One night little Albert sat at play with his box of bricks till bedtime. He sat at the foot of his mamma's work-table, and he built a house with walls round it, and steps up to the door, and a well in the middle of the yard. His mamma said it was very nicely done. Then Albert began to take the house to pieces, and put away the bricks; and before he had put all the bricks into the box, the clock struck eight.
LITTLE BOY'S BEDTIME
When the clock struck, Susan came to the door and said, "Come, master Albert, it is time to go to bed." His mamma said, "Please to come again by and by, for the little boy is not quite ready. He has not said his prayer. He will be ready soon." But Albert cried out, "Go away, Susan. I do not want to go to bed. I want to sit up a little longer."
Mamma. My dear, it is bedtime, and you must go.
Albert. It is not your bedtime, mamma. I do not think any one goes to sleep so soon but baby and me.
Mamma. Oh yes, I can tell you of many more. The little birds' bedtime comes before yours. It comes when the sun goes down, so they went to sleep long ago.
Albert. Where do the birds sleep, mamma?
Mamma. Some are hid in the long grass in the fields, and some are among the leaves on the tall trees. There they are, if you could see them now, each with its little head under its wing.
Albert. I dare say they are tired with flying about all day.