Various

“ Some people say it is because she stays so short a time in the same country, that her young ones would not get strong enough to fly away with her, if she waited to build her nest. Others think it is because she is such a great eater, that she cannot spend time to find food for her children.
But the kind foster-mothers, the larks and the thrushes, care for the egg that the cuckoo leaves in their houses, although, if any other bird leaves one, they will take no care of it at all, but roll it out upon the ground.
The Scotch word for cuckoo, gowk, means, also, a foolish person. ”

“ The guinea-pig, when full-grown, is not much bigger than [102] a large rat. In shape it is a good deal like a fat pig. When hungry it grunts like a pig. In color it is white, spotted with orange and black. It is a native of Brazil.
Guinea-pigs serve very well for pets. Some children are very fond of them. But old folks like me prefer pets of another sort.
UNCLE SAM.
A BEAR'S STORY. ”

“ Young Tom mounts his old horse and takes a ride. He sits up like a bold dragoon. The horse is not a gay one. He will not shy. He will not run away. But he has one fault: he may take it into his head to roll. ”

“ Not a bit of it. Do you want me to tell you a story? No. Are you tired? No. I have it: you want a good dose of exercise. That is the very thing you need. Come here now, and I'll give you a dancing-lesson."
She takes Susie's hands, and whirls her out on the floor [119] before she has time to say a word. Then Ann begins to sing,—
"Here we go up, up, up,
And here we go down, down, down-y;
Here we go this way and that,
And here we go round, round, round-y,"
dancing all the time, and whisking Susie about the room in such a lively way, that the child has to laugh in spite of herself. ”

“ Thus far the twin-emperors have had none but loyal subjects; [110] but, as they grow out of their babyhood, there are signs of rebellion. The three sisters rebel because Emperors Dwight and Louis will not let them practise their music-lessons in peace. Ted says, "Do find me a place where I can pound nails alone;" for the emperors will insist upon helping him.
The emperors have already learned to walk, though they talk only in a language of their own. When they begin to talk plainly in the language of their subjects, I fear that their reign will come to an end. ”

“ Although gentle and kind in the stable, she would push down fences, and open every gate on the farm. She would get into the cornfields, make herself at home in the wheat and oats, and do a great deal of mischief. ”

“ I am no longer a cub, but am a full-grown bear. This kind of life does not suit me very well, but I have got used to it. One can get used to almost any thing. I have even got used to the society of men and women. ”

“ But I think they ought rather to have named it a wicked person; for the young cuckoo is so ungrateful and selfish, that he often gets one of the other little birds on his back, and then, climbing to the top of the nest, throws it over the edge. These are the English cuckoos of which I have been telling you. I am glad to say that their American cousins take care of their own children.
SOPHIE E. EASTMAN.
[115]
A SHRINE.
N countries where the Roman-Catholic religion prevails, a shrine signifies a box or case containing an image of the Virgin Mary, or some relics regarded as sacred. ”

“ Savoy is in the eastern part of France, just south of the Lake of Geneva. You will easily find it on the map. It is a fertile country, but there are many poor people there who live chiefly upon chestnuts and potatoes. ”

“ So one day she [126] went to the pasture with her head tied down to her foot by a strong rope. In about three hours a man came running up to the house, to tell us that old Bossy had fallen over a log, and was lying on her back.
Now, if a cow gets down on her back, in this way, in a place where she cannot turn over, she is in great danger. It is called being "cast." This man said, "Come quickly, for old Bossy is cast." Every one ran to the pasture, and by much pulling and lifting got the cow up. ”

“ His [101] parents are too poor to support him, and he is sent out to seek his own living; but he is not a beggar. He earns something by raising guinea-pigs, which he sells to boys and girls for pets. He carries them, as you see, in a box slung from his neck. But they are so tame that he takes them out and lets them run up on his shoulders. ”