HAPPY HOURS, or THE HOME STORY-BOOK - 1851 - PAW THE OLD OAK-TREE r r r r , . 6 THE WHITEPIGEON . a . . n OOUSlN JOHNS FIRST ST0RY HEKO . 86 COUSIN JOIIN 8 SECOND STORY -FLOSH AND ROVER . 113 THE REVENGEFULINDIAN , 0 a e . 138 8 EMILY MAYNARD . . . . . . 163 HENRY MORTON . . r . . . 171 AONES AND HER PETS . r e a r 177 THE SISTERg r 1 e . a a 1 8 3 L HAPPY HOURS THE HOME STORY-BOOK. THE OLD OAIC-TREE. IT was in the first month of the year, and on the first day of that month-New years dsy--that two little b r o ys, George and Edwvard Homard, were seen wending their way through one of the quiet lanes in the neighbourhood of Cranford. It was one of those bright joyous inornings - known only at that season of the year. The air ivas clear and bracing the branches of an avenue of treh, inter woven overhead, and covered with white rime, appeared like a Toof of lace work here and there, in the hollows of the road, were seen pools of frozen water, mhich, a stray gleam of sunshine n ould cause to shine like mirrors while the white fiost, with which the grass m7as clad, listened nith the brilliancy of countless b gems. The two boys I have mentioned cheerfillly purs ethde ir way their shrill voices and merry laughter ringing apin through the light morniog air. Edmard, who was by one year the younger of the two, was carrying a parcel, careft lly pnclred in brown paper, and his brother G eorge was jumping ilimbly backward and forward over the ditches mhich skirted a road or sliding on any pieces of ice wnich fell in his way, till his face glowed , with health and erercise. L Ah I wish I were as warm as you are, Georg, cried Edwd G I declare my fingers are quite cold with ca, rrying . this parcel. I wonder why Uncle Philip wished us particularly to bring it Well if you are cold Edward, said his brother, L why not run about-as I do. See, here is a capital slide just before us put the parcel down for a moment, and take a ruil with me. W No, it is not worth while to stop no 7, s li d Ed vard , , for you know you nlust carry the parcel half the distance. That old oalc-tree is just half way between our ho lse and Uncle Philips when we reach that I shall have done my portion a I mean to carry it half way, and only half my, returned George U and I am certain that that tree is not the place for you know very well, Edwnrd, that Thomas. the gardener told us the other day he had measured the distance, and the half mile was ten yards on the other side of the oak. U I dont care what Thomas fancieg, cried Edward I know that every one else siiys the tree is half way, and I shall carry the parcel there and no further. At the beginning of this con erwtion, George had been on the point of offering to carry the parcel the remainder of the distance buf 110 sooner did his brother tell him that he expecteh him to carry it half my, than he obstinately resolved not to do so merely, a, s he said, beca h s e would not be dictated to by a younger brother. Edward, feeling convinced that he had done his share, determined, with equal obstinacy, not to yield the point I am afraid from what has been said about the two brothers, that my young readers will fancy them to have been very obstinate, quarrelsome boyq but b such was not generally the case. They were good tempered and obliging to a11 their friends, kind to their poorer neighbours, and, except on one point, seldom disagreed with one another but each had a foolish pride about being directed to do anything by...