McGuffey's Second Eclectic Reader by William Holmes McGuffey (ebook reader txt) 📕

they found the branch had drifted by and done them no harm, they flew down to the water as before.

4. After four or five branches had drifted by in this way, the ducks gave little heed to them. At length, they hardly tried to fly out of their way, even when the branches nearly touched them.

5. The man who had been watching all this, now began to wonder who had set these branches adrift. He looked up the stream, and spied a fox slyly watching the ducks. "What will he do next?" thought the man.

6. When the fox saw that the ducks were no longer afraid of the branches, he took a much larger branch than any he had yet used, and stretched himself upon it so as to be almost hidden. Then he set it afloat as he had the others.

7. Right among the flock drifted the sly old fox, and, making quick snaps to right and left, he seized two fine young ducks, and floated off with them.

8. The rest of the flock flew away in fright, and did not come back for a long time.

9. The fox must have had a fine dinner to pay him for his cunning, patient work.

LESSON XLIX.

saint silk'en sim'ple pov'er ty plain sin'ner

spin'ner splen'dor worth stead'y mur'der plan'ning

sil'ver ten'der prov'erb re mem'ber

[Illustration: Spider spinning web.]

PRETTY IS THAT PRETTY DOES.

1. The spider wears a plain brown dress,
     And she is a steady spinner;
   To see her, quiet as a mouse,
   Going about her silver house,
   You would never, never, never guess
     The way she gets her dinner.

2. She looks as if no thought of ill
     In all her life had stirred her;
   But while she moves with careful tread, And
   while she spins her silken thread,
   She is planning, planning, planning still
     The way to do some murder.

3. My child, who reads this simple lay,
     With eyes down-dropt and tender, Remember
   the old proverb says
   That pretty is which pretty does,
   And that worth does not go nor stay
     For poverty nor splendor.

4. 'Tis not the house, and not the dress,
     That makes the saint or sinner.
   To see the spider sit and spin,
   Shut with her walls of silver in,
   You would never, never, never guess
     The way she gets her dinner.
                                          Alice Cary.

LESSON L.

civil Pe'ter Tow'ser ap pear'

a lone' Pin'dar per'sons trav'el ers

[Illustration: Man telling story to several children.]

THE STORY-TELLER

1. Peter Pindar was a great storyteller. One day, as he was going by the school, the children gathered around him.

2. They said, "Please tell us a story we have never heard." Ned said, "'Tell us something about boys and dogs."

3. "Well," said Peter, "I love to please good children, and, as you all appear civil, I will tell you a new story; and it shall be about a boy and some dogs, as Ned asks.

4. "But before we begin, let us sit down in a cool, shady place. And now, John, you must be as still as a little mouse. Mary, you must not let Towser bark or make a noise.

5. "A long way from this place, there is a land where it is very cold, and much snow falls.

6. "The hills are very high there, and traveler's are often lost among them. There are men there who keep large dogs. These are taught to hunt for people lost in the snow.

7. "The dogs have so fine a scent, that they can find persons by that alone.

8. "Sometimes it is so dark, that they can not see anything. Those who are lost often lie hid in the snowdrifts. "

LESSON LI.

lain weak stiff shrill rode bleak

[Illustration: Dog searching on snowy mountain-side for lost traveler.]

THE STORY TELLER (CONCLUDED)

1. "One cold, bleak night, the snow fell fast, and the wind blew loud and shrill. It was quite dark. Not a star was to be seen in the sky.

2. "These good men sent out a dog, to hunt for those who might want help. In an hour or two, the dog was heard coming back.

3. "On looking out, they saw him with a boy on his back. The poor child was stiff with cold. He could but just hold on to the dog's back.

4. "He had lain for a long time in the snow, and was too weak to walk.

5. "He felt something pull him by the coat, and heard the bark of a dog. He put out his hand, and felt the dog. The dog gave him another pull.

6. "This gave the poor boy some hope, and he took hold of the dog. He drew himself out of the snow, but ho could not stand or walk.

7. "He got on the dog's back, and put his arms round the dog's neck, and held on. He felt sure that the dog did not mean to do him any harm.

8. "Thus he rode all the way to the good men's house.

9. "They took care of him, till the snow was gone. Then they sent him to his home."

LESSON LII.

oak dusk fight squeak ruf'fled

bag Fred whoo a wake' creep'ing

THE OWL.

1. "Where did you get that owl, Harry?"

2. "Fred and I found him in the old, hollow oak."

3. "How did you know he was there?"

4. "I'll tell you. Fred and I were playing 'hide and seek' round the old barn, one night just at dusk.

5. "I was just creeping round the corner, when I heard a loud squeak, and a big bird flew up with something in his claws.

6. "I called Fred, and we watched him as he flew to the woods. Fred thought the bird was an owl, and that he had a nest in the old oak.

7. "The next day we went to look for him, and, sure enough, he was there."

8. "But how did you catch him? I should think he could fight like a good fellow with that sharp bill."

9. "He can when he is wide awake; but owls can't see very well in the daytime, and he was taking a nap.

10. "He opened his great eyes, and ruffled up his feathers, and said, "Whoo! Whoo!' 'Never mind who,' Fred said, and slipped him into a bag."

LESSON LIII.

while bones scarce'ly mous'er

mice rolled sur prised' swal'lows

wink'ing com'ic al duck'lings cap'ture

[Illustration: Boy catching owl in tree.]

THE OWL. (CONCLUDED.)

1. "What are you going to do with him, Harry?"

2. "Let him go. He doesn't like this cage half so well as his old oak tree. A young owl can be tamed easily, but this one is too old to tame."

3. "But won't he catch all your ducklings and little chickens?"

4. "No, not while there are any rats or mice around. Father says an owl is a good mouser, and can catch more mice than half a dozen cats."

5. "I'm glad I had a look at him before you let him go. What soft feathers he has!"

6. "Yes, he can fly so softly that you can scarcely hear him, and for this reason he can easily surprise and capture his prey."

7. "How comical he looks, winking his big eyes slowly, and turning his head from side to side!"

[Illustration: Two boys talking.]

8. "Yes; he is watching your dog. Be still. Bounce!

9. "We have just found out a funny thing about his way of eating. He breaks the bones of a mouse, and then swallows it whole. After an hour or two, he throws up the bones and fur rolled up in a little ball."

LESSON LIV.

broad knee fig fresh city trout un der neath'

fought (fawt) sur prised' clap'ping gar'den

car'ry ing fight'ing

[Illustration: Old man with cane talking to young girl.]

GRANDFATHER'S STORY.

1. "Come and sit by my knee, Jane, and grandfather will tell you a strange story.

2. "One bright Summer day, I was in a garden in a city, with a friend. "We rested underneath a fig tree. The broad leaves were green and fresh.

3. "We looked up at the ripe, purple figs. And what do you think came down through the branches of the fig tree over our heads?"

4. "Oh, a bird, grandfather, a bird!" said little Jane, clapping her hands.

5. "No, not a bird. It was a fish; a trout, my little girl."

6. "Not a fish, grandfather! A trout come through the branches of a tree in the city'! I am sure you must be in fun."

7. "No, Jane, I tell you the truth. My friend and I were very much surprised to see a fish falling from a fig tree.

8. "But we ran from under the tree, and saw a fishhawk flying, and an eagle after him.

9. "The hawk had caught the fish, and was carrying it home to his nest, when the eagle saw it and wanted it.

10. "They fought for it. The fish was dropped, and they both lost it. So much for fighting!"

LESSON LV.

flow wide steep lakes twin'kling

[Illustration: Lake in foreground; mountain in background.]

GOD IS GREAT AND GOOD.

1. I know God made the sun
     To fill the day with light;
   He made the twinkling stars
     To shine all through the night.

2. He made the hills that rise
     So very high and steep;
   He made the lakes and seas,
     That are so broad and deep.

3. He made the streams so wide,
     That flow through wood and vale;
   He made the rills so small,
     That leap down hill and dale.

4. He made each bird that sings
     So sweetly all the day;
   He made each flower that springs
     So bright, so fresh, so gay.

5. And He who made all these,
     He made both you and me;
   Oh, let us thank Him, then,
     For great and good is He.

LESSON LVI.

hoe grave knock ex cept'

droll hymn prayed cot'tage

[Illustration: Old man holding two little girls.]

A GOOD OLD MAN.

1. There once lived an old man in a snug, little cottage. It had two rooms and only two windows. A small garden lay just behind it.

2. Old as the poor man was, he used to work in the fields. Often he would come home very tired and weak, with his hoe or spade on his shoulder.

3. And who do you think met him at the door! Mary and Jane, his two little grandchildren.

4. They were too young to work, except to weed in the garden, or bring water from the spring.

5. In winter, as they were too poor to buy much wood or coal, they had little fire; so they used to sit close together