THE NURSERY _A Monthly Magazine_ FOR YOUNGEST READERS. VOLUME XXIX.--No. 1. BOSTON: THE NURSERY PUBLISHING COMPANY, NO. 36 BROMFIELD STREET. 1881. Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1881, by THE NURSERY PUBLISHING COMPANY, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. [Illustration: JOHN WILSON & SON. UNIVERSITY PRESS.] [Illustration: Contents.] IN PROSE. PAGE That Merry Christmas 1 Baby and the Bird 4 The Sheep follow the Shepherd 7 "A Friend in Need" 8 "In a Minute" 10 Down the River after the Boy 14 Drawing-Lesson 17 Jack the Magpie 19 Among the Holly-Bushes 23 The Basket of Apples 25 IN VERSE. PAGE Baby's Quiet Family 3 A New Year's Dialogue 5 The Christmas-Tree 12 "Flutter, Flutter!" 16 Christmas Bells 18 Portraits for Little Folks 21 Christmas (_with music_) 32 [Illustration] [Illustration] [Illustration: THAT MERRY CHRISTMAS. VOL. XXIX.--NO. 1.] THAT MERRY CHRISTMAS WHAT a glad noise there was that Christmas morning! The children had got up early to look in their stockings. John's were not quite large enough to hold all of his gifts. It is rather hard to crowd a sword, a gun, and a rocking-horse all into one stocking. Mary had a fine new doll. Harry had a box, and, on taking off the cover, up sprang a wise-looking little man, with a cap on his head. Jessy had a doll, and a very pretty one it was too. Tommy had a what-do-you-call-it. Why did he look up the chimney? I think it was to see if there was any sign of Santa Claus. John mounted his horse, waved his sword, and held up his gun. But very soon he began to get tired of them all. The thought came into his head that he was more than eight years old. "What do I want of these toys?" said he. "Why was I so silly as to choose them, when aunt Susan would have given me a microscope?" And John laid down his sword and gun, feeling quite above such childish things. When aunt Susan came, she saw that John did not seem as glad over his presents as the rest of the children did over theirs. "What is the matter, John?" she asked. "Why are you not playing with your toys?" "Aunt Susan," said John, "I wish I had taken the microscope. Is it too late?"