Various

“ The birds are at first kept in a dark room; and when they are fed, a tune is played or whistled. They associate this tune with the act of feeding; and gradually seem to find out what is wanted of them.
The price of a bird that can pipe a tune in good style is from fifty to one hundred dollars. A good deal of time and [40] trouble has to be spent in teaching the birds. Sometimes a child is employed to play a tune on a little hand-organ; and this the little bird learns after hearing it many times.
When the bullfinch learns well, he is praised and petted, and this he seems to enjoy very much. ”

“ When there is work to be done, he always wants to do his part. He brings in wood, stick by stick, and puts it in the wood-box, never stopping till the box is full. While he is carrying in the wood, the boys fill the chip-basket; and then Tasso takes that in his mouth, and puts it in its place beside the wood-box.
If any of the family has a basket or a bag to take to the station, Tasso always insists on taking it. One rainy day, we sent him to the station with three umbrellas, and he delivered them all safely. One day his master went out to the barn without his hat. ”

“ HERE are few of the little readers of "The Nursery" who could not tell of pleasant days spent among green fields and woods, or on the seashore. But in almost every large city, there are many children who have never been out of sight of brick walls. ”

“ A man cannot hope much of a man to be,
Unless, when a boy, he has learned A, B, C.
Uncle Theo.
[49]
DRAWING-LESSON BY HARRISON WEIR.
[50]
"GREAT I AND LITTLE YOU."
"How do you like that little new neighbor of yours?" asked Herbert Greene's big brother, who had seen the two little boys playing together in the yard.
"Oh, you must mean Georgie Worthman," said Herbie. "Why, I don't know. I like him, and I don't like him."
Wallace laughed. "Then you quarrel a little sometimes," said he. "Is that it?"
"No, we don't quarrel," said Herbie. "I don't let him know when I'm mad with him." ”

“ Aunt Mary, coming in at that moment, explained to the children that in some of the small towns of Germany are [39] persons who teach these little birds. It takes about a year for a bullfinch to learn a tune. But some of them learn more quickly than others: so it is with some children. ”

“ Their homes are in close rooms in narrow streets, and there they live from one year's end to the other. In winter they are often pinched with cold. In summer they suffer even more from the heat. You may see them at windows and doors, or on hot sidewalks, trying to get a breath of fresh air. It is not pure air, but the best they can get. ”

“ He has to be wound up with a key before he will growl. We have live bears here in the woods, though: they come right into our yard, and eat our sheep. We set a trap for one last fall, close to the house, and a bear was caught in it.
I have a wax doll almost as large as a real baby. ”

“ She always went first, and took the lead, and used to box the ears of Cuddle and Tittens when they did not mind her. Now she is a big black cat, with a red collar around her neck, and she catches rats and mice, and is very good and useful. She only says, "Sptss!" when strange cats come into her yard; but we still call her Spitfire. ”