The Nursery, April 1877, Vol. XXI. No. 4 / A Monthly Magazine for Youngest Readers

VOLUME XXI.—No. 4. BOSTON: JOHN L. SHOREY, No. 36 BROMFIELD STREET, 1877.
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1877, by JOHN L. SHOREY, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. FRANKLIN PRESS: RAND, AVERY, AND COMPANY, 117 FRANKLIN STREET, BOSTON.

WHY DID ELFRIDA GO TO SLEEP?

HAT was the question, Why did Elfrida go to sleep? She had been sent to the grocer's in the village; and the grocer's was only half a mile off from Brook Cottage, where she lived with her aunt and five cousins. She had been sent to buy a pound of sugar, half a pound of coffee, and five small rolls of bread.
Usually she would go to the shop and return in less than half an hour. Now a whole hour went by, and no Elfrida was to be seen. What could be the matter? Had she run a thorn into her foot, and been lamed? Had she stopped to talk with the children on their way home from school? Had she been run over by a fast horse?
Let us go and find her, cried James, the eldest of the three boys. Let us all go! echoed Susan, his youngest sister. Shall Sport go with us? asked Emma. By all means! said James. Here, Sport, Sport! Where are you, old fellow? A big black-and-white Newfoundlander soon rushed frisking in, wagging his tail, and seeming ready to eat up every one of the children, just to show them how fond he was of them all.
Then the children all set out for Mr. Spicer's shop. There they learned that no Elfrida had been seen in the shop that afternoon. Where can she be? cried James, a little anxious. Sport, where is Elfrida?
Sport stopped his nonsense of playing with a stick, and began to look serious. Then he made a bee-line for the nearest turning on the right, on the way home. This was an old lane, on which some old gardens backed, and which led, by a little longer way, to Brook Cottage.
By the time the children had arrived at the head of the lane, Sport was seen galloping back in a state of great excitement. Bow-wow! — Oh, you have found her, have you, old fellow? — Bow-wow! — Well and good! You are a jolly old Sport!