For the Children

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17028, 30 April 1923, Page 3

For the Children

GLAUCUS. This is not the tale of a Roman noble, as might be supposed from the t.itUq but the true story of a Plymouth Rot k chicken. Hi? home was not at Plymouth Rock, either, but in a large garden in Natal, a province *ol the South African Union. His first excursion into nature, after leaving the pleasant straw nest, together with his little sisters and brothers, wa* to ths nasturtium bed. There Mere such nice things to scratch, not to mention the jolly fat seeds that hung down after the nasturtiums had ceased flowering. Nothing exciting happened at first. The little Plymouth Rocks just spent happy and normal days iti the sunny garden, and slept peacefully at night under the big hen in the chicken run. But then it befell that Glaiicus lost all bis feather©! Everybody knows that chickens change their feathers when they grow a hit bigger, but generally the new feathers are already peeping out a© the old ones drop off. With Glancus. for some teason. this was different. The new feathers refused to oome and sisters began to laugh at him and even Mother Plymouth Rock was ashamed of this curiou. little creature. So Glaiicus felt mihappy, and srtood about in corners instead of scratching. That is where Nancy found him. She saw at owoe that *’<• wa? a fine chicken, but cold, without 1 1 is feathers. So she ran And fetched a black silk stocking, cut two holes for his legs and dressed him in a little crat! CJsmmi.- felt happy at-once and was soon scratching agaiu in the rioMte’ bed. He hoped his sisters and brother would admire him when they came bock in the evening. But. .sad to relate, they thought Ire looked funnier than ever in his little black coat, and they peeked at him. Glaiicus fied to his new friend and said, as plain as plain could , he: "You look after me!. Cheep, cheep!” A nice basket was found, stuffed with soft rag* and placed in the kitchen: and there little Glaucus was to sleep every night. He liked that Early in the morning, when the black •oy came to light the kitchen stove, Glaucus would chirp : ” Peep! Peep!” and that was a signal to be lifted out oi' his basket and put outside in the 'Un. He soon learned where Nancy slept, and arrived every morning at her bedroom door to march in the minute she opened it. Some grain generally awaited him. After a‘while Glaums noticed that the grey tom-cat had his porridge and milk out of a plate in the kitchen. So Glaucus decided he v. ould have his there, too. The cat '\as rather surprised at- first, when the bttle black-coated stranger came to neck out of the same plate ; hut. after 1 few mornings, he alwavs waited, until thov could have it together. Glaucus got to know Nancy’s habits very well. and. when she read for an hour or two every morning on the ncrch. he chose that as his time for repose, and snuggled close to her foot until study time was over. Tt was not long before ins feathers had grown, and what a fine crop it was! Anr of the other chickens were proud now if be associated with them, but ho pre‘Vrved Nancy’s company and never t ided to come if she called him. He always roosted on the arm or back of her chair: and once. when si,/., was taking a nap on the porch sofa, he •oril-r climbed lip and settled down gently on her chest, which surprised her a great deal when she woke up.

sifted in sleeping in the rag basket, and never failed to eat breakfast with the cat. He never forgot the kindness with which h had been treated, when forsaken by his own brothers anti sisters and was always to he found near the house, ready to heed every call of Nancy’s voice. ' JOAN’S LESSON. ‘ Why should I have to practise silly little scales?” thought Jean. ‘‘lt’s absurd, and I will just play like Auntie does at concerts—for it seems .so simple.” Raising her drub by hands. she brought them down on the keys with a terrific crash, while the cat fled from the room, and the parrot screeched with rage. Then in came Joan’s big brother, declaring that his head would burst with the discord, and Joan nearly cried. “ I am trying to play like Auntie.” At first he laughed then grew grave. ‘ ‘ Those who would reach heights must learn to climb.” he said. and Joan knows now that scales must come before grand performances. ONCE UPON A TIME. It isn’t bed-time yet. so ou mother’s knee we climb To hear a pretty fairy tale of “once upon a time.” We like Did; Whittington the best; he’d such a clever cat Which helped to make his fortune. 1 wish we had one like that. M A STER W H TTE NOSE. Once upon a time, there whs an old woman named Dame Trot. .She was one of three sisters; the other two being the ” Old Woman who lived in a Shoe ” and the “Old Woman who lived upon nothing but victuals and drink.” The Dame had a cat. a kind of tortoiseshell, with a curious white mark around its eyes. nose, and mouth; hence it-s name of White Nose. The Dame was poor. She wore a much mended gown and a high steeple-hat. She spent most of her time looking at a great book of coloured pictures, but that. as you may suppose, did not interest White Nose. The old woman was so absorbed in her book that one day she actually forgot all about dinner! There was nothing in the house but apples and onions, which the cat could not eat.. White Nose began to grow more and more hungry. He said to himself. “What shall I do? 1 fear 1 shall starve ! ” He poked his nose into all sorts of places in search of food. Then, in jumping from a shelf, he upset a big jug. ” Oh, I shall get a scolding.” he thought. Luckily the Dame was so absorbed in her book that she took no notice. Then White Nose s aw milk running out of the jug- He laughed and began to lap, nor did lie leave off. until he had swallowed every drop. When he looked round. Dame Trot was still intent on her picture book, .so he ran out at the back door, and fell asleep.

By-aiul-by the old woman closed lier book, and soon spied the empty jug lying >ui tlie floor. “Dearie me!” she said. “ T must have forgotten to take any milk this morning.”

And she never found out what Whit*. Nose had done!