenge, and revenge is the naughtiest thing in the whole world. How can such a robber chief ever be happy any more ? "

Fred felt tears coming, and made his eyes quite round, and shut his teeth tight, to prevent himself crying. In a minute or two he got up and ran away ; half-an-hour after he hopped in, beaming.

" Where did you go to, Fred ? "

12. Fred looked a little shy. " Oh, over there, you know." He fidgeted about, then got very red, and said very fast, " You know my sled, don't you, Hil — that beauty I got last Christmas? You know it's the best sled that ever was seen."

" Yes, I know ; and you love it as well as Sam loves his best horse, and you always say it's the best in the town."

" I have given it to Charlie, and he's so glad. Hilda, if you could only have seen how very glad he was ! "

13. " And you, Fred ? "

" I'm glad, too. You see, Hilda, I've been so bad ever since that dead mouse, and when you spoke about it, I could stand it no longer ; so I went to Charlie, you know, and now it's all right ; he is pleased. If you only saw ! And now Christmas will be real jolly ! "

14. Hilda put her two arms round Fred, kissed

HIS SISTERS STORY.

him, and danced round the room with him seven times.

"Do you know what, Fred? When Rufus' fairy godmother sends the book to be printed, I'll ask her to tell the story of the dead mouse."

And this is all we know of the deeds and adventures of the robber chief, Rufus Roughwig.

— From the Finnish,

Admitted. — Confessed.

Arrested. — Taken prisoner.

Portrait — Picture, likeness.

Priceless treasure. — Something

so precious that no price is large

enough to buy it.

Pursued. — Ran after.

Removed. — Taken away.

Revenge. — Doing an injury in

return for an injury received.

Suspicious character. — A person

whose past actions make people

suspect him.

Defeat. — Failure.

Use other words for " let him off with a reproof " ; for "resolved to mount " ; for " would have been a dreadful defeat " ; for " deeds and adventures." Read the paragraphs that contain these phrases again, giving the meaning in your own way.

Practise saying the following words in sentences, taking care to give the final y the sound of short t, and not, as do many, short e : — pan-try fair-y nur-ry stud-y beau-ty nap-py eas-y re-al-ly

The story Hilda wrote was in the form of a Diary ; that is, the doings of each day were put in writing, with the date.

Copy what was written on August 11, and teil how many separate facts are noted. Write a record of your own for the day in which you have this lesson.

III

tongue cud-died dis-posi-tion i-deas

THE CAT-RABBIT.— Part I.

1. In a round basket lined with soft green cloth, not far from the kitchen fire, lay a large white pussy cat, with two kittens, one black with white spots, and the other white with yellow trimmings. The cat washed her kittens till her rough tongue

ached so that she had to rest it ; and as soon as it was rested, she washed them both all over again.

2. By and by a little girl came in, bringing something very carefully in her hands.

" It isn't anything for you to eat, Selina ; it is something for you to take care of," she said.

" Selina " was the name by which Alice called the cat.

3. " My white rabbit has such a number of little ones, — more than she can possibly take good care of, I am sure ; and as you have only two kittens, I thought I would give you one of them. I am sure you will be kind to it."

4. The old cat was asleep just then, and had not heard a word that Alice had said.

THE CAT-KABBIT. 13

Alice went softly to the basket, and put the little rabbit down by Selina's side; then she sat down and waited to see what would happen.

5. To her great delight, as soon as she opened her eyes, puss gave it a loving lick all down its back.

The little rabbit nearly fell over, for the touch was not as gentle as she had had before ; but she cuddled up close and lay still, so that Alice was satisfied that it was safe to leave them together.

6. That afternoon the basket was carried up stairs. "Are they not lovely kittens?" asked Alice; "I shall call them Fluffy and Buffy, but what shall I call the little rabbit ? I wonder whether it will grow up most like a cat or a rabbit ? "

"I should think it would always be a rabbit/ ' said her sister May.

7. " Of course, I know it will always be a rabbit in one sense, but it will have all the ideas of a cat, I think." May did not know about ideas ; she thought it must mean something like catching mice ; but as Alice was not pleased to have this habit of Selina's talked about, she said nothing.

8. The children were called to tea, and Alice had to leave her pets. "It will be a cat-rabbit,"

she said, as she helped herself to bread and butter. "I wish I could think of a good name for it."

But she never could, so it was always called the " cat-rabbit."

9. It was a great delight to Alice to notice that Selina treated the cat-rabbit exactly like one of her own children ; or, if she made any difference, with more tenderness.

10. Puss was quite sure that the cat-rabbit would open its eyes first, and she was right. " Dear little thing," she said, " how wise she looks. She takes after me already."

11. As the children grew older and stronger, mother Puss would leave them for awhile in their basket, and great games the kittens had, tumbling over one another in every possible way. Cat-rabbit never joined in the romps, but sat looking on without so much as a smile.

12. " She is so stupid," the kittens complained to their mother, " she will not play at all."

" Sweet child," the mother would reply, " that is because of her gentle disposition. I had just the same when I was at her age."

Tell this story as fully as you can, and using, as far as you remember them, the words used in the book.

THE CAT-RABBIT. 15

IV

reg-u-lar squeak-ing shuf-fling -wrath,

un-us-u-al persuade anx-ious act-u-al-ly

ea-ger-ness awk-ward poi-son-ous for-got-ten

THE CAT-RABBIT. — Part II.

1. One day when pussy came home to her family there was a regular fight going on in the basket. The cat-rabbit was squeaking, — a most unusual thing.

" What is going on ? " asked Selina.

"We were only trying to pull the little one's tail to the right length," said Buffy ; " it looks so very odd."

" Her tail is long enough," answered Mother Puss ; " do not meddle with it again."

2. In her heart she had great fears about the little one's tail, and had often watched it, trying to persuade herself that it grew. " I cannot understand it," she said to herself. " There never was anything of that kind in our family. But her ears are wonderful, and will make a grand appearance when she learns to hold them upright."

3. The kittens were always finding something to complain of in the poor cat-rabbit.

One day it was : " She cannot even mew."

" That's her sweet temper.

" But she does not purr.

" Her purr will be all the stronger by and by." " But I can purr as loud as you now, mother/' said Buffy.

4. Selina did not know what to say, and the matter ended. At another time it was, —

" She has such a shuffling, awkward walk."

Another day Fluffy and Buffy came running to

her in great haste. " Do look at the little one,"

they said; "she is actually eating a bit of raw

cabbage-leaf that Miss Alice dropped on the floor."

5. This roused the mother. " Put that poisonous stuff down this instant, you naughty child," she said. She gave the kittens a punishment for telling tales, but she felt anxious about these strange ways.

For instance, when she told the children about the use of their claws, and the kittens listened with eagerness, the cat-rabbit did not take in a single word. She never showed the faintest interest in her mother's tail ; and when Alice swung a cork on a line for them to play with, she sat by without once trying to catch it.

6. One day mother Puss happened to meet Ponto, Alice's dog. They were not on the best

THE CAT-RABBIT. 17

of terms, but he stopped and asked, "Does it belong to your family to eat dry bran ? "

"Certainly not/' said Selina; "what do you mean ? "

" Oh, nothing, only I happened to see one of them with her nose in a saucer of raw bran."

7. Mother Puss blushed, but* she carried it off very well.

"Some childish prank," she said; "my family is so large I can hardly look after them properly."

She lost no time in running up stairs to see what was going on. There, sure enough, was the cat-rabbit, busy with a saucer of bran.

8. " Little one," she said, more sorry than angry, " I would have lost a whole mouse sooner than have seen this sight." The cat-rabbit never looked up, but went quietly on with the bran. " Do you wish to break your poor mother's heart ? "

9. Just then the bran came to an end, and the cat-rabbit came to her mother with such gentleness that her wrath was for a moment forgotten.

But Mother Puss became daily more unhappy about her smallest darling. "I fear," she at last made up her mind, " that her tail will never be quite like those of other people. But that is not her fault, poor dear," she added.

10. " You might try to hold up your ears a little, my child," she said one day; but the cat-rabbit was almost spoiled with the treatment she had from the kittens, and she did not answer.

Continue the story-telling from memory.

Write a comparison of the cat and the rabbit. Speak of their different motions ; their different wants and enjoyments.

V

a-roused hutch, con-ceal

pur-pose front pro-vide in-ter-rupt

THE CAT-RABBIT. — Part III.

1. The older they grew, the less the kittens could get on with the little one.

The time came when their mother thought they were old enough for a mouse hunt, and she took them to a hole in front of which she told them to sit quietly till a mouse should appear. The cat-rabbit sat as still as the rest, but showed no interest whatever.

2. " Stupid little thing/' said Buffy.

"The calmer one keeps, the better," said Mother Puss.

THE CAT-RABBIT. 19

When, however, the moment arrived, and the mouse passed under the cat-rabbit's very nose, and she did not even stretch a claw to prevent its escape, the old cat's wrath was aroused.

3. " You heartless child," she exclaimed, " I believe you did it on^ purpose. Leave the hole at once." " Such a lovely mouse," sobbed the kittens, " and we've lost it."

The cat-rabbit moved away. " I will not stay here to be so treated. Why can't they let me alone ? all I ask is a cabbage leaf and comfort."

4. The door was open, and she hopped down stairs and out into the yard. Ponto had gone out for a walk, and she sat for some time wondering what would come next.

5. By and by Miss Alice appeared. " You poor little cat-rabbit," she said ; " have you come to look for your old friends?" and she lifted the little thing in her arms, and, opening the door of the rabbit hutch, she put it gently in.

What was the cat-rabbit's surprise to find there another little person with long ears that did not stand up, and a short tail like her own. Alice put in a bunch of green and left them together.

6. " Mamma," she said, when she returned to the house, " I think I shall leave the poor cat-rabbit in the hutch. I am afraid she is not happy with the cats. I saw Selina bite her the other day, and the kittens are so rough with her. The poor thing ran away from them to-day."

7. After the mouse hunt was over, Mother Puss looked around for the little one, but she was not to be found anywhere. The kittens could hardly conceal their delight. Mother Puss did not mew long. " I dare say it is all for the best ; she never would have grown up to be credit to me, and Miss Alice will provide for her," she said.

8. The cat-rabbit meanwhile munched away with her new friend with great delight. They did not talk much, but that was what pleased both* of them best, as it did not interrupt the munching.

Alice was the only one who felt disappointed and dissatisfied. "I did so hope the cat-rabbit would turn out partly a cat ; mamma, but she's nothing but a rabbit after all ! "

A most unusual thing. — Something that does not happen often.

Does it belong to your family? etc. — Is it one of the usual ways of a cat ?

Not on the best of terms. — Not very friendly with each other.

She is actually eating. — Not pretending to eat, but really or truly doing it.

Explain in ways of your own : " To her great delight " ; " make a grand appearance " ; " carried it off very weU."

A LITTLE GOOSE. 21

VI

aim-less-ly muf-fled des-pair-ing home-ward

ch.er-ish.ed sough-(suf-)ing con-fi-den-tial as-ton-ished

min-gled hun-dred trun-dle bed shiv-er-ing

A LITTLE GOOSE.

The chill November day was done,

The working world home faring ; The wind came roaring through the streets,

And set the gaslights flaring ; And hopelessly and aimlessly

The seared old leaves were flying — When, mingled with the soughing wind,

I heard a small voice crying.

And, shivering at the corner, stood

A child of four, or over ; No cloak or hat her small soft arms

And wind-blown curls to cover ; Her dimpled face was stained with tears,

Her round blue eyes ran over ; She cherished in her wee cold hand

A bunch of faded clover.

And, one hand round her treasure, while She slipped in mine the other,

FOURTH READER.

Half-scared, half-confidential, said,

" Oh, please, I want my mother ! " " Tell me your street and number, pet - hub ml an. '

■wm

■Br

"yp^

Don't cry — I'll take you to it." Sobbing, she answered, "I forget; The organ made me do it.

"He came and played at Miller's step, The monkey took the money ;

A LITTLE GOOSE. 23

I followed down the street because

That monkey was so funny.

I've walked about a hundred hours

From one street to another ; The monkey's gone, I've spoiled my flowers :

Oh ! please, I want my mother."

" But what's your mother's name, and what's

The street ? Now think a minute." " My mother's name is Mother Dear,

The street — I can't begin it." " But what is strange about the house,

Or new — not like the others ? " " I guess you mean my trundle-bed —

Mine and my little brother's.

" Oh, dear ! I ought to be at home

To help him say his prayers : He's such a baby, he forgets ;

And we are both such players ; And there's a bar between to keep

From pitching on each other, For Harry rolls when he's asleep :

Oh, dear ! I want my mother."

The sky grew stormy, people passed, All muffled, homeward faring.

FOURTH READER.

" You'll have to spend the night with me,"

I said at last, despairing.

I tied a kerchief round her neck —

" What ribbon's this, my blossom ? " " Why, don't you know ? " she smiling said.

And drew it from her bosom.

A card with number, street, and name !

My eyes astonished met it ; "For," said the little one, "you see

I might sometime forget it, And so I wear a little thing

That tells you all about it ; For mother says she's very sure

I should get lost without it."

Marian Douglass.

Home faring. — Going towards home.

Aimlessly. — Not going anywhere in particular.

Soughing. — Making a soft sighing sound.

Cherished. — Held lovingly.

Confidential. — Trusting another with a secret.

Scared. — Frightened.

Astonished. — Surprised.

Trundle-bed. — A bed that moves on trundles, or little wheels.

Despairing. — Giving up hope.

Kerchief. — Short for cover-chief. The word first meant a little square scarf to tie over the head or " chief." We now generally say " handkerchief."

Muffled. — Wrapped up.

How many lines are there in each stanza, and which lines rhyme in each ?

VII

ex-pos-ure en-cased pos-ses-sion im-bed-ded

pro-tec-tion puz-zled ac-ci-dent-al snood

ex-ude ooz-ing sur-round-ed se-cure-ly

THE STORY OF THE AMBER BEADS.

1. I know a little Scotch girl. She lives among the Highlands of Scotland. Her home is hardly more than a hut; her food, broth and bread. Her father keeps sheep on the hillsides, and instead of wearing a coat, wraps himself in his plaid for protection against the cold winds that drive before them great clouds of mist and snow among the mountains.

2. As for Jeanie herself, her yellow hair is bound about with a little snood; her face is browned by exposure to the weather, and her hands are hardened by work; for she helps her mother to cook and sew, to spin and weave. One treasure little Jeanie has, which many a lady would be proud to wear. It is a necklace of amber beads.

3. You have perhaps seen amber, and know its rich sunshiny color, and its fragrance when rubbed ; and do you also know that rubbing will make amber attract things to itself somewhat as a magnet does ? Each bead had inside of it something tiny, encased as if it had grown in the amber.

4. Jeanie is never tired of looking at and wondering about them. Here is one with a delicate bit of ferny moss shut up, as it were, in a globe of yellow light. In another is the tiniest fly, his little wings outspread and raised for flight. Again, she can show us, lodged in one bead that looks like solid honey, a bee ; and a little bright-winged beetle in another. This one holds two slender pine-needles lying across each other, and here we see a single scale of a pine-cone ; while yet another shows an atom of an acorn-cup, fit for a fairy's use.

5. I wish you could see the beads, for I cannot tell you the half of their beauty.

Now where do you suppose they came from, and how did little Scotch Jeanie come into possession of such a treasure ?