10. TWO RABBITS.

Harry Grey and his brother Ned had two rabbits given to them on their birthday. Ned's rabbit was pure white, but Harry's had a few black spots on the white fur.

Harry and Ned kept their rabbits in two cages at the lower end of the garden.

These pretty rabbits were young and had not yet grown very large. Oh, Oh, what cunning little fellows they were! With their long ears lying over their backs, they looked like two fluffy balls of fur.

At first the boys fed their rabbits regularly every morning, but after a time Ned grew a little lazy. It was hard work, he said, stooping over to pluck clover, or to go into the garden to get his rabbit a large fresh cabbage leaf.

Then he did not give his pet clean water to drink. He did not keep its little home clean and neat. Very soon

his rabbit grew dirty, poor, and thin, for lack of the care he should have given it. All this time Harry gave his pet the best of care. He was never too tired to

gather fresh green lettuce or clover and cabbage for it to nibble.

So Harry's pet grew large, fat, and tame. It grew to know him, and would run to him and nibble food from his hand.

One morning the boys went to see their rabbits; but alas! Ned's was lying cold and dead. Oh, how sorry he was! He cried bitterly, but the rabbit could not hear him.

So we see Ned and Harry were rewarded according to the care they had given their pets.

Which boy would you rather be?

hard to be friendly.

He visits you while you are fast asleep as well as when you are wide awake.

He is a bold little fellow while everything is quiet, but is very shy if he thinks there is danger.

Let us see what we can find out about the mouse.

He has a pretty little body covered with soft, fine fur, which he keeps very clean. His short legs are very slender.

The sharp nails at the end of the toes tell us that the mouse was made to climb anything that is a little rough.

Then he can turn his back toes so that the nails point backward. Now we know

why he can run down a wall as easily as

he runs up one.

Let him take this stick in his mouth, so

that you can see his teeth.

find, Charlie?

What do you

"There are four chisel-shaped teeth, two in each jaw. Oh, his teeth are like the squirrel's teeth. They are made for nibbling and gnawing, I think."

The teeth show us the manner in which

the mouse gets its food.

His large ears show that he can hear the least noise, and his bright eyes tell us that he can see at night.

He has whiskers like the cat, so that he can feel his way without making a noise.

The mouse is a timid little animal, but can be tamed quite easily.

He eats vegetable food and some animal food.

Mrs. Mouse makes a very comfortable home for her children. Sometimes she chooses very strange places in which to

make her nest. She makes it of moss, hair, paper, wool, rags, and feathers.

Do you wonder now that mice like to visit you while you are asleep?

I hope each little reader of this book will write a story about mice.

tail.

In what are the squirrel and the mouse alike? Compare the squirrel's tail with the mouse's

Some little mice lived in the unfinished attic of a house.

There they could dance and frolic, or run races down the walls.

As this attic was used for a storeroom, the mice could find snug little places in which to make their nests, and also plenty