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WHO STOLE THE BIRD'S NEST?

To-WHIT, to-whit, to-whee!
Will you listen to me?
Who stole four eggs I laid,
And the nice nest I made ?

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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, I vow.
I gave the hair the nest to make,
But the nest I did not take.
Not I, said the Dog, bow-wow!
I would not be so mean, I vow.

To-whit! to-whit! to-whee!
Will you listen to me?
Who stole four eggs I laid
And the nice nest I made ?

Bob-o-link! bob-o-link!
Now what do you think,

Who stole a nest away
From the plum-tree to-day?

Coo-coo! coo-coo! coo-coo!
Let me speak a word too,
Who stole that pretty nest
From little Robin Redbreast?

Not I, said the Sheep, oh no!
I wouldn't treat a poor
bird so.
I gave the 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.

To-whit! to-whit! to-whee!
Will you listen to me?
Who stole four eggs I laid
And the nice nest I made?

Bob-o-link! bob-o-link!
Now what do you think;
Who stole a nest away
From the plum-tree to-day?

Coo-coo! coo-coo! coo-coo!
Let me speak a word too;
Who stole that pretty nest
From little Robin Redbreast?

Caw, caw, said the Crow!
I should like to know,
What thief took away
A bird's-nest to-day!

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A little boy hung down his head
And went and hid behind the bed,
For he stole that pretty nest
From little Robin Redbreast,
And he felt so full of shame,
He did not like to tell his name.

From "HYMNS AND RHYMES."

NO TURN FOR HOUSE-WORK.

RUTH DAVIES was a tall stout girl of twelve, and she had just left school with an excellent character. Her father was a labouring man with a large family; her mother was an active bustling woman, as she had need to be, with so many to do for and so little coming in, for Davies's wages were but from 178. to 188. a week, and living near London a third of that went for rent.

"I think," said her father, "that it's time Ruth should be earning something; don't seem to me as if she helped you, mother, as much as she might.”

Well," said Mrs. Davies, "you see she never had any turn for house-work, and it's less trouble to me to do a thing myself, than to teach a girl that don't much want to learn, and she's not a bad one, husband, as girls go; don't want to get out in the evening and rake about the streets as so many do, and she'd always the best of characters in school."

At this moment in came Ruth.

"We were just speaking about you, my child," said her father, "and thinking it's time you should be doing something, and not live on the family cupboard."

"Oh I should like to go to service very much," said Ruth cheerily. "I was just going to tell you I hear Mrs. Stammers of the shop, wants a girl to hold her baby, and it's the very thing I should like. I've no turn for house-work; but I'm so fond of babies." 'Well, dear," said her mother, "if that's all you'll have to do, to hold the baby, I hope you may get it;

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but you can't go after the place in that frock-all out at the gathers; if you would but mend your things up a bit you would save many a shilling."

"Oh, I'm sure Letty Hopkins will lend me a frock and hat to go after the place; and if I get it, why I must have some new clothes, somehow."

Ruth borrowed her friend's garments, and Mrs. Stammers engaged her for that day week. She was in high spirits at her prospects. There was a perambulator, and the baby was to be taken every day to Kennington Gardens, which were near, and what could be pleasanter ?

"But now about your clothes," said her mother. "If I do scrape together a few shillings for a gownpiece, can you make it? You were said to be such a good hand at your needle at school, though I never do see you do anything in the mending way at home."

"Mend! I should think not, for I never was taught how should I? But you know I got the stitching prize, and governess said I could whip and gather and seam nicer than any of them."

"But about a new frock; can't you run it up yourself?"

"Why, mother, what are you thinking of? Who is to cut it out, in the first place? I never even see anything cut out. I should just spoil it. It must be put out to be made."

"Well, perhaps Cook, where I wash, may forward me 2s. 6d. of my money; but, dear me, I wonder sometimes what the girls do do at school, they are of no great use at home. However, as I said to father,

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