The Nursery, No. 165. September, 1880, Vol. 28: A Monthly Magazine For Youngest Readers

In Short

This issue of a late nineteenth-century American children's periodical gathers illustrated poems, morality tales, animal fables, and educational non-fiction into a single monthly miscellany. Through simple verse and brief narrative sketches, it guides young readers through lessons in kindness, animal care, personal hygiene, and empathy. The volume reflects the era's educational values, combining gentle moral instruction with simple entertainment. It survives as a charming artifact of historical children's publishing, offering modern readers an authentic glimpse into Victorian home life, early pedagogy, and the everyday imaginative worlds constructed for nineteenth-century youth.

The Story

The magazine begins with an educational biographical sketch of the French artist Rosa Bonheur, detailing her childhood love of animals and her rise to international fame through her realistic paintings of goats, sheep, and horses. This focus on animal life carries directly into a humorous dialogue between two sparrows, Pip and Pop, who discuss the cold spring weather, search for crumbs, and plan to trust a kindly schoolgirl by flying into her dining room to join her at the table.

Moral lessons follow quickly in verse and prose. A lighthearted poem tells of a young boy who neglects his personal hygiene; distracted by his own dirty reflection in a water bucket, he trips, spilling water across the classroom floor and creating chaos for his schoolmistress. The narrative then shifts to a quiet lesson on stewardship, contrasting a boy's failure to grow plants with young Mary's thriving garden, which succeeds because of her steady daily care and her generosity in sending flowers to sick patients through the local Flower Mission.

Dramatic play and animal stories form the heart of the middle section. A short verse portrays a toddler talking affectionately to her silent doll, while a prose dialogue shows a playful dispute between two young boys, Peter and Tommy, over a basket worn as a hat, resolved amicably when they share a slice of bread and butter. A imaginative poem explores what a child would do if transformed into a tiny fairy, picturing benevolent acts like helping struggling ants move heavy loads, painting flowers with evening light, and feeding nestling birds. This theme of human connection to nature continues in an account from Ohio, where a five-year-old girl possesses an extraordinary ability to charm wild birds so gently that they alight on her hands, follow her indoors, and wake her each morning.

Rhymes about frog families and simple counting games lead into an insightful account of special education. A teacher at a school for the deaf describes her classroom, explaining how sixteen children learn to read, write slates, read lips, and communicate through finger-spelling while missing their distant families.

Rural life and small adventures round out the magazine's conclusion. A family trip to a Wisconsin farm details the joy of eating holeless cookies, discovering a mother hen with her newly hatched chicks, sailing a toy boat across a duck pond, and falling asleep to bedtime stories. Animal perspectives return with the story of Brownie, an overly confident young chick who disobeys his mother, runs away from the coop, and narrowly survives an attack by a hawk before returning safely home to his mother's wing. Moral reflection is emphasized in a poem where three young boys stone a garden toad because of its ugly appearance, only to be admonished by the gardener who explains how the toad protects their crops from pests. Finally, a story about an eight-year-old boy suffering from a severe toothache illustrates how an old tale about a compassionate doctor setting a dog's broken leg can distract a child from physical pain, ending the issue on a note of comfort and quiet resilience.

How It Unfolds

Celebrating artistic achievement An account of painter Rosa Bonheur highlights her early affection for animals and her determination to master her craft, establishing a theme of gentleness toward nature.

Fables of trust and appetite Two chilly sparrows, Pip and Pop, debate the scarcity of spring worms and resolve to trust a generous young girl who feeds them daily crumbs.

Lessons in schoolyard mishaps A rhythmic poem cautions children against vanity and carelessness as a young boy trips over his own reflection in a water bucket, flooding his schoolroom floor.

Care, patience, and generosity A brief prose lesson contrasts Master Tom's failed attempts at gardening with Mary's blooming plants, revealing that steady daily devotion and sharing flowers with the sick are the secrets to her success.

Imaginative play and kindness Whimsical verses describe a child playing with her doll, two boys sharing bread and butter after a mild argument, and a fantasy of acting as a tiny fairy who helps ants and feeds young birds.

Bonds between children and animals A factual report describes a five-year-old Ohio girl whose extraordinary gentleness allows her to charm wild snowbirds, which follow her indoors and play on her head.

Inside a silent classroom A dedicated instructor describes teaching sixteen deaf pupils using slates and finger-spelling, offering a compassionate look into the lives of children attending special boarding schools.

Simple joys on the farm A suburban family visits a Wisconsin homestead to eat homemade cookies, name a fresh brood of chicks, and sail toy boats among frightened ducks on the farm pond.

The danger of straying home A foolish young chick named Brownie sneaks under the farmyard fence to prove his independence, only to be snatched up by a hawk before narrowly escaping back to his mother's care.

Judging by outward appearances Three boys kill a garden toad because of its warts and wide mouth, prompting a stern reprimand from the gardener who explains the creature's hidden value in eating insect pests.

Distraction as a gentle medicine A mother soothes her son's raging toothache by telling a story about a brave boy and a kindly doctor who mended a dog's broken leg, proving the healing power of narrative.

The People

• Rosa Bonheur: A gifted French painter who loves animals from early childhood. She trains under her father, achieves world renown for her realistic animal studies like The Horse-Fair, and directs a free design school for young women.
• Pip and Pop: Two hungry sparrows facing a late, chilly spring. Pop relies on the generosity of a young schoolgirl for daily crumbs, while Pip encourages him to overcome his fear and fly straight through her open window.
• Mary: A thoughtful and attentive young girl whose garden thrives. Unlike other children who plant seeds sporadically, her steady daily devotion and desire to share blossoms with the sick Flower Mission ensure her success.
• Peter and Tommy: Two young boys who engage in lighthearted banter over a basket used as a hat. Tommy initially threatens to fight, but Peter's cleverness and honest admission of hunger lead to shared bread and mutual understanding.
• The Ohio Girl: A gentle five-year-old child who possesses a quiet power over wild creatures. She handles snowbirds so softly that whole flocks seek her out, flying through open windows to rest on her head.
• The Teacher: An empathetic educator at a boarding school for deaf children. She uses visual art, finger-spelling, and lip-reading to communicate silently with her pupils, supporting them while they are far from home.
• Brownie: A headstrong, half-feathered chick who considers his mother overprotective. He sneaks away to explore the wild world on his own, only to learn a terrifying lesson about danger when a hawk snatches him up.
• The Gardener: A wise worker who scolds three young boys for crushing a toad. He defends the ugly creature, teaching the children that the toad is a valuable helper that protects crops by eating pests.
• Ned: A brave eight-year-old boy enduring a severe toothache. He seeks comfort in his mother's lap and finds relief from his physical pain through the simple power of a familiar, comforting bedtime story.

In Its Own Voice

"When Paris was besieged by the Prussians, the studio and residence of Rosa Bonheur were spared and respected by special order of the crown prince."

An opening historical sketch introduces young readers to the famous French animal painter, emphasizing how her artistic dedication earned international respect even during times of war.

"I tell them what I wish to teach them, and they write it down, and try to remember it. But I teach them without speaking a word. I talk to them with my fingers."

A teacher describes her unique classroom in Rochester, New York, explaining to children how deaf students learn reading, writing, and manual communication without sound.

"And if, when you shall older grow, / You strangers judge by outward show, / You'll be as foolish as unjust..."

A gardener admonishes three young brothers who killed a harmless toad, turning a farmyard incident into a memorable moral lesson against judging others by their physical appearance.

What It's Really About

At its core, the issue explores how children construct their moral and social understanding of the world through daily interactions with nature, animals, and authority figures. It argues that character is built through small, consistent acts rather than grand gestures—whether that means watering a garden every day, handling a wild bird with gentleness, or showing patience toward a classmate.

The text repeatedly contrasts youthful impulsiveness and superficial judgment with mature wisdom and empathy. Children and young animals who act on pride or vanity—such as the boy who trips over his own reflection, the chick who runs away, or the brothers who crush an ugly toad—face immediate consequences or corrections. Beneath its simple stories lies a consistent message about responsibility, quiet kindness, and respect for all living things.

Why Read It Today

Modern readers interested in historical children's literature, nineteenth-century education, or Victorian social values will find this period journal fascinating. Reading a monthly issue designed for young readers in 1880 provides an unvarnished look at the era's ideal childhood: structured, nature-oriented, morally clear, and deeply rooted in domestic life. The text offers a crisp, charming reading experience, balancing light nursery rhymes with surprisingly thoughtful accounts of disability education and historic figures.

Readers should expect the stylistic conventions of late-Victorian juvenile publishing. The prose is deliberately simple, the moral lessons are explicit rather than subtle, and the narrative tone is unapologetically didactic. A few entries contain dated gender roles or period-typical assumptions about childhood obedience that reflect nineteenth-century expectations. Yet the collection remains surprisingly accessible, free from heavy sentimentality or overly dense prose. What stays with the reader is the issue's pervasive gentle warmth—a genuine commitment to teaching children how to observe the natural world closely, care for animals, treat others with patience, and find joy in the modest routines of daily life.