The Beacon Second Reader Part 19

He had gone but a short way when he heard the sound of the six great bells of Bow.

As they rang, "Ding-dong, ding-dong!" they seemed to say:

Turn back, Whittington, Lord Mayor of London.

"It is strange that the bells should speak to me," said d.i.c.k, "but if I am to be Lord Mayor of London, I will gladly turn back."

So he ran back to the house of Mr. Fitzwarren.

"I hope they have not missed me," said d.i.c.k, as he gently opened the door and stole softly in.

d.i.c.k WHITTINGTON--III

d.i.c.k's cat was taken across the ocean. The ship sailed and sailed, until at last it came to a distant country.

Now the king and queen of this country were very rich. When the captain was asked to show his goods before them he was very glad indeed to do so.

The king and queen first gave the captain a great feast.

Gold and silver dishes filled with food were brought in.

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When these dishes were placed upon the table an army of rats came out.

There were white rats, and black rats, and brown rats, and big rats, and little rats.

At once they fell upon the food and ate it nearly all up.

"Why do you let the rats do this?" asked the captain.

"Alas, we cannot help ourselves," said the king. "I would give half my kingdom to be rid of them."

Then the captain thought of d.i.c.k Whittington's cat.

"I have an animal which will rid you of them," said the captain.

"Pray bring it in at once," said the queen.

What fun d.i.c.k's cat had killing the rats and mice in the king's palace!

"We must buy that little animal," said the queen. "I do not care how much she may cost."

The captain could hardly carry all the jewels and gold that the king gave him for the cat.

Then the ship with d.i.c.k's money came back to London, and the captain told the story to Mr. Fitzwarren.

"We must take these jewels and all this gold at once to Mr.

Whittington," said the honest man. "He is no longer a poor boy, for this has made him rich."

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They found d.i.c.k in the kitchen blacking the stove.

"Come with me at once into the parlor," said Mr. Fitzwarren.

Then the bags of gold and jewels were piled at d.i.c.k's feet.

"See what your cat has brought you," said Mr. Fitzwarren. "You are now a rich man and may yet be Lord Mayor of London."

And it is true that after d.i.c.k Whittington became a man, he was made Lord Mayor of London.

_English Folk Tale_

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THE NEW MOON

Dear mother, how pretty The moon looks to-night!

She was never so cunning before; Her two little horns Are so sharp and so bright, I hope she'll not grow any more.

If I were up there, With you and my friends, I'd rock in it nicely, you'd see; I'd sit in the middle And hold by both ends.

Oh, what a bright cradle 'twould be!

I would call to the stars To keep out of the way, Lest we should rock over their toes; And then I would rock Till the dawn of the day, And see where the pretty moon goes.

And there we would stay In the beautiful skies, And through the bright clouds we would roam; We would see the sun set, And see the sun rise, And on the next rainbow come home.

ELIZA LEE FOLLEN

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BRIAR ROSE--I

A long time ago there lived a king and queen who were very, very sad because they had no children.

One day, when the queen was resting near a spring, a frog crept out of the water and said to her:

"You shall have your wish. Within a year you shall have a little girl."

What the frog said came true.