Mary found a woolly lamb in her plum.

The lamb’s head would come off, an inside was a tiny bottle of cologne.

Jack and Jill each had a little pail filled with candies.

Jack’s plum was in the very bottom of the pie.

It was a dear little watch.

“Now, I shall not be late to school again,” he said.

It was Jack, you know, who let Mary’s lamb into school.

He was late that morning and did not shut the door.

When it was time for the children to go home Mr. Horne packed them all into his big sleigh.

“Good-bye, Jack!” they cried.

“Good-bye, Jack Horner, we have had
a lovely time!”

  There was an old woman
    Who lived in a shoe,
  She had so many children
    She didn’t know what to do,
  She gave them some butter
    Without any bread;
  Then she spanked them all soundly,
    And sent them to bed.

THE OLD WOMAN IN THE SHOE

You remember I told you that Boy Blue lived on a big farm.

In the winter Boy Blue could not go to school because the school-house was so far from his home.

So Mary’s mother said, “Boy Blue can spend the winter with us and go to school with Mary.”

Of course the children thought that would be fine.

Mary didn’t have any brothers or sisters, and sometimes she was rather lonely.

So Boy Blue went to spend the winter with Mary.

He was sorry to leave Fire-cracker and his eight white Snowballs.

“I shall be back in the spring,” he said.  “John will have to take care of you this winter.”

Boy Blue had never seen such a large school in all his life.

In the little country school there were only ten children.

In Mary’s school there were fifty boys and girls in one room, and there were ten rooms in the school-house.

Now it was winter, and there was snow on the ground.

The children had been to school three months.

Every afternoon they had great fun coasting down the long hill behind the school-house.

One day Miss Smith said, “Children, do you know what month this is?”

“Yes, yes!” they all said.  “This is December.”

“Christmas comes this month,” said one little girl.

Then they all talked at once.

Oh, how they liked Christmas, and Santa Claus and Christmas trees!

They hoped Santa Claus would bring them many presents.

At last Miss Smith said, “Shall we have a Christmas tree this year in school?”

Of course they all wanted one.

“I know something better than a Christmas tree,” said Miss Smith.

“Something better than a Christmas tree!” said Mistress Mary.  “What can it be?”

“I must tell you about it,” said Miss Smith.  “You know I have told you about Mrs. Brown.”