LESSON 1.-WORD STUDY.

gåp'ing cat'er pillar | hur'ry | returns' | dain'ty

YOUNG BIRDS.

Did you ever see the nest

Of robin or of linnet,

With the little downy birds
All lying snugly in it?

Gaping wide their yellow mouths
For something nice to eat,
Caterpillar, grub, or worm
They think are dainty meat.

When the mother-bird returns,
And finds them still and good,
She will give them, each in turn,
Their little share of food.

I have seen the birdies chirp,

And shake their downy wings;
They are pleased to see her come,

And pleased with what she brings.

But I never saw them seem
In a hurry for their food:
Is somebody, at dinner time,
Always quite as good?

WHO STOLE THE NEST?

"To-whit! To-whit! To-whee!

Will you listen to me?
Who stole four eggs I laid ? "

"Not I,” said the cow, Moo-oo!

Such a thing I'd never do.

I gave you a wisp of hay,

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But didn't take your nest away.
Not I," said the cow, Moo-oo!
Such a thing I'd never do.”

66 Bobolink! Bobolink!

Now what do you think?
Who stole a nest away

From the plum tree to-day?"

Not I," said the dog, "Bow-wow!

I wouldn't be so mean, anyhow.

I gave hairs the nest to make;
But the nest I did not take.
Not I," said the dog, "Bow-wow!

I'm not so mean, anyhow."

"Coo-coo! Coo-coo! Coo-coo!
Let me speak a word to you.
Who stole the pretty nest

From little yellow breast? "

"Not I," said the sheep, "Oh, no,

I

I wouldn't treat a poor bird so. gave wool the nest to line;

But the nest was none of mine.

Baa! Baa!" said the sheep; "Oh, no,
I wouldn't treat a poor bird so."

"Caw! Caw!" said the crow;
"I should like to know

What thief took away
A bird's nest to-day."

"Cluck! Cluck!" said the hen, 'Don't ask me again.

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Why, I haven't a chick
Would do such a trick.

We all gave her a feather,
And she wove them together.

I'd scorn to intrude

On her and her brood.

Cluck! Cluck!" said the hen,

"Don't ask me again.”

Chirr-a-whirr! Chirr-a-wirr!

All the birds make a stir. "Let's find out his name And all cry 'for shame!""

"I would not rob a bird,"
Said little Mary Green;

"I think I never heard

Of anything so mean.”

"It is very cruel, too,"

Said little Alice Neal;

"I wonder if he knew

How sad the bird would feel?"

A little boy hung down his head,
And went and hid behind the bed;
For he stole that pretty nest
From poor little yellow breast.
And he felt so full of shame

He didn't like to tell his name.

LESSON 2.-LANGUAGE.

Look back over the lines and find the words that rhyme.

WRITE:

Cluck, bobolink, chirr-a-whirr, bow-wow, caw, caw,

moo-oo, baa.

Down in a field, one day in June,

The flowers all bloomed together,
Save one, who tried to hide herself,

And drooped that pleasant weather.

A robin who had flown too high,
And felt a little lazy,

Was resting near this buttercup
Who wished she were a daisy.

For daisies grow so trig and tall!
She always had a passion
For wearing frills around her neck,
In just the daisies' fashion.

And buttercups must always be
The same old tiresome color;
While daisies dress in gold and white,
Although their gold is duller.

"Dear Robin," said the sad young flower,
"Perhaps you'd not mind trying

To find a nice white frill for me,

Some day when you are flying?"