den shoe for herring fish with nets of silver
and gold? Only a wee one's dream. How can you see the "wonderful sights
that be"? By shutting our eyes while mother sings. Don't you suppose the
artist shut her eyes when she thought of the picture, and perhaps
dreamed of the time when she lay in her little bed and her mother sang
of the wonderful sights that be? Wasn't that just why she made such a
beautiful picture, and thought even of putting wings to the shoe, so it
could sail through the sky? After such a talk as that with a little
child, do you not think, dear parent, that he would come nearer to you,
and while you read the poem softly and smoothly to him he would learn to
like its music, and through its refining influence learn to love you a
little better? When he has grown to manhood, do you not think there will
come times when his heart will be touched, when he will long for the
loving arms around him and the sweet mother voice to sing once more of
the wonderful sights that be? There are holier things to be done for
children than to feed and clothe them.

In Volume Two, on page 121 may be found the picture _Shuffle-Shoon and
Amber Locks_. How many persons are shown in the picture? How is the old
man dressed? In what is he sitting? How is the boy dressed? Where is he
sitting? Can you sit comfortably that way? What does he hold in his left
hand? What is the little boy doing? How many blocks are there in his
building? How many blocks are on the floor? What is the old man placing
on top of the blocks? What is on the wall back of the chair? Of what is
the curtain made? Which is Shuffle-Shoon? Why is he called
Shuffle-Shoon? Why is the boy called Amber-Locks? What is the color of
amber? Do you think the old man has a kind face? How old do you suppose
he is? How old is Amber-Locks? Do you like his face?

From Volume Two, page 264, _Tom and The Dragon Fly_: What is the first
thing you notice when you look at this picture? What is the second
thing? Where is Tom standing? Where is the dragon-fly? How many wings
has it? How many legs can you see on the dragon-fly? Does Tom's hair
look as though he had just come from the water? What is he looking at?
Does he seem to be afraid, or happy? Can you tell where the surface of
the water is? Is any part of Tom in the water? Can you see sky or clouds
in the picture? Does any land show?

From Volume Two, page 69, _The Swallow and the Stork Came_: After a
picture has been examined, as h