LADY MARY READS TO MRS. FRAZER THE FIRST PART OF THE HISTORY OF THE
SQUIRREL FAMILY.


One day Lady Mary came to her nurse, and putting her arms about her neck,
whispered to her,--"Mrs. Frazer, my dear good governess has given me
something--it is in my hand," and she slily held her hand behind her--
"will you guess what it is?"

"Is it a book, my lady?"

"Yes, yes, it is a book, a pretty book; and see, here are pictures of
squirrels in it. Mrs. Frazer, if you like, I will sit down on this cushion
by you and read some of my new book. It does not seem very hard."

Then Mrs. Frazer took out her work-basket and sat down to sew, and Lady
Mary began to read the little story, which, I hope, may entertain my
little readers as much as it did the Governor's daughter.

THE HISTORY OF A SQUIRREL FAMILY

It must be a pleasant thing to be a squirrel, and live a life of freedom
in the boundless forests; to leap and bound among the branches of the tall
trees; to gambol in the deep shade of the cool glossy leaves, through the
long warm summer day; to gather the fresh nuts and berries; to drink the
pure dews of heaven, all bright and sparkling from the opening flowers; to
sleep on soft beds of moss and thistle-down in some hollow branch rocked
by the wind as in a cradle. Yet, though this was the happy life led by a
family of pretty grey squirrels that had their dwelling in the hoary