CATCHING BLACKBIRDS.


Two little boys were running through the meadows as hard as they could
go. "What are you doing there?" said a man who was passing along.

[Illustration]

"Catching blackbirds?" said Willie. "Have you caught any?" said the
man.

"No, not yet," said Willie. "But grandpa is going to give me five
dollars when I catch one. He wants one."

Willie's grandpa did happen to say to him that morning, "You catch me
a blackbird, and I will give you five dollars." He said it just out of
fun. He did not think that Willie would ever try to do it.

[Illustration]



THE DOG.

Do you see the dog and the hen? The dog bit the hen, and she was mad.
My dog bit a fox on the hip. One day the fox bit the dog on the lip
and ran off. Tom and I had a gun, and we set off to get the fox; but