II.
| legion | Empress | stepladder | mistress |
| stroking | New York | museum | clinging |
A large lion named Nero was one of Rosa's pets, and he often lay in the studio while she painted her pictures.
Once, when she was leaving home for a long trip, she was obliged to send Nero away. On her return she went to see him in one of the parks of Paris. She found him in a cage, sick and blind.
"Nero, my poor Nero!" she exclaimed; "what has happened to you?"
Painting by Rosa Bonheur.
THE HORSE FAIR.
The poor beast heard her voice. He crawled to the bars of the cage, where he could feel her hand stroking his head. So great was the love he showed that Rosa had him taken again to her home, and she cared for him as long as he lived. He died clinging with his great paws to the mistress he had loved so well.
Rosa Bonheur's most wonderful painting is "The Horse Fair." The artist spent nearly two years in drawing horses before she began this great work. The picture is so large that she was obliged to use a stepladder to reach some parts of it.
"The Horse Fair" was bought by an American, and it can be seen in the Museum of Art in New York city.
When the French people wish to honor an artist, they give him the cross of the Legion of Honor. The Empress had often seen Rosa Bonheur sketching in the forest, and she thought her the greatest of animal painters.
One morning when Rosa Bonheur was painting in her studio, the Empress came into the room and hung a beautiful white cross around the artist's neck.
No woman had ever before worn the cross of the Legion of Honor.
[WHEN BENJAMIN FRANKLIN WAS A BOY]
| tools | public | scholar | boiler |
| wicks | printer | grammar | tallow |
| molds | candles | promoted | melted |
When Benjamin Franklin was a boy there were no great public schools as there are now. But Benjamin learned to read almost as soon as he could talk, and he was always fond of books.
His nine brothers were older than he, and every one had learned a trade. They did not care so much for books.
"Benjamin shall be the scholar of our family," said his mother.
And so, when he was eight years old, he was sent to a grammar school. He studied hard, and in a few months he was promoted to a higher class. But his father was poor and needed his help. In two years he was obliged to leave school.
Benjamin was a small boy, but there were many things that he could do. His father was a soap boiler, and candle maker. And so when the boy was taken from school, what kind of work do you think he had to do?
You may be sure that Benjamin was kept busy. He cut wicks for the candles, poured the melted tallow into the candle molds, and sold soap to his father's customers.
Do you suppose that he liked to do this work?
He did not like it at all. And when he saw the ships sailing in and out of Boston Harbor, he longed to be a sailor, and go to strange, far-away lands, where candles and soap were unknown.
Benjamin's father saw that his boy did not like the work he was doing. One day he said: "Benjamin, since you do not wish to be a candle maker, what trade do you think you would like to learn?"
"I would like to be a sailor," said the boy.
"I do not wish you to be a sailor," said his father. "I intend that you shall learn some useful trade on land; and I know that you will do best the kind of work that is most pleasant to you."
The next day he took the boy to walk with him among the workshops of Boston. They saw men busy at all kinds of work.
Benjamin was delighted. Long afterwards, when he had become a very great man, he said, "It has ever since been a pleasure to me to see good workmen handle their tools."
He gave up the thought of going to sea, and decided that he would learn any trade his father would choose for him.
Soon after this, Benjamin's brother James set up a printing press in Boston. He intended to print books and a newspaper.
"Benjamin loves books," said his father. "He shall learn to be a printer."
And so, when he was twelve years old, he was sent to his brother to learn the printer's trade. He was to have his board and clothing, but no wages.
Benjamin never attended school again, but he kept on studying. At that time there were no books written for children as there are nowadays. His father's books were not easy to understand. We should think them very dull.
But before he was twelve years old, Benjamin had carefully read the most of them. All the money that came into his hands he laid out in books.
Often he would borrow a book in the evening, and then sit up nearly all night reading it so as to return it early in the morning.
He spent all his spare time in studying and reading the best books that he could get. We shall find that afterward Benjamin Franklin became the most learned man in America.
[SOME WISE SAYINGS]
Lost time is never found again.
One to-day is worth two to-morrows.
God helps them that help themselves.
Plow deep while sluggards sleep,
And you shall have corn to sell and to keep.
—Benjamin Franklin.
[A WEAVING STORY]
| Abner | glanced | shuttle | loom |
| Silas | musket | threaded | coax |
| Deborah | offered | possible | stitch |
t was a spring morning more than one hundred years ago. A young man was plowing in a field near a low farmhouse.
Four men with guns on their shoulders passed along the road. "There is Abner White," said one of them. "He ought to join the army. Call to him."
"Abner, Abner," they shouted.
The young man left his plow and ran to the fence.
"We are raising a company to join Washington's army," they said. "We march to-morrow. You must go with us, Abner."
Abner walked quickly to the little farmhouse. His mother was standing in the door.
"My country needs me, mother," he said. "What shall I do?"
"If you feel it is your duty to fight for your country, Abner, you must go," answered the brave woman. "When will the new company march?"
"To-morrow."
"To-morrow!" exclaimed Mrs. White. "You can not wear those old trousers. We must make you a new pair."
"A soldier can not wait for new clothes, and I must march with my company. A pair of trousers can not be made in a day."
"We shall see," thought his mother, as she hurried away to call her daughters.
"Is there any woolen cloth in the house, Nancy?" she asked.
"Not a yard; I used the last yesterday."
"And there is no yarn, either," said Deborah, the oldest daughter.
"The sheep have not been sheared, and there is no wool. It is not possible to make Abner a new pair of trousers before he goes. There is no use to try!" said Nancy.
SPINNING THE WOOL.
"We can never tell what we can do until we try," replied the mother. "Where are the sheep?"
"They are in the pasture. I'll catch them," offered Silas, the younger son.
"And I'll help," said little Faith. "I'll get some salt to coax them with."
The children ran to the pasture. "Nan, Nan, Nan, Nan," they called. And the sheep came running for the salt.
Nancy was hurrying to the field with a pair of large shears in her hand. "Catch that black sheep if you can," she shouted.
Silas caught and held the sheep, while Nancy cut off the long, black wool.
"Here is a white sheep with beautiful wool," called out Faith.
Silas put his arms around the patient animal, and Nancy cut off its fine white wool.
"You may carry in all the wool we have, Faith," said Nancy. "Silas and I will keep on shearing until we have enough."
The wool was quickly combed by Deborah, for there was no time to wash the newly cut fleece. Very soon the mother commenced to spin. How the spinning wheel buzzed as it twisted the soft wool into yarn!
Nancy threaded the loom. Deborah wound the shuttle full of new yarn, and the weaving of the cloth began.
Back and forth the shuttle flew, Deborah and Nancy taking turns. Late at night the cloth was woven, and Abner's new trousers were cut out. All night long the sewing went on, every stitch by hand.
The next day at noon Silas sat on the gatepost watching. Rub-a-dub-dub, rub-a-dub-dub, came the sound of drums.
"Here they come! Here they come! tell mother," he shouted.
They all hurried to the fence to see the soldiers march by.
Abner held his musket proudly as he passed. He glanced at his mother and then down at his new trousers.
"No one looks finer than our Abner," said Deborah, as the soldier boys marched by on their way to the war.