The magic speech flower; or, Little Luke and his animal friends

By MELVIN HIX, B. Ped., Principal of Public School 9, Long Island City, New York City.
The aim of the author is to retell these familiar stories of childhood in such way as to give added interest to first and second grade pupils.
ELEVEN STORIES. ILLUSTRATED. 105 PAGES. PRICE, 25 CENTS.
Fourth Avenue and 30th Street, New York LONDON, BOMBAY, AND CALCUTTA
CHAPTER
It was June and it was morning. The sky was clear and the sun shone bright and warm. The still air was filled with the sweet odor of blossoming flowers. To little Luke, sitting on the doorstep of the farmhouse and looking out over the fresh fields and green meadows, the whole earth seemed brimful of happiness and joy.
From the bough of an apple tree on the lawn O-pee-chee the Robin chanted his morning song. Te rill, te roo, the sky is blue, sang he.
From the lilac bush Kil-loo the Song Sparrow trilled, Sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet, the air is sweet.
Over in the meadows Zeet the Lark fluttered down upon a low bush and sang, Come with me, come and see, over and over. Then he dropped down into the grass and ran off to the nest where his mate was sitting on five speckled eggs.
Bob-o'-Lincoln went quite out of his wits with the joy of life. He flew high up into the air, and then came fluttering and falling, falling and quivering down among the buttercups and daisies. He was very proud of himself and wanted everybody to know just who he was. So he sang his own name over and over. With his name-song he mixed up a lot of runs and trills and thrills that did not mean anything to anybody but himself and his little mate nestling below him in the grass. To her they meant, Life is love, and love is joy.
Old Ka-ka-go the Crow, sitting on the top of the tall maple, felt that on such a morning as this he, too, must sing. So he opened his beak and croaked, Caw, caw, caw, caw. What he meant to say was, Corn, corn, corn, corn. Sam, the hired man, heard him and came out of the barn door with his gun. Old Ka-ka-go spread his black wings and flapped off to the woods on the side of the mountain.