her father's cheerful call, "Come, children; it is time to be
off."
7. Their dinner is ready in a large basket. The donkey
stands before the door with great bags for the nuts hanging at
each side. They go merrily over the crisp, white frost to the
chestnut trees. How the frost has opened the burs! It has
done half their work for them already.
8. How they laugh and sing, and shout to each other as
they fill their baskets! The sun looks down through the
yellow leaves; the rocks give them mossy seats; the birds
and squirrels wonder what these strange people are doing in
their woods.
9. Jeannette really helps, though she is only a little girl;
and her father says at night, that his Jane is a dear, good
child. This makes her very happy. She thinks about it at
night, when she says her prayers. Then she goes to sleep to
dream of the merry autumn days.
10. Such is our little mountain sister, and

120 ECLECTIC SERIES.


here is a picture of her far-away home. The mountain life is
ever a fresh and happy one.



THIRD READER. 121

LESSON XLVI.