me we grew up, and found that we could actually _fly in the air_.
Oh, capital! When that horrible monster with four legs, which they
called "a dog," ran after us, we opened our wings, and flew over the
lawn to the pond. And there stood the stupid dog bawling out, "Bow, wow!
bow, wow!"

One day our ideas were again expanded by our being driven through a
gate. We then found that the world was much larger than we had thought;
for beyond our wall was a broad ploughed field, as well as a vast
forest, the edges of which touched the distant sky. Wonderful discovery!
How grand a duck feels when gaining useful knowledge!

Every thing went on pleasantly enough, until a great awkward giant,
named Bob, came and looked very hard at us. At first we did not like
him; but he was really very kind, and called us "Ducky, ducky, ducky!"
and threw us handfuls of barley. He then seized two or three of my
fattest brothers and sisters, and frightened them so much, that they
called out, "Quack, quack! don't, don't!" But they need not have made
such a fuss, as he put them safely in a basket with a lid to it to keep
off the rain, and took a great deal of care of them indeed.

How kind of him to take the trouble to carry them in this basket on his
arm, instead of leaving them to waddle along the road! In this way he
has taken all my brothers and sisters away with him, except myself and
my brother little Jack Drake. I dare say he will soon take _us_ with him
in his nice basket.

Certainly it is a good thing to have men to attend to us so well. I am
sure they must be very fond of ducks to take such care of us. And so I
said to Jack Drake; but all he said in reply was, "Quack, quack! quack,
quack!"

T. C.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

OUR THANKSGIVING DINNER.

WE live in a little village near the city of Cincinnati. We have not
lived here many years; and our grandparents and aunts and uncles and
cousins are so far away, that they cannot often come to see us.

This year, on Thanksgiving Day, none of our friends were with us; and
mamma and papa felt very sad to have the big turkey cooked, and only our
own family to eat it.

So, happening to see a ragged little boy in the street, mamma called
him, and told him to go out and find eleven more poor little boys, and
tell them to come with him and get a Thanksgiving dinner.

He ran off in high glee; and, sure enough, when