BOY BLUE'S DREAM
It was a very hot day.
Boy Blue had played all the morning and he was tired.
Little Sister had been making mud pies and she was tired, too.
Mamma was too busy to read to them.
"Come, Little Sister," said Boy Blue, "It is too hot to play. I will read my story-book to you."
"Where shall we go?" asked the little girl.
"Let us sit under the maple tree," said her brother. "It looks cool there."
Little Sister had her baby doll.
She rocked back and forth as Boy Blue read to her.
Soon Little Sister and her doll were fast asleep.
All at once Boy Blue heard a voice.
He listened. It seemed to be saying:—
"Little Boy Blue, come blow your horn,
The sheep's in the meadow,
The cow's in the corn."
"Oh," thought the little boy, "I must hurry!"
He looked for his horn. There it lay in the grass.
But he was so sleepy,—he couldn't run after the sheep.
In a moment he fell asleep.
Then he heard the voice again:—
"Little Boy Blue, come blow your horn,
The sheep's in the meadow,
The cow's in the corn."
Yes, he could see the cow eating the corn in the field.
And there was the sheep in the meadow, eating the fresh green grass.
He must call them away.
So he took up the horn and put it to his mouth.
Then he blew one loud call.
"Oh!" he said, as he opened his eyes, "What a loud noise that was!"
Then he laughed and rubbed his eyes.
"I guess I was dreaming," he said.
"I guess I was dreaming, too," said Little Sister, opening her blue eyes.
Then she waked up her doll, and Boy Blue went on reading from his story-book.
Mary had a little lamb,
Its fleece was white as snow,
And everywhere that Mary went
The lamb was sure to go.
He followed her to school one day,
Which was against the rule.
It made the children laugh and play
To see a lamb at school.
And so the teacher put him out,
But still he lingered near,
And waited patiently about
Till Mary did appear.