apologize in person for "bothering" me.
Presently a clock struck three, and I gave a moan that beat the ghost's
all hollow, so full of deep suffering was I at the thought of several
hours of weary waiting.
I was not sure at what time the daylight would appear, and I was
bitterly sorry for not gathering useful information about sunrise,
tides, and such things, instead of listening to the foolish gossip of
Uncle Peter on the hill-top.
Minute after minute dragged slowly on, and I was just thinking that I
should be obliged to shout "Fire!" as the only means of relief in my
power, when, a stealthy step under the window gave me a new feeling.
* * * * *
Directions for Reading.--To give greater effect to certain parts of
the lesson, read them very slowly.
The first line of the last paragraph is a good example of adding
_emphasis_ by reading slowly.
Point oat two other places in the lesson where slow reading would be
best.
What word in the last paragraph may be made very emphatic, even to the
extent of using the _calling tone_ of voice?
Let pupils pronounce in concert, and singly, the following words:
_soon, do, two, foolish, roof, food, room_.
* * * * *
Language Lesson.--Let pupils write statements, each containing one of
the following words, used in such a manner as to show its proper
meaning: _beech, beach; sense, scents; fourth, forth; hear, here_.
Give rules for the capital letters in the first three paragraphs of the
lesson.
Let pupils place _un_ before each of the following words, and then
define them.
safe lock heard pleasant fit
Define each of the following words formed from _please_, and state in
each case what change of meaning occurs.
please pleasant pleasantly unpleasantly
* * * * *
LESSON XLVII.
dag'ger, _a short sword_.
spell, _a feeling which prevents one from moving_.
bran'dished, _raised, and moved in different directions_.
in spir'ing, _making one feel_.
awe, _deep fear_.
de mand'ed, _asked as a right_.
punct'u al, _always on time_.
ro mance, _a story of surprising adventures_.
bur'glar, _one who breaks into a house at night_.
cus'tom, _a way or a manner of doing things_.
reigned, _ruled; held power_.
* * * * *
A GHOST STORY.
PART III.
This was a start, not a scare--for the new visitor was a human foe, and
I had little fear of such, being possessed of good lungs, strong arms,
and a Roman dagger nearly as big as a carving-knife.
The step that I had just heard broke the spell, and creeping noiselessly
to the window, I peeped out to see a dark figure coming up the stem of
the tall tree close by, hand-over-hand, like a sailor or a monkey.
"Two can play at that game, my friend; you scare me, and I'll scare
you." And with an actual sense of relief in breaking the silence, I
suddenly flung up the curtain, and leaned out.
I brandished my dagger with what I intended to be an awe-inspiring
screech; but, owing to the flutter of my breath, the effort ended in a
curious mixture of howl and bray.
A most effective sound, nevertheless; for the burglar dropped to the
ground as if he had been shot, and, with one upward glance at the white
figure dimly seen in the starlight, fled as if a thousand ghosts were at
his heels.
"What next?" thought I, wondering whether this eventful night would ever
come to a close.
I sat and waited, chilly but brave, while the strange sounds went on
within the house and silence reigned without, till the cheerful crow of
the punctual "cockadoo," as Margie called him, told me that it was
sunrise and laid the ghosts.
A red glow in the east drove away my last fear, and I soon lay down and
slept quietly, quite worn out.
The sun shining upon my face waked me, and a bell ringing warned me to
hurry. A childish voice calling out, "Betfast is most weady, Miss Wee,"
assured me that sweet little spirits haunted the cottage as well as
ghostly ones.
As I left my room to join Margie, who was waiting for me, I saw two
things which caused me to feel that the horrors of the night were not
all unreal.
Just outside the back bed-room door was a damp place, as if that part of
the floor had been newly washed; and when led by curiosity, I peeped
through the keyhole of the haunted chamber, my eye distinctly saw an
open razor lying on a dusty table.
My seeing was limited to that one object, but it was quite enough. I
went up the hill thinking over the terrible secret hidden in my breast.
I longed to tell some one, but was ashamed; and, when asked why I was so
pale and absent-minded, I answered with a gloomy smile--
"It is the clams."
All day I hid my sufferings pretty well, but as night approached and I
thought of sleeping again in that haunted cottage, my heart began to
fail. As we sat telling stories in the dusk, a bright idea came into my
head.
I would relate my ghost story, and rouse the curiosity of my hearers, so
that some of them would offer to stay at the cottage in hopes of seeing
the spirit of the restless Tucker.
Cheered by this fancy, when my turn came I made a thrilling tale about
Bezee Tucker and my night's adventure. After my hearers were worked up
to a proper state of excitement, I paused for applause.
It came in a most unexpected form, however, for Mrs. Grant burst out
laughing, and the two boys--Johnny and Joe--rolled about in convulsions
of merriment.
Much displeased, I demanded the cause of their laughter, and then joined
in the general shout when Mrs. Grant informed me that Bezee Tucker
lived, died in, and haunted the tumble-down house at the other end of
the lane, and not the cottage where I was staying.
"Then who or what made those mysterious noises?" I asked, relieved but
rather displeased at the downfall of my romance.
"My brother Seth," replied Mrs. Grant, still laughing. "I thought you
might be afraid to be there all alone, so he slipped into the bed-room,
and I forgot to tell you. He's a powerful snorer, and that's one of the
awful sounds.
"The other was the dripping of salt water; for you wanted some, and the
girl got it in a leaky pail. Seth swept out the water when he left the
cottage early in the morning."
I said nothing about having seen through the keyhole the harmless razor;
but wishing to get some praise for my heroic encounter with the burglar,
I mildly asked if it was the custom in York for men as well as turkeys
to roost in trees.
Another burst of laughter from the boys did away with my last hope of
glory. As soon as he could speak, Joe answered--
"Johnny planned to be up early to pick the last cherries off that tree.
I wanted to get ahead of him, and as I was going a-fishing, I went off
quietly before daylight."
"Did you get the cherries?" I asked, bound to have some laugh on my
side.
"Guess I didn't," grumbled Joe, rubbing his knees, while Johnny added--
"He got a horrid scare and a right good scraping, for he didn't know
any one was down there. Couldn't go a-fishing, either--he was so
lame--and I had the cherries after all. Served him right, didn't it?"
No answer was necessary. Mrs. Grant went off to repeat the tale in the
kitchen, and the sounds of hearty laughter that I heard, assured me that
Seth was enjoying the joke as well as the rest of us.
* * * * *
Language Lesson.--Let pupils make out an _analysis_ for so much of the
last three lessons as may be included under the subject--"A Night at
the Cottage."
Suggestion.--The _analysis_ of _simple subjects_, and their treatment
orally or in writing, are valuable exercises, and should be assigned to
pupils as frequently as possible during the whole of their school life.
* * * * *
LESSON XLVIII.
mel'o dy, _sounds pleasant to the ear_.
chant'ed, _sung in a simple melody_.
witch, _a person supposed to deal with evil spirits_.
trump'et, _a hollow piece of metal used to make music_.
har'mo ny, _the effect produced by uniting two or
more different parts in music_.
* * * * *
WHAT THE CHIMNEY SANG.
Over the chimney the night-wind sang
And chanted a melody no one knew;
And the Woman stopped, as her babe she tossed,
And thought of the one she had long since lost:
And said, as her tear-drop back she forced,
"I hate the wind in the chimney."
Over the chimney the night-wind sang
And chanted a melody no one knew;
And the Children said, as they closer drew,
"'Tis some witch that is cleaving the black night through--
'Tis a fairy trumpet that just then blew,
And we fear the wind in the chimney."
Over the chimney the night-wind sang
And chanted a melody no one knew;
And the Man, as he sat on his hearth below,
Said to himself, "It will surely snow,
And fuel is dear and wages low,
And I'll stop the leak in the chimney."
Over the chimney the night-wind sang
And chanted a melody no one knew;
But the Poet listened and smiled, for he
Was Man, and Woman, and Child--all three,
And said, "It is God's own harmony,
This wind we hear in the chimney."
* * * * *
Directions for Reading.--The first two lines of each stanza may be read
more slowly and with a fuller tone of voice than the rest of the
stanza.
Notice that the words of special _emphasis_ throughout the poem begin
with capital letters.
Mark _inflections_ in the last four lines of the first and last
stanzas.
* * * * *
LESSON XLIX.
sel'dom, _not often; rarely_.
jun'gles, _places covered with trees and brushwood_.
tough (tuf), _not easily separated_.
ap par'ent ly, _seemingly; in appearance_.
a cute', _quick in action; sharp_.
charg'es, _rushes forward_.
gram'p us, _a kind of fish_.
re sumed', _started again; took up again_.
hid'e ous, _horrid to look at_.
de struc'tion, _death; entire loss_.
re sist', _stand against_.
des'per ate, _without hope or care_.
ex cur'sions, _journeys; rambles_.
* * * * *
THE RHINOCEROS.
Next to the mighty elephant, the rhinoceros is the largest and strongest
of animals. There are several species of the rhinoceros, some of which
are found in Asia, and others in different parts of Africa.
In the latter country there are four varieties--the black rhinoceros,
having a single horn; the black species having two horns; the
long-horned white rhinoceros; and the common white species, which has a
short, stubby horn.
The largest of the African species is the long-horned, white, or
square-nosed rhinoceros. When full-grown, it sometimes measures eighteen
feet in length, and about the same around the body. Its horn frequently
reaches a length of thirty inches.
The black rhinoceros, although much, smaller than the white, and seldom
having a horn over eighteen inches long, is far more ferocious than the
white species, and possesses a wonderful degree of strength.
The form of the rhinoceros is clumsy, and its appearance dull and heavy.
The limbs are thick and powerful, and each, foot has three toes, which
are covered with broad, hoof-like nails.
The tail is small; the head very long and large. Taken altogether, there
are few--if any--animals that compare with the rhinoceros in ugliness.
The eyes are set in such a manner that the animal can not see any thing
exactly in front of it; but the senses of hearing and smelling are so
keen that sight is not required to detect an enemy, whether it be man or
beast.
The skin of the African rhinoceros is smooth, and has only a few
scattering hairs here and there. It is, however, very thick and tough,
and can resist the force of a rifle-ball unless it is fired from a very
short distance.
The largest known species of the rhinoceros is found in Asia. It lives
chiefly in the marshy jungles, and on the banks of lakes and rivers in
India. Some of this species are over live feet in height, and have horns
three feet in length and eighteen inches around the base.
Unlike the African rhinoceros, the skin of the Asiatic species is not
smooth, but lies in thick folds upon the body, forming flaps which can
be lifted with the hand.
The food of the rhinoceros consists of roots, and the young branches and
leaves of trees and shrubs.
It plows up the roots with the aid of its horn, and gathers the branches
and leaves with the upper lip which is long and pointed, and with which
the food is rolled together before placing it in the mouth.
The flesh of the rhinoceros is good to eat; and its strong, thick skin
is made by the natives, into shields, whips, and other articles.
Though clumsy and apparently very stupid, the rhinoceros is a very
active animal when attacked or otherwise alarmed, dashing about with
wonderful rapidity.
It is very fierce and savage--so much so that the natives dread it more
than they do the lion. In hunting the animal, it is dangerous for a man
to fire at one unless he is mounted upon a swift horse, and can easily
reach some place of safety.
When attacking an enemy, the rhinoceros lowers its head and rushes
forward like an angry goat. Though it may not see the object of its
attack, the sense of smell is so acute that it knows about when the
enemy is reached.
Then begins a furious tossing of the head, and if the powerful horn
strikes the foe, a terrible wound is the result.
When wounded itself, the rhinoceros loses all sense of fear, and charges
again and again with such desperate fury that the enemy is almost always
overcome.
A famous traveler in South Africa relates the following incident that
happened during one of his hunting excursions:
"Having proceeded about two miles, I came upon a black rhinoceros,
feeding on some Wait-a-bit thorns within fifty yards of me.
"I fired from the saddle, and sent a bullet in behind his shoulder, when
he rushed forward, blowing like a grampus, and then stood looking about
him.
"Presently he started off, and I followed. I expected that he would come
to bay, but it seems a rhinoceros never does that--a fact I did not
know at that time.
"Suddenly he fell flat upon the ground; but soon recovering his feet, he
resumed his course as if nothing had happened.
"I spurred on my horse, dashed ahead, and rode right in his path. Upon
this, the hideous monster charged me in the most resolute manner,
blowing loudly through his nostrils.
"Although I quickly turned about, he followed me at such a furious pace
for several hundred yards, with his horrid horny snout within a few
yards of my horse's tail, that I thought my destruction was certain.
"The animal, however, suddenly turned and ran in another direction. I
had now become so excited with the incident, that I determined to give
him one more shot any way.
"Nerving my horse again, I made another dash, after the rhinoceros, and
coming up pretty close to him, I again fired, though with little
effect, the ball striking some thick portion of his skin and doing no
harm.
"Feeling that I did not care to run the chance of the huge brute again
charging me, and believing that my rifle-ball was not powerful enough
to kill him, I determined to give up the pursuit, and accordingly let
him run off while I returned to the camp."
[Illustration]
* * * * *
Directions for Reading.--Let pupils mark _inflections_ in the first
sentence of the lesson.
* * * * *
Language Lesson.--Let pupils express in other words the meaning of
what is given below in dark type.
"I expected that he would _come to bay_."
* * * * *
LESSON L.
per'il, _great danger that is near one_.
pru'dent, _careful in regard to what may happen_.
con'fi dence, _courage; freedom from doubt_.
oc ca'sion, _a chance event; an incident_.
tor'rents, _violent streams, as of water_.
ford, _a place to cross a river_.
per suad'ed, _influenced by advice_.
op'po site, _on the other side; in front of_.
fran'tic, _without power to act properly_.
her'o ism, _great courage, which makes one willing to face
danger of any kind_.
res'o lute, _decided; firm_.
af fec'tion ate, _kind and loving_.
* * * * *
PRESENCE OF MIND.
Many years ago, there lived on the banks of the Naugatuck River, in
Connecticut, a family by the name of Bishop.
The father was not wealthy, but a good man, and respected by all who
knew him. He had fought in the battles of his country during the
Revolutionary War, and was familiar with scenes of danger and peril.
He had learned that it is always more prudent to preserve an air of
confidence in danger, than to show signs of fear, and especially so,
since his conduct might have a great influence upon the minds of those
about him.
On one occasion he sent his son James, a boy twelve years old, across
the river to the house of a relative, on an errand. As there was no
bridge or ferry, all who crossed the river were obliged to ford it.
James was familiar with every part of the fording-place, and when the
water was low, which was the case at this time, there was no danger in
crossing.
Mounted on one of his father's best horses, James set out. He crossed
the river, and soon reached the house of his relatives.
He was ready to start on his return, when suddenly the heavens became
black with clouds, the wind blew with great violence, and the rain fell
in torrents.
It was late in the afternoon, and as his relatives feared to have him
attempt to reach home in such a storm, they persuaded him to remain over
night and wait until daylight before starting for home.
His father suspected the cause of James' delay, and was not over anxious
on his account. He knew that the boy was prudent, and did not fear that
any accident would happen to him during the night.
But he knew that he had taught James to obey his commands in every
particular, and as the boy possessed, a daring and fearless spirit, that
he would attempt to ford the river as soon as it was light enough in the
morning.
He knew, also, that the immense quantity of water that appeared to be
falling, would cause the river to rise to a considerable height by
morning, and make it very dangerous even for a strong man to attempt to
cross it.
The thought of what might befall his child caused Mr. Bishop to pass a
sleepless night; for although he was very strict with his children, he
possessed an affectionate nature and loved them dearly.
The day dawned; the storm had ceased; the wind was still, and nothing
was to be heard but the roar of the river.
The rise of the river was even greater than Mr. Bishop expected, and as
soon as it was light enough, for him to see objects across it, he took
up a position on the bank to watch for the approach of his son.
James arrived on the opposite shore at the same time, and his horse was
beginning to enter the stream.
All his father's feelings were roused into action, for he knew that his
son was in fearful danger. James had already proceeded too far to
return--in fact, to go forward or back was equally dangerous.
His horse had arrived at the deepest part of the river, and was
struggling against the current. The animal was being hurried down the
stream, and apparently making but little progress toward the shore.
James became very much alarmed. Raising his eyes toward the
landing-place, he discovered his father. Almost frantic with fear, he
exclaimed, "O father, father! I shall drown! I shall drown!"
"No," replied his father, in a stern and resolute tone of voice,
dismissing for a moment his feelings of tenderness; "if you do, I will
whip you severely. Cling to your horse! Cling to your horse!"
The son, who feared his father more than he did the raging river, obeyed
the command; and the noble animal on which he was mounted, struggling
for some time, carried him safe to shore.
"My son!" exclaimed the glad father, bursting into tears, "remember,
hereafter, that in danger you must possess courage, and being determined
to save your life, cling to the last hope!
"If I had replied to you with the tenderness and fear which I felt, you
might have lost your life; you would have lost your presence of mind,
been carried away by the current, and I should have seen you no more."
What a noble example is this! The heroism of this father and his
presence of mind saved the life of his boy.
* * * * *
Directions for Reading.--In _calling tones_, as on pages 237 and 238,
notice that the falling inflections only can be used.[14]
* * * * *
Language Lesson.--Let pupils make out an _analysis_, and use it in
telling the story in their own words.
[14] See the last six paragraphs.
* * * * *
LESSON LI.
rug'ged, _full of rough places_.
con cealed', _covered over; hidden_.
ra vines', _deep and narrow hollow places_.
prec'i pice, _a very steep place_.
dis'lo cate ed, _thrown out of joint_.
mis'er y, _great unhappiness_.
ev'i dence, _signs; that which is shown_.
de scent', _going down_.
haz'ards, _dangers; difficulties_.
toil, _hard work_.
pro ject'ing, _hanging over_.
* * * * *
HALBERT AND HIS DOG.
Far up in the Highlands of Scotland lived Malcolm, a shepherd, with his
wife and his son Halbert.
Their little cottage was far from any village, and could only be reached
by a rugged path through the mountains.
One evening Halbert's mother was taken very ill, and Malcolm made
preparations to go to the village to obtain some medicine for her.
"Father," said Halbert, "I know the path through the dark glen better
than you. Shag will walk before me, and I will be quite safe. Let me go
for the doctor, and you stay at home and comfort mother."
Old Shag, the dog, stood by, wagging his tail and looking up into
Malcolm's face as if to say, "Yes, master, I will take good care of
Halbert. Let him go."
Malcolm did not like to have his boy undertake a journey of so much
peril, as the snow was falling in heavy flakes, and it was growing very
dark. But the boy again repeated his request, and Malcolm gave his
consent.
Halbert had been accustomed to the mountains from his earliest boyhood,
and Shag set out with his young master, not seeming to care for wind,
snow, or storm.
They reached the village safely. Halbert saw the doctor, received some
medicine for his mother, and then started on his return home with a
cheerful heart.
Shag trotted along before him to see that all was right. Suddenly,
however, in one of the most dangerous parts of the rocky path, he
stopped and began snuffing and smelling about.
"Go on, Shag," said Halbert.
Shag would not stir.
"Shag, go on, sir," repeated the boy. "We are nearly at the top of the
glen. Look through the dark, and you can see the candle shining through
our window."
Shag disobeyed for the first time in his life, and Halbert advanced
ahead of him, heedless of the warning growl of his companion.
He had proceeded but a few steps when he fell over a precipice, the
approach to which had been concealed by the snow.
It was getting late in the night, and Malcolm began to be alarmed at the
long absence of Halbert. He placed the candle so as to throw the light
over his boy's path, piled wood on the great hearth fire, and often went
to the door.
But no footstep sounded on the crackling ice; no figure darkened the
wide waste of snow.
"Perhaps the doctor is not at home, and he is waiting for him," said
Halbert's mother. She felt so uneasy at her boy's absence, that she
almost forgot her own pain.
It was midnight when Malcolm heard the well-known bark of the faithful
Shag.
"O there is Halbert!" cried both parents at the same moment. Malcolm
sprang to the door and opened it, expecting to see his son.
But alas! Halbert was not there. Shag was alone. The old dog entered
the door, and began to whine in a piteous manner.
"O Malcolm, Malcolm, my brave son has perished in the snow!" exclaimed
the mother.
Malcolm stood wondering. His heart beat rapidly. A fear that the worst
had happened almost overcame him. At that moment he saw a small package
around the dog's neck.
Seizing it in his hands, he exclaimed, "No, wife; look! Our boy lives!
Here is the medicine, tied with his handkerchief; he has fallen into one
of the deep ravines, but he is safe.
"I will go out, and Shag shall go with me. He will conduct me safely to
the rescue of my child."
In an instant Shag was again on his feet, and gave evidence of great joy
as he left the cottage with his old master.
You may imagine the misery and grief the poor mother suffered--alone in
her mountain dwelling; the certainty of her son's danger, and the fear
that her husband also might perish.
Shag went on straight and steadily for some distance after he left the
cottage. Suddenly he turned down a path which led to the foot of the
precipice over which Halbert had fallen.
The descent was steep and dangerous, and Malcolm was frequently obliged
to support himself by clinging to the frozen branches of the trees.
At last Malcolm stood on the lower and opposite edge of the pit into
which his son had fallen. He called to him, "Halbert! Halbert!" He
looked in every direction, but could not see or hear any thing.
Shag was making his way down a very steep and dangerous ledge of rocks,
and Malcolm resolved at all hazards to follow him.
After getting to the bottom, Shag scrambled to a projecting rock, which
was covered with snow, and commenced whining and scratching in a violent
manner.
Malcolm followed, and after some search found what appeared to be the
dead body of his son. He hastily tore off the jacket, which was soaked
with blood and snow, and wrapping Halbert in his great cloak, took him
upon his shoulders, and with much toil and difficulty reached the path
again, and soon had his boy at home.
Halbert was placed in his mother's bed, and by using great exertion,
they aroused him from his dangerous sleep.
He was much bruised and had his ankle dislocated, but was not otherwise
hurt. When he recovered his senses, he fixed his eyes on his mother, and
his first words were, "Did you get the medicine, mother?"
When he fell, Shag had descended after him. The affectionate son used
what little strength he had left to tie the medicine that he had
received from the doctor around the dog's neck, and then sent him home
with it.
You may be sure that Shag was well taken care of after this incident.
Even after Halbert became a man Shag was his constant companion, and he
lived to a good old age.
* * * * *
Language Lesson--Let pupils add _ship_ to each of the following
words, and then give their meaning.
friend hard relation partner fellow
Make out an _analysis_ of the lesson, and use it in telling the story
in your own words.
* * * * *
LESSON LII.
ebb'ing, _flowing out; falling_.
break'ers, _waves breaking into foam against_
the shore_.
main, _the great sea; the ocean_.
reef, _a row or chain of rocks_.
dis mayed', _having lost courage_.
strand, _beach; shore_.
treach'er ous, _likely to do harm_.
vic'tor, _a successful warrior_.
shroud'ing, _covering over_.
murk'y, _gloomy; dark_.
bea'con, _a signal fire or light_.
* * * * *
THE LIGHT-HOUSE.
The tide comes up, and the tide goes down,
Over the rocks, so rugged and brown,
And the cruel sea, with a hungry roar,
Dashes its breakers along the shore;
But steady and clear, with a constant ray,
The star of the light-house shines alway.
The ships come sailing across the main,
But the harbor mouth is hard to gain,
For the treacherous reef lies close beside,
And the rocks are bare at the ebbing tide,
And the blinding fog comes down at night,
Shrouding and hiding the harbor light.
The sailors, sailing their ships along,
Will tell you a tale of the light-house strong;
How once, when the keeper was far away,
A terrible storm swept down the bay,
And two little children were left to keep
Their awesome watch with the angry deep.
The fair little sister wept, dismayed,
But the brother said, "I am not afraid;
There's One who ruleth on sea and land,
And holds the sea in His mighty hand;
For mercy's sake I will watch to-night,
And feed, for the sailors, the beacon light."
So the sailors heard through the murky shroud
The fog-bell sounding its warning loud!
While the children, up in the lonely tower,
Tended the lamp in the midnight hour,
And prayed for any whose souls might be
In deadly peril by land or sea.
Ghostly and dim, when the storm was o'er,
The ships rode safely, far off the shore,
And a boat shot out from the town that lay
Dusk and purple, across the bay,
She touched her keel to the light-house strand,
And the eager keeper leaped to land.
And swiftly climbing the light-house stair,
He called to his children, young and fair;
But, worn with their toilsome watch, they slept,
While slowly o'er their foreheads crept,
The golden light of the morning sun,
Like a victor's crown, when his palm is won.
"God bless you, children!" the keeper cried;
"God bless thee, father!" the boy replied.
"I dreamed that there stood beside my bed
A beautiful angel, who smiled and said,
'Blessed are they whose love can make
Joy of labor, for mercy's sake!'"
[Illustration]
* * * * *
Directions for Reading.--Mark the _inflection_ of the following lines.
The tide comes up, and the tide goes down.
The fair little sister wept, dismayed,
But the brother said, "I am not afraid."
Name the _emphatic words_ in the lines just quoted. State whether the
emphasis falls upon words that are inflected.
* * * * *
Language Lesson.--Why is the sea called _cruel_ and its roar _hungry?_
Give two examples of a similar use of words.
* * * * *
LESSON LIII.
oc'cu pant, _one who is in possession of a thing_.
ac quired', _gained_.
mi'cro scope, _a glass so formed as to make small_
_objects appear large_.
slug'gish, _slow; stupid_.
in spect'ing, _looking at with attention_.
com posed', _made up_.
se'ries, _a number of things in order_.
stub'bed, _short and thick_.
dis turbed', _interfered with_.
* * * * *
THE CATERPILLAR AND BUTTERFLY.
Last summer, when the trees were covered with green leaves, and when the
little stream was sparkling and dancing in the sun, there appeared in
the garden, a large caterpillar of many colors, and about as pretty as a
caterpillar could be.
All day long it was nibbling the green leaves, and leaf after leaf
disappeared before it with wonderful rapidity. It seemed to live only
for eating.
As autumn came on, it quite lost its appetite; so much so, that even the
tenderest and most juicy leaves could not tempt it to eat any more. It
grew dull and stiff, and lost all interest in life.
Feeling that some change was about to happen, it crawled into a little
hole in the old garden wall. It wrapped itself up in a cobweb, and fell
into a long sleep, during which it became changed from a caterpillar
into a dried-up, dead-looking grub or chrysalis.
It remained in this state through all the long winter, till the snow and
frost had gone, and the cold March winds were over.
In April the trees burst forth with their bright green leaves, and the
grass looked fresh under the power of the warm rains.
In May the many-tinted flowers appeared, filling the air with their
sweetness, and brightening the fields and gardens with their gay colors.
At this time another great change came over the old grub. It showed
signs of life again; but it was now no longer a caterpillar--it was
something else.
It wriggled and turned in its narrow little home, and seemed anxious to
get out and look at the sunshine and flowers. It bumped its head up and
down until it succeeded in pushing off a little door.
When the door was off, and the bright sunlight shone in, this little
occupant of the chrysalis took a look at itself.
It saw that during its long winter's nap, it had acquired a pair of
beautiful wings, and its legs had grown longer and stronger than they
were before.
Crawling out of the chrysalis, and taking a position on a branch of the
tree, it discovered that instead of a caterpillar, it was now a
beautiful butterfly.
It was a kind that is called the swallow-tail butterfly, because each of
its wings tapered to a point, something like the tail of a swallow. We
will call the butterfly, Miss Swallow-tail, and now let us see what her
next move was.
Her wings were damp and heavy, and she stood shivering and trembling;
for although she had six legs, they were weak, having never before borne
such a weight.
But fresh air brings strength; so she soon felt like trying to walk. At
first her movements were sluggish, but she finally reached a sunny spot
where she dried and warmed herself, giving her wings a little shake now
and then, until they opened grandly above her back.
And how beautiful they were! Dark brown, bordered with two rows of
yellow spots; and there were seven blue spots on each of the hind
wings.
As she stood there in the sun, a little wind came along and raised Miss
Swallow-tail off her feet. She spread her wings to keep from falling,
and found herself floating in the air.
This proved to be such a delightful way of traveling, that she lifted
her wings occasionally, and so kept herself floating; and in a short
time she learned to turn in any direction she chose.
As she flew along, growing stronger every minute, she was attracted by
the bright colors of a flower, and stopped to admire it.
The sweet perfume tempted her to taste, and unrolling her long tongue
from under her chin, where she carried it, she put it down into the
flower and drew up the honey hidden there.
Miss Swallow-tail had wonderful eyes. All butterflies have wonderful
eyes. If you will look at them through a microscope you will find that
each eye is composed of a great many smaller ones, that can see in all
directions.
They have great need of such eyes, because there are so many birds and
other hungry creatures, that want to eat them.
One day a whiff of celery coming from a garden near by, reminded Miss
Swallow-tail of the time when she was a baby and liked to eat celery.
So she flew over into the garden, and fastened her eggs to a celery bush
with some glue that she carried with her. Then she left them, and never
thought of them again.
In about ten days the babies that had been growing inside of the eggs,
broke open the shells and crawled out. And what do you think they were?
Butterflies? like their mamma, only very much smaller?
No, indeed! for you know butterflies never grow any larger. They were
the smallest green and black worms you ever saw!
As soon as they were out of the shells, they began eating the celery,
and grew so fast that in a week they were quite large worms.
They were covered with green rings and black rings dotted with yellow.
They each had sixteen short legs, and they had a flesh-colored, Y-shaped
horn hidden away under a ring above the head, that they would show when
they were disturbed.
One morning the gardener discovered that something was eating his
celery. Searching among the leaves he found all but one of the little
worms, and put them where they could do no more mischief.
Soon the little worm that had escaped his notice, had grown so fat that
he was too stupid to eat any more; so he crawled away to a dark place on
the fence and fastened himself there.
But first he covered a small spot of the fence with a white, silken
carpet, that he wove from a web which he drew from his under lip.
He then glued the end of a web to the carpet, carried the rest of it up
over his breast, and down on the other side and fastened it there.
He then bent his head down under it, letting it pass over his head, and
by bending forward and backward worked it down near the middle of his
back. After inspecting his work, he bent his head upon his breast, and
leaned against the fence.
After resting two days, he began a series of twistings and turnings
that burst open his skin from the corners of his mouth down a short way,
and worked it all off himself.
He drew his head in out of sight, and sent out a stubbed horn on each
side of it, and lo! no worm was to be seen!--but a chrysalis, like the
one his mother was sleeping in when we first found her.
* * * * *
Directions for Reading.--Let pupils read the following lines, and then
mark the _inflection_.
"And what do you think they were? Butterflies? like their mamma,
only very much smaller?"
Does the first question expect the answer _yes_ or _no?_
Do the last two questions expect the answer _yes_ or _no?_
What would be the inflections used in the following questions?
What kind of an answer is expected to each question?
"Where are you going?"
"Are you coming back again?"
Fill blanks in the following statements.
Questions which may be answered by _yes_ or _no_, regularly require
the ---- inflection.
Questions which can not be answered by _yes_ or _no_, regularly
require the ---- inflection.
* * * * *
Language Lesson. Let pupils copy the following words.
seize chief grief fear beach receive
relief believe weary beacon
Write sentences, each containing one of the preceding words, used in
such a way as to show its meaning.
* * * * *
LESSON LIV.
ob'sti nate, _determined to have one's own way_.
vi'cious, _not well tamed; given to bad tricks_.
sub dued', _made gentle; overcome_.
swerve, _turn from a direct line_.
squad'ron, _a number of horses drawn up together_.
pli'able, _capable of being turned or bent_.
strove, _attempted; tried hard_.
ex ceed'ed, _went beyond_.
thong, _a long strip of leather_.
* * * * *
WILD HORSES OF SOUTH AMERICA.
At the time of the discovery of America there were no wild horses in any
part of the continent.
Soon, however, some of the horses brought over from Europe by the early
settlers, wandered away, and now wild horses are to be met with in large
numbers, in some cases as many as a thousand at a time.
They appear to be under the command of a leader, the strongest and
boldest of the herd, whom they obey.
When threatened with danger, at some signal, understood by them all,
they either close together and trample their enemy to death, or form
themselves into a circle and welcome him with their heels.
The leader first faces the danger, and when he finds it prudent to
retreat, all follow his rapid flight.
Byron thus describes a troop of wild horses:
"A trampling troop; I see them come!
In one vast squadron they advance!
I strove to cry--my lips were dumb.
The steeds rush on in plunging pride;
But where are they the reins to guide?
A thousand horse--and none to ride!
With flowing tail, and flying mane,
Wide nostrils--never stretch'd by pain,
Mouths bloodless to the bit or rein
And feet that iron never shod,
And flanks unscarr'd by spur or rod,
A thousand horse, the wild, the free,
Like waves that follow o'er the sea.
On came the troop....
They stop--they start--they snuff the air,
Gallop a moment here and there,
Approach, retire, wheel round and round,
Then plunging back with sudden bound,
They snort--they foam--neigh--swerve aside,
And backward to the forest fly."
The capture and breaking in of wild horses in America are described by
Miers as follows--
"The lasso is used by the natives of South America. It is a very strong
braided thong, half an inch thick, and forty feet long, made of many
strips of rawhide, braided like a whip-thong, and made soft and pliable
by rubbing with grease.
"It has at one end an iron ring, about an inch and a half in diameter,
through which the thong is passed, forming a running noose.
"The herdsmen--gauchos, as they are called--are generally mounted on
horseback when they use the lasso. One end of the thong is attached to
the saddle; the remainder is coiled in the left hand, except about
twelve feet belonging to the noose end, which is held in a coil in the
right hand.
"This long noose is then swung around the head, the weight of the iron
ring at the end of the noose assisting in giving to it, by a continued
circular motion, a sufficient force to project it the whole length of
the line.
"The gauchos drive the wild horses into a corral, which is a circular
space surrounded by rough posts firmly driven into the ground. The
corral," relates Miers, "was quite full of horses, most of which were
young ones about two or three years old.
"The chief gaucho, mounted on a strong, steady horse, rode into the
corral, and threw his lasso over the neck of a young horse and dragged
him to the gate.
"For some time he was very unwilling to lose his companions; but the
moment he was forced out of the corral his first idea was to gallop
away; however, a timely jerk of the lasso checked him.
"Some of the gauchos now ran after him on foot, and threw a lasso over
his fore legs, and jerking it, they pulled his legs from under him so
suddenly that I really thought the fall had killed him.
"In an instant a gaucho was seated on his head. They then put a piece of
hide in his mouth to serve for a bit, and a strong hide halter on his
head, and allowed him to get on his feet.
"While two men held the horse by his ears, the gaucho who was to mount
him fastened on the saddle, and then quickly sprung into it.
"The horse instantly began to jump in a manner which made it very
difficult for the rider to keep his seat; however, the gaucho's spurs
soon set him going, and off he galloped, doing every thing in his power
to throw his rider.
"Then another horse was brought from the corral; and so quickly was
every thing done that twelve gauchos were mounted in less than an hour.
"It was wonderful to see the different manner in which different horses
behaved. Some would actually scream while the gauchos were fastening
the saddle upon their backs, and some would instantly lie down and roll
upon it.
"Others would stand without being held, their legs stiff and in
unnatural positions, their necks half bent towards their tails, and
looking vicious and obstinate.
"It was now curious to look around and see the gauchos trying to bring
their horses back to the corral, which is the most difficult part of
their work, for the poor creatures had been so scared there that they
were unwilling to return to the place.
"At last they brought the horses back, apparently subdued and broken in.
The saddles and bridles were taken off, and the young horses trotted
off towards the corral, neighing to one another.
"When a gaucho wishes to take a wild horse, he mounts a horse that has
been used to the sport, and gallops over the plain.
"As soon as he comes near his victim, the lasso is thrown round the two
hind-legs, and as the gaucho rides a little on one side, the jerk
throws the wild horse without doing injury to his knees or his face.
[Illustration]
"Before the horse can recover from the shock, the rider dismounts, and
snatching his cloak from his shoulders, wraps it round the fallen
animal's head.
"He then forces into his mouth one of the powerful bridles of the
country, fastens a saddle on his back, and, mounting him, removes the
cloak.
"Upon this the astonished horse springs to his feet, and attempts to
throw off his new master, who sits calmly on his back.
"By a treatment which never fails, the gaucho brings the horse to such
complete obedience that he is soon trained to give his whole speed and
strength to the capture of his companions."
* * * * *
Directions for Reading.--Let pupils pronounce in concert, and singly,
the following words: _I, hide, side, rides, flight, wild, finds,
retire, describe_.
Mark the inflection of the last six lines of poetry on page 256.[15]
What _inflection_ is used (1) to keep up the interest?--(2) to show
hesitation?--(3) to express a decided opinion?--(4) to give the
conclusion of a story?--(5) to ask a question that may be answered by
_yes_ or _no_?--(6) to ask a question that can not be answered by
_yes_ or _no_?
Let pupils state the special uses of _inflection_ shown in the
following examples.
I, I think perhaps you may go.
I know that you may go.
They silently went away.
Yesterday, about three o'clock, just as we were preparing to go home,
suddenly we heard a band of music.
[15] This lesson.
* * * * *
LESSON LV.
career', _course of life_.
gen'erous, _free in giving aid to others_.
char'ity, _goodwill; desire to aid others_.
in her'ited, _came into possession of_.
in jus'tice, _wrong-doing_.
ac cused', _charged with a fault_.
hes i ta'tion, _delay_.
pre scrip'tion, _an order for medicine_.
flor'ins, _pieces of money, each valued at about fifty cents_.
pen'sion, _money paid for service in war_.
re stor'ing, _giving back_.
phy si'cian, _doctor of medicine_.
* * * * *
AN EMPEROR'S KINDNESS.
Joseph II., Emperor of Austria, was a generous, warm-hearted man, who
took great delight in doing acts of kindness and charity.
One time, as he was passing through the streets of Vienna, dressed as a
private gentleman, his attention was attracted to a boy about twelve
years old, who timidly approached, and seemed, anxious to speak to him.
"What do you wish, my little friend?" said the gentleman. His voice was
so tender, and he had such a kindly look in his eyes, that the boy had
courage to say:
"O sir, you are very good to speak to me so kindly. I believe you will
not refuse to do something for me."
"I should be sorry to refuse you," replied the gentleman; "but why are
you begging? You appear to be something better than a beggar; your voice
and your manner show it."
"I am not a beggar, sir," replied the boy, as a tear trickled down his
cheek. "My father was a brave officer in the army. Owing to illness, he
was obliged to leave the service, and was granted a pension by the
emperor.
"With this pension he supported our family; but a few months ago he
died, and we are left very poor indeed."
"Poor child!" said the gentleman. "Is your mother living?"
"Yes, sir, she is; and I have two brothers who are at home with her now.
She has been unable to leave her bed for weeks, and one of us must watch
beside her, while the others go out to beg."
Saying this, the poor boy tried very hard to keep back the great tears,
but they would come in spite of all he could do to stop them.
"Well, well, my boy," said the gentleman, "do not feel so unhappy; I
will see what can be done to help you. Is there a physician to be found
near you?"
"There are two, sir, only a little way from where we live."
"That is well. Now you go at once and have one of them visit your
mother. Here is money, not only for the physician, but for other things
to feed you and make you comfortable."
"O sir," said the boy, as he looked upon the gentleman in amazement,
"how can I thank you enough? This money will save my mother's life, and
keep my brothers from want."
"Never mind, my child; go and get the physician."
The boy obeyed, and the good emperor having learned the situation of the
house where the boy's mother lived, bent his steps in that direction,
and soon arrived there.
The room in which he found the poor woman gave evidence of great misery.
She was lying on a low bedstead, and though still young, her face was
pale and thin from sickness and want. Very little furniture of any kind
was to be seen, for the mother had disposed of nearly all she possessed
to obtain bread for her children.
When the emperor entered the room, the widow and her children looked at
him in astonishment. They did not know he was their emperor.
"I am a physician, madam," said he, bowing respectfully; "your neighbors
have informed me of your illness, and I am come to offer what service
may be in my power."
"Alas! sir," she answered with some hesitation, "I have no means of
paying you for your attention."
"Do not distress yourself on that account; I shall be fully repaid if I
have the happiness of restoring you to health."
With these words, the emperor approached the bed and inquired all about
her illness, after which he wrote a few lines and placed them on the
chimney-piece.
"I will leave you this prescription, madam; and on my next visit, I hope
to find you much better." He then withdrew. Almost immediately after
this, the eldest son of the widow came in with a medical man.
"O mother!" cried the boy, "a kind, good gentleman has given me all
this!" and he placed in his mother's hand, the money which the emperor
had given him. "There now, don't cry, mother; this money will pay the
doctor and buy every thing till you are well and strong again."
"A physician has already been here, my child, and has left his
prescription. See, there it is." and she pointed to the paper on the
chimney-piece. The boy took the paper, and no sooner had he glanced at
its contents, than he uttered an exclamation of joyful surprise.
"O mother! It's the best prescription a physician ever wrote; it's an
order for a pension, mother--a pension for you--signed by the emperor
himself; listen, mother; hear what he says:--
"'_Madam:_--Your son was fortunate enough to meet me in the city,
and informed me of the fact that the widow of one of my bravest
officers was suffering from poverty and sickness, without any means
of assistance. I had no knowledge of this, therefore I can not be
accused of injustice.
"'It is difficult for me to know every thing that takes place in my
empire. Now that I do know of your distress, I should indeed be
ungrateful, did I not render you all the help in my power. I shall
immediately place your name on the pension list for the yearly sum
of two thousand florins, and trust that you may live many years to
enjoy it.
"'_Joseph II_.'"
The widow and her children were taken under the especial care of the
emperor, and a brilliant career was opened up for the boys, who had
inherited all their father's bravery as well as their mother's gentle
nature.
* * * * *
Directions for Reading.--Mark the _inflection_ of the following
questions.
Where do you live?
Is your name Harry or John?
Why are you begging?
Do you wish to walk?
In such a question as the last one, if _emphasis_ be given in turn to
the words _you, wish, walk_, the answer might still be _yes_ or
_no_; and yet the meaning of the answer would be different in each
case.
Do _you_ wish to walk? Yes, I do.
Do you _wish_ to walk? No, I do not _wish_ to walk; but suppose I
must.
Do you wish to _walk?_ No, I would rather _ride_.
* * * * *
Language Lesson.--Let pupils write a letter to some friend, using the
last paragraph of the lesson as a subject.
* * * * *
LESSON LVI.
persist'ed, _continued_.
crip'ples, _those who have lost the use of a limb_.
merged, _united; joined_.
stal'wart, _strong; powerful_.
in'nocent, _harmless_.
pass'port, _what enables one to go in safety_.
gal'lant, _brave; noble_.
riv'en, _taken away; deprived_.
* * * * *
UNITED AT LAST.
"O mother! What do they mean by blue?
And what do they mean by gray?"
Was heard from the lips of a little child
As she bounded in from play.
The mother's eyes filled up with tears;
She turned to her darling fair,
And smoothed away from the sunny brow
Its treasure of golden hair.
"Why, mother's eyes are blue, my sweet,
And grandpa's hair is gray,
And the love we bear our darling child
Grows stronger every day."
"But what did they mean?" persisted the child;
"For I saw two cripples to-day,
And one of them said he fought for the blue,
The other, he fought for the gray.
"Now he of the blue had lost a leg,
And the other had but one arm,
And both seemed worn and weary and sad,
Yet their greeting was kind and warm.
They told of the battles in days gone by,
Till it made my young blood thrill;
The leg was lost in the Wilderness fight,
And the arm on Malvern Hill.
"They sat on the stone by the farm-yard gate,
And talked for an hour or more,
Till their eyes grew bright and their hearts seemed warm
With fighting their battles o'er;
And they parted at last with a friendly grasp,
In a kindly, brotherly way,
Each calling on God to speed the time
Uniting the blue and the gray."
Then the mother thought of other days--
Two stalwart boys from her riven;
How they knelt at her side and lispingly prayed,
"Our Father which art in heaven;"
How one wore the gray and the other the blue;
How they passed away from sight,
And had gone to the land where gray and blue
Are merged in colors of light.
And she answered her darling with golden hair,
While her heart was sadly wrung
With the thoughts awakened in that sad hour
By her innocent, prattling tongue:
"The blue and the gray are the colors of God,
They are seen in the sky at even,
And many a noble, gallant soul
Has found them a passport to heaven."
* * * * *
LESSON LVII.
declin'ing, _failing_.
expe'rience, _that which happens to any one_.
regard', _look at; consider_.
robust', _sound in health_.
ben'efit ed, _made better; helped_.
intense', _extreme_.
moc'ca sin, _a kind of shoe made of deer-skin_.
tem'po ra ry, _for a time_.
pe cul'iar, _strange; unusual_.
in tel'li gent, _showing good sense_.
* * * * *
A STORY OF THE SIOUX WAR.
PART I.
In the summer of 1862, while we were living in the State of Minnesota, I
had an experience which I regard as one of the most remarkable that I
ever met with.
We lived at Lac Qui Parle, or rather quite close to it, for we were
about a mile from the place.
There were only three of us--father, mother, and myself. We had moved to
Minnesota three years before, the main object of my parents being to
restore their health; for they were feeble and needed a change of
climate.
The first year, both father and mother were much benefited; but not long
after, father began to fail.
I remember that he used to take his chair out in front of the house in
pleasant weather and sit there, with his eyes turned toward the blue
horizon, or into the depths of the vast wilderness which was not more
than a stone's throw from our door.
Mother would sometimes go out and sit beside father, and they would talk
long and earnestly in low tones. I was too young to understand all this
at the time, but it was not long afterward that I learned the truth.
Father was steadily and surely declining in health; but mother had
become strong and robust, and her disease seemed to have left her
altogether. She tried to encourage father, and really believed his
weakness was only temporary.
Scarcely a day passed that I did not see some of the Sioux Indians who
were scattered through that portion of the State. In going to, and
coming from the agency, they would sometimes stop at our house.
Father was very quick in picking up languages, and he was able to
converse quite easily with the red men.
How I used to laugh to hear them talk in their odd language, which
sounded to me just as if they were grunting at each other.
But the visits used to please father and mother, and I was always glad
to see some of the rather ragged and not over-clean warriors stop at the
house.
I remember one hot day in June, when father was sitting under a tree in
front of the house, and I was inside helping mother, we heard the
peculiar noises which told us that father had an Indian visitor. We both
went to the door, and I passed outside to laugh at their queer talk.
Sure enough, an Indian was seated in the other chair, and he and father
were talking with great animation.
The Indian was of a stout build, and wore a straw hat with a broad, red
band around it; he had on a fine, black broad-cloth coat, but his
trousers were shabby and his shoes were pretty well worn.
His face was bright and intelligent, and I watched it very closely as he
talked in his earnest way with father, who was equally animated in
answering him.
The Indian carried a rifle and a revolver--the latter being in plain
sight at his waist--but I never connected the thought of danger with
him as he sat there talking with father.
I describe this Indian rather closely, as he was no other than the
well-known chief, Little Crow, who was at the head of the frightful
Sioux war, which broke out within sixty days from that time.
The famous chieftain staid until the sun went down. Then he started up
and walked away rapidly in the direction of Lac Qui Parle. Father called
good-by to him, but he did not reply and soon disappeared in the woods.
The sky was cloudy, and it looked as if a storm was coming; so, as it
was dark and blustering, we remained within doors the rest of the
evening. A fine drizzling rain began to fall, and the darkness was
intense.
The evening was well advanced, and father was reading to us, when there
came a rap upon the door.
It was so gentle and timid that it sounded like the pecking of a bird,
and we all looked in the direction of the door, uncertain what it
meant.
"It is a bird, scared by the storm," said father, "and we may as well
admit it."
I sat much nearer the door than either of my parents, and instantly
started up and opened it. As I did so, I looked out into the gloom, but
sprung back the next moment with a low cry of alarm.
"What's the matter?" asked father, hastily laying down his book and
walking rapidly toward me.
"It isn't a bird; it's a person." As I spoke, a little Indian girl,
about my own age, walked into the room, and looking in each of our
faces, asked in the Sioux language whether she could stay all night.
I closed the door and we gathered around her. She had the prettiest,
daintiest moccasins, but her limbs were bare from the knee downward. She
wore a large shawl about her shoulders, while her coarse, black hair
hung loosely below her waist.
Her face was very pretty, and her eyes were as black as coal and seemed
to flash fire whenever she looked upon any one.
Of course, her clothing was dripping with moisture, and her call filled
us all with wonder. She could speak only a few words of English, so her
face lighted up with pleasure when father addressed her in the Sioux
language.
As near as we could find out, her name was Chitto, and she lived with
her parents at Lac Qui Parle. She told us that there were several
families in a spot by themselves, and that day they had secured a
quantity of strong drink, of which they were partaking very freely.
At such times Indians are dangerous, and Little Chitto was terrified
almost out of her senses. She fled through the storm and the darkness,
not caring where she went, but only anxious to get away from the
dreadful scene.
Entering, without any intention on her part, the path in the woods, she
followed it until she saw in the distance the glimmer of the light in
our window, when she hastened to the house and asked for admission.
I need scarcely say it was gladly granted. My mother removed the damp
clothes from the little Sioux girl, and replaced them with some warm,
dry ones belonging to me. At the same time she gave her hot, refreshing
tea, and did every thing to make her comfortable.
I removed the little moccasins from the wondering Chitto's feet, kissed
her dark cheeks, and, as I uttered expressions of pity, though in an
unknown tongue, I am quite sure that they were understood by Chitto, who
looked the gratitude she could not express.
She soon began to show signs of drowsiness and was put to bed with me,
falling asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow.
I lay awake a little longer and noticed that the storm had ceased. The
patter of the rain was heard no more upon the roof, and the wind blew
just as it sometimes does late in the fall. At last I sunk into a sound
sleep.
* * * * *
Language Lesson.--Let pupils write a short letter to some friend,
taking as a subject, "A Visit from Little Crow," as given on pages 272
and 273.[16]
Let pupils add _y_ to each of the following words, make such other
changes as may be necessary, and then define them.
earth air fire water sleep
rain rust fun fur stick
What two words double their final letter before adding _y_? _Fiery_,
from _fire_, is irregular in spelling.
[16] This lesson.
* * * * *
LESSON LVIII.
de'mons, _spirits; evil spirits_.
groped, _found one's way by feeling with the hands_.
pre'vi ous, _going before in time; preceding_.
in clined', _leaning towards; disposed_.
dis tract'ed, _confused by grief_.
ex pired', _died_.
stat'ue, _a figure carved to represent a living being_.
stag'gered, _walked with trembling steps_.
as cer tained', _found out by inquiring_.
re tain', _keep possession of_.
* * * * *
A STORY OF THE SIOUX WAR.
PART II.
I awoke in the morning and saw the rays of the sun entering the window.
Recalling the incidents of the previous evening, I turned to speak to my
young friend.
To my surprise she was gone, and supposing she had risen a short time
before, I hurriedly dressed myself and went down stairs to help keep her
company.
But she was not there, and father and mother had seen nothing of her.
She had no doubt risen in the night and gone quietly away.
There was something curious and touching in the fact that she had groped
about in the darkness, until she found her own clothing, which she put
on and departed without taking so much as a pin that belonged to us.
We all felt a strong interest in Chitto, and father took me with him a
few days later when he visited Lac Qui Parle. He made many inquiries for
the little girl, but could learn nothing about her.
I felt very much disappointed, for I had built up strong hopes of taking
her out home with me to spend several days.
Father and I went a number of times afterward, and always made an effort
to discover Chitto; but we did not gain any knowledge of her.
On the afternoon of August 19, father was sitting in his accustomed seat
in front of the house, and mother was engaged, as usual about her
household duties. I was playing and amusing myself as a girl of my age
is inclined to do at all times.
The day was sultry and close, and I remember that father was unusually
pale and weak. He coughed a great deal, and sat for a long time so still
that I thought he must be asleep.
"Mother," said I, "what is that smoke yonder?"
I pointed in the direction of Lac Qui Parle. She saw a dark column of
smoke floating off in the horizon, its location being such, that there
could be no doubt that it was at the Agency.
"There is a fire of some kind there," she said, while she shaded her
eyes with her hand and gazed long and earnestly in that direction.
"The Indians are coming, Edward," she called to father; "they will be
here in a few minutes!"
Suddenly, a splendid black horse came galloping from the woods, and with
two or three powerful bounds, halted directly in front of me. As it did
so, I saw that the bareback rider was a small girl, and she was our
little Sioux friend, Chitto.
She made a striking picture, with her long, black hair streaming over
her shoulders, and her dress fluttering in the wind.
"Why, Chitto," said I, in amazement, "where did you come from?"
"Must go--must go--must go!" she exclaimed, in great excitement. "Indian
soon be here!"
So it seemed that, in the few weeks since she had been at our house,
she had picked up enough of the English language to make herself
understood.
"What do you mean?" asked mother, as she and I advanced to the side of
the black steed upon which the little Sioux sat; "what are the Indians
doing?"
"They burn buildings--have killed people--coming this way!"
Chitto spoke the truth, for the Sioux were raging like demons at that
very hour at Lac Qui Parle.
"What shall we do, Chitto?" asked my mother.
"Get on horse--he carry you."
"But my husband; the horse can not carry all three of us."
My poor distracted mother scarcely knew what to do. All this time father
sat like a statue in his chair. A terrible suspicion suddenly entered
her mind, and she ran to him.
Placing her hand upon his shoulder, she addressed him in a low tone, and
then uttered a fearful shriek, as she staggered backward, saying: "He is
dead! he is dead!"
Such was the fact. The shock of the news brought by the little Indian
girl was too much, and he had expired in his chair without a struggle.
The wild cry which escaped my mother was answered by several whoops from
the woods, and Chitto became frantic with terror.
"Indian be here in minute!" said she.
Mother instantly helped me upon the back of the horse and then followed
herself. She was a skillful rider, but she allowed Chitto to retain the
bridle, and we started off.
Looking back I saw a half-dozen Sioux horsemen come out of the woods and
start on a trot toward us.
Just then Chitto spoke to the horse, and he bounded off at a terrible
rate, never halting until he had gone two or three miles.
Then, when we looked back, we saw nothing of the Indians, and the horse
was brought down to a walk; and finally, when the sun went down, we
entered a dense wood, where we staid all night.
I shall not attempt to describe those fearful hours. Not one of us slept
a wink. Mother sat weeping over the loss of father, while I was
heart-broken, too.
Chitto, like the Indian she was, kept on the move continually. Here and
there she stole as noiselessly through the wood as a shadow, while
playing the part of sentinel.
At daylight we all fell into a feverish slumber, which lasted several
hours. When we awoke, we were hungry and miserable.
Seeing a settler's house in the distance, Chitto offered to go to it for
food. We were afraid she would get into trouble, but she was sure there
was no danger and went.
In less than an hour she was back again with an abundance of bread. She
said there was no one in the house, and we supposed the people had
become alarmed and escaped.
We staid where we were for three days, during which time we saw a party
of Sioux warriors burn the house where Chitto had obtained the food for
us.
It seemed to mother that the Indians would not remain at Lac Qui Parle
long, and that we would be likely to find safety there. Accordingly, she
induced Chitto to start on the return.
When we reached our house nothing was to be seen of father's body; but
we soon, discovered a newly-made grave, where we had reason to believe
he was buried.
As was afterward ascertained, he had been given a decent burial by
orders of Little Crow himself, who, doubtless, would have protected us,
had we awaited his coming.
We rode carefully through the woods, and when we came out on the other
side, our hearts were made glad by the sight of the white tents of
United States soldiers. Colonel Sibley was encamped at Lac Qui Parle,
and we were safe at last.
Chitto disappeared from this post in the same sudden manner as before;
but I am happy to say that I have seen her several times since. Mother
and I were afraid her people would punish her for the part she took in
helping us, but they did not.
Probably the friendship which Little Crow showed toward our family, may
have had something to do with the gentle treatment which the Indians
showed her.
* * * * *
Language Lesson.--Supply the words omitted from the following
sentences.
"Must go! Indian soon be here!"
"Indian be here in minute!"
Let pupils make out an _analysis_ for the subject--
"Our Second Visit from Chitto,"
and use it in giving that part of the story in their own words.
* * * * *
LESSON LIX.
e mit', _send forth_.
con'trast, _difference in form or appearance_.
molt'en, _melted_.
con'ic al, _having the shape of a cone_.
vol'umes, _quantities; masses_.
char'ac ter, _kind; formation_.
del'uge, _flood; drown_.
com pre hen'sion, _the power of the mind to understand_.
ap pall'ing, _terrifying_.
grand'eur, _majesty; vastness of size_.
lu'rid, _gloomy; dismal_.
tre men'dous, _terrific; awful_.
* * * * *
VOLCANOES.
In various parts of the earth, there are mountains that send out from
their highest peaks, smoke, ashes, and fire.
Mountains of this class are called volcanoes, and they present a
striking contrast to other mountains, on account of their conical form
and the character of the rocks of which they are composed.
All volcanoes have at their summits what are called craters. These are
large, hollow, circular openings, from which the smoke and fire escape.
Nearly all volcanoes emit smoke constantly. This smoke proceeds from
fires that are burning far down in the depths of the earth.
Sometimes these fires burst forth from the crater of the volcano with
tremendous force. The smoke becomes thick and black, and lurid flames
shoot up to a height of hundreds of feet, making a scene of amazing
grandeur.
[Illustration]
With the flames there are thrown out stones, ashes, and streams of
melted rock, called lava. This lava flows down the sides of the
mountain, and, being red-hot, destroys every thing with which it comes
in contact. At such times, a volcano is said to be in eruption.
A volcanic eruption is generally preceded by low, rumbling sounds, and
trembling of the earth's surface. Then follows greater activity of the
volcano, from which dense volumes of smoke and steam issue, and fire and
molten lava make their appearance.
Such is the force of some of these eruptions, that large rocks have been
hurled to great distances from the crater, and towns and cities have
been buried under a vast covering of ashes and lava.
The quantity of lava and ashes which sometimes escapes from volcanoes
during an eruption, is almost beyond comprehension.
In 1772, a volcano in the island of Java, threw out ashes and cinders
that covered the ground fifty feet deep, for a distance of seven miles
all around the mountain. This eruption destroyed nearly forty towns and
villages.
In 1783, a volcano in Iceland sent out two streams of lava; one forty
miles long and seven miles wide, and the other fifty miles long and
fifteen miles wide. These streams were from one hundred to six hundred
feet deep.
Near the city of Naples, Italy, is situated the volcano Mt. Vesuvius.
This fiery monster has probably caused more destruction than any other
volcano known.
In the year 79 A.D., it suddenly burst forth in a violent eruption, that
resulted in one of the most appalling disasters that ever happened.
Such immense quantities of ashes, stones, and lava were poured forth
from its crater, that within the short space of twenty hours, two large
cities were completely destroyed. These cities were Herculaneum and
Pompeii.
At this eruption of Vesuvius, the stream of lava flowed directly through
and over the city of Herculaneum into the sea. The quantity was so great
that, as it cooled and became hardened, it gradually filled up all the
streets and ran over the tops of the houses.
While the lava was thus turning the city into a mass of solid stone,
the inhabitants were fleeing from it along the shore toward Naples, and
in boats on the sea.
At the same time, too, the wind carried the ashes and cinders in such a
direction as to deluge the city of Pompeii.
Slowly and steadily the immense volume of ashes and small stones,
blocked up the streets and settled on the roofs of houses.
The light of the flames that burst out from the awful crater, aided the
people in their escape; but many who for some reason could not get away,
perished.
Pompeii was so completely covered that, nothing could be seen of it.
Thus it remained buried under the ground until the year 1748, when it
was discovered by accident.
Since that time much of the city has been uncovered, and now one can
walk along the streets, look into the houses, and form some idea how the
people lived there eighteen hundred years ago.
* * * * *
_Language Lesson_.--Let pupils write an account of a supposed journey
from their homes to Naples, telling about the route they would take, and
the particulars as to time and distance. Be very particular about
handwriting, spelling, punctuation, and capital letters.
* * * * *
LESSON LX.
coot, _a water-bird_.
hern (her'on), _a wading bird_.
ed'dying, _moving in small circles_.
mal'low, _a kind of plant_.
bick'er, _move quickly; quarrel_.
fal'low, _plowed land_.
gray'ling, _a kind of fish_.
cress'es, _a kind of water-plant_.
sal'ly, _a rushing or bursting forth_.
thorps, _villages_.
bram'bly, _full of rough shrubs_.
* * * * *
THE BROOK.
I come from haunts of coot and hern,
I make a sudden sally,
And sparkle out among the fern,
To bicker down a valley.
By thirty hills I hurry down,
Or slip between the ridges,
By twenty thorps, a little town,
And half a hundred bridges.
Till last by Philip's farm I flow
To join the brimming river,
For men may come, and men may go,
But I go on forever.
I chatter over stony ways,
In little sharps and trebles,
I bubble into eddying bays,
I babble on the pebbles.
With many a curve my bank I fret
By many a field and fallow,
And many a fairy foreland set
With willow-wood and mallow.
I chatter, chatter, as I flow
To join the brimming river,
For men may come, and men may go,
But I go on forever.
I wind about, and in and out,
With here a blossom sailing,
And here and there a lusty trout,
And here and there a grayling.
And here and there a foamy flake
Upon me, as I travel
With many a silvery waterbreak
Above the golden gravel.
And draw them all along, and flow
To join the brimming river,
For men may come, and men may go,
But I go on forever.
I steal by lawns and grassy plots,
I slide by hazel covers;
I move the sweet forget-me-nots
That grow for happy lovers.
I slip, I slide, I gloom, I glance,
Among my skimming swallows;
I make the netted sunbeam dance
Against my sandy shallows.
I murmur under moon and stars
In brambly wildernesses;
I linger by my shingly bars;
I loiter round my cresses.
And out again I curve and flow
To join the brimming river,
For men may come, and men may go,
But I go on forever.
* * * * *
Directions for Reading.--Point out the places in the poem where two
lines should be joined in reading.
Mark the _inflection_ of the following lines.
"I slip, I slide, I gloom, I glance,
Among my skimming swallows."
"For men may come, and men may go,
But I go on forever."
Read the last two lines, and state whether the _inflected words_ are
also _emphatic words_.
Find a similar example of _inflection_ and _emphasis_ upon the same
words in the last stanza of Lesson XXXVI.
* * * * *
Language Lesson.--Let pupils explain the meaning of the following
expressions.
_Join the brimming river_.
_Netted sunbeam_.
* * * * *
LESSON LXI.
de terred', _kept from_.
en'ter prise, _an undertaking_.
im'ple ments, _articles used in a trade_.
sur vey'ing, _measuring land_.
in'di cated, _showed; pointed out_.
re clin'ing, _partly lying down_.
re lease', _let go_.
con clu'sion, _final decision_.
suc ces'sion, _following one after another_.
hur'ri cane, _a high wind_.
an'ec dote, _incident; story_.
com pact', _closely put together_.
* * * * *
ANECDOTE OF WASHINGTON.
PART I
It was a calm, sunny day in the year 1750; the scene, a piece of forest
land in the north of Virginia, near a noble stream of water.
Implements of surveying were lying about, and several men reclining
under the trees, indicated by their dress and appearance, that they were
engaged in laying out the wild lands of the country.
These persons had just finished their dinner. Apart from the group
walked a young man of a tall and compact frame, who moved with the firm
and steady tread of one accustomed to constant exercise in the open air.
His face wore a look of decision and manliness not usually found in one
so young, for he was but little over eighteen years of age.
Suddenly there was a shriek, then another, and then several more in
rapid succession. The voice was that of a woman, and seemed to proceed
from the other side of a small piece of wooded land.
At the first scream, the youth turned his head in the direction of the
sound; but when it was repeated, he pushed aside the undergrowth and
soon dashed into an open space on the banks of the stream, where stood a
small log-cabin.
As the young man broke from the undergrowth, he saw his companions
crowded together on the banks of the river, while in their midst stood a
woman, from whom proceeded the shrieks he had heard. She was held by two
of the men, but was struggling to free herself.
The instant the woman saw the young man, she exclaimed, "O sir, you will
do something for me! Make them release me. My boy--my poor boy is
drowning, and they will not let me go!"
"It would be madness; she will jump into the river," said one of the
men, "and the rapids would dash her to pieces in a moment!"
The youth had scarcely waited for these words; for he remembered the
child, a bold little boy four years of age, whose beautiful blue eyes
and flaxen ringlets made him a favorite with every one.
He had been accustomed to play in the little inclosure before the cabin;
but the gate having been left open, he had stolen out, reached the edge
of the bank, and was in the act of looking over, when his mother saw
him.
The shriek she uttered only hastened the accident she feared; for the
child, frightened at the cry of his mother, lost his balance and fell
into the stream, which here went foaming and roaring along among rocks
and dangerous rapids.
Several of the men approached the edge of the river, and were on the
point of springing in after the boy. But the sight of the sharp rocks
crowding the channel, the rush and whirl of the waters, and the want of
any knowledge where to look for the child, deterred them, and they gave
up the enterprise.
Not so with the noble youth. His first act was to throw off his coat;
next to spring to the edge of the bank. Here he stood for a moment,
running his eyes rapidly over the scene below, taking in with a glance
the different currents and the most dangerous of the rocks, in order to
shape his course when in the stream.
He had scarcely formed his conclusion, when he saw in the water a white
object, which he knew was the boy's dress; and then he plunged into the
wild and roaring rapids.
"Thank God, he will save my child!" cried the mother; "there he is!--O
my boy, my darling boy! How could I leave you!"
Every one had rushed to the brink of the precipice and were now
following with eager eyes the progress of the youth, as the current bore
him onward, like a feather in the power of a hurricane.
Now it seemed as if he would be dashed against a projecting rock, over
which the water flew in foam, and a whirlpool would drag him in, from
whose grasp escape would appear impossible.
At times, the current bore him under, and he would be lost to sight;
then in a few seconds he would come to the surface again, though his
position would be far from where he had disappeared.
Thus struggling amid the rocks and angry waters, was the noble youth
borne onward, eager to succeed in his perilous undertaking. Those on
shore looked on with breathless interest.
* * * * *
Directions for Reading.--Point out the _emphatic words_ and mark
_inflection_ in the third paragraph on page 295.[17]
What effect has very strong _emphasis_ upon _inflection_? (See
_Directions for Reading_, page 238.)[18]
Should this lesson be read more slowly, or somewhat faster than
conversation?
* * * * *
Language Lesson.--Let pupils fill blanks in the sentences given below,
using in turn, each of the following sets of words:
(1) _saw, knew, was, plunged;_
(2) _sees, knows, is, plunges;_
(3) _perceived, thought, was, jumped;_
(4) _perceives, thinks, is, jumps;_
(5) _noticed, concluded, was, dived;_
(6) _notices, concludes, is, dives_.
He ---- in the water a white object, which he ---- -- the boy's dress.
Then he ---- into the roaring rapids.
When the first, third, and fifth sets of words are used, the action is
represented as something that is past; but when the second, fourth, and
sixth sets are used, the action is represented as going on at the
present time.
The forms of _verbs_ (_action-words_) which are given in the first,
third, and fifth sets are used to indicate past time, and are called
_past tenses_; and the forms given in the second, fourth, and sixth
sets are used to indicate present time, and are called _present
tenses_.
[17] See fifth paragraph from the end of the passage.
[18] See Lesson L.
* * * * *
LESSON LXII.
e merge', _come out_.
vor'tex, _water in whirling motion; a whirlpool_.
con fid'ed, _given into the care of_.
vis'i ble, _in sight_.
spec ta'tors, _those who look on_.
vent'ured, _dared_.
re ward', _that which is received in return for one's acts_.
des'ti nies, _lives and fortunes_.
sup pressed', _kept back_.
re doub'led, _made twice as great_.
* * * * *
ANECDOTE OF WASHINGTON.
PART II.
O, how that mother's straining eyes followed the struggling youth! How
her heart sunk when he went under, and with what joy she saw him emerge
again from the waters, and, flinging the waves aside with his strong
arms, struggle on in pursuit of her boy!
But it seemed as if his generous efforts were not to succeed; for,
though the current was bearing off the boy before his eyes, scarcely ten
feet distant, he could not overtake the drowning child.
Twice the boy went out of sight; and a suppressed shriek escaped the
mother's lips; but twice he reappeared, and then, with hands wrung
wildly together, and breathless anxiety, she followed his progress, as
his form was hurried onward.
The youth now appeared to redouble his exertions, for they were
approaching the most dangerous part of the river.
The rush of waters at this spot was tremendous, and no one ventured to
approach it, even in a canoe, lest he should be dashed to pieces.
What, then, would be the youth's fate, unless he soon overtook the
child? He seemed fully sensible of the increasing peril, and now urged
his way through the foaming current with a desperate strength. Three
times he was on the point of grasping the child, when the water's
whirled the prize from him.
The third effort was made just as they were entering within the
influence of the current above the falls; and when it failed, the
mother's heart sunk within her, and she groaned, fully expecting the
youth to give up his task.
But no; he only pressed forward the more eagerly; and, as they
breathlessly watched, amid the boiling waters, they saw the form of the
youth following close after that of the boy.
And now both pursuer and pursued shot to the brink of the falls. An
instant they hung there, distinctly visible amid the foaming waters.
Every brain grew dizzy at the sight.
But a shout burst from the spectators, when they saw the child held
aloft by the right arm of the youth--a shout that was suddenly changed
to a cry of horror, when they both vanished into the raging waters
below!
The mother ran forward, and then stood gazing with fixed eyes at the
foot of the falls. Suddenly she gave the glad cry, "There they are! See!
they are safe! Great God, I thank Thee!"
And, sure enough, there was the youth still unharmed. He had just
emerged from the boiling vortex below the falls. With, one hand he held
aloft the child, and with the other he was making for the shore.
They ran, they shouted, they scarcely knew what they did, until they
reached his side, just as he was struggling to the bank. They drew him
out almost exhausted.
The boy was senseless; but his mother declared that he still lived, as
she pressed him to her bosom. The youth could scarcely stand, so faint
was he from his exertions.
Who can describe the scene that followed--the mother's calmness while
striving to bring her boy to life, and her wild gratitude to his
preserver, when the child was out of danger, and sweetly sleeping in her
arms?
"God will give you a reward," said she. "He will do great things for you
in return for this day's work, and the blessings of thousands besides
mine will attend you."
And so it was: for, to the hero of that hour were afterward confided the
destinies of a mighty nation. Throughout his long career, what tended to
make him honored and respected beyond all men, was the spirit of
self-sacrifice which, in the rescue of that mother's child, as in the
more important events of his life, characterized George Washington.
* * * * *
Directions for Reading.--Read the first two pages of the lesson
quietly, but not slowly. About the middle of page 299, the manner of
reading should be changed, when the feeling of anxiety is turned to
that of joy.[19]
* * * * *
Language Lesson.--Let pupils rewrite the first paragraph of the lesson,
changing _past tenses_ to _present tenses_ throughout.
What effect will this change have upon the meaning?
[19] This lesson, seventh paragraph from the end.
* * * * *
LESSON LXIII
ex ist'ing, _living_.
mas'sive _large and solid_.
hy e'na, _a beast of prey_.
cau'tion, _great care_.
strat'a gem, _a secret way; trick_.
de pends', _trusts to_.
mar'vel ous, _wonderful_.
jack'al, _a beast of prey_.
pro cure', _obtain_.
a dorn', _make beautiful_.
* * * * *
THE OSTRICH.
The ostrich is the largest of all birds now existing, and is found
chiefly in the sandy deserts of Africa and Arabia.
A full-grown African ostrich stands from seven to nine feet in height,
to the top of its head, and will weigh from two to three hundred pounds.
The body of the ostrich is large and massive; the legs are long,
measuring four feet or more, and the neck is of about the same length as
the legs.
The head is small for so large a bird; but its feet with their two great
toes are of good size, and possess astonishing strength.
An ostrich's beak is short and blunt; its neck slender and covered with
gray down. Its eyes are large and bright, and the sense of sight so keen
that it can readily see a distance of from four to six miles. It hears
and sees equally well, and can only be approached by stratagem.
The feathers of the male ostrich are of a glossy black, with the
exception of the large plumes of the wing-feathers, which in both the
male and female are snowy white.
To procure these beautiful white plumes is the chief object in hunting
the ostrich. Those plumes when plucked are sent to foreign countries,
and used to adorn ladies' hats, and for various other purposes.
The ostrich feeds on vegetable substances; but as an aid to digestion,
it sometimes swallows stones, glass, paper, nails, and pieces of wood.
An incident is related of an ostrich on exhibition in Paris, swallowing
a gold watch and chain. A gentleman approached within reach of the beak
of the bird, and, in the twinkling of an eye, the watch and chain were
snatched from his pocket and swallowed.
Although the ostrich has wings, it can not fly--it depends upon its
strong legs and feet for speed, and can run much faster than a horse.
The strength of the ostrich is marvelous. Its only weapon of defence is
its long and muscular leg.
[Illustration.]
It is accustomed to kick directly forward, and it is said by those who
have observed this habit, that a single blow from its gigantic two-toed
foot is sufficient to kill a panther, a jackal, or a hyena.
No better idea of its strength can be given than the fact of its being
employed for riding. A traveler, writing about two ostriches he saw in a
village in Africa, says:
"These gigantic birds were so tame that two boys mounted together the
larger one. The ostrich no sooner felt their weight, than it started
off at full speed and carried them several times around the village.
"This trial pleased me so much that I wished to have it repeated; and in
order to test their strength, I had a full-grown man mount the smaller
bird, and two men the larger bird.
"At first, they started with caution; but presently they spread their
wings and went off at such a speed that they seemed scarcely to touch
the ground."
The voice of the ostrich is deep and hollow, and is said to resemble at
times the roar of the lion. The bird frequently makes a kind of cackling
noise, and when enraged at an enemy, it hisses very loudly.
Ostriches make their nests in the sand. One female will, in a single
season, lay from twenty to thirty eggs, weighing about three pounds
each.