Read Ebook: The Nursery No. 106 October 1875. Vol. XVIII. A Monthly Magazine for Youngest Readers by Various

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PAGE.

EDITOR'S PORTFOLIO.

With this number we begin on the last quarter of the year 1875; and we have the pleasure of informing our host of readers, young and old, that the prospects of "The Nursery" were never so encouraging as now. It has not only held its own during these hard times, but gone on increasing. Canvassers may take hold of it with the assurance that future numbers will be improvements even on the past.

"Playing the King," in our present number, will be a good piece for humorous declamation at school. Both the artist and the poet have done their work well.

For the coming holidays, there will be no juvenile work equal in attraction to the "NURSERY PRIMER," which will now soon be ready. It will be the best book for beginners ever got up. Already we have received numerous orders for it, to which we shall soon respond.

We want a special agent in every town in the United States. Persons disposed to act in that capacity, are invited to communicate with the publisher.

THE DELIGHTS OF THE SEASIDE.

Oh merry, merry sports had we, last summer on the beach,-- Lucy and Oliver and I, with Uncle Sam to teach! At times, clad in our bathing-suits, we'd join our hands, all four, And rush into the water, or run along the shore.

The wet sand, how it glistened on the sunny summer day! And how the waves would chase us back, as if they were in play! And when, on the horizon blue, a sail we would espy, How "Ship ahoy!" or "Whither bound?" we all of us would cry!

The white, white sand, so smooth and hard, oh what a place for fun! With no one by to check our screams, or say, "Now, pray, have done!" The sea-birds, not at all disturbed by all our mirthful noise, Would cry to us, as if they said, "Shout on, shout on, my boys!"

Sometimes we'd seek for flattened stones, and skim them o'er the waves; Then go where, in the piled-up rocks, the sea had hollowed caves; Or sit and feel the cooling breeze in silent happiness; Or hunt for seaweed in the clefts, and take it home to press.

And well do I remember there a little shallow creek, Where we would go and sail our ships, at least three times a week: We loaded them with cargoes rich, and sent them all to Spain; And back they came with heavy freights, by which we made much gain.

Oh! pleasant pastimes on the beach, how often I recall The ocean grand, the distant sails, the rocks, the lighthouse tall! They do not fade, these pictures bright, from memory's inner view; And age itself shall never dim their colors ever new.

EMILY CARTER.

MABEL AND HER FRIEND CARLO.

Mabel lives on a hill, quite near a beautiful lake, and is very fond of going with her papa to take a row on the water. Sometimes they visit the woods on the other side of the lake, and pick wild flowers, or go where the water-lilies grow, near the shore, and gather a bunch of the pretty white blossoms.

But I must tell about Mabel's friend Carlo. He is a large shaggy dog, owned by a gentleman who lives near. Although quite a young dog, he knows a great deal. He is very fond of water, and is wild with delight at the prospect of a swim.

His master owns a large sail-boat, and, as the water near the shore is not deep, he has to use a small boat to reach it. When Carlo sees him take down the oar from its place in the yard, he runs up, and takes it in his mouth, as much as to say, "Let me carry that for you, master." Then he trots down the hill with the oar, feeling very proud that he is allowed to carry it.

One day, Carlo took hold of the rope with his teeth, and drew the small boat to the shore; so that his master, who was in it, did not have to use the oar.

Mabel loves Carlo very much; and, although he is a large dog, he knows that he must play very gently with little boys and girls, and not hurt them with his great paws. NED

PLAYING KING.

Ho! I'm a king, a king! A crown is on my head; A sword is at my side; and regal is my tread: Ho, slave! proclaim my will to all the people round,-- The schools are hereby closed; henceforth must fun abound.

Vacation shall not end; all slates I order smashed; The man who says "arithmetic"--he must be soundly thrashed; All grammars shall be burnt; the spellers we will tear; The boy who spells correctly--a fool's cap he shall wear.

No dolls shall be allowed, for dolls are what I hate; The girls must give them up, and learn to swim and skate; Confectioners must charge only a cent a pound For all the plums and candy that in the shops are found.

That man who asks a dime for any pear or peach-- I'll have him hung so high, that none his feet can reach; No baker is allowed hereafter to bake bread; He must bake only pies and cake and ginger-snaps instead.

All lecturers must quit our realm without delay; The circus-men and clowns, on pain of death, must stay; All folks who frown on fun, at once must banished be: Now, fellow, that you know my will, to its fulfilment see!

ALFRED SELWYN.

A TRUE ANTELOPE STORY.

Some time ago, I told the readers of "The Nursery" about catching a buffalo-calf. I will now tell them about a young antelope which we caught, and another which we almost caught.

Tip and I were in that part of Western Kansas which is left blank on the maps. Two hunters, Thompson and Hughes, had joined us; and we were coming back from a buffalo-chase. We had been crawling lazily along, over prairie, through valley, up and down hill, since sunrise, and it was now nearly noon.

All of a sudden, from a clump of tall grass near us, up sprung an antelope and a pair of beautiful fawns. Like a flash, the old one and one of the fawns started over the brow of the ridge on which they were lying; while the other little fellow began running around in a circle, as you have seen ponies do at the circus, bleating as hard as he could.

The boys leaped from the wagons in an instant, while I remained to hold the horses. Ranging themselves around the circle, the three hunters every now and then, dashed headlong after the fawn as he flew past; but missed him by a rod or more every time.

Our dog Landy, also, was on hand for the fun; and it was a laughable sight to see the great awkward fellow straining every nerve to overtake the little streak of animated lightning that flashed before him. Landy was a Newfoundland shepherd, and I knew that nothing could induce him to hurt the fawn if he should catch him.

While I was watching the sport, and laughing at the drollery of it, all at once I heard a stamping on the other side of the wagon, and, stepping quickly around the horses' heads, I saw the old doe, and a buck and doe with her.

As the fawn came bounding along the circle, the buck and does, bleating anxiously, darted in ahead of him, rushing right by the men and dog. Never stopping an instant, the big buck led the way, the does and fawn followed; and, before you could say "Jack Robinson," they were "over the hills, and far away."

Again we drove along, but had not proceeded more than a mile or two, when up sprung another old doe, and ran toward Landy, stamping her fore-foot fiercely. Of course the foolish dog took after her as hard as he could go,--just as she wanted him to do; and a fine chase she led him, always taking care not to leave him so far behind as to discourage him, and make him turn back.

We knew at once by her actions that she had a fawn near there; and so, while she was leading Landy away from it, we set about hunting it up. In a few minutes, I came across the little slender-legged beauty, snugly curled up under a tuft of grass. As I came upon him, he dashed out of cover with a shrill, plaintive little "baa-baa, baa-baa," and, as fawns always do in such cases, began running in a small circle.

Landy, disgusted with his hopeless chase, came trotting back, and at once struck in after the fawn. This one was not so fleet as the other; and by and by Landy overtook him, and tried to stop him by pushing him over with his nose. This frightened the fawn so badly, that he made direct for Tip, who was squatting in the long grass in wait for him, and rushed joyfully into his arms.

We took the bright-eyed little thing into the wagon, and by night he was so tame, that he would follow us around; and, when we lay down to sleep on the ground, I gave him a corner of my blanket for a bed. At last we got back to Thompson's log-house, which stood near the timber; and, when we went away we gave the fawn to his two little girls. I would really like to know what ever became of it.

PERRY, O. LLOYD WYMAN.

The Apple Tree.

Up in the apple-tree See the rosy cheeks; See the balls that look like gold; See the crimson streaks. In the lovely autumn day, Bright as in the bloom of May, Filled with fruit, and fair to see, Is the apple-tree.

Under the apple-tree See the rosy cheeks: Little Ginx, the baby, What is it he seeks? Ah! his tiny teeth are white, And are eager for a bite,-- Such a tempting store to see Is the apple-tree.

Under the apple-tree, Other rosy cheeks,-- Edith, Mabel, Gold-Locks, Full of happy freaks. Here they run, and there they run, Shouting merrily, if one Fallen in the grass they see From the apple-tree.

CLARA DOTY BATES.

A COUNCIL OF HORSES.

On the large plains of South America, horses run wild in great numbers. They are caught by means of a lasso, which is a rope with a noose at one end. This is thrown with great dexterity over the neck of the wild horse.

The artist has called the picture which we here present "A Council of Horses." Do they not look as if they were taking advice of one another? The white horse, with his erect neck and head, seems to be the leader, or chief. He is willing to hear what the others may have to say; but he means that they shall follow him, after all.

And can horses really make known their wishes to one another? It would almost seem so, though we cannot prove it. Wild horses choose their own chiefs, and these give the signal of departure. If any extraordinary object appears, the chief commands a halt. He goes to discover what it is, and, after his return, gives, by neighing, the signal of confidence, of flight, or of combat.

Five sorts of neighing may be noticed: that of joyfulness, of desire, of anger, of fear, and of sorrow. A feeling peculiar to the horse is emulation. Whoever has witnessed a horse-race can understand the ardor, vehemence, and struggle for victory, which excite the energies of both horses and men. The animals have often tried to hold their rivals back by the teeth. This has been known to happen when the horses are left entirely to themselves, as on some of the Italian race-courses, where the horses run without riders.

The horse has a strong memory. Franklin relates, that he had a horse that conducted him through a hilly country where it was difficult to find the road. Every time Franklin himself was unable to tell which road to take, he would leave the reins on the horse's neck, and the good beast, left to itself, never failed to go right.

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