MOTHER STORIES

BY

MAUD LINDSAY

ILLUSTRATED _by_ SARAH NOBLE-IVES

 "_Mother, a story told at the right time Is a looking-glass for the mind_. " FROEBEL. 

TWENTY-EIGHTH EDITION

MILTON BRADLEY COMPANYSPRINGFIELD MASS. 1928

=Bradley Quality Books=PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

DEDICATED _to_ MY MOTHER

PREFACE

I have endeavored to write, for mothers and dear little children, a fewsimple stories, embodying some of the truths of Froebel's Mother Play. 

The Mother Play is such a vast treasure house of Truth, that each onewho seeks among its stores may bring to light some gem; and though, perhaps, I have missed its diamonds and rubies, I trust my string ofpearls may find acceptance with some mother who is trying to live withher children. 

I have written my own mottoes, with a few exceptions, that I mightemphasize the particular lesson which I endeavor to teach in the story;for every motto in the Mother Play comprehends so much that it isimpossible to use the whole for a single subject. From "The Bridge" forinstance, which is replete with lessons, I have taken only one, --for thestory of the "Little Traveler. "

Most of these stories have been told and retold to little children, andare surrounded, in my eyes, by a halo of listening faces. 

"Mrs. Tabby Gray" is founded on a true story of a favorite cat. "TheJourney" is a new version of the old Stage Coach game, much loved by ourgrandmothers; and I am indebted to some old story, read in childhood, for the suggestion of "Dust Under the Rug, " which was a successfulexperiment in a kindergarten to test the possibility of interestinglittle children in a story after the order of Grimm, with the wickedstepmother and her violent daughter eradicated. 

Elizabeth Peabody says we are all free to look out of each other'swindows; and so I place mine at the service of all who care to see whatits tiny panes command. 

MAUD LINDSAY. 

LIST OF STORIES

The Wind's Work

Mrs. Tabby Gray

Fleet Wing and Sweet Voice

The Little Girl with the Light

The Little Gray Pony

How the Home Was Built

The Little Traveler

The Open Gate

Inside the Garden Gate

The Journey

Giant Energy and Fairy Skill

The Search for a Good Child

The Closing Door

The Minstrel's Song

Dust Under the Rug

The Story of Gretchen

The King's Birthday

_THE WIND'S WORK_

 MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER

 _Power invisible that God reveals, The child within all nature feels, Like the great wind that unseen goes, Yet helps the world's work as it blows_. 

One morning Jan waked up very early, and the first thing he saw when heopened his eyes was his great kite in the corner. His big brother hadmade it for him; and it had a smiling face, and a long tail that reachedfrom the bed to the fireplace. It did not smile at Jan that morningthough, but looked very sorrowful and seemed to say "Why was I made? Notto stand in a corner, I hope!" for it had been finished for two wholedays and not a breeze had blown to carry it up like a bird in the air. 

Jan jumped out of bed, dressed himself, and ran to the door to see ifthe windmill on the hill was at work; for he hoped that the wind hadcome in the night. But the mill was silent and its arms stood still. Noteven a leaf turned over in the yard. 

The windmill stood on a high hill where all the people could see it, andwhen its long arms went whirling around every one knew that there wasno danger of being hungry, for then the Miller was busy from morn tonight grinding the grain that the farmers brought him. 

When Jan looked out, however, the Miller had nothing to do, and wasstanding in his doorway, watching the clouds, and saying to himself(though Jan could not hear him):--

 "_Oh! how I wish the wind would blow So that my windmill's sails might go, To turn my heavy millstones round! For corn and wheat must both be ground, And how to grind I do not know Unless the merry wind will blow_. "

He sighed as he spoke, for he looked down in the village, and saw theBaker in neat cap and apron, standing idle too. 

The Baker's ovens were cold, and his trays were clean, and he, too, waswatching the sky, and saying:--

 "_Oh! how I wish the wind would blow, So that the Miller's mill might go, And grind me flour so fine, to make My good light bread and good sweet cake! But how to bake I do not know Without the flour as white as snow_. "

Jan heard every word that the Baker said, for he lived next door to him;and he felt so sorry for his good neighbor that he wanted to tell himso. But before he had time to speak, somebody else called out fromacross the street:--

 "_Well! I'm sure I wish the wind would blow, For this is washing day, you know. I've scrubbed and rubbed with all my might, In tubs of foam from morning light, And now I want the wind to blow To dry my clothes as white as snow_. "

This was the Washerwoman who was hanging out her clothes. Jan could seehis own Sunday shirt, with ruffles, hanging limp on her line, and it wasas white as a snowflake, sure enough!

"Come over, little neighbor, " cried the Washerwoman, when she saw Jan. "Come over, little neighbor, and help me work to-day!" So, as soon asJan had eaten his breakfast, he ran over to carry her basket for her. The basket was heavy, but he did not care; and as he worked he heardsome one singing a song, with a voice almost as loud and as strong asthe wind. 

 [1]"_Oh! if the merry wind would blow, Yeo ho! lads, ho! yeo ho! yeo ho! My gallant ship would gaily go, Yeo ho! lads, ho! yeo ho! In fresh'ning gales we'd loose our sails, And o'er the sea, Where blue waves dance, and sunbeams glance, We'd sail in glee, But winds must blow, before we go, Across the sea, Yeo ho! my lads, yeo ho!"_

[Footnote 1: Air _Nancy Lee_. ]

Jan and the Washerwoman and all the neighbors looked out to see who wassinging so cheerily, and it was the Sea-captain whose white ship Jan hadwatched in the harbor. The ship was laden with linen and laces for fineladies, but it could not go till the wind blew. The Captain wasimpatient to be off, and so he walked about town, singing his jolly songto keep himself happy. 

Jan thought it was a beautiful song, and when he went home he tried tosing it himself. He did not know all the words, but he put his hands inhis pockets and swelled out his little chest and sang in as big a voiceas he could: "Yeo ho! my lads, yeo ho!"

While he sang, something kissed him on the cheek; and when he turned tosee what it was his hat spun off into the yard as if it were enchanted;and when he ran to pick his hat up he heard a whispering all through thetown. He looked up, and he looked down, and on every side, but sawnobody! At last the golden weather-vane on the church tower calleddown:--

"Foolish child, it is the wind from out of the east. "

The trees had been the first to know of its coming, and they were bowingand bending to welcome it; while the leaves danced off the branches anddown the hill, in a whirl of delight. 

The windmill's arms whirled round, oh! so fast, and the wheat was groundinto white flour for the Baker, who kindled his fires and beat his eggsin the twinkling of an eye; and he was not quicker than the Sea-captain, who loosed his sails in the fresh'ning gales, just as he had said hewould, and sailed away to foreign lands. 

Jan watched him go, and then ran in great haste to get his kite; for thepetticoats on the Washerwoman's clothesline were puffed up likeballoons, and all the world was astir. 

"Now I'm in my proper place, " said the kite as it sailed over the roofsof the houses, over the tree tops, over the golden weather vane, andeven over the windmill itself. Higher, higher, higher it flew, as if ithad wings; till it slipped away from the string, and Jan never saw itagain, and only the wind knew where it landed at last. 

[Illustration: "Now I am in my proper place, " said the Kite. ]

_MRS. TABBY GRAY_

 MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER

 "_All mother love attracts the child, Its world-wide tenderness he feels. And ev'ry beast that loves her young, His mother's love to him reveals_. "

Mrs. Tabby Gray, with her three little kittens, lived out in the barnwhere the hay was stored. One of the kittens was white, one was black, and one gray, just like her mother, who was called Tabby Gray from thecolor of her coat. 

These three little kittens opened their eyes when they grew old enough, and thought there was nothing so nice in all this wonderful world astheir own dear mother, although she told them of a great many nicethings, like milk and bread, which they should have when they could goup to the big house where she had her breakfast, dinner, and supper. 

Every time Mother Tabby came from the big house she had somethingpleasant to tell. "Bones for dinner to-day, my dears, " she would say, or"I had a fine romp with a ball and the baby, " until the kittens longedfor the time when they could go too. 

One day, however, Mother Cat walked in with joyful news. 

"I have found an elegant new home for you, " she said, "in a very largetrunk where some old clothes are kept; and I think I had better move atonce. "

Then she picked up the small black kitten, without any more words, andwalked right out of the barn with him. 

The black kitten was astonished, but he blinked his eyes at the brightsunshine, and tried to see everything. 

Out in the barnyard there was a great noise, for the white hen had laidan egg, and wanted everybody to know it; but Mother Cat hurried on, without stopping to inquire about it, and soon dropped the kitten intothe large trunk. The clothes made such a soft, comfortable bed, and thekitten was so tired after his exciting trip, that he fell asleep, andMrs. Tabby trotted off for another baby. 

While she was away, the lady who owned the trunk came out in the hall;and when she saw that the trunk was open, she shut it, locked it, andput the key in her pocket, for she did not dream that there wasanything so precious as a kitten inside. 

As soon as the lady had gone upstairs Mrs. Tabby Gray came back, withthe little white kitten; and when she found the trunk closed, she wasterribly frightened. She put the white kitten down and sprang on top ofthe trunk and scratched with all her might, but scratching did no good. Then she jumped down and reached up to the keyhole, but that was toosmall for even a mouse to pass through, and the poor mother mewedpitifully. 

What was she to do? She picked up the white kitten, and ran to the barnwith it. Then she made haste to the house again, and went upstairs tothe lady's room. The lady was playing with her baby and when Mother Catsaw this she rubbed against her skirts, and cried: "Mee-ow, mee-ow! Youhave your baby, and I want mine! Mee-ow, mee-ow!"

By and by the lady said: "Poor Kitty! she must be hungry"; and she wentdown to the kitchen and poured sweet milk in a saucer, but the cat didnot want milk. She wanted her baby kitten out of the big black trunk, and she mewed as plainly as she could: "Give me my baby--give me mybaby, out of your big black trunk!"

The kind lady decided that she must be thirsty: "Poor Kitty, I will giveyou water"; but when she set the bowl of water down Mrs. Tabby Graymewed more sorrowfully than before. She wanted no water, --she onlywanted her dear baby kitten; and she ran to and fro, crying, until, atlast, the lady followed her; and she led the way to the trunk. 

"What can be the matter with this cat?" said the lady; and she took thetrunk key out of her pocket, put it in the lock, unlocked the trunk, raised the top--and in jumped Mother Cat with such a bound that thelittle black kitten waked up with a start. 

[Illustration: The lady followed her; and she led the way to the trunk. ]

"Purr, purr, my darling child, " said Mrs. Tabby Gray, in greatexcitement; "I have had a dreadful fright!" and before the black kittencould ask one question she picked him up and started for the barn. 

The sun was bright in the barnyard and the hens were still chatteringthere; but the black kitten was glad to get back to the barn. His motherwas glad, too; for, as she nestled down in the hay with her three littlekittens, she told them that a barn was the best place after all to raisechildren. 

And she never afterwards changed her mind. 

_FLEET WING AND SWEET VOICE_

 MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER

 _Make the home-coming sweet! The gladness of going, The pleasure of knowing Will not be complete Unless, at the ending, The home-coming's sweet. 

 Make the home-coming sweet! No fear of the straying, Or dread of the staying Of dear little feet, If always you're making The home-coming sweet_. 

Mother and Father Pigeon lived with their two young pigeons in theirhome, built high on a post in the king's barnyard. Every bright morningthey would fly away through the beautiful sunshine wherever theypleased, but, when evening came, they were sure to come to thepigeon-house again. 

One evening, when they were talking together in their sweet, cooing way, Mother Pigeon said:--

"We each have a story to tell, I know; so let each one take his turn, and Father Pigeon begin. "

Then Father Pigeon said:--

"To-day I have been down to the shining little stream that runs throughthe wood. The green ferns grow on either side of it, and the water iscool, cool, cool! for I dipped my feet into it, and wished that you allwere there. "

"I know the stream, " cooed Mother Pigeon. "It turns the wheels of themills as it hurries along, and is busy all day on its way to the river. "

"To-day I have talked with the birds in the garden, " said Sweet Voice, one of the young pigeons, "the thrush, the blackbird, and bluebird, andall. They sang to me and I cooed to them, and together we made the worldgay. The bluebird sang of the sunshine, and the blackbird of theharvest; but the thrush sang the sweetest song. It was about her nest inthe tree. "

"I heard you all, " said Fleet Wing, the other young pigeon; "for I satand listened on the high church tower. I was so high up, there, that Ithought I was higher than anything else; but I saw the great sun shiningin the sky, and the little white clouds, like sky pigeons, sailing aboveme. Then, looking down, I saw, far away, this white pigeon-house; and itmade me very glad, for nothing that I saw was so lovely as home. "

"I never fly far away from home, " said Mother Pigeon, "and to-day Ivisited in the chicken yard. The hens were all talking, and they greetedme with 'Good morning! Good morning!' and the turkey gobbled 'Goodmorning!' and the rooster said 'How do you do?' While I chatted withthem a little girl came out with a basket of yellow corn, and threw somefor us all. When I was eating my share, I longed for my dear ones. Andnow good night, " cooed Mother Pigeon, "it is sleepy time for us all. "

"Coo, coo! Good night!" answered the others; and all was still in thepigeon-house. 

Now over in the palace, where the king, and queen, and their one littledaughter lived, there was the sound of music and laughter; but theking's little daughter was sad, for early the next morning her father, the king, was to start on a journey, and she loved him so dearly thatshe could not bear to have him leave her. 

The king's little daughter could not go out in the sunshine like SweetVoice and Fleet Wing, but lay all day within the palace on her silkencushions; for her fine little feet, in their satin slippers, were alwaystoo tired to carry her about, and her thin, little face was as white asa jasmine flower. 

The king loved her as dearly as she loved him; and when he saw that shewas sad, he tried to think of something to make her glad after he hadgone away. At last he called a prince, and whispered something to him. The prince told it to a count, and the count to a gentleman-in-waiting. 

The gentleman-in-waiting told a footman, and the footman told somebodyelse, and at last, the boy who waited on the cook heard it. 

Early next morning he went to the pigeon-house, where Mother and FatherPigeon and their two young pigeons lived; and putting his hand through adoor, he took Sweet Voice and Fleet Wing out, and dropped them into abasket. 

Poor Sweet Voice, and Fleet Wing! They were so frightened that theycould not coo! They sat very close to each other in the covered basket, and wondered when they would see their mother and father and homeagain. 

All the time, as they sat close together in the basket and wondered, they were being taken away from home; for the king had started on hisjourney, and one of his gentlemen was carrying the basket, verycarefully, with him on his horse. 

At last the horses stood still and the basket was taken to the king; andwhen he opened it, the two little pigeons looked up and saw that the sunwas high in the sky, and that they were far from home. 

When they saw that they were far from home, they were more frightenedthan before; but the king spoke so kindly and smoothed their feathers sogently, that they knew he would take care of them. 

Then the king took two tiny letters tied with lovely blue ribbon out ofhis pocket; and, while his gentlemen stood by to see, he fastened oneunder a wing of each little pigeon. 

"Fly away, little pigeons!" he cried; and he tossed them up toward thesky. "Fly away, and carry my love to my little daughter!"

Fleet Wing, and Sweet Voice spread their wings joyfully, for they knewthat they were free! free! and they wanted to go home. 

Everywhere they saw green woods, instead of the red roofs and shiningwindows of the town, and Sweet Voice was afraid; but Fleet Wing said:--

"I saw these woods from the tall church steeple. Home is not so far awayas we thought. "

Then they lost no time in talking, but turned their heads homeward; andas they flew the little gray squirrels that ran about in the woodscalled out to ask them to play, but the pigeons could not stay. 

The wood dove heard them, and called from her tree: "Little cousins, come in!" But the pigeons thanked her and hurried on. 

"Home is not so far away, " said Fleet Wing; but he began to fear that hehad missed the way, and Sweet Voice was so tired that she begged him tofly on alone. 

[Illustration: The little pigeons were taken in to see the king'sdaughter. ]

Fleet Wing would not listen to this; and, as they talked, they came to alittle stream of water with green ferns growing all about, and they knewthat it must be the very stream that Father Pigeon loved. Then theycooled their tired feet in the fresh water, and cooed for joy; for theyknew that they were getting nearer, nearer, nearer home, all the time. 

Sweet Voice was not afraid then; and as they flew from the shelter ofthe woods, they saw the tall church steeple with its golden weathervane. 

The sun was in the west, and the windows were all shining in its light, when Fleet Wing and Sweet Voice reached the town. The little childrensaw them and called: "Stay with us, pretty pigeons. " But Sweet Voice andFleet Wing did not rest until they reached the white pigeon house, whereMother and Father Pigeon were waiting. 

The cook's boy was waiting, too, and the little pigeons were taken in tosee the king's little daughter. When she found the letters which theycarried under their wings, she laughed with delight; and Fleet Wing andSweet Voice were very proud to think that they had brought glad news totheir princess. 

They told it over and over again out in the pigeon-house, and Mother andFather Pigeon were glad, too. 

In the morning, the birds in the garden were told of the wonderfulthings that had happened to Fleet Wing and Sweet Voice; and even thehens and chickens had something to say when they heard the news. 

The thrush said that it all made her think of her own sweet song; andshe sang it again to them:--

 "_Wherever I fly from my own dear nest, I always come back, for home is the best_. "

_THE LITTLE GIRL WITH THE LIGHT_

 MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER

 _We can never dwell in shadows If our souls are full of light. Let the brightness of our being Make the whole wide world as bright_ "_Jesus bids us shine for all around. Many kinds of darkness in this world are found. There's sin and want and sorrow, so we must shine, You in your small corner, I in mine. "

 S. S. Hymn_. 

There once lived a little maiden to whom God had given a wonderfullight, which made her whole life bright. 

When she was a wee baby it shone on her face in a beautiful smile, andher mother cried:--

"See! the angels have been kissing her!" And when she grew older itlighted up her eyes like sunshine, and gleamed on her forehead like astar. 

All lovely things that loved light, loved her. The soft-cooing pigeonscame at her call. The roses climbed up to her windows to peep at her, and the birds of the air, and the butterflies, that looked likeenchanted sunbeams, would circle about her head. 

Her father was king of a country; and though she was not so tall as thetall white lily in the garden, or the weeds that grew outside, she hadservants to wait on her, and grant her every wish, as if she were aqueen. 

She was dearer to her father and mother than all else that theypossessed; and there was no happier king or queen or little maiden inany kingdom of the world, till one sad day when the king's enemies cameupon them like a whirlwind, and changed their joy to sorrow. 

Their palace was seized, the servants were scattered, and the king andqueen were carried away to a dark prison-house, where they sat and weptfor their little daughter, for they knew not where she was. 

No one knew but the old nurse, who had nursed the king himself. She hadcarried the child away, unnoticed amid the noise and strife, and set herin safety outside the palace walls. 

"Fly, precious one!" she cried, as she left her there. "Fly! for theenemy is upon us!" And the little maiden started out in the world alone. 

She knew not where to go; so she wandered away through the fields andwaste places, where nobody lived and only the grasshoppers seemed glad. But she was not afraid, --no! not even when she came to a great forest, at evening;--for she carried her light with her. 

'T is true that once she thought she saw a threatening giant waiting bythe dusky path; but, when her light shone on it, it was only a pinetree, stretching out its friendly arms; and she laughed so merrily thatall the woods laughed too. 

"Who are you? Who are you?" asked an owl, blinking his eyes at thebrightness of her face; and a little rabbit, startled by the sound, sprang from its hiding place in the bushes and fell trembling at herfeet. 

"Alas!" it panted as she bent in pity to offer help, "Alas! the hunterswith their dogs and guns pursue me! But you flee, too! How can you helpme?" But the child took the tiny creature in her arms and held it close;and when the dogs rushed through the tanglewood, they saw the light thatlighted up her eyes like sunshine and gleamed on her forehead like astar, and came no further. 

Then deeper into the great forest she went, bearing the rabbit still;and the wild beasts heard her footsteps, and waited for her coming. 

"Hush!" said the fox, "she is mine; for I will lead her from the pathinto the tanglewood!"

"Nay, she is mine!" howled the wolf; "for I will follow on herfootsteps!"

"Mine! mine!" screamed the tiger; "for I will spring upon her in thedarkness, and she cannot escape me!"

[Illustration: The child took the tiny creature in her arms and held itclose. ]

So they quarreled among themselves, for they were beasts and knew nobetter; and as they snarled and growled and howled, the maiden walked inamong them; and when the light which made her lovely fell upon them, they ran and hid themselves in the depths of the forest, and thechild passed on in safety. 

The rabbit still slept peacefully on her breast. At last she, too, grewweary, and lay down to sleep on the leaves and moss; and the birds ofthe forest watched her and sang to her, and nothing harmed her all thenight. 

In the morning a party of horsemen rode through the forest, lookingbehind each bush and tree as if they sought something very precious. 

The forest glowed with splendor then, for the sun had come in all itsglory to scatter darkness and wake up the world. The darkest dells andcaves and lonely paths lost their horror in the morning light, and therewere violets blooming in the shadows of the pines. 

The leaves glistened, the flowers lifted their heads, and everything wasglad but the horsemen, whose faces were full of gloom because theirhearts were sad. 

They did not speak or smile as they rode on their search; and theirleader was the saddest of them all, though he wore a golden crown thatsparkled with many jewels. 

They followed each winding path through the forest, till at last theyreached the spot where the little maiden lay. 

The rabbit waked up at the sound of their coming, but the child slepttill a loud cry of gladness awakened her and she found herself in herfather's arms. 

In the night-time the king's brave soldiers had driven his enemies fromhis land, and opened the doors of the prison-house in which he and thequeen lay, and the king had ridden with them in haste to find hisdarling child, who was worth his crown and his kingdom. 

The sight of her face was the sunshine to lighten their hearts, and theysent the glad news far and near, with blast of trumpet and shouts ofjoy. 

But in all their great happiness the child did not forget the rabbit, and she said to it, "Come with me and I will take care of you, for myfather the king is here. " But the rabbit thanked her and wanted to gohome. 

"My babies are waiting, " it said, "and I have my work to do in theworld. I pray you let me go. "

So the child kissed it and bade it go; and she, too, went to her owndear home. There she grew lovelier every day, for the light grew withher; and when, long years afterward, she was queen of the country, thefoxes and wolves and tigers dared not harm her people, for her goodknights drove evil from her land; but to loving gentle creatures shegave love and protection, and she lived happily all the days of herlife. 

_THE LITTLE GRAY PONY_

 MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER

 _The humblest workman has his place, Which no one else can fill_. 

There was once a man who owned a little gray pony. 

Every morning when the dewdrops were still hanging on the pink clover inthe meadows, and the birds were singing their morning song, the manwould jump on his pony and ride away, clippety, clippety, clap!

The pony's four small hoofs played the jolliest tune on the smooth pikeroad, the pony's head was always high in the air, and the pony's twolittle ears were always pricked up; for he was a merry gray pony, andloved to go clippety, clippety, clap!

The man rode to town and to country, to church and to market, up hilland down hill; and one day he heard something fall with a clang on astone in the road. Looking back, he saw a horseshoe lying there. Andwhen he saw it, he cried out:--

 "_What shall I do? What shall I do? If my little gray pony has lost a shoe_?"

Then down he jumped, in a great hurry, and looked at one of the pony'sfore-feet; but nothing was wrong. He lifted the other forefoot, but theshoe was still there. He examined one of the hindfeet, and began tothink that he was mistaken; but when he looked at the last foot, hecried again:--

 "_What shall I do? What shall I do? My little gray pony has lost a shoe_!"

Then he made haste to go to the blacksmith; and when he saw the smith, he called out to him:--

 "_Blacksmith! Blacksmith! I've come to you; My little gray pony has lost a shoe_!"

But the blacksmith answered and said:--

 "_How can I shoe your pony's feet, Without some coal the iron to heat_?"

The man was downcast when he heard this; but he left his little graypony in the blacksmith's care, while he hurried here and there to buythe coal. 

First of all he went to the store; and when he got there, he said:--

 "_Storekeeper! Storekeeper! I've come to you; My little gray pony has lost a shoe! And I want some coal the iron to heat, That the blacksmith may shoe my pony's feet_. "

But the storekeeper answered and said:--

 "_Now, I have apples and candy to sell, And more nice things than I can tell; But I've no coal the iron to heat, That the blacksmith may shoe your pony's feet_. "

Then the man went away sighing, and saying:--

 "_What shall I do? What shall I do? My little gray pony has lost a shoe!"_

By and by he met a farmer coming to town with a wagon full of goodthings; and he said:--

 "_Farmer! Farmer! I've come to you; My little gray pony has lost a shoe! And I want some coal the iron to heat, That the blacksmith may shoe my pony's feet_. "

Then the farmer answered the man and said:--

 "_I've bushels of corn and hay and wheat Something for you and your pony to eat; But I've no coal the iron to heat, That the blacksmith may shoe your pony's feet_. "

So the farmer drove away and left the man standing in the road, sighingand saying:--

 "_What shall I do? What shall I do? My little gray pony has lost a shoe_!"

In the farmer's wagon, full of good things, he saw corn, which made himthink of the mill; so he hastened there, and called to the dustymiller:--

 "_Miller! Miller! I've come to you; My little gray pony has lost a shoe, And I want some coal the iron to heat, That the blacksmith may shoe my pony's feet_. "

The miller came to the door in surprise; and when he heard what wasneeded, he said:--

 "_I have wheels that go round and round, And stones to turn till the grain is ground, But I've no coal the iron to heat, That the blacksmith may shoe your pony's feet_. "

[Illustration: When she came near the man she stopped to ask him histrouble. ]

Then the man turned away sorrowfully and sat down on a rock near theroadside, sighing and saying:--

 "_What shall I do? What shall I do? My little gray pony has lost a shoe_!"

After a while a very old woman came down the road, driving a flock ofgeese to market; and when she came near the man, she stopped to ask himhis trouble. He told her all about it; and when she had heard it all, she laughed till her geese joined in with a cackle; and she said:--

 "_If you would know where the coal is found, You must go to the miner, who works in the ground_. "

Then the man sprang to his feet, and, thanking the old woman, he ran tothe miner. Now the miner had been working many a long day down in themine, under the ground, where it was so dark that he had to wear a lampon the front of his cap to light him at his work! He had plenty of blackcoal ready and gave great lumps of it to the man, who took them in hasteto the blacksmith. 

The blacksmith lighted his great red fire, and hammered out four finenew shoes, with a cling! and a clang! and fastened them on with a rap!and a tap! Then away rode the man on his little gray pony, --clippety, clippety, clap!

_HOW THE HOME WAS BUILT_

 MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER

 _The priceless blessing of a happy home can be won only by struggle, endurance, and self-sacrifice_. 

 FROEBEL. 

 _Blow's Commentaries_. 

Once there was a very dear family, --Father, Mother, big Brother Tom, little Sister Polly, and the baby, who had a very long name, GustavusAdolphus; and every one of the family wanted a home more than anythingelse in the world. 

They lived in a house, of course, but that was rented; and they wanted ahome of their very own, with a sunny room for Mother and Father andBaby, with a wee room close by for the little sister; a big, airy roomfor Brother Tom; a cosy room for the cooking and eating; and, best ofall, a room that Grandmother might call her own when she came to seethem. 

A box which Tom had made always stood on Mother's mantel, and theycalled it the "Home Bank, " because every penny that could be spared wasdropped in there for the building of the home. 

This box had been full once, and was emptied to buy a little piece ofground where the home could be built when the box was full again. 

The box filled very slowly, though; and Gustavus Adolphus was nearlythree years old when one day the father came in with a beaming face andcalled the family to him. 

Mother left her baking, and Tom came in from his work; and after Pollyhad brought the baby, the father asked them very solemnly: "Now, what dowe all want more than anything else in the world?"

"A home!" said Mother and Brother Tom. 

"A home!" said little Sister Polly. 

"Home!" said the baby, Gustavus Adolphus, because his mother had saidit. 

"Well, " said the father, "I think we shall have our home if each one ofus will help. I must go away to the great forest, where the trees growso tall and fine. All Winter long I must chop the trees down, and in theSpring I shall be paid in lumber, which will help in the building ofthe home. While I am away, Mother will have to fill my place and her owntoo, for she will have to go to market, buy the coal, keep the pantryfull, and pay the bills, as well as cook and wash and sew, take care ofthe children, and keep a brave heart till I come back again. "

The mother was willing to do all this and more, too, for the dear home;and Brother Tom asked eagerly: "What can I do?--what can I do?" for hewanted to begin work right then, without waiting a moment. 

"I have found you a place in the carpenter's shop where I work, "answered the father. "And you will work for him, and all the while belearning to saw and hammer and plane, so that you will be ready in theSpring to help build the home. "

Now, this pleased Tom so much that he threw his cap in the air andhurrahed, which made the baby laugh; but little Polly did not laugh, because she was afraid that she was too small to help. But after awhile the father said: "I shall be away in the great forest cutting downthe trees; Mother will be washing and sewing and baking; Tom will be atwork in the carpenter's shop; and who will take care of the baby?"

"I will, I will!" cried Polly, running to kiss the baby. "And the babycan be good and sweet!"

So it was all arranged that they would have their dear little home, which would belong to every one, because each one would help; and thefather made haste to prepare for the Winter. He stored away the firewoodand put up the stoves; and when the wood-choppers went to the greatforest, he was ready to go with them. 

Out in the forest the trees were waiting. Nobody knew how many yearsthey had waited there, growing every year stronger and more beautifulfor the work they had to do. Every one of them had grown from a babytree to a giant; and when the choppers came, there stood the gianttrees, so bare and still in the wintry weather that the sound of theaxes rang from one end of the woods to the other. From sunrise to sunsetthe men worked steadily; and although it was lonely in the woods whenthe snow lay white on the ground and the cold wind blew, the father kepthis heart cheery. At night, when the men sat about the fire in theirgreat log-house, he would tell them about the mother and children whowere working with him for a home. 

Nobody's ax was sharper than his or felled so many trees, and nobody wasgladder when Spring-time came and the logs were hauled down to theriver. 

The river had been waiting too, through all the Winter, under its shieldof ice, but now that Spring had come, and the snows were melting, andall the little mountain streams were tumbling down to help, the rivergrew very broad and strong, and dashed along, snatching the logs whenthe men pushed them in and carrying them on with a rush and a roar. 

The men followed close along the bank of the river, to watch the logsand keep them moving; but at last there came a time when the logs wouldnot move, but lay in a jam from shore to shore while the water foamedabout them. 

"Who will go out to break the jam?" said the men. They knew that only abrave man and a nimble man could go, for there was danger that the logsmight crush him and the river sweep him away. 

They looked at each other. But the father was not afraid, and he wassurefooted and nimble; so he sprang out in a moment, with his ax, andbegan to cut away at the logs. 

"Some of these logs may help to build a home, " he said; and he found thevery log that was holding the others tight, and as soon as that wasloosened, the logs began to move. 

"Jump! Jump!" cried the men, as they ran for their lives; and, just asthe logs dashed on, with a rumble and a jumble and a jar that sent someof the logs flying up in the air, the father reached the bank safely. 

[Illustration: So the House was built; a cozy room for the cooking andeating. ]

The hard work was over now. After the logs had rested in the log "boom, "they went on their way to the saw mills, where they were sawed intolumber to build houses; and then the father hurried home. 

When he came there, he found that the mother had baked and washed andsewed and taken care of the children, as only such a precious mothercould have done. Brother Tom had worked so well in the carpenter's shop, that he knew how to hammer and plane and saw, and had grown as tall andas stout as a young pine tree. Sister Polly had taken such care of thebaby, that he looked as sweet and clean and happy as a rose in a garden;and the baby had been so good, that he was a joy to the whole family. 

"I must get this dear family into their home, " said the father; and heand Brother Tom went to work with a will. And the home was built, with asunny room for Father and Mother and Baby, a wee little room close byfor good Sister Polly, a big airy room for big Brother Tom, a cosy roomfor the cooking and eating, and best of all, a room for the deargrandmother, who came then to live with them all the time. 

_THE LITTLE TRAVELER_

 MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER

 _Love is a bridge that links us heart to heart Mother and child can never live apart_

Once upon a time there was a little boy who had a long journey to go. Hehad a very dear mother, and she did not want her little son to leaveher; but she knew he must go, so she put her arms around him and said:"Now, don't be afraid, for I shall be thinking of you, and God will takecare of you. "

Then the little boy kissed her goodbye and ran away, singing a merrysong. As long as he could see her he would turn and wave his hand toher; but by and by she was out of sight. Just then he came to a streamof water that ran across his path. 

"How can I get over?" thought the little boy; but a white swan swam upto greet him, and said:--

"There is always a way to get over the stream. Follow me! follow me!"

So the little boy followed the swan till he came to a row of greatstepping stones, and he jumped from one to another, counting them as hewent. 

When he reached the seventh he was safe across, and he turned to thankthe white swan. And when he had thanked her, he called:--

 "_White swan, white swan, swimming so gay! Carry a message for me to-day: My love to my mother, wherever she be; I know she is always thinking of me_. "

Then the white swan swam back to carry the message, and the little boyran on his way. 

Oh! there were so many beautiful things to hear, --the birds singing andthe bees humming; and so many beautiful things to see, --the flowers andbutterflies and green grass! And after a while he came to a wood, whereevery tree wore a green dress; and through the wood, under the shade ofthe trees, flowed a babbling creek. 

"I wonder how I can get over?" said the little boy; and the wise windwhispered:

"There is always a way to get over the stream. Follow me! follow me!"

[Illustration: "There is always a way to get over the stream, Follow me!Follow me!"]

Then he followed the sound of the wise wind's voice, and the wind blewagainst a tall pine tree, and the pine tree fell across the creek, andlay there, a great round foot-log, where the little boy might step. Hemade his way over, and thanked the wise wind; and he asked:--

 "_Wise wind, wise wind, blowing so gay! Carry a message for me to-day: My love to my mother, wherever she be; I know she is always thinking of me_. "

The wind blew back to carry the message, and the little boy made hasteon his journey. His way lead through a meadow, where the clover grew andthe white sheep and baby lambs were feeding together in the sunshine. 

On one side of this meadow flowed a silver shining river, and the childwandered up and down the bank to find some way to cross, for he knewthat he must go on. 

As he walked there, a man called a carpenter found him, and said tohim:--

"There is always a way to get over the stream. Follow me! follow me!"

Then the little boy followed the carpenter, and the carpenter and hismen built a bridge of iron and wood that reached across from bank tobank. And when the bridge was finished, the child ran over in safety;and after he had thanked the carpenter, he said:--

 "_Carpenter, carpenter, on your way! Carry a message for me to-day: My love to my mother, wherever she be, I know she is always thinking of me_. "

The carpenter gladly consented; and after he had turned back to carrythe message, the little boy followed the path, which led up hill overrocks and steep places, through brambles and briars, until his feet grewweary; and when he came down into the valley again, he saw a river thatwas very dark and very deep. 

There was no white swan or wise wind to help him. No tree in the forestcould bridge it over, and the carpenter and his men were far away. 

"I must get over. There is a way, " said the little boy bravely; and, ashe sat down to rest, he heard a murmuring sound. Looking down, he spieda tiny boat fastened to a willow tree. 

 "_I am the boat with a helping oar, To carry you over from shore to shore_, "

repeated the boat; and when the little boy had unfastened it, he sprangin, and began to row himself over the dark water. 

As he rowed, he saw a tiny bird flying above him. The bird needed noboat or bridge, for its wings were strong; and when the little boy sawit, he cried:--

 "_Little bird, little bird, flying so gay! Carry a message for me to-day: My love to my mother, wherever she be; I know she is always thinking of me_. "

The little bird flew swiftly back to carry the message, and the boyrowed on till he reached the opposite shore. After he had thanked theboat with its helping oar, he tied it to a tree as he had found it, andthen hastened away, singing his happy song again. 

By and by he heard an answer to his song, and he knew that it was thegreat sea, calling "Come! Come! Come!" And when he reached the shorewhere the blue waves were dancing up to the yellow sands, he clapped hishands with delight; for there, rocking on the billows, was a beautifulship with sails as white as a lady's hands. 

"I knew there would be a way!" said the little boy, as he sprang on deckand went sailing over the deep blue sea, --sailing, sailing, sailing, dayafter day, night after night, over the beautiful sea. 

At night the stars would look down, twinkling and blinking; and as thelittle boy watched them, he would say:--

 "_Little stars, little stars, shining so bright! Carry a message for me to-night: My love to my mother, wherever she be; I know she is always thinking of me_. "

The little boy went on sailing, sailing, day and night, until he came toa land beyond the sea, --a land so full of delight that the little boyfelt that his journey was ended, until one day when a great storm came. 

The wind blew, the thunder crashed, the lightning flashed, the rain camepouring down, and the little boy wanted to go home. 

"I will find a way!" he cried at last; and, just as he spoke, the suncame bursting out, the storm clouds rolled away, and there in the skywas a rainbow bridge that seemed to touch both sky and earth. 

Then the little boy's heart leaped for joy, and he ran with feet aslight as feathers up the shining bow; and when he reached the highestarch, he looked down on the other side and saw home and his mother atthe rainbow's end. 

"Mother! Mother!" he called, as he ran down into her arms. "Mother, I'vealways been thinking of you, and God has taken care of me. "

_THE OPEN GATE_

 MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER

 _Early teach your child, through play, to guard that which is dear to him from the danger of loss_. 

 FROEBEL. 

One bright summer afternoon, Fleet, the good old shepherd dog thathelped to take care of the farmyard, decided that he would step into thebarn to see his friend Mrs. Muffet and her two little kittens, for hehad not been able to chat with them for some time. 

On his way, Fleet looked around to see that all was right. The weatherwas warm and the hens were taking a dust bath under the apple tree, andthe brindle calf was asleep in the shadow of the barn. The ducks andgeese were at the pond, the horses were at work in a distant field, thecows and sheep were in pasture, and only the brown colt kicked up hisheels in the farmyard; so Fleet barked with satisfaction, and walkedinto the barn. 

Inside he found Mrs. Muffet washing her face, while her two littlekittens slept in the hay; and she gave Fleet a warm welcome. 

"Good evening, Mrs. Muffet, " said he. 

"Good evening, Friend Fleet, " answered she. 

"How are the children?" asked the good dog, "and do they grow?"

"Grow?" said Mrs. Muffet. "You never saw anything like them! and suchtricks as they play! Tittleback is the merrier, and will play with hisown tail when he can find nothing else; but Toddlekins can climb in away that is astonishing. Why, he even talks of going to the top of thebarn, and no doubt he will, some day. "

"No doubt, no doubt, " said Fleet. "Children are so remarkable now. "

"But what is the news with you, Friend Fleet?" inquired Mrs. Muffet. 

"Nothing at all, " said Fleet. "The barnyard is as quiet"--but just as hespoke there arose such a clatter outside the door that he sprang to hisfeet to see what was the matter, and the two kittens waked up in alarm. Outside, the yard was in a commotion. Everybody was talking at the sametime. The hens were cackling, the roosters crowing, the ducks quacking, the calf crying, and the sound of flying hoofs could be heard far downthe road. 

"Pray, what is the matter?" said Fleet to three geese, that werehurrying along, with their necks stretched out. 

"The gate is open, the brown colt's gone, the brindle calf's going andwe are thinking about it; quawk! quawk!" said the three geese, Mrs. Waddle, Mrs. Gabble, and Mrs. Dabble. 

"Where are you going?" asked Mrs. Muffet, putting her head out of thebarn door. 

"Out into the world, " said the three geese together. 

"You'd better go back to your pond, " barked Fleet, as he bounded off tohelp the cook, who was waving her apron to keep back the brindle calf, while the milkmaid shut the gate, and little Dick ran down the roadafter the brown colt. 

The brown colt kicked up his heels, and did not care how fast Dick ran. He had all the world to roam in, and the green grass was growingeverywhere; so he tossed his head and galloped away toward the bluehills. 

After a while he looked to see whether Dick was still following him, butnobody was in sight; so he lay down and rolled over among the daisies;and this was such fun that he tried it again, and again, until he wastired. 

Then he nibbled the grass awhile, but soon decided to take another run;and he raised such a dust, as he scampered along, that the birds peepeddown from the trees to see what it was, and a little rabbit that ranacross the road was so astonished that it did not take breath again tillit reached its greenwood home. 

"Hurrah!" said the brown colt, not because he knew what it meant butbecause he had heard Dick say it. "Hurrah! maybe I'll never go back!"

Just then there came an awful screech out of a neighboring field, and, although it was only the whistle of a threshing machine, the brown coltwas terribly frightened, and jumped over a fence into a cotton field. 

[Illustration: "The gate is open, the brown colt's gone, the brindlecalf's going, and we are thinking about it, quawk! quawk!"]

"Oh!" thought he, as he tore his glossy coat on the sharp barbs of thewire fence and cut his feet as he leaped awkwardly over, "Oh! how I wishI could see Dick now. "

But Dick was at home. He had run after the brown colt as fast as hisfeet could carry him, and had called "Whoa! Whoa!" but the brown coltwould not listen; so Dick had gone home with his head hanging down, _forhe was the very one who had forgotten to shut the farmyard gate_. 

Mother was at home, and she felt very sorry when she heard about it, forshe knew how dear that colt was to her careless little boy; and whenfather came in from the fields, too late to look for the runaway, hesaid that big boys and little boys and everybody else must take care ofthe things they wanted to keep; and Dick cried, but it did no good. 

The cows came home when father did, and the brindle calf was glad thatshe had not gone away from the farmyard when she saw her mother come infrom the clover lot. The chickens went to roost, and the horses werefed; but no brown colt came in sight, although Dick and Fleet went downthe lane to look, a dozen times. 

"He's sorry enough, " said Friend Fleet to Mrs. Muffet, as they ate theirsupper; and Mrs. Muffet told Tittleback and Toddlekins all about it, when she went back to the barn. 

Poor little Dick! and poor brown colt! They thought about each othervery often that night; and early in the morning the man who owned thecotton field, drove the brown colt out. 

"I'd like to know, " said the man, as he hurried him along, "whatbusiness you have in my cotton field!" But the brown colt hung his head, as Dick had done, and limped away. 

The long pike road stretched out, hard and white, before him, and thebirds, chattering in the bushes, seemed to say:--

"Is this the same brown colt that raised such a dust yesterday?"

Oh! how long and weary the way was, to his limping feet! But at last hereached home, just at milking time; and when the milkmaid saw himstanding at the gate, she gave a scream that brought the household out. 

Dick and the cook and Fleet tumbled over each other in their surprise, and the barnyard was in such an excitement that one hen lost herchickens and did not find them all for fifteen minutes. 

"What did you see?" cried the brindle calf. 

"What made you come back?" asked the geese; but Dick and Friend Fleetasked no questions, because they understood. 

That was a long time ago, and the brown colt is a strong horse now, andDick a tall boy; but neither of them will ever forget the day when Dickwas careless and did not shut the farmyard gate. 

_INSIDE THE GARDEN GATE_

 MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER

 _Wisdom comes with all we see, God writes His lessons in each flower, And ev'ry singing bird or bee Can teach us something of His power_. 

PART I. 

Grandmother's garden was a beautiful place, --more beautiful than all theshop windows in the city; for there was a flower or grass for everycolor in the rainbow, with great white lilies, standing up so straightand tall, to remind you that a whole rainbow of light was needed to makethem so pure and white. 

There were pinks and marigolds and princes' feathers, with bachelor'sbuttons and Johnny-jump-ups to keep them company. There were gay poppiesand gaudy tulips, and large important peonies and fine Duchess roses inpink satin dresses. 

There were soft velvet pansies and tall blue flags, and broadribbon-grasses that the fairies might have used for sashes; and mint andthyme and balm and rosemary everywhere, to make the garden sweet; so itwas no wonder that every year, the garden was full of visitors. 

Nobody noticed these visitors but Grandmother and Lindsay. 

Lindsay was a very small boy, and Grandmother was a very old lady; butthey loved the same things, and always watched for these littlevisitors, who came in the early spring-time and stayed all summer withGrandmother. 

Early, early in the spring, when the garden was bursting into bloom inthe warm southern sunshine, Grandmother and Lindsay would sit in thearbor, where the vines crept over and over in a tangle of bloom, andlisten to a serenade. Music, music everywhere! Over their heads, behindtheir backs, the little brown bees would fly, singing their song:--

 "_Hum, hum, hum! Off and away! To get some Sweet honey to-day!"_

while they found the golden honey cups, and filled their pockets withhoney to store away in their waxen boxes at home. 

One day, while Grandmother and Lindsay were watching, a little brown beeflew away with his treasure, and lighting on a rose, met with a cousin, a lovely yellow butterfly. 

"I think they must be talking to each other, " said Grandmother, softly. "They are cousins, because they belong to the great insect family, justas your papa and Uncle Bob and Aunt Emma and Cousin Rachel all belong toone family, --the Greys; and I think they must be talking about the honeythat they both love so well. "

"I wish I could talk to a butterfly, " said Lindsay, longingly; andGrandmother laughed. 

"Play that I am a butterfly, " she proposed. "What color shall I be?--agreat yellow butterfly, with brown spots on my wings?"

So Grandmother played that she was a great yellow butterfly with brownspots on its wings, and she said to Lindsay:--

"Never in the world can you tell, little boy, what I used to be?"

"A baby butterfly, " guessed Lindsay. 

"Guess again, " said the butterfly. 

"A flower, perhaps; for you are so lovely, " declared Lindsay, gallantly. 

"No, indeed!" answered the butterfly; "I was a creeping, crawlingcaterpillar. "

"Now, Grandmother, you're joking!" cried Lindsay, forgetting thatGrandmother was a butterfly. 

"Not I, " said the butterfly. "I was a crawling, creeping caterpillar, and I fed on leaves in your Grandmother's garden until I got ready tospin my nest; and then I wrapped myself up so well that you would neverhave known me for a caterpillar; and when I came out in the Spring I wasa lovely butterfly. "

"How beautiful!" said Lindsay. "Grandmother, let us count thebutterflies in your garden. " But they never could do that, though theysaw brown and blue and red and white and yellow ones, and followed themeverywhere. 

[Illustration: So the Grandmother played that she was a great yellowbutterfly. ]

PART II. 

It might have been the very next day that Grandmother took her knittingto the summer house. At all events it was very soon; and while she andLindsay were wondering when the red rose bush would be in full bloom, Lindsay saw, close up to the roof, a queer little house, like a roll ofcrumpled paper, with a great many front doors; and, of course, he wantedto know who lived there. 

"You must not knock at any of those front doors, " advised Grandmother, "because Mrs. Wasp lives there, and might not understand; although ifyou let her alone she will not hurt you. Just let me tell you somethingabout her. "

So Lindsay listened while Grandmother told the story:--

Once there was a little elf, who lived in the heart of a bright redrose, just like the roses we have been talking about. 

There were many other elves who lived in the garden. One, who lived in alily which made a lovely home; and a poppy elf, who was always sleepy;but the rose elf liked her own sweet smelling room, with its crimsoncurtains, best of all. 

Now the rose elf had a very dear friend, a little girl named Polly. Shecould not speak to her, for fairies can only talk to people like you andme in dreams and fancies, but she loved Polly very much, and would liein her beautiful rose room, and listen to Polly's singing, till herheart was glad. 

One day as she listened she said to herself, "If I cannot speak toPolly, I can write her a letter;" and this pleased her so much that shecalled over to the lily elf to ask what she should write it on. "Ialways write my letters on rose petals, and get the wind to take them, "said the rose elf. "But I am afraid Polly would not understand that. "

"I will tell you, " answered the lily elf, "what I would do. I would goright to Mrs. Wasp, and ask her to give me a piece of paper. "

"But Mrs. Wasp is very cross, I've heard, " said the rose elf timidly. 

"Never believe the gossip that you hear. If Mrs. Wasp does seem to be alittle stingy, I'm sure she has a good heart, " replied the lily elf. Sothe rose elf took courage, and flew to Mrs. Wasp's house, where, by goodfortune, she found Mrs. Wasp at home. 

"Good morning Mrs. Wasp, " called the little elf, "I've come to see ifyou will kindly let me have a sheet of paper to-day. "

"Now, " said the wasp, "I have just papered my house with the last bit ofpaper I had, but if you can wait, I will make you a sheet. "

Then the rose elf knew that Mrs. Wasp had a kind heart; and she waitedand watched with a great deal of interest while Mrs. Wasp set to work. Now, close by her house was an old bit of dry wood, and Mrs. Wasp sawedit into fine bits, like thread, with her two sharp saws that she carriesabout her. Then she wet these bits well with some glue from her mouth, and rolled them into a round ball. 

"Oh, Mrs. Wasp!" cried the rose elf, "I'm afraid I am putting you to toomuch trouble. "

"Don't fret about me, " said the wasp; "I'm used to work. " So she spreadout the ball, working with all her might, into a thin sheet of graypaper; and when it was dry, she gave it to the rose elf. 

"Thank you, good Mrs. Wasp, " said the elf; and she flew away to invitethe lily elf and the poppy elf to help her with the letter, for shewanted it to be as sweet as all the flowers of spring. 

When it was finished they read it aloud. 

 "_Dear Polly: I'm a little elf I live within a flow'r; I live to hear your happy song, It cheers my ev'ry hour. That I love you, I'd like to say To you, before I close, And please sing sweetly ev'ry day To Your friend within a Rose_. "

The letter was sent by a bluebird; and the elf was sure that Pollyunderstood, for that very day she came and stood among the flowers tosing the very sweetest song she knew. 

PART III. 

Out in Grandmother's garden, just as the sun was up, a very cunningspinner spun a lovely wheel of fine beautiful threads; and whenGrandmother and Lindsay came out, they spied it fastened up in a rosebush. 

The small, cunning spinner was climbing a silken rope near by with hereight nimble legs, and looking out at the world with her eight tinyeyes, when Grandmother saw her and pointed her out to Lindsay; andLindsay said:--

"Oh, Mrs. Spider! come spin me some lace!" which made Grandmother thinkof a little story which she had told Lindsay's papa and all of herlittle children, when they were lads and lassies, and this garden ofhers had just begun to bloom. 

She sat down on the steps and told it to Lindsay. 

Once, long, long ago, when the silver moon was shining up in the sky, and the small golden stars were twinkling, twinkling, a little fairywith a bundle of dreams went hurrying home to fairyland. 

She looked up at the stars and moon to see what time it was, for thefairy queen had bidden her come back before the day dawned. 

All out in the world it was sleepy time; and the night wind was singingan old sweet lullaby, and the mocking bird was singing too, by himself, in the wood. 

"I shall not be late, " said the fairy, as she flew like thistle-downthrough the air or tripped over the heads of the flowers; but in herhaste she flew into a spider's web, which held her so fast that, although she struggled again and again, she could not get free. 

Her bundle of dreams fell out of her arms, and lay on the ground underthe rose-bush; and the poor little fairy burst into tears, for she knewthat daylight always spoiled dreams, and these were very lovely ones. 

Her shining wings were tangled in the web, her hands were chained, andher feet were helpless; so she had to lie still and wait for the daytime which, after all, came too soon. 

As soon as the sun was up, Mrs. Spider came out of her den; and when shesaw the fairy she was very glad, for she thought she had caught a newkind of fly. 

"If you please, Mrs. Spider, " cried the fairy quickly, "I am only alittle fairy, and flew into your web last night on my way home tofairyland. "

"A fairy!" said Mrs. Spider crossly, for she was disappointed; "Isuppose you are the one who helps the flies to get away from me. You seewell enough then!"

"I help them because they are in trouble, " answered the fairy gently. 

"So are you, now, " snapped the spider, "But the flies won't help you. "

"But perhaps you will, " pleaded the fairy. 

"Perhaps I won't, " said the spider, going back into her house andleaving the little fairy, who felt very sorrowful. 

Her tears fell like dew drops on the spider web, and the sun shone onthem, and made them as bright as the fairy queen's diamonds. 

The fairy began to think of the queen and the court, and the bundle ofdreams; and she wondered who would do the work if she never got free. The fairy queen had always trusted her, and had sent her on manyerrands. 

Once she had been sent to free a mocking-bird that had been shut in acage. She remembered how he sang in his cage, although he was longingfor his green tree tops. 

She smiled through her tears when she thought of this, and said toherself:--

"I can be singing, too! It is better than crying. "

Then she began to sing one of her fairy songs:--

 "_Oh! listen well, and I will tell, Of the land where the fairies dwell; The lily bells ring clear and sweet, And grass grows green beneath your feet In the land where the fairies dwell, In the land where the fairies dwell_. "

Now though the fairy did not know it, Mrs. Spider was very fond ofmusic; and when she heard the sweet song, she came out to listen. Thelittle fairy did not see her, so she sang on:--

 "_Grasshoppers gay, by night and day, Keep ugly goblins far away From the land where the fairies dwell, From the land where the fairies dwell_. "

Mrs. Spider came a little farther out, while the fairy sang:--

 "_There's love, sweet love, for one and all-- For love is best for great and small-- In the land where the fairies dwell, In the land where the fairies dwell_. "

Just as the fairy finished the song she looked up, and there was Mrs. Spider, who had come out in a hurry. 

"The flies are not going to help you, " said she, "so I will;" and sheshowed the fairy how to break the slender threads, until she wasuntangled and could fly away through the sunshine. 

"What can I do for you, dear Mrs. Spider?" the fairy asked, as shepicked up her bundle of dreams. 

"Sing me a song sometimes, " replied Mrs. Spider. But the fairy did morethan that; for soon after she reached fairyland, the fairy queen neededsome fine lace to wear on her dress at a grand ball. 

"Fly into the world, " she said, "and find me a spinner; and tell herthat when she has spun the lace, she may come to the ball and sit at thequeen's table. "

As soon as the fairy heard this, she thought of the spider, and madehaste to find her and tell her the queen's message. 

"Will there be music?" asked the spider. 

"The sweetest ever heard" answered the fairy; and the spider began tospin. 

The lace was so lovely when it was finished, that the fairy queen madethe spider court spinner; and then the spider heard the fairies singevery day, and she too had love in her heart. 

PART IV. 

A mocking bird sang in Grandmother's garden. He was king of the garden, and the rose was queen. Every night when the garden was still, heserenaded Grandmother; and she would lie awake and listen to him, forshe said he told her all the glad tidings of the day, and helped herunderstand the flower folk and bird folk and insect folk that lived inher garden. 

Lindsay always thought the mocking bird told Grandmother the wonderfulstories she knew, and he wanted to hear them, too, late in the nighttime; but he never could keep awake. So he had to be contented with themocking bird in the morning, when he was so saucy. 

There were orioles and thrushes and bluebirds, big chattering jays, sleek brown sparrows, and red-capped woodpeckers; but not a bird in thegarden was so gay and sweet and loving as the mocking bird, who couldsing everybody's song and his own song, too. 

Night after night he sang his own song in Grandmother's garden. Butthere came a night when he did not sing; and though Grandmother andLindsay listened all next day, and looked in every tree for him, hecould not be found. 

"I'm afraid somebody has caught him and shut him up in a cage" saidGrandmother; and when Lindsay heard this he was very miserable; for heknew that somewhere in the garden, there was a nest and a mother birdwaiting. 

He and Grandmother talked until bed-time about it, and early nextmorning Lindsay asked Grandmother to let him go to look for the bird. 

"Please do, Grandmother, " he begged. "If somebody has him in a cage Ishall be sure to find him; and I will take my own silver quarter to buyhim back. "

So after breakfast Grandmother kissed him and let him go, and he randown the path and out of the garden gate, and asked at every house onthe street:--

"Is there a mocking bird in a cage here?"

This made people laugh, but Lindsay did not care. By and by, he came toa little house with green blinds; and the little lady who came to thedoor did not laugh at all when she answered his question:--

"No; there are no mocking birds here; but there are two sweet yellowcanaries. Won't you come in to see them?"

"I will sometime, thank you, if Grandmother will let me, " said Lindsay;"but not to-day; for if that mocking bird is in a cage, I know he's in ahurry to get out. "

Then he hurried on to the next house, and the next; but no mocking birdswere to be found. After he had walked a long way, he began to be afraidthat he should have to go home, when, right before him, in the window ofa little house, he saw a wooden box with slats across the side; and inthe box was a very miserable mocking bird!

"Hurrah! hurrah!" cried Lindsay, as he ran up the steps and knocked atthe door. A great big boy came to the window and put his head out to seewhat was wanted. 

"Please, please, " said Lindsay, dancing up and down on the doorstep, "I've come to buy the mocking-bird; and I've a whole silver quarter togive for it, because I think maybe he is the very one that sang inGrandmother's garden. "

"I don't want to sell it, " answered the boy, with a frown on his face. 

Lindsay had never thought of anything like this, and his face grewgrave; but he went bravely on:---

"Oh! but you will sell it, maybe. Won't you, please? Because I just knowit wants to get out. You wouldn't like to be in a cage yourself, youknow, if you had been living in a garden, --'specially my Grandmother's. "

"This bird ain't for sale, " repeated the boy, crossly, frowning stillmore over the bird-cage. 

"But God didn't make mocking-birds for cages, " cried Lindsay, choking alittle. "So it really isn't yours. "

"I'd like to know why it isn't, " said the boy. "You'd better get off mydoorstep and go home to your Granny, for I'm not going to sell mymocking-bird, --not one bit of it;" and he drew his head back from thewindow and left Lindsay out on the doorstep. 

Poor little Lindsay! He was not certain that it was _the_ bird, but he_was_ sure that mocking-birds were not meant for cages; and he put thequarter back in his pocket and took out his handkerchief to wipe awaythe tears that would fall. 

All the way home he thought of it and sobbed to himself, and he walkedthrough the garden gate almost into Grandmother's arms before he sawher, and burst into tears when she spoke to him. 

"Poor little boy!" said Grandmother, when she had heard all about it;"and poor big boy, who didn't know how to be kind! Perhaps themocking-bird will help him, and, after all, it will be for the best. "

Grandmother was almost crying herself, when a click at the gate madethem both start and, then look at each other; for there, coming up thewalk, was a great big boy with a torn straw hat, and with a smallwooden box in his hand, which made Lindsay scream with delight, for inthat box was a very miserable-looking mocking-bird. 

"Guess it _is_ yours, " said the boy, holding the box in front of him, "for I trapped it out in the road back of here. I never thought ofmocking-birds being so much account, and I hated to make him cry. "

"There now, " cried Lindsay, jumping up to get the silver quarter out ofhis pocket. "He is just like Mrs. Wasp, isn't he, Grandmother?" But theboy had gone down the walk and over the gate without waiting foranything, although Lindsay ran after him and called. 

Lindsay and Grandmother were so excited that they did not know what todo. They looked out of the gate after the boy, then at each other, andthen at the bird. 

Lindsay ran to get the hatchet, but he was so excited with joy that hecould not use it, so Grandmother had to pry up the slats, one by one;and every time one was lifted, Lindsay would jump up and down and claphis hands, and say, "Oh, Grandmother!"

At last, the very last slat was raised; and then, in a moment, themocking bird flew up, up, up into the maple tree, and Lindsay andGrandmother kissed each other for joy. 

Oh! everything was glad in the garden. The breezes played pranks, andblew the syringa petals to the ground, and up in the tallest trees thebirds had a concert. Orioles, bluebirds, and thrushes, chattering jays, sleek brown sparrows, and red-capped woodpeckers, were all of themsinging for Grandmother and Lindsay; but the sweetest singer was themocking bird who was singing everybody's sweet song, and then his own, which was the sweetest of all. 

"I know he is glad, " Lindsay said to Grandmother; "for it is, oh, sobeautiful to live inside your garden gate!"

_THE JOURNEY_

 MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER

 _The whirling wheels, that help us on our way, A lesson to the children, too, will say: "Go on! there's work awaiting you to-day; The whole world moves apace, you must not stay_. "

A little boy, named Joseph, went with his papa, once upon a time, tovisit his Grandma. Grandma was an old, old lady, with hair as white asdrifted snow; and she petted Joseph's papa almost as much as she didJoseph, for Papa had been her baby long, long before. 

It was a fine thing to go to see Grandma; and Joseph would have beenwilling to stay a long time, if it had not been that Mamma and the babyand big brother were at home. 

He knew they needed him there, too, for Mamma wrote it in a letter. 

"Dear Papa, " she said, in the letter that the stage coach brought, "Whenare you, and my precious Joseph coming home? The baby and Brother and Iare well but we want to see you. We need a little boy here who can hunthens' nests and feed chickens, and rock the baby's cradle. Please bringone home with you. "

This made Joseph laugh for, of course, Mamma meant him; and though heforgot some of her letter, he always remembered that; and when Papasaid; "Look here, Joseph, we must go home, " he was just as glad to go, as he had been to come to see Grandma. 

Now Joseph and his papa had to travel by stage coach, because there wereno trains in those days; and after they had told Grandma goodbye, on themorning they left, they went down to the inn to wait for the stage. 

The inn was the place where travelers who were away from home might stopand rest, and the landlady tried to be always pleasant and makeeverybody feel at home; so she hurried out on the porch, with two chairsfor Joseph and his papa, as soon as she saw them. 

They were a little early for the stage, so Joseph sat and watched thewagons and carriages, that passed the inn. All the carriages had ladiesand children inside, and Joseph thought they must be going to see theirgrandmas. 

Most of the wagons that passed the inn were loaded down. Some of themwere full of hay; and Joseph knew in a minute, where they were going, for he had heard his Grandma say that she was going to store her hayaway in a barn, that very day. 

Some of the wagons carried good things to sell; and the men who drovethem would ring their bells, and call out, now and then: "Apples tosell! Apples to sell!" or "Potatoes and corn! Potatoes and corn!" whichmade Joseph laugh. 

Then there was the milkman. His tin cans were so bright that you couldsee yourself in them, and Joseph knew that they carried good sweet milk. 

This made him think of their own cows. He could shut his eyes and seehow each one looked. Clover was red, Teenie black, and Buttercup hadwhite spots on her back. 

Just then he heard the sound of a horn; and his father jumped up in ahurry and collected their bundles. "For, " said he, "that is the guardblowing his horn, and the stage coach is coming!"

Joseph was so pleased when he heard this that he jumped up and down; andwhile he was jumping, the stage coach whirled around the corner. 

There were four horses hitched to it, two white, and two black; and theywere trotting along at a fine pace. The driver was a jolly good fellow, who sat on the top of the coach and cracked his whip; and the guard satbehind with the horn. 

The wheels were turning so fast that you could scarcely see them, but assoon as the inn was reached, the horses stopped and the stage coachstood still. The guard jumped down to open the door, and Joseph and hispapa made haste to get in. The guard blew his horn, the driver crackedhis whip, the horses dashed off, and away went Joseph and his papa. 

The stage coach had windows, and Joseph looked out. At first, all hecould see was smooth, level ground; but after a while, the horses walkedslowly and you could have counted the spokes in the wheels, for theywere going up hill and the driver was careful of his horses. 

[Illustration: As soon as the inn was reached the horses stopped. ]

The hill was so much higher than the rest of the country that whenJoseph looked out at the houses in the valley he felt very great, although it was only the hill that was high, after all. 

Then they all came down on the other side, and the horses trottedfaster. It was early in the morning, and the sunshine was so bright andthe air so fresh that the horses tossed their heads, and their hoofsrang out as they hurried over the hard road. 

The road ran through the wood, and Joseph could see the maples withtheir wide-spreading branches, and the poplar with its arms held up tothe sky, and the birches with their white dresses, all nodding in thewind, as though they said, "How do you do?" Once, too, he saw a littlesquirrel running about, and once a queer rabbit. 

Then the stage-coach stopped with a jerk. 

"What's the matter?" called Joseph's papa, as the driver and the guardgot down. 

"The linch-pin has fallen out, " answered the driver, "and we have justmissed losing a wheel. "

"Can we go on?" Joseph asked. And when his papa said "No, " he feltsorry. But the guard said that he would go after a wheelwright who livednot far beyond; and Joseph and his papa walked about until thewheelwright came running, with his tools in his hand. 

He set to work, and Joseph thought it was very funny that the greatwheel could not stay on without the linch-pin; but the wheelwright saidthat the smallest screws counted. He put the wheel quickly in order, andoff the stage-coach went. 

The wheels whirled around all the more merrily because of thewheelwright's work; and when the hoofs of the horses clattered on theroad, Joseph's papa said that the horse-shoes were saying:--

"It is the little shoes, the little shoes, that help the horse to go!"

Then Joseph looked down at his own small shoes and thought of hismother's letter, and the little boy that she needed to hunt eggs andfeed chickens and rock the baby's cradle; and he was anxious to gethome. 

Clip, clap! clip, clap! The horses stepped on a bridge, and Josephlooked out to see the water. The bridge was strong and good, with greatwooden piers set out in the water and a stout wooden railing to make itsafe. 

The sun was high and shining very brightly on the water, and littleJoseph began to nod. He rested his head on papa's arm, and his eyelidsdropped down over his two sleepy eyes, and he went so fast asleep thathis papa was obliged to give him a little shake when he wanted to wakehim up. 

"Wake up, Joseph! wake up!" he cried, "and look out of the window!"

Joseph rubbed his eyes and looked out of the window; and he saw a redcow, a black cow, and a cow with spots on her back; and a little furtheron, a big boy and a baby; and, what do you think?--yes, a mamma! Thenthe stage-coach could not hold him or his papa another minute, becausethey were at home!

_The GIANT ENERGY & The FAIRY SKILL_

 MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER

 _Greatness is not always largeness. Help your child to understand, Strength and skill are happy comrades; 'Tis the mind must guide the hand_. 

Long, long ago, when there were giants to be seen, as they might be seennow if we only looked in the right place, there lived a young giant whowas very strong and very willing, but who found it hard to get work todo. 

The name of the giant was Energy, and he was so great and clumsy thatpeople were afraid to trust their work to him. 

If he were asked to put a bell in the church steeple, he would knock thesteeple down, before he finished the work. If he were sent to reach abroken weather vane, he would tear off part of the roof in his zeal. So, at last, people would not employ him and he went away to the mountainsto sleep; but he could not rest, even though other giants were sleepingas still as great rocks under the shade of the trees. 

Young Giant Energy could not sleep, for he was too anxious to help inthe world's work; and he went down into the valley, and begged sopiteously for something to do that a good woman gave him a basket ofchina to carry home for her. 

"This is child's play for me, " said the giant as he set the basket downat the woman's house, but he set it down so hard that every bit of thechina was broken. 

"I wish a child had brought it for me, " answered the woman, and theyoung giant went away sorrowful. He climbed the mountain and lay down torest; but he could not stay there and do nothing, so he went back to thevalley to look for work. 

There he met the good woman. She had forgiven him for breaking herchina, and had made up her mind to trust him again; so she gave him apitcher of milk to carry home. 

"Be quick in bringing it, " she said, "lest it sour on the way. "

The giant took the pitcher and made haste to run to the house; and heran so fast that the milk was spilled and not a drop was left when hereached the good woman's house. 

The good woman was sorry to see this, although she did not scold; andthe giant went back to his mountain with a heavy heart. 

Soon, however, he was back again, asking at every house:--

"Isn't there something for me to do?" and again he met the good woman, who was here, there and everywhere, carrying soup to the sick and foodto the hungry. 

When she met the young Giant Energy, her heart was full of love for him;and she told him to make haste to her house and fill her tubs withwater, for the next day was wash day. 

Then the giant made haste with mighty strides towards the good woman'shouse, where he found her great tubs; and, lifting them with ease, hecarried them to the cistern and began to pump. 

He pumped with such force and with so much delight, that the tubs weresoon filled so full that they ran over, and when the good woman camehome she found her yard as well as her tubs full of water. 

The young giant had such a downcast look, that the good woman could notbe angry with him; she only felt sorry for him. 

"Go to the Fairy Skill, and learn, " said the good woman, as she sat onthe doorstep. "She will teach you, and you will be a help in the worldafter all. "

"Oh! how can I go?" cried the giant, giving a jump that sent him up overthe tree tops, where he could see the little birds in their nests. 

"Don't go so fast, " said the good woman. "Stand still and listen! Gothrough the meadow, and count a hundred daffodils; then turn to yourright, and walk until you find a mullein stalk that is bent. Notice theway it bends, and walk in that direction till you see a willow tree. Behind this willow runs a little stream. Cross the water by the way ofthe shining pebbles, and when you hear a strange bird singing you cansee the fairy palace and the workroom where the Fairy Skill teaches herschool. Go to her with my love and she will receive you. "

The young giant thanked the good woman, stepped over the meadow fence, and counted the daffodils, "One, two, three, " until he had counted ahundred. Then he turned to the right, and walked through the long grassto the bent mullein stalk, which pointed to the right; and after he hadfound the brook and crossed by way of the shining pebbles, he heard astrange bird singing, and saw among the trees the fairy palace. 

He never could tell how it looked; but he thought it was made ofsunshine, with the glimmer of green leaves reflected on it, and that ithad the blue sky for a roof. 

That was the palace; and at one side of it was the workshop, built ofstrong pines and oaks; and the giant heard the hum of wheels, and thenoise of the fairy looms, where the fairies wove carpets of rainbowthreads. 

When the giant came to the door, the doorway stretched itself for him topass through. He found Fairy Skill standing in the midst of theworkers; and when he had given her the good woman's love, she receivedhim kindly. Then she set him to work, bidding him sort a heap of tangledthreads that lay in a corner like a great bunch of bright-coloredflowers. 

This was hard work for the giant's clumsy fingers, but he was verypatient about it. The threads would break, and he got some of them intoknots; but when Fairy Skill saw his work, she said:--

"Very good for to-day;" and touching the threads with her wand, shechanged them into a tangled heap again. The next day the giant triedagain, and after that again, until every thread lay unbroken anduntangled. 

Then Fairy Skill said "Well done, " and led him to a loom and showed himhow to weave. 

This was harder work than the other had been; but Giant Energy waspatient, although many times before his strip of carpet was woven thefairy touched it with her wand, and he had to begin over. 

[Illustration: Then she set him to work, bidding him sort a heap oftangled threads. ]

At last it was finished, and the giant thought it was the most beautifulcarpet in the world. 

Fairy Skill took him next to the potter's wheel, where cups and saucerswere made out of clay; and the giant learned to be steady, to shape thecup as the wheel whirled round, and to take heed of his thumb, lest itslip. 

The cups and saucers that were broken before he could make beautifulones would have been enough to set the queen's tea table!

Fairy Skill then took him to the gold-smith, and there he was taught tomake chains and bracelets and necklaces; and after he had learned allthese things, the fairy told him that she had three trials for him. Three pieces of work he must do; and if he did them well, he could goagain into the world, for he would then be ready to be a helper there. 

"The first task is to make a carpet, " said Fairy Skill, "a carpet fitfor a palace floor. "

Giant Energy sprang to his loom, and made his silver shuttle glanceunder and over, under and over, weaving a most beautiful pattern. 

As he wove, he thought of the way by which he had come; and his carpetbecame as green as the meadow grass, and lovely daffodils grew on it. When it was finished, it was almost as beautiful as a meadow full offlowers!

Then the fairy said that he must turn a cup fine enough for a king touse. And the giant made a cup in the shape of a flower; and when it wasfinished, he painted birds upon it with wings of gold. When she saw it, the fairy cried out with delight. 

"One more trial before you go, " she said. "Make me a chain that a queenmight be glad to wear. "

So Giant Energy worked by day and by night and made a chain of goldenlinks; and in every link was a pearl as white as the shining pebbles inthe brook. A queen might well have been proud to wear this chain. 

After he had finished, Fairy Skill kissed him and blessed him, and senthim away to be a helper in the world, and she made him take with himthe beautiful things which he had made, so that he might give them tothe one he loved best. 

The young giant crossed the brook, passed the willow, found the mulleinstalk, and counted the daffodils. 

When he had counted a hundred, he stepped over the meadow fence and cameto the good woman's house. 

The good woman was at home, so he went in at the door and spread thecarpet on the floor, and the floor looked like the floor of a palace. 

He set the cup on the table, and the table looked like the table of aking; and he hung the chain around the good woman's neck, and she wasmore beautiful than a queen. 

And this is the way that young Giant Energy learned to be a helper inthe world. 

_THE SEARCH FOR A GOOD CHILD_

 MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER

 _Teach your child that every one Loves him when he's good and true, But that though so dear to others, He is doubly dear to you_. 

 --_Miss Blow's Mottoes and Commentaries_. 

Long, long ago there lived, in a kingdom far away, five knights who wereso good and so wise that each one was known by a name that meantsomething beautiful. 

The first knight was called Sir Brian the Brave. He had killed the greatlion that came out of the forest to frighten the women and children, hadslain a dragon, and had saved a princess from a burning castle; for hewas afraid of nothing under the sun. 

The second knight was Gerald the Glad, who was so happy himself that hemade everybody around him happy too; for his sweet smile and cheerywords were so comforting that none could be sad or cross or angry whenhe was near. 

Sir Kenneth the Kind was the third knight, and he won his name by histender heart. Even the creatures of the wood knew and loved him, for henever hurt anything that God had made. 

The fourth knight had a face as beautiful as his name, and he was calledPercival the Pure. He thought beautiful thoughts, said beautiful words, and did beautiful deeds, for he kept his whole life as lovely as agarden full of flowers without a single weed. 

Tristram the True was the last knight, and he was leader of them all. 

The king of the country trusted these five knights; and one morning inthe early spring-time he called them to him and said:--

"My trusty knights, I am growing old, and I long to see in my kingdommany knights like you to take care of my people; and so I will send youthrough all my kingdom to choose for me a little boy who may live at mycourt and learn from you those things which a knight must know. Only agood child can be chosen. A good child is worth more than a kingdom. Andwhen you have found him, bring him, if he will come willingly, to me, and I shall be happy in my old age. "

Now the knights were well pleased with the words of the king, and at thefirst peep of day they were ready for their journey, and rode down theking's highway with waving plumes and shining shields. 

No sooner had they started on their journey than the news spread abroadover the country, and many fathers and mothers who were anxious for thefavor of the king sent messengers to invite the knights to visit them. 

The parents' messages were so full of praises of their children that theknights scarcely knew where to go. Some of the parents said that theirsons were beautiful; some said theirs were smart; but as the knightscared nothing for a child who was not good, they did not hurry to seethese children. 

On the second day, however, as they rode along, they met a company ofmen in very fine clothes, who bowed down before them; and while theknights drew rein in astonishment, a little man stepped in front of theothers to speak to them. 

He was a fat little man, with a fat little voice; and he told theknights that he had come to invite them to the castle of the BaronBorribald, whose son Florimond was the most wonderful child in theworld. 

"Oh! there is nothing he cannot do, " cried the fat little man whose namewas Puff. "You must hear him talk! You must see him walk!"

So the knights followed him; and when they had reached the castle, Florimond ran to meet them. He was a merry little fellow, with long faircurls and rosy cheeks; and when he saw the fine horses he clapped hishands with delight. The baron and baroness, too, were well pleased withtheir visitors, and made a feast in their honor; but early the nextmorning, the knights were startled by a most awful sound which seemed tocome from the hall below. 

"Boo-hoo-hoo-hoo!" It sounded something like the howling of a dog; butas they listened, it grew louder and louder, until it sounded like theroaring of a lion. 

The knights seized their swords and rushed down to see what was thematter; and there, in the middle of the hall, stood Florimond, hischeeks puffed up and his eyes swollen, --and right out of his open mouthcame that terrible noise: "Boo-hoo-hoo-hoo!"

His mamma and papa were begging him to be quiet. The cook had run upwith a pie, and the nurse with a toy, but Florimond only opened hismouth and screamed the louder, because the rain was coming down, when hewanted to play out of doors!

Then the knights saw that they were not wanted, and they hurriedupstairs to prepare for their journey. The baron and baroness and fatlittle Puff all begged them to stay, and Florimond cried again when theyleft him; but the knights did not care to stay with a child who was notgood. 

The knights began to think that their mission was a difficult one; butthey rode on, asking at every house: "Is there a good boy here?" only tobe disappointed many times. 

North, south, east, and west, they searched; and at last, one afternoon, they halted under an oak tree, to talk, and they decided to partcompany. 

"Let each take his own way, " said Tristram the True, "and to-morrow wewill meet, under this same tree, and tell what we have seen; for thetime draws near when we must return to the king. "

Then they bade each other farewell, and each rode away, except SirTristram, who lingered long under the oak tree; for he was the leader, and had many things to think about. 

Just as the sun was red in the west, he saw a little boy coming towardshim, with a bundle of sticks on his back. 

"Greeting to you, little boy, " said he. 

"Greeting to you, fair sir, " said the boy, looking up with eager eyes atthe knight on his splendid horse, that stood so still when the knightbade it. 

"What is your name?" asked the knight. 

"My name is little Gauvain, " replied the child. 

"And can you prove a trusty guide, little Gauvain, and lead me to apleasant place where I may rest to-night?" asked the knight. 

"Ay, that I can, " Gauvain answered gladly, his whole face lighting upwith pleasure; but he added quickly, "I can, if you will wait until Icarry my sticks to Granny Slowsteps, and bring her water from thespring; for I promised to be there before the setting of the sun. "

Now little Gauvain wanted to help the good knight so much that he wassorry to say this; but Sir Tristram told him to run, and promised towait patiently until his return; and before many moments Gauvain wasback, bounding like a fawn through the wood, to lead the way to his ownhome. 

When they came there the little dog ran out to meet them, and the catrubbed up against Gauvain, and the mother called from the kitchen:--

"Is that my sunbeam coming home to roost?" which made Gauvain and theknight both laugh. 

Then the mother came out in haste to welcome the stranger; and shetreated him with honor, giving him the best place at the table and thehottest cakes. 

She and little Gauvain lived all alone, for the father had gone to thewars when Gauvain was a baby, and had died fighting for the king. 

She had cows, horses, and pigs, hens, chickens, and a dog and a cat, andone treasure greater than a kingdom, for she had a good child in herhouse. 

Sir Tristram found this out very soon, for little Gauvain ran when hewas called, remembered the cat and dog when he had eaten his own supper, and went to bed when he was told, without fretting, although the knightwas telling of lions and bears and battles, and everything that littleboys like to hear about. 

Sir Tristram was so glad of this that he could scarcely wait for thetime to come when he should meet his comrades under the oak tree. 

[Illustration: And the mother called from the kitchen--'Is that mysunbeam coming home to roost?']

"I have found a child whom you must see, " he said, as soon as theycame together. 

"And so have I, " cried Gerald the Glad. 

"And I, " exclaimed Kenneth the Kind. 

"And I, " said Brian the Brave. 

"And I, " said Percival the Pure; and they looked at each other inastonishment. 

"I do not know the child's name, " continued Gerald the Glad; "but as Iwas riding in the forest I heard some one singing the merriest song! Andwhen I looked through the trees I saw a little boy bending under a heavyburden. I hastened to help him, but when I reached the spot he was gone. I should like to hear him sing again. "

"I rode by the highway, " said Sir Brian the Brave, "and I came suddenlyupon a crowd of great, rough fellows who were trying to torment a smallblack dog; and just as I saw them, a little boy ran up, as brave as aknight, and took the dog in his arms, and covered it with his coat. Therest ran away when I rode up; but the child stayed, and told me hisname--Gauvain. "

"Why!" exclaimed Kenneth the Kind, "he is the boy who brings wood andwater for Granny Slowsteps. I tarried all night at her cottage, and shetold me of his kindness. "

"I saw a lad at the spring near by, " said Percival the Pure. "He hurriedto fill his bucket, and some rude clown muddied the water as the childreached down; but he spoke no angry words, and waited patiently till thewater was clear again. I should like to find his home and see himthere. "

Now Sir Tristram had waited to hear them all; but when Sir Percival hadfinished, he arose and cried:--

"Come, and I will carry you to the child!" And when the knights followedhim, he led them to the home where little Gauvain was working with hismother, as happy as a lark and as gentle as a dove. 

It was noonday, and the sun was shining brightly on the shields of theknights, and their plumes were waving in the breeze; and when theyreached the gate, Sir Tristram blew a loud blast on a silver trumpet. 

Then all the hens began to cackle, and the dog began to bark, and thehorse began to neigh, and the pigs began to grunt; for they knew that itwas a great day. And little Gauvain and his mother ran out to see whatthe matter was. 

When the knights saw Gauvain they looked at each other, and every onecried out: "He is the child!" And Tristram the True said to themother:--

"Greeting to you! The king, our wise ruler, has sent us here to see yourgood child; for a good child is more precious than a kingdom. And theking offers him his love and favor if you will let him ride with us tolive at the king's court and learn to be a knight. "

Little Gauvain and his mother were greatly astonished. They couldscarcely believe that such a thing had happened; for it seemed verywonderful and beautiful that the king should send messengers to littleGauvain. After the knights had repeated it, though, they understood; andlittle Gauvain ran to his mother and put his arms around her; for heknew that if he went with the knights he must leave her, and the motherknew that if she let him go she must live without him. 

The rooster up on the fence crowed a very loud "Cock-a-doodle-doo!" tolet everybody know he belonged to Gauvain; and a little chick that hadlost its mother cried, "Peep! peep!" And when the mother heard this, sheanswered the knights and said:--

"I cannot spare my good child from my home. The king's love is precious;but I love my child more than the whole world, and he is dearer to methan a thousand kingdoms. "

Little Gauvain was so glad when he heard her answer that he looked againat the knights with a smiling face, and waved his hand to them as theyrode away. All day and all night they rode, and it was the peep of daywhen they came to the king's highway. Then they rode slowly, for theywere sad because of their news; but the king rejoiced when he heard it, for he said: "Such a child, with such a mother, will grow into a knightat home. "

The king's words were true; for when the king was an old, old man, Gauvain rode to his court and was knighted. 

Gauvain had a beautiful name of his own then, for he was called "Gauvainthe Good"; and he was brave, happy, kind, pure, and true. And he wasbeloved by all the people in the world, but most of all by his mother. 

_THE CLOSING DOOR_

 MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER

 _Keep thou an open door between thy child's life and thine own_. 

There was once a little girl (her best and sweetest name was LittleDaughter), who had a dear little room, all her own, which was full oftreasures, and was as lovely as love could make it. 

You never could imagine, no matter how you tried, a room more beautifulthan hers; for it was white and shining from the snowy floor to theceiling, which looked as if it might have been made of a fleecy cloud. The curtains at the windows were like the petals of a lily, and thelittle bed was like swan's down. 

There were white pansies, too, that bloomed in the windows, and a dovewhose voice was sweet as music; and among her treasures she had a stringof pearls which she was to wear about her neck when the king of thecountry sent for her, as he had promised to do some day. 

This string of pearls grew longer and more beautiful as the little girlgrew older, for a new pearl was given her as soon as she waked up eachmorning; and every one was a gift from this king, who bade her keep themfair. 

Her mother helped her to take care of them and of all the otherbeautiful things in her room. Every morning, after the new pearl wasslipped on the string, they would set the room in order; and everyevening they would look over the treasures and enjoy them together, while they carefully wiped away any specks of dust that had gotten induring the day and made the room less lovely. 

There were several doors and windows, which the little girl could openand shut just as she pleased, in this room; but there was one door whichwas always open, and that was the one which led into her mother's room. 

No matter what Little Daughter was doing she was happier if her motherwas near; and although she sometimes ran away into her own room andplayed by herself, she always bounded out at her mother's first call, and sprang into her mother's arms, gladder than ever to be with herbecause she had been away. 

Now one day when the little girl was playing alone, she had a visitorwho came in without knocking and who seemed, at first, very much out ofplace in the shining white room, for he was a goblin and as black as alump of coal. He had not been there more than a very few minutes, however, before nearly everything in the room began to look more likehim and less like driven snow: and although the little girl thought thathe was very strange and ugly when she first saw him, she soon grew usedto him, and found him an entertaining playfellow. 

She wanted to call her mother to see him; but he said: "Oh! no; we arehaving such a nice time together, and she's busy, you know. " So thelittle girl did not call; and the mother, who was making a dress of finelace for her darling, did not dream that a goblin was in the littlewhite room. 

The goblin did not make any noise, you know, for he tip-toed all thetime, as if he were afraid; and if he heard a sound he would jump. Buthe was a merry goblin, and he amused the little girl so much that shedid not notice the change in her dear room. 

The curtains grew dingy, the floor dusty, and the ceiling looked as ifit might have been made of a rain cloud; but the child played on, andgot out all her treasures to show to her visitor. 

The pansies drooped and faded, the white dove hid its head beneath itswing and moaned; and the last pearl on the precious string grew darkwhen the goblin touched it with his smutty fingers. 

"Oh, dear me, " said the little girl when she saw this, "I must call mymother; for these are the pearls that I must wear to the king's court, when he sends for me. "

"Never mind, " said the goblin, "we can wash it, and if it isn't just aswhite as before, what difference does it make about one pearl?"

[Illustration: One day * * * she had a visitor who came in withoutknocking. ]

"But mother says that they all must be as fair as the morning, " insistedthe little girl, eady to cry. "And what will she say when she seesthis one?"

"You shut the door, then, " said the goblin, pointing to the door thathad never been closed, "and I'll wash the pearl. " So the little girl ranto close the door, and the goblin began to rub the pearl; but it onlyseemed to grow darker. Now the door had been open so long that it washard to move, and it creaked on its hinges as the little girl tried toclose it. When the mother heard this she looked up to see what was thematter. She had been thinking about the dress which she was making; butwhen she saw the closing door, her heart stood still with fear; for sheknew that if it once closed tight she might never be able to open itagain. 

She dropped her fine laces and ran towards the door, calling, "LittleDaughter! Little Daughter! Where are you?" and she reached out her handsto stop the door. But as soon as the little girl heard that loving voiceshe answered:--

"Mother, oh! Mother! I need you so! my pearl is turning black andeverything is wrong!" and, flinging the door wide open, she ran intoher mother's arms. 

When the two went together into the little room, the goblin had gone. The pansies now bloomed again, and the white dove cooed in peace; butthere was much work for the mother and daughter, and they rubbed andscrubbed and washed and swept and dusted, till the room was so beautifulthat you would not have known that a goblin had been there--except forthe one pearl which was a little blue always, even when the king wasready for Little Daughter to come to his court, although that was notuntil she was a very old woman. 

As for the door, it was never closed again; for Little Daughter and hermother put two golden hearts against it and nothing in this world couldhave shut it then. 

_THE MINSTREL'S SONG_

 MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER

 _The child must listen well if he would hear_. 

 --_Blow's Commentaries_. 

Once, long, long ago, there lived in a country over the sea a kingcalled René, who married a lovely princess whose name was Imogen. 

Imogen came across the seas to the king's beautiful country, and all hispeople welcomed her with great joy because the king loved her. 

"What can I do to please thee to-day?" the king asked her every morning;and one day the queen answered that she would like to hear all theminstrels in the king's country, for they were said to be the finest inthe world. 

As soon as the king heard this, he called his heralds and sent themeverywhere through his land to sound their trumpets and call aloud:--

"Hear, ye minstrels! King René, our gracious king, bids ye come to playat his court on May-day, for love of the Queen Imogen. "

The minstrels were men who sang beautiful songs and played on harps; andlong ago they went about from place to place, from castle to castle, from palace to cot, and were always sure of a welcome wherever theyroamed. 

They could sing of the brave deeds that the knights had done, and ofwars and battles, and could tell of the mighty hunters who hunted in thegreat forests, and of fairies and goblins, better than a story book; andbecause there were no story books in those days, everybody, from littlechildren to the king, was glad to see them come. 

So when the minstrels heard the king's message, they made haste to thepalace on May-day; and it so happened that some of them met on the wayand decided to travel together. 

One of these minstrels was a young man named Harmonius; and while theothers talked of the songs that they would sing, he gathered the wildflowers that grew by the roadside. 

"I can sing of the drums and battles, " said the oldest minstrel, whosehair was white and whose step was slow. 

"I can sing of ladies and their fair faces, " said the youngest minstrel;but Harmonius whispered: "Listen! listen!"

"Oh! we hear nothing but the wind in the tree-tops, " said the others. "We have no time to stop and listen. "

Then they hurried on and left Harmonius; and he stood under the treesand listened, for he heard something very sweet. At last he knew that itwas the wind singing of its travels through the wide world; telling howit raced over the blue sea, tossing the waves and rocking the whiteships, and hurried on to the hills, where the trees made harps of theirbranches, and then how it blew down into the valleys, where all theflowers danced gayly in time to the tune. 

Harmonius could understand every word:--

 "_Nobody follows me where I go, Over the mountains or valleys below; Nobody sees where the wild winds blow, Only the Father in Heaven can know_. "

That was the chorus of the wind's song. Harmonius listened until he knewthe whole song from beginning to end; and then he ran on and soonreached his friends, who were still talking of the grand sights thatthey were to see. 

"We shall see the king and speak to him, " said the oldest minstrel. 

"And his golden crown and the queen's jewels, " added the youngest; andHarmonius had no chance to tell of the wind's song, although he thoughtabout it time and again. 

Now their path led them through the wood; and as they talked, Harmoniussaid:--

"Hush! listen!" But the others answered:--

"Oh! that is only the sound of the brook trickling over the stones. Letus make haste to the king's court. "

But Harmonius stayed to hear the song that the brook was singing, ofjourneying through mosses and ferns and shady ways, and of tumbling overthe rocks in shining waterfalls on its way to the sea. 

 "_Rippling and bubbling through shade and sun, On to the beautiful sea I run; Singing forever, though none be near, For God in Heaven can always hear, "_

sang the little brook. Harmonius listened until he knew every word ofthe song, and then he hurried on. 

When he reached the others, he found them still talking of the king andqueen, so he could not tell them of the brook. As they talked, he heardsomething again that was wonderfully sweet, and he cried: "Listen!listen!"

"Oh! that is only a bird!" the others replied. "Let us make haste to theking's court!"

But Harmonius would not go, for the bird sang so joyfully that Harmoniuslaughed aloud when he heard the song. 

It was singing a song of green trees, and in every tree a nest, and inevery nest eggs! Oh! the bird was so gay as it sang:--

 "_Merrily, merrily, listen to me, Flitting and flying from tree to tree. Nothing fear I, by land or sea, For God in Heaven is watching me"_

"Thank you, little bird, " said Harmonius; "you have taught me a song. "And he made haste to join his comrades, for by this time they were nearthe palace. 

When they had gone in, they received a hearty welcome, and were feastedin the great hall before they came before the king. 

The king and queen sat on their throne together. The king thought of thequeen and the minstrels; but the queen thought of her old home, and ofthe butterflies she had chased when she was a little child. 

One by one the minstrels played before them. 

The oldest minstrel sang of battles and drums, just as he had said hewould; and the youngest minstrel sang of ladies and their fair faces, which pleased the court ladies very much. 

[Illustration: Harmonius * * * touched his harp and sang. ]

Then came Harmonius. And when he touched his harp and sang, the songsounded like the wind blowing, the sea roaring, and the treescreaking; then it grew very soft, and sounded like a trickling brookdripping on stones and running over little pebbles; and while the kingand queen and all the court listened in surprise, Harmonius' song grewsweeter, sweeter, sweeter. It was as if you heard all the birds inSpring. And then the song was ended. 

The queen clapped her hands, and the ladies waved their handkerchiefs, and the king came down from his throne to ask Harmonius if he came fromfairyland with such a wonderful song. But Harmonius answered:--

"_Three singers sang along our way, And I learned the song from themto-day_. "

Now, all the other minstrels looked up in surprise when Harmonius saidthis; and the oldest minstrel said to the king: "Harmonius is dreaming!We heard no music on our way to-day. "

And the youngest minstrel said: "Harmonius is surely mad! We met nobodyon our way to-day. "

But the queen said: "That is an old, old song. I heard it when I was alittle child; and I can name the singers three. " And so she did. Canyou?

_DUST UNDER THE RUG_

 Motto for the Mother

 _Well for the child, well for the man, to whom throughout life the voice of conscience is the prophecy and pledge of an abiding union with God_!

 FROEBEL. 

There was once a mother, who had two little daughters; and, as herhusband was dead and she was very poor, she worked diligently all thetime that they might be well fed and clothed. She was a skilled worker, and found work to do away from home, but her two little girls were sogood and so helpful that they kept her house as neat and as bright as anew pin. 

One of the little girls was lame, and could not run about the house; soshe sat still in her chair and sewed, while Minnie, the sister, washedthe dishes, swept the floor, and made the home beautiful. 

Their home was on the edge of a great forest; and after their tasks werefinished the little girls would sit at the window and watch the talltrees as they bent in the wind, until it would seem as though the treeswere real persons, nodding and bending and bowing to each other. 

In the Spring there were the birds, in the Summer the wild flowers, inAutumn the bright leaves, and in Winter the great drifts of white snow;so that the whole year was a round of delight to the two happy children. But one day the dear mother came home sick; and then they were very sad. It was Winter, and there were many things to buy. Minnie and her littlesister sat by the fire and talked it over, and at last Minnie said:--

"Dear sister, I must go out to find work, before the food gives out. " Soshe kissed her mother, and, wrapping herself up, started from home. There was a narrow path leading through the forest, and she determinedto follow it until she reached some place where she might find the workshe wanted. 

As she hurried on, the shadows grew deeper. The night was coming fastwhen she saw before her a very small house, which was a welcome sight. She made haste to reach it, and to knock at the door. 

Nobody came in answer to her knock. When she had tried again and again, she thought that nobody lived there; and she opened the door and walkedin, thinking that she would stay all night. 

As soon as she stepped into the house, she started back in surprise; forthere before her she saw twelve little beds with the bed-clothes alltumbled, twelve little dirty plates on a very dusty table, and the floorof the room so dusty that I am sure you could have drawn a picture onit. 

"Dear me!" said the little girl, "this will never do!" And as soon asshe had warmed her hands, she set to work to make the room tidy. 

She washed the plates, she made up the beds, she swept the floor, shestraightened the great rug in front of the fireplace, and set the twelvelittle chairs in a half circle around the fire; and, just as shefinished, the door opened and in walked twelve of the queerest littlepeople she had ever seen. They were just about as tall as a carpenter'srule, and all wore yellow clothes; and when Minnie saw this, she knewthat they must be the dwarfs who kept the gold in the heart of themountain. 

"Well!" said the dwarfs all together, for they always spoke together andin rhyme, "_Now isn't this a sweet surprise? We really can't believe our eyes_!"

Then they spied Minnie, and cried in great astonishment:--

 "_Who can this be, so fair and mild? Our helper is a stranger child_. "

Now when Minnie saw the dwarfs, she came to meet them. "If you please, "she said, "I'm little Minnie Grey; and I'm looking for work because mydear mother is sick. I came in here when the night drew near, and--"here all the dwarfs laughed, and called out merrily:--

 "_You found our room a sorry sight, But you have made it clean and bright_. "

They were such dear funny little dwarfs! After they had thanked Minniefor her trouble, they took white bread and honey from the closet andasked her to sup with them. 

While they sat at supper, they told her that their fairy housekeeper hadtaken a holiday, and their house was not well kept, because she wasaway. 

They sighed when they said this; and after supper, when Minnie washedthe dishes and set them carefully away, they looked at her often andtalked among themselves. When the last plate was in its place theycalled Minnie to them and said:--

 "_Dear mortal maiden will you stay All through our fairy's holiday? And if you faithful prove, and good, We will reward you as we should_. "

Now Minnie was much pleased, for she liked the kind dwarfs, and wantedto help them, so she thanked them, and went to bed to dream happydreams. 

Next morning she was awake with the chickens, and cooked a nicebreakfast; and after the dwarfs left, she cleaned up the room and mendedthe dwarfs' clothes. In the evening when the dwarfs came home, theyfound a bright fire and a warm supper waiting for them; and every dayMinnie worked faithfully until the last day of the fairy housekeeper'sholiday. 

That morning, as Minnie looked out of the window to watch the dwarfs goto their work, she saw on one of the window panes the most beautifulpicture she had ever seen. 

A picture of fairy palaces with towers of silver and frosted pinnacles, so wonderful and beautiful that as she looked at it she forgot thatthere was work to be done, until the cuckoo clock on the mantel strucktwelve. 

Then she ran in haste to make up the beds, and wash the dishes; butbecause she was in a hurry she could not work quickly, and when she tookthe broom to sweep the floor it was almost time for the dwarfs to comehome. 

"I believe, " said Minnie aloud, "that I will not sweep under the rugto-day. After all, it is nothing for dust to be where it can't be seen!"So she hurried to her supper and left the rug unturned. 

Before long the dwarfs came home. As the rooms looked just as usual, nothing was said; and Minnie thought no more of the dust until she wentto bed and the stars peeped through the window. 

[Illustration: All the little dwarfs came running out to see what wasthe matter. ]

Then she thought of it, for it seemed to her that she could hear thestars saying:--

"There is the little girl who is so faithful and good"; and Minnieturned her face to the wall, for a little voice, right in her own heart, said:--

"Dust under the rug! dust under the rug!"

"There is the little girl, " cried the stars, "who keeps home as brightas star-shine. "

"Dust under the rug! dust under the rug!" said the little voice inMinnie's heart. 

"We see her! we see her!" called all the stars joyfully. 

"Dust under the rug! dust under the rug!" said the little voice inMinnie's heart, and she could bear it no longer. So she sprang out ofbed, and, taking her broom in her hand, she swept the dust away; and lo!under the dust lay twelve shining gold pieces, as round and as bright asthe moon. 

"Oh! oh! oh!" cried Minnie, in great surprise; and all the little dwarfscame running to see what was the matter. 

Minnie told them all about it; and when she had ended her story, thedwarfs gathered lovingly around her and said:--

 "_Dear child, the gold is all for you, For faithful you have proved and true; But had you left the rug unturned, A groat was all you would have earned. Our love goes with the gold we give, And oh! forget not while you live, That in the smallest duty done Lies wealth of joy for every one_. "

Minnie thanked the dwarfs for their kindness to her; and early nextmorning she hastened home with her golden treasure, which bought manygood things for the dear mother and little sister. 

She never saw the dwarfs again; but she never forgot their lesson, to doher work faithfully; and she always swept under the rug. 

_THE STORY OF GRETCHEN_

 MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER

 _Oh! like a wreath, let Christmas mirth To-day encircle all the earth, And bind the nations with the love That Jesus brought from heaven above_. 

It was almost Christmas time when one of the white ships that sailacross the sea brought a little German girl named Gretchen, with herfather and mother, to find a new home in our dear land. 

Gretchen knew all about Christmas. She had heard the story of the lovingChrist Child over and over, and in her home in Germany she had kept Hisbirthday and enjoyed it ever since she could remember. 

Every year, a little before Christmas, her shoes had been placed in thegarden for Rupert, who is one of Santa Claus's German helpers, to fill, and every year she had found a Christmas tree lighted for her onChristmas Day. She wondered a little, as she came across the ocean, howshe would keep Christmas in the new country; and she wondered stillmore, when they reached a great city, and had their "boxes" carried upso many stairs to a little room in a boarding-house. 

Gretchen's mother did not like boarding-houses--no, indeed!--and theirfirst thought was to find a place where they might feel at home; but thevery next morning after their long journey the dear father was too illto lift his head from the pillow, and Gretchen and her mother were verysad for many days. Up so high in a boarding-house is not pleasant (evenif you do seem nearer the stars) when somebody you love is sick; andthen, too, Gretchen began to think that Santa Claus and Rupert hadforgotten her; for when she set her two little wooden shoes outside thedoor, they were never filled with goodies, and people stumbled over themand scolded. 

The tears would roll down Gretchen's fat, rosy cheeks, and fall into theempty shoes, and she decided that the people in America did not keepChristmas, and wished she was in her own Germany again. One day, however, a good woman in the house felt sorry for the lonely littleGerman girl, who could speak no English, and she asked Gretchen'smother if Gretchen might go with her to see the beautiful stores. Shewas only a poor woman, and had no presents to give away; but she knewhow to be kind to Gretchen, and she took her hand and smiled at her veryoften as they hurried along the crowded street. 

It was the day before Christmas, and throngs of people were moving hereand there, and Gretchen was soon bewildered, and she was jostled andpushed until she was tired; but at last they stepped into a store whichmade her blue eyes open wide, for it was a toy store, and the mostbeautiful place she had ever seen. There were toys in that store thathad come across the sea like Gretchen; there were lovely dolls fromFrance, who were spending their first Christmas away from home; therewere woolly sheep, fine painted soldiers, and dainty furniture, and awhole host of wonderful toys marked very carefully, "Made in Germany";and even the Japanese, from their island in the great ocean, had senttheir funny slant-eyed dolls to help us keep Christmas. 

Oh! it was splendid to be in the toyshop the day before Christmas! Allthe tin soldiers stood up so straight and tall, looking as if they werejust ready to march when the big drums and the little drums, which hungover their heads, should call them. 

The rocking horses, which are always saddled, were waiting to gallopaway. The tops were anxious to spin, and the balls really rolled aboutsometimes, because it was so hard for them to keep still. 

The fine lady dolls were dressed in their best. One of them was aprincess, and wore a white satin dress, and had a crown on her head. Shesat on a throne in one of the windows, with all the other dolls aroundher; and it was in this very window that Gretchen saw a baby doll, whichmade her forget all the rest. It was a real baby doll, not nearly sofine as most of the others, but with a look on its face as if it wantedto be loved; and Gretchen's warm German heart went out to it, forlittle mothers are the same all the world over. 

Such a dear baby doll! She must have been made for a Christmas gift, Gretchen thought; and if the good giver came to this queer Americanland, he surely would find her. How could she let him know where shewas? She thought about it all the way home, and all day long, till thegas was lighted down in the great city and the stars were lighted upabove, and the time of his coming drew very near. 

The father was better; but the mother had said with tears in her eyes, that there could be no Christmas tree for them that year. So Gretchendid not worry them, but she wrapped herself up in a blanket and shawl, and, taking her shoes in her hand, she crept down the stairs, throughthe door, out to the wooden stoop. There had been a light fall of snowthat day, but it was a mild Christmas, and Gretchen set her shoes evenlytogether, and then sat down beside them; for she had made up her mind towatch them until Santa Claus came by. 

All over the city the bells were ringing, --calling "Merry Christmas" toeach other and to the world; and they sang so sweetly to little Gretchenthat they sang her to sleep that Christmas Eve. 

It was hundreds and hundreds of years since the Christ Child slept inthe manger; but this same night in the great city a little American girlnamed Margaret had her heart so full of His love and joy that she wantedto make everybody happy for the dear Christ's sake. 

She had waked up early the day before Christmas, and all day long shehad been doing loving deeds; and when evening came, and the bells beganto ring, she started with a basket of toys to a mission church, whereshe was to help Santa Claus by giving gifts to the children of the poor. 

[Illustration: The dearest Christmas Gift that ever came to a homesicklittle girl. ]

Her papa was with her, and they were so glad that they sang gayChristmas carols, and kept time to them with their feet as they hurrieddown the street, right by the wooden stoop, just as Gretchen fell asleepby her empty shoes. The moon had seen those empty shoes, and wasfilling them with moonbeams. The stars had seen them, and peeped intothem with pity; and when Margaret and her father saw them they cried outto each other, for they had been in Germany, and they knew that thelittle owner was waiting for the good Saint Nicholas. 

"What can we give her?" whispered Margaret's papa, as he looked down athis bundles; but Margaret knew, for she took from her basket a babydoll--one that looked as if it wanted to be loved--and laid it tenderlyacross the wooden shoes. Then Margaret lifted a corner of the blanketfrom Gretchen's rosy face and shouted "Merry Christmas!" with so muchheartiness that the little girl woke with a start to find, not Margaretand her papa, for they had run away, but, oh! wonder of wonders! thedearest Christmas gift that ever came to a homesick little girl, andmade her feel at home. 

Oh! all the bells were singing and ringing, and Margaret and her papaanswered them with their merry Christmas carol, as they sped on theirway. 

 "_Carol, brothers, carol! Carol merrily! Carol the glad tidings, Carol cheerily! And pray a gladsome Christmas To all our fellowmen, Carol, brothers, carol! Christmas Day again_. "

_THE KING'S BIRTHDAY_

 MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER

 _Let the child feel Christ is near him; By your faith will grow his own; Death nor danger will affright him If he never feels alone_. 

Little Carl and his mother came from their home in the country one sweetsummer day, because it was the king's birthday, and all the city was tobe glad and gay, and the king would ride on his fine gray horse for thepeople to see. 

Little Carl had gathered a very fine bunch of flowers to throw beforethe king. He had marigolds and pinks and pansies, and they had all grownin his mother's garden. 

This was a great day for little boy Carl, and before he started fromhome he told everything goodbye, --the brindle calf and the mooley cowand the sheep and little white lambs. 

"Good-bye!" he said; "I am going to see the king. "

The way was long, but Carl did not complain. He trudged bravely on byhis mother's side, holding the flowers tightly in his little hand, andlooking out of his great blue eyes for the king, in case the king shouldride out to meet them. 

Every now and then Carl wished for his father, who was obliged to workin the fields all day, and who had been up and away before Carl wasawake. Carl thought of the fine sights his father was missing, especially when they came to the city, where the flags were flying fromevery steeple and housetop and window. 

There were as many people in the city as there were birds in thecountry; and when the drums beat, the crowd rushed forward and everybodycalled at once: "The king! the king! Long live the king!"

Carl's mother lifted him up in her arms that he might see, The king rodeslowly along on his great gray horse, with all his fine ladies andgentlemen behind him; and little Carl threw his flowers with the restand waved his cap in his hand. 

He felt sorry for his flowers after he had thrown them, because theywere trampled under the horses' feet and the king didn't care; andafter that he felt very tired, and his little hot hand slipped from hismother's and he was carried away in the crowd. 

He thought that his mother would surely come. But there were onlystrange faces about him, and he was such a little lad that nobodynoticed him; and at last he was left behind, all alone. 

He was very miserable, and the tears rolled down his cheeks; but heremembered that it was the king's birthday, and that everybody must beglad, so he wiped the tears away as he trudged along. 

There were wonderful houses along the street, with great gardens infront; and Carl thought that they must belong to the king, but he didnot want to go in. They were all too fine for him. But at last hereached one which stood off by itself and had a tall, tall steeple andgreat doors, through which hundreds of people were coming. 

"Perhaps my mamma is there, " thought little Carl. After he had watchedall the people come out, and had not seen her, he went up the whitemarble steps and through the doors, and found himself all alone in avery beautiful place. 

The roof of the house was held up by great strong pillars, and the floorhad as many patterns on it as his mother's patchwork; and on every sidehe saw windows, --beautiful windows like picture books, --and when he hadseen one, he wanted to see another, as you do when you are looking atpicture books. 

Some of the windows had jewels and crowns upon them; some had sheaves oflilies; and others had lovely faces and men with harps; and at last hecame to one great window which was different from the rest and lovelierthan any of them. 

The other windows were like picture books, but this one was like home;for there were sheep in it and flowers, and a dear, gentle Man, with aloving face, and He had a lamb in His arms. 

When little Carl looked at this window, he crept very close under it, and, laying his head on his arm, sobbed himself to sleep. 

[Illustration: "Mother, mother, here am I!"]

While he slept, the sunbeams came through the window and made brightcircles round his head; and the white doves that lived in the churchtower flew through an open window to look at him. 

"It is good to live in the church tower, " cooed the white doves to eachother, "for the bells are up there; and then we can fly down here andsee the dear Christ's face. See! here is one of his little ones!"

"Coo, coo, " said the white doves softly; "we cannot speak so loudly asthe bells, nor make ourselves heard so far; but we can fly where weplease, and they must stay always up there. "

All this cooing did not wake little boy Carl, for he was dreaming abeautiful dream about a king who had a face like the Good Man in thewindow, and who was carrying Carl in His arms instead of a lamb, and wastaking him to his mother; and just as he dreamed that they had reachedher, Carl woke up, for he heard somebody talking in the church. 

He lay still and listened, for this seemed part of the dream. Somebodywas talking about him, and the words were very plain to Carl:--

"Dear Father in Heaven, I have lost my little boy. I am like Maryseeking for the Christ Child. For His sake, give me my little child!"

Carl knew that voice, and in an instant he ran out crying:--

"Mother! mother! here am I!"

And in all the joy of the king's birth day, there was no joy so great astheirs.