LITTLE SIR CAT
Little Sir Cat Meets "The Maiden All Forlorn"
After leaving Cinderella's house Little Sir Cat continued his journey with a happy heart, for had he not had a fine night's rest and a good breakfast, and for a traveler that is a good beginning. The road now led through the country, with well-kept farm lands on either side.
"That looks like the House That Jack Built!" he exclaimed, as he neared a big farm house. Sure enough it was, for there in the meadow close by was the Cow With the Crumpled Horn, and leaning against the turnstile at the corner of the fence was the Maiden All Forlorn.
"Good morning, Miss," said Little Sir Cat, but for an answer the maiden began to cry.
"Don't cry," he said, wiping the tears from her eyes, for he was a very tender-hearted puss. "Don't cry."
"I can't help it," whimpered the Maiden All Forlorn. "You'd cry, too, if you'd been kissed by the Man All Tattered and Torn."
"Did it tickle?" inquired Little Sir Cat.
"Tickle!" exclaimed the Maiden All Forlorn. "It scratched! But where are you going?"
LITTLE SIR CAT MEETS "THE MAIDEN ALL FORLORN"
"Where am I going?" he repeated. "Why, I'm seeking my fortune." And then Piggie Porker began to cry. I guess he felt that nobody cared much about him for the Maiden All Forlorn hadn't noticed him at all.
"Nobody, nobody cares for me,
I feel as lonely as can be.
I'm a character in Mother Goose,
So I consider you've no excuse
Not to speak a word to me,
Piggie Porker, diddle dum dee."
"You naughty pig," said the Maiden All Forlorn, "how did you get out of your sty?" So he told her how Georgy Porgy had teased him until he had run-away. Well, after that she invited Little Sir Cat to visit the House that Jack Built, which was just a little ways off on the green hill. So the three went through the stile and by-and-by they found Jack himself making a garage in which to keep his new automobile, for in Mother Goose Land, now-a-days, automobiles are quite the thing, you know.
But, oh, dear me! As soon as the Dog that Worried the Cat saw Little Sir Kitten, he commenced to growl. But pretty soon he stopped, and, wagging his tail, asked about Old Mother Hubbard's dog. After that all the people who lived in the House that Jack Built came out to say "How do you do," even the Man All Tattered and Torn, and the nice old Priest All Shaven and Shorn, and the Rooster Who Crowed in the Early Morn. And, let me see! Who else greeted Little Sir Cat? Why, Little Boy Blue with his bright tin horn, and the Sheep that Trampled the Waving Corn, and, oh, dear me again, I can't go on like this any longer, unless I can find a word to rhyme with corn.
"I must be going, my pretty maid," said Little Sir Cat, gallantly taking off his hat with the long feather and bowing. Then away he went to find his fortune.
And maybe he will in the next story, unlessâ
The big high church steeple
Falls down on the people.
Little Jack Horner sat in the corner Of his father's candy shop. He held in his thumb, not a sugarplum. But a licious lolly-pop! |
[How Mister Breeze Saved Marjorie's Easter Lily]
It was Easter morning and the happy bells from belfry and steeple were ringing out the glad Easter tidings. Sunday School was just over and Marjorie walked through the Park on her way home. In her arms she carried a large pot of lilies and a little fluffy yellow chick,âa tiny fuzzy yellow chicken,âwhich she had received from the Sunday School for Easter. The flower pot was rather heavy, and after a while, Marjorie became tired, so she sat down on a bench to rest. Crossing one little fat leg over the other she carefully balanced the lily on her knee, and tucked the small chicken under her arm for safe keeping. It was quite windy, and the ribbons on her hat stretched out behind like the tail of a kite, but Marjorie didn't care nearly as much about her pretty Easter hat being blown off her head as she did about the lilies being broken by the mischievous breeze. It made so much noise rustling the dried leaves and branches, that she didn't hear a big white bunny creep up softly behind the bench. He looked cautiously around with his bright pink eyes, but there was nobody near. The big policeman, who had passed but a moment before with a smile and a nod to Marjorie, was far down the path. The nurse in gray uniform with the pink and white baby in the smart English carriage, had disappeared in the distance, and, best of all, Marjorie's face was turned the other way. So up jumped Mr. White Bunny on the back of the bench, and creeping along the narrow top rail, commenced very softly to nibble the beautiful green leaves of the Easter Lily.
The little yellow chicken saw him, but he didn't say a word to Marjorie; he just snuggled up under her arm.
Perhaps the bunny looked as big as a polar bear to the fuzzy yellow chicken. At any rate, the little chicken never peeped! He wasn't going to take any chances with a big animal like that!
A sparrow close by tried his best to tell Marjorie that her lovely lily was being devoured, but she only laughed when he fluttered his wings and twittered.
"Isn't he pretty?" she thought. "He's a funny little fellow," and she watched him hop about, not understanding that he was trying his best to save her Easter flower.
Even the mischievous breeze began to feel sorry for the little girl and tried to blow away the leaves from the bunny's mouth, but Mr. Bunny crept up closer and quietly kept on nibbling. This was too much for the mischievous little breeze. He gave another hard puff, almost overturning the flower pot.
Marjorie gave a little scream when she saw what Mr. Bunny had done, and then of course he scampered away.
"You naughty little rabbit," she cried, lifting up the half-eaten leaf, "just see what you've done to my lily."
"If you had paid attention to me it wouldn't have happened," twittered the little sparrow. But of course Marjorie didn't understand him.
"I saved the lily for you," whispered the mischievous breeze, as she started for home. And I think she understood him, for she laughed as she pushed back her curls, as much as to say, "You needn't muss my hair all up telling me so, Mr. Breeze!"
"Mary, Mary, quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?"
"Oh, now that I have a car," she said,
"It grows twice as fast, you know."
[WHAT TO DO AT NIGHT]
Outside my window in the tree
The owl toots on his horn.
(It will be dark until the lark
Comes singing in the dawn.)
Above the sky one little star
Looks down with friendly eye.
(Thro' all the night it won't be light
Until the sun's on high.)
It seems so long to wait to play
I've 'most forgotten how.
I guess I'll go to sleep and dream
About the fairies now!
[A JOKE ON UNCLE JIMMY]
"Hurrah!" cried Jack, "here comes the snow!" Sister May came to the window and looked out. "If it keeps on like this, Jack, we'll be able to build a snowman today. We'll take that old silk hat of father's to put on his head and he will look so jolly."
"I'll tell you what we'll do," said Jack laughing at the idea that suddenly came into his head. "Uncle Jimmy is expected late this evening. Now, we'll make Mr. Snowman close to the walkâwe might almost put him on the walk, and then we'll dress him up in some old clothes, so he will look very natural. Perhaps we can fool Uncle Jimmy."
"I don't see just how," remarked May thoughtfully, "unless it is so dark that Uncle Jimmy will almost run into him."
"That's just it," answered Jack. "If it keeps on snowing all day, and doesn't stop even when it's dark, our snowman will have a good chance to fool almost anybody."
In an hour or so there was enough snow on the ground for the children to commence. "May," said Jack, as he finished rolling the ball which was to be Mr. Snowman's head, "I'm going to build this snowman close to the walk so he will look just like a man standing by the tree, and perhaps we can think up something to make Uncle Jimmy imagine he is being attacked by a highwayman."
"You goose," said his sister, laughing; "how will you manage that?"
"You just wait," said Jack, "I'll work out some sort of a plan."
The snowman grew bigger every minute. It was getting dark, and at a little distance the snowman looked as natural as life. But how to make him scare Uncle Jimmy was the question. All the afternoon Jack had cudgeled his brains for an idea, but in vain, and here it was almost time for the climax.
Suddenly Jack gave a whoop of delight. "I've got it! I've got it!" In a moment he was rushing inside the house, and in a few minutes returned with a long rope. "May, stuff the right coatsleeve with snow, while I climb up the tree." In a few minutes Jack had the rope over an overhanging limb, and having tied one end to the wrist of Mr. Snowman's right arm, he led the other end around the side of the piazza.
"Come on, May," he cried excitedly, "I see Uncle Jimmy coming!" Both children darted behind the house as the front gate clicked. Up the walk came Uncle Jimmy and just as he got abreast of the tree Jack let go the rope and the right arm of Mr. Snowman hit Uncle Jimmy on the shoulder. There was a smothered exclamation, and then Mr. Snowman's hat flew off his head like a cannon ball.
A hearty laugh followed and before the children could escape Uncle Jimmy, guided by the long rope, darted around the side of the house and Mr. Jack Joker was being treated to a face massage of cold snow. Uncle Jimmy was not any too particular about some getting down Jack's collar, either. When his nephew finally begged for mercy Uncle Jimmy let him up and gave chase to May. What a scramble! And what a lot of screams! May had seen Jack's good-natured punishment, but nevertheless she didn't want any of Uncle Jimmy's facial treatment. Just then, kind fate intervened, and mother opened the door. "What are you children doing?" she called, peering into the darkness. "Come in at once!"
"All right," answered Uncle Jimmy, and with a rush they all ran for the open door.
After kissing him mother turned to Jack and said: "Goodness, what makes your face so red? Why, it's all wet!"
"I'll run up stairs and fix up," answered Jack hurriedly, and off he went. Uncle Jimmy smiled. "That snowman of yours, Jack, tackled the wrong fellow, don't you think so?" But Jack kept right along going upstairs, so good-natured Uncle Jimmy didn't say another word.
Goosey, goosey gander
Whither do you wander?
Of your winged motor car
Are you growing fonder?