230 CHILDREN'S BOOK FOR SABBATH HOURS.

I felt very shocked at myself, when I colors or wonders or beauties. And so
found myself at one end of a long piece accustomed as I had been, when a girl,
of leg-of-mutton skin, and my brown to care for my museum, and everything
brother at the other, and we tugging and in the world that I heard or saw, it seemed
pulling till I got it all, and ran off, and so odd to me every now and then. But
he after me, and two others joined in the perhaps while I was thinking this, a fat
chase. I felt so greedy ; but I could not slug would creep into sight; and off I
and did not feel inclined to stop myself ran to eat him, if I could get him before
till I dropped it, and another got it; and the others.
then I chased him, and we got it all "It seems I got my name of'Meemee'
muddled with sand; and at last it broke thus: when our brood, which was the
in two, and each of us swallowed half, first that season, began to hatch, the ser-
and so did not get choked, as we should vants took a lively interest in the affair,
have done if we had not thus pulled and and began to do as they had seen done
fought for it; for you see we chickens before. They kept taking away each
have no means of cutting and dividing a chicken as it came fully out of the shell,
large piece of food like that. I often no- and putting it in a basket of flannel by
ticed this kind of thing afterwards,-how the kitchen fire, 'lest,' said they, 'the hen
it seemed a provision of nature to pre- should come off with three or four, and
vent any of us eating too much, or too leave the rest.' How such a mistaken
big pieces, as I have heard of creatures idea should have got into the world, only
in solitary confinement doing. Still it those can explain who can also explain
was wonderful what a great worm I could how it is, that, after all these thousands
swallow without the least danger or ill of years since the world began, and babies
effect, except the ill sight of a crop very have been born into it, people should to
much swollen out on one side perhaps. this very day be found in numbers who
I saw that the children were several times will give a new-born child food made
anxious to save us, as they thought, from of bread, flour, arrowroot, and anything
certain suffocation, rather than milk and water, which is the
 "I noticed that, when I was not think- very strongest food that a new baby can
 ing with my woman's mind, I and the bear. Wonderful as it is, both are true;
 rest had no curiosity, no wonder about and the well-meaning servants were
 anything. We never made any remark, eagerly acting hen, when the heads of
 except 'Peep, cheep, peep.' We picked the house heard of what was going on,
 the daisies now and then, and swallowed and the chicks were carried back, and
 them; but whether they were pink or given to the natural tender care which
 white, we never took heed. We ate all was waiting for them. However, out of
 the insects that came in our way, without the corner of the cook's apron, in the
 thinking anything about their shapes or confusion, slipped one little yellow bunch