Adventure | Science Fiction | Ghost stories | Poetry | Children | History

Book

Open Original Text

ther hole a little higher up
that made a nice little window to peep out of.

"Why, this is the dearest little house, so cozy and warm," Mrs. Squeaky
said. "Nobody will ever find us in here, I know."

After they lived there a while, a whole family of little pink baby mice
came to live with them. The papa mouse and the mama mouse were so proud
and so glad, they got little bits of cotton and soft paper and rags, and
made the nicest little beds you ever saw.

The little pink baby mice could only say, "Squeak! Squeak!" and cuddle
up under the warm covers, but Mr. and Mrs. Squeaky laughed, and thought
they were the smartest babies in the whole world.

"Why, I feel like 'The Old Woman Who Lived in the Shoe and had so many
children she didn't know what to do,'" Mrs. Squeaky said one day. She
was sitting by the little window rocking the baby mouse and taking a
little rest.

Mr. Squeaky had gone out to hunt for some supper, and the four other
little mice were peeping out of the little hole in the toe of their shoe
house, for Papa to come home.

All at once, Maggie, the little girl who lived up-stairs, ran into the
dark corner to hide from Johnnie, just for fun. And what do you think
she saw?

The four little mice peeping out of the door, and the poor, frightened
mama mouse and the little baby at the window.

Maggie stopped just a minute to whisper gently to little, gray Mrs.
Squeaky, "Don't be frightened, 'Little Old Woman Who Lives in the Shoe.'
I'll never, never tell anybody where you live. No, I won't even tell
Johnnie or my kitty. They might try to catch you. It shall be my VERY
OWN SECRET--and yours!"

So nobody but little Maggie ever knew about Mr. and Mrs. Squeaky, and
their little pink babies in the old shoe--until long afterward, when she
told me the story, as I have told it to you.

 [Illustration: "'TROT AS FAST AS YOU CAN TO MARKET AND GET ME
 A PAIL OF MILK.'"]

THE GOOD LITTLE PIGGIE AND HIS FRIENDS

BY L. WALDO LOCKLING

Once there was a little piggie, a very good little piggie, who obeyed
his mother so well that often she let him out of the pen to play with
his friends on the farm. One afternoon this little piggie was playing
with them, when suddenly he heard his mother calling "Piggie, wiggie,
wiggie, wiggie, wiggie!"

"Piggie, dear," she said, as he ran to her, "take this and trot as fast
as you can to market and get me a pail of milk for Father's supper
to-night."

 [Illustration: "'WHERE ARE YOU OFF TO, PIGGIE?' SAID BOSSIE CALF."]

So Piggie took the pail between his teeth, and off he went to do what
his mother told him. Now, you must remember that this little piggie was
such a dear, good little piggie, that he had a great many friends among
the other animals. So he had not gone far when who should spy him but
his friend Bossie Calf. "Hello, there!" said the calf. "Where are you
off to, Piggie?"

"I'm going to market to bring my mother a pail of milk for Father's
supper to-night," squealed Piggie.

"Are you? I believe I'll go, too. I am so fond of milk." And the calf
leaped over his master's fence, and away he went scampering after
Piggie.

By and by, who should come along but Piggie's friend Billie Goat. "Mercy
on us!" baa-ed Billie. "Where are you going in such a hurry, Bossie?"

"Going with Piggie," said the calf.

"Where are you going, Piggie?"

"Going to market to bring my mother a pail of milk for Father's supper
to-night," squealed Piggie, in a great hurry.

"Are you? I believe I'll go, too. I am so fond of milk." So Billie Goat
ran out of the barn-yard and hurried after the calf.

Just as they were passing the house, who should spy them but Rover the
dog.

"Where are you going, Billie," barked Rover, running out to the gate as
he saw them rushing along. "Going with Bossie," said the goat.

"Where are you going, Bossie?" "Going with Piggie."

"Where are you going, Piggie?"

"I am going to market to bring Mother a pail of milk for Father's supper
to-night," squealed Piggie, in a great hurry.

"Are you? I believe I'll go, too. I am so fond of milk." So Rover
hurried along up the road after the goat.

Just as they turned into the road, who should come jumping along but
Tabby the cat.

"Well, well!" he meowed. "When did the circus come to town, Rover?"

"This is not a circus parade," said the dog, the goat, the calf, and
Piggie all at once, as they ran on.

"Then, where are you going, Rover?" again meowed Tabby.

"Going with Billie," barked Rover.

 [Illustration: "'MY, THAT'S GOOD!'"]

"Where are you going, Billie?" "Going with Bossie."

"Where are you going, Bossie?" "Going with Piggie."

"Where are you going, Piggie?"

"I am going to market to get my mother a pail of milk for Father's
supper to-night," squealed Piggie in a great hurry.

"Are you? I believe I'll go along. I am so fond of milk." So Tabby raced
along after Rover.

When they got to the market, Piggie told his friends to wait outside
while he hurried in and got the milk for his father's supper. It did not
take him long, and he soon came trotting out because he was to hurry
back home.

"Give me a sup for politeness' sake," meowed Tabby the cat, as she stuck
her head in the pail. "My, that's good!"

"Pass it to me, Tabby," barked Rover the dog, "for politeness' sake. My,
that's good!"

"Give me a sup for politeness' sake," said Billie Goat. "My, that's
good."

"Do not forget me, Billie, for politeness' sake," said Bossie the calf.
"My, that's good!"

 [Illustration: "AWAY HE TROTTED WITH AN EMPTY PAIL."]

"Oh, dear, oh, dear!" squealed Piggie, when he saw what had happened.
"What shall I do?" And away he trotted all by himself with an empty
pail, to tell his mother that he did really and truly get the milk, but
that his friends had "supped" it all up!

But just then the farmer came with a great, _big_ pail of milk and gave
it all to them, so that the good little piggie and his father and mother
had a fine supper, and much more milk than Piggie could have brought.

BABY'S PARADISE

BY LUCY FITCH PERKINS

 Over the hills and far away,
 There's a beautiful, wonderful place,
 Where happy babies in gardens play,
 With mothers dressed all in lace,--

 Dressed all in lace and in silken gown,
 With flowers in their hair,--
 Where trees with blossoms are laden down,
 And perfumes fill the air.

DISOBEDIENCE

 "Wait, Kitty; here's soap and water,
 And I must wash your face;
 For the way you do it with your paws
 Is simply a disgrace!"
 _But Kitty didn't wait!_

 [Illustration: "WHO SPEAKS FIRST?"
 FROM AN ENGRAVING OF THE PAINTING BY ARTHUR J. ELSLEY.]

FOR A LITTLE GIRL OF THREE.

BY UNCLE NED.

 _Moo, moo!_
 What can I do
 For my little girl of three?
 I will eat the sweet grass,
 I will give her a glass
 Of my milk for her tea;
 Moo, moo! that 's what I'll do
 For my dear little maiden of three.

 _Mew, mew!_
 What can I do
 For my little girl of three?
 I will catch all the mice,
 And they shall not come twice
 To the cake, you'll see;
 Mew, mew! that's what I'll do
 For my sweet little maiden of 

Previous Next