Read Ebook: Cobwebs to catch flies by Lovechild Mrs

Font size: 10 px 15 px 20 px 25 px 30 px 35 px

Background color: BlackWhiteGrayLight GrayDark GrayDim Gray

Text color: BlackWhiteGrayLight GrayDark GrayDim Gray

Apply/Save settings

Ebook has 105 lines and 13438 words, and 3 pages

THE BEES.

A little girl was eating her supper; it was bread and milk, with some honey. "Pray," said the little girl, "who makes honey for my supper?"

THE FLIES.

The next morning this same little girl was eating her breakfast. It chanced that the maid had let fall a drop of honey as she mixed her milk; and a fly came and stood on the edge of her basin to suck it.

The good child laid aside her spoon to avoid frightening the poor fly.

Yes, mamma; but I would not hinder this little fly from getting his breakfast.

Good child! said her mother, rising from her tea; we will look at him as he eats. See how he sucks through his long tube. How pleased he is!

Mother, can not flies make honey? said the little girl.

"No," said her father, "they are like you, they can not make honey, but they are very fond of eating it."

What do flies do, father?

THE SPIDER.

A little boy saw a spider; its legs were all packed close to its body; the boy thought it was a bit of dirt, and was going to pick it up.

His father stopped him, lest he should chance to hurt the spider; he told him that the poor creature had rolled himself up from fear; that if he stood still he would soon see the spider move.

The little boy kept close and quiet some time, watching the spider; he saw it unfold one leg, then another, till at last they were all loose, and away it ran. Then the little boy ran after his father, and heard the history of spiders.

He told him a great deal about them. Then he talked to him of other insects, which disguise themselves to escape the dangers which they meet with.

He picked up a wood-louse, and laid it gently in his little hand. There, said he, you see the wood-louse roll itself into a little ball, like a pea: let it lie awhile and when it thinks that you do not observe it--

THE BIRD.

A boy was walking with his mother; he saw a bird fly past, with some food in its mouth.

THE HAPPY FAMILY.

Such a family is the most pleasing scene upon earth.

The children were all very fond of each other. No one had an idea of feeling joy in which the rest did not share. If one child had an apple, or a cake, he always parted it into eight pieces; and the owner kept the smallest for himself; and when any little treasure was given which could not be so divided, the rest were summoned to see it, to play with it, and to receive all the pleasure which it could afford.

The little folks were fond of books: the elder ones would often lay aside their own, to read aloud to the younger ones in such as were suited to them. In short, they were a family of perfect love. Each boy had a little piece of ground for a garden, in which he might work to amuse himself. It would have made you smile to see how earnest they were at their work--digging, planting, weeding, and sometimes they had leave to water. Each was ready to lend any of his tools to his brother. Each was happy to assist in any plan, if his brother needed help.

The boys did the chief work in their sisters' gardens; and their greatest joy was to present little nosegays to their mother and sisters.

What do you want, poor woman?

You shall have this bread which the maid gave me just now. We should 'do as we would be done by.'

THE FAIR.

Did you ever see a Merry-go-round? If you never passed through a country fair, I dare say you never did.

As they passed by, the children who were riding called, "will you ride? will you ride?"

One girl called, "See how we ride!" One said, "O! how charming this is!" One boy said, "You see we do not fall!"

One boy shouted aloud, "Come, come, you must ride; it will not be known at home. I was bid not to ride, but you see I do."

Just as he spoke, the part upon which he sat broke, and down he fell.

In another part of the fair, the boys saw some children tossed about in a Toss-about.

They were singing merrily the old nurse's ditty:

"Now we go up, up, up, "Now we go down, down, down, "Now we go backward and forward, "Now we go round, round, round."

When they returned home, each was eager to relate his brother's good conduct; each was happy to hear his parents commend them both.

THE STUBBORN CHILD.

Mr. Steady was walking out with his little son, when he met a boy with a satchel on his shoulder, crying and sobbing dismally. Mr. Steady accosted him, kindly inquiring what was the matter.

I made her no answer--but thought she might feel the reason soon.

Now the dog had been ill-used by a girl, who was so naughty as to make a sport of holding meat to his mouth and snatching it away again; which made him take meat roughly, and always be surly to girls.

THE PICTURES.

The book-room opened into a gallery, which was hung with prints and pictures, all chosen with a view to children. All designed to teach little folks while they were young; in order that when they grew up, they might act worthily.

There were written accounts of each picture, with which her ladyship would often indulge good children.

Sometimes she walked about herself and explained a few of the pictures to her little guests.

One day I chanced to be present when she was showing a few of them to a little visiter; and I think my young reader may like to hear what passed.

"You shall not lose your meal!" exclaimed I; "nor you, naughty boys, the punishment which you deserve for your cruel intention."

THE HEDGE-HOG.

"The children of our family should be like the fingers on a hand; each help the other, and each in his separate station promote the good of the whole. The joy of one should be the joy of the whole. Children in a house should agree together like the birds in a nest, and love each other."

"Birds in their little nests agree, "And 'tis a shameful sight, "When children of one family, "Fall out and chide and fight."

"Our joys when thus shared are always increas'd, "And griefs when divided are hushed into peace."

THE USEFUL PLAY.

Let us lay thrust, thresh, branch, ground, school, thirst, quince, quail, and dearth.

Share on: WhatsApp @Hash Facebook Tweet