When papa says, “Little daughter, I want you to do an errand for me,” Lottie whines, and asks, “Why can’t Benny do it?”

Out in the field Old Biddy Brown has four wee chickens, little soft downy balls, scarcely bigger than the eggs they came from just one week ago.

They are very spry, and run all about.  When the mother Biddy finds any nice bit, she clucks; and every little chick comes running to see what is wanting.

When it grows chilly, and she fears they will take cold, she says, “Cluck, cluck, cluck!” and they all run under her warm feathers as fast as they can.

Just now Mother Biddy gave a very loud call, and every chicken was under her wings in a minute; and up in the sky I saw a hawk, who had been planning to make a good dinner of these same chickens.  I could not help thinking, how well for them, that they did not stop, like Lottie, to ask, “Why?”

Down came the hawk with a fierce swoop, as if he meant to take the old hen and the chickens too; but Mother Biddy sprang up and faced him so boldly, that he did not know what to make of it.

[Illustration:  The Chickens That Were Wiser Than Lottie]

She seemed to say, “Come on my fine fellow, if you dare.  You have got to eat me before you eat my chicks; and you’ll find me rather tough.”

So the hawk changed his mind at the last moment.  He thought he would wait till he could catch the chickens alone.  The chickens were saved, though one of them was nearly dead with fright.

Ruth Kenyon.

A HUNT FOR BOY BLUE.

We have a little three-year-old boy at our house, who likes to hear stories, and his mother tells him a great many.  But there is one which pleases him more than all the rest, and perhaps the little readers of “The Nursery” will like it too.

You have all heard of little Boy Blue, and how he was called upon to blow his horn; but I don’t think any of you know what a search his father had to find him.  This is the story.

Boy Blue lived on a large farm, and took care of the sheep and cows.  One day the cows got into the corn, and the sheep into the meadow; and Boy Blue was nowhere to be seen.  His father called and called, “Boy Blue, Boy Blue, where are you?  Why do you not look after the sheep and cows?  Where are you?” But no one answered.

[Illustration:  Father & Horse]

Then Boy Blue’s father went to the pasture, and said, “Horse, horse, have you seen Boy Blue?” The old horse pricked up his cars, and looked very thoughtful, but neighed, and said, “No, no:  I have not seen Boy Blue.”

[Illustration:  Father & Oxen]

Next he went to the field where the oxen were ploughing, and said, “Oxen, oxen, have you seen Boy Blue?” They rolled their great eyes, and looked at him; but shook their heads, and said, “No, no:  we have not seen Boy Blue.”