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Besides it is frosty and foggy weather, which I do not like. The other night when I came home from Stratford, the cold shriveled me up so, that when I got home I thought I was my own child!

However, I hope we shall all have a merry Christmas. I mean to come in my ticklesome waistcoat, and to laugh till I grow fat, or at least streaky. There will be doings! And then such good things to eat; but, pray, pray, pray, mind they don't boil the baby by mistake for the plump pudding, instead of a plum one. Give my love to everybody, from yourself down to Willy.

Your affectionate lover,

Thomas Hood.

The funniest thing in the world, I know,
Is watching the monkeys in the show!-
Jumping and running and racing 'round,
Up at the top of the pole, then down!
First they're here, and then they're there,
And just almost any and everywhere!—
Screeching and scratching wherever they go,
They're the funniest things in the world, I know!
James Whitcomb Riley.

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How sweet is the shepherd's sweet lot!
From the morn to the evening he strays;
He shall follow his sheep all the day,
And his tongue shall be filled with praise.

For he hears the lambs' innocent call,
And he hears the ewes' tender reply;
He is watchful; while they are in peace,
For they know when their shepherd is nigh.

THE UGLY DUCKLING

BY HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

I

It was glorious out in the country. It was summer; the corn-fields were yellow, the oats were green, the hay had been put up in stacks in the green meadows. The stork went about on his long red legs, and chattered Egyptian, for this was the language he had learned from his good mother. Yes, it was glorious out in the country.

In the midst of the sunshine there lay an old farm, with deep canals about it. From the wall down to the water grew great burdocks, so high that little children could stand upright under the loftiest of them. Here sat a duck upon her nest; she had to hatch her ducklings; but she was almost tired out before the little ones came.

At last one egg-shell after another burst open. "Peep! peep!" it cried, and in all the eggs there were little creatures that stuck out their heads.

"Quack! quack!" they said; and they all came quacking out as fast as they could, looking all

round them under the green leaves. Their mother let them look as much as they chose, for green is good for the eyes.

"How wide the world is!" said all the young ones, for they certainly had much more room now than when they were in the eggs.

"Do you think this is all the world?" asked the mother. "That stretches far across the other side of the garden, quite into the parson's field; but I have never been there yet. I hope you are all together," and she stood up. "No, I have not all. The largest egg still lies there. How long is that to last? I am really tired of it." And she sat down again.

"Well, how goes it?" asked an old duck who had come to pay her a visit.

"It lasts a long time with that one egg," said the mother. "It will not burst. Now only look at the others; are not they the prettiest little ducks one could possibly see?"

"Let me see the egg that will not burst," said the visitor. "You may be sure it is a turkey's egg. I was once cheated in that way, and had much anxiety and trouble with the young ones,

for they are afraid of the water.

Must I say it

to you, I could not get them to venture in. I quacked and I clacked, but it was no use. Let me see the egg. Yes, that's a turkey's egg. Let it lie there. You would better be teaching the other children to swim."

"I think I will sit on it a little longer," said the mother. "I've sat so long now that I can sit a few days more."

"Just as you please," said the old duck, and she went away.

II

At last the great egg burst. "Peep! peep!" said the little one, and crept forth. It was very large and gray and ugly. The mother looked at it.

"It's a very large duckling," said she; "none of the others looks like that. Can it really be a turkey chick? Well, we shall soon find out. It must go into the water, even if I have to thrust it in myself."

On the next day the weather was beautiful. The sun shone on all the green trees. The motherduck went down to the canal with all her family.

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