He slammed the window down again,
When up that old bird flew;
And, pecking at the window-pane,

Cried, "Cock-a-doodle-doodle-doodle-doo!"

NURSERY NONSENSE.

JACK'S MENAGERIE.

HIS is our grand menagerie,

"THIS

Beneath the crooked cherry-tree.

The exhibition now begins :

Admittance, only thirteen pins;

And if the pins you cannot borrow,

Why, then, we'll trust you, till to-morrow.
Don't be afraid to walk inside,

The animals are safely tied.

"This is the elephant on the right:
Don't meddle with him, or he 'll bite.
(He's Rover, Neddie's dog, you know.
I wish he wouldn't fidget so!

He doesn't think it fun to play

Wild beast, and be chained up all day.)
We'll feed him, pretty soon, with meat;
Though grass is what he ought to eat.

"In that box are the kangaroos :
Go near and pat them if you choose.
(They're very much like Susie's rabbits,
With just a change of name and habits.)

You'll find them lively as a top:

See, when I poke them, how they hop!
They are not fierce; but oh! take care:
We now approach the grizzly bear.

"See her long claws, and only hear
Her awful growl when I go near!
We found her lying on a rug,
And just escaped her fearful hug. ·
It took some time to get her caged:
She's terrible when she's enraged.
(You think, perhaps, it 's Mabel's cat,
But don't you be too sure of that!)

"Here is the ostrich in her pen
(It's Ernest's little bantam-hen):
She came from Africa, of course,
And runs as fast as any horse;
And up above there is a bird

Of whom you all have often heard,
The eagle." (" That is not," says Mary,
"A pretty name for my canary.")

Just at this point, I grieve to say,
The elephant broke quite away,
O'erthrew the grizzly bear in rage,
Upset the eagle in his cage,
Flew at the kangaroos, and then
Attacked the ostrich in her pen.
Thus ended Jack's menagerie,
Beneath the crooked cherry-tree!

H. B., Nursery.

PUSSY-CAT.

PUSSY-CAT lives in the servants' hall,
She can set up her back, and purr;

The little mice live in a crack in the wall,
But they hardly dare venture to stir.

For whenever they think of taking the air,
Or filling their little maws,

The Pussy-cat says, "Come out, if you dare!

I will catch you all with my claws.”

Scrabble, scrabble, scrabble, went all the little mice,

For they smelt the Cheshire cheese;

The Pussy-cat says, "It smells very nice,

66

Now do come out, if you please."

Squeak," said the little mouse, "Squeak, squeak, squeak,"

Said all the young ones too;

"We never creep out when cats are about,

Because we 're afraid of YOU."

So the cunning old cat lay down on a mat
By the fire in the servants' hall:

"If the little mice peep, they'll think I'm asleep ; " So she rolled herself up like a ball.

"Squeak," said the little mouse, "we 'll creep out

And eat some Cheshire cheese,

That silly old cat is asleep on the mat,

And we may sup at our ease."

Nibble, nibble, nibble, went all the little mice,
And they licked their little paws;

Then the cunning old cat sprung up from the mat,
And caught them all with her claws.

KITTY IN THE BASKET.

WHERE is my little basket gone

Said Charlie boy one day ;

"I guess some little boy or girl

Has taken it away.

"And Kitty too, I can't find her.
O dear, what shall I do?
I wish I could my basket find,
And little Kitty too.

"I'll go to mother's room and look:

Perhaps she may be there,

For Kitty loves to take a nap

In mother's easy-chair.

?"

"Oh, mother! mother! come and look!

See what a little heap!

My Kitty's in the basket here,

All cuddled down to sleep."

He took the basket carefully,
And brought it in a minute,
And showed it to his mother dear,
With little Kitty in it.

MRS. FOLI.en.

THE FIREMEN.

ARK! the city bells are ringing!

HA

What's the news that they are bringing?

Now the sound comes higher, nigher;

And the cry is, "Fire! fire!"

Start the engines! — quicker, faster!
Help to stop the great disaster!
Bring the hose, and bring the ladder :
See the flames grow mad and madder!

Now, boys, work away! be ready
With a stream that's full and steady :
On the smoking rafters pour it
Till the fire gives way before it.

Ah! what is it, as I clamber,

That I see in yonder chamber?

'Tis a child, that love should cherish :
I must rescue it, or perish.

On a ladder, burning, bending,
See the fireman bold ascending:
At the risk of life, he's going
Where the fiercest flames are glowing.

From a bed the child he snatches.
Ah! the fire still wider catches:

It would stay him, and surround him;
But no danger can confound him.