1.  Two girls I know—­Jeannette and Jo,
   And one is always moping;
   The other lassie, come what may,
   Is ever bravely hoping.

2.  Beauty of face and girlish grace
   Are theirs, for joy or sorrow;
   Jeannette takes brightly every day,
   And Jo dreads each to-morrow.

3.  One early morn they watched the dawn—­
   I saw them stand together;
   Their whole day’s sport, ’t was very plain,
   Depended on the weather.

4. “’T will storm!” cried Jo.  Jeannette spoke low;
   “Yes, but ’t will soon be over.” 
   And, as she spoke, the sudden shower
   Came, beating down the clover.

5.  “I told you so!” cried angry Jo: 
   “It always is a-raining!”
   Then hid her face in dire despair,
   Lamenting and complaining.

6.  But sweet Jeannette, quite hopeful yet,—­
   I tell it to her honor,—­
   Looked up and waited till the sun
   Came streaming in upon her.

7.  The broken clouds sailed off in crowds,
   Across a sea of glory. 
   Jeannette and Jo ran, laughing, in—­
   Which ends my simple story.

8.  Joy is divine.  Come storm, come shine,
   The hopeful are the gladdest;
   And doubt and dread, children, believe
   Of all things are the saddest.

9.  In morning’s light, let youth be bright;
   Take in the sunshine tender;
   Then, at the close, shall life’s decline
   Be full of sunset splendor.

10.  And ye who fret, try, like Jeannette,
    To shun all weak complaining;
   And not, like Jo, cry out too soon—­
   “It always is a-raining!”

XXIII.  THE LION. (69)

1.  The lion is often called the “king of beasts,” His height varies from three to four feet, and he is from six to nine feet long.  His coat is of it yellowish brown or tawny color, and about his neck is a great shaggy mane which gives his head a majestic appearance.

2.  The strength of the lion is so great that he can easily crush the skulls of such animals as the horse or ox with one blow of his paw.  No one who has not seen the teeth of a full grown lion taken out of their sockets can have any idea of their real size; one of them forms a good handful, and might easily be mistaken for a small elephant’s tooth.

3.  The home of the lion is in the forests of Asia and Africa, where he is a terror to man and beast.  He generally lies concealed during the day, but as darkness comes on he prowls about where other animals are accustomed to go for food or drink, and springs upon them unawares, with a roar that sounds like the rumble of thunder.

4.  The lion sometimes lives to a great age.  One by the name of Pompey died at London, in the year 1760, at the age of seventy years.  If taken when young the lion can be tamed, and will even show marks of kindness to his keeper.