McGuffey's Second Eclectic Reader by William Holmes McGuffey (classic reads txt) 📖

my son," said his mother, "The sand moves by little and little, but it moves all the time. 9. "When you look at the hands of the clock, you think they go very slowly, and so they do; but they never stop.

10, "While you are at play the sand is running, grain by grain, The hands of the clock are moving, second by second.

11. "At night, the sand in the hourglass has run through twelve times. The hour hand of the clock has moved all around its great face.

12. "This because they keep work every minute. They do not stop to think how much they have to do, and how long it will take them to do it."

13. Now, Frank's mother wanted him to learn a little hymn; but he said "Mother, I can never learn it."

14. His mother said, "Study all the time. Never stop to ask how long it will take to learn it. You will be able to say it very soon."

15. Frank followed his mother's advice. He studied line after line, very busily; and in one hour and a half he knew the hymn perfectly.

LESSON LXIII.

sleet cheer'ly cru'el taps free

[Illustration: Road through forest.]

MARCH.

1. In the snowing and the blowing,
     In the cruel sleet,
   Little flowers begin their growing
     Far beneath our feet.

2. Softly taps the Spring, and cheerly,—
     "Darlings, are you here?"
   Till they answer, "We are nearly,
     Nearly ready, dear."

3. "Where is Winter, with his snowing?
     Tell us, Spring," they say.
   Then she answers, "He is going,
     Going on his way.

4. "Poor old Winter does not love you;
     But his time is past;
   Soon my birds shall sing above you;—
     Set you free at last."
                                Mary Mapes Dodge.

LESSON LXIV.

late straw Jen'ny snort'ed Tem'plar

aunt rogue re port' graz'ing di rect'ly

ditch act'ed ser'vice sup pose' ca ressed'

hired e rect' pricked mo'ment gro'cer ies

JENNY'S CALL.

1. "It's of no use, Mrs. Templar; I have been trying the greater part of an hour to catch that rogue of a horse. She won't be caught."

[Illustration: Man and boy chasing horse.]

2. Such was the report the hired man brought in to Mrs. Templar one pleasant May morning, when she had been planning a ride.

3. "I suppose it can not be helped, but I wanted her very much," she said, as she turned away.

4. "What was it you wanted, mother?" asked Jenny Templar, a bright, brown-haired, brown-eyed girl of twelve, who had just come into the room.

5. "Fanny," said the mother. "It is such a beautiful morning, I meant to drive down to the village, get some groceries, then call for your Aunt Ann, have a nice ride up the river road, and bring her home to dinner.

6. "But father is away for all day, and the men have been trying nearly an hour to catch Fanny; one of the men says she can't be caught."

7. "Maybe she can't by him," said Jenny, with a merry laugh. "But, get ready, mother; you shall go if you like. I'll catch Fanny, and harness her, too."

8. "Why, my child, they say she jumped the ditch three or four times, and acted like a wild creature. You'll only be late at school, and tire yourself for nothing."

9. "It won't take me long, mother. Fanny will come to me," said Jenny, cheerily. She put on her wide straw hat, and was off in a moment, down the hill, to the field where the horse was grazing.

10. The moment Fanny heard the rustle of Jenny's dress, she pricked up her ears, snorted, and, with head erect, seemed ready to bound away again.

[Illustration: Girl leading horse.]

11. "Fanny! O Fanny!" called Jenny, and the beautiful creature turned her head. That gentle tone she well knew, and, glad to see her friend, she carne directly to the fence, and rubbed her head on the girl's shoulder. As soon as the gate was opened, she followed Jenny to the barn.

12. The men had treated her roughly, and she remembered it. But she knew and loved the voice that was always kind, and the hand that often fed and caressed her. She gave love for love, and willing service for kindness.

LESSON LXV.

rung Da'vy vi'o let re cess' ar range'

ferns ma'ple dain'ty lin'gered pret'ti est

POOR DAVY.

1. It was recess time at the village school. The bell had rung, and the children had run out into the bright sunshine, wild with laughter and fun.

2. All but poor Davy. He came out last and very slowly, but he did not laugh. He was in trouble, and the bright, golden sunlight did not make him glad.

3. He walked across the yard, and sat down on a stone behind the old maple. A little bird on the highest branch sang just to make him laugh.

4. But Davy did not notice it. He was thinking of the cruel words that had been said about his ragged clothes. The tears stole out of his eyes, and ran down his cheeks.

[Illustration: Boy sitting alone under tree in schoolyard. Other children playing in background.]

5. Poor Davy had no father, and his mother had to work hard to keep him at school.

6. That night, he went home by the path that led across the fields and through the woods. He still felt sad.

7. Davy did not wish to trouble his mother; so he lingered a while among the trees, and at last threw himself on the green moss under them.

[Illustration: Woman talking to boy.]

8. Just then his teacher came along. She saw who it was, and stopped, saying kindly, "What is the matter, Davy?"

9. He did not speak, but the tears began again to start.

10. "Won't you tell me? Perhaps I can help you."

11. Then he told her all his trouble. When he ended, she said, cheerily, "I have a plan, Davy, that I think will help you."

12. "Oh, what is it?" he said, sitting up with a look of hope, while a tear fell upon a blue violet.

l3. "Well, how would you like to be a little flower merchant?"

14. "And earn money?" said Davy. "That would be jolly. But where shall I get my flowers?"

15. "Right in these woods, and in the fields," said his teacher. " Here are lovely blue violets, down by the brook are white ones, and among the rocks are ferns and mosses. Bring them all to my house, and I will help you arrange them."

16. So, day after day, Davy hunted the woods for the prettiest flowers, and the most dainty ferns and mosses. After his teacher had helped to arrange them, he took them to the city that was near, and sold them.

17. He soon earned money enough to buy new clothes. Now the sunshine and the bird's songs make him glad.

LESSON LXVI.

deep flour dough mill'er wheth'er

cook a far' dust'y cra'dles grind'ing

glow doth val'ley reap'ers a-knead'ing

ALICE'S SUPPER.
                   1.
Far down in the valley the wheat grows deep,
And the reapers are making the cradles sweep;
And this is the song that I hear them sing,
While cheery and loud their voices ring:
"'Tis the finest wheat that ever did grow!
And it is for Alice's supper—ho! ho!"

                   2.
Far down by the river the old mill stands,
And the miller is rubbing his dusty hands;
And these are the words of the miller's lay,
As he watches the millstones grinding away:
"'Tis the finest flour that money can buy,
And it is for Alice's supper—hi! hi!"

                   3.
Downstairs in the kitchen the fire doth glow,
And cook is a-kneading the soft, white dough;
And this is the song she is singing to-day,
As merry and busy she's working away:
"'Tis the finest dough, whether near or afar,
And it is for Alice's supper—ha! ha!"

[Illustration: Mother serving supper to small girl seated at table.]

                   4.
To the nursery now comes mother, at last,
And what in her hand is she bringing so fast?
'Tis a plateful of something, all yellow and white,
And she sings as she comes, with her smile so bright:
"'Tis the best bread and butter I ever did see,
And it is for Alice's supper—he! he!"

LESSON LXVII.

tall hung storm pick'et

firs north gowns spar'ked

roof flakes fair'ies cap'tains

A SNOWSTORM.

1. Last night, the cold north wind blew great snow clouds over the sky. Not a star, not a bit of blue sky could be seen.

2. Soon the tiny flakes floated softly down, like flocks of little white birds. Faster and faster they came, till they filled the air. They made no noise, but they were busy all night long.

3. They covered all the ground with a soft, white carpet. They hung beautiful plumes on the tall, green firs. The little bushes, they put to sleep in warm nightgowns and caps.

[Illustration: Snow covering house, shed, and road. Children playing.]

4. They hid the paths so that the boys might have the fun of digging new ones. They turned the old picket fence into a row of soldiers, and the gate posts into captains, with tall white hats on.

5. The old corn basket that was left out by the barn, upside down, they made into a cunning little snow house with a round roof.

6. When the busy little flakes had done their work, the sun came up to see what they had been about.

7. He must have been pleased with what he saw, for he smiled such a bright, sweet smile, that the whole white world sparkled as if it were made of little stars.

8. Who would have thought that the black clouds could hide the little fairies that made the earth so beautiful!

LESSON LXVIII.

dug roots thump of fense'

toad spool heaped smoothed

forth a'pron clos'ets dan'de li ons

BESSIE.

1. One day, Bessie thought how nice it would be to have a garden with only wild flowers in it. So into the house she ran to find her Aunt Annie, and ask her leave to go over on the shady hillside, across the brook, where the wild flowers grew thickest.

[Illustration: Girl planting small garden. Toad sitting in garden.]

2. " Yes, indeed, you may go," said Aunt Annie; "but what will you put the roots and earth in while you are making the garden?"

3. "Oh," said Bessie, "I can take my apron."

4. Her aunt laughed, and said, "A basket will be better, I think." So they looked in the closets and the attic, everywhere; but some of the baskets were full, and some broken; not one could they find that would do.

5. Then Aunt Annie turned out the spools and the bags from a nice large workbasket, and gave that to Bessie. "You may have this for your own," she said, "to fill with earth, or flowers, or anything you like."

6. "Oh I thank you," said Bessie, and she danced away through the