lt many wharves on the
banks of the rivers. If you stand on the wharf, you may see great
ferry-boats crowded with people. Back and forth these boats go, carrying
the people from one side of the river to the other.

Sometimes great steamers come up the river. They have carried people,
food and clothing on a long journey. Some boats are loaded with coal or
lumber. There are many pretty sailboats and rowboats too. In some you
will see fishermen. They bring the fish back for the city people to eat.

Before the city was built there was beautiful country all along the
banks. If you travel up the river, leaving the city far behind, you will
see some fine scenery. Perhaps you will pass beautiful woods. Some of
the trees bend over the river as if they were looking at their
reflections in the clear water. At places there are broad fields where
the cows come down to drink the cool water. Farther up there are hills
or mountains rising far above the banks. You will notice that the river
is growing narrower and narrower until it is but a small stream. If you
go down the river again, you will see that it gradually widens as it
flows on to the mouth.

6

Most cities get their water supply from a nearby river. Do you know
where the water in your bath-room comes from? When you take a drink in
our school-yard what water are you swallowing? How does this water get
to our home and school? Pipes run under the streets from the river to
all the buildings of the town. There are big pumping stations on the
river bank to pump the water out of the river through pipes to the
houses. Millions of gallons of water are pumped each day into the homes,
schools, mills and factories. For what is this water used?

[Illustration: PUBLIC LIBRARY, NEWARK, N. J.]

7

Plants need more than good soil to make them grow. They will wither and
die unless they have plenty of rain to keep the earth soft and moist.
There are many places in the world where no trees, nor grass, nor plants
of any kind can grow. This is because there is no water to wet the
earth.

We all know that clouds bring the rain; but how do the clouds get the
water? Whenever there is water on the earth, as in the rivers, the air
is continually drawing up the moisture in tiny invisible drops. This
moisture rises in the air and forms clouds. When the clouds get very
heavy, down comes the water which we call rain. In cold weather it is
changed into snow.

[Illustration: ELEPHANT IN THE "