Write a story about Pussy Willows, arranging the sentences in two groups: one describing the day, the other telling what the children did. What was the What were the Who went to What kind of day was it? (pleasant). sun doing? How did the wind blow? birds doing among the trees? (twittering). the brooks where the willow trees grow? they find the branches of the trees covered? What did the children do? What did they carry home? did they do with them? NOTE. With what did "Within your close, brown wrapper stir; Come, Pussy! Pussy Willow!" What "Pussy Willows," by Elinor Smith, or some other poem on pussy willows, may be given for a memory gem. LESSON LXI THE PRONOUN 1. Henry came when Henry heard Henry's mother call Henry. 2. Henry came when he heard his mother call him. Which of these sentences sounds better? Tell why. What words are used in the second sentence to avoid repeating Henry so often? Write the following sentences, using other words for nouns, when necessary to avoid the awkward repetition of the nouns. John lost John's book. Mary gave Mary's doll to Mary's sister. George's father gave George a George a pony on George's birthday. Fred and Frank have gone to the woods; Fred and Frank will be gone all day. The dog saw the dog's shadow in the water. Mary said, "Mary is going to school now, mamma. mamma." The words you have written in the place of nouns are very useful. If we did not have them, the same noun would often be repeated many times in a sentence, and this would sound very awkward. These words that are used instead of nouns are called Pronouns. FOR CONVERSATION AND REPRODUCTION 85 Select the pronouns in the following, and tell for what noun each is used: Dick's bed was in the garret, and at night great numbers of rats and mice came through the holes in the floor and made so much noise that he was not able to sleep. One day a gentleman gave him a penny for blacking his boots, and he thought he would buy a cat with it. The next morning he saw a girl who was carrying a cat in her arms. 66 "I will give you this penny for your cat," he said. Very well, you may have her," said the girl; "and you will find that she is an excellent mouser." Dick kept his cat in the garret and gave her a part of his dinner each day. In a short time there was not a rat nor a mouse to trouble him, and he slept soundly every night. Select pronouns in your reading lessons, and tell for what noun each is used. LESSON LXII FOR CONVERSATION AND REPRODUCTION THE WIND AND THE SUN One day the wind and the sun had a dispute as to which was the stronger. They could not agree, for each thought that he was the stronger. Seeing a traveller on the way, they decided that the one who could first make him throw off his coat would be declared the stronger. Then the wind began to blow. He blew harder and harder, but the man wrapped his cloak more closely about him. Then the sun tried. He poured out his warm rays. Before long the man said, "It is very warm; I must take off this cloak." This he did, and lay down upon the ground in the cool shade. 1. Have a conversation lesson upon the fable and the lesson it teaches. 2. Write the story from memory. LESSON LXIII COMPOSITION VACATION Write an account of the way in which you spent some vacation which was particularly pleasant. Also, tell how you expect to spend the coming summer. STUDY OF A SELECTION 87 LESSON LXIV STUDY OF A SELECTION LEGEND OF THE DANDELION Years and years ago, a great many stars lived in the sky. Their mother, the Moon, liked to have them shine as soon as it grew dark. These little stars were usually good children, but one night when their mother called them to light the sky, they would not shine. They did just as I have seen some children do, they hung their heads and wore a cross look. Now, when Mother Moon saw that they were not going to do as she wished, what do you think happened? Their places were taken by some good little stars, and the naughty stars felt themselves falling from the sky. Faster and faster they fell until they reached the earth. They felt very lonely and cried themselves to sleep. In the morning the sun shone out brightly, and wakened the little stars lying in the grass. When they found themselves on the earth they began to cry again. The sun heard them, and |