Anonymous

“ Hark! what is that noise? Oh, Tom, pray come home; there it is again!”
5“Dear Grace,” said Tom, “do not fear, it is only a bird; let us stay a short time, and perhaps we may see it.”
“Oh,” said Grace, “it must be a great ugly bird, to make such a noise as that, and I do not wish to see it.”
“No, it is not very great or very ugly,” said Tom; “and I know you will want to see it, when I tell you that it is an owl; and I dare say it is the same that Smith told me of, which has its nest in the old oak.”
“Oh, is it?” said Grace: “there it is again, Hoot! hoot! hoot!”
6“Hush,” said Tom ”

“ Dear me! what can make the dog bark in that strange way?”
“I dare say,” said Kate, “he does not like to hear the wind howl in the old trees: hark! how the boughs creak! When first you and I came to live here, those trees were young and in their prime, but now I think they will not stand much longer than we shall.”
13“Oh, yes,” said the old man, “they are not quite so near their end as we are, my dear; but I do not like to hear Lion keep up such a noise; it cannot be all right, I am sure.”
James Grant got up from his armchair, and went to the door ”

“ It is not so fierce as the landrat, and its fur is more soft and close. 23When it hears a noise, it leaps into the water, and dives down in fear; but it cannot stay long there for want of air, so it rises again, and just puts its nose above the water, that it may be able to breathe and yet not be seen.”
“What a droll thing!” said Frank: “I shall like to watch you all the more now I know something about you. Good-bye, little busy rat, for to-day.”
24 FRANK and a FIELD-MOUSE. A few days after Frank had seen the rat at work on the bank of the pond, he was at play in the fields with his pet dog. ”

“ They love their close, round huts, their rough benches, their furs and sledges, as much as we do our nice house and fire-side, our chairs and rugs.”
“Do tell me more of them!” said Hugh.
“They are a small race of men, not more than four or five feet high, with dark faces, deep-sunk eyes, and straight black hair. In the warm days they live on the fruits of the chace, in the 59winter on the dried flesh of the rein-deer, salt-fish, and cheese. You know I once told you what a long, dark winter theirs is, when the sun is not seen for many days.” ”

“ Stone, “that the rein-deer likes the sound of a bell; and also, when four or five sledges travel at once, in the dark, or in a snow-storm, it helps to keep them all in one track.”
63“It is of no use to make roads there, for the snow would quite hide them, would it not, mamma?” said Hugh.
“Yes, my dear, the sun and the stars guide them in the way they wish to go; but I cannot talk to you more now, for I must write a note to your aunt, before post-time. You may try to draw the sledge and rein-deer in your new book, if you please; but you must take great pains.” ”

“ She was soon quite well; and the dog and she are now such great friends, it is quite droll to see them.”
“I must run away now,” said Tom, “for it is my school-time. When I am a man I hope I shall have such a dog of my own.”
35 CHARLES ROSS AND THE HAWK. What does make little Charles Ross run so fast across that long field? he looks as though he had a great deal to tell. Yes, see, there is his aunt Lucy, not far off; he will soon catch her, I think. There, now he has got up to her; but he is so out of breath he cannot speak just yet. ”

“ It feeds on a moss, of which 60there is a great deal there; and though the snow may lie very thick upon the ground, the rein-deer can tell where his food grows, and with his fore-feet and broad horns he digs through the snow to get a meal.”
“Oh, mamma, how can he find it out?” said Hugh.
“The quick sense of smell with which the rein-deer is gifted, leads him to the right spot, and he is never known to search in vain. The men yoke them to their sledges, which glide over the smooth, hard snow at a great rate.” ”

“ He held his dog tight, and sat down near the spot, to see if the mouse would come back; but as it did not, he ran in-doors to tell his mamma what he had seen.
“It was such a nice little mouse, mamma, with a very long tail; and it ran away at a great rate.”
“Yes, my dear,” said Mrs. Dean, “the field-mouse is very quick and can leap well. It does much harm in the fields and gardens, and to the ricks of corn, and is often found in farm-yards. Owls, kites, dogs, and 26cats make war against the poor field-mouse, and I fear that men do so too.”
“Poor thing!” said Frank ”

“ Now see how pleased aunt Lucy looks, and how she kisses Charles, and says, “I 38am very glad to hear you speak so, my own dear boy, and to see that you thought of what I told you a day or two ago, that the wise and good God has made all things well, and that He cannot err in any of His works.”
39 GEORGE AND ROSE’S LONG WALK. “Come,” said George King, a boy of five years old, to his sister Rose, “come and play on the grass-plat with me. I will lend you my new ball.” ”

“ This is the only insect of the kind which is found in our isle, but there are many in other lands, and some of them give far more light than this does. There is the fire-fly, which, as it flits in and out of the dark bushes 48in the night with its star-like light, must look very pretty. ”

“ It is made of birch-wood, something in the shape of a boat, about six feet long, with a high back; and here, wrapt up in his thick furs, the man sits as snug as can be. They drive with a cord tied to the horns of the rein-deer, which flies over the ground at great speed, with his light load. ”

“ Like some other dolls, I know, (and some little girls too,) its clothes were 28apt to get dirty, and Anne thought it would be great fun to put Miss Dolly to bed for the day, while she washed them up. Well, once, when the maids were busy in the wash-house, Anne thought it just the right time for her to begin, so she set to work in great glee. When all the clothes were nice and clean, she went to the garden to look for a place where she could hang them up to dry. She soon found one to suit her ”