1836 First Eclectic Reader: Lesson XXVI. - The Cruel Boy

Vocabulary lookup: conduct and tattle. Did George's friend join in his bad behavior? Did he tattle? What did George's friend do?

The Cruel Boy

George Craft is a very cruel boy. He is only six years old, and yet he is very bad. George would catch flies, and pull off their wings and legs, and the laugh to see them hop. The dog and cat are both afraid of George, and will run and hide when they see him. One day, last week, a young friend of his came to see him, and was very angry at his conduct. He asked George how he would like to have his legs and arms pulled off. George hung his head. Why, said he, flies cannot feel much. His friend told him, that he had heard men say that everything that could move, could feel, and that it was wrong of anyone to hurt or kill them. George felt very sorry, when he heard his young friend tell him how bad he had acted, and I hope he will not do so any more.

Vocabulary

George, cruel, hide,
asked, pulled, young,
everything, conduct, heard,
came, laugh, legs,
wrong, angry, wings,
friend, week, and catch.

1836 First Eclectic Reader: Lesson XXV. - What The Animals Say

Find the words helpful and useful in the story. What is the base word in each? What is a Suffix? What happens to the meaning of the words if you change the suffix to less? Write a short story about your favorite animals. For example: "The dog says..."

What The Animals Say

They fly says, I fly in the air, if the sun is hot. I sip out of the tea cups. If I see a boy at tea, I sit on the rim of the cup and sip his tea. If he sees me, he may try to pat me, if he can. I fly away and up in the air, so he can not get me. I am a swift fly.
The bee says, I fly too, if the sun is hot, and if it is not wet. I sip too, but I do not get in the tea cups. I am helpful. Boys do not try to pat me, for I do not get in the way, and boys can see i am helpful. If they catch me and do anything to hurt me, i will sting them.
The cat says, I do not sip, I lap. I can get a rat, and I can get you, Mr. Fly, if you do not go too far up in the air. I can run, mew, and can lie in the sun. If it is not hot, i lie on the rug, or in my bed of hay.
The rat says, I eat all I can get. The cat may try to get me, if she can, but I can run out of her way.
The hen says, i can fly, but not as far as Tom, the small bird. I lay eggs, and I am useful to men, but fox may get me, and so may the rats.
The fox says, i am sly, and try to eat all the old hens, but the dogs and men hear me, and try to get me. I am so sly, it is odd if the dogs and men can get me at all.

Vocabulary

fly, see, and,
says, eggs, but,
cup, wet, sun,
can, try, tea,
get, air, pat,
boys, sip, bee,
the, off, use,
hot, air, and was.

1836 First Eclectic Reader: Lesson XXIV - The new Slate

Dictionary lookup: slate (Get a dictionary and look up what slate means). Did the boy have a good imagination? What would you imagine if you had paper or a slate to draw on? Give it a try.

The new Slate

Here is a little boy who had a new slate given to him. It was bought for him by his father, that he might learn arithmetic. One day he made some pictures on his slate. Look here, Charles, I have drawn a boy on my new slate. See what a long nose he has! Ah! He has but one arm. Now I will draw a milk laid with her pail. There, I have drawn a pig and a hen, and a duck. Why the pig has but two legs, and the duck has four. Well, i can rub out two of the duck's legs and give them to the pig. There, now I will draw a man with a whip in his hand. The man has come to put the pig in the pen. Why, the man is not as tall as the pig. I must rub them all out, for they are not well done. There, I have a boy with a nest full of eggs in his hand. he is a bad boy to take a poor bird's nest. and here is Betty, the maid. She has come to take me to bed. Well if it is time, I must go. Put my slate away, that i may have it safe when i want to draw.

Vocabulary
Charles, them, hand, Betty,
done, put, drawn, nest,
long, little, may, maid,
given, what, must, father,
will, draw, picture, pail,
man, new, four, eggs,
now, all, bad, with,
want, have, and duck.