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CHARLIE’S PET RABBITS.
/kSgjtZ && ITTLE CHARLIE is very fond
i m of keeping rabbits. He has
I two old and four young ones.
They are white, and grey, and
black. What pretty long ears
m they have, and what soft, silky fur ! He
ItTLj keeps them in a hutch, but he often puts
ftM them on the ground, and it is such fun to
£{h see them move and leap about. They
(by are so tame that they will eat out of his
hand, -though Ave are sorry to say that
at times, like some naughty boys and girls, they
fight.
One of the rabbits is called Bunny,
another is Jenny, and another dear lit
tle thing has the name of Beauty.
The rabbit takes great care of her
young. She makes a nest of new hay,
and will even bite the fur from her own
breast to make the nest more soft, and
will often cover the little ones up with
the same to keep them warm.
Wild rabbits live in the woods and
fields, and are different in appearance
from Charlie’s pet rabbits. They live
in deep holes in the sand banks. You
can rarely see them during the day, but
in the evening they come out to feed.
Then you may see them tumbling about,
or nibbling the grass, or sitting on their
hind legs, looking around them.
The weazel, Avhich preys upon rats
and mice, and other small animals, is
also fond of young rabbits.
One fine evening, an old rabbit was
seen sitting near its hole. But quickly
there came from a bush a large weazel,
which sprang towards the hole where it
knew the young rabbits were at rest. —
The old rabbit raised itself on its hind
legs, and gave the weazel a smart thump
on the head with its fore feet. He fell
back affrighted, but soon returned to
the attack, and received another blow
on his head. And so the fight Avent on
for a quarter of an hour, until at last
the weazel crawled away, as he found
the rabbit Avas too brave for him.
Thus, you see the weakest and most timid ani
mals display courage in defence of their young.
Letters to Eddie.—Ho. 1.
Rural Retreat, Sept. 18, 1867.
EDDIE:
While sitting here this “rainy day,”
after having recovered, in a geeat measure,
from the disappointment I felt at not be
iug able to go into the city to make your
mother a visit, I have concluded to write
you a little letter, thinking perhaps it may not
only interest you, but also the other little readers
of the Weekly.
When I awoke this morning, at the sound of the
little rain-drops pattering on the roof of the house,
I at first felt quite pleased, as I usually am when
ever these little chrystal minstrels come to give
me a concert —unless it interferes with some of
my external arrangements —which was the case
this morning, and as soon as I thought of my in
tended visit, for a short time I felt quite disap
pointed ; but I have loug since learned that it is
■worse than useless to worry and fret about things
BURKE’S WEEKLY.
that cannot be helped, so I have become quite
cheerful again, and resolved to Avait patiently for
| fair weather, notwithstanding the gloomy appear
! ance of everything without.
j No little birds were singing in the oak grove
| that surrounded our house ; but they had hid
I themselves away among the leaves of the trees,
; and the domestic foAvls, (except the geese, which
are always ready for a “ shower bath,”) had dis
continued their search for food, for which they
left their roost “at the first peep of daivn.” and
| sought shelter as best they could in the barn yard
and under the houses. The little pigs, instead of
going out in search of acorns, had not even “got
j up,” but Avere still hugging each other, close be
i side their mother, in their comfortable bed of pine
straw. The big brown cow. has left off “ cheAving
her cud,” and is now eating her breakfast of hay
under the barn-shed, quite unmindful that she is
getting a good Avetting—the shed being open on
one side; but at this I* am not surprised, as, for
sometime she has been quite dry. The industri
ous little bees have become so sullen at the pros
pect of having a holiday forced upon them, that
not one of them will even come to the door of their
little mansion to take a peep at the Aveather. Now,
ought not this to be a lesson to those little folks
who sometimes think it very hard because they
have to Avork, Avhen these little Avorkers not only
belong to the aristocracy, but they are all sons and
daughters of a Queen , and are, therefore, princes
and princesses, in their own particular sphere l
So, leaving them to enjoy the delicious sweets
stored away by their own industry, and locked up
in the elegantly wrought chambers of their royal
palace, I Avill tell you something about a gay but
terfly that lost its life by being selfish.
Having ventured out, just before the rain, to
sip the dew from the lips of a delicate flower, as
soon as he felt the rain-drops falling on his golden
Aving, instead of offering to remain and protect it
from the storm, as it was so very delicate, he flew
away as fast as he could, and sought refuge in my
little parlor ; and of whose sad fate I will not tell
you noAv, as it will form a striking incident in
some “Sketches” I propose to give you in the
future.
b earing that I may make this letter too long, I
Avill close, with the promise of letting you hear
from me again soon.
With kind regards to all the little folks, believe
me, as ever,
Your affectionate friend,
Flora.
Our Correspondence.
(®DA C. E., of Jackson, Ga. , Avrites:
vj|j to school every day, but I can find
f plenty of time to read your very
interesting little paper. I have
tried to solve the riddles and puz
les, and 1 iioav send ans Avers to some of
them. lam afraid they won’t be cor
rect. I was almost afraid to Avrite to
you, but my mamma told me I might
try; that you Avould make alloAvances
for a little girl.” Quite right; weAvant
our little readers to feel at liberty to
write to us at all times, for Ave shall al-
Avays be glad to hear from them. Ida’s
answers are nearty all correct —the only
error being in the solution of Rebus
No. 89.
Mannie H., New River, La., says: “I
like the Weekly better than any other
paper I have eA r er seen,” and promises
to send us some subscribers.
A lady in Florida Avrites: “I feel
leeply interested in your little gem, the
Weekly, for it supplies the very Avant
so much felt Vy our Southern mothers
and children. lam satisfied that after
the crops are disposed of, I can send you
a long list of subscribers.”
A well-known minister of the Gospel
in South Carolina Avrites to the publish
ers : “I have Avritten North, East and
West for specimen copies of periodicals
■published for children, but I Avas disap-
pointed in them all. But Ave are all delighted with
Burke’s Weekly. It comes nearer to our idea
of perfection in its department than anything of
the kind Ave have seen.”
We should do great violence to our feelings if
avc failed to return our heartfelt thanks for all
these kind expressions of approbation. \V e can
only promise to use our utmost endeavors to make
the Weekly still more worthy of the favor of our
friends, great and small, everyAvhere.
Answers to Puzzles, &c.
The folloAving have sent us correct answers to
Puzzles, etc. : J. G. P., W. H. S., Miss Rebecca
8., Miss Cora A., W. F. B. and G. L. C.
To Correspondents.
A. P. w., Atlanta, and G. L. C., Eufaula.—
Send us your names, and Ave shall be glad to pub
lish your contributions to the “Chimney Corner.”
George T. P., BartoAv. —Your puzzle is capital,
but as Ave have no engraver in Macon, we are un
able to publish it at present. We shall keep it,
hoAvever, for future use.
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