Bees and butterflies flying before him,
Told the story deep in the wood,
"Here comes Tommy, here comes Tommy,
Tommy hasn't been good."

Saucy waves laughed out in the river,

"Tommy had lessons to-day,
He's so careless, and lazy, and dull,
He wanted to run away."

So all day wherever he wandered,
So whatever he tried to do,
Everything was upbraiding Tommy.
I think he deserved it. Don't you?

-S. A. Hudson.

L

LADYBIRD, LADYBIRD.

ADYBIRD, ladybird! fly away home!
The field-mouse has gone to her nest,

The daisies have shut up their sleepy red eyes,

And the bees and the birds are at rest.

Ladybird, ladybird! fly away home!

The glow-worm is lighting her lamp,
The dew's falling fast, and your fine speckled wings
Will flag with the close-clinging damp.

Ladybird, ladybird! fly away home!

Good luck if you reach it at last!

The owl's come abroad, and the bat's on the roam,
Sharp set from their Ramazan 1 fast.

1 Ramazan, the holy month of the Mohammedans, in which they keep their lenten fast.

Ladybird, ladybird! fly away home!

The fairy bells tinkle afar!

Make haste or they'll catch you, and harness you fast With a cobweb to Oberon's car.

Ladybird, ladybird! fly away home!

To your house in the old willow-tree,
Where your children so dear have invited the ant
And a few cozy neighbors to tea.

Ladybird, ladybird! fly away home!

And if not gobbled up by the way,
Nor yoked by the fairies to Oberon's car,
You're in luck! and that's all I've to say!

LADYBUG, LADYBUG.

LADYBUG, ladybug, haste away home!

Your house is on fire,

Your children will burn.

Dear ladybug, I am sorry for you

If your house is on fire.

Oh, what will you do?

And your poor little children
All burning, dear me!

It does seem as cruel

As cruel can be.

Oh, why don't you hurry,
You slow little elf?

If I knew where you lived,
I would go there myself.

The house might burn down
While you're turning about.
'Tis because you are feeling
So badly, no doubt,
That you hardly can stir-
No wonder, poor dear!
You must be half crazy

Such bad news to hear;
Though I've told it to dozens,
I think, beside you, I feel
Just like crying whenever I do.
Now think of your babies!
Run, ladybug, run!
I do hope some neighbor
Has saved every one
From the terrible fire.

And ladybug, then,

You can build a new house,

And be happy again.

- Cora W. Bronson

MRS. BRINDLE'S COWSLIP FEAST.

A

COW lived in a pleasant field,

Where cowslips bloomed in spring.

Said she, "I think a cowslip feast

Would be a pleasant thing."

So Mrs. Brindle sent a calf

Around the farm, to say

That she should give a cowslip feast.
At four o'clock that day.

At four o'clock she sat in state
Beside the flowing brook;

The cowslips, with their golden heads,
Did most inviting look.

The brindle calf in apron stood
To ope the five-barred gate;
And then his mother said that he
Upon the guests must wait.

The company at length drew near;
First Mrs. Blossom came,

And Mrs. Dun, and Mr. Bull,
Who seemed to-day quite tame.

Red, spotted, white, a goodly band.
Of cows and calves came nigh;
And Mr. Donkey said that he
Would cowslips like to try.

And Mrs. Mare came with her foal,
And Mr. Horse came too,

And several sheep with frisky lambs,
In woolen dresses new.

Then Mrs. Brindle bade her guests
The cowslips sweet to eat;

And if they wished to drink, she said,
The brook was clear and sweet.

They ate and drank, and chatted too;
And, when they went away,

Said, "Thank you, for your cowslip feast,
Dear brindle cow, to-day."

--Selected.

ΤΗ

THE OXEN.

HE oxen are such clever beasts, They'll drag the plow all day; They're very strong, and tug along

Great loads of wood or hay.

They feed on grass, when green or dry;

Their flesh is beef, for food;

Their lungs are "lights," their stomach tripe,
Their skin for leather's good.

Their hair men use in mortar too
Lime, water, sand, and hair,
They nicely mix and smoothly fix,
For plastering, so fair.

For making soap their bones are used;
Their horns for combs we group;
Their feet are boiled for "neat's-foot oil,"
Their tails for ox-tail soup.

Their heart-case forms a money-bag;

Their tallow, candles white;

Their intestine, gold-beater's skin,

With each gold-leaf we smite.

Thus every part is useful made;
The same is true of cows,
Except their ilk gives luscious milk
Instead of dragging plows.

Oxen and cows are "cattle" called;
They go in "herds" when wild;
And when they're tame by other name,
A "drove," en masse they're styled.