Gle [)cddlesome oy.

HIS isa bad little boy. He loves to meddle with things that
do not belong to him, and sometimes he is cruel to harmless
animals. All children should obey their parents, but Iam sorry
to say that Harry is not an obedient boy.

Last summer he went into the country to spend a month
: with his grandmother, but he was so uneasy and restless that
she sent him home ina week! He loved to tease the dog, and worry the cat,
and play all kinds of tricks on the pigs and chickens.

Then he would throw stones at the birds, and sometimes climb the trees to
steal their eggs or destroy their pretty nests. Once his grandma saw him
throwing a great stone at White Betty, her best cow, and told him that such a
cruel boy ought to have no nice milk, butter, or cheese. He began to cry, and
said that he did not think that it would hurt her! Then his uncle gave him a
little tap with his cane, to show him how it feels to be hurt, and told him that
he would try the same thing whenever he saw him ill-treat any animal!

One day, while Harry was sitting onthe porch, he spied a queer-looking
bundle hanging on a bush near by. Some pretty buzzing insects were coming
out of little holes in the sides of it, and flying all about. ‘Well, well,” said the
little boy, “I wonder who you are, and what you keep in that funny thing, any-
way? I mean to find out, and pretty quick, too! Grandma will never know!”

~ So he brought a high stool and climbed to reach the place. But, just as
he took hold of it, out flew the buzzing little creatures, and away jumped poor
Harry, nest and all. Even this did not end the matter, for the funny bundle
wasa hornets’ nest! It was fullof insects and they were very lively! Perhaps
you have been told that hornets have a stinger, long and sharp, and that they
thrust it into any one that attacks them.

They all flew at the little boy, and stung him so severely that he screamed
with pain. —