Today | News | Books | Recipes Adventure | Science Fiction | Ghost stories | Poetry | Children | History Bookhole a little higher up that made a nice little window to peep out of. "Why, this is the dearest little house, so cozy and warm," Mrs. Squeaky said. "Nobody will ever find us in here, I know." After they lived there a while, a whole family of little pink baby mice came to live with them. The papa mouse and the mama mouse were so proud and so glad, they got little bits of cotton and soft paper and rags, and made the nicest little beds you ever saw. The little pink baby mice could only say, "Squeak! Squeak!" and cuddle up under the warm covers, but Mr. and Mrs. Squeaky laughed, and thought they were the smartest babies in the whole world. "Why, I feel like 'The Old Woman Who Lived in the Shoe and had so many children she didn't know what to do,'" Mrs. Squeaky said one day. She was sitting by the little window rocking the baby mouse and taking a little rest. Mr. Squeaky had gone out to hunt for some supper, and the four other little mice were peeping out of the little hole in the toe of their shoe house, for Papa to come home. All at once, Maggie, the little girl who lived up-stairs, ran into the dark corner to hide from Johnnie, just for fun. And what do you think she saw? The four little mice peeping out of the door, and the poor, frightened mama mouse and the little baby at the window. Maggie stopped just a minute to whisper gently to little, gray Mrs. Squeaky, "Don't be frightened, 'Little Old Woman Who Lives in the Shoe.' I'll never, never tell anybody where you live. No, I won't even tell Johnnie or my kitty. They might try to catch you. It shall be my VERY OWN SECRET--and yours!" So nobody but little Maggie ever knew about Mr. and Mrs. Squeaky, and their little pink babies in the old shoe--until long afterward, when she told me the story, as I have told it to you. [Illustration: "'TROT AS FAST AS YOU CAN TO MARKET AND GET ME A PAIL OF MILK.'"] THE GOOD LITTLE PIGGIE AND HIS FRIENDS BY L. WALDO LOCKLING Once there was a little piggie, a very good little piggie, who obeyed his mother so well that often she let him out of the pen to play with his friends on the farm. One afternoon this little piggie was playing with them, when suddenly he heard his mother calling "Piggie, wiggie, wiggie, wiggie, wiggie!" "Piggie, dear," she said, as he ran to her, "take this and trot as fast as you can to market and get me a pail of milk for Father's supper to-night." [Illustration: "'WHERE ARE YOU OFF TO, PIGGIE?' SAID BOSSIE CALF."] So Piggie took the pail between his teeth, and off he went to do what his mother told him. Now, you must remember that this little piggie was such a dear, good little piggie, that he had a great many friends among the other animals. So he had not gone far when who should spy him but his friend Bossie Calf. "Hello, there!" said the calf. "Where are you off to, Piggie?" "I'm going to market to bring my mother a pail of milk for Father's supper to-night," squealed Piggie. "Are you? I believe I'll go, too. I am so fond of milk." And the calf leaped over his master's fence, and away he went scampering after Piggie. By and by, who should come along but Piggie's friend Billie Goat. "Mercy on us!" baa-ed Billie. "Where are you going in such a hurry, Bossie?" "Going with Piggie," said the calf. "Where are you going, Piggie?" "Going to market to bring my mother a pail of milk for Father's supper to-night," squealed Piggie, in a great hurry. "Are you? I believe I'll go, too. I am so fond of milk." So Billie Goat ran out of the barn-yard and hurried after the calf. Just as they were passing the house, who should spy them but Rover the dog. "Where are you going, Billie," barked Rover, running out to the gate as he saw them rushing along. "Going with Bossie," said the goat. "Where are you going, Bossie?" "Going with Piggie." "Where are you going, Piggie?" "I am going to market to bring Mother a pail of milk for Father's supper to-night," squealed Piggie, in a great hurry. "Are you? I believe I'll go, too. I am so fond of milk." So Rover hurried along up the road after the goat. Just as they turned into the road, who should come jumping along but Tabby the cat. "Well, well!" he meowed. "When did the circus come to town, Rover?" "This is not a circus parade," said the dog, the goat, the calf, and Piggie all at once, as they ran on. "Then, where are you going, Rover?" again meowed Tabby. "Going with Billie," barked Rover. [Illustration: "'MY, THAT'S GOOD!'"] "Where are you going, Billie?" "Going with Bossie." "Where are you going, Bossie?" "Going with Piggie." "Where are you going, Piggie?" "I am going to market to get my mother a pail of milk for Father's supper to-night," squealed Piggie in a great hurry. "Are you? I believe I'll go along. I am so fond of milk." So Tabby raced along after Rover. When they got to the market, Piggie told his friends to wait outside while he hurried in and got the milk for his father's supper. It did not take him long, and he soon came trotting out because he was to hurry back home. "Give me a sup for politeness' sake," meowed Tabby the cat, as she stuck her head in the pail. "My, that's good!" "Pass it to me, Tabby," barked Rover the dog, "for politeness' sake. My, that's good!" "Give me a sup for politeness' sake," said Billie Goat. "My, that's good." "Do not forget me, Billie, for politeness' sake," said Bossie the calf. "My, that's good!" [Illustration: "AWAY HE TROTTED WITH AN EMPTY PAIL."] "Oh, dear, oh, dear!" squealed Piggie, when he saw what had happened. "What shall I do?" And away he trotted all by himself with an empty pail, to tell his mother that he did really and truly get the milk, but that his friends had "supped" it all up! But just then the farmer came with a great, _big_ pail of milk and gave it all to them, so that the good little piggie and his father and mother had a fine supper, and much more milk than Piggie could have brought. BABY'S PARADISE BY LUCY FITCH PERKINS Over the hills and far away, There's a beautiful, wonderful place, Where happy babies in gardens play, With mothers dressed all in lace,-- Dressed all in lace and in silken gown, With flowers in their hair,-- Where trees with blossoms are laden down, And perfumes fill the air. DISOBEDIENCE "Wait, Kitty; here's soap and water, And I must wash your face; For the way you do it with your paws Is simply a disgrace!" _But Kitty didn't wait!_ [Illustration: "WHO SPEAKS FIRST?" FROM AN ENGRAVING OF THE PAINTING BY ARTHUR J. ELSLEY.] FOR A LITTLE GIRL OF THREE. BY UNCLE NED. _Moo, moo!_ What can I do For my little girl of three? I will eat the sweet grass, I will give her a glass Of my milk for her tea; Moo, moo! that 's what I'll do For my dear little maiden of three. _Mew, mew!_ What can I do For my little girl of three? I will catch all the mice, And they shall not come twice To the cake, you'll see; Mew, mew! that's what I'll do For my sweet little maiden of three |