Happy little creatures! you will never taste such careless hours as you do now; when you grow up, you will have many cares; you may have many sorrows; yet assure yourselves, if you be good, you will be happy; be happy for ever. Remember this, my dear little readers, from Your Friend, THE AUTHOR. COBWEBS TO CATCH FLIES. THE RAT. IN WORDS OF THREE LETTERS. _Frederick._ I saw a rat; and I saw the dog try to get it. _Ann._ And did he get it? _Frederick._ No: but the cat did. _Ann._ My cat? _Frederick._ No: it was the old cat. _Ann._ How did she get it? Did she run for it? _Frederick._ No: it is not the way:—she was hid—the rat ran out; and, pop! she had him. _Ann._ A dog can run. _Frederick._ Yes; but a cat is sly. _Ann._ The kit can not get a rat. _Frederick._ No; she can not yet; but she can get a fly. I saw her get a fly. [Illustration: Cat] [Illustration: Cat] THE CAT. IN WORDS OF THREE LETTERS. _Boy._ See our cat! she can see a rat. Can she get it and eat it up? _Mother._ Yes, she can: but she was bit by an old rat one day. _Boy._ Ah! my _Kit_! why did you try to get the old rat! One day the dog bit our cat; he bit her jaw. Did the cat get on my bed? _Mother._ Yes; but she is off now. _Boy._ Why did she get on the bed? _Mother._ To lie on it, and purr. _Boy._ Now, Puss, you are up. Why do you say _Mew_? Why do you say purr? You may lie by me, _Cat_. See her joy as I pat her ear. Why do you get off the bed? Why do you beg to be let out? _Mother._ So she may go to her kit. _Boy._ Has she a kit? Why do you go to the kit? Is she to go? _Mother._ Yes; let her go. THE MORNING. IN WORDS OF THREE LETTERS. _Mother._ Now get up; it is six. _Boy._ O, me! is it six? _Mother._ Yes, it is; and the dew is off. _Boy._ I see the sun. Is it fit for me to go out? [Illustration: Boy with stick] _Mother._ Now it is; but by ten it may be hot. So get up now. _Boy._ May I go to-day, and buy my top? _Mother._ Yes, you may. _Boy._ A peg-top? _Sam_ has a peg-top. He has let me use his. One day he did. I met _Tom_ one day, and he had a top so big! I can hop as far as _Tom_ can. _Tom_ has a bat too! and _Tom_ is but of my age. Let us buy a cup and a mug for _Bet_. And let us get a gun for _Sam_. And a pot and an urn for _Bet_. An ant has bit my leg. See how red it is! May I get a bag for _Sue_? _Mother._ Can you pay for it? _Boy._ O, no! but you can pay for all. May the dog go? _Mother._ Yes, he may go. _Boy._ I see him: may I let him in? THE WINDOW. IN WORDS OF THREE LETTERS. _First Boy._ I see a man! The man has a dog. The man has got in. The dog has not got in: but the man has got in. _Mother._ Do not cry, dog; you will see the man by-and-by. Dog! why do you cry? _Second Boy._ I can not see. _First Boy._ You are too low. Get up. _Second Boy._ I can not get up. _First Boy._ Try;—now you are up. _Second Boy._ I see the cow.