playthings meddled with and broken?"




[Illustration: The Busy Bees]

_Oh! Boys and Girls can useful prove,
If they will only try;
And smile and work in some slight groove,
As well as play or cry._



THE BUSY BEES.


Little Bob he fetched a board,
And then began to saw,
And Mary Jane said she'd afford
Him help to do much more,
While he used his--saw! saw! saw!

Young Dick he held his mallet high,
And struck the wedge quite bold,
Until it made the wood quick fly
Like feathers with no hold,
Blown by the wind quite--cold! cold! cold!

And John and James sawed up and down,