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pretty presents he had that were too large to be put into a stocking! I don't think that Santa Claus brings presents to dogs and birds."

10. Little Ben could not be cross any longer, and he laughed aloud. "Why, I'm that boy, grandma," he said; "and I do have lots of good times."

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11. "That's just what I thought," said grandma.

I knew you must have forgotten about some of the things that children enjoy so much;" and she laughed, too, at the sight of his funny face.

12. "I was foolish to say what I did," said Ben; "but I feel better now."

13. Little Ben was pleasant and happy all the rest of the day. He helped grandma as much as he could. He was very glad when her spool dropped so that he could pick it up for her. And the next morning, when it was clear and bright, he went out and had a fine sleighride with his grandpa.

LANGUAGE AND PUNCTUATION.

There are two new marks in this lesson. In paragraph 7, after on, is the COLON (:); and there are five SEMICOLONS (;). See if you can find them.

XIII. A QUEER PLACE FOR A BIRD'S HOME.

trav'el ler

pre pared'

chafed
groaned

jour'ney
search'ing

spied co'sily

1. One evening last summer a tramp, who had

travelled many miles, lay

[graphic]

chafed

his foot

and made

it very sore.

2. In the morning he rose, and

prepared to go on to beg his morning meal.

down on the leaves in a

pleasant wood to sleep. Before he went to sleep

he pulled off

one shoe, for it

had

When he tried to put on his shoe, it hurt his foot so badly that he groaned aloud. He gave up trying to wear it, and threw it into the bushes.

3. The shoe caught in the fork of a young mapletree, and hung fast by the heel, with the toe downward. The poor man limped away on his journey, and went I don't know where.

4. Before many days a bright-eyed little bird spied the shoe. She thought it would be a fine place to build a home in. So she and her mate brought fine twigs and straw and leaves in their bills. They placed them in the shoe in pretty nest-shape, and lined their new house with soft hair and wool.

5. Beth and her papa were out searching the woods for wild-flowers one day. The shadow of the shoe fell on the moss beneath the little maple.

6. Looking up, Beth saw the nest. Her papa bent the maple down, and Beth looked in. She saw five cunning little blue eggs lying cosily against the gray lining.

7. Beth is a tiny girl, just past being rocked to sleep in mamma's lap. She laughed aloud, and clapped her fat little hands for joy, when she saw this dainty sight.

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8. There will be birds here before long," said her papa, and you shall come to see them.”

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[blocks in formation]

1. Tommy Stiles lived on a farm, and went to a district school. He was a bright boy, and learned his lesson quickly.

2. But he liked best to hear the older children recite. He liked to hear of wars, and the brave deeds of soldiers. One fine June day Tommy thought he would play soldier himself, and go to war. He put on an old red vest which his father wore in the brass band. His mother made him a paper soldier-cap, with plumes. He had a wooden gun, a tin sword, and a small drum.

3. There was no other boy there to play with him, and so he "made believe" he was the whole army. He was Captain Thomas, and Tommy

the drummer-boy, and Tom the soldier, — and all three were the army.

4. Then Captain Thomas said, "Forward, march!” and waved his sword. Tom shouldered his gun. Tommy beat the drum,- but this was not easy, for Tom's gun and Captain Thomas' sword kept getting in the way. Then the army marched to the field behind the barn.

5. Up and down it filed, back and forth, now quick, now slow. Indeed, now and then it hopped! Captain Thomas had to call out to Tom pretty often to keep step. But there was no fault to find with Tommy. He drummed so hard that he scared the hens and sheep.

6. All went well, save for one thing. Once Tom ran so fast that he tumbled down, and bumped the army's nose against a stone. Then Captain Thomas was angry, and scolded poor Tom well, I can tell you.

7. At last a grand charge was made. The army raced after Spot, the calf, and thumped the drum, and shook the sword, and threw stones. (This was firing the gun.) Poor Spot was put to flight. He ran off up the hill, with his heels and tail flying wildly in the air.

8. Then the army marched back to the garden

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