I saw a stork on a chimney high,
And called to him as I passed by,
“O stork! what’ll you bring,
Tucked away carefully under your wing?
A baby sister and a brother,
One for me, and one for mother.”
“TIME TO GET UP!”
BY ELLEN FOSTER
Little Elinor Gray lived in a big city, but her grandmother lived in a big house in the country. Elinor and her Nurse Norah were going to visit her, and had to take a long ride in the railway-train, and another ride in a carriage that Grandmother sent to meet them, so it was almost dark when they drove up to the door.
Elinor’s grandmother had two beautiful dogs—“Bruno,” a big collie, and “Bounder,” a little fox-terrier. And when they saw the little girl jump out of the carriage, they barked and barked because they were so glad to see her. And they said to themselves (I think they said to themselves): “We will let her have a good sleep to-night, for she must be very tired and it is nearly dark. But to-morrow, bright and early, we will ask her to come for a romp with us in the garden, and show her how much nicer it is to live in the country than in the city, where little girls have to walk so quietly along the streets, and dogs have to be led along the sidewalk, and cannot frolic on the soft green grass.”
Elinor was very sleepy after her long ride in the train, and so, after she had had her supper, her grandmother told her she might go to bed early and get a good sleep, and that Nurse Norah would call her at seven o’clock in the morning.
But what do you think happened? Why, Bruno and Bounder somehow got into the house before seven o’clock that morning, and came leaping up the stairs, and went straight to Elinor’s door. Elinor was a very sound sleeper, and did not hear them at first, and did not wake up. But soon Bounder began to scratch at the door with his little, sharp claws and to make queer little whine-y sounds; and Bruno’s bushy tail went “Rap! rap! rap!” on the door, too. Then Elinor woke up, and listened a moment, and then she said: “Oh, I know what it is! It’s those darling dogs!” And she jumped out of bed and opened the door, and there, sure enough, was Bounder, dashing right into the room, barking, “Good morning! good morning!” and big Bruno, looking at Elinor as if saying, “Good morning! didn’t you hear us? It’s time to get up!”
Elinor said: “Oh, you beauties! Yes, I know! And I’ll get dressed right away!”