The original print starts with a list of novels from the “Rollo series”. This information has been moved to the back of the book. Unusual spellings that are used consistently have been kept as they were found in the source. Some punctuation errors have been corrected silently. All other corrections are declared in the TEI master file, using the usual TEI elements for corrections. In particular, four asterisks that appear to be footnote marks without a corresponding footnote have been deleted. The Rollo Books by Jacob Abbott [Illustration: The Rollo Books by Jacob Abbott. Boston, Phillips, Sampson, & Co.] Boston, Phillips, Sampson, & Co. ------------------------------------- Rollo At Work Or The Way to Be Industrious ------------------------------------- NOTICE TO PARENTS. Although this little work, and its fellow, “ROLLO AT PLAY,” are intended principally as a means of entertainment for their little readers, it is hoped by the writer that they may aid in accomplishing some of the following useful purposes:-- 1. In cultivating _the thinking powers_; as frequent occasions occur, in which the incidents of the narrative, and the conversations arising from them, are intended to awaken and engage the reasoning and reflective faculties of the little readers. 2. In promoting the progress of children _in reading_ and in knowledge of language; for the diction of the stories is intended to be often in advance of the natural language of the reader, and yet so used as to be explained by the connection. 3. In cultivating the _amiable and gentle qualities of the heart_. The scenes are laid in quiet and virtuous life, and the character and conduct described are generally--with the exception of some of the ordinary exhibitions of childish folly--character and conduct to be imitated; for it is generally better, in dealing with children, to allure them to what is right by agreeable pictures of it, than to attempt to drive them to it by repulsive delineations of what is wrong. CONTENTS Story 1. Labor Lost Elky. Preparations. A Bad Beginning. What Rollo Might Do. A New Plan. Hirrup! Hirrup! An Overturn. Story 2. The Two Little Wheelbarrows. Rides. The Corporal’s. The Old Nails. A Conversation. Rollo Learns to Work at Last. The Corporal’s Again. Story 3. Causey-Building. Sand-Men. The Gray Garden. A Contract. Instructions. Keeping Tally. Rights Defined. Calculation. Story 4. Rollo’s Garden. Farmer Cropwell. Work and Play. Planting. The Trying Time. A Narrow Escape. Advice. Story 5. The Apple-Gathering. The Garden-House. Jolly. The Pet Lamb. The Meadow-Russet. Insubordination. Subordination. The New Plan Tried. A Present. The Strawberry-Bed. The Farmer’s Story. Story 6. Georgie. The Little Landing. Georgie’s Money. Two Good Friends. A Lecture On Playthings. The Young Drivers. The Toy-Shop. ENGRAVINGS Rollo Digging Holes in the Ground. Too Heavy. The Corporal’s. Rollo Took Hold of His Wheelbarrow. The Cows. The Bull Chained by the Nose. Work in the Rain. The Harvesting Party. There, Said He, See How Men Work. Georgie’s Apples. [Illustration: Rollo Digging Holes in the Ground.] LABOR LOST. Elky. When Rollo was between five and six years old, he was one day at work in his little garden, planting some beans. His father had given him a little square bed in a corner of the garden, which he had planted with corn two days before. He watched his corn impatiently for two days, and, as it did not come up, he thought he would plant it again with beans. He ought to have waited longer. He was sitting on a little cricket, digging holes in the ground, when he heard a sudden noise. He started up, and saw a strange, monstrous head looking at him over...