"It is, indeed, very nice, my son, and it will taste good to me. I have wanted an orange all the morning. Where did you get it?"
"Pa" gave me a penny, this morning, and I bought it with this. I thought you would like to have one."
"You are very good, my son, to think of your sick mother. And you wouldn"t spend your penny for cake or candy; but denied yourself, that you might get an orange for me? Mother loves you for this manifestation of your _self-denial_ and love for your parent." And she kissed him.
William heard all this, and it made him feel very bad indeed. Oh, how he did wish that he had bought something for his mother with the pennies his father had given him! But it was too late now.
The pain he felt, however, was useful to him. It taught him to know that we may often obtain far greater happiness by denying ourselves for the sake of others, than in seeking alone the gratification of our own appet.i.te; and he seriously resolved he would _try_ in future to do better.
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HENRY AND HIS SISTER.
Said Henry, one day, As from school he came in, "Don"t you think, sister dear, A good boy I have been, Such a beautiful book to have gained?
"Just look at these pictures, The bird on the tree, These lambs in the meadow, This flower, and this bee, With its honey from blossoms obtained.
"And here is a story, And here is a song; Let me read the story, It won"t take me long;"
And so the nice story he read.
"Oh, what a nice story!"
And little Jane"s smile Played on her face, Like a sunbeam, awhile-- "I"m so glad you were good!" then she said.
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ANNA AND HER KITTEN.
Little Anna has a very pretty grey kitten; and she loves the kitty very much; and the kitty loves her. Sometimes when Anna is playing with her doll and nine-pins, kitty puts out her paw and rolls all the playthings about the room, but Anna does not mind that; she knows the little p.u.s.s.y does it all for play.
One day, when Anna was alone with the kitty, in the parlour, she made scratches on the window; and that was a very naughty trick. When her nurse came into the room, she asked Anna, "Who made these scratches on the window?" Little Anna felt ashamed of the mischief she had done; and she did not speak a word.
The kitten was asleep in the chair; and the nurse said, "I suppose this naughty puss did it;" and she took the kitten out of the chair, and told her she must box her ears, for scratching the window; but little Anna began to cry; and she ran up to her nurse, saying, "Oh, don"t whip little kitty; she did not scratch the window. I did it."
And so the nurse did not strike poor puss; and Anna took the kitty in her arms, and smoothed her soft grey fur, and made her very happy.
Anna"s father and mother and her grandmother loved their little girl very much, because she told the _truth_, and was so kind to her good little kitten.
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FAITHFULNESS;
OR,
THE STORY OF THE BIRD"S NEST.
TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN.
One fine spring morning a poor boy sat under a tree, watching a flock of sheep which were feeding in a meadow, between a clear, dancing, trout-brook, and an old oak wood.
He held a book in his hand, and was so much engaged with it, that he scarcely looked up, excepting that from time to time he cast a quick glance toward the sheep, to make himself sure they were all safe, and within bounds.
Once, as he looked up from his book, he saw standing near him a boy, not much larger than himself, dressed in the richest and most graceful manner. It was the prince--the eldest son of the king, and heir to the throne.
The shepherd-boy did not know him, but supposed him to be the son of the forester, who often came on business to the fine old hunting-tower, which stood near by.
"Good morning, Mr. Forester," said the shepherd-boy, taking off his straw hat, which, however, he instantly replaced; "can I do anything for you?"
"Tell me, are there any birds" nests in these woods?" said the prince.
"That is a droll question for a young forest man," said the boy. "Don"t you hear the birds singing all around? To be sure there are birds" nests enough here. Every bird has its own nest."
"Then, do you know where there is a pretty one to be seen?" said the prince.
"Oh, yes; I know a wonderful fine one," said the boy. "It is the prettiest nest I ever saw in my life. It is made of yellow straw, and is as smooth and neat inside, as if it had been turned in a lathe; and it is covered all over the outside with fine curled moss, so that you would hardly know there was a nest there. And then, there are five eggs in it. Oh, they are so pretty! They are almost as blue as the bright sky, which shines through those oak leaves over head."
"That is fine!" said the prince; "come, show me this same nest. I long to see it."
"That I can easily believe," said the boy, "but I cannot show you the nest."
"I do not wish you to do it for nothing," said the prince, "I will reward you well for it."
"That may be," said the boy. "But I cannot show it to you."
The prince"s tutor now stepped up to them. He was a dignified, kind-looking man, in a plain dark suit of clothes. The little shepherd had not before observed him.
"Be not disobliging, my lad," said he. "The young gentleman here has never seen a bird"s nest, although he has often read of them, and he wishes very much to see one. Pray, do him the kindness to lead him to the one you have mentioned, and let him see it. He will not take it away from you. He only wishes to look at it. He will not even touch it."
The shepherd-boy stood up respectfully, but said, "I must stick to what I have said. I cannot show the nest."
"That is very unfriendly," said the tutor. "It should give you great pleasure to be able to do anything to oblige our beloved prince Frederick."
"Is this young gentleman the prince?" cried the young shepherd, and again took off his hat; but this time he did not put it on again. "I am very much pleased to see the prince, but _that_ bird"s nest I cannot show any one, no not even the king himself."
"Such a stiff-necked, obstinate boy I never saw in my life," said the prince, pettishly. "But we can easily find means to compel him to do what we wish."