UNDER THE CHERRY-TREE.
"Now is the time to pick the cherries!" shouted Charles as he came running in from the garden one July afternoon.
"Are they quite ripe?" said his mother.
"Ripe? I should think so. Just look at them!" answered Charles, pointing to the trees.
"O mamma!" said Mary, "the birds are getting them all. We must have them picked at once."
"Never fear, little girl," said her mother. "There will be enough for the birds and ourselves and our neighbors too. But it really is time to begin to pick them. So, Charles, get a basket, and we will all go out under the cherry-tree."
So out they all went,—Charles and Mary and Ellen and Julia and Ruth; and mamma followed with the baby.
"I told the gardener to bring a ladder," said mamma. "He will be here in a moment, Charles. You can't pick cherries without a ladder, you know."
"Of course," said that saucy boy. "Nobody can pick cherries without a ladder." And with that he gave a spring, and in about half a minute had climbed up into the tree.
"Now, girls, hold your aprons," said he. And down came a shower of the delicious fruit.
Then what a glorious scramble those little girls had! How they laughed and jumped and knocked heads together in picking up the cherries! They ate as many as they wanted; and still Charles kept throwing down more.
"Have you had enough?" said he. "So have I. Now it's time to think about filling the basket. Ah! here comes the ladder at last, with a man under it."
Uncle Sam.
SLEEPING IN THE SUNSHINE. Sleeping in the sunshine, Fie, fie, fie! While the birds are soaring High, high, high! While the buds are opening sweet, And the blossoms at your feet Look a smiling face to greet. Fie, fie, fie! Sleeping in the sunshine, Fie, fie, fie! While the bee goes humming By, by, by! Is there no small task for you,— Nought for little hands to do? Shame to sleep the morning through! Fie, fie, fie! |