1836 First Eclectic Reader: Lesson XXIII. - The Kind Boy

Look at the picture before you read the lesson. What do you think happens in this story? Write some "If... then..." sentences. Example: If James keeps the bird, then it might die. What is a compound word? Is there any compound words in the story? Can you think of any compound words made from either blue or bird? have a grammar lesson about the apostrophe.

The Kind Boy

James Bland found a poor young bird on the cold ground. It was all wet, for there had been rain that day. "Ha!" said he, " I will have a fine pet, now." James took it home. He met his sister Ann at the door. "Here, Ann," said he, " is a young blue bird. I found it in the road. We will put it in a cage and keep it." Ann looked at it. "Poor thing," said she, "it is cold. Let us take it to the fire." She took it, and warmed it. As soon as it was dry and warm, it began to chirp and tried to get away. Ann told James that it would be cruel to keep the bird. "See, it wants to go back to its nest. We would not like to be taken from home and kept in a cage." James thought so too, so he took the bird to the door. "There! Go, poor bird," said he, and away it flew. Some boys would have kept it, and maybe it would have died. But James was a good boy, and would not be cruel, even to a bird. I hope that no boy who reds this book will ever rob a bird's nest. It is very cruel and wicked.

Vocabulary

cold, the, boy, wet, sister,
who, way, kept, wicked, cage, good,
warm, cruel, that, nest, looked, ever, rain,
began, back, poor, taken, ground, flew,
bluebird, dry, door, have, thing,
reads, shall, bird, very,
blue, though.