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ANON.

[To be given in a natural, colloquial manner.]

"Ned, I'm ashamed of you," said Silver, the white cow. "Really, with that clog on your leg, I wonder you attempt to mix with respectable people."

"Your servant, ma'am," answered the donkey "I don't see that I am to be blamed for it, seeing that I did not put it on myself."

"No, you were not likely to do that; but if you hadn't taken to opening the gates with your nose, and wandering off, nobody knows where, so that you never could be found when you were wanted, the master wouldn't have fettered you. You needn't look at me so boldly; its a disgrace, and you ought to be ashamed of it."

"I ask your pardon, ma'am," said Neddy, looking steadfastly at the knobs on the ends of Silver's horns; "but I was so taken up with looking at those things which master put on your horns the other day, when you broke down the hedge and tried to toss the dog, that I did not quite hear you. Please to say it again.”

But Silver walked another way, and Neddy grazed without further interruption.

OBEDIENCE.

PHOEBE CARY.

[Firmly.]

If you're told to do a thing,
And mean to do it really,
Never let it be by halves,
Do it fully, freely!

Do not make a poor excuse,
Waiting, weak, unsteady;
All obedience worth the name

Must be prompt and ready.

THE FAIRIES.

WILLIAM ALLINGHAM.

To be recited in a lively manner, all but the 3d stanza, which should be given sorrowfully.]

Up the airy mountain,
Down the rushy glen,
We daren't go a-hunting
For fear of little men;
Wee folk, good folk,

Trooping all together;
Green jacket, red cap,

And white owl's feather.

Down along the rocky shore
Some make their home-
They live on crispy pancakes
Of yellow tide foam;

Some in the reeds

Of the black mountain lake,
With frogs for their watch dogs,
All night awake.

They stole little Bridget
For seven years long;

When she came down again

Her friends were all gone.

They took her lightly back

Between the night and morrow,

They thought that she was fast asleep,
But she was dead with sorrow.

They have kept her ever since

Deep within the lakes,
On a bed of flag leaves,

Watching till she wakes.

Up the airy mountain,
Down the rushy glen,
We daren't go a-hunting
For fear of little men;
Wee folk, good folk,

Trooping all together;
Green jacket, red cap,

And white owl's feather.

LITTLE THINGS.

ANON.

[Recite simply.]

Little things and little people have often brought great things to pass. The large world in which we exist is made up of little particles smaller than the sands on the sea shore. The vast sea is composed of small drops of water. The little busy bees, how much honey they gather! Therefore, I am not going to be discouraged because I am so little!

A BOY'S DREAM.

LILLIPUT LEVEE.

[Speak this slowly and deliberately.]

Nine grenadiers with bayonets on their guns;
Nine baker's baskets with hot cross buns

s;

Nine brown elephants standing in a row;
Nine new velocipedes-good ones to go;

Nine Knickerbocker suits with buttons all complete;

Nine pairs of skates with straps for the feet;

Nine little drummer boys beating on their drums;

Nine fat Aldermen sitting on their thumbs;

Nine times running-I dreamt it all plain.

With bread and cheese for supper I could dream it all again.

THE LITTLE GIRL WHO WOULDN'T EAT ORUSTS.

MARY MAPES DODGE.

[To be given mysteriously and energetically.]

The awfulest times that ever could be
They had with a bad little girl of Dundee,
Who never would finish her crust.

In vain they besought her,
And patiently taught her
And told her she must.
Her grandma would coax,
And so would the folks,
And tell her the sinning
Of such a beginning.
But no, she wouldn't,

She couldn't, she shouldn't,
She'd have them to know-
So they might as well go.

And what do you think soon came to pass?
This little girl of Dundee, alas!

Who wouldn't take crusts in the regular way,

Sat down to a feast one summer's day;

And what did the people that little girl give?
Why, a dish of bread pudding-as sure as I livo!

TOWSER.

ANON.

[Simply and distinctly, as if you were relating a story to a comrade.]

Last summer our dog Towser was lying in the sun, trying to sleep; but the flies bothered him so that he couldn't, for he had to catch them. By and by a bumble bee lighted on his head, and began to walk about as if the dog was his own. Towser held his head still, and when the bee came close to his nose Towser winked at me, as if he said, "You see what this fellow is doing? He

thinks I'm a lily of the valley, which isn't open yet. Just wa't until I blossom and you will see some fun. And then Towser opened his mouth very slowly, so as not to frighten the bee, and the bee went inside Towser's mouth. Then Towser shut his dreamy eyes, and his mouth, too, and began to make a peaceful smile, when the bee stung him, and you never saw a lily of the valley act so in all your life!

A GIRL'S DREAM.

LILLIPUT LEVEE.

[Speak with animation.]

Seven little singing birds up in the tree;
Seven swift sailing ships white upon the sea;
Seven gold butterflies sailing overhead;
Seven red roses blowing in a garden bed;

Seven white lilies with honey bees inside them;

Seven round rainbows with clouds to divide them;

Seven nice fathers to call little girls "joys;"

Seven nice mothers to kiss the little boys;

Seven nights running I dreamt it all plain.

With bread and jam for supper I could dream it all again!

First little girl:

THE HAPPY CHILD.

A Recitation for two Little Girls.

JULIA M. THAYER.

[Speak naturally.]

When the morning's rosy beams
Chase the shades of night away,
Then I wake from quiet dreams-
Say "Good morning" to the day.
Birds that warble in the sky,

Bees that suck the honeyed flowers,
Are not happier than I,

Thro' the long and pleasant hours

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