Various

“ I guess the father-bird said, "There! I've driven those wicked thieves away. They'll never dare to come here again." And the little birds began to cry, "Tweet, tweet!" And the mother-bird sat down in the nest, and said, "There, darlings, just tuck your little heads under my wings and go to sleep. No one shall harm my dear babies."
Josie says, "I think they were real cross not to let a little girl just look at their babies." But I think they were brave birds to take such good care of their little ones. ”

“ She had, besides, a branch of a bush, with berries on it, which she was carrying very carefully; so that she kept a few steps behind the other girls.
When Nelly reached home, she looked in at the open door, and saw Martin down stairs for the first time since his accident. He was wrapped in shawls; and Nelly said, as she put the full basket on his knees, and waved the branch before his eyes, "Why, brother, they have wrapped you up so, and your face is so pale, that you look like a girl."
"Looks are nothing: behavior is all," said Martin, laughing. ”

“ Nelly's companions were waiting impatiently for her at [61] the door; and, when she came, they raised a shout of "Here she is!" Then they set off, through a shady lane, on their walk to Squire Atherton's woods, along the borders of which the blackberries grew in great profusion.
Soon they came to a place where a brook crossed between two fields, with such a narrow plank for a bridge that some of the girls did not half like going over it; for the brook seemed to be quite full and deep.
"What a fuss you girls make about trifles!" cried Robert Wood. ”

“ Do you think they will?"
"I am afraid not," said she. "They have been with the flock a whole year, and I suppose are no longer tame; but you can try. Take some apples to them."
So, with some apples in my hand, I went out, calling "Co-nan, co-nan!" The sheep were afraid, and walked away, crying "Baa-a-ah;" and the little lambs answered, "Baa-a-ah."
I followed slowly; and at last one sheep stood still. I went up close to her, calling "Coosie, Carrie!" for I knew it must be one or the other. She ate the apples out of my hand, and let me pat her head, and feel her soft wool. ”

“ Mother.—Well seasoned, sir? You deserve to be well seasoned with a rod. Now, your punishment shall be, not to taste a crumb of this nice cake, any one of you. I shall give it to the poor family opposite. ”

“ Willy had been very busy trying to fill up the well!
L. W. Gay.
THE BIRD'S-NEST.
Last summer little Josie, with her papa and mamma, went into the country to spend a few weeks with her grandmother. Grandmother lives on a farm; and Josie had many happy times, tumbling about in the hay, hunting hens' eggs in the barn, and watching the birds and squirrels.
One day her papa told her that he had found a bird's-nest in the orchard, with some queer little birds in it. ”

“ A journey to California is a very easy matter now-a-days. You may go by railroad all the way, and have every comfort by day and night.
Annette and Lisette have made the journey more than once in a palace car; but they often think of the times when they were two happy little girls riding over the prairies in a baggage-wagon, or playing together under the mountain pines.
A. F.
Salt-Lake City, Utah. ”

“ Amy was a dear good girl in many things; but she had one bad habit: she was too apt to waste time in dreaming of doing, instead of doing.
In the village where she lived, Mr. Thornton kept a small shop, where he sold fruit of all kinds, including berries in their season.
One day he said to Amy, "Would you like to make some money?"
"Of course I would!" said Amy; "for my dear mother often has to deprive herself of things she needs, so that she may buy shoes or clothes for me."
"Well, Amy, I noticed some fine ripe blackberries along by the stone walls in Mr. Green's five-acre lot ”

“ Since then "The Nursery" has been in regular use in our school; and we depend upon having a new number every month. Every one of the children wishes to be the owner of a copy: so I think we shall soon make up quite a large club.
E. H.
WHERE THE DANDELIONS WENT.
When Willy was two years old, he lived in a red farmhouse with a yard in front of it. The dandelions were very thick there; so that the yard looked yellow, instead of green.
One bright morning Willy's mamma put on his straw hat, and sent him out in the yard to play. She knew the yard [44] had a high fence ”