1. Little Polly Patterson was dressed in her new winter suit ready to go out shopping with her mamma. 2. Her hat was trimmed with pretty feathers; her cloak had a border of white fur, and she carried a small white fur muff. 3. She knew that she looked well, and she wanted her grandpapa to see how pretty she was in her new suit. Grandpapa was reading his daily paper. She went close up to him and said, "See, grandpapa; don't I look nice?" 4. Grandpapa lifted his hands and said, "Dear me! who is this dressed all in feathers and fur? is this Polly?" 5. "Yes, sir," said Polly, with a smile. 66 And where did these fine things come from ? " asked grandpapa. "Oh, they came from Mr. Brown's store down on Broadway,” said Polly. 6. "They had to come a good many thousand miles to get there," said grandpapa. "Did they?" asked Polly. 66 7. Yes. In the first place somebody away off in Asia or Africa had to catch an ostrich and pull out some of his feathers. The feathers were sent across the wide ocean before Polly could have them on her hat. And somebody up at the far north had to catch a white fox or two, and send his fur over the rivers and mountains before Polly could have a muff and a border around her coat. 8. "Is this a true story that you are telling, grandpapa?" asked Polly. "Yes, 'tis a true story. What do you think about it, Polly ?" said grandpapa. "I'm too little to think about such big things," said Polly. 9. "Well, what can little girls think about?" asked grandpapa. 66 "Oh, they can think how nice it is to go shopping and buy candy," said Polly. I'll buy you some to-day if you'll give me the money." 10. Grandpapa made a funny face at Polly; but he gave her a ten-cent piece. Then Polly went shopping; but she did think also about the ostrich and the white fox. She asked her grandpapa to tell her more about the animals, and the next lesson tells what she learned about them. The ostrich is the bird of the desert. With its long legs it can travel very quickly over the hot, dry sands. Its wings cannot raise it into the air, but they can help it along like the sails of a boat. not an easy thing to overtake it. It is the swiftest in the world. If he is called a rich man, it is because he has plenty of camels and horses. And the horses are strong as well as swift. The |