“ See how eagerly the lobsters and the turtles all advance!
They are waiting on the shingle—will you come and join the dance?
Will you, won’t you, will you, won’t you, will you join the dance?
Will you, won’t you, will you, won’t you, won’t you join the dance?
“You can really have no notion how delightful it will be
When they take us up and throw us, with the lobsters, out to sea!”
But the snail replied, “Too far, too far!” ”

“ But as they ate, a man all at once opened the door, and the mice were in such fear that they ran into a crack.
Then when they would eat some nice figs, in came a maid to get a pot of honey or a bit of cheese; and when they saw her, they hid in a hole.
Then the Field Mouse would eat no more, but said to the Town Mouse: “Do as you like, my good friend; eat all you want, have your fill of good things, but you are always in fear of your life. As for me, poor Mouse, who have only corn and wheat, I will live on at home, in no fear of any one.” ”

“ To Thee we sing;
Long may our land be bright
With freedom’s holy light:
Protect us by Thy might,
Great God, our King. —Samuel Francis Smith.
THE NATIONAL FLAG.
There is the national flag! He must be cold, indeed, who can look upon its folds rippling in the breeze without pride of country. ”

“ But always in a flame. —William Cowper.
SLOTH MAKES ALL THINGS DIFFICULT.
Sloth makes all things difficult; but Industry, all easy; and he that rises late must trot all day, and shall scarce overtake his business at night; while Laziness travels so slowly that Poverty soon overtakes him.
—Benjamin Franklin.
The year’s at the Spring,
The day’s at the morn;
Morning’s at seven;
The hillside’s dew-pearled;
The lark’s on the wing;
The snail’s on the thorn;
God’s in His heaven—
All’s right with the world! —Robert Browning. ”

“ And the white sheep drowse in the evening breeze,
While slowly the windmills go whirling around—
Go whirling around—go whirling around.
Far over the water comes down the night,
Fading and fading the silvery light,
While storks on their nests stand white and tall,
And over the tree-tops the shadows fall.
While slowly the windmills go whirling around—
Go whirling around—go whirling around. —Ella Broes van Heekeren.
IF WE WORK UPON MARBLE.
If we work upon marble, it will perish; if we work upon brass, time will efface it; if we rear temples, they will crumble into dust! ”

“ Follow me,
Full of glee,
Singing merrily.
Birds are free,
So are we;
And we live as happily.
Work we do,
Study too,
For we learn “Twice two;”
Then we laugh, and dance, and sing,
Gay as larks upon the wing ”

“ And yet think of it well, and judge whether of all the gorgeous flowers that beam in summer air, and of all the strong and goodly trees, pleasant to the eyes or good for food—stately palm and pine, strong ash and oak, scented citron, burdened vine—there be any by man so deeply loved, by God so highly graced, as that narrow point of feeble green. ”

“ And as one in slumber walked he. —Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
They are never alone that are accompanied with noblest thoughts.
—Sir Philip Sidney.
As I was Going to St. Ives.
As I was going to St. Ives,
I met a man with seven wives,
Every wife had seven sacks,
Every sack had seven cats,
Every cat had seven kits—
Kits, cats, sacks, and wives,
How many were there going to St. Ives? (One.)
Merry are the Bells.
Merry are the bells, and merry would they ring,
Merry was myself, and merry could I sing;
With a merry ding-dong, happy, gay, and free,
And a merry sing-song, happy let us be! ”

“ Come, dance a jig
To my granny’s pig,
With a raudy, rowdy, dowdy;
Come, dance a jig
To my granny’s pig,
And pussy-cat shall crowdy.
March Winds.
March winds and April showers
Bring forth many flowers.
IT TAKES TWO TO MAKE A QUARREL
THE FROG AND THE OX.
“Oh, father,” said a little frog to a big frog, sitting by the side of a pool, “I have seen such a terrible monster! It was as big as a mountain, with horns on its head. It had a long tail, and hoofs divided in two.”
“Tush, child, tush,” said the old frog, “that was only Farmer White’s ox. I can easily make myself as big; just you see.” ”

“ While the watchman calls out, with a voice like a bell,
The time by the tower, and adds, “All is well.”
In the land of the windmills, the stars one by one
Slowly people the heavens, for night has begun. ”

“ On the walls were colored pictures of Abraham in red going to sacrifice Isaac in blue, and of Daniel in yellow being cast into a den of roaring green lions. Over the little mantleshelf was a picture of the “Sarah Jane” lugger, built at Sunderland, with a real little wooden stern stuck on it—a work of Art combining composition with carpentry, which I had regarded in my childhood as one of the most enviable possessions the world could afford. ”

“ Now the Town Mouse was asked by the Field Mouse to dine with him, and out he went and sat down to a meal of corn and wheat.
“Do you know, my friend,” said he, “that you live a mere ant’s life out here? Why, I have all kinds of things at home; come and enjoy them.” ”

“ In cold countries, where the windows could not be left open, folks hung their purses near the fireplace, believing that St. Nicholas would come down the chimney and leave his presents for them. And after the knitted purses went out of fashion they hung up their stockings, which closely resembled the old-time purses, so that there would be plenty of room for the Christmas presents, and old St. Nicholas (Santa Claus) , who lived on through all the ages, would know he had been expected. ”

“ And Christmas Eve when all were in bed,
Right down the chimney he flew;
And stretching the stocking leg out at the top,
He clapped in a book for you. —Unknown.
Such is the patriot’s boast where’er we roam.
His first, best country ever is at home. —Oliver Goldsmith.
A RIDDLE. (A book.)
I’m a strange contradiction; I’m new, and I’m old,
I’m often in tatters and oft decked with gold.
Though I never could read, yet lettered I’m found;
Though blind, I enlighten; though loose, I am bound;
I’m always in black, and I’m always in white ”

“ Nicholas of Padua first gave presents on Christmas Eve by throwing purses in at the open windows of needy people. Purses in those days were knitted of yarn and tied with strings at the open ends. They were not unlike stockings, except that they had no feet. People began to hang these long empty purses of yarn on their window-sills on Christmas Eve, so that St. Nicholas, as he passed by, could put money into them. When money became scarce the long purses were filled with presents instead—useful things for the big people, and books and toys for the children. ”

“ I sing without voice, without speaking confute.
I’m English, I’m German, I’m French, and I’m Dutch;
Some love me too fondly, some slight me too much;
I often die soon, though I sometimes live ages,
And no monarch alive has so many pages. ”

“ Little Boy Blue, come blow up your horn,
The sheep’s in the meadow, the cow’s in the corn;
Where’s the little boy that tends the sheep?
He’s under the haycock, fast asleep.
Go wake him, go wake him. Oh! no, not I ”

“ Nothing, as it seems, is there of notable goodness or beauty. A very little strength, and a very little tallness, and a few delicate long lines meeting in a point—not a perfect point, either, but blunt and unfinished—by no means a creditable or apparently much-cared-for example of Nature’s workmanship, made only to be trodden on to-day, and to-morrow to be cast into the oven ”

“ But the haymakers said to her, “If you will go to yonder stream, and fetch us a bucket of water, we’ll give you the hay.” So away the old woman went; but when she got to the stream, she found the bucket was full of holes. So she covered the bottom with pebbles, and then filled the bucket with water, and away she went back with it to the haymakers; and they gave her a wisp of hay. As soon as the cow had eaten the hay, she gave the old woman the milk; and away she went with it in a saucer to the cat. As soon as the cat had lapped up the milk—
The cat began to kill the rat ”

“ Donald looked at it in dismay for a moment. Then his little face brightened, and he said cheerfully, “It’s too bad that Lucy’s balloon is spoiled, but I will let her play with mine sometimes.”
—Kate Upson Clark.
London Bridge is Broken Down.
London Bridge is broken down,
Dance o’er my lady Lee;
London Bridge is broken down,
With a gay lady.
How shall we build it up again?
Dance o’er my lady Lee;
How shall we build it up again?
With a gay lady.
Silver and gold will be stole away,
Dance o’er my lady Lee;
Silver and gold will be stole away,
With a gay lady. ”

“ Again the old frog blew himself out, and asked the young one if the ox was as big.
“Bigger, father,” was the reply, “much bigger.”
Then the old frog took a very deep breath, and blew and swelled, and swelled and blew—until he burst!
Chippy, chippy, chirio,
Chippy, chippy, chirio,
Not a man in Dario,
Can catch a chippy, chippy chirio. —John Burroughs.
A CHILD’S LAUGHTER.
All the bells of heaven may ring,
All the birds of heaven may sing,
All the wells on earth may spring,
All the winds on earth may bring
All sweet sounds together ”

“ That I sang day and night,
For all nature looked gay.”
“You sang, sir, you say?
Go then,” said the ant, “and dance winter away.”
Thus ending, he hastily lifted the wicket
And out of the door turned the poor little cricket.
Though this is a fable, the moral is good;
If you live without work, you must live without food. —Unknown.
A GOOD LISTENER.
It is the Listener who is just now in far greater demand than the Talker.
Let us all learn the Fine Art of Good Listening. ”

“ We are troubled with rats,
Will you drive them out of the house?
We have mice too, in plenty,
That feast in the pantry;
But let them stay
And nibble away
What harm in a little brown mouse?
This Pig Went to Market.
1. This pig went to market;
2. This pig stayed at home;
3. This pig had a bit of meat;
4. And this pig had none;
5. This pig said, “Wee, wee, wee!
I can’t find my way home.”
The Rose is Red.
The rose is red, the grass is green;
And in this book my name is seen.
LOVE BETWEEN BROTHERS AND SISTERS
Whatever brawls disturb the street,
There should be peace at home. ”

“ Climb a tree or scale a wall,
Without any fear to fall.
This and more must now be done,
Now the breeches are put on. —Charles and Mary Lamb.
MR. PEGGOTTY’S HOUSE.
I had known Mr. Peggotty’s quaint house very well in my childhood, and I am sure I could not have been more charmed with it if it had been Aladdin’s palace, roc’s egg and all. It was an old black barge or boat, high and dry on Yarmouth sands, with an iron funnel sticking out of it for a chimney. There was a delightful door cut in the side, and it was roofed in, and there were little windows in it. ”

“ Let us have faith that right makes might, and in that faith let us to the end dare to do our duty as we understand it.
—Abraham Lincoln.
LUCY’S BALLOON.
Little Donald was one day taken by his father to see the circus procession. His little sister Lucy was obliged to stay at home. While they were standing on the sidewalk, the father bought two balloons, saying, “One of these is for you, Donald, and the other we will take home to Lucy.” On account of the dense crowd, the father was carrying the balloons, holding them high above his head, when suddenly one of them exploded. ”

“ I’ll not change my wife for either gold or siller.
Four-and-Twenty Tailors.
Four-and-twenty tailors went to kill a snail,
The best man among them durst not touch her tail;
She put out her horns like a little Kyloe cow—
Run, tailors, run, or she’ll kill you all e’en now. ”

“ So his lordship decreed with a brave solemn tone,
Decisive and clear, without one if or but—
“That whenever the Nose put his spectacles on,
By daylight or candlelight—Eyes should be shut!” —William Cowper.
To err is human, to forgive divine.
—Alexander Pope.
The man that hails you Tom or Jack,
And proves by thumping on your back,
His sense of your great merit,
Is such a friend that one had need
Be very much his friend, indeed,
To pardon or to bear it. —William Cowper.
Out in the Cold.
The Old Woman and Her Pig.
An old woman was sweeping her house, and she found a little crooked sixpence. ”

“ Unless we’re as good as can be. —Lucy Larcom.
The best doctors in the world are Doctor Diet, Doctor Quiet, and Doctor Merryman.
—Dean Swift.
OUR MOTHER.
Hundreds of stars in the pretty sky,
Hundreds of shells in the shore together,
Hundreds of birds that go singing by,
Hundreds of birds in the sunny weather.
Hundreds of dew drops to greet the dawn,
Hundreds of bees in the purple clover,
Hundreds of butterflys on the lawn,
But only one mother the wide world over. —Unknown.
A LOBSTER QUADRILLE.
“Will you walk a little faster?” ”

“ That is how the Christmas stocking came to be used, and why it will be used for many generations to come in thousands of homes on each succeeding Christmas Eve....
—L. Frank Baum.
I’ll Tell You a Story. ”

“ Now what do you really think of that!
(The old Dutch clock it told me so,
And that is how I came to know.) —Eugene Field.
O wad some power the giftie gie us
To see ourselves as others see us,
It wad frae monie a blunder free us,
And foolish notion. —Robert Burns.
THE ANT AND THE CRICKET.
A silly young cricket, accustomed to sing
Through the warm sunny months of gay summer and spring,
Began to complain, when he found that at home
His cupboard was empty and winter was come. ”