Little Lucy was left in the room once alone, Where the table was set out for tea; She looked all around, and she thought to herself That no one was there who could see.
Then she climbed on a chair and took off the top Of the sugar-bowl, shining and bright; And there were the lumps of the sugar she loved, All looking so nice and so white!
Then she said to herself, "Mamma never will know, If I take away only just one;"
So she took it, and ate it;--it tasted so good, She thought, "But one more, and I"ve done."
But while she was reaching her hand out for more, The chair slipped away from her feet; And poor little Lucy soon wished much that she Had not taken the sugar so sweet:
For her head struck the floor, and made such a noise, That every one hastened to see; And all of them knew, by the sugar she held, How naughty Miss Lucy could be!
And no one was sorry, although her poor head Ached sadly because of her fall; For little girls never--so every one said-- Should taste or should meddle at all.
G.o.d SEES ME ALWAYS.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Letter G.]
G.o.d sees me always. When I sleep, He kindly watches near; He loves the little child to keep, Who tries to please Him here.
When I"m alone He sees me too, Though no one else is by; And every naughty thing I do, He sees it from on high.
He sees me, too, when I am rude, And cry, and fret, and tease; He loves to see me when I"m good And try mamma to please.
Then, since He sees me day and night, And is so kind to me, I must do always what is right, His gentle child must be.
[Ill.u.s.tration]
THE ARK AND THE DOVE.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Letter A.]
A rain once fell upon the earth For many a day and night, And hid the flowers, the gra.s.s, the trees, The birds and beasts, from sight.
The deep waves covered all the land, And mountain-tops so high; And nothing could be seen around, But water, and the sky.
But yet there was one moving thing,-- A still and lonely ark,-- That, many a weary day and night, Sailed o"er that ocean dark.
At last, a little dove was forth From that lone vessel sent; But, wearied, to the ark again, When evening came, she bent.
Again she went, but soon returned, And in her beak was seen A little twig--an olive-branch-- With leaves of shining green.
The waters sank, and then the dove Flew from the ark once more, And came not back, but lived among The tree-tops, as before.
Then from the ark they all came forth, With songs of joy and praise; And once again the green earth smiled Beneath the sun"s warm rays.
THE BEE.
[Ill.u.s.tration]
Now, Ellen, stop screaming and running away, And come here and listen to me; Is it true, my dear daughter, I want you to say, That you"re foolishly scared by a bee?
The bee is as frightened as you are, my dear, For he can"t tell the way to get out; And as for his sting, that you never need fear, If you do not run crying about.
If you were to catch him, why, then, I dare say You"d soon feel his sharp little sting; But if you sit still at your work or your play, Be sure that no harm he will bring.
So wipe off these tears and never again Give way to so foolish a fright; For if you indulge it "t will cost you much pain And no one will want you in sight.
[Ill.u.s.tration]
SUNDAY.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Letter T.]
"T is Sunday morning, dear mamma!
I do not wish to play; Last night I put my dolls and toys Safe in my box away.
I"ll come and sit down by your side, While you the story tell Of the good little Joseph, whom His father loved so well.
And of the time when waters dark Covered the world around; And all but Noah in his ark, Beneath the waves were drowned.
And of the gentle dove, that forth O"er those wide waters flew, And twice, with weary wing, returned, No resting-place in view.
And how the infant Moses, too, Floated the Nile along; And how his mother made for him The basket cradle strong.
Please tell these Bible-stories then, And take me on your knee, And I"ll sit still, my dear mamma, And listen quietly.
[Ill.u.s.tration]
THE PLEASANT WORLD.