My Treasure Part 7

Mr. Fox is sure he can get one now. He reaches up till his black nose nearly touches the rooster's long tail-feathers.

He is all ready for a spring, when a rush and a loud barking is heard.

The dog has scented the fox. So, instead of getting a nice, fat chicken for dinner, Mr. Fox has to run for his life. And the dog is close behind. So close that Mr. Fox fears that he himself may make a dinner for the dog. But he reaches his hole safely.

[Ill.u.s.tration: MR. FOX IS SURE.]

DOLLY KNITS, THEN HIDES.

CUNNING little Dolly often gets into mischief. She thinks she can do just what grandma and mamma do. One day grandma fell asleep and her knitting dropped to the floor.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Dolly soon spied it, and the spectacles, too. She picked both up and climbed into a big chair. Before beginning to knit she thought of something else.

"Dess Dolly'll put on drandma's tean tap."

So she got the clean cap from the table, and climbed into the big chair again. After putting on cap and spectacles, Dolly tried to knit. But she only pulled the needles out, and tangled the yarn. And grandma was stirring, too. What would she say to Dolly when she woke up?

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Dolly was afraid grandma wouldn't like it, so she slipped from the chair and hid behind the clock.

"Where's my work?" asked grandma. "Has Dolly been here?"

"Dolly's done 'way," answered a voice behind the clock.

HATTIE AND THE b.u.t.tERFLY.

LITTLE Hattie Vaughn was playing in the back yard, when she saw a beautiful b.u.t.terfly light on a clover blossom just outside the gate. She wished she could catch it. So she opened the gate and walked softly the b.u.t.terfly.

Her hand was almost on it, when the b.u.t.terfly rose lightly in the air and sailed away toward the woods.

Hattie watched it. Soon it settled down on a wild lily the other side of a rail fence. Hattie crawled through the fence and came close to the pretty b.u.t.terfly again.

But just as her hand came near, away it flew further into the woods.

Hattie followed. By and by she lost sight of the b.u.t.terfly. She was tired, and wanted to go home. But she did not know the way. She was lost. She began to cry, and cried herself to sleep.

Brother d.i.c.k found her sleeping under a large tree. d.i.c.k and his father had been looking for Hattie some time. He sat down beside her and thought he would not wake her till his father came. But the moment his father spoke, Hattie opened her eyes. She was not afraid with her father and d.i.c.k near.

[Ill.u.s.tration: HATTIE AND THE b.u.t.tERFLY.]

THE GYPSY CAMP.

THE camp was not near the village. It was near the woods. The Gypsies chose the place because they could get plenty of dry brush to burn. And there was a brook near by where they could get good water. Some of the village children thought at first that it would be fine sport to live so: never to go to school--never to learn lessons--never to dress up clean--always run about as they pleased and where they pleased.

But after the Gypsies had been there a long time, they thought differently. They saw the dirty, ragged children carrying big kettles of water from the brook, or large bundles of brush from the woods. They learned that the women and children did all the work. Perhaps the men stole many of the things they had to eat. And one day when two or three boys ventured into the camp, they saw, in one of the tents, a poor, sick child lying on the bare ground. No one was near it.

They went to their pleasant, comfortable homes, feeling that it was better to have a good father and mother to care for them, even if they did send them to school and require them to learn lessons.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE GIPSY]

WALTER'S b.u.t.tERFLIES.

"AUNTIE," said Walter, "is't naughty to catch b.u.t.terflies?"

"I think if I was a little boy, I'd rather see them flying about in the suns.h.i.+ne, than shut up in a box or under a gla.s.s."

"But is't _wicked_ to kill them?" persisted Walter.

"I think if a little boy caught and killed them because he enjoyed seeing them suffer, it would be very wrong. G.o.d made all the birds and insects to be happy. He don't want us to treat them cruelly."

"But, auntie, there's a great big house in Boston, not far from papa's house, and it's most full of dead birds, and spiders, and bugs, and b.u.t.terflies, and everything.

"Yes, Walter, I have been there. But the men who caught the birds and insects did not kill them just for the sake of killing something. They wished to learn all about the birds and insects in different countries."

"But, auntie," said Walter eagerly, "I saw some ladies when I was out yesterday, with birds stuck in their hats. Guess they's wicked."

"Yes, Walter, it's wrong, I think, to kill the pretty little birds to wear as ornaments. We should let them live as long as they will."

[Ill.u.s.tration: WALTER'S b.u.t.tERFLIES.]

DOT'S NEW FRIEND.

DOT didn't care for such playthings as little girls generally liked. She wanted to play out of doors with the boys. And poor little Dot's mother didn't care where she played, if she was only out of her way so she could get her was.h.i.+ng along.

She was a poor washerwoman, and had to work very hard to get something for her three children to eat. So Dot had full liberty to go and come as she pleased. And it pleased her to play with her brothers. They generally went out near the water.

One day Dot was digging in the sand with Ivan's little shovel. "Le's have that," said Ivan. "I want to use it now."