HEEDLESSNESS, OR THE CONCEITED LITTLE GRASS

HOPPER.

There was a little grasshopper
Forever on the jump;

And, as he never looked ahead,
He often got a bump.

His mother said to him one day,
As they were in the stubble,
"If you don't look before you leap,
You'll get yourself in trouble."
This silly little grasshopper

Depised his wise old mother,
And said he knew what best to do,
And bade her not to bother.

He hurried off across the fields-
An unknown path he took—
When, oh! he gave a heedless jump,
And landed in a brook.

He struggled hard to reach the bank-
A floating straw he seizes—
When quick a hungry trout darts out,
And tears him all to pieces.

MORAL.

Good little boys and girls, heed well
Your mothers' wise advice:
Before you move, look carefully;
Before you speak, think twice.

SELECTIONS

FOR THE YOUNG FOLKS.

COLUMBIA'S UNION PARTY.-From the School Festival.

COLUMBIA.

UNCLE SAM.

CHARACTERS:

BROTHER JONATHAN.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

THE THIRTY-SEVEN STATES.

[COLUMBIA dressed in national colors; UNCLE SAM in Continental uniform; BROTHER JONATHAN as an old-time Yankee; each STATE wears a circlet, with the initials of her name. STATE characteristics should be represented as far as possible in the dress of each state; thus, MICHIGAN should have copper chains and other ornaments; NEVADA, of silver; CALIFORNIA, of gold; DELAWARE may be in Swedish dress. The stage should be adorned with flags, stars, and shields. COLUMBIA must have a raised central seat, and there should be a table for receiving the gifts. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA should receive and arrange them.]

Enter UNCLE SAM.

Columbia. Uncle Sam! welcome to my Union party. Uncle Sam. Thanks, fair Columbia; hope you're well and hearty.

Col. Quite well, good uncle; I'm rejoiced you're here— It will be such support to have you near.

Enter BROTHER JONATHAN.

And Brother Jonathan I hope to see

Brother Jonathan. Wal, neow, Columby, shake hands;

here I be.

How big a party will ye have, d'ye s'pose?

And will the young folks poke fun at my clothes?

Col. No, no, dear brother—not one bit of danger;
You will not meet to-day a single stranger.
Only the children, coming home once more
To see their mother, now she's ninety-four.
Almost a hundred! Jonathan, alas!

Our days are as the grass-like sands they pass!
Bro. J. Oh sho! Columby, now don't cry no more-
Somebody's knockin'; I'll go 'tend the door.

Enter DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

Col. Oh! 'tis my little District; she's so near, She is the very first one to appear.

Enter New England States; UNCLE SAM receives them, and presents them to COLUMBIA; each salutes her, kisses her hand, and then is placed on one side of COLUMBIA. Maine. I touch this sacred hand with loving lips. Receive from me a model of my ships.

New Hampshire. I bring a sceptre that a king might own,

Made from free pines from our Mount Washington.

Vermont. And I a crown-wreath fit to deck a queen, Made by Green Mountain girls, of laurels green.

Massachusetts. I bring you fabrics rich, of varied stock, From hills and vales that end at Plymouth Rock.

Bro. J. (aside). Old Massachusetts never went out yet But what she bragged on Plymouth Rock, you bet.

Connecticut. I bring my fair, pure laws to show to you; Mother Columbia, see, they are not “Blue!”

Rhode Island. I'm little Rhody, and I bring you this: Mother Columbia, bend and take a kiss.

Col. By-and-by, daughters, we will talk some more. Hark! Jonathan, pray don't neglect the door.

Bro. J. Yes, yes, Columby, I'll 'tend; don't you worry. I'll see who's thumpin' out there, in a hurry.

Enter NEW YORK: UNCLE SAM presents her.

Uncle S. This is New York, the grand, proud Empire State. New York. I came alone, because I have no mate!

Bro. J. You jest hold on, and give the West fair chance, And Illinois will jine ye in the dance.

Uncle S. "Hold on" New York ne'er does, but Illinois May catch up, if she can-she has her choice.

Bro. J. Wal, here's New Jersey, fit to stand beside her, With, sure's you live, a jug of Newark cider!

Pennsylvania. And I, Penn's Keystone State, with loyal

soul,

Offer Columbia samples of my coal.
Col. Jonathan, the door.

Bro. J. Wal, neow, I dew declare,

Ef here don't come eour little Delaware!
And she's got on the same old Swedish dress
She wore in sixteen thirty-seven, I guess!

Col. My eldest daughter, and my little pet,
Say, do you love your dear old mother yet?
Delaware. Yes, true and dear, Columbia, as when
I was thine only child, and loved thee then.

Maryland. I bring a heavy offering in my hand: "Tis useful iron ore, from Maryland.

Bro. J. Neow, ra'ally, Columby, that ain't badNo knowin' how soon you'll need an iron-clad.

East and West Virginia. We went where sad Mount Ver non's willow weeps,

To bring thee flowers from where thy hero sleeps.
Col. It is an omen good that thus ye came—

One memory, one love, almost one name.

Uncle S. See, for thy blessing three now bend and wait: Georgia, "Palmetto," and the "Old North State."

Georgia. I've sweet potatoes, best the South can yield. North and South Carolina. We've rice and cotton from sea-isle and field.

Mississippi and Alabama. More cotton from the Gulf's rich shores we bring;

Thine is the cotton, though the cotton's king.

Florida. I offer garlands from the land of flowers, Culled in my lowland swamps and live-oak bowers.

Bro. J. Wal, I remember when them beowers was holes To hide away the skulkin' Seminoles;

K

And when the harnsome flowers you had were fewer'n
Creek Injins in them swampy lands o' yourn.

Louisiana. Wrought in fit forms Columbia's lips to greet, We bring bright samples of our sugars sweet.

Bro. J. (in a whisper). Neow, Rhody, since you're standin' in there handy,

You jest neow, on the sly, pass reound that candy!
Knock, knock; I'm comin'; wonder who you be?
Col. I welcome Texas! my "Lone Star" I see.
California. O'er the Pacific Railroad vast I came.
Bro. J. Wal, you're a shiner! Tell us what's your name?
Col. I know my darling from Pacific shore.

Cal. Receive these chains of gold; this golden ore.
Arkansas and Missouri. Within your courts are gifts that

we bestow,

Our flocks and herds that loudly bleat and low.

Bro. J. Neow, Uncle Sam, you've got to help 'tend door, Here's Western gals comin', half a score.

To laugh at me they'll to each other beckon-
But 'taint no wuss to guess than 'tis to reckon;
An' ef they hint at soup of codfish-tails,
I'll jest hand out to them 'bout prairie whales.
Uncle S. Oh, Jonathan, don't be so sensitive;
Our family motto should be, live-let live.

Col. And, Jonathan, I'm sure it is small loss
Whether they ride a horrse, or you a hoss.
Just let them reckon, or, perhaps, allow;
You calc'late and guess-now that you
Since we're in sections, why, of course, we're sectional;
But, seems to me, we all may be affectional.

know.

Bro. J. Here's Tennessee, with old Kentuck to back her. Tennessee and Kentucky. Take, if perchance you choose, some fine tobacco. [brook it? Col. (angrily). What! if I chew! What insult! Shall I Bro. J. Wal, no; I'd "put it in my pipe and smoke it.” Uncle S. They only meant, Columbia, did you choose

To see their product men will have and use.

Col. My children, your old mother made mistake; Give me your hand-receive a cordial shake.