William Holmes McGuffey McGuffey's First Eclectic Reader, Revised Edition 
 
 
 Transcriber's Notes Pg 1 
 Welcome to the schoolroom of 1900. The moral tone is plain. "She is kind 
 to the old blind man." 
   
 The exercises are still suitable, and perhaps more helpful than some 
 contemporary alternatives. Much is left to the teacher. Explanations given 
 in the text are enough to get started teaching a child to read and write. 
 Counting in Roman numerals is included as a bonus in the form of lesson 
 numbers. 
   
 Each lesson begins with vocabulary words, followed by the description of a 
 picture (if any) related to the lesson's reading exercise. The lesson then 
 consists of printed text for reading and sometimes script (handwriting) 
 for reading or copying. 
   
 Don Kostuch 
 
 
 
 Preface Pg 2 
 In presenting McGuffeys Revised First Reader to the public, attention is 
 invited to the following features: 
   
 
 Words of only two or three letters are used in the first lessons. 
 
 Longer and more difficult ones are gradually introduced as the pupil gains 
 aptness in the mastery of words. 
   
 
 A proper gradation has been carefully preserved. All new words are 
 
 placed at the head of each lesson, to be learned before the lesson is 
 read. Their number in the early lessons is very small, thus making the 
 first steps easy. All words in these vocabularies are used in the text 
 immediately following. 
   
 
 Carefully engraved script exercises are introduced for a double 
 
 purpose. These should be used to teach the reading of script; and may also 
 serve as copies in slate work. 
   
 
 The illustrations have been designed and engraved specially for the 
 
 lessons in which they occur. Many of the engravings will serve admirably 
 as the basis for oral lessons in language. 
   
 
 The type is large, strong, and distinct. 
 
   
 The credit for this revision is almost wholly due to the friends of 
 McGuffeys Readers,--eminent teachers and scholars, who have contributed 
 suggestions and criticisms gained from their daily work in the schoolroom. 
   
 Cincinnati, June, 1879. 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON I 
 dog   the   ran 
   
 a   o   n   d   g   r   th 
 The dog. 
   
 The dog ran. 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON II 
 cat   mat   is   on 
   
 c   t   i   m   s 
 The cat.       The mat. 
   
 Is the cat on the mat? 
   
 The cat is on the mat. 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON III 
 it   his   pen   hand 
   
 a     in     has   man 
   
 p     h     e 
   
 The man.           A pen. 
   
 The man has a pen. 
   
 Is the pen in his hand? 
   
 It is in his hand. 
   
   
 
 
 
 LESSON IV 
 hen   fat   rat   box   big   run   from  can 
   
 f     b     x     u 
 A fat hen.       A big rat. 
   
 The fat hen is on the box. 
   
 The rat ran from the box. 
   
 Can the hen run? 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON V 
 Rab   Ann   hat   catch   see 
   
 e     ch     s 
 See Rab!   See Ann! 
   
 See! Rab has the hat. 
   
 Can Ann catch Rab? 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON VI 
 she   pat   too   now   let   me 
   
 sh     oo     ow     l 
 Ann can catch Rab. 
   
 See! She has the hat. 
   
 Now Ann can pat Rab. 
   
 Let me pat Rab, too. 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON VII 
 Ned   eggs   black   left   fed   nest   them   get   will 
   
 a black hen             the nest 
   
 w   ck 
 Ned has fed the hen. 
   
 She is a black hen. 
   
 She has left the nest. 
   
 See the eggs in the nest! 
   
 Will the hen let Ned get them? 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON VIII 
 head   he   Nat   come   with   and   o 
 Let me get the black hat. Now Ned has it on his head, and he is a big man. 
   
 Come, Nat, see the big man with his black hat. 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON IX 
 REVIEW. 
   
 pat   catch   has   left   hat   can 
   
 black eggs     Rab   Ann     fed   get 
   
   
 Ned is on the box. He has a pen in his hand. A big rat is in the box. 
 Can the dog catch the rat? 
   
 Come with me, Ann, and see the man with a black hat on his head. 
   
 The fat hen has left the nest. Run, Nat, and get the eggs. 
   
   
 SLATE WORK. 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON X 
 Nell   some   pan   him   yes     do     you   have 
   
 I       to     i     y     v       o 
 Do you see Nell? 
   
 Yes; she has a pan with some eggs in it. 
   
 Let me have the pan and the eggs, will you, Nell? 
   
 Has the black hen left the nest? 
   
 I will now run to catch Rab. Will you run, too? 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON XI 
 O   whip   Ben   up   still   sit   if   stand   Jip 
   
 o   wh     j 
 O Ben! let me get in, will you? 
   
 Yes, if you will sit still. 
   
 Stand still, Jip, and let Ann get in. 
   
 Now, Ben, hand me the whip. 
   
 Get up, Jip! 
   
   
 1,2. 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON XII 
 Kitty   nice   sweet   sing   just   hang 
   
 cage     then   song     pet     put     not 
   
 k   g   c   a   y   ng   u 
 Kitty has a nice pet. It can sing a sweet song. 
   
 She has just fed it. 
   
 She will now put it in the cage, and hang the cage up. Then the cat can 
 not catch it. 
 
 
 
 LESSON XIII 
 Tom   top   Kit'ty's   at     back 
   
 look   good   doll       think   spot 
   
 th     n     oo 
 Look at Tom and his dog. The dog has a black spot on his back. Do you 
 think he is a good dog? 
   
 Tom has a big top, too. It is on the box with Kitty's doll. 
 
 
 
 LESSON XIV 
 sun   we     how   pond   stop   for 
   
 go     swim   her   us     hot     duck 
   
 e     o 
 The sun is up. The man has fed the black hen and the fat duck. 
   
 Now the duck will swim in the pond. The hen has run to her nest. 
   
 Let us not stop at the pond now, for it is hot. 
   
 See how still it is! We will go to see Tom and his top. 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON XV 
 John   rock     set   jump   fun   must 
   
 may     un'der   skip   bank   but   touch 
   
   
 O John! the sun has just set. It is not hot, now. 
   
 Let us run and jump. I think it is fun to run, and skip, and jump. 
   
 See the duck on the pond! Her nest is up on the bank, under the rock. 
   
 We must not touch the nest, but we may look at it 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON XVI 
 REVIEW. 
   
 The sun has set, and the pond is still. 
   
 John, Ned, Ben, Tom, and Nell stand on the bank, and look at the duck. 
   
   
 The dog with a black spot on his back, is with Tom. See! Tom has his hat 
 in his hand. He has left his big top on the box. 
   
 Kitty's doll is on the rock. Nell has put her pet in the cage. It will 
 sing a sweet song. The duck has her nest under the rock. 
   
 It is not hot now. Let us run, and skip, and jump on the bank. Do you not 
 think it is fun? 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON XVII 
 are   ink   moss   this   tub   up set'   a 
   
   
 SLATE WORK 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON XVIII 
 nut   did   shut   shall   lost   fox 
   
 men   met   step   in'to   hunt   mud 
   
   
 SLATE WORK. 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON XIX 
 Kate   old     no     grass   dear   likes 
   
 be     drink   milk   cow     out     gives 
   
 a 
 O Kate! the old cow is in the pond: see her drink! Will she not come out 
 to get some grass? 
   
 No, John, she likes to be in the pond. See how still she stands! 
   
 The dear old cow gives us sweet milk to drink. 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON XX 
 mam ma'   large   as     pa pa     arms     ride 
   
 far       barn     both   Prince   trot     your 
 Papa, will you let me ride with you on Prince? I will sit still in your 
 arms. 
   
 See, mamma! We are both on Prince. How large he is! 
   
 Get up, Prince! You are not too fat to trot as far as the barn. 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON XXI 
 of     that   toss     fall               well     Fan'ny 
   
 ball   wall   was     pret'ty(prit-)     done     what 
   
 a       a 
 O Fanny, what a pretty ball! 
   
 Yes; can you catch it, Ann? 
   
 Toss it to me, and see. I will not let it fall. 
   
 That was well done 
   
 Now, Fanny, toss it to the top of the wall, if you can. 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON XXII 
 had   went   call   might   flag   near   swam   swing 
 Did you call us, mamma? 
   
 I went with Tom to the pond. I had my doll, and Tom had his flag. 
   
 The fat duck swam to the bank, and we fed her. Did you think we might fall 
 into the pond? 
   
 We did not go too near, did we, Tom? 
   
 May we go to the swing, now, mamma? 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON XXIII 
 here   band     hear     horse   play   they 
   
 pass   where   front   fine     hope   comes 
   
 e       e 
 Here comes the band! Shall we call mamma and Fanny to see it? 
   
 Let us stand still, and hear the men play as they pass. 
   
 I hope they will stop here and play for us. 
   
 See the large man in front of the band, with his big hat. What has he in 
 his hand? How fine he looks! 
   
 Look, too, at the man on that fine horse. 
   
 If the men do not stop, let us go with them and see where they go. 
 
 
 
 LESSON XXIV 
 Bess       hap'py   make   cart       tent   woods 
   
 lit'tle   ver'y     bed     Rob'ert   gone   draw 
 Bess and Robert are very happy; papa and mamma have gone to the woods with 
 them. 
   
 Robert has a big tent and a flag, and Bess has a little bed for her doll. 
   
 Jip is with them. Robert will make him draw Bess and her doll in the cart. 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON XXV 
 James   Ma'ry   made   sang   my       lay 
   
 sport   spade   lap     dig     doll's   sand 
   
 said (sed)       y 
 "Kate, will you play with me?" said James. "We will dig in the sand with 
 this little spade. That will be fine sport." 
   
 "Not now James" said Kate; "for I must make my doll's bed. Get Mary to 
 play with you." 
   
 James went to get Mary to play with him. Then Kate made the doll's bed. 
   
 She sang a song to her doll, and the doll lay very still in her lap. 
   
 Did the doll hear Kate sing? 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON XXVI 
 its   shade   brook     picks   all 
   
 by     help     stones   glad     soft 
 Kate has left her doll in its little bed, and has gone to play with Mary 
 and James. They are all in the shade, now, by the brook. 
   
 James digs in the soft sand with his spade, and Mary picks up little 
 stones and puts them in her lap. 
   
 James and Mary are glad to see Kate. She will help them pick up stones and 
 dig, by the little brook. 
   
   
 1,3. 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON XXVII 
 REVIEW 
   
 "What shall we do?" said Fanny to John. "I do not like to sit still. Shall 
 we hunt for eggs in the barn?" 
   
 "No" said John; "I like to play on the grass. Will not papa let us catch 
 Prince, and go to the big woods?" 
   
 "We can put the tent in the cart, and go to some nice spot where the grass 
 is soft and sweet." 
   
 "That will be fine," said Fanny. "I will get my doll, and give her a ride 
 with us." 
   
 "Yes," said John, "and we will get mamma to go, too. She will hang up a 
 swing for us in the shade." 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON XXVIII 
 peep   while   take   sleep   tuck   safe 
   
 oh     wet     feet   chick   can't   feels   wing 
 Peep, peep! Where have you gone, little chick? Are you lost? Can't you get 
 back to the hen? 
   
 Oh, here you are! I will take you back. Here, hen, take this little chick 
 under your wing. 
   
 Now, chick, tuck your little, wet feet under you, and go to sleep for a 
 while. 
   
 Peep, peep! How safe the little chick feels now! 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON XXIX 
 wind   time     there   fence   kite   high 
   
 eyes   bright   flies   why     day     shines 
 This is a fine day. The sun shines bright. There is a good wind, and my 
 kite flies high. I can just see it. 
   
 The sun shines in my eyes; I will stand in the shade of this high fence. 
   
 Why, here comes my dog! He was under the cart. Did you see him there? 
   
 What a good time we have had! Are you not glad that we did not go to the 
 woods with John? 
   
   
 SLATE WORK. 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON XXX 
 wish   float   tie     know 
   
 rope   boat     try     shore 
   
 give   pole     don't   push 
   
 drag   won't   oar     fun'ny 
 "Kate, I wish we had a boat to put the dolls in. Don't you?" 
   
 "I know what we can do. We can get the little tub, and tie a rope to it, 
 and drag it to the pond. This will float with the dolls in it, and we can 
 get a pole to push it from the shore." 
   
 "What a funny boat, Kate! A tub for a boat, and a pole for an oar! Won't 
 it upset?" 
   
 "We can try it, Nell, and see." 
   
 "Well you get the tub, and I will get a pole and a rope. We will put both 
 dolls in the tub, and give them a ride." 
   
   
 SLATE WORK. 
 
 
 
 LESSON XXXI 
 bound     Rose       called     got       drown     found       brave 
   
 came     Pon'to     jumped     mouth     a round'   brought   wa'ter 
 "Here, Ponto! Here, Ponto!" Kate called to her dog. "Come, and get the 
 dolls out of the pond." 
   
 Rose went under, but she did not drown. Bess was still on the top of the 
 water. 
   
 Ponto came with a bound, and jumped into the pond. He swam around, and got 
 Bess in his mouth, and brought her to the shore. 
   
 Ponto then found Rose, and brought her out, too. 
   
 Kate said, "Good, old Ponto! Brave old dog!" 
   
 What do you think of Ponto? 
 
 
 
 LESSON XXXII 
 June   Lu'cy's   air           kind   trees     sing'ing   blue 
   
 when   pure       says (sez)   sky     pic'nic   u           a 
 "What a bright June day! The air is pure. The sky is as blue as it can be. 
   
 Lucy and her mamma are in the woods. They have found a nice spot, where 
 there is some grass. 
   
 They sit in the shade of the trees, and Lucy is singing. 
   
 The trees are not large, but they make a good shade. 
   
 Lucy's kind mamma says that they will have a picnic when her papa can get 
 a tent. 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON XXXIII 
 REVIEW. 
   
 James and Robert have gone into the shade of a high wall to play ball. 
   
 Mary and Lucy have come up from the pond near by, with brave old Ponto, to 
 see them play. 
   
 When they toss the ball up in the air, and try to catch it, Ponto runs to 
 get it in his mouth. 
   
 Now the ball is lost. They all look for it under the trees and in the 
 grass; but they can not see it. Where can it be? 
   
 See! Ponto has found it. Here he comes with it. He will lay it at little 
 Lucy's feet, or put it in her hand.  
 
 
 
 LESSON XXXIV 
 boy     our       spoil   hur rah'   own     coil 
   
 noise   fourth   such     join      thank   a bout' 
   
 hoist   pay       Ju ly'   playing     oi 
 "Papa, may we have the big flag?" said James. 
   
 "What can my little boy do with such a big flag?" 
   
 "Hoist it on our tent, papa. We are playing Fourth of July." 
   
 "Is that what all this noise is about? Why not hoist your own flags?" 
   
 "Oh! they are too little." 
   
 "You might spoil my flag." 
   
 "Then we will all join to pay for it. But we will not spoil it, papa." 
   
 "Take it, then, and take the coil of rope with it." 
   
 "Oh! thank you. Hurrah for the flag, boys!" 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON XXXV 
 fin'ished   bon'net   les'son   saved       white     a way' 
   
 I've         am         work       scam'per     read'y   gar'den 
 THE WHITE KITTEN. 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON XXXVI 
 care   al'ways       line     Frank 
   
 row     been (bin)   keeps   home 
 Frank has a pretty boat. It is white, with a black line near the water. 
   
 He keeps it in the pond, near his home. He always takes good care of it. 
   
 Frank has been at work in the garden, and will now row a while. 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON XXXVII 
 much   one (wun)     yet     hun'gry 
   
 seen   grand'ma     corn   would   o 
 "What is that?" said Lucy, as she came out on the steps. "Oh, it is a 
 little boat! What a pretty one it is!" 
   
 "I will give it to you when it is finished," said John, kindly. "Would you 
 like to have it?" 
   
 "Yes, very much, thank you, John. Has grandma seen it?" 
   
 "Not yet; we will take it to her by and by. What have you in your pan, 
 Lucy?" 
   
 "Some corn for my hens, John; they must be very hungry by this time." 
 
 
 
 LESSON XXXVIII 
 mar'ket   bread     bas'ket   bought   meat 
   
 tea       try'ing   tell       which 
 James has been to market with his mamma. 
   
 She has bought some bread, some meat, and some tea, which are in the 
 basket on her arm. 
   
 James is trying to tell his mamma what he has seen in the market. 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON XXXIX 
 reads   so     wears   please   could   hair 
   
 fast     love   eas'y   gray     chair   who     glass'es 
 See my dear, old grandma in her easy-chair! How gray her hair is! She 
 wears glasses when she reads. 
   
 She is always kind, and takes such good care of me that I like to do what 
 she tells me. 
   
 When she says, "Robert, will you get me a drink?" I run as fast as I can 
 to get it for her. Then she says, "Thank you, my boy." 
   
 Would you not love a dear, good grandma, who is so kind? And would you not 
 do all yon could to please her? 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON XL 
 does   won'der   moth'er   oth'er   bee   hon'ey   lis'ten   flow'er 
 "Come here, Lucy, and listen! What is in this flower?" 
   
 "O mother! it is a bee. I wonder how it came to be shut up in the flower!" 
   
 "It went into the flower for some honey, and it may be it went to sleep. 
 Then the flower shut it in. 
   
 "The bee likes honey as well as we do, but it does not like to be shut up 
 in the flower. 
   
 "Shall we let it out, Lucy?" 
   
 "Yes; then it can go to other flowers, and get honey." 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON XLI 
 best   hitched   their   should     or     rid'ing 
   
 live   holds    hay     driv'ing   tight   ear'ly 
 Here come Frank and James White. Do you know where they live? 
   
 Frank is riding a horse, and James is driving one hitched to a cart. They 
 are out very early in the day. How happy they are! 
   
 See how well Frank rides, and how tight James holds the lines! 
   
 The boys should be kind to their horses. It is not best to whip them. 
   
 When they have done riding, they will give the horses some hay or corn. 
   
   
 Slate Work 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON XLII 
 look'ing   thought   pick'ing   heard   chirp   were   told   birds 
   
 search     dear'ly   young       girl     loved   chil'dren   be sides' 
 A little girl went in search of flowers for her mother. It was early in 
 the day, and the grass was wet. Sweet little birds were singing all around 
 her. 
   
 And what do you think she found besides flowers? A nest with young birds 
 in it. 
   
 While she was looking at them, she heard the mother bird chirp, as if she 
 said, "Do not touch my children, little girl, for I love them dearly." 
   
 The little girl now thought how dearly her own mother loved her. 
   
 So she left the birds. Then picking some flowers, she went home, and told 
 her mother what she had seen and heard. 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON XLIII 
 eight   ask   aft'er   town   past   ah   tick'et 
   
 right   half   two       train   ding   light'ning 
 "Mamma, will you go to town?" 
   
 "What do you ask for a ticket on your train?" 
   
 "Oh! we will give you a ticket, mamma." 
   
 "About what time will you get back? " 
   
 "At half past eight." 
   
 "Ah! that is after bedtime. Is this the fast train?" 
   
 "Yes, this is the lightning train." 
   
 "Oh! that is too fast for me." 
   
 "What shall we get for you in town, mamma?" 
   
 "A big basket, with two good little children in it." 
   
 "All right! Time is up! Ding, ding!" 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON XLIV 
 school   e'ven (e'vn)   three   room   small 
   
 book     teach'er       noon     rude   read'ing   poor 
 It is noon, and the school is out. Do you see the children at play? Some 
 run and jump, some play ball, and three little girls play school under a 
 tree. 
   
 What a big room for such a small school! 
   
 Mary is the teacher. They all have books in their hands, and Fanny is 
 reading. 
   
 They are all good girls, and would not be rude even in playing school. 
   
 Kate and Mary listen to Fanny as she reads from her book. 
   
 What do you think she is reading about? I will tell you. It is about a 
 poor little boy who was lost in the woods. 
   
 When Fanny has finished, the three girls will go home. 
   
 In a little while, too, the boys will give up their playing. 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON XLV 
 ap'ple   mew   tease   crack'er   down   new   sil'ly   a sleep' 
   
 wants     calls knew     friends     up on' flew   Poll     Pol'ly 
 Lucy has a new pet. Do you know what kind of bird it is? Lucy calls her 
 Polly. 
   
 Polly can say, "Poor Poll! Poor Poll! Polly wants a cracker;" and she can 
 mew like a cat. 
   
 But Polly and the cat are not good friends. One day Polly flew down, and 
 lit upon the cat's back when she was asleep. 
   
 I think she knew the cat would not like that, and she did it to tease her. 
   
 When Lucy pets the cat, Polly flies up into the old apple tree, and will 
 not come when she calls her. Then Lucy says, "What a silly bird!" 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON XLVI 
 REVIEW. 
   
   
 "Well, children, did you have a nice time in the woods?" 
   
 "Oh yes, mother, such a good time! See what sweet flowers we found, and 
 what soft moss. The best flowers are for grandma. Won't they please her?" 
   
 "Yes; and it will please grandma to know that you thought of her." 
 "Rab was such a good dog, mother. 
   
 We left him under the big tree by the brook, to take care of the dolls and 
 the basket. 
   
 "When we came back, they were all safe. No one could get them while Rab 
 was there. We gave him some of the crackers from the basket. 
   
 "O mother, how the birds did sing in the woods! 
   
 "Fanny said she would like to be a bird, and have a nest in a tree. But I 
 think she would want to come home to sleep." 
   
 "If she were a bird, her nest would be her home. But what would mother do, 
 I wonder, without her little Fanny?" 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON XLVII 
 beach   shells   these   seat       waves     go'ing 
   
 ev'er   sea       watch   e'ven ing   la'zy     side 
 These boys and girls live near the sea. They have been to the beach. It is 
 now evening, and they are going home. 
   
 John, who sits on the front seat, found some pretty shells. They are in 
 the basket by his side. 
   
 Ben White is driving. He holds the lines in one hand, and his whip in the 
 other. 
   
 Robert has his hat in his hand, and is looking at the horses. He thinks 
 they are very lazy; they do not trot fast. 
   
 The children are not far from home. In a little while the sun will set, 
 and it will be bedtime. 
   
 Have you ever been at the seaside? Is it not good sport to watch the big 
 waves, and to play on the wet sand? 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON XLVIII 
 log   qui'et   proud   pulled   fish   stump   riv'er   fa'ther 
 One evening Frank's father said to him, "Frank, would you like to go with 
 me to catch some fish?" 
   
 "Yes; may I go? and with you, father?" 
   
 "Yes, Frank, with me." 
   
 "Oh, how glad I am!" 
   
 Here they are, on the bank of a river. Frank has just pulled a fine fish 
 out of the water. How proud he feels! 
   
 See what a nice, quiet spot they have found. Frank has the stump of a big 
 tree for his seat, and his father sits on a log near by. They like the 
 sport. 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON XLIX 
 rain     out'side   of'ten   pit'ter       say     win'dow 
   
 sound   pat'ter     drops     some'times   on'ly   mu'sic 
   
   
 SLATE WORK 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON L 
 sled   throw   win'ter   hurt   ice     cov'er   Hen'ry       next 
   
 skate   ground   mer'ry     snow   sister   laugh'ing (laf'ing)   pair 
 I like winter, when snow and ice cover the ground. What fun it is to throw 
 snowballs, and to skate on the ice! 
   
 See the boys and girls! How merry they are! Henry has his sled, and draws 
 his little sister. There they go! 
   
 I think Henry is kind, for his sister is too small to skate. 
   
 Look! Did you see that boy fall down? But I see he is not hurt, for he is 
 laughing. 
   
 Some other boys have just come to join in the sport. See them put on their 
 skates. 
   
 Henry says, that he hopes his father will get a pair of skates for his 
 sister next winter. 
 
 
 
 LESSON LI 
 paw     po lite'   means     isn't   speak   sir   shake   Fi'do 
   
 tricks   teach       din'ner   El'len   bow'wow 
 Ellen, do look at Fido! He sits up in a chair, with my hat on. He looks 
 like a little boy; but it is only Fido. 
   
 Now see him shake hands. Give me your paw, Fido. How do you do, sir? Will 
 you take dinner with us. Fido? Speak! Fido says, "Bowwow," which means, 
 "Thank you, I will." 
   
 Isn't Fido a good dog, Ellen? He is always so polite. 
   
 When school is out, I will try to teach him some other tricks. 
 
 
 
 LESSON LII 
 puss     shed     pain     way         stole   saw     hid   eat 
   
 Hat'tie suf'fer sor'ry   some'thing   caught   tried   Ne'ro 
 "O Hattie! I just saw a large rat in the shed; and old Nero tried to catch 
 it." 
   
 "Did he catch it, Frank?" 
   
 "No; Nero did not; but the old cat did." 
   
 "My cat?" 
   
 "No, it was the other one." 
   
 "Do tell me how she got it, Frank. Did she run after it?" 
   
 "No, that was not the way. Puss was hid on a big box. The rat stole out, 
 and she jumped at it and caught it." 
   
 "Poor rat! It must have been very hungry; it came out to get something to 
 eat." 
   
 "Why, Hattie, you are not sorry puss got the rat, are you?" 
   
 "No, I can not say I am sorry she got it; but I do not like to see even a 
 rat suffer pain." 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON LIII 
 roll       build   grand'pa   hard     foam       ships 
   
 hous'es   long     sail       break   wood'en   blow 
 Mary and Lucy have come down to the beach with their grandpa. They live in 
 a town near the sea. 
   
 Their grandpa likes to sit on the large rock, and watch the big ships as 
 they sail far away on the blue sea. Sometimes he sits there all day long. 
   
 The little girls like to dig in the sand, and pick up pretty shells. They 
 watch the waves as they roll up on the beach, and break into white foam. 
   
 They sometimes make little houses of sand, and build walls around them; 
 and they dig wells with their small wooden spades. 
   
 They have been picking up shells for their little sister. She is too young 
 to come to the beach. 
   
 I think all children like to play by the seaside when the sun is bright, 
 and the wind does not blow too hard. 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON LIV 
 asked   want'ed   four   Wil'lie's   night     rab'bits 
   
 lad     car'ried   cents   tell'ing     fif'ty   mas'ter 
 One day, Willie's father saw a boy at the market with four little white 
 rabbits in a basket. 
   
 He thought these would be nice pets for Willie; so he asked the lad how 
 much he wanted for his rabbits. 
   
 The boy said, "Only fifty cents, sir." 
   
 Willie's father bought them, and carried them home. 
   
 Here you see the rabbits and their little master. He has a pen for them, 
 and always shuts them in it at night to keep them safe. 
   
 He gives them bread and grass to eat. They like grass, and will take it 
 from his hand. He has called in a little friend to see them. 
   
 Willie is telling him about their funny ways. 
   
 SLATE WORK. 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON LV 
 bush     cun'ning   place     show   find   bro'ken 
   
 o'ver   bring       a'gain (a gen')   fas'ten (fas' n ) 
 "Come here, Rose. Look down into this bush." 
   
 "O Willie! a bird's nest! What cunning, little eggs! May we take it, and 
 show it to mother? " 
   
 "What would the old bird do, Rose, if she should come back and not find 
 her nest?" 
   
 "Oh, we would bring it right back, Willie!" 
   
 "Yes; but we could not fasten it in its place again. If the wind should 
 blow it over, the eggs would get broken." 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON LVI 
 strong   round   dry   bill   worked 
   
 sends    claws   flit   God     spring 
   
   
 "How does the bird make the nest so strong, Willie?" 
   
 "The mother bird has her bill and her claws to work with, but she would 
 not know how to make the nest if God did not teach her. Do you see what it 
 is made of?" 
   
 "Yes, Willie, I see some horse-hairs and some dry grass. The old bird must 
 have worked hard to find all the hairs, and make them into such a pretty, 
 round nest." 
   
 "Shall we take the nest, Rose?" 
   
 "Oh no, Willie! We must not take it; but we will come and look at it 
 again, some time." 
   
   
 SLATE WORK. 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON LVII 
 feathers   a go'   fly   worm   crumb   feed'ing 
   
 ug'ly       off     feed   brown   guess   things 
 "Willie, when I was feeding the birds just now, a little brown bird flew 
 away with a crumb in its bill." 
   
 "Where did it go, Rose?" 
   
 "I don't know; away off, somewhere." 
   
 "I can guess where, Rose. Don't you know the nest we saw some days ago? 
 What do you think is in it now?" 
   
 "O Willie, I know! Some little brown birds. Let us go and see them." 
   
 "All right; but we must not go too near. There! I just saw the old bird 
 fly out of the bush. Stand here, Rose. Can you see?" 
   
 "Why, Willie, what ugly little things! What big mouths they have, and no 
 feathers!" 
   
 "Keep still, Rose. Here comes the old bird with a worm in her bill. How 
 hard she must work to feed them all!" 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON LVIII 
 fallin'g   counts   woes       nigh   be gun'   griefs 
   
 stars       tear     morn'ing   Lord   each     joys 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON LIX 
 whis'tle (whis'l)   poc'ket   wil'low   note   filled     dead   sick 
   
 walk   ev'ery       blew     lane     lame   tak'ing   cane   took 
 One day, when Mary was taking a walk down the lane, trying to sing her 
 doll to sleep, she met Frank, with his basket and cane. 
   
 Frank was a poor, little, lame boy. His father and mother were dead. His 
 dear, old grandma took care of him, and tried to make him happy. 
   
 Every day, Mary's mother filled Frank's basket with bread and meat, and a 
 little tea for his grandma. 
   
 "How do you do, Frank?" said Mary. "Don't make a noise; my doll is going 
 to sleep. It is just a little sick to-day." 
   
 "Well, then, let us whistle it to sleep." And Frank, taking a willow 
 whistle out of his pocket, blew a long note. 
   
 "Oh, how sweet!" cried Mary. "Do let me try." 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON LX 
 turned   face   cried   low   al'most   soon   more   cry 
   
 once(wuns)       be cause' 
 "Yes, Mary, I will give it to you, because you are so good to my grandma." 
   
 "Oh! thank you very much." Mary blew and blew a long time. "I can't make 
 it whistle," said she, almost ready to cry. 
   
 "Sometimes they will whistle, and sometimes they won't," said Frank. "Try 
 again, Mary." 
   
 She tried once more, and the whistle made a low, sweet sound. "It 
 whistles!" she cried. 
   
 In her joy, she had turned the doll's face down, and its eyes shut tight, 
 as if it had gone to sleep. 
   
 "There!" cried Frank, "I told you the way to put a doll to sleep, is to 
 whistle to it." 
   
 "So it is," said Mary. "Dear, little thing; it must be put in its bed 
 now." 
   
 So they went into the house. Frank's basket was soon filled, and he went 
 home happy. 
   
 
 
 
 LESSON LXI 
 stood     him self'   flap'ping   first     twelve 
   
 flapped   walked       flap         o bey'     bet'ter 
   
 Chip'py   food         stone       be fore'   chick'ens   kept 
 There was once a big, white hen that had twelve little chickens. They were 
 very small, and the old hen took good care of them. She found food for 
 them in the daytime, and at night kept them under her wings. 
   
 One day, this old hen took her chickens down to a small brook. She thought 
 the air from the water would do them good. 
   
 When they got to the brook, they walked on the bank a little while. It was 
 very pretty on the other side of the brook, and the old hen thought she 
 would take her children over there. 
   
 There was a large stone in the brook: she thought it would be easy for 
 them to jump to that stone, and from it to the other side. 
   
 So she jumped to the stone, and told the children to come after her. For 
 the first time, she found that they would not obey her. 
   
 She flapped her wings, and cried, "Come here, all of you! Jump upon this 
 stone, as I did. We can then jump to the other side. Come now!" 
   
 "O mother! we can't, we can't, we can't!" said all the little chickens. 
   
 "Yes you can, if you try," said the old hen. "Just flap your wings, as I 
 did, and you can jump over." 
   
 "I am flapping my wings," said Chippy, who stood by himself; "but I can't 
 jump any better than I could before." 
 
 
 
 LESSON LXII 
 chirped   nev'er     in deed'   slow'ly   re'ally   brood 
   
 be gan'   did n't   use         door       bite       piece 
 "I never saw such children," said the old hen. "You don't try at all." 
   
 "We can't jump so far, mother. Indeed we can't, we can't!" chirped the 
 little chickens. 
   
 "Well," said the old hen, "I must give it up." So she jumped back to the 
 bank, and walked slowly home with her brood. 
   
 "I think mother asked too much of us," said one little chicken to the 
 others. 
   
 "Well, I tried," said Chippy. 
   
 "We didn't," said the others; "it was of no use to try." 
   
 When they got home, the old hen began to look about for something to eat. 
 She soon found, near the back door, a piece of bread. 
   
 So she called the chickens, and they all ran up to her, each one trying to 
 get a bite at the piece of bread. 
   
 "No, no!" said the old hen. "This bread is for Chippy. He is the only one 
 of my children that really tried to jump to the stone." 
 
 
 
 LESSON LXIII 
 last   slates   write     waste     neat     taken 
   
 clean   learn     read'er   par'ents sec'ond 
 We have come to the last lesson in this book. We have finished the First 
 Reader. 
   
 You can now read all the lessons in it, and can write them on your slates. 
   
 Have you taken good care of your book? Children should always keep their 
 books neat and clean. 
   
 Are you not glad to be ready for a new book? 
   
 Your parents are very kind to send you to school. If you are good, and if 
 you try to learn, your teacher will love you, and you will please your 
 parents. 
   
 Be kind to all, and do not waste your time in school. When you go home, 
 you may ask your parents to get you a Second Reader. 
   
 
 
 Publication Date: January 22nd 2015 https://www.bookrix.com/-mk496e398f1e345