McGuffeys Second Eclectic Reader | Page 7

peep; Birds, and beasts, and
flowers Soon will be asleep.
3. Through the lonely darkness, May the angels spread Their white
wings above me, Watching round my bed.

LESSON XX.
di vid'ed quar'rel a gree' thus sey'tle
set'tling ker'nel e'qual apt parts
THE QUARREL.
1. Under a great tree in the woods, two boys saw a fine, large nut, and
both ran to get it.
2. James got to it first, and picked it up.
3. "It is mine," said John, "for I was the first to see it."
4. "No, it is mine" said James, "for I was the first to pick it up."
[Illustration: Three boys standing by a fence, one older than the others.]
5. Thus, they at once began to quarrel about the nut.
6. As they could not agree whose it should be, they called an older boy,
and asked him.
7. The older boy said, "I will settle this quarrel."
8. He took the nut, and broke the shell. He then took out the kernel, and
divided the shell into two parts, as nearly equal as he could.
9. "This half of the shell," said he, "belongs to the boy who first saw the
nut.

10. "And this half belongs to the boy who picked it up.
11. "The kernel of the nut, I shall keep as my pay for settling the
quarrel.
12. "This is the way," said he, laughing, "in which quarrels are very apt
to end."

LESSON XXI.
crea'tures drones in'side hive i'dle
de fense' driv'en killed cells size
work'ers queen stings shape wax
THE BEE.
1. Bees live in a house that is called a hive. They are of three
kinds,--workers, drones, and queens.
2. Only one queen can live in each hive. If she is lost or dead, the other
bees will stop their work.
[Illustration: Three bee-hives; wooden boxes about two feet square and
four feet high, with a sloped roof.]
3. They are very wise and busy little creatures. They all join together to
build cells of wax for their honey.
4. Each bee takes its proper place, and does its own work. Some go out
and gather honey from the flowers; others stay at home and work inside
the hive.
5. The cells which they build, are all of one shape and size, and no
room is left between them.
6. The cells are not round, but have six sides. 7. Did you ever look into

a glass hive to see the bees while at work? It is pleasant to see how
busy they always are.
8. But the drones do not work. Before winter comes, all the drones are
driven from the hive or killed, that they may not eat the honey which
they did not gather.
9. It is not quite safe for children to handle bees. They have sharp stings
that they know well how to use in their defense.

SLATE WORK.
[Illustration: Script Exercise:
How doth the little busy bee Improve each shining hour. And gather
honey all the day From every opening flower! ]

LESSON XXII.
blos'soms drear'y wea'ry pinks smell'ing toil'ing
lev'ies buzz fra'grant this'tle weeds scent
treas'ure yel'low mead'ow tax sum'mer clo'ver
cloud'y dai'sy daf'fo dil lies columbine humming
[Illustration: Flowers]
THE SONG OF THE BEE.
1. Buzz! buzz! buzz! This is the song of the bee. His legs are of yellow;
A jolly, good fellow, And yet a great worker is he.
2. In days that are sunny He's getting his honey; In days that are cloudy
He's making his wax: On pinks and on lilies, And gay daffodillies, And

columbine blossoms, He levies a tax!
3. Buzz! buzz! buzz! The sweet-smelling clover, He, humming, hangs
over; The scent of the roses Makes fragrant his wings: He never gets
lazy; From thistle and daisy, And weeds of the meadow, Some treasure
he brings.
4. Buzz! buzz! buzz! From morning's first light Till the coming of night,
He's singing and toiling The summer day through. Oh! we may get
weary, And think work is dreary; 'Tis harder by far To have nothing to
do. Marian Douglas.

LESSON XXIII.
un hap'py prom'ised heed'less be came' grow'ing
care'less harsh'ly leav'ing eas'i ly ef fects'
an noy' ma'am blame worse torn
hard'ly nic'est spend hab'it e'vil
[Illustration: Mother and daughter sitting under a tree.]
THE TORN DOLL.
1. Mary Armstrong was a pretty little girl, but she was heedless about
some things.
2. Her way of leaving her books and playthings just where she had used
them last, gave her mother much trouble in picking them up and putting
them in their proper places.
3. She had often told Mary the evil effects of being so careless. Her
books became spoiled, and her toys broken.
4. But worse than this