McGuffeys Second Eclectic Reader | Page 6

it will be as heavy for me as it is for him.
6. "Tom does not know this as I do. But I will not do it. It would be wrong, and I will not do what is wrong."
7. Then he slipped the basket quite near his own end of the pole. His load was now heavier than that of his little brother.
8. Yet he was happy; for he felt that he had done right. Had he deceived his brother, he would not have felt at all happy.

LESSON XVII.
bus'y (biz'zy) mis'chief looked un'to glee
con triv'ing ring'lets nod'dle drew nun
press'ing fin'gers car'pet wise lips
em brace' pon'der lash'es climb true
MY GOOD-FOR-NOTHING.
1. "What are you good for, my brave little man? Answer that question for me, if you can,-- You, with your fingers as white as a nun,-- You, with your ringlets as bright as the sun. All the day long, with your busy contriving, Into all mischief and fun you are driving; See if your wise little noddle can tell What you are good for. Now ponder it well."
2. Over the carpet the dear little feet Came with a patter to climb on my seat; Two merry eyes, full of frolic and glee, Under their lashes looked up unto me; Two little hands pressing soft on my face, Drew me down close in a loving embrace; Two rosy lips gave the answer so true, "Good to love you, mamma, good to love you."
Emily Huntington Miller.

LESSON XVIII.
ber'ries strikes rob'in ea'gle short king rid
foe dart fails sharp hawk worms ac'tive
[Illustration: Bird perched on branch.]
THE KINGBIRD.
1. The kingbird is not bigger than a robin.
2. He eats flies, and worms, and bugs, and berries.
3. He builds his nest in a tree, near some house.
4. When there are young ones in the nest, he sits on the top of a tree near them.
5. He watches to see that no bird comes to hurt them or their mother.
6. If a hawk, a crow, or even an eagle comes near, he makes a dash at it.
7. Though he is so small, he is brave, and he is also very active.
8. He never fails to drive off other birds from his nest.
9. He flies around and around the eagle, and suddenly strikes him with his sharp bill.
10. He strikes at his eye, and then darts away before the eagle can catch him.
11. Or he strikes from behind, and is off again before the eagle can turn round.
12. In a short time, the great eagle is tired of such hard blows, and flies away. He is very glad to get rid of his foe.
13. Is not the little fellow a brave bird?
14. Because he can drive off all other birds, he is called the KINGBIRD.

LESSON XIX.
watch'ing gath'ers an'gels be gin'
dark'ness a cross' lone'ly beasts
[Illustration: Sunset;lake in foreground, town in background.]
EVENING HYMN.
1. Now the day is over, Night is drawing nigh, Shadows of the evening Steal across the sky.
2. Now the darkness gathers, Stars begin to 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