Digitized by tine Internet Arciiive in 2008 witii funding from IVIicrosoft Corporation http://www.arcliive.org/details/englishlessonsboOOharrricli CALIFORNIA STATE SERIES ENGLISH LESSONS BOOK ONE BY ADA VAN STONE HARRIS ASSISTANT SUPEKINTENDENT KINDERGARTENS AND PRIMARY SCUOOL8, RICHMOND, VIRGINIA ; FOEMERLY ASSISTANT StTPEKINTEXDENT OF SCHOOLS, ROCHESTER, NEW YORK AND CHARLES B. GILBERT FORMERLY LECTURER ON EDUCATION, WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY, SUPERIN- TENDENT OF SCHOOLS, ST. PAUL, NEWARK, AND ROCHKSTER ; AUTHOR OF "STEPPING STONES TO LITERATURE " ; "THE SCHOOL A> D ITS LIFE,"' ETC. REVISED BY JOSEPHINE E. SEAMAN STATE NORMAL SCHOOL, LOS ANGELES, CAL. AND CORNELIUS B. BRADLEY UNIVER!-ITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY, CAL. SACRAMENTO Friend Wm. Richardson, Superintendent State Printing Copyright, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1910, 1912, By silver, BUKDETT AND COMPANY Entered at Stationers' Hall, London, England All rights reserved EDUCATION DEPT< In the compilation of this hook, certain matter from Guide Books to English, Book One, has been used. All such matter is protected by the copyright entries noted above. First Edition 25,000 October, 1912 PREFACE The aim of instruction of young children in language should be to secure fluent and accurate expression of thought both oral and written. Its steps are three : 1. Arousing thought and the desire to express it, by giv- ing an abundance of interesting iftatter to think and talk and write about. 2. Encouraging the children to express their thoughts freely, both orally and in writing. 3. Giving them a working knowledge of the principles of correct expression. • The first of these steps requires an abundance of " food for thought." This must be good food, natural food, appe- tizing food. Its natural sources are the whole of the chil- dren's environment, material and spiritual, — the world of nature about them ; the world of the imagination, especially as manifested in literature and the other arts ; the world of men and women of the present and the past ; the games and common activities of their own daily lives, and, in particu- lar, life in tlie school. The studies of the school curricu- lum furnish the best and the most available material for language instruction. With this bountiful supply ready at hand, teachers and textbooks waste time and scatter in- terest by going continually afield and bringing in unrelated material to serve as " language lessons." The second step follows naturally. If thought has been roused through interest, the desire to express it is sure to follow. This desire should be encouraged to the fullest ex- tent. In the earlier stages, freedom and fluency should be iii iv PREFACE cultivated continually, and little check should be placed upon the flow of expression. If interest is keen, thought active, and expression un- trammeled by fear of correction, the necessary instruction in principles follows easily and naturally, and is effective. Without these essentials, all attempts to teach "lan- guage" are efforts to make bricks without straw, and are formal and barren. The children's minds are burdened with many verbal statements of rules and definitions, but the language they use goes on in the same old ways of meager vocabulary, inaccuracy, and error. Much oral expression should always precede written work; indeed, in the earlier years it should receive the major share of attention and time, inasmuch as we talk much more than we write, and commonly much more in- accurately. Children learn to use good English, first, through hearing and reading good English, and, second, through using it. The sources of their first knowledge of correct form are the correct speech of their teachers and others with whom they converse, and the good literature that they read. In the language lesson literature is necessarily the chief reli- ance. Much reading prepares the children's minds for the study of form. This study at first should consist in ob- serving definitely the correct forms used, and afterward in a statement of the principles discovered. The forms thus learned become the children's own for habitual use through much practice. This practice should include the reproduction of good models, retelling and re- writing stories and descriptions while they are fresh in mind from reading. It should include also an infinite amount of free but correct expression by the children of their own thoughts, both orally and in writing. Much and varied observation and much and varied expression are the two essentials of the formation of correct habits of speech. PREFACE V Young children, in studying the elements of language, whether words or combinations of words, should study functions only. The functions of words, what they do in expressing thought, should first be carefully studied in literature, and the knowl- edge thus gained should be constantly utilized in practice. This will enrich reading and enlarge the vocabulary of the reader. The " grammar " in this book is purely functional. No attempt is made, for instance, to define a sentence, because a comprehensible definition. that is true is impossible at this stage of development. But the functions of sentences, what they do, may be taught, and should be known by those who use them. The principles above outlined the authors have endeav- ored to follow in the preparation of this book, as is shown in the followincr Twelve Features: '& Method 1. The study of the principles of language expression is wholly inductive, based upon use in literature and in practi- cal affairs. Hence — 2. Material for thought and expression receives first em- phasis. 3. This material is abundant, is varied, and is organized so as to produce definite results. Sources of Material 4. Good literature is constantly used for study as litera^ ture, and as the source of the principles taught. 5. Choice pictures are utilized both for arousing thought and for cultivating taste. 6. The school course of study is much used in the lessons, suggesting to teachers the most convenient and natural source of language material. vi PREFACE 7. Connected series of lessons from history, geography, and nature study develop continuous and logical thinking and variety in expression. 8. The correlation of different subjects, such as history, nature, and literature, with language as a center, shows how time may be saved with a rich curriculum and children trained to think relations. 9. The expressive activities suggested in many of the les- sons are one of the very best means known for rousing in- terest and clarifying thought. They recognize the value of taotor activity in stimulating brain activity, a thing now universally acknowledged. They make clear impressions, and clear impression is essential to clear expression. The constructing of things has opened to many children wdiole territories of knowledge and comprehension before unknown. This is especially noticeable in children of for- eign parentage, who naturally are deficient in English vo- cabulary. To them, indeed, the thing made is often the one key that unlocks the door of expression. These exercises are not play. They are not merely " man- ual training." They are interesting means for developing efficient thinking and adequate language power. The ex- ercises here given have all been successfully used in the classroom. Form of Expression 10. Letter ivriting is given unusually full treatment. This is the most generally used form of written expression ; for many it is the only form. 11. The mechanics of literary expression, such as punctu- ation, capitalization, and paragraphing, are treated system- atically and simply. 12. Oral expression receives unusual emphasis, because people talk vastly more than they write, and correct speech is -the universally recognized proof of a cultivated mind. PREFACE vii The grading of material to suit all conditions is, of course, impossible. Teachers, however, who find any particular literary selection better adapted to some other place in the schedule than that indicated in the book, will find an inter- change of matter not difficult. The copyrighted material in this book is used by permis- sion of and b}^ arrangement with Little, Brown & Company, Houghton Mifflin Company, D. Appleton & Compan}^, The Outlook Company, The Youtlis Companion, Miss Alice McCloskey, Miss Louise Klein Miller, and the officers of the School Improvement Association of School No. 9, Rochester, New York, — to all of whom both the authors and the publishers express their cordial appreciation and thanks. The authors and publishers are also indebted to Miss Josephine E. Seaman, instructor in English in the State Normal School, Los Angeles, Cal., for valuable assistance in the revision of the series, and to Professor Cornelius B. Bradley, of the State University of California, for his criti- cal readin.i^ of the text. DIVISION OF BOOK ONE BY YEARS Graduation is a matter that rests with, the country and city boards of education. The authors' ideas, however, as set forth below, will be of general interest. 1. For graded schools in which the language book is introduced in the third year : Third Grade, Chapters I-XLIX. Fourth Grade, Chapters L-XCV. Fifth Grade, Chapters XCVI to end. 2. For graded schools in which the book is introduced in the fourth year : Fourth Grade, Chapters I-LXIII. Fifth Grade, Chapters LXIV to end. In the former arrangement, the seasons of the year are followed quite closely. Under either arrangement the technical lessons have been so placed that chapters especially adapted to a particular season, such as Thanksgiving, may be used at the appro- priate time without disturbing the continuity of treatment. viu CONTENTS CHAPTER Subject Matter Form of Exercise page I. Picture : A School in Ger- many Conversation . , 3 II. The City Mouse and the Country Mouse . . . Conversation ; Eat — ate — eaten ; Good usage ... 4 III. The Straw, the Coal and THE Bean .... Oral Reproduction . 6 IV. Picture : Two Mothers and their Families . . . Conversation ; Oral exercise ... 8 V. Proverbs and Sayings . . The Sentence ; Capital and Period . . 10 VI. Poem ; Guess ; The Milk- weed Pod .... Making Sentences ; See — saw — seen; Good usage . . ■ . 11 VII. Hopscotch .... Capital and Period ; Notebook ... 16 VIII, The Carpenter Do — did — done ; Good usage . . 18 IX. A Flower and its Story ; The Sunflower ; The Story of Clytie . . Capitals beginning Sen- tences ; Conversation 20 X. Picture : The New Whip . Sentences that make Statements ; the Pe- riod .... 23 XI. Guessing Game . . . Arranging Sentences . 25 XII. The Clucking Hen . . Names that mean one and names that mean more than one . 26 ix X CONTENTS CHAPTER PUBJEOT MaTTER FoRM OF EXERCISE PAGE XIII. Thk Hare and the Tor- toise .... Quotation Marks ; Run — ran ; Good usage . 29 XIV. The Circus; The Parade Sentences; Teach — taught ; Good usage ; Review . . .32 XV. Who Stole the Bird's Nest ? . . . . Study of Poem ; Quota- tion ; Rhymes ; Stole — stolen ;• Gave — given ; Good usage . 36 XVI. Guessing Game. . . Words to use after " It is" . . . .40 XVII. The Frog and the Ox . Reproduction ; Sen- tences that ask Questions ; Question Marks ; Burst ; Good usage ... 41 XVIII. Poem and Picture : The Gamrols of Children . Names; Capitals; Is — are ; was — were ; Good usage . . 45 XIX. A Guessing Game . . Review ; You are — you were ; Good usage . 49 XX. The Apple Orchard . Grouping Sentences ; Telling a Story . 51 XXI. The Robin's Nest . . Reproduction ; Come — came ; Good usage . 53 XXII. The Princess and the Pea The Paragraph ; Mak- ing Definitions ; In- dentation ... 56 XXIII. How TO Show Ow^nership The Possessive Pro- noun ; The Apostro- phe .... 59 XXIV. Proper Names . . Initials; Dates . . 69 CONTENTS XI CHAPTER XXV. SuB.JECT Matter A Letter by Lewis Car- XXVI. XXVIL Some Things seen in the City Streets Corn XXVIII. Thanksgiving . XXIX. Nero . . . . XXX. Pictures in Verse . XXXI. Christmas ; Old Christ- mas ; .To a Fir Tree . Form of Exercise page Study of Letter ; Head- ing ; Salutation and Closing ; Write — wrote : Good usage . 61 Review of Paragraphs . 65 Review of Sentence and Paragraph ; Coopera- tive Story ; There is ■ — There are — There was — There were ; Good usage . . 67 Study of Poem ; Letter- writing . . .71 Sentences that Com- mand . . . .72 Capitals in Writing Poetry ; God and the Bible; /and . 73 Study of a Poem ; Let- ters of Invitation ; Capitals ; Sit — set ; Good nsas:e . , 75 XXXII. Sentences that Exclaim . Capitals and Exclama- tion Marks XXXIII. New Year's Day ; A New Year Song ; The New Year .... Writing Dates; Go — went — gone; Good usage XXXIV. Seasons, Days,. Months ; Marjorie's Almanac . Abbreviations ; Capi- tals .... 80 81 84 xii CONTENTS CnAPTER Subject Matter Form of Exercise XXXV. The Shepherd Boy and THE Wolf . Reproduction; Writing a Story ; Review ; - Good usage XXXVI. Picture: Tolling the Bell .... Conversation XXXVII. Review .... XXXVIII. Saint Valentine . Oral and Written Re- production XXXIX. Valentine's Day . Review ; Writing Names XL. History and Geography; Henry Hudson ; The Half-Moon; The Voy- age General Review ; Mak- ing Paragraphs XLI. Winds ; The Four Winds: The Wind . Arranging Paragraphs ; XLII. Rainbow Colors ; Guess What I Am ; Recipe FOR Soap Bubbles; The Bubbles ; The Rainbow XLIII. Spring ; Springtime ; The Awakening ; The Planting XLIV. Trees ; An Arbor-dat Tree ; What do we Plant? 88 90 92 94 95 Memorizing ; Blow — blew — blown; Good usage ... 97 Review of Sentences ; Memorizing . . 102 Personification ; Sen- tences and Para- graphs; Plurals . 104 Writing a Story ; Study of a Poem 108 CONTENTS Xlll CHAPTER XLV. XLVI. Subject Matter Letters. Letter from General Lee . The Flag ; How the Flag WAS Made Form of ExEBnsE Headings ; Salutations and Endings Reproduction ; Writing LVIII. a Streak of Sunshine LIX, "I Shine," says the Sun LX. Robert of Lincoln . 110 * a Letter . 113 XLVII. The Robin; I'll Try • Description ; Review of Punctuation 115 XLVIII. A Game • Some Common Con- tractions . 117 XLIX. General Revikw . 118 L. The Arab and his Camel The Hyphen 120 LI. Word Study : Grasshop- pers and Crickets ; The ^ Cricket . • Report of an i;xcur- sion ; Memorizing . 121 LIT. Nouns .... . Plurals in s . 123 LIII. The Fox and the Cat ' Plurals in es ; Titles ; Abbreviations . 124 LIV. Fables • Plurals in y; Writing Fables ; Good usage 127 LV. Seeds ; Collection and Observation ; Distribu- tion ; Examination Writing Descriptions ; Writing a Story 130 LVL Three Bugs Writing a Story; Blow — blew — blown ; . Grow — grew — grown ; Good usage . 132 LVII. Picture : A Shower THE Drawing-room IN Writing a Story ; Ought ; Good usage . 136 The Comma ; with name of person or thing addressed . 137 Comma with Quotation 140 Conversation . . 141 V CONTENTS IH AFTER Subject Mattbe Form of Exercise PAOB LXI. John Smith . Come — came — has come ; 'I'hrow — threw — lias or have thrown ; Grow — grew — has or have ' grown ; Know — knew — has or have - known ; Blow — blew — has or have blown ; Good usage . 145 LXII. Beowulf . . General Review . 148 LXIII. Lie, Lay, Lain . Review ; Good usage . 160 LXIV. LXV. LXVI. LXVIL Lxvm. LXIX. LXX. LXXI. LXXIL LXXIIL Letter from Sir Walter Scott .... OcEANus Hopkins "Down to Sleep " Thanksgiving Lessons The Pilgrims The Newsboy James Watt Picture : Friend The Sick Stories of Birds The Little Christmas Tree .... A Diary ; Anna Wins- low's Diary Writing Letters ; Writ- ing Titles of Books ; Addressing Enve- ■ lopes . . .162 Reproduction . . 166 Word Study . . 167 Review ; Making an Outline . . .169 Writing a Stoiy ; Capi- tals and Headings . 170 Reproduction . .172 Writing a Story ; Bring —brought — brought ; Good usage . . 175 Reproduction ; Writing Stories . . .178 Prose and Poetry; Study of Words ; Catch — caught ; Good usage Conversation a Diary . Keeping 180 185 CONTENTS XV CHAPTKR Subject Matter Form of Exercise PAGE LXXIV. The Home of the Vicar OF Wakefield . Study of Literature ; • Choice of Words 188 LXXV. Things to Talk and White About . 189 LXXVI. Washington . Quotations ; Writing Yes and No ; How to show Possession . 190 LXXVII. Picture : Angling Nouns and Words that Describe . 192 LXXVIII. Hyacinthus . Word Study ; Review . 192 LXXIX. Christopher Ludwick Review of Capitals 195 LXXX. Recipe for Candy Fudge Writing Recipes . 197 Lxxxr. Newspaper Advertise- ments Writing Acjvertise- ments and Answers . 198 LXXXII. A Soldier becomes the Soldier Tlie Article; Is— are — was — were . 199 LXXXIIL Homes Review of Paragraphs ; Writing a Composi- tion .... 202 LXXXIV. Spring Games Possessive Plural . 206 LXXXV. Letters Writing Formal Letters 207 LXXXVI. The Gladness of Nature Pictures in Words; Re- view of Singular and Plural 209 LXXXVII. Review . . Good usage . 211 LXXXVIII. Ceres .... Choice of Words . 213 LXXXIX. How Ceres lost her Little Girl Words expressing Ac- tion ; Dramatization 215 XC. The Parts of a Sen- tence Words that Tell . 217 XCI. A Day's History ^Vord Study 218 XCII. Picture : On the Beach Writing a Story . 218 XVI CONTENTS CHAPTER XCIII. Subject Matter Trades ix Birdland: The Form of Exercise PAGE Woodpecker — the Car- ' PENTER ; The Swallow • — THE Mason ; The OLE — THE Weaver Ori- Weave, Hang, Swing; Good usage ; General Review 220 XCIV. The St. Bernard Writing Stories . 223 xcv. Test Review Capitals, Commas, Plu- rals, Possession, Hy- phens, The Article . 226 XCVL Picture : Excitement . Writing a Story . 22(5 XCVII. The Merry Locksmith . Word Study ; Adjec- tives ; Writing a De- scription ; How to use a Dictionary 226 XCVIII. To-day . Memorizing . 231 VIII. To-day .... Memorizing . 231 :cix. The Story of a Loaf of Bread .... Writing a History 232 c. Contractions A Temperance Song ; the Apostrophe 236 CI. A Word Picture Word Study ; Nouns and Adjectives . 238 CII. Another Word Picture . Nouns and Adjectives . 240 cm. What is a Gentleman ? . Comma in Series; Rule for Comma 242 CIV. A Gentleman . Telling Stories . 244 cv. Review of Punctuation . An Allegory ; Three Kind of Marks . 245 cvi. Don't Crowd Review of Contrac- tions ; Writing a Composition 248 CVII. Review of Word Marks . CVIII. Scrooge and his Clerk . CIX. Psalm 23 ... . Review of Punctuation ; Verb Study of Literature ; Verb 249 250 252 CONTENTS XVll CHAPTER Subject Matter ex. Landseer; Picture: A Member of the Benev- olent SOCIETY FoBM OF Exercise Reproduction ; of a Picture Study CXI. Pronouns CXII. The Sentence CXIII. Mining ; The Miner CXIV. Coal . . . . CXV. Word Search in Readers CXVI. Magellan CXVII. Studies from Dickens . CXVIII. Business Letters . CXIX. The Past CXX. Stories to Tell CXXI. Both Puzzled : Picture CXXII. Electricity . Subject or Predicate Writing a Description and Letters Word Study Pronouns and Verbs . General Review . Indirect Quotations Pine Tree Legend ; Benjamin Franklin's Story Experiments and Rec- ords ; Franklin ; May, Can ; Good usage CXXIII. Debate . . . . CXXIV. Moving Day . CXXV. The Larch and the Oak CXXVI. Gluck's Search for the Golden River Divided Quotations ; . Word Study . 254 267 259 261 202 264 266 269 273 276 280 282 282 287 287 288 CXXVII. Croquet .... CXX VIII. God's Miracle of May . CXXIX. The School Garden CXXX. Letters of Invitation AND Replies CXXXI. The Crow 2— one Use of the Dictionary ; Good usage . . 289 292 Pictures in Words . 293 295 Adverbs 299 302 xviii CONTENTS rii AFTER Subject Matteb Form op Exebcisk paob CXXXII. Woodman, spare that Tree .... Quotations within Quo- tations ; Adverbs ; Prepositions . . 304 CXXXIII. Prepositions . . In, into, between, among, to, at . . 308 CXXXIV. Review. . . . Conjunctions . . 310 CXXXV. The Story of a Spool OF Thread 312 CXXXVI. The Honeybee . . Study of a Poem . . 314 CXXXVII. The Fireman 316 CXXXVIII. Review. . . . Sentences . . .319 Notes to Teachers . , 323 A Brief List of Books 326 ENGLISH LESSONS BOOK ONE J_ ^ B -^ ^ / 'n '^m 1 '■■ 4' ▼^^ ^-- -■^^t -< F ^^^m^Ki^ii^ 1 t ^^HM^ ENGLISH LESSONS BOOK ONE A SCHOOL IN GERMANY A Picture Lesson Conversation : Look at the picture. Talk about this picture with your teacher in class. Tell all the different things you can see in it. How many children are there ? How old do you think the tallest one is ? Which do you think is the youngest ? How old do you think she is ? What do you see in the picture that you do not have in your schoolroom ? What do you have in your schoolroom that you cannot find in the picture ? What is the tall girl doing ? What is the little girl on her knees doing ? Tell what each of the others is doing. Give names to the children. 3 4 ENGLISH LESSONS Do yon always sit as straight as the little girl on the bench ? Should you like to go to such a school ? Why ? II 1 THE CITY MOUSE AND THE COUNTRY MOUSE The city mouse lives in a house ; The garden mouse lives in a bower. He's friendly with the frogs and toads, And sees the pretty plants in flower. The city mouse eats bread and cheese ; The garden mouse eats what he can ; We will not grudge him seed and stocks, Poor little timid, furry man. Christina G. Rossetti. Read the poem and then talk about it in class. Which mouse has more friends ? Which has better things to eat ? Which would you rather be ? Why ? 2 Eat — Ate — Eaten, Good Usage : In the line, " The city mouse eats bread and cheese," what word tells what the city mouse does ? To tell what the mouse did last night, we should say, " The mouse ak bread and cheese." BOOK ONE 5 How have we changed the word eat to make it tell what the mouse did last night ? If we say, " The mouse has eaten all the cheese/' we use two words to tell what the mouse has done, the word has, and the word eaten. To tell what we do now, we say eat. To tell what we did yesterday or at some other time, we say ate. After has or have we say eaten. Conversation : Make complete statements. I ate an apple yesterday. Tell the class some- thing that you ate yesterday or at breakfast this morning. I have eaten bananas. Tell something that you have eaten. What did the cat eat for her supper ? What did the dog eat ? What ate the figs on the tree ? Have the birds eaten all the figs ? Have they eaten the strawberries in the gar- den? Tell when we say eat, and when we say ate. After what words do we say eaten f To the Teacher: After the use of a word is learned, the word should be frequently reviewed until the habit of using it correctly is formed. This can easily be done by brief conversations at the begin- jiing of recitations. ENGLISH LESSONS III THE STRAW, THE COAL, AND THE BEAN To the Teacher : See note A, p. 323. Read this story and then tell it : Once upon a time there was an old woman who lived in a village. One day she went into her garden to gather some beans for her dinner. She had a good fire, but to make it burn more quickly, she threw on a handful of straws. As she poured the beans into the pot to boil, one of them fell on the floor not far from a Straw that was lying near. Suddenly a glowing Coal bounded out of the fire and fell close to them. They both started away, and each cried out, " Dear friend, don't (;ome near me till you are cooler. What brings you out here ? " " Oh," replied the Coal, *' the heat made me so strong that I was able to leap from the fire. Had I not done so, my death would have been certain and I should have been burned to ashes by this time." " Then," said the Bean, " I have escaped being scalded to death, for had the old woman put me into the pot with my comrades, I should have been boiled to broth." '^I might have been burned," said the Straw, ** for all my brothers were pushed into the fire and . smoke by the old woman. She packed sixty of us in a bundle, but I slipped through her fingers." " Well, now, what shall we do with ourselves ? " asked the Coal. BOOK ONE 7 " Why not," answered the Bean, " travel away to- gether to some more friendly country ? " The two others agreed to do this, so they started on their journey. After traveling a little distance, they came to a stream over which there was no bridge. They were puzzled to know how to get over to the other side. Then the Straw said, " I will lay myself across the stream, so that you two can walk upon me, as if I were a bridge." So the Straw stretched himself from one shore to the other. The Coal tripped out quite boldly on the newly built bridge. But when he reached the middle of the stream and heard the water rushing under him, he was frightened. He stood still and dared not move a step farther. Then a sad thing happened. The Straw was scorched in the middle by the heat in the Coal. He broke in two from the weight of the Coal and fell into the brook. The Coal, with a hiss, slid after him into the water. The Bean had stayed behind on the shore. When she saw what had happened, she laughed so hard that she burst. Sho would have been worse off than her comrades had not a tailor come along to rest by the brook. He noticed the Bean, and being a kind-hearted man, he took a needle and thread out of his pocket. Taking up the Bean, he sewed her together. She thanked him very much. He had only black thread with which to sew the Bean, so ever since that time some beans have black marks down their backs. From Grimms' Fairy Tales. 8 ENGLISH LESSONS In telling the story, be sure to answer these questions : 1. What did the old woman do ? 2. What happened to one of the beans ? 3. How did the Bean, the Straw, and the Coal become acquainted ? 4. What did each of them say about himself ? 5. What did they decide to do ? 6. What happened to the Straw ? to the Coal ? to the Bean ? IV TWO MOTHERS AND THEIR FAMILIES Conversation : What are the mother and th^ child talking about? ^ Who is feeding the mother hen and her chicks ? What do you think the httle girl's mother is telling her ? Why do you think theiinother hen has just called her chicks? f Which gets most of the food, the mother hen or the chicks ? What do you think. :ne chicks are eating ? Does the mother hen love all the chicks ? Does she know that two of them are not eat- ing? Could you love so large a family ? BOOK ONE m f TWO MOTHERS AND THEIR FAMILIES 10 ENGLISH LESSONS Oral Exercise : Tell a story about what you think the mother and the child are saying to each other. PROVERBS AND SAYINGS The Sentence — Capital and Period Read : A stitch in time saves nine. Time and tide wait for no man. It is a long road that has no turning. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All is not gold that glitters. Many hands make light work. A rolling stone gathers no moss. It is never too late to mend. Each of these sayings is a sentence. Each sentence tells something. To tell something is to make a statement. Talk about these sayings in class. Tell what each one means. With what kind of letter does each one begin ? What mark is placed at the end of each ? Find other sentences in your language book or reader. To the Teacher : Do not attempt to frame a definition of a sen- tence, but discuss the children's selections with them and. make sure that only sentences are chosen. BOOK ONE 11 VI 1 Guess Read : Cover and case, close locked together, Filled with a curious kind of feather ; Open the box — you'll need no key — Oh ! pretty green case, did you grow for me ? 'Twas only the other day I said, " I must make my dolly a feather bed ; " And here is the softest, fluffiest stuff, Silky and white and plenty enough. What is it? Conversation : What do the first two lines of the poem describe ? AY hat does the third line tell yon to do ? Which line asks a question ? Who is talking ? What is she talking to when she asks the question ? What did the little girl say she must do ? Which two lines describe what she was going to use? What is it that is softest, fluffiest, silky, and lohite f Why did the little girl think the seeds would make a good feather bed for her dolly ? To the Teacher : See note B, page 323. 12 ENGLISH LESSONS Expressive Activities : Illustrate by free-hand cutting out of paper, or by painting with ink or water colors, the following pictures : "The cover and case, close locked together." The little girl opening the box. The little girl filling the doll's feather bed. The milkweed plant scattering its seeds. The little girl making her dolly a bed. The Milkweed Pod Making Sentences Dainty milkweed babies Wrapped in cradles green. Rocked by Mother Nature, Fed by hands unseen. Conversation and Observation : Have you seen milkweed growing ? When ? Where ? Visit the place, if possible, and bring to the schoolroom two or three plants. If you can, get plants with leaves, flowers, and pods. To the Teacher: Where milkweed is not obtainable, alter the questions in (2), making them such as can be answered by the study of pictures or through information given by the teacher. BOOK ONE 13 ^r Break the stem of the plant which has no pod and compare it with the broken stem of one with pods. Which has little or no '' milk " ? Why has one plant used more milk than the other ? Watch carefully for several days and see which plants become dry first. Why are the stems and leaves of the plants with pods turning yellow and brown ? Hang a ripe pod in the schoolroom for two or three days and watch it as it discharges its seeds. Where did the pod open first ? What makes the seeds come out of the pod ? What helps to carry them away ? Make sentences in answer to the above questions. Head and tell : Little Effie had never seen a milkweed pod. One day her big cousin Jack "^"^ milkweed plant 14 ENGLISH LESSONS gcive her one. It was dry and yellow. Effie broke it open and the seeds began to % through the air. *' Oh," cried Effie, clapping her hands, " see the pretty white wings! I think these must be plant angels! " 3 See — Saw — Seen Good Usage : In the story about little Effie, fmd the words had seen. In the questions on " The Milkweed Pod," find have seen. Read these sentences : Effie saw the fluffy seeds. " T see pretty white wings," said she. What word in the first sentence tells what Effie did? What word does Effie use to tell what she is doing ? As I look out of the window, I see the sky. Tell me what I did when I looked out of the win- dow. Tell me what I have done. We use see to tell what we are doing now. We use saw to tell what we did at some other time. We use seen with have, has, or had. Conversation : Make complete statements. On my way to school this morning I saw a BOOK ONE 15 flock of blackbirds. Tell something that you saw. T have seen a squirrel. Tell what animals you have seen. Let each tell of one. Tell the class something that you saw in vaca- tion or on Saturday. How many have been at the beach ? Tell the others something that you have seen there. How many have been in the park ? Tell what you have seen there. How many ever went to a circus ? Tell what you saw at the circus. Who will write on the blackboard the word that tells what we do now with our eyes ? Who will write the word that we use to tell what we did at some time in the past ? Who will write the word that we use after have f Written Exercise: Write a sentence telling something that you see now. Write a sentence telling what you saw yesterday or at some other time. Write a sentence telling something that you have seen. Read your sentences to the class. To the Teacher: Take every means of accustoming the ear and the tongue of the child to the right word. Good written English will follow as a matter of course. 16 ENGLISH LESSONS VII HOPSCOTCH Capital and Period Draw on paper or on the blackboard a diagram of a game of hopscotch. Write in the diagram what each space is called. Conversation : How many people can play the game ? What makes a good player ? Who wins ? Is an umpire necessary ? Give rules for playing the game. Expressive Activities : Ilkistrate on the sand-table or blackboard, or with brush and water colors, a game of hopscotch, or some other game that you play. Written Exercise : Write on the blackboard sentences giving the rules of the game. After your teacher has said that they are correct, copy them in your notebook. Write a description of another game that you have played. To the Teacher : Any other game that the children play may be substituted. BOOK ONE 17 Write a sentence in answer to each of these questions : With what kind of letter do you begin each sentence ? What mark do you put at the end ? Oral Exercise : Describe a game that you have played, referring to your diagram. The Notebook Each member of the class should have a note- book for language lessons alone. Write on the first page of your notebook your full name, the name of your school, of the town or city you live in, the day of the week, the month, with its day, and the year on which you begin to use it. Choose a verse and write it on the title- page as a motto. Here is the title-page of a student's notebook : Helen Hill Aldrich Longfellow School, Portland, Maine Monday, March 11, 1912 When Duty whispers low, " Thou must," The youth replies, "I can." Emerson. 18 ENGLISH LESSONS Vlll THE CARPENTER Arranging Sentences 1 Visit a carpenter's shop, if you can, and see how- lie does his work. Conversation : What does the carpenter do? Where does he work ? Name as many as you can of the tools he uses. What has the carpenter done for you ? Name all the things you can, made by the car- penter, that we could not get along without. If there were no carpenters, what should we have to do without ? Which is more useful, the carpenter or the black- smith ? Why ? Which would you rather be ? Why ? Tell all you can about the carpenter and his work. If you have ever seen a carpenter make any- thing, tell how he made it. Tell the story of your visit to the carpenter's shop. Written Exercise : Make sentences about the carpenter for the teacher to write on the blackboard. Discuss them. Arrange them in the best order and copy them. BOOK ONE 19 2 Do — Bid — Bone Good Usage : Read these sentences carefully : The carpenters do their work well. The carpenters did their work well. The carpenters have done their work well. You see that these sentences are nearly alike. What words in them are different ? When do is changed to did, how is the meaning of the sentence changed ? What word is used with have to make a state- ment about the carpenters ? When we use but one word to tell of what we have already done, we say did. After have or has or had we say done. Conversation : Make complete statements in answering these questions. How many have done their work ? Let each answer for himself. How many did all their work yesterday? Who did his very best yesterday ? Who has done his very best to-day ? I see some work on the blackboard. Who did it ? When did he do it ? With what did he do it ? 20 ENGLISH LESSONS Who saw him do it ? Do you think he did it well ? Exercise : Change each of these sentences, first using did and then using done. What word will you use before do7ie f Read your sentences to the class. I do my work every day. All the children do their work well. We do our very best. The horse does his work faithfully. " Boys, you do well," said Mr. Brown to his sons. IX A FLOWER AND ITS STORY Capitals beginning Sentences 1 The Sunflower Conversation : Did you ever see a sunflower? Where? De- scribe it. Paint a picture of it. If you can find one growing, watch it several times during a bright, sunny day and see in what different directions the flowers face. Can you tell why they face in different directions ? BOOK ONE 21 If you cannot watch a flower growing, your teacher will tell you about it. If some one can bring a blossom with its stalk into the class, you can study it and paint a picture of it ; but you cannot see from this the most in- teresting thing about the sunflower, which is that it turns its face toward the sun. The Story of Clytie \_To be read to the children hy the teacher."] Clytie was a lovely water nymph. She was tall and slender, with soft black eyes and golden hair. She loved the glorious sun god Apollo. Day after day, from morning until evening, she would stand upon the shore of a beautiful lake and gaze upon the face of the god as he rode through the heavens in his shining golden chariot, turning her face slowly as he passed from east to west. Apollo loved the gentle Clytie and used to look down upon her and warm her heart with his smile, but he could not come to her, for he must guide his fierce horses through the sky. At length the maiden grew wan and thin and was slowly wasting away. So Apollo in pity decided to change her into a flower which could stand all day and gaze upon him without suffering. So her feet became roots, growing fast in the ground ; her slender body was changed to a long, slender stem ; her eyes became 22 ENGLISH LESSONS the center of the flower, and her yellow curls, a golden fringe of petals ; and Clytie was a flower. This is why the sunflower all summer long stands upright in the garden and turns her face toward the sun as he passes from east to west. Conversation : What is a nymph ? How did Clytie look? What words help you to picture her ? What did she do every day ? Why ? Who was Apollo ? How did he ride through the heavens ? Did Apollo love Clytie? How did he show this? The story says that " the maiden grew wan and thin." What does wan mean? Why did Clytie grow wan and thin ? What did Apollo do ? Why? What happened to Clytie ? What words help you to picture the change ? What does the sunflower do ? Why ? Let as many of the children as possible tell the story of Clytie. Be sure to tell about : 1. -Who Clytie was. 2. How she showed her love for Apollo. 3. How Apollo at first showed his love for her. 4. Why she grew wan and thin. 5. How Apollo changed her. 6. What the sunflower does. BOOK ONE 23 Read the first two sentences in " The Story of Clytie." Whom do they describe ? Let one pupil copy them upon the blackboard, while the rest watch, ready to make corrections if needed. Look at different sentences in the story. With what kind of letter do they all begin ? Write in your notebooks : Every sentence begins with a capital. What mark is placed after the sentences in the story ? Make a definition for the use of the period. X THE NEW WHIP Sentences that make Statements — the Period A person who takes care of hunting dogs is often called a " whip." Conversation : What kind of dogs are these? Do they love their New Whip ? How do you know ? Do you think they fear the whip in her hands ? To the Teacher : Discuss the sentences with the class. Encour- age the pupils to tell why they are sentences. Do not attempt defini- tions yet 24 ENGLISH LESSONS THE NEW WHIP What is the New Whip wearmg ? Why does she wear the big cap and coat ? Have you ever seen a picture of a hunt ? Find a story about a dog and tell it in class. BOOK ONE 25 Written Exercise : Make a story about the picture, each one giving a sentence for the teacher to write on the black- board. Arrange the sentences in the best order, and copy them in your notebooks. Tell what these sentences do. After you have talked about it with the teacher and the class, let each write on the blackboard a statement of what sentences do. Choose the best statement or to- gether make a new one and copy it. Write in your notehooks: 1. Sentences make statements. You will learn later of other things that sen- tences do. What mark is placed after these sentences ? Write in your notebooks: 2. Periods are placed after sentences that make state- ments. XI GUESSING GAME Arranging Sentences Guess what I am : I make my own blanket. It is not made of wool. It is finely woven. 26 ENGLISH LESSONS I sleep all winter in my blanket. I am not a bud. I awake in the spring. I love the sunshine. I like honey. I am not a bee. I have four beautiful wings. Now tell what I am. Make another guessing game like this. Write sentences for your game upon the black- board. When the class and the teacher have decided which is the best arrangement of the sentences, copy them on paper or in your notebooks. Make other games, describing animals or things v^ithout life. XII Names that Mean One and Names that Mean More than One THE CLUCKING HEN Read : The clucking hen sat on a nest, She made it in the hay ; And warm and snug beneath her breast A dozen wliite eggs lay. Crack, crack ! went all the eggs, Out came the chickens small. BOOK ONE 27 " Cluck ! " said the clucking hen, " Now I have you all. " Come along, ray little chicks, I'll take a walk with you." " Hello ! " said the barnyard cock, " Cock-a-doodle-doo ! " Aunt Effie's Rhymes. Conversation : What do you see when you read the first stanza ? What do you hear ? What words in the second stanza make you hear something ? What does this stanza tell about ? What did the hen say to the chickens ? What did the cock say when he saw the chickens ? Did you ever hear a cock say "Cock-a-doodle-doo"? Copy in a list these words : hen^ nest., breast, cock. How many things does each of these words name? Write opposite each the word that names more than one, as hen — hens. Pick out from the verses all words that name more than one thing, and copy them in a Hst. Write opposite each the word that means only one of the same thing. Read these sentences aloud : The Qgg is in the nest. The eggs are in the nest. 28 ENGLISH LESSONS How many eggs are spoken of in the first sen- tence ? In the second ? What other words are different in the two sen- tences ? Can you tell why ? We use is in speaking of one, and are in speak- ing of more than one. Oral Exercise : Change these sentences so that each shall tell about more than one thing. Be careful to change is to are. Read the sentences aloud to the class. The wind is soft. The tree is in leaf. The flower is blossoming. The bird is singing. The lamb is frisking. The boy is playing and shouting. The farmer is plowing in the field. What season of the year do these sentences make you think of ? Answer these questions in complete sentences : Are the books yours ? Where are the pencils ? Are oranges good to eat? When are they ripe ? Of what color are they ? Of what shape are they ? Are they juicy ? BOOK ONE 29 Are they sweet ? Are orange trees large ? Are the leaves dark green or light green ? Are they dull or glossy ? XIIT THE HARE AND THE TORTOISE Quotation Marks Mead : There was a great, brown, ugly tortoise who lived under the leaves in a wood. He was fiat and broad and awkward. His legs were short, so that he could not run fast. But he was patient, and when he started to go to any place, he kept right on till he got there. One day the tortoise was lying in the sunshine, en- joying a quiet nap. Along came a hare, taking great leaps with his long legs. When he saw the tortoise, he stopped and said, " Oho ! here is that clumsy tortoise, I will have some fun." So he called out, " Wake up, tortoise, and I'll run you a race to the oak tree at the other end of the wood." " Who will be the judge ? " said the tortoise, sleepily. " Here comes the fox. He will be the judge," said the hare. Then they started. Soon the hare had left the tor- toise out of sight. "I have time enough. I think I 30 ENGLISH LESSONS will rest awhile," he said. So he lay down under a tree and fell asleep. The tortoise came on slowly and passed the sleeping hare. He would not rest until he reached the oak tree. After a time the hare waked up, and, seeing the tortoise nowhere, hurried on to the goal. But there was the tortoise already, sitting in the sun talking witli the fox. The fox said to the hare, " The tortoise has won the race while you were sleeping." After you have read the story, tell it. Be sure to meution these things : 1. What the tortoise was like. 2. What the hare did. 3. What the hare and the tortoise said. 4. What they did in the race. 5. How the race ended. Run — Ran Good Usage : Read these sentences : Hares run fast. The hare ran a race with the tortoise. The hare has run a race with the tortoise. What word tells what hares do ? What word tells what the hare did ? What word is used with has to tell what the hare has done ? BOOK ONE 31 Conversation : Make complete statements. What animals ran a race ? How far did they run ? Which ran the faster ? Did you ever run a race ? Whom did you run w^ith ? How far did you run ? Change these sentences so as to tell what the animals did at some tiuie in the past : My dog runs after rabbits. That horse often runs away. The dog runs after the kitten, and the kitten runs up a tree. The cat runs after the mouse. Written Exercise: Write two sentences of your own, using raiij and two others, using has run or have run. Read them to the class. Conversation and Written Exercise : Tell what you think of each of the animals. What does this fable mean ? How many sentences are there in the fable ? Copy the first four. Find words in the story that describe the hare ; the tortoise. Tell what prevented the hare from winning the race. 32 ENGLISH LESSONS Copy all of the things that the hare said. Copy all of the things that the tortoise said. Notice the marks that inclose what each one said. They are called quotation marks. The first word of a quotation should begin with a capital letter. Choose characters and act the story as a dialogue. Expressive Activities : Illustrate either by painting, cutting, or model- ing one of these : The hare and the tortoise starting in the race. The hare resting under the trees. The hare taking a. nap. The tortoise at the goal and the hare running to catch up. XIV THE CIRCUS Making Sentences 1 The Parade Conversation : Did you ever see a circus parade ? Tell when and where you saw it. Was it a fine parade ? What animals did you see in it ? What part of the parade did you like best? Why ? Why do you like a circus parade ? BOOK ONE 33 What parades have you seen besides the circus parade ? Tell about one of these : A policemen's parade. A firemen's parade. A soldiers' parade. A Labor Day parade. A Fourth of July parade. Expressive Activities : Illustrate on the blackboard some of the things you saw in the circus parade. The Circus Conversation : Which would you rather do, see the parade or go to the circus? Why? 34 ENGLISH LESSONS Make five sentences about the elephant. Did you ever play circus ? Tell when, where, and how you played circus. Tell about the circus. ^ Written Exercise : Write the names of all the animals you saw at the circus. Will you begin them with capitals or with small letters ? See how the names of animals begin in this lesson. Teach — Taught Good Usage ; Read these sentences : The men teach the animals many tricks. The men taught the animals many tricks. Which sentence tells what the men do now ? What does the other sentence tell ? BOOK ONE 35 Conversation : Remember to make complete statements. Tell something that some one teaches you — your father, your mother, your big brother or sister, or your teacher. Tell something that you have taught some one else or that you have taught a pet animal. Exercise : In these sentences, use taught in place of teach and teaches. Read the sentences aloud. Charles teaches his dog to beg for candy. The bird teaches its young to fly. My parents teach me to tell the truth. They teach rae to be brave. Our teachers teach us to love our country. The big boys teach the little ones to swim. Oar mistakes teach us to be careful. The study of language teaches us to speak well. Do not say learn when you should say teach. We learn w^hen we find out things. We teach when we help others to find out things. A baby learns to walk. Its mother teaches it to walk because she helps it to learn. 4 Review Oral Exercise : Change the words in italics to tell what the persons or animals did, and what they have doiie : 36 ENGLISH LESSONS We see many strange animals at the circus. The lions and tigers eat raw meat. The horses in the ring run very fast. The wise elephants do many funny tricks. The animal trainers teach the elephants to do tricks. Read your sentences to the class. Try to use these words correctly all the time, at home and on the playground as well as in school. XV WHO STOLE THE BIRD'S NEST? Quotation — Rhymes 1 Read : " To- whit ! To-whit ! To-whee ! Will you listen to me ? Who stole four eggs I laid, And the nice nest I made? " " Not I," said the cow, " Moo-oo ! Such a thing I'd never do. I gave you a wisp of hay, But didn't take your nest away. Not I," said the cow, " Moo-oo ! Such a thing I'd never do." " To-whit ! To-whit ! To-whee I Will you listen to me ? Who stole four eggs I laid, And the nice nest I made ? " BOOK ONE 37 "Bob-o'-link! Bob-o'4ink ! Now what do you think ? Who stole a nest away From the plum tree to-day? " " Not I," said the dog, " Bow-wow ! I wouldn't be so mean, anyhow ! I gave the hairs the nest to make, But the nest I did not take. Not I," said the dog, " Bow-wow ! I'm not so mean, anyhow." "Coo-coo! Coo-coo! Coo-coo! Let me speak a word too! Who stole that pretty nest From little yellow breast? " "Not I," said the sheep, "Oh, no! I wouldn't treat a poor bird so! I gave wool the nest to line. But the nest was none of mine. Baa! Baa!" said the sheep, "Oh, no, I wouldn't treat a poor bird so." ***** " Chirr-a-whirr! Cliirr-a- whirr! " All the birds make a stir! " Let us find out his name. And all cry, ' for shame! ' " " I would not rob a bird," Said little Mary Green; " I think I never heard Of anything so mean." 38 ENGLISH LESSONS " It is very cruel too," Said little Alice Neal; " I wonder if he knew How sad the bird would feel." A little boy hung down his head, And went and hid behind the bed; For he stole that pretty nest From poor little yellow breast. And he felt so full of shame. He didn't like to tell his name. Lydia Maria Child. Expressive Activities : Draw or paint pictures illustrating the different parts of the poem. Cut out of paper figures of the animals. Model the animals in clay. Make on the sand-table a picture of the whole. Conversation : Kead the first stanza again. Who is speaking ? To whom ? Read each stanza and tell who is speaking and to whom. Who did steal the bird's nest? Are the cow and the dog and the sheep telling the truth ? What proofs do they give ? BOOK ONE 39 Do you think they are good proofs ? What should be done to any one who would steal a bird's nest ? How did the boy who stole it feel ? Do you think he will do it again ? Can he do anything to repay the bird ? Written Exercise : Write sentences answering the questions asked above. Be careful to use capitals correctly and to put periods after the statements. 3 Stole — Stolen Good Usage : Find and copy the lines containing the word stole in stanzas 3, 4, 6, and in the last stanza. With have or has, stolen would be used in place of stole. Rewrite the lines, putting in has. Grave — Given Find and copy all the lines that tell what the animals gave to make the nest. With has or have, given should be used instead of gave. Rewrite the lines, using have. 40 ENGLISH LESSONS Conversation : Answer these questions in complete sentences : What did the cow give the bird ? What did the dog give ? What did the sheep give ? What did Santa Claus give you at Christmas ? Did you give any one a Christmas present ? To whom did you give it ? Your parents and friends have given you many things. Tell of one thing that some one has given you, using the words has given or have given, XVI GUESSING GAME Words to use after " It is " Read : I am thinking of a girl whom I saw driving in the park yesterday. Who is it ? Is it Theresa? It is not she : it is a larger girl. Is it Margaret ? It is not she : this girl has blue eyes. Is it Edith ? It is not she : this girl has yellow hair. Is it Ursula ? Yes. It is she. Kead the following forms over and over. Copy them carefully. BOOK ONE 41 Who is at the door ? Who killed Cock Robin ? It is I. It was I. It is we. It was we. It is she. It was she. It is he. It was he. It is they. It was they. Are you the man in our town who is so wondrous wise ? I am he. Are you the old woman that lived in the shoe ? I am she. Never use the words me, him, her, us, or them, after am, is, loas, are, icere, or heen. Make games, asking one another questions to be answered like those above. Answer them in sen- tences, as / am he, It is they, It is I. To the Teacher: Take up only one pronoun at a lesson. Young children can learn but one thing at a time. It is well to write on the blackboard the forms " It is I," "It isn't I," and the like, and keep them there for some time, making them the occasion of brief oral reviews. XVII THE FROG AND THE OX Sentences that ask Questions 1 Bead : An ox once feeding in a meadow chanced to put his foot among a company of little frogs that were basking in the sun. He almost stepped upon them and frightened 42 ENGLISH LESSONS them nearly to death. One of the little frogs hopped home to his mother as quickly as he could go. '' Oh, mother," he said, " we were sitting in the meadow when a great beast, the biggest I ever saw, put his foot right down among us and nearly stepped on us." " How big was he ? " said the old frog. " As big as I ? " " Oh, much bigger," said the little frog. " As big as I am now ? " and the old frog puffed herself out to make herself look larger. " Oh, much bigger yet," said her son. ^'As big as this?" and she puffed herself out still more. " Oh, ever so much bigger. If you should swell until you burst, you would not be so big," said the little frog. Then the old frog tried once more to puff herself up until she should be as big as the ox, and burst herself indeed. Tell the story in class. Conversation : Talk about the story, telling what you think it means. Answer these questions in sentences for your teacher to write on the blackboard: What did the ox do? What did the little frog do? What did he say to his mother? What did she say? . What happened then ? Find answers to the same questions, in the story in the book. BOOK ONE 43 Which do you like better, your answers or those in the book? Why? How many quotations are there in the story ? How can you tell them ? With what kind of letter does each quotation begin ? 2 Sentences that ask Questions What do sentences do ? Do all of the sentences in this fable make statements ? What is the first sentence that does not make a statement ? What does it do ? We see that sentences do more than one thing. 1. Sentences make statements. 2. Sentences ask questions. Copy these statements in your blank book. How many sentences in this fable are of the first kind? How many are of the second kind ? What mark is placed after a question ? Oopi/ in your blank hook : Sentences that ask questions have this mark (?) at the end. It is called a question mark. Sentences that ask questions begin with capital letters. Do other sentences begin with capital letters ? 44 ENGLISH LESSONS Let one of the class be the old frog and one the little frog, and act the story. Burst Good Usage : How many times is the word hurst used in the last four lines of the story ? We use hurst to tell what is happening now, and also to tell what did happen or has happened ; as, These soap bubbles burst easily. (What happens now.) The frog puffed herself up until she burst herself. (What did happen.) The frog has burst herself. (What has happened.) Oral Exercise : Fill the blanks in these sentences and read the sentences aloud : 1. A great gust of wind came, and open the door. 2. The pod of the milkweed and the seeds were scattered by the wind. 3. The children ran home and into the house, crying out, " O Mother, the great dam has ." 4. We tried to make the soap bubbles big, but they . As soon as one had , we blew another. 5. When his toy balloon , the little boy cried. But his mother said, "Don't cry. If your balloon has , you shall have another." BOOK ONE 45 Remember always to say hurst. Never use hursted ; it is not a good word. XVIII THE GAMBOLS OF CHILDREN 1 Names — Capitals Read : When the voices of children are heard on the green, And laughing is heard on the hill, My heart is at rest within my breast, And everything else is still. Then come home, my children, the sun is gone down, And the dews of night arise; Come, come, leave off play, and let us away. Till the morning appears in the skies. William Blake. Conversation : Read the poem carefully. Does the first line make you think of the chil- dren in the picture ? Are they on the green or on the hill ? Who says " My heart is at rest/' a child or an old person ? Is there any one in the picture that seems to feel quiet and peaceful as he watches the children ? Does he look as if his day's work were over ? 46 ENGLISH LESSONS Do you think he might say anything to the children that is said in the poem ? What are the children in the picture doing ? How many of them are there ? Are they having a good time? How do you know ? Do you think any one of them is not happy ? Why ? Why are the geese stretching out their necks and opening their mouths? What sound do you think they are making ? Who besides the man is watching the children ? Do you think the man and the baby are inter- ested ? Why ? Do these children live in our country ? Where do you think they live? Why do you think so? Oral Exercise : Give each child a name, and tell the story that the picture tells to you. Written Exercise : Go to the blackboard and write the names that you have given the children. After your teacher tells you that they are right, copy them. With what kind of letter does each begin ? Write in your notebooks : The names of persons begin with capital letters. BOOK ONE 47 48 ENGLISH LESSONS 2 Is — Are; Was— Were Good Ugage : The children are playing and the baby is watching them. Why is are used after children ? Why is is used after baby ? Study this sentence : The children were playing and the baby was watching them. Tell how many persons or things tvas makes a statement about. Tell how many ivere makes a statement about. Oral Exercise : Make two statements about the picture, using loas. Make two statements about the picture, using were. Written Exercise : Write your statements on the blackboard. Tell why you used was and why you used loere. In speaking, always be careful to use are and were with words that mean more than one. Write in your notebook : /s and was are used with names that mean one. Are and were are used with names that mean more than one. BOOK ONE 49 XIX A GUESSING GAME Review 1 Play you are some object that all know about. One child rises and says, — " Guess what I am." Other children ask questions ; as, " Are you round ? " The child answers, " I am not round," etc., like this : The Game "I am a fruit." " Are you round ? ** "I am not round." '' Are you yellow ? " "I am not yellow." "- Are you green ? " "I am green." " Are you a plum ? " "1 am not a plum." " Do you grow on a tree ?" " I do not grow on a tree." " Do you grow on a vine ? " " I grow on a vine." " Have you seeds ? " "I have many seeds." 50 ENGLISH LESSONS '' Are you good to eat ? " "I um good to eat." " Are you an apple ?" " I am not an apple." "Are you pink and white inside?" " I am pink and white inside." " Are you a watermelon ?" "I am a watermelon." Make other similar games. Be careful that all questions and answers are sentences. What two kinds of sentences do you find in this game ? What mark is placed after those of each, kind ? Write the questions and answers for one game.. Be careful in writing to use quotation marks for the conversation. You are — You were Good Usage : Notice the questions in the ^' Guessing Game.'* Tell whether is or are is used with you. If I say, " John, you are doing well to-day," how many does you mean ? If I say, " Children, are you ready for a story ? '* how many does you mean ? We always use are and loere with you whether it means one or more than one. BOOK ONE 51 Conversation : You may each ask one of your classmates a question, using are you. Ask what he is doing or what he is going to do. Now you may each ask some one a question, using ivere you. Tell what words we use with you. Write in your notebooks : We use are and were with you whether it means one or more than one. XX THE APPLE ORCHARD 1 G-rouping Sentences Conversation : 1. Did you ever gather apples? 2. Where were they ? 3. Where was the tree ? 4. What is an orchard ? 5. Are apple trees larger than peach trees? than elm trees ? 6. Are they straight and tall, or broad and bushy ? 7. What kind of leaves do they have? What kind of bark ? To the Teacher : Where apple orchards are not common, substi- tute some other fruit trees. 52 ENGLISH LESSONS 8. What kind of blossoms do they have? What are the blossoms for? 9. On what part of the tree do the apples grow ? 10. Were there apples and blossoms on the tree at the same time ? 11. At what time of the year were the apples ripe ? 12. How did you gather them ? 13. Do people gather them in any other way ? 14. How are they packed for market ? 15. Do you have apples in the winter time ? 16. How are they kept? Written Exercise : Write sentences in answer to the questions above. Make three stories of the answers : the first, of those to questions 1 to 4 ; the second, of those to questions 5 to 10 ; the third, of those to questions 11 to 16. Read : The apple tree grew by the wall, Ugly and crooked and black ; But it knew the gardener's call, And the children rode on its back. It scattered its blossoms upon the air, It covered the ground with fruitage fair. Expressive Activities : Illustrate these lines either with ink or water colors, or by free-hand cutting. BOOK ONE 53 2 Tell in class a story about any one of the follow- ing topics : My visit to an apple orchard in the spring. What I saw in an apple orchard at apple-picking time. The journey of the apples from the orchard to the fruit store. What we did with the apples that we bought at the fruit stand. The story of the apple from the seed to the fruit. XXI THE ROBIN'S NEST 1 Read : "Where shall I build my nest?" said a robin one day in spring. " Build it here, among my leaves, dear robin," an- swered the rose bush. " I shall soon be thickly covered with leaves and with beautiful blossoms, so no one will see your nest." " Ah, no, good rose bush," the robin said ; " T should not dare to trust my nest among your leaves and blossoms." Then the apple tree said, " Build your nest in my branches, pretty robin. I will rock your baby robins, and sing them to sleep with my rustling leaves." The robin looked at the sturdy old apple tree, and answered, "Yes, yes, kind tree. My little nest will be safe in your strong arms, I know." And in a few days the dainty home was made. Tell the story in class. 54 ENGLISH LESSONS Conversation Did you ever find a bird's nest in an apple tree or any other fruit tree ? What kind of bird had built it ? Do apples have any enemies ? What are they ? What do they do to the apples ? Are the birds friends or enemies of the apple tree? Why? Tell all you can about the friends and the enemies of apple trees. Memorize : They'll come again to the apple tree, Robin and all the rest, When the orchard branches are fair to see In the snow of blossoms dressed, And the prettiest thing in the world will be The building of the nest. Mrs. M. E. Sangster. Co7ne — Oame Good Usage : 1. In the spring the robins come back. 2. Last spring one came to the apple tree. 3. He has come again tliis spring. Study the sentences above. What word do we use in place of come when we speak of what is past ? BOOK ONE 55 What word do we use with have ? To tell what took place at some time in the past, we use came. After has, have, or had, we use come. Conversation : Answer these questions in complete sentences, one speaking at a time : How many came to school early this morning ? How many have come early every day this term ? When did your last birthday come ? When did Christmas come ? Did Santa Claus come on Christmas ? How did he come ? When did your last vacation come? Has spring come ? Have the flowers come ? Has autumn come ? Written Exercise : Write these sentences, filling the blanks with come or came. Read the story to the class. Spring had . One day a robin to an apple tree and said, " I have to build my nest in your branches." The apple tree answered, " I am glad you have , Mrs. Robin." Day after day the robin to the tree and worked busily until the nest was done. Ail summer the Robin family lived in the apple tree, but when the autumn had they flew away, and the apple tree never saw them again, 66 ENGLISH LESSONS Review Answer these questions orally ; be sure that you use the right words : Have you seen a bird build its nest ? What bird did you see build its nest ? Did it do its work well ? How many eggs were in the nest ? What did the young birds eat ? Who gave them their food ? Did you see them eat ? When did they fly away ? Did they ever come back ? xxn THE PRINCESS AND THE PEA The Paragraph — Indentation 1 Read : There was once a prince who wanted to marry a princess ; but she must be a real princess. So he traveled about, all through the world, to find a real one. There were princesses enough, but he was never quite sure that they were real princesses ; there was always something that did not seem just right. So he came home again and was very sad, for he wished so much to have a real princess. BOOK ONE 57 One evening a terrible storm arose. It lightened and thundered ; the rain streamed down ; it was fearful. Then there was a knocking at the town gate, and the old king went out to open it. It was a princess who stood outside the gate. But merc}^ ! how she looked ! The rain ran down from her hair and her clothes ; it ran in at the toes of her shoes and out at the heels ; and yet she declared that she was a real princess. " We shall soon find that out," thought the old queen. She said nothing, but went into the bedchamber, took off all the bedding, and put a pea on the flooring of the bedstead. Then she took twenty mattresses and laid them upon the pea, and then twenty eider-down beds upon the mattresses. On this the princess had to lie all night. In the morning she was asked how she had slept. " Oh, miserably," said the princess. " I scarcely closed my eyes all night long. I lay upon something hard, so that I am black and blue all over. It was quite dreadful." Now the old queen knew that the stranger was a real princess, for she had felt the pea through tlie twenty mattresses and the twenty eider-down beds. No one but a real princess could be so delicate. So the prince took her for his wife, for now he also was sure that she was a real princess ; and the pea was put in the museum, and it is there now, unless some- body has carried it off. Hans Christian Andersen. After reading the story, tell it in class, each one in turn telling a part, until your teacher calls on some one else to follow. 58 ENGLISH LESSONS Finding Paragraphs After telling the whole story, open your book again. Notice that the story is divided into parts. Observe where the first word of each new part is placed. Read the first part. How many sentences are there in it ? Read the second part. How many sentences are there in it? What does the fa rst part tell about ? the second ? Do the sentences in each part all tell about the same thing ? Each of these parts is called a paragraph. Paragraphs are made up of one or more sentences all about the same thing. Where is the first word of each paragraph placed ? Make a rule about it and write it in your note- book. Placing the first word to the right of the margin is called indenting the word. Play you are the different people in the story. Write what each says. Then choose characters and talk what you have written. BOOK ONE 59 XXIII HOW TO SHOW OWNERSHIP The children had had a picnic. All day they had been scrambling over rockvS, and wading in the little stream that ran through the caiion. When they came home at night, Mary's shoes were wet, Dorothy's dress had a rent in one side, Ruth's nose was sunburned, and Bob's hat was missing ; but all had had a delightful time. What word in this story shows whose shoes were wet ? Find other words that tell to whom some- thing belonged. How are all these w^ords written? Write your own name. Now write the word hook after it and change the writing of your name so that it will mean that the book is yours. The mark ( ' ) is called an apostrophe, and the name written with the 's added is said to be in the possessive form, because it shows that the person owns or possesses the thing mentioned. Write the names of the members of your class in the possessive form, and write after each the name of something owned. XXIV PROPER NAMES - INITIALS — DATES 1 Write on the blackboard your full name. Which part of it belongs to your whole family ? 60 ENGLISH LESSONS Why was your other name given to you ? The name that belongs to a whole family is called the family name, or surname. The special name that is given to each member of the family is called the Christian name or given name. Do you see why ? Write in a column the given names of these four men : George Washington Abraham Lincoln John Greenleaf Whittier Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Write above the column the words given names. Then draw a vertical line after the names and write on the other side of it the men's surnames. When you write the names of Mr. Whittier and Mr. Longfellow, on which side of the line will you put Greenleaf 2cn.di Wadsioorthf They are sometimes called middle names. Do they belong to the given names or the surnames ? Why? 2 Mr. Whittier's name is sometimes written John G. Whittier, and Mr. Longfellow's, Henry W. Long- fellow or H. W. Longfellow. The first letter of a name is called its initial. An initial is an abbreviation of a name. BOOK ONE 61 What mark follows the initials in Mr. Long- fellow's name ? What mark have you learned to place after abbreviations ? Make a rule for the mark to be used after initials, and copy it in your notebook. Copy on the blackboard : George Washington was born Feb. 22, 1732. Why is the period used after Feb. ? Why after 1732 ? The mark after 22 is called a comma. Write your own given name and surname and the date of your birth. Write the given names and surnames of all the members of your family. Write after each the date of birth. XXV A LETTER The man who wrote " Alice in Wonderland " was Dr. C L. Dodgson. But in his books he called himself Lewis Carroll. He was very fond of children and had many friends among them. Once he met in a park a little girl named Isabel, and he drew some puzzles for her. After he had gone away, he wrote her a letter. Here is a part of it. 62 ENGLISH LESSONS Eead it carefully. Copy it exactly, arranging all tlie parts of the letter and placing all marks just as they are in the book. The Chestnuts, Guilford, August 22, 1869. My dear Isabel : Though I have been acquainted with you only fifteen minutes, yet, as there is no one else in Reading I have known so long, I hope you will not mind my writing to you. A friend of mine, called Mr. Lewis Carroll, tells mo he means to send you a book. He is a very dear friend of mine. I have known liim all my life (we are the same age) and have never left him. Of course he was with me in the Gardens, not a yard off, even while I was drawing those puzzles for you. I wonder if you saw him. Your fifteen-minute friend, C. L. Dodgson. Conversation: Don't you think this was a nice letter for Isabel to receive from a friend vs^hom she had known for so short a time ? How do you suppose she felt when she received the letter ? What book was Mr. Carroll to send her ? Have you ever read " Alice in Wonderland " ? Did you like it ? What did you like best in it ? 2 When was the letter written ? Where was it written ? BOOK ONE 63 Copy the parts of the letter that answer these questions, just as they are in the book. This is called the heading of the letter. To whom was the letter written ? How does Mr. Dodgson address her ? Copy the words. This is called the salutation of the letter. Write the heading and the salutation of a letter to your cousin. Be sure to use marks and capitals as they are used in Isabel's letter. One of you may write on the blackboard. Notice where the word following the salutation in Mr. Carroll's letter is placed. Why does it begin with a capital letter ? After the salutation that you have written, write the first sentence of the letter to your cousin, saying to him that you are in the language class. Be sure to put the first word in the right place Tell the one writing on the blackboard just how and where to write this first sentence. Write more sentences, telling about your language lesson. Who wrote the letter to Isabel ? , What tells you ? This is called the signature. What words did he put before his name ? Copy them and the name exactly as they are in To the Teacher : A comma may be used instead of a colon in letter headings. 64 ENGLISH LESSONS the book. Be careful about the marks and the capital letters. Write after your letter to your cousin the words your affectionate cousin, and sign your name. Copy these words and your name in your note- book as a model. Make a hst of all words in the letter that begin with capitals. Write in your notebooks : All names of people , places, months, and days begin with capitals, 3 Write — Wrote — Written Good Usage: Study these sentences : We write letters to our friends. Mr. Carroll wrote a letter to Isabel. : We have written a letter on the blackboard. Tell when we use write, when we use ivrote, and when we use written. Conversation : Answer these questions correctly in complete sentences : Have you ever written a letter ? To whom have you written ? Has any one ever written a letter to you ? Who wrote to you ? BOOK ONE 65 What have you written in school this term ? Can you tell of some one who has written a story or a poem that you like ? What did he write ? Written Exercise : Write the answers to the questions above. XXVI SOME THINGS SEEN IN THE CITY STREETS Review of Paragraphs V 66 ENGLISH LESSONS Conversation : Select any one of these pictures and tell a story about it, answering the following questions : Who is the person ? What is he doing ? Why is he doing it ? How does he attract attention ? Do you think he makes much money ? Why ? Which would you rather be, one of these persons or the owner of a grocery ? Why ? Do you think the life is an easy one ? Why ? Which of the persons would you rather see on your street ? Why ? Expressive Activities : To the Teacher : Select such of the following exercises as your class can readily do. Tell, in free-hand cutting, the story of some of the things which you have seen on the city streets. Make out of cardboard five toys which you have seen the toy man sell. Illustrate with ink and brush the scissors grinder and the things he grinds. Illustrate with water colors the flowers that were on the flower stand. Model in clay the animals you have seen sold. Written Exercise : Write sentences about the subject of your story, answering the questions given. Arrange the sen- tences in one or more paragraphs. BOOK ONE 67 Review : Write ayiswers : What do sentences do ? What is a paragraph ? XXVII CORN Sentence and Paragraph If possible, bring to class a stalk o^ corn with ears on it. Conversation : Did you ever see corn growing ? If so, tell when. Tell how it looked in the field, how large it was, whether it had ears and tassels. How many stalks were there in a hill ? How far apart were the hills ? If you know how it was planted, tell about it. Tell any other facts you may know about growing corn. Examine the cornstalk. Study the picture. 68 ENGLISH LESSONS Written Exercise : Write sentences about a cornstalk, its height, its leaves, its tassels, its ears. Study an ear of com (or, if you cannot get one, the picture). Conversation : Tell what covers the kernels of corn ; where the silk grows and what it is for ; how the kernels are arranged on the cob ; where the largest kernels are, where the smallest. Tell what else you see in an ear of com. Written Exercise : Write a paragraph of five sentences about the ear of corn. 3 Cooperative Story Conversation : Tell what corn is used for. Find out all that you can about its uses. How is it prepared for food ? BOOK ONE 69 Written Exercise : Write a story of a quart of corn meal from the plantiog of the corn to the coming of the meal to your house. Tell about the field, the farmer, the miller, the grocer. Write the story together, some one writing on the blackboard the sentences given by members of the class. There is — There are There was — There were Good Usage : What difference have you learned between is and are? What is the difference between loas and ivere ? Tell how many things are spoken of in each of these sentences : 1. There is an ear of corn on the stalk. 2. There was an ear of corn on the stalk. 3. There are tassels on the corn. 4. There were tassels on the corn. It is very easy to make mistakes in using is and are, was and loere, when the sentence begins with there. Be careful to use There are and There loere when you are speaking of more than one thing. 70 ENGLISH LESSONS Conversation : Use complete sentences in answering these ques- tions : Are there books on the desk ? What else is there on the desk ? (Tell of one thing.) How many pencils are there in my hand ? How many children are there in the room ? How many pictures are there on the w^all ? Are there any holidays this term ? What holidays are there ? Is there snow on the mountains ? Are there poppies on the hills ? Are there clouds in the sky to-day ? Written Exercise : Write one sentence beginning with " There is " ; one beginning with " There was " ; one beginning with " There are " ; and one beginning with " There were." How will you spell the first word ? Read your sentences to the class. Write in your notebook : Use there is and there was in speaking of one person or thing. Use there are and there were in speaking of more than one. BOOK ONE 71 XXVIII THANKSGIVING Study of Poem — Letter Writing 1 Write a list of things for which you are thank- ful. This poem tells what the poet was thankful for. Study it and see if you are thankful for the same things. For flowers that bloom about our feet, For tender grass, so fresh, so sweet. For song of bird and hum of bee, For all things fair we hear or see, For blue of stream and blue of sky. For pleasant shade of branches high. For fragrant air and cooling breeze. For beauty of the blooming trees, P^or mother-love and father-care. For brothers strong and sisters fair, For love at home and here each day, For guidance lest we go astray, For this new morning with its light. For rest and shelter of the night, For health and food, for love and friends. For ev'rything His goodness sends. Father in heaven, we thank Thee. Ralph Waldo Emerson. 72 ENGLISH LESSONS 2 Read : There is so much to be thankful for that one day in each year is set apart for thanksgiving. It is called Thanksgiving Day. The President writes a letter to all the people, urging them to give thanks on this day. This is the day when families gather and enjoy themselves. I wonder if we are always thankful. Conversation : Did you ever keep Thanksgiving Day? What did you do ? Tell about it. Written Exercise : Write a letter to a friend, telling about some Thanksgiving festival that you have had or would like to have. XXIX NERO Sentences that Command Nero was a Newfoundland dog. One day his master showed him a shilling and then put it under a stone by the side of the road. The man and dog went on three miles. Then the master said, ''Nero, go and get the shilling." Nero trotted away. After a time he came back with the shilling. Wasn't he an intelligent dog ? BOOK ONE 73 What two things have you learned that sentences do ? Find in the story sentences that make state- ments. Do you find any that ask questions? What did the man say to his dog? Is this a statement ? Is it a question ? What is it ? What, then, is a third thing that sentences do ? Write in your 7iotebook : 1. Sentences make statements. 2. Sentences ask questions. 3. Sentences command or direct. Search your reader for sentences that command. With what kind of letter do they begin ? With what mark do they end ? Write five sentences giving commands. XXX PICTURES IN VERSE Capitals in Writing Poetry, God and the Bible, I and 1 Bead : The birds around me hopped and played, Their thoughts I cannot measure, But the least motion which they made, It seemed a thrill of pleasure. The budding twigs spread out their fan To catch the breezy air ; And I must think, do all I can, That there was pleasure there. Wordsworth. 74 ENGLISH LESSONS A wind came up out of the sea, And said, " O mists, make room for me." . It touched the wood-bird's folded wing, And said, " O bird, awake and sing." Longfellow. I have a little shadow, that goes in and out with me, And what can be the use of him is more than I can see. He is very, very like me, from the heels up to the head; And I see him jump before me, when I jump into bed. Stevenson. Each of these little poems is a picture. Read it over carefully, then shut your eyes and try to see the picture. Describe it. Memorize the verses you like best. Where are capitals used in these verses ? Let each pupil make a rule for the use of capital letters in poetry. Read the rules to the class. Copy in your notebook the one your teacher says is correct. What rules have you already made or learned about capital letters ? 2 Capitals in Writing God and the Bihle^ I and There are two words used often in these verses, each of one letter only, and they are always written in capitals. Find and copy them. BOOK ONE 75 Write a rule about them in vour notebook. How many uses for capitals do you know ? 1. 'Twas God who made the sun so bright, And all the stars that shine by niglit. 2. In the Bible we read about God. Do you know why the word " God " is written with a capital ? This word is always written with a capital. In 2, what words besides the first one begin witli capital letters ? Write in your notebooks : The first word of every line of poetry begins with a capital. All names of God begin with capitals. The word Bible begins with a capital. The words / and are always written as capitals. XXXI CHRISTMAS Study of a Poem — Letters 1 Conversation : What do you do to get ready for Christmas ? Have you ever made Christmas gifts ? Tell for whom you made them, how you made them, of what you made them, and how you gave them. Do you think they gave happiness ? 76 ENOLISH LESSONS Why do we give gifts ? Can you think of something that your class can do to make children less fortunate than you happy on Christmas Day ? Do you know of any good Christmas games ? Tell how to play them. Old Christmas Study : Now he who knows old Christmas, He knows a carle of worth; For he is as good a fellow As any upon earth. He comes warm cloaked and coated, And buttoned up to the chin, And soon as he comes anigh the door We open and let him in. We know that he will not fail us. So we sweep the hearth up clean ; We set him in the old armchair, And a cushion whereon to lean. And with sprigs of holly and ivy We make the house look gay, Just out of an old regard to him, For it was his ancient way. He must be a rich old fellow : What money he gives away I BOOK ONE 77 There is not a lord in England Could equal him any day. Good luck unto old Christmas, And long life, let us sing, For he doth more good unto the poor Than many a crowned king ! Mary Howitt. What is a " carle " ? Is Christmas spoken of as a person ? Why is he called a " good fellow " ? Why does he come " warm cloaked " and " but- toned up to the chin " ? How do we show that we are glad to see him ? How does he do good to the poor? What does the description of " Old Christmas " make you think of ? 3 Letters Written Exercise : Write one of the following : An invitation to some friend to go on a Christmas sleighing party with you. A letter to your sister, thanking her for the gift which you received. An invitation to some friend to spend Christmas Day with you. A reply to an invitation to a party. 78 ENGLISH LESSONS To A Fir Tree Study and memorize : O Fir Tree green ! O Fir Tree green ! Your leaves are constant ever, Not only in the summer time, But through the winter's snow and rime You're fresh and green forever. Fir Tree green! O Fir Tree green I 1 still shall love you dearly! How oft to me on Christmas night Your laden boughs have brought delight. Fir Tree green! O Fir Tree green I 1 still shall love you dearly. From the German. Did you ever see a fir tree ? How does it look ? Why are its leaves called " constant "? What is rime ? Why does the poet love the fir tree ? With what kind of letter does each line of the above poem begin ? Why ? What words of one letter do you find in this poem ? How are they written ? 5 Review Good Usage : Find in the poem " Old Christmas '* two lines in which comes is used. BOOK ONE 79 Change them so as to tell what happened on some past Christmas. Find a line in which glms is used. Change it as you did the other lines. In the third line of the last stanza, doth means the same as does. Change this line as you changed the others. Change each of the lines again, putting in has. Kead aloud all the sentences as you have changed xhem. Sit — Sat — Set Good Usage : 1. We set liim ia the old armchair. 2. He sits in the old armchair. 3. He sat in the old armchair. Which of the words in italics means placed ? Which of the others tells what some one is doing now ? what he did at some time in the past ? When you mean put, or place, use set. Otherwise, use sit to tell what you do now and sat to tell what you have already done. Conversation : Remember to use complete sentences. Who sits in front of you ? Who sits at your right ? Who sits at your left ? Who sits nearest the window ? Where does your teacher sit ? Where does the cat like to sit ? 80 ENGLISH LESSONS Do dogs like to sit by the fire ? You may change seats. Where did you sit just now ? Who sat in front of you ? Who sat behind you ? Who sat at your right ? at your left ? Where did you sit when you went to a picnic ? Where have you sat at the beach ? One of the girls may set my chair in place and tell me what she has done. You may all tell what she has done. Each of you may make a sentence containing set. Remember that it means to place. You may each make a sentence containing sat, XXXII SENTENCES THAT EXCLAIM While the new years come and the old years go, How, little by little, all things grow! LuELLA Clark. Pretty moon, pretty moon, How you shine on the door And make it all bright On my nursery floor! How far that little candle throws his beams! Do these sentences make statements ? Do they ask questions ? Do they give orders ? BOOK ONE 81 What do they do ? What three things have we learned that sen- tences do ? Here is a fourth : Sentences may express strong feeling, as surprise or wonder. When so used they begin with a capital and are followed by an exclamation mark(!). Find in your reader five sentences that express surprise. Write five sentences that express surprise. XXXIII NEW YEAR'S DAY, JANUARY 1 Writing Dates 1 A New Year Song Memorize There's a New Year coming, coming, Out of some beautiful sphere, His baby eyes bright With hope and delight, We welcome you, Happy New Year, There's an Old Year going, going. Away in the winter drear ; His beard is like snow And his footsteps are slow : Good-by to you, weary Old Year ! 82 ENGLISH LESSONS There is always a New Year coming, There is always an Old Year to go, And never a tear Drops the Happy New Year As he scatters his gifts on the snow. Lucy Larcom. By permission of Houghton, Mifflin and Company. 2 The New Year Writing Dates What year is it ? What month is it ? What day of the month is it ? What day of the week is it ? The year that this was written was nineteen hun- dred six, the month was March, the day was Saturday, the tenth. It is written, Saturday, March 10, 1906. Write the date upon which you are studying this lesson, being careful to use punctuation marks and capital letters just as they are used in the date above. Why are capitals used here ? Write in your blank book a rule about this use of capitals. Copy in your notebooks, filling in the dates : Christmas came December 25, 19 — . I was born . BOOK ONE 83 Gio — Went — Gone Good Usage : The Old Year goes and the New Year comes. The Old Year went and the New Year came. The Old Year has gone and the New Year has come. What word in the first sentence makes the state- ment about the Old Year? What word in the second sentence? What two words in the third sentence ? When do we say weyit f When do we say gone f What words make statements about the New Year? Tell how we use these words. Conversation : How many months of this year have gone ? What are the vacation months ? Where did you go last vacation ? Have you ever gone to the mountains ? Have you ever gone to the seashore ? When did you go to these places ? Oral Exercise : In this story, change the words that make state- ments so that they will tell what happened on 84 ENGLISH LESSONS some past day. Then change them, using has or have; be careful to use the right words with has or have. Kead the story aloud before changing it and afterwards. THE STORY OF A DAY The darkness goes away. The sun comes up. The men go to their work. The children go to school. Noon comes. The cliildren go out to play. Then they go in to study. So the day goes by. The children go home from school. The men come from their work. The sun goes down. The birds go to their nests. The stars come out. The moon comes up. The children go to their beds. All the world goes to sleep. What does the first paragraph tell about ? What does the second paragraph tell about ? Would it be as well to tell the whole story in one paragraph ? XXXIV 1 Seasons — Days — Months — Abbreviations How many days are there in this month ? How many were there in last month ? How many will there be in the next month ? How many months are there in the year ? BOOK ONE 85 Which is the first one ? Write the names of all the months in a column. With what kind of letter do they all begin ? Because the names of some of the months are long, we often write them in a shorter way, or abbreviate them. Oopy in your blank hooks : January . . Jan. July February . . Feb. August Aug March . . . Mar. September . . Sept April . . . Apr. October . , Oct. May November . . Nov June December . Dec. What mark is used after the abbreviations f Make a rule and copy it in your blank book. Which are the months whose names are not abbreviated ? Why are they written in full ? Write the names of all the holidays in the year, giving the month and day. In writing, begin the names of all holidays with cap- ital letters. Expressive Activities : Make a calendar for the new year. Letter it carefully and mount it on an ornamental back- ground. 86 ENGLISH LESSONS 2 ■ Marjorie's Almanac The Seasons Read in class : Robins in the tree top, Blossoms in the grass, Green things a-growing Everywhere you pass ; Sudden little breezes. Showers of silver dew. Black bough and bent twig Budding out anew ; Pine tree and willow tree, Fringed elm and larch — Don't you think that May-time's Pleasanter than March ? Apples in the orchard Mellowing one by one, Strawberries upturning Soft cheeks to the sun ; Roses faint with sweetness, Lilies fair of face, Drowsy scents and murmurs Haunting every place ; Lengths of golden sunshine. Moonlight bright as day — Don't you think that summer's Pleasanter than May ? ♦ * ♦ * * BOOK ONE 87 Little fairy snowfiakes Dancing in the flue ; Old Mr. Santa Claus, What is keeping you ? Twilight and firelight, Shadows come and go, Merry chimes of sleigh bells Tinkling through the snow ; Mother knitting stockings, (Pussy's got the ball) — Don't you think that winter's Pleasanter than all ? Thomas Bailey Aldkich. By permission of Houghton, MiflRin and Company. Conversation : Talk about tbe poem in class. Name tbe season that you like best. Memorize the stanza of the poem that you like best. Which of the seasons is not mentioned in the poem ? Name the four seasons. What months belong to each ? Written Exercise : Write the names of the seasons and opposite each the names of its months. Copy in your notebooks : The names of the seasons do not begin with capitals except at the beginning of a sentence or of a line of poetry. 88 ENGLISH LESSONS 3 The Days Write in a column the names of the days. Write opposite each its abbreviation. Each of these names has a meaning. Sunday is the sun's day ; Monday is the moon's day. See if you can find out the meaning and the story of the names of each of the days. XXXV THE SHEPHERD BOY AND THE WOLF 1 Reproduction — Writing a Story Read silently : A shepherd boy kept his flock a Uttle way from a village. He used to amuse himself by calling out loudly, " Wolf ! Wolf ! The wolves are among my lambs." Twice, thrice, the villagers were startled and ran to aid him, only to find that there were no wolves and to be laughed at for their pains. At length the wolves really did come and attack the flock. The boy ran toward the village, crying, " Wolf ! Wolf I The wolves are among my lambs." But the villagers thought it was the same old joke and refused to go to his aid. So he lost all his flock. Tell the story in class. BOOK ONE 89 Conversation : What does the story mean ? What do you think of the boy ? Do you think the townspeople did right in not going to help him when the wolves came ? Written Exercise : Write answers to the above questions, in good sentences. Expressive Activities : Choose characters. Let one be the boy, one the wolf, several the village people, and some the sheep and lambs. Then act the story. Review Good Usage : Find is, are, ivas, and ivere in the story of " The Shepherd Boy and the Wolf," and tell why each of these words is used. Find ran, and tell why it is used instead of run. In " At length the w^olves really did come," what single word might be used instead of "did come " ? Oral Exercise : Change the words in italics so as to tell what happened at some time in the past. Then change them so as to use has or have. 90 ENGLISH LESSONS Read the sentences aloud. The shepherd boy sees the wolves coming. He goes to the village for help. The villagers give him no aid. They do nothing but laugh at him. The wolves steal and eat all his sheep. XXXVI TOLLING THE BELL Study of the picture : Where are the children ? What are they doing ? Why is the child tolling the bell ? Who has come to see ? What has he in his hand ? Is he sorry too? Tell about a pet bird that you know. Write a paragraph about the picture. XXXVII REVIEW Write answers to the following questions, from memory if you can. If you cannot remember them all, consult your notebook, or see the rules on pages 118 and 119 of this book. What four things do sentences do ? What mark follows each kind of sentence ? Where should you use capital letters ? Where should you use each of these marks ? BOOK ONE 91 92 ENGLISH LESSONS XXXVIII SAINT VALENTINE Oral and Written Reproduction Mead : St. Valentine was a good priest who lived in Rome many, many years ago. He was a martyr who suffered death because he would not give up his religion and worship the gods that the Romans worshiped. We know little about him, but this story is told as the reason why his day is celebrated by sending letters and messages of love to friends. St. Valentine's whole life was given to making other people happier. He used to go about from house to house among his friends, and wherever there were sick or sorrowing his visit was like a ray of light on a gloomy day. He fed the poor, cheered the sad, com- forted the sick. Especially did this good man love the children, who flocked about him wherever he went. At length the good Valentine became old and too feeble to make his visits. " Alas ! " he said to himself, " I am now of no use. I can no longer go and visit my poor friends." Then he thought, " I can at least write them letters. Perhaps they may do a little good." So whenever he heard of any in need or in sorrow, he would send a letter full of love and good cheer, until the people came to look forward to these letters, as one awake and suffering longs for the daylight. When a letter came, even the children would cry, " Here is a letter from the good Father." After the brave priest had lost his life for his reli- BOOK ONE 93 gion, the people said to one another, " Let us in honor of our dear saint send letters on his day to those we love." And they did so. These letters were called valentine letters, and later valentines. Conversation: Tell this story, using the following outline : Who St. Valentine was. Where he lived. How he died. What we know of him. What story is told of him. His visits. How he was welcomed. Why he gave them up. What he did in place of them. What the people did in his honor. Valentines — what they are. To whom they are sent. Written Exercise : Let each write the story, using the outline given above. Divide it into paragraphs. Compare the stories that have been w^ritten. Copy the best one on the blackboard. Compare this one with your own. Correct your story from the one on the blackboard. 94 ENGLISH LESSONS XXXIX VALENTINE'S DAY Review — Writing Names Conversation : Ask one another questions on the making or buying and sending of valentines. Answer them in good sentences. Written Exercise : Write the name of the valentine month. Write the name of the day of the week that it falls on this year. Write the name of some friend to whom you would like to send a valentine. Write the name of the city in which your friend lives. Write answers to the following questions : With what kind of letter does the name of your friend begin ? With what does the name of the city begin ? With what does the name of the month begin ? With what does the name of the day of the week begin ? Write a sentence telling the day of the week, the day of the month, and the name of the month in which Saint Valentine's Day comes. BOOK ONE 95 XL HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY G-eneral Itevletv To the Teacher : See note D, page 324. 1 Henry Hudson Conversation : Discuss in class who Henry Hudson was, where he lived, how he happened to sail with a crew of Dutchmen. Tell about his last voyage. What waters are named for him ? Ask one another other questions and answ^er them. Written Exercise : Write sentences about Henry Hudson, answering the questions asked, and telling all you have found out in the conversations with your teacher and the class. Select a topic and let each pupil wa^ite a para- graph about it on the blackboard. Compare your paragraphs. Make a new paragraph together and copy it. 96 ENGLISH LESSONS The " Half-Moon " Conversation : Tell all you can about the Half-Moon, What was its size compared with some- boat 3^ou have seen ? What w^as it made of ? Was it a steamboat ? What was it loaded with ? Tell about its crew — how they looked, what language they spoke. Expressive Activities : Find a picture of the Half-Moon and make a boat like the picture ; cut out masts and make sails, and fit them all together. 3 The Voyage Conversation : Where did Hudson and his crew plan to go ? How long were they to be away ? Tell about the parting of the crew with their friends as you think it must have been. Tell what you think the sailors did on this long journey. Describe a storm that they met at sea. How did they feel when they first saw land ? BOOK ONE 97 Written Exercise : Write sentences, following the conversation out- line. How many paragraphs do you think you should make ? Be careful to write evenly, leaving margins and indenting the first word of each paragraph. XLI WINDS 1 Conversation : Can you see the wind ? How do you know that there is wind ? Mention as many things as you can that the wind does. Mention how the wind is useful to us. Mention some mischief that the wind does. How does the wind help you in your play ? What is the use of the weather-vane ? Written Exercise : Write all the sentences that you can about the wind. Arrange these sentences in groups for paragraphs. Write the paragraphs. 2 The poet Longfellow, in Hiawatha, tells us a story that the Indians believed about each one of the winds. 98 ENGLISH LESSONS Mudjekeewis, a noted warrior, had slain a great bear of which all were afraid. As his reward, he was made king of all the winds. Here are a few lines of each of the stories. Get the poem, if you can, and read all about the winds. The Four Winds The West Wind Read : Thus was Mudjekeewis chosen Father of the winds of Heaven. For himself he kept the West-Wind, Gave the others to his children ; Unto Wabun gave the East- Wind, Gave the South to Shawondasee, And the North-Wind, wild and cruel, To the fierce Kabibonokka. The East Wind Young and beautiful was Wabun ; He it was who brought the morning, He it was whose silver arrows Chased the dark o'er hill and valley ; He it was whose cheeks were painted With the brightest streaks of crimson, And whose voice awoke the village. Called the deer, and called the hunter. The North Wind But the fierce Kabibonokka Had his dwelling among icebergs. In the everlasting snowdrifts. BOOK ONE 99 In the kingdom of Wabasso, In the land of the White Rabbit. He it was whose hand in autumn Painted all the trees with scarlet, Stained the leaves with red and yellow ; He it was who sent the snowflakes Sifting, hissing through the forest, Froze the ponds, the lakes, the rivers. Drove the loon and sea-gull southward, Drove the cormorant and curlew To their nests of sedge and sea-tang In the realms of Shawondasee. The South Wind Shawondasee, fat and lazy, Had his dwelling to the southward, In the drowsy, dreamy sunshine, In the never ending summer. He it was who sent the wood birds, Sent the robin, the Opechee, Sent the bluebird, the Owaissa, Sent the Shawshaw, sent the swallow. Sent the wild goose, Wawa, northward. Sent the melons and tobacco. Sent the grapes in purple clusters. From Longfellow's Hiawatha. Conversation : Tell all you can about the four winds. Tell what each brings to us. Tell which you like best ; which you like least. Have you seen all that the poet tells about 100 ENGLISH LESSONS Wabun ? About Kabibonokka ? About Shawon- dasee ? Do you think the west wind is the king of all the winds ? Why ? Written Exercise : Suggest sentences for some one to write on the blackboard, telling all that you can about the east wind. Make a paragraph of the best of these sentences. In the same way make a paragraph about the north wind. Write a paragraph about the south wind. Read your paragraph to the class. Expressive Activities : Make something that the wind moves, such as a paper wind-wheel or a kite. Tell in good sentences how you made it. The Wind Commit to memory : I saw you toss the kites on high And blow the birds about the sky ; And all around I heard you pass, Like ladies' skirts across the grass - O wind, a-blowing all day long, O wind, that sings so loud a song ! BOOK ONE ' ' ' 101 I saw the different things you did, But always you yourself you hid. I felt you push, I heard you call, I could not see yourself at all — O wind, a-blowing all day long, O wind, that sings so loud a song ! O you, that are so strong and cold, O blower, are you young or old ? Are you a beast of field and tree, Or just a stronger child than me ? O wind, a-blowing all day long, O wind, that sings so loud a song ! Robert l^ouis Stevenson. Blow — Blew — Blown Good Usage : Read these sentences : The wind blows all day long. The wind blew all day long. The wind has blown all day long. Tell how blow is used. Tell how blew is used. Tell how bloion is used. Oral Exercise : Change these sentences so that they will tell what happened in the past. Read them aloud. How the wind blows ! It blows so hard that we can't fly our kites.. 102 ENGLISH LESSONS It blows the leaves from the trees. It blows dust in our eyes. It blows the hats off men's heads. It blows the clouds across the sky. It blows the rain against the window. It blows against the ship's sails. It blows harder to-day than yesterday. Now change the sentences so as to use has. Write some of your sentences on the blackboard. XLII RAINBOW COLORS Review of Sentences Guess what I am : I am round. I cannot roll very far. I can float in the air. The children love to play with me. Sometimes I show the colors of the rainbow. I am clear like glass. I am sometimes small, and sometimes large. When I break, j^ou cannot find the pieces. All children can make me. Four things should be used to make me. One of them is made of clay. It costs one cent. If you cannot guess what I am, read the recipe in the next section and it will tell you how to make me. BOOK ONE 103 2 Recipe for Soap Bubbles Review of Kinds of Sentences Make a suds of lukewarm Avater and castile soap. Add a few drops of glycerine to the water to give the bubbles beautiful colors. Blow with a clay pipe. Make the bubbles at recess. How many sentences are there in this recipe ? To which of the four kinds of sentences that you have learned about do they belong ? Write five sentences of each kind. If you have ever made soap bubbles, tell how you made them and when you made them, what colors you can see in your soap bubbles, and where else you have seen the same colors. Write the names of the colors found in the rainbow. 3 The Rainbow Commit to memory : There are bridges on the rivers As pretty as you please; But the bow that bridges heaven And overtops the trees, And builds a road from earth to sky, Is prettier far than these. Christina Rossetti. 104 ENGLISH LESSONS Ask your teacher to tell you the story of Iris or some other rainbow story. XLIII SPRING Personification 1 Springtime Read : A Mouse, a Cricket, and Bumblebee Started out in the sweet spring weather. " Let us all agree," Said the Bumblebee, "To build us a house and live together." " I'm willing to try," Said the Cricket spry. Said dear little Mousie, " So am I." " Under the porch, away down low;" The Cricket chirruped in rare delight, " Is the place, I know, For us all to go ; There's not the tiniest ray of light ! " We'll hide away From the dazzling day And chirrup and buzz and squeak all night." Said the Mouse : " O dear, I fear, I fear Such a place would be so dark and drear ! " BOOK ONE 105 " Away, 'way up in the elm tree high," Said the Bumblebee, " is a cozy nook, In the early light Of the morning bright A royal place. Let us go and look." Said the Cricket : " Why, As I cannot fly, I never could think of going so high." Said Mistress Mouse : " The finest spot Is out in the field of growing wheat. We'll build a dot Of a nest — why not ? — Convenient, cozy, and snug and sweet." Said the Bumblebee : " Dear me, dear me ! Such a house would never do for three." Well, Mistress Mouse Built a wee, wee house And cuddled under the sun-warmed hay. The Bumblebee From his hole in the tree Buzzed and hummed through the sunny day. While the Cricket stole To the darkest hole And chirruped till morning's earliest ray. And though they never could live together, All rejoiced in the sweet spring weather. Sydney Daykk. 106 ENGLISH LESSONS Conversation : What did the Mouse, the Cricket, and the Bum- blebee plan to do ? Why could they not carry out their plan ? Describe the home that the Cricket liked. Describe the home that the Bumblebee liked. Describe the home that the Mouse liked. What did they finally do ? Were they happy ? How do you know ? What words describe the voices of the Mouse, the Cricket, and the Bumblebee ? Do you think they are good words to use ? Personification Notice that in this poem the words Mousey Criokety and Bumblebee begin with capital letters. Can you tell why ? Remember that all names of persons, when writ- ten, begin with capitals. These little animals are not people, yet in the poem they talk and act like people. When animals, or things without life, are written about as if they were persons^ they are said to be per-son-i-fiedy and their names may begin with capitals as if they were persons. Find other cases of personification in this book or other books To the Teacher: Names of objects addressed with titles or viv- idly personified are usually capitalized. There is no invariable rule. BOOK ONE 107 Spring : the Awakening Conversation : What are the spring months ? Tell all you can about spring. What changes happen to the ground, to the streams, to the grass, to the trees, to the animals ? Why do you like spring ? What games do you play in spring ? Why do we speak of spring as the time of awakening ? Written Exercise : Write answers to the above questions. Arrange the answers carefully in paragraphs. 3 Spring : the Planting Conversation : What do the farmers and the gardeners do in the spring ? Did you ever plant seeds ? How is the ground made ready for planting ? Tell all the ways that you know of planting seeds. Describe the planting of some seeds. 108 ENGLISH LESSONS XLIV TREES 1 An Arbor Day Tree Read and %tudy : " Dear little tree that we plant to-day, What will you be when we're old and gray?" " The savings bank of the squirrel and mouse, For robin and wren an apartment house. The dressing room of the butterfly's ball, The locust's and katydid's concert hall ; The schoolboy's ladder in pleasant June, The schoolgirl's tent in the July noon. And my leaves shall whisper them merrily A tale of the children who planted me." Youth's Companion, Conversation : Have you ever planted a tree ? Tell where and when you planted it. Tell how you planted it. Why did you plant it ? Give as many reasons as you can for planting trees. Name your favorite tree. Describe it, telling how it looks, where it grows, and why it is your favorite tree. BOOK ONE 109 What do we Plant? Read and study : What do we plant when we plant a tree ? We plant the ship which will cross the sea. We plant the masts to carry the sails ; We plant the plank to withstand the gales ; The keel, the keelson, and beam and knee : We plant the ship when we plant the tree. What do we plant when we plant the tree ? We plant the house for you and me. We plant the rafters, the shingles, the floors ; We plant the studding, the lath, the doors, The beams and siding, all parts that be : We plant the house when we plant the tree. What do we plant when we plant the tree ? A thousand things that we daily see. We plant the spire that out-towers the crag, We plant the staff for our country's flag ; We plant the shade from the hot sun free : We plant all these when we plant the tree. Henry Abbb:y. Study this poem, stanza by stanza, till you see all the things that it says the tree gives us. Can you think of any others ? Tell the class about the different trees in your yard at home. 110 ENGLISH LESSONS XLV LETTERS 1 *Read: City of Mexico, February 12, 1848. My dear little Agnes : I was delighted to receive your letter, and to find that you could write so well. But how could you say that I had not written to you ? Did I not write to you and Annie ? I suppose you want a letter all to your- self, so here is one. There is a nice little girl here, rather smaller than you were when I parted from you, named Charlottita, which means little Charlotte, who is a great favorite of mine. She is quite fair, with blue eyes and long dark lashes, and has her hair plaited down her back. She cannot speak English, but has a very nimble little tongue and jabbers French at me. Last Sunday she and her older sister came to the palace to see me, and I took them into the garden I told you of, and got them some flowers. Afterwards I took them to see the Governor, General Smith, and showed them the rooms in the palace, some of which are very large, with pictures, mirrors, and chandeliers. After I had shown Charlottita and her sister Isabel all these things, she said she wished to go to her Mamarita, which means little Mamma, so I led her out of the palace. She is always dressed very nicely when I see her, and keeps her clothes very clean ; I hope my little girls keep theirs just as nice, for you know BOOK ONE 111 I cannot bear dirty children. You must therefore study hard, and be a very nice girl, and do not forget your papa, who thinks constantly of you and longs to see you more than he can tell. Write to me soon and believe me always, Your affectionate father, R. E. Lee. Here is part of a letter written by General Lee, when in Mexico, to his little daughter at home. Read it aloud in class. Tell as nearly as you can what is written in it. Where was this letter written ? Copy the part that tells you this, with all the marks and capital letters. When was it written ? Copy the part that tells you this. Those two parts that tell you when and where a letter is written should be on every letter. They are usually written together, as in this letter. What are they called ? Copy the following headings carefully : 1170 Broadway, New York, April 16, 1906. 207 East Ave., Wilton, Conn., Rochester, New York, March 9, 1855. Jan. 1, 1893. 112 ENGLISH LESSONS Write headings for a letter written at Saint Paul, Minnesota, on July nineteenth, in the year eighteen hundred and ninety-three, and for one written at Los Angeles, California, in the house, number four hundred and ninety-three. Main Street, on December twenty-eighth, nineteen hundred and four. To whom was the letter (page 110) written ? Copy the words that tell you this. What is this part of the letter called ? Copy these salutations : My dear Father. Dear John. My dear cousin Henry. Write the salutations for letters, one to your cousin and one to your mother. Who wrote the letter ? Where is the name written ? Copy it. What is it called ? What is written just before the name? Copy it. This is the polite or friendly ending, or closing phrase. Copy these endings and signatures : Your affectionate son, Charles. BOOK ONE 113 Your loving little daughter, Emily J. Dean. Your cousin, William Clark. Yours very sincerely, Henry Atterbury. Yours truly, H. F. Jones. Write endings to letters to your mother, your brother, and your cousin. XLVI THE FLAG Reproduction 1 Flag Salute : We give our heads and our hearts to God and our country; one country, one language, one flag. Make a list of all the days in the year when we should put up our flags. Tell why you think our flag is beautiful and why you love it. Write a letter telling about the raising of the flag at your school every morning, — who does it, how it is done, and the salute. 114 ENGLISH LESSONS How THE Flag was Made Read : Our Country's flag ! How beautiful it is, with its pure white stars on a field of blue and its thirteen stripes of white and red ! When this old flag was young, it had but thirteen stars. How many stars has it now ? The first flag was made by a woman named Betsy Ross, whose house is still standing on Arch Street, Philadelphia. She was famous for skill with her needle. Washington used to visit her often when he was commander in chief of the American army. One day her uncle. Colonel Ross, came with Robert Morris and General Washington to ask her if she could make a flag after the pattern which they had brought. " I don't know whether I can or not," said she, " but I will try, if the general will make me a sketch of it here in my parlor. But the stars must be made with five points and not six." As the story goes, Miss Ross folded a slip of paper carefully and cut the pattern of a five-pointed star with a single clip of her scissors. *' There, I will make the stars like that," said she. This flag was accepted and adopted by Congress on the 14th of June, 1777, unfurled for the first time in battle at Brandywine, New Jersey, September 11, and displayed first on shipboard by Captain Paul Jones on the 1st of November of the same year. BOOK ONE 115 Memorize : Red, White, and Blue, wave on ! Never may sire or son Thy glory mar. Sacred to liberty, Honored on land and sea, Unsoiled forever be, Each stripe and star." Tell the story of Betsy Ross and the flag. XLVII THE ROBIN 1 Observation : If there are robins in your neighborhood, watch them closely. If not, watch some other bird. Here are some of the things to watch for : The first appearance. Choice of place to build a nest. The material used in building. How it is put together. The father-bird and his work. The mother-bird and her work. The little birds, how they look and how they are fed. How fast they grow. How they learn to fly. To the Teacher: If this lesson coraes at the wrong season of the year, omit it or change it. 116 ENGLISH LESSONS Conversation : Talk in class about what you have observed. Tell all that you can about your birds. Written Exercise : Write a letter to a friend who is interested in birds, telling about the bird you have studied. 2 I'll Try Review of Punctuation Memorize : Two robin redbreasts built their nest Within a hollow tree ; The hen sat quietly at home, The cock sang merrily ; And all the little ones said, " Wee- wee ! wee- wee ! wee- wee ! '* One day the sun was warm and bright, And shining in the sky ; Cock Robin said, " My little dears, 'Tis time you learned to fly." And all the little ones said, " ril try I I'll try ! I'll try ! " I know a child, and who she is I'll tell you by and by ; When mamma says, " Do this," or " that," She says, " What for ? " and " Why ? " She'd be a better child by far If she would say, " I'll try." BOOK ONE 117 Notice where these marks are used in the poem and tell why : What does " I'll " mean ? What letters are left out? When a word is shortened or contracted in this way, the mark (') is used where the letters are left out. What is it called ? XLVIII A GA]V1 IE Some Common Contractions I'm not for I am not He isn't for He is not She isn't for She is not It isn't for It is not We're not for We are not You're not for You are not They're not for They are not 1. Play a game like this : Let one child play that he is some object, and tell what kind of object. Then let the others guess what he is ; as, "I am something made of wood." "Are you a chair?" " I'm not a chair." 118 ENGLISH LESSONS " Are you a desk ? " "I'm not a desk." And so on until the right guess is made. 2. Let one child tell another what object he has chosen to be, and let the other answer for him, "He isn't," etc. 3. Let a child choose some object and say, " I am thinking of something small and round." Another asks, " Ls it a ring ? " The first one replies, " It isn't a ring." And so on until the object is named. Any one who uses " ain't " instead of the proper contraction must drop out of the game. XLIX GENERAL REVIEW Sentences do four things : 1. Sentences make statements. 2. Sentences ask questions. 3. Sentences give commands. 4. Sentences exclaim. A paragraph is made of one or more sentences, all speaking about the same thing. BOOK ONE 119 Periods are used after : Sentences that tell, Sentences that command, Dates, Abbreviations. Question marks are used after questions. Exclamation marks are used after words or sentences that exclaim. Quotation marks are used to inclose a direct quotation. Capital letters are used to begin : All sentences. All headings of letters. All names of persons, places, days, and months, All lines of poetry. Names of things personified. All names of God and the Bible, /, and 0, A direct quotation. The heading of a letter tells where and when it is written. The salutation tells to whom it is written and usually contains some word showing affection or respect. The signature is the name of the writer placed at the end. The closing phrase is a friendly or polite phrase placed before the signature. The surname is the name of the family. The given name is the name of a particular person. An initial is the first letter of a name. It is always a capital letter, and is followed by a period. 120 ENGLISH LESSONS L THE ARAB AND HIS CAMEL The Hyphen Read : One cold night as an Arab sat in his tent a Camel gently pushed the flap of the tent aside and looked in. " I pray thee, master," he said, " allow me to put my head within the tent, for it is cold without." " By all means, and welcome," said the Arab, cheer- fully, and the Camel, moving forward, stretched his head into the tent. " If I might but warm my neck also," he said be- seechingly. " Put also your neck inside," said the Arab. Presently the Camel said again, " I will take but little more room if I place my fore-legs within the tent." " You may plant also your fore-legs within," said the Arab, moving a little to make room, for the tent was very small. " May I not stand wholly within ? " asked the Camel, finally. "I keep the tent open by standing as I do." "Yes, yes," said the Arab ; " I will have compassion on you as well as on myself. Come wholly inside." So the Camel moved forward and crowded into the tent, but the tent was too small for both. " I think," said the Camel, *' that there is not room for both of us here. It will be best for you to stand outside, as you are the smaller. There will then be room enough for me," and with that, he pushed the Arab a little, who made haste to get outside the tent. BOOK ONE 121 What do you think this fable teaches ? Talk it over in class, and make a paragraph together about it. Tell the story, each pupil telling a part. Write the story from memory, being careful to use' quotation marks correctly. Count the quotations in the story. Notice the mark between the two parts oi fore- legs in lines 12 and 14 of the story. It is called a hyphen and is often used between the parts of a word that is made up of two or more words. Notice also the hyphen at the end of the fifth line. This is to show that a part of the word cheerfully is placed on the sixth line. Find other hyphens at the ends of lines. In dividing a word at the end of a line, always make the division between syllables. LI . 1 Word Study Study the following words : There, know, by, same, to, meet, red, no, buy, hear, rise, meal, now, see, than, four, too, road, their, may, own, this, here, learn, week, five, one, To the Teacher : These words should be taken up in brief lessons, one or two at a time. They will bear frequent repetition. 122 ENGLISH LESSONS through, for, where, set, dear, two, sea, won, those, teach, saw, weak, peace, raise, that, can. Spell these words from your teacher's dictation. Learn their meanings. Write sentences, using these words correctly. Group together those words which are pro- nounced alike, and distinguish their meanings. Grasshoppers and Crickets Report of a Study Excursion Tell about a walk through a field where you observed the habits of grasshoppers and crickets. Tell how you found out where they live ; how you caught them without hurting them ; what they were doing ; what they were eating ; what is the best time to catch them. What do you think there is in the natures of a grasshopper and a cricket which fits them for their life ? How do they move ? In what way do they protect themselves from their enemies ? Are grasshoppers and crickets friends or enemies of our gardens ? What are the enemies of grasshoppers and crickets ? Do grasshoppers and crickets do more harm than good ? To the Teacher : Adapt to your own course of study the language work based on nature study and history. BOOK ONE 123 Written Exercise : Write a letter to a friend, telling about your ex- cursion, where you went, who went with you, what you saw. LII Nouns — Plurals in s Last Saturday Mary and Jennie and I went to the park. We saw beds and beds of beautiful flowers, and great cages of bright-colored birds. We ran and played under the trees, swung in the big swings, and rode in a boat on the lake. We did not come home until the sun set. Write in a column all the words in the little girl's story that are names of things. These words are called nouns. Copi/ in your notebooks : All names are called nouns. How many of the nouns stand for more than one thing ? Write opposite each of these the word that stands for one of the same thing. What is the difference between them ? In what way, then, are these words changed so as to mean more than one ? Words that mean more than one are called plural ; words that mean only one are called singular. 124 ENGLISH LESSONS There are other ways of making nouns plural be- sides adding s, but this is the most common way. Make a rule and write it in your notebook : Some plural nouns are formed by adding s to the singular. If you can, w^ite a list of twenty names of things that form the plural by adding s. LIII THE FOX AND THE CAT Titles — Abbreviations — Plurals in es Read : A sly old fox, who was very proud of his cunning, one day met a modest cat. " How do you do, Mr. Fox ? " said the cat. "Very well," replied the fox. ^'Come now, Mrs. Cat, it is said that you are very quick-witted. Tell me, I pray you, how many tricks you know for escap- ing the dogs, the enemies of us both." " Oh, I know but one," answered she, " and that is to scramble up a tree as fast as I can." " Is that all ? " said the fox ; " why, I know at least a hundred. How I pity your ignorance I " Just then they heard the baying of the hounds. " Good-by," said the cat, and running up a tree, she hid in the branches, where she could see all that hap- pened without being seen. The fox tried all his tricks in vain. The dogs quickly seized him. As they were dragging him away. BOOK ONE 125 the cat called from the tree, " Good-by, Mr. Fox, how I pity you and how glad I am that I know one good thing well ! " Tell the story. Conversation : Give your opinion of the fox and the cat. What do you think this fable means ? Give reasons for the use of as many as you can of the capitals in this fable. Notice that Mr. and Alrs.^ wherever they are written, begin with capitals. These words are called titles. Other titles are Uncle and President, when used with names, as Uncle Henry ^ President Taft. Copy in your notebooks : Titles always begin with capital letters. Write a list of all the titles you can think of. Use names with the title words in this list be- cause the words alone, as U7icle, president, are not titles. That is, if you say, " I saw my uncle," the word uncle is not a title, but if you say, " Uncle Henry," Uncle is a title. Notice another thing about Mr. and Mrs. They are followed by periods. That is because they are abbreviations. What are abbreviations ? Mr. really stands for mister and Mrs. for mistress, which we commonly call misses. What other abbreviations have you already learned ? . 126 ENGLISH LESSONS What rule did you make about them ? All abbreviations are followed by periods, as Pres. for President, Prin. for Principal. In most cases it is better to write the whole word than to use abbreviations, but Mr. and Mrs. are almost always written as abbreviations. Copy the following titles with their abbrevia- tions : Doctor — Dr. Reverend — Rev. Honorable — Hon. Professor — Prof. Captain — Capt. Superintendent — Supt. Find others and copy them. Nouns that form their Plurals by adding es How would you change the word fox, to make it mean more than one ? How would you change box, brush, peach f How many syllables has the singular of each of these words ? How many has the plural ? Why do we add es instead of s to these words ? Write this rule in your notebooks : When the sound of a noun will not unite with that of Sy the plural is formed by adding es. The es forms a separate syllable. BOOK ONE 127 Write if you can the singular and the plural of ten nouns of this kind. LIV FABLES 1 Outline for a Fable — Plurals of Nouns in y A monkey sees some chestnuts roasting in the coals. He wants some, but is afraid of being burned. He sees the cat near by and persuades her by flattery to pull out the chestnuts, which he then eats. Conversation : Talk about this outline in class and complete the fable, while some one writes the sentences on the blackboard. When you are satisfied, copy it in your notebook. Be careful about punctuation and capitals. Original Fables Here are some topics for original fables : The Old Fish, the Young Fish, and the Hook. The Old Mouse, the Young Mouse, and the Cat. The Proud Turkey Cock at Thanksgiving Time. 128 ENGLISH LESSONS Choose one of these subjects and make a fable together. First decide what the fable shall teach. Then make up the conversation and, as you agree on sentences, write them on the blackboard. When it is all done, talk about it and correct it, and then copy it. Plurals of Nouns ending in y Here are the plurals of two nouns ending in y : monkey — • monkeys lady — ladies You see that the plurals are not spelled alike. The noun monkey merely adds s to form its plural. But the noun lady changes y to i and adds es. Does the es form another syllable? In monkey, what letter comes before 3/ ? Is it a vowel or a consonant ? In lady what letter comes befoie yt Is it a vowel or a consonant? What rule can you make for writing the plurals of nouns that end in ?/ ? Write in your yiotehooks : Nouns ending in / with a vowel before it add 5 to form the pluraL Nouns ending in / with a consonant before it change y to / and add es to form the pluraL BOOK ONE 129 Oral Exercise : Read these sentences aloud, changing the nouns in italics to the plural. Be careful to use are and loere with nouns that mean more than one. 1. The hoy was building a sand fort. 2. The fly is buzzing on the window pane. 3. The lily is in blossom. 4. The turkey is strutting about the farmyard. 5. The ditch is now full of water. 6. The kitten was hiding under the rose hush, 7. The tall chimney is sending out clouds of black smoke. 8. Helen's mother was telling her a story of ?i fairy, 9. The valley is green and fertile. 10. The city is full of people. 11. The church has a tall spire. 12. In winter, the willow tree has no leaves. Good Usage : In the last two sentences how did you change the word has f Has is used with singular nouns, and have with plural nouns. Written Exercise : Write the sentences that you have given orally. Be careful to spell correctly the plurals of the nouns ending in y. In how many ways have you formed plurals in this Ipssnn ? 130 ENGLISH LESSONS LV SEEDS Writing Descriptions 1 Collection and Observation Bring to the class samples of different kinds of seeds. Study them in class. Find the covering, the /oo(i, the germ. Conversation : Tell what seeds are for. Describe each part. See if the seeds studied have any other parts than those mentioned. If they have, tell what they are for. Written Exercise : Write in a list the names of all the seeds studied in class. Write in another list the names of all the other seeds that you are acquainted with. Write a description of one kind of seed brought to class, mentioning the shape and size, the cover- ing, the food, the germs. Illustrate your descrip- tion with a free-hand drawing. If you cannot think of the best words to tell your thought exactly, ask your teacher. BOOK ONE 131 Distribution Conversation : Tell on what kind of plant each seed studied grows — large or small, tree, bush, or herb; where on the plant it grows ; how it is fastened to the plant. If you gathered the seeds, did you find them on the plant or on the ground ? If on the ground, were they near the plant or at a distance ? Did you ever see seeds flj ng through the air ? Did you ever find seeds stickirig to your clothes? Did you ever see them sticking to the hair of animals ? 3 Observation : Examine again the seeds in class. See if you can find on them any parts which make it easy for the wind to carry them. See if they have any parts which make it likely that animals will carry them from one place to another. Do you see how weeds sometimes " spread " ? Conversation : , ,-,0 Tell all the ways you know of by which Mother Nature scatters seeds over the earth and makes plants grow in many places. 132 ENGLISH LESSONS Written Exercise : Write paragraphs on " How Mother Nature Scatters Seeds." Write an imaginary story of the journey of a seed from the mother-plant to its new home, tell- ing how it enjoyed the journey. LVI THREE BUGS 1 Read and talk over : Three little bugs in a basket, And hardly room for two ! And one was yellow and one was black, And one like me or you. The space was small, no doubt, for all, But what should three bugs do I Three little bugs in a basket, And hardly crumbs for two. And all were selfish in their hearts. The same as I or you ; So the strong one said, " We will eat the bread. And that is what we'll do." Three little bugs in a basket, And the beds but two would hold ; So they all three fell to quarreUng — The white, and the black, and the gold. And two of the bugs got under the rugs, And one was out in the cold I BOOK ONE 133 So he that was left in the basket, Without a crumb to chew, Or a thread to wrap himself withal. When the wind across him blew, Pulled one of the rugs from one of the bugs, And so the quarrel grew ! And so there was war in the basket. Ah, pity 'tis, 'tis true ! But he that was frozen and starved at last A strength from his weakness drew. And pulled the rugs from both of the bugs, And killed and ate them too ! Now, when bugs live in a basket. Though more than it well can hold. It seems to me they had better agree — The white, and the black, and the gold — And share what comes of the bed and crumbs. And leave no bug in the cold ! Phcebe Gary. By permission of Houghton, Mifflin and Company. Conversation : . Why could not the three live together ? Were they all wrong or all right ? Were the bugs wise or foolish ? Why do you think so ? Do people ever act like these bugs ? What do you think the poem teaches ? See if you can find stories of unselfish acts to tell in class. 134 ENGLISH LESSONS Written Exercise: Write in your own words the story of the Three Bugs. 2 Blotv — Blew — Blown Grow — Grew — Grotvn Good Usage: Read the line containing hleiv in the fourth stanza of the poem. Change it to tell what the wind is doing now. Change it to tell what the wind has done. Read the last line of the same stanza. Change it to tell what is happening now. Change it to tell what has happened. You see that Now and groio are changed in the same way. Each word has three forms : blow — blew — blown grow — grew — grown Make three statements about the wind, using the three forms of blotv. Make three statements about a plant, using the three forms of groio. Write on the blackboard the statements that you have made. What letter do you change in hloio and grow to tell what happened at some past time ? How do you change blow and grow when you put have or has or had before them ? BOOK ONE 135 BLUM A SHOWER IN THE DRAWiNG-ROOM LVII A SHOWER IN THE DRAWING-ROOM 1 Conversation : Discuss the picture on this page. Tell what these children are doing, what made them do it, 136 ENGLISH LESSONS who first thought of it. Tell what you think they said to each other. Is water good for carpets and rugs ? Are the children enjoying themselves ? Why do you think so ? What will mother say ? What will she do ? Will the children be so happy then ? What do you think mother ought to do ? Written Exercise: Write what the little boy said. Write what the little girl said. Write what the mother will say. Write a story of it all, being careful about your sentences, paragraphs, and quotation marks. 2 Ought Good Usage: ^ Notice the question, "What do you think mother: ought to do?" You see that the word had is not used before ought. Never use had or hadnt before ought. Conversation : Use ought in answering these questions ; Ought we to be truthful ? Ought we to be honest ? Ought we to be kind to one another ? BOOK ONE 137 Ought children to obey their parents ? Ought we to love our country ? Ought a boy to strike his sister ? Ought we to be cross ? Ought we to be selfish ? Ought we to play unfairly ? Ought we to be cowardly ? Written Exercise: Write the answers to all the questions asked in the conversation. LVIII A STREAK OF SUNSHINE The Comma Read : *' Well, grandma," said a little boy, resting his elbows on the old lady's armchair, " what have you been doing here at the window all day by yourself?" '' All I could," said grandma, cheerfully ; " I have read a little, and then looked out at the people. There's one little girl, Arthur, that I have learned to watch for. She has sunny brown hair and her eyes have the same sunny look in them, and I wonder every day what makes lier look so bright. Ah, here she comes now." "• That girl with the brown apron on ? " he cried. " Why, I know that girl. That's Susie Moore, and she has a very hard time, grandma." " Has she ? " said grandma. " Oh, little boy, wouldn't you give anything to know where she gets all that brightness from ? " " I'll ask her," said Arthur, promptly ; and to 138 ENGLISH LESSONS grandma's surprise he raised the window and called, "Susie, oh, Susie, come up here a minute; grandma wants you ! " The brown eyes opened wide in surprise, but the little maid turned at once and came in. " Grandma wants to know, Susie Moore," exclaimed the boy, ** what makes you look so bright all the time." " Why, I have to," said Susie ; "you see, papa's been sick a long while, and mamma's tired out with taking care of him, and baby's cross with her teeth, and if I were not bright, who would be ? " " Yes, yes, I see," said dear old grandma, putting her arms around this little streak of sunshine. "That's God's reason for things ; they are here because some- body needs them. Shine on, little sun ; there couldn't be a better reason for shining than because it is dark at home." Tell the story in class. Conversation : What do you think of Susie ? Was she right ? Which was wiser, Susie or the little bugs in the basket? Why? Which would you rather act like ? The Comma with the Name of a Person or Thing Addressed Count the number of times each of these marks <<*'.? is used in the story. Tell why they are used in each case. BOOK ONE 139 There is another mark that is used very often, and for several purposes. This is the mark (,) and it is called a comma. It is used after grandma in the first paragraph, and Arthur in the second ; after little hoy in the fourth, and Susie in the fifth ; all for the same reason. What is that reason ? Talk about it in class until you are sure. Then look at the third and fourth paragraphs and see if you can find where a comma is used for the same reason. Write on the blackboard what you have agreed upon. Copy in your notebooks : Commas are used to separate the names of persons or things spoken to from what is said to them. Find in your readers or other books commas used for this reason. Written Exercise : Write five questions, using in each the name of the person spoken to. Write five commands, using in each the name of the person spoken to. Express your commands in a courteous way. Be careful to punctuate the sentences correctly. 140 ENGLISH LESSONS LTX «I SHINE," SAYS THE SUN The Comma with a Quotation Read and talk over : " I shine," says the sun, " To give the world light," " I glimmer," adds the moon, " To beautify the night," " I ripple," says the brook, " I whisper," sighs the breeze, " I patter," laughs the rain, " We rustle," call the trees, " We dance," nod the daisies, "I twinkle," shines the star, " We sing," chant the birds, " How happy we all are ! " '* I smile," cries the child. Gentle, good, and gay ; The sweetest thing of all. The sunshine of each day. Louisa M. Alcott. How many times are quotation marks used in the poem ? Notice the mark after each quotation. What is it called ? Where have we already learned to place this mark? Here is another place. Study the poem and make in class a new rule for the use of the comma. BOOK ONE 141 Copy in your notebooks : A comma is commonly used after a quotation, unless it is a question or comes at the end of a sentence. LX ROBERT OF LINCOLN Pictures in Words Merrily swinging on brier and weed, Near to the nest of his little dame, Over the mountain-side or mead, Robert of Lincoln is telling his name : " Bob-o'-link, bob-o'-link, Spink, spank, spink ; Snug and safe is that nest of ours, Hidden among the summer flowers. Chee, chee, chee." Robert of Lincoln is gayly drest, Wearing a bright black wedding coat ; White are his shoulders, and white his crest ; Hear him call in his merry note; " Bob-o'-link, bob-o'-link, Spink, spank, spink; Look what a nice new coat is mine. Sure there was never a bird so fine. Chee, chee, chee." Robert of Lincoln's Quaker wife, Prettv and quiet, with plain brown winefs. 142 ENGLISH LESSONS Passing at home a patient life, Broods in the grass, while her husband sings " Bob-o'-link, bob-o'-link, Spink, spank, spink; Brood, kind creature; you need not fear Thieves and robbers, while I am here. Chee, chee, chee." Modest and shy as a nun is she, One weak chirp is her only note. Braggart and prince of braggarts is he. Pouring boasts from his little throat : " Bob-o'-link, bob-o'-link, Spink, spank, spink; Never was I afraid of man. Catch me, cowardly knaves, if you can! Chee, chee, chee." Six white eggs on a bed of hay. Flecked with purple, a pretty sight! There as the mother sits all day, Robert is singing with all his might: " Bob-o'-link, bob-o'-link, Spink, spank, spink; Nice good wife, that never goes out. Keeping house, while I frolic about. Chee, chee, chee." Soon as the little ones chip the shell. Six wide mouths are open for food, Robert of Lincoln bestirs him well. Gathering seeds for the hungry brood: " Bob-o'-link, bob-o'-link, Spink, spank, spink; BOOK ONE 143 This new life is likely to be Hard for a gay young fellow like me. Chee, chee, chee." Robert of Lincoln at length is made Sober with work and silent with care; Off is his holiday garment laid, Half forgotten that merry air : " Bob-oMink, bob-o'-link, Spink, spank, spink; Nobody knows but my mate and I, Where our nest and our nestlings lie. Chee, chee, chee." Summer wanes; the children are grown; Fun and frolic no more he knows, Robert of Lincoln's a humdrum crone; Off he flies, and we sing as he goes : " Bob-o'-link, bob-o'-link, Spink, spank, spink; When you can pipe that merry old strain, Robert of Lincoln, come back again. Chee, chee, chee." William Cullen Bryant. By permission of D. Appleton and Co. Conversation : " Robert of Lincoln " is the poet's name for the bobolink. Did you ever see a bobolink ? If not, see if you can form a picture of him from the poem. What words in the second stanza describe his coat ? How can it be both black and bright f 144 ENGLISH LESSONS What words describe his shoulders ? his crest ? What is a bird's crest ? Tell how you think the bobolink looks. Has he a merry song? What words tell you this ? Is he boastful ? How do you know ? Read the first stanza and tell what picture you form of the bobolink. Is he large or small ? How do you know ? Why is he swinging ? How is he swinging ? What words describe his nest ? Where is it ? Find all the words in the poem that help you to picture Mrs. Bobolink. Is she boastful ? How do you know ? What words describe her song ? Find the words that help you to picture the eggs. What word can you think of that means the same as " flecked " ? Find the words, that help you to picture the young birds. Find the words that help you to picture the father bird after he has to work so hard for his " hungry brood." Expressive Acti viti e s : Draw or paint a picture to illustrate this poem. Observation : Watch some bird that nests near your home. Find out if you can : BOOK ONE 145 How the father bird looks. What kind of song he sings. How the mother bird looks. Whether she sings or not. How and where the nest is built. How many eggs there are and how they look. How the young birds look and how they are fed. How fast they grow. How old they are when they fly away. Oral Exercise : Tell the class what you have found out. Written Exercise : Write about the bird that you have observed, telling whatever has interested you most. LXI JOHN SMITH Read : Powhatan was chief of a powerful tribe of Indians near the James River in Virginia. John Smith was the ablest and greatest man among the white people who came from England and settled at Jamestown, not far away from Powhatan's camp. The following story about him has come down to us. One day Powhatan with his braves was in his camp. Suddenly a runner came with a message from Pow- hatan's brother. The great white leader had been taken prisoner, and would soon be here. 146 ENGLISH LESSONS The Indians were greatly excited. Powhatan put on his royal robe of raccoon skins and seated himself before the fire. The braves all stood about him, wearing their feathers and war paint. The women of the camp, dressed in bright-colored blankets, with strings of beads about their necks, came forward and stood behind the chief. Soon the prisoner came. All the Indians gave a shout of triumph, for he had been their most dreaded foe. A council was held. It was decided that Smith must die. Two large stones were placed before the fire, and Smith was told to place his liead upon them. Just as the Indians were about to strike, Pocahontas, the chief's little daughter, ran to the prisoner, threw her- self upon him, placed her head on his head, and begged her father to spare the white man's life. Powhatan hesitated, then consented. Smith was saved. Tell the story in class. Describe the council as you imagine it. 2 Written Exercise : Write either the story of John Smith and Pocahontas or a description of the council held by Powhatan. 3 Good Usage : Tell why come is used in the second paragraph, and why catrie is used in the third and fourth para- graphs. BOOK ONE 147 Change the following sentences orally, using has or have : The Indians gave a shout of triumph. Pocahontas ran to the prisoner. She threw herself upon him. If you do not know how to change threiv, look at the forms of blow and groio in Lesson LVI. The word throiv is changed in the same way ; so is know. In which sentence will you use have f Why will you use has in the others ? Written Exercise : Make sensible sentences of your own, using : 1. throw., threw., has or have throivn. 2. grow, grew, has or have grown. 3. know, knew, has or have known. 4. blow, blew, has or have blown. Do not say throived, gi^owed^ bloioed, or knowed. These words are not good English ; those who speak well never use them. Write in your notebooks: Has is used with a singular noun. Have is used with a plural noun. 148 ENGLISH LESSONS LX,II BEOWULF G-eneral Review To the Teacher : Consult note E, page 324. 1 The Danes Head : More than two thousand years ago, on the coast of the northern ocean, lived a people called the Danes. They loved sailing and fighting better than anything else. They were tall and fair, with long yellow hair and bright blue eyes. They chose a king, who cared for them and gave rings and presents when he wished to show his favor. For this reason he was called " Ring-giver " and " Gift- giver." Conversation : Where did the Danes live ? Tell all you can about their country. Describe them. What did they like best to do ? Tell all you can about the king. By what names was he known ? Why ? Expressive Activities : Bring to the class all the pictures that you can find of armor such as the Norsemen wore, of ships such as they sailed in, and of other things men- tioned in the story. BOOK ONE 149 Draw and paint pictures of your own of the people and the things they used. Make models of their boats. Keep carefully all the things that you have made or brought to school, to be used later. To the Teacher: Write suggestive and difficult words on the blackboard and leave them there. Hrothgar,! King of the Danes Read : Hrothgar, king of the Danes, built a great mead hall, which was covered with gold and crowned with antlers. It stood on a terrace with benches all around outside und a broad stone road leading to it. They called this beautiful building Heort,'^ that is. Hart, Hall. There at night, when the king and his warriors met to feast and listen to the harp, a terrible thing happened. Grendel, a hateful monster, crept softly to the hall where the knights were asleep, and killed thirty of them. For twelve long years this frightful creature troubled the Danes, until all the people were sad and sorrowful. Conversation : Who was Hrothgar? What great hall did he build ? Describe it. What did the people do in it ? Tell about the dreadful thing that happened. 1 Pronounced Hrot'gar. 2 Ha'ort. 150 ENGLISH LESSONS Written Exercise : Write the story of Hrothgar. Write from 1 and 2 a list of ten words that describe. 3 Hygelac,! King of the Saxons Read : Hygelac ruled the land of the Saxons, distant about a day's voyage from the home of the Danes. The bravest and strongest of the Saxon princes was Beo- wulf, ^ who had the strength of thirty men. A minstrel wandered from the land of the Danes to the land of the Saxons. In the evening, when the noble warriors were all seated in Hygelac's great liall, the minstrel took his harp and sang the story of the troubles of the Danes and the dread fi^l deeds of Grendel. Then said Beowulf to Hygelac, " Give me a few brave knights for companions, and I will go and kill this Grendel." And Hygelac said, "Go, my son, and help our brothers, the Danes." Then Beowulf set sail with fourteen chosen compan- ions to help Hrothgar. Conversation : Where did the Saxons live ? Who was their bravest warrior ? Tell all you can about him. How did the Saxons learn of the troubles of the Danes ? 1 Hige'lac. 2 Ba'o wulf. BOOK ONE 151 What did Beowulf say to Hygelac? What did Hygelac reply ? Written Exercise : Write sentences telling how Hygelac came to undertake his adventure. The Coming of the Saxons to the Land of THE Danes Read : The wind carried them swiftly over the smooth seas, the "whale-paths." At evening, they saw high upon the cliffs the palace of Hrothgar, gilded by the setting sun. When they were about to land on the Danish shore, a coast-guard, who had seen them from his watch tower, rode down to the shore to ask why they came bearing arms. Beowulf told him of their errand, and the guard gladly led them to Heort, where Hrothgar joyfully welcomed them. In the evening Hrothgar made a great feast in honor of his visitors, and as they sat about the mead table in the great hall, he told Beowulf of the dreadful Grendel and all their woe. - ilii" . Then Beowulf said to the king, " I have come %t;help you, and I will slay this monster with my own "hand J' At this the king rejoiced, and promised to Beowulf great gifts, if he should rid them of their terror. 152 ENGLISH LESSONS Conversation : Tell what the sea guard did when he saw the Saxons ; what Beowulf replied to him. Tell how the king greeted the Saxons ; how they passed the evening; what the king said. Ask one another other questions and answer them, being careful to use the best words that you know. Expressive Activities : Find pictures of different kings and queens. Make a sand-table picture of the harbor. Written Exercise : Write in sentences the story from the beginning. Arrange the sentences in paragraphs. The Battle with Gkendel Read : When night came, all the Danes went away from the hall, leaving Beowulf and his brave companions to wait for Grendel. Soon he came, creeping softly, and seiz- ing the nearest knight, quickly crushed his bones. Beowulf wrestled with the monster. After a fierce struggle he tore one of Grendel's arms from the shoul- der. Grendel fled to his home and there died. The great claw was hung from the ceiling, and all the Danes gave thanks. Rich presents were given to Beowulf for BOOK ONE 153 his bravery, rings and a collar of gold and noble horses all in armor. The beautiful queen herself passed the mead bowl to the brave warriors and presented them the gifts, with her own hands placing a priceless collar of gold about the neck of Beowulf. Then the warriors, Danes and Saxons together, lay down without fear upon the mead benches to sleep. But Beowulf slept in the palace. Conversation : Describe Grendel's coming. Tell about the battle. How did the Danes feel about the death of Grendel ? What did Hrothgar say ? . Describe the gifts. Where did the warriors sleep ? Expressive Activities : Tell the story of the feast, in water colors or ink with a brush. 6 Write in sentences all you can of the battle with Grendel. Read what you have written. Turn to the first part of the story on page 148. How many paragraphs are there in it ? Count the sentences in the first paragraph. Read them. Do the same for the second paragraph. Why do you think these sentences are not all put in one para- graph ? 154 ENGLISH LESSONS Kead the paragraphs on page 151. Can yon di- vide them differently? What does each of these paragraphs tell ? Write in good paragraphs the story of Beowulf and Grendel, telling : 1. Who Grendel was and what he had done. 2. Who Beowulf was and how he heard of Grendel. 3. What Beowulf said and did upon hearing this. 4. How he slew Grendel. To the Teacher: Watch for the "and" habit, and help the pupils to overcome it both in speech and in writing. Grendel's Mother Comes Read : But the troubles of the Danes were not yet over. Grendel's mother was a monster even more terrible than Grendel himself. She lived at the botton of a deep, dark pool in the marshes. When she saw her son dead at the hand of Beowulf, having left his arm in Hrothgar's castle, she vowed that she would have revenge. So the next night, while the warriors were sleeping as the}'" were used to do before Grendel came, the nibthei* of Grendel crept up from the marsh in which isH'e lived. She seized the king's dearest friend and carried him away, taking also her son Grendel's arm. BOOK ONE 155 . OM HEROES OF MYTH BEOWULF LEAPED INTO THE BLACK POOL 156 ENGLISH LESSONS Conversation : Describe Grendel's mother as you imagine her. Where did she hve ? What did she do ? Why did not T3eowulf defend the warriors ? Expressive Activities : Draw a picture of Grendel's mother. Paint a picture of the men asleep on the mead benches. 8 The Battle with Grendel's Mother Read : Early in the morning, when Beowulf asked Hrothgar if all went well, the sorrowful king replied, " Do not ask me if things go well; " and he told the dreadful new story. Beowulf quickly armed himself and followed the monster. Clad in all his armor, with his sword in his hand, he leaped into the black pool, while his friends waited for him on the bank. Frightful water beasts and sea serpents swam after him, but he escaped them all. At length Grendel's mother beheld him coming and went forth to meet him. He wrestled with the witch, but she bore him to her home at the bottom of the pool. There Beowulf saw the body of Grendel lying dead. A terrible fight took place, and Grendel's mother had almost beaten Beowulf, when he saw on the wall a huge sword, the work of giants. He quickly seized it and killed the monster with it. He also cut oif Grendel's head. So poisonous was his blood that the blade melted BOOK ONE 157 like snow and only the hilt remained. Taking this and the head of Grendel, Beowulf hurried to the upper world. All day long his faithful followers had waited on the bank for their dear leader. They were almost in despair, thinking that the monster had killed him. Suddenly they saw his head above the waves. They shouted for joy and rushed to his aid. Four men were needed to carry the awful head of Grendel. Conversation : How did Beowulf learn of the new trouble ? What did he do ? Describe his going to Grendel' s home. Describe the battle. What kind of blood had Grendel ? Describe Beowulf's home coming. How did his companions feel ? Written Exercise : Write the story of Grendel' s mother. 9 Beowulf's Journey Homeward Read : Then there was great rejoicing indeed in beautiful Heort. The king embraced Beowulf and called him his dear son. Again at night a noble feast was given to the brave Saxons. The queen once more appeared and passed the mead bowl, while all rejoiced. More gifts were given to Beowulf and his friends, and 158 ENGLISH LESSONS Hrothgar promised to come to their defense, if ever they should need it. In the morning Beowulf and his companions pre- pared to depart to their own home among the Saxons. Hrothgar, weeping, blessed Beowulf and embraced him, for he loved the brave 3^outh. The vessel was loaded down w^ith the noble gifts of the king and queen, gifts for Beowulf and all his men, and for Hygelac also. The heroes then set sail, and before night they saw the shores of their own land, where Hygelac and all the people welcomed them with great rejoicing. Conversation : Tell how Hrothgar showed his joy and gratitude ; how he felt at Beowulf's departure. Describe Beowulf's return. Tell how the Saxons felt over the hero's return. 10 To the Teacher : See note F, page 325. The Last Days of Beowulf Bead : For many years Beowulf lived among the Saxons, until Hygelac died. After his death the people chose Beowulf for their king. He ruled wisely for fifty years. Then trouble came. A slave, fleeing from his master, found the cave of a dragon, who, for three hundred years, had guarded a great hoard of gold and silver. As the terrible creature BOOK ONE 159 was asleep, the slave took a golden cup and many beautiful rings, which he gave to his master for a peace offering. When night came, the angry dragon went in search of his lost treasure, breathing out flames and burning the homes of the people. Even the king's palace was destroyed. Then Beowulf went to fight the dragon, taking with him a band of warriors. When the dragon rushed out, all deserted Beowulf except one, who was called Wiglaf. The struggle did not last long. The dragon was killed, but Beowulf was so terribly injured that he knew he too must die. Wiglaf seated the dying king on a rock, gave him water, and then brought gold and silver from the cave to show the hidden treasure. Beowulf placed his golden collar on Wiglaf, telling him to be king. He asked that the treasure be divided among his people, and his ashes buried near the sea that he loved. When Wiglaf told the Saxons of Beowulf's death and of his last thought for them, they could not be comforted. " So with groanings sorrowed all the great folk. All his house-companions for their house-lord's over- throw. Quoth they that he was of the world-kings all, Of all men the mildest, and to men the kindest, To his people gentlest, and of praise the keenest." 11 Conversation: Was Beowulf a real hero ? Why do you think so? Does a real hero do brave deeds for himself or for others ? 12 — one 160 ENGLISH LESSONS Was Beowulf this kind of hero ? Do you know of any such heroes now ? Have you read of such heroes ? Tell of some heroes that you have known of or read about. Word Study : Make lists of the words used to describe persons or things in 5, 8, 10. Tell what persons or things they describe. Do these words help you to form clear pictures ? Written Exercise : Write a paragraph telling why you think Beo- wulf was a real hero, or write the story of Beowulf's last fight. LXIII 1 Lie — Lay — Lain Good Usage : Brave men lie down to sleep without fear. Then the warriors lay down without fear upon the mead benches to sleep. They had lain there but a short time when Grendel's mother came. Which of the words in italics tells what men do now? What does lay tell ? How is lain used ? BOOK ONE 161 Supply the right word in each of these sentences : 1. To tell what happens now. When I am tired I down to rest. The cat by the tire asleep. The book on the table. The dew on the grass in the morning. " down, Rover," said I to the dog. Soldiers often on the ground to sleepc 2. To tell what happened at some past time. Last night I down to sleep. The cat came in and down by the fire. The book on the table yesterday. When I went out the dew still on the grass. The dog down as he was told. The night after the battle the soldiers on the field. 3. With has or have to tell what has happened. Do not disturb her if she has down. The cat has by the fire all day. The book has on the table for a week. The dew has on the grass for hours. The dog has down as he was told. The soldiers have on the ground all night. Tell how we use the three words^ lie, lay, lain. Be careful to use them correctly. Review Read this paragraph carefully; then change the words that tell what persons or things do, so that 162 ENGLISH LESSONS the paragraph shall tell what happened in the past : Early in the morning the children lie asleep in their beds. Outside, the dew lies on the grass and the fog lies on the mountains. Then the east grows bright. The birds burst into song. The big round sun comes up. The morning breeze blows the fog away. The children run about shouting and laughing. All the world is awake. When night comes, every one lies down again to sleep. LXIV LETTERS 1 Read this letter that Sir Walter Scott wrote to his daughter. Anne and the other children were his grandchildren. Abbotsford, May 3, 1813. My dear Sophia : I received your letter, in which you say nothing of Walter's schooling. I hope that goes on well. I am sorry to say the poor Cuddy is no more. He lost the use of his kind eyes, so we were obliged to have him shot, out of humanity. This will vex little Anne, but as the animal could never have been of the least use to her, she has less reason to regret his untimely deatli ; and I will study to give her something that she will like as well, to make amends, namely, a most beautiful peacock and peahen, so tame that they come to the porch and feed out of the children's hands. BOOK ONE 163 They were a present from Mertoun, and I will give them to little Anne to make amends for this family loss of the donkey. Give my love to Walter, Anne, and little Charles. Mamma joins me in kind compliments to Miss Miller, and I am always. Your affectionate papa, Walter Scott. Conversation : What do 3^ou think of Anne's grandfather ? Have you a grandfather ? Which do you think Anne would rather have, Cuddy the donkey, or the peacock and the peahen ? Written Exercise : Copy the heading, salutation, closing phrase, and signature of the letter. Write a letter to a real or make-believe grand- father, telling about Anne and her grandfather. Be careful that the heading, salutation, closing phrase, capitals, and punctuation are all correct. Turn to page 62 and read again Mr. Dodgson's letter to Isabel. Imagine that you are Isabel, and after you have received the copy of ''Alice in Wonderland," write Mr. Dodgson and thank him for it. First write the present date and your own address 164 ENGLISH LESSONS for the heading. What salutation will you use for your new friend ? You may call him either My dear Friend or Dear Mr. Dodgson. Copy these forms. How will you close your letter ? Here are several forms that are suitable : Your grateful little friend, Yours gratefully, Your friend. Copy these forms. Talk about the forms for both salutation and closing, and then write the letter to Mr. Dodgson. Note that when you write of a hook, magazine, or newspaper, giving the title, you must not only use capitals, hut you shoidd inclose the title in quotation marks. Write a letter from Agnes to her father, Gen- eral Lee (see page 110), answering his from the City of Mexico, telling him what you are doing at home, and also telling him that you will try to do as he asks. 3 Addressing Envelopes After the letter is written, it is put into an en- velope and addressed to the person to whom it has been written. Here are some addresses as they would appear on envelopes. Miss Gertrude Brooks, Andover, Massachusetts. BOOK ONE 165 Mr. Charles H. Gleason, 555 Summer Ave., Newark, New Jersey. Miss Alice P. Ray, Big Lake, Minnesota. R. F. D. No. 1. Mark off on paper three oblongs, each six by three and one half inches. Copy in them the addresses given above. Notice how the words are placed and what punctuation marks are used. The first address is for a person living in a small town, where people go to the post office for mail, or where everybody is so well known that it is not necessary to write the street and number. The second is for a person living in a large city, and contains all the direction necessary to tell the postman where to take the letter. The third envelope is for a person living in the country, where there is a mail carrier going about in a wagon and leaving mail at the houses. " R. F. D." means Rural Free Delivery, and No. 1 means the number of the mail carrier, or the route he travels. All envelopes when addressed should have the name and title of the person addressed, the town or city, and the state, in this order : 166 ENGLISH LESSONS NamC) Town or City, State. If the letter is sent to a city, the street and number should be written on the line below the name. If it is sent to the country where there is a mail carrier, the let- ters **R. F. D.*' and the number of the route should be put in the lower left-hand corner. Write addresses such as you would put on envelopes for letters to the following people : H. C. Atterbury, who lives in Windham, Maine, on rural free delivery route number two. Mr. George L. Wilson, who lives at 364 Lincoln Avenue, St. Paul, Minnesota. Miss Edith A. Scott, who lives at 274 East Avenue, Rochester, New York. Miss Sarah C. Brooks, Principal of the Normal School, Baltimore, Maryland. LXV OCEANUS HOPKINS Reproduction Read : Long, long ago a ship full of people was sailing across the ocean to this land. These people were called Pilgrims. Pilgrim means wanderer^ and these people were wandering from place to place in search of a home where they could worship God as they thought right. BOOK ONE 167 The ship was a sailing vessel and not very large. Few would think now of crossing the ocean in so small a vessel. But the Pilgrims were brave men and women, and were not afraid of anything when they thought they were in the right. So they made this long and dangerous journey across the wide ocean to the New World. They were many, many days upon the deep. On one of those days a little baby boy was born. How the women all rejoiced, and what care they took of the new baby who had never seen land ! Because he was born on the ocean, they named him Oceanus — Oceanus Hopkins. Conversation : Tell this story in class. Find out any more facts that you can about Oceanus and tell them in class. Written Exercise : What was the baby's given name ? What name was his surname ? Write the whole story. LXVI "DOWN TO SLEEP" Word Study Read and study : November woods are bare and still ; November days are clear and bright ; 168 ENGLISH LESSONS Each noon burns up the morning chill ; The morning's snow is gone by night. Each day my steps grow slow, grow light, As through the woods I reverent creep. Watching all things lie " down to sleep." I never knew before what beds, Fragrant to smell and soft to touch, The forest sifts and shapes and spreads. I never knew before how much Of human sound there is in such Low tones as through the forest sweep. When all wild things lie "down to sleep." Each day I find new coverlids Tucked in, and more sweet eyes shut tight ; Sometimes the viewless mother bids Her ferns kneel down, full in my sight ; I hear their chorus of "good-night "; And half I smile and half I weep, Listening while they lie " down to sleep.'* Helbn Hunt Jackson. Study the following words in the poem until you are sure of their meanings. See if you can use any other words in their places. If you can, which do you like better ? Why ? Words to study : Stanza I: hare, stilly hums up, reverent, creep. BOOK ONE 169 Stanza II: fragrant^ sifts, shapes, spreads^ low, sweep. Stanza III : coverlids, tucked in, sweet, viewless, kneel down, chorus. Find all the pictures you can in the verses. What does the poet mean by beds and coverlids f LXVII THANKSGIVING LESSONS Review These lessons are to be studied about Thanks- giving time ; they will take several days. Your teacher will ask some questions for conversation and written exercises, and you can ask yourselves others. After the study of each section, write the story in good paragraphs, or tell it, as your teacher directs. 1 The Pilgrims Conversation : Topics : Who the Pilgrims were. Why they left their native land. What sort of people they were. Who their leaders were. 170 ENGLISH LESSONS Their ships and the preparation they made for the journey. 2 Life in Holland To what country did they first sail ? Why ? What did they do there? How long did they stay ? Why did they leave ? Describe their preparation for their second voyage. Did they know anything about the land they were going to ? Do you think it required courage to make this voyage ? Why ? Describe the voyage. What do you recall of Oceanus Hopkins ? With your teacher's help make lessons on each of the following topics, filling out the outlines : (3) The Landing. (4) Incidents of the First Winter. (5) The Return of the Mayjioioer. (6) The First Spring and Summer and Fall. (7) The First Thanksgiving. Lxvni THE NEWSBOY Capitals in Headings Conversation : This is a picture of a boy who gets up at four o'clock every morning. BOOK ONE 171 Discuss : Why he gets up so early. What he has under his arm Where he got the papers. Whether he will sell them all. Why some news- boys sell more papers than others. Is the life of a newsboy an easy or a difficult one ? Why? Find out all you can about the news- boys of your town. Tell where they live, why they sell papers, where they sell them, how much money they make. Written Exercise : Write a story about one of them. If you have ever been a newsboy, write your experiences. 172 ENGLISH LESSONS Conversation: Have people always had newspapers ? In what way do newspapers help us ? What is the man at the head of the newspaper called? What does he do ? How many newspapers do you know that are published in your town ? Write their names. Write on the blackboard or on paper the names of all the papers that you know or have in your homes. With what kind of letter does each word in the name of a paper begin ? Write a rule for this. When your teacher ap- proves of the rule, copy it in your notebook. LXIX JAMES WATT Reproduction Bead : James Watt was the first man to make a steam en- gine that would draw a wagon or a car. He never would have succeeded in doing this, if he had not learned when a boy to do three things. He learned to observe closely what was going on about him, so that he saw many things which others often did not notice at all. He also learned to think about what he observed, and to find out the causes. The third thing that he learned was to use tools skill- fully. BOOK ONE 173 WATT DISCOVERING THE POWER OF STEAM James was not a strong boy and he could not play much with the other boys. So his mother gave him a set of tools, and he played and worked with them, until he could use them handily and make a great many things. This was his manual training^ and he found it 174 ENGLISH LESSONS very useful when he became a man, and especially when he was making his steam engine. He was always a close observer, and even when a little boy, was watching and watching to see what he could find out, especially in nature. This was his nature study. One day James was visiting his aunt. There was a tea kettle on the fire, and he watched it for a long time. His aunt thought he was idle and at length said to him: " I never saw such an idle boy as you are. Take a book or do something useful. For the last hour you have not spoken one word, but you have been taking off the lid of that tea kettle and putting it on again, holding now a cup and now a silver spoon over the steam, watching how it rises from the spout, catching and counting the drops as they fall. Are you not ashamed of spending your time in that way ?" But James was not idle. He was observing, and when he became a great man and came to make steam engines, his manual training and his nature study he found were among his best friends. Tell this story. If you can find any other stories of Watt, tell them in class. Conversation : Name all the uses of steam that you can think of. Tell about the largest steam engine you ever saw. Should you like to be an engineer? Why? BOOK ONE 175 LXX THE SICK FRIEND 1 Study of a Picture Conversation : Who is the sick friend ? What do you think is the matter with him ? What is the taller girl doing ? Tell as long a story as you can from the picture. Written Exercise: Write a paragraph describing the wagon and what it contains. Write another describing the doctor as you imagine him. Write in three paragraphs the story of the picture. Give names to all the children, both surnames and given names, and write their conversation with the doctor. Select the best conversation. Copy it on the blackboard. Then choose parts and act the story. 2 Good Usage: The children bring their sick friend to the doctor. One of the boys draws the wagon. The larger girl rings the bell. The children ask to see the doctor. He comes to the door. 176 ENGLISH LESSONS THE SICK FRIEND BOOK ONE 177 He speaks kindly to the children. He gives them medicine for the sick dog. See if you can change each of the words in italics, first to the past form, then to the form used with ]ias or have. If you do not know the right words your teacher will help you. Write the altered sentences. When you are sure that you have used the right words, write them in lists, beginning with the words found in the sentences. Use these headings : Ex. Present Form Past Form Form us ed with Have bring brought brought 3 Oral Exercise : Answer these questions, using complete sen- tences : Has the school bell rung ? Who rang it ? Did it ring loudly ? Has it rung before ? Who drew the picture on the blackboard ? How many of you have drawn pictures on the blackboard ? Tell what pictures you drew when you were studying " Beowulf." How should we speak to one another? Have you ever spoken unkindly ? 178 ENGLISH LESSONS What did you bring to school this moraing ? Who brought the flowers in the vase ? To the Teacher : lleview verb forms frequently, one or two verbs at a time, by means of brief conversations. LXXI BIRDS Stories for Oral Reproduction 1 Our Birds Memorize : God sent his singers upon earth With songs of gladness and of mirth, That they might touch the hearts of men And bring them back to heaven again. Longfellow. Read the following stories to yourselves, then tell them in class. 2 Jack Read and tell : Mr. Haven had a pet crow, Jack, of which he was very fond. One day Jack disappeared, and all sup- posed that he had been killed. Nearly a year afterward, Mr. Haven was standing on the river bank with some other gentlemen when a flock of crows flew over. Suddenly one of them left the flock and lighted on Mr. Haven's shoulder and began BOOK ONE 179 to chatter to him most loudly, much to the amusement and astonishment of the other gentlemen. It was Jack, who had dropped down to make a call on his old friend. But when Mr. Haven tried to catch him. Jack flew away and he never came back. He had learned the joy of freedom. 3 The Robin's Nest Read and tell : One morning the sexton went into church to make sure that all was clean and in good order before the people came. He saw something on the pulpit that made him open his eyes in wonder. It was a robin's nest built under the shelf, and it had two blue eggs in it. The sexton thought of a Bible verse and did not disturb the nest. In time the old bird laid two more eggs ; then she sat on them to hatch them. Soon there were four little naked robins in the nest on the pulpit. They stayed there till they grew up, and the old bird used to come in and feed them during the service. The Mourner Comforted Read and tell : A pair of royal cranes from Africa were kept in a bird house in England. After a time one of them was taken sick and died. The other mourned for him and pined away till the people thought he would die. Then some one put a large looking-glass into the 180 ENGLISH LESSONS cage. The crane saw himself in it and thought it was his mate. He used to walk back and forth before it and make gestures, which the bird in the glass answered. The crane was comforted for his loss. He got well and lived several years. Conversation: Tell these stories in class. Tell other stories about birds. What does Mr. stand for ? Why is the period placed after it ? Written Exercise: Write a story of birds that you have seen or heard about. LXXII THE LITTLE CHRISTMAS TREE Prose and Poetry 1 Read and Study : The Christmas Day was coming, the Christmas Eve drew near ; The fir trees they were talking low at midnight cold and clear. And this was what the fir trees said, all in the pale moonlight : J " Now which of us shall chosen be to grace the holy night ? " The tall trees and the goodly trees raised each a lofty head, BOOK ONE 181 In glad and secret confidence, though not a word they said ; But one, the baby of the band, could not restrain a sigh: " You all will be approved," he said, " but oh, what chance have I ? " I am so small, so very small, no one will mark or know How thick and green my needles are, how true my branches grow. Few toys or candles could I hold, but heart and will are free, And in my heart of hearts I know I am a Christmas Tree." The Christmas angel hovered near ; be caught the grieving word, And laughing low he hurried forth, with love and pity stirred. He sought and found St. Nicholas, the dear old Christ- mas saint, And in his fatherly, kind ear rehearsed the fir tree's plaint. Saints are all powerful, we know, so it befell that day That, ax on shoulder, to the grove a woodman took his way. One baby girl he had at home, and he went forth to find A little tree as small as she, just suited to his mind. Oh, glad and proud the baby fir, amidst its brethren tall, To be thus chosen and singled out, the first among them all! 182 ENGLISH LESSONS He stretched his fragrant branches, his little heart beat • fast. He was a real Christmas Tree ; he had his wish at last. One large and shining apple, with cheeks of ruddy gold, Six tapers and a tiny doll, were all that he could hold. The baby laughed, the baby crowed, to see the tapers bright : The forest baby felt the joy, and shared in the delight. And when at last the tapers died, and when the baby slept. The little fir in silent night a patient vigil kept. Though scorched and brown his needles were, he had no heart to grieve ; " I have not lived, in vain," he said. *' Thank God for Christmas Eve ! " Susan Coolidge. Poetry Conversation : " The Little Christmas Tree " is a poem. The stories in the last lesson are called prose. What differences do you see ? Read aloud the first paragraph of " Jack " in the last lesson (page 179). To the Teacher : Discus?s with the class the following topics : Difference between prose and poetry. 1. In form— ryhthm, rhyme, meter. 2. In character — figures of speech, pictures in words. For example: Trees talking. Trees /eeZmgf proud, sad, glad. A Christ- mas Tree in heart. Pictures in the last stanza. Never paraphrase a poem. BOOK ONE 183 Read the first stanza of the poem aloud. What difference do you notice in the sound ? In reading the poem aloud, notice whether the syl- lables that you accent are the same distance apart. How is it with the story of Jack ? In which do you find rhymes ? Which could you sing ? Do trees talk? Do trees feel proud, or sad, or glad ? In which, prose or poetry, is it more common to speak of trees as talking or feeling? In which do you find more pictures in the words, the poem or the prose ? What pictures can you find in the first two stanzas that seem to you more like poetry than prose? Which do you like better, poetry or prose ? Why? Which can you remember better ? 3 Study of the Poem Conversation: Tell what pictures you can find in each stanza. Make a list of all the words that describe in the second stanza. Be sure that you know w^hat each of these words means. Try to put some other in its place and see which is better and why. 184 ENGLISH LESSONS For example, in the sentence : " The tall trees and the goodly trees raised each a lofty head." Could you use long in the place of tall ? Could you use high ? lofty f Try similar experiments with goodly and lofty. Was the little fir tree right when he said, " I have not lived in vain" ? Did he do well to be satisfied with his life? Why? Written Exercise : Write in good sentences what you think are the differences between poetry and prose. Write in a paragraph what lesson you think this poem teaches. 4 Catch — Caught Good Usage : In the fourth stanza of " The Little Christmas Tree " notice the word caught. How would you change it to tell what the angel is doing now ? What would you say after has? Oral Exercise : What do cats catch ? What did your cat catch ? What do spiders catch ? What did the dog catch ? BOOK ONE 185 Who catches the ball best ? Who caught the ball ? Was the runaway horse caught ? Who caught hini ? Be careful to pronounce catch properly. Don't say ketch. LXXIII A DIARY 1 Read : A diary is a record kept from day to day of what one has done and what has happened, especially what has been interesting or has seemed important. Here are a few selections from the diary of Anna Green Winslow, a little girl who lived long ago in Nova Scotia. She was visiting her aunts in Boston and put down in her diary what inter- ested her most. If you think her language a bit queer, remember that she wrote a long time ago, when people spoke and wrote as Anna did. April 24th. — I drank tea at Aunt Sukey's. Aunt Stover was there. She seemed to be in charming good health and spirits. My cousin, Charles Green, seems to grow a little fat, — pretty boy ; but he is very light. My Aunt Stover lent me three of Cousin Charles's books to read, " The Puzzling Cap," " The Female Ora- tors," and the "History of Gaffer Two Shoes." 186 ENGLISH LESSONS April 25th. — I learned three stitches on net work to-day. April 27th. — I dined at Aunt Stover's and spent the afternoon at Aunt Sukey's. June Ist, — All last week till Saturday was very cold and rainy. Aunt Deming kept me within doors. There were no schools because of the election of councilors and other public doings. I saw the governor and his train of life guards ride by in state. Conversation : Do you think Anna had a good time visiting in Boston ? What titles do you find in Anna's diary ? With what letters do they begin ? Give reasons for the use of all the capital letters used in this diary. What was Anna's surname? What was her given name ? Keeping a Diary It is well to keep a diary. It is interesting and sometimes it is very useful to be able to tell just what you did and just what happened on any cer- tain day in the past. You can buy a little book already prepared with a space for each day of the year, or you can take an ordinary notebook and make a diary of it for yourself. The book that you make yourself has BOOK ONE 187 this advantage, that you can use as much or as little space as you wish each day. If you make your own diary, make a title page like the following : DIARY OF HAROLD SMITH FOR THE YEAR 1906 You can adorn this page with your own designs, plain or in color. Put as a heading over each entry the day of the week and month, as : Monday, January 1. Then write whatever has interested you most, what you consider the most important events of the day, and what you think you will be most likely to want to remember in the future. Diaries are usually private, to be read by the writer only, but some people have written diaries giving accounts of great events, which many have been glad to read afterward. If each member of the class keeps a diary as a class exercise, it will be better to write in it such things as may interest all. You may keep a private diary too. 188 ENGLISH LESSONS LXXIV THE HOME OF THE VICAR OF WAKEFIELD A Description — Choice of Words Head : At the foot of a sloping hill, and sheltered with a beautiful underwood behind and a prattling river before, stands a little low English cottage with thatched roof and vine-covered porch. Adjoining the house is a neat garden with sweet old-fashioned flowers and a long row of gooseberry bushes, and near by, a rustic seat shaded by a hedge of hawthorn and honeysuckle. Oliver Goldsmith. Conversation : Read each sentence carefully until you see the picture. Tell just what you see in each. Discuss each word that describes in this descrip- tion and see if you can use any other word in its place just as well; for example, the first one, sloping. Just what does sloping mean ? Try in its place, loio, long, steep, and other words. Find other descriptions in books or papers and read them in class. Which ones make you see pictures clearly ? Describe your schoolhouse or your own house, trying to use words that call up pictures. BOOK ONE 189 Expressive Activities : Paint a picture of the house and yard as Gold- smith describes it. Represent the house and yard on the sand-table, making for manual-training exercises as many of the things described as you can. LXXV THINGS TO TALK AND WRITE ABOUT How to build a fire. How to make a bed. How to sweep and dust a room. How to feed and care for a pet rabbit or any other pet animal. How to make a bird house. How to make a window box. How to make an aquarium. How to play the games : The Farmer in the Dell. The King of France. London Bridge. How to make a whistle. How to make a kite. How to make a bow and arrow. How to make a popgun. How to make a pinwheel. How to make a weather vane. How to harness a horse. 190 ENGLISH LESSONS When you have talked about these things and have decided upon the best way of doing them, write a full and accurate description of one. Read in class what you have written. LXXVI . WASHINGTON Yes and No — Quotations — How to show Possession 1 Read : It is recess at school. The boys are all excited — all but one. George Washington sits apart under a tree, reading. The champion wrestler of the county is there and is wrestling with the big boys. Down they go, one after another, until no one dares to wrestle with the big fellow who struts proudly about, daring them. Then they think of the boy reading under the tree and all rush over to him. " Come, George, come and wrestle." "No," answers George, " I want to read." "Oh, he is afraid," sneers the boastful champion, "that's why he wants to read." This is too much. "It is, is it?" says George, throwing down his book and spring- ing to his feet. " Come on, then, I'll wrestle with you." And they begin. In a twinkling it is all over. George's boastful foe lies helpless on his back. Telling of it afterward, he said, " I felt myself grasped and hurled upon the ground with a jar that shook the marrow of my bones." Tell this story in class. BOOK ONE 191 Who says " Come, George, come and wrestle " ? It is called a quotation, because it gives the exact words of the speaker. What are the marks (" ") used with the quota- tion called ? Copy in your notebooks : A quotation begins with a capital and is inclosed in quotation marks. Copy all the quotations in " Washington." Observe that in the sentence, '^ ' No/ answers George, ' I want to read,' " No begins with a capi- tal and is followed by a comma. Yes and no used in answering questions always begin with capital letters and are usually followed by commas, except at the end of a sentence. Look at the quotation beginning with " No." What words divide it into two parts ? What words divide the next quotation ? Quotations that are separated into parts are called divided quotations. Notice how the quotation marks are used in di- vided quotations. ^ Does the second part of the quotation begin with a capital letter ? Be careful to write divided quotations correctly. 192 ENGLISH LESSONS LXXVII PICTURE STUDY Nouns and Woi'ds that Describe Conversation : Look closely at .the picture on the opposite page. Give it a name. Give names to the people in it. Tell what they are doing, who is having the best time, whether they are rich or poor, and why you think so. Written Exercise : Write in a list the names of all the things that you see in the picture. Write opposite each name a w^ord describing the thing named. Write a story about " Baby's Fishing." LXXVIII HYACINTHUS Word Study — Review Read : Hyacinthus was a boy whom the great siin-god Apollo loved. He was brave, strong, handsome, and skillful in all sports. So fond was Apollo of the boy that he used to go often with him to play such games as Hyacinthus enjoyed. BOOK ONE 193 194 ENGLISH LESSONS One day they were pitching quoits. Apollo lilted the iron disk and hurled it with great strength and per- fect skill. Hyacinthus, who was watching and eager for his turn to throw, rushed after the quoit to bring it back. It struck the hard ground and, bounding up, hit the beautiful boy on the forehead and felled him to the earth. Apollo ran to him and picked up his lifeless form. He sought to stanch the wound, but in vain ; the blow had been fatal. The great god mourned for the boy and promised that he would make him immortal. As he spoke, lo ! from the ground, wet with the blood of the youth, sprang a beautiful flower, which to this clay fulfills the promise of Apollo to his loved Hyacinthus. Conversation : After reading the story, tell it. Find other stories about the origin of flowers, and tell them in class. Written Exercise : Make a list of all the names of persons or things in the story of Hyacinthus ; of all the words that describe persons or things. Write opposite each singular noun its plural, and opposite each plural noun its singular form. Read the first line, using big and large instead of great. Do you like them as well ? Why ? Use other words for brave, strong, handsome, and skillful. Do you find any that you like as well ? BOOK ONE 195 Try other words for all the words that describe in the story. In each case tell which word you like better and why. LXXIX CHRISTOPHER LUDWICK Review of Capitals Read : In the War of the Revolution a humble baker in Philadelphia proved himself one of the bravest patriots and one of the most useful men in the colonies. His name was Christopher Ludwick. In the early days of the war it was thought that the British were coming to attack Philadelphia. The people were much frightened and greatly excited. A meeting was held to raise mone}^ for the defense of the city. But the task seemed so great that the men hesitated to give at all. Then Christopher Ludwick arose in the meeting and said, " Mr. President, I am but a poor gingerbread baker, but put my name down for two hundred pounds." That was about one thou- sand dollars and would buy much more than a thou- sand dollars would now. After that the other men could not refuse to give, and the money was quickly raised. Later the British were coming to attack Philadelphia again. The army was discouraged ; the men liad not been paid and there was not enough good food to eat. The soldiers, many of them, were ready to give up and go home. 196 ENGLISH LESSONS Then Christopher Ludwick again showed his patriot- ism. He went to the men, fell on his knees before them, and said, " Brother soldiers, listen for a moment to Christopher Ludwick. When we hear the cry of fire in Philadelphia, on the hill at a distance from us, we fly there with our buckets to keep it from our houses. So let us keep the great fire of the British army from our town. In a few days you shall have good bread and enough of it." The men stayed, and, true to his word, Ludwick built a great bakery and supplied the army at Philadelphia with bread. He became a friend of General Washington, who called him "my honest Ludwick." Later Congress appointed him Superintendent of Bakers and Director of Baking for the Colonial Armies. Superintendent Ludwick saw that good bread was supplied to the sol- diers and did his business honestly, refusing to make money for himself. The honesty, skill, and patriotism of Christopher Ludwick were among the causes that made it possible for the patriot army to fight to the end and win inde- pendence for the new nation. Tell, this story in class. Conversation : How many paragraphs are there in the story ? Read it carefully. Would you divide it differently? Why ? Why is a comma used after Mr. President in the fourth paragraph ? Find another comma that is used for the same reason. BOOK ONE 197 Look over the rules for capital letters in your notebook and pick out from this story as many words as you can that belong under each rule. Written Exercise: Write what you think of Christopher Ludwick. Make a list of the words used to describe him. LXXX RECIPE FOR CANDY FUDGE Take a cup of brown sugar, a cup of granulated sugar, and a cup of milk. Mix them well in a kettle and put it over the fire. When the mixture begins to boil, add a piece of butter, about as large as a walnut, and one fourth of a cake of chocolate. To find out when the sirup has boiled enough, drop a spoonful into cold water. If it hardens so that you can make it into a ball, it is done. Pour the sirup into buttered pans to cool. Make candy at home, following closely this recipe. Conversation : Tell your experiences in making candy. How many sentences do you find in this recipe? What four things have we learned that sentences do? Of which kind are the sentences in this recipe ? 198 ENGLISH LESSONS Written Exercise : Write a recipe for making any other kind of candy or any article of food. LXXXI NEWSPAPER ADVERTISEMENTS AND ANSWERS Read : BOY — Wanted, unusually bright office boy, high- school education preferred ; experience not necessary : must reside in Manhattan ; salary $5 ; excellent future in large financial corporation ; state age, etc. H., 544, Worlds uptown. 336 Seventh Ave., New York, June 7, 1905. H., 544, World: Please consider me an applicant for the position ad- vertised in this morning's World. I am a high-school graduate, am seventeen years of age, and reside with my mother, a teacher, at the above address. I can give you references, which I am sure will be satisfactory. Yours respectfully, Walter B. Miller. This is a copy of an advertisement that appeared in a New York morning paper, and of the answer that secured the place. BOOK ONE 199 Copy them carefully. Write a similar advertisement, changing the items. Write an answer to it. Look through the newspapers and select some advertisements from the Want column. Read them in class, and decide which ones are the best. Write an advertisement for the Want column. Write an advertisement for a lost article. Write an answer to some advertisement which you find in the paper. Read it in class. Discuss and criticize it, then rewrite it. LXXXII A SOLDIER BECOMES THE SOLDIER The and A — Is, Are, Was, Were 1 Bead : There was a great war. The nation's armies were gathered and sent against the enemy. In a little village in the mountains a little company of men was enlisted. Among them was a poor boy from a humble cottage, unknown even to most of the others in the village. As they passed through the towns and cities on the way to join the army, they were just a little company from a little village and this poor boy was just a soldier lad unnoticed by all. One day a great battle occurred. The army was in danger. The enemy were pouring through a break in the works. They must be stopped. Who would volunteer ? 200 ENGLISH LESSONS Then the little company from the little village came forward, and among them was the poor, unknown lad. They rushed into the breach. They stopped the enemy. They saved the day. The bravest of all was the un- known lad. Many fell, but a few survived and he among them. No longer was the company unknown. No longer was the lad unnoticed. They were heroes. The war was over, the army dispersed. The com- panies marched back to their homes. Wherever the little company from the little village passed, with the unknown youth, the people gathered to see them and they said, " There goes the company that saved the army, and there is the youth who was first in the breach." And as they came to their own village, all the people met them with shouts and cheering. " Here they are ! Here they are ! The company has come home. See ! Here comes the captain I " Who is he ? It is the boy, the hero. Tell this story in class. Name all the nouns in this story. Name all the words that describe. The and A — 7s, Are^ TFas, Were Conversation : A and the are two words that are much used. Notice the word a in the second paragraph of the story. Notice the word the in the first sen- tence of the last paragraph. BOOK ONE 201 Do you see how a little company, a little village, and a poor lad became the little company, the little village, and the poor lad ? Find in the story other sentences in which a and the are used, and see if you can tell the difference between them. A is used to show merely that some one person or thing is meant. The is used to show that a particular person or thing is meant, or a particular group of persons or things. Find sentences in the story in which the is used before plural nouns. Before what kind of nouns do you find a ? Why ? We say a hook, but an apple. Can you see why ? Which is easier to speak, a apple or an apple ? a hook or an hook f A before a word beginning with a vowel sound becomes an. Oral Exercise : Put each of these words into a sentence, using a or an before it : Apron, inkstand, history, hour, echo, orange, ori- ole, army, enemy, hero. Written Exercise: Write in your notebook a rule for the use of an and a. Study all the sentences in the story containing isj are, was, were. Tell why these words are used. 202 ENGLISH LESSONS LXXXIII HOMES RevifAV of Paragraph A WIGWAM A LOG CABIN Conversation : Discuss the houses in the pictures on these two pages. Tell how many of them you have seen and when and where you saw them. If you live in one like any of tliem, tell which one. Which do you like best ? Why ? Tell all you can about the people who live in the wigwam. Tell about those who live in the other houses shown in tlie pictures. Where would you go to find houses like these ? What scenery would you find about each house ? A rAkivi HOUSE A VILLAGE HOUSE BOOK ONE 203 /-^v -'--.. A CITY HOME AN APARTMENT HOUSE Where do the people cook, eat, and sleep ? Bring to school all the pictures of houses that you can find. Tell all you can about these houses. Tell about the people who live in them. Written Exercise : Choose one of the houses for a subject, and write a paragraph, telling what it is made of, where it stands, and how it looks. Conversation : Name all the uses of houses that you can think of. Do you suppose that the first houses were all 204 ENGLISH LESSONS like our Indian wigwams, or were they of different kinds ? Why do you think so ? What parts of the house do you think are neces- sary ? What parts could we get along without ? Why do we have what we could get along with- out? Written Exercise : Write on the blackboard a composition in good paragraphs on " What Parts of a House are Neces- sary." Write paragraphs giving reasons why we have some things that we could do without. Conversation : Guessing A GERMAN CASTLE Can you tell from the pictures on this and the next page anything about the countries in which these houses are found and about the people who live in them ? Which would prob- ably be found in hot BOOK ONE 205 countries and which in cold? Written Exercise : Select one of the houses and write a par- agraph about it, telling several things that you think must be true about the people living in it. AN ESKIMO'S HOME A SOUTH AFRICAN HUT A SWISS MOUNTAIN HOME Find in books or magazines all you can about the people and houses, and see how nearly right you were in your guesses. Write two paragraphs, one telling about the guessing game, and the other telling how nearly right you were in your guess. A JAPANESE HOME A TURKISH PALACE 206 ENGLISH LESSONS LXXXIV SPRING GAMES Possessive Plural Make a list of games that you play in the spring. Some will be boys' games, some girls' games, and some will be children's games, that is, games that boys and girls play together. Write about the game that you like best. Write sentences describing this game, telling how and where you play it, how many players may be in it, and what you must have to play with. Write in sentences the rules of the game. Combine these sentences into good paragraphs. What is a good paragraph ? In this lesson you find the expressions hoys games and girls games. Can you tell what the mark (') after hoys and girls means ? What is the s for? Turn to page 190. In Georges hoastful foe what does the 's mean ? In hoys' games the mark (') is placed after the s. This means that hoys' is j^ossessive plural, — that is, that more than one boy are thought of, and that the games belong to the hoys. Find other instances of possessive plural. Write five plural forms, using other words. Notice the words children s games. The plural of child is children. As you see, it does not end in s. BOOK ONE 207 To make the possessive we add the apostrophe and s, as we do in making the possessive singular. This is the way to form the possessive plural of all nouns whose plural form does not end in s. Write the possessive of men, women, oxen, brethren. Write rules for the possessive plural of those nouns whose plurals end in s, and of those whose plurals do not end in s, and copy them in your notebook. Copy from the descriptions of games that you have written or from your readers possessive plurals of each kind. LXXXV LETTERS 1 Mead this letter: Fresno, California, April 12, 1912. Mr. J. S. Richards, Los Angeles, California. Dear Sir : William Hart, whose parents have recently moved to Fresno, has applied for a position as delivery boy in my drug store. He tells me that he has worked for you. If you will kindly tell me what you know of him, you will greatly oblige. Yours very truly, Henry Brown. 15 — one 208 ENGLISH LESSONS Copy this letter carefully. Discuss it in class. How does it differ from the other letters that you have studied ? Do you think that Mr. Brown knew Mr. Rich- ards very well ? Why ? This is a formal letter, such as one might write to a stranger or to a mere acquaintance or a busi- ness correspondent. Notice the salutation Dear Sir, This is proper in all such letters. You may say instead, if you wish to be very polite, My dear Sir. Notice the closing phrase, Yours very truly. You may use in closing a formal letter, Yours truly, Yours sincerely, Yours respectfully, Yours very truly, or any other similar phrase. Imagine that you are Mr. Richards and answer Mr. Brown's letter, telling him what you know of William Hart, speaking well of him and recommend- ing him for the place in Mr. Brown's drug store. Notice the punctuation of the heading, the salu- tation, the closing, and the signature of this letter. Where are periods used in each? Where are commas used in each ? Make statements in answer to these questions and write them in your notebook. Where are capitals used ? Make a statement and write it in your note- book. BOOK ONE 209 Think of something that you would like to do, and write a letter to some one in your town or vicinity who is in that line of business, asking foi a position. Tell your age, and anything else that an employer would want to know about you. Write a letter to your doctor, telling him that you are ill and asking him to call at your residence as soon as possible. LXXXVI THE GLADNESS OF NATURE Pictures in Words — Review of Singular and Plural Study and then memorize : Is this a time to be cloudy and sad, When our Mother Nature laughs around ; When even the deep blue heavens look glad, And gladness breathes from the blossoming ground ? There are notes of joy from the hangbird and wren. And the gossip of swallows through all the sky; The ground squirrel gayly chirps by his den. And the wilding bee hums merrily by. The clouds are at play in the azure space, And their shadows at play on the bright green vale And here they stretch to the frolic chase. And there they roll on the easy gale. There's a dance of leaves in that aspen bower, There's a titter of winds in that beechen tree. 210 ENGLISH LESSONS There's a smile on the fruit, and a smile on the flower, And a laugh from the brook tliat runs to the sea. And h)ok at the broad-faced sun, how he smiles On the dewy earth that smiles in his ray. On the leaping waters and gay young isles ; Ay, look, and he'll smile thy gloom away. AViLLIAM CULLEN BrYANT. Study this poem stanza by stanza. What does the poet mean by being cloudy? Think of another word to describe a " cloudy " face. Would you like it as well in the poem ? If not, why not ? What picture do you see when you read the rest of Stanza I ? What words help you to see it ? What does the next stanza tell about ? What is another name for the hangbird ? Can you tell why it is called a hangbird ? What is a wilding bee ? What do you see when you read the stanza as a whole ? What do you hear ? What does azure space mean? What words would you use in talking about the same thing? Why doesn't the poet use them ? What does the next line mean ? Read the four lines all together and tell what you see. What do the words aspen hoiver picture ? Do you know whether the leaves of the aspen "dance" more than those of other trees? BOOK ONE 211 What do you see and hear as you read the stanza ? Is there anything in the last stanza that tells you what time of day it is ? Why do you think the sun is called broad- faced ? What time of year does the poem describe ? Why do you think so ? Find all the words in it that tell of joy. Why does the poet use so many of these words? Written Exercise: Write in a list all the singular nouns in the poem. Write in another list all the plural nouns. Write opposite each singular its plural and oppo- site each plural its singular. Expressive Activities: Illustrate in color the different stanzas of this poem. LXXXVII REVIEW Good Usage 1 Oral Exercise: Change the words in italics, using first the past form, and then the form used with have. Notice how the meaning changes. 212 ENGLISH LESSONS 1. The girls eat candy. 2. We often go picnicing on holidays. 3. We sometimes go to the beach and sit on the sand. 4. The boys often run races at recess. 5. The children do their work well. 6. Harold usually knows his lessons perfectly. 7. Robert throws the ball farthest of all the boys. 8. Herbert catches the ball every time. 9. Mary sets the table for her mother. 10. She sets every dish in the right place. 11. Her mother teaches her to do her work well. 12. The family sit down at the table to eat their dinner. 13. We sometimes draw pictures on the blackboard. 14. The engine draws the train slowly up the heavy grade. 15. The papers lie on the desk. 16. The dog lies by the fire. 17. The tramp lies down under a tree to sleep. 18. We speak of what we see. 19. The Christmas bells ring merrily. 20. At Christmas we give our friends presents. 21. We write Christmas letters to the absent ones. 22. The flowers and birds come with the springtime. 23. The rains bring the flowers. 24. We see the birds building their nests 25. The young birds grow fast. 26. Some boys steal birds* nests. 27. A fierce wind blows the nests from the trees. 28. The fox steals the farmer's chickens. 29. The ripe pods of the milkweed burst. 30. We ought to go at once. BOOK ONE 213 Two of the words in italics do not change. Which are they ? Make sentences of your own containing all the words in italics, and change them as you have changed the sentences above. Write in a list all the singular nouns in the sentences. Write in another list all the plural nouns. Write opposite each singular its plural, and opposite each plural its singular. In sentences 26 and 28, why is the apostrophe used ? Why is it before s in farmer s and after s in birds' f Write the possessive singular and the possessive plural of hoy^ family^ child, dog, fox. Choose the right words to use after It is and It ivas, and make sentences containing them : I — me she — her he — him they — them LXXXVIII CERES Choice of Words Rmd : Ceres was the goddess of the fruitful fields. Her especial care was over the grain that gives men food. 214 ENGLISH LESSONS She had a little daughter named Proserpina, whom she loved dearly. One day she lost this lovely child in a most strange way, which will be told you later. She searched the whole world over, calling "Proserpina! Proserpina! " but Proserpina did not answer. One day as Ceres was sitting, lonely and mourning, by the road, there passed an aged peasant and his little girl. The child went to the goddess and said simply, " Mother, why are you so sad ? " The old man, too, spoke kindly to her and asked her to his cottage. She went with them, wondering. There she found grief as great as her own. The only son of the family, a bright, fine boy, was at the point of death. The goddess, her- self mourning, took pity on the mourning of the peas- ants. She went to the bedside where the suffering child lay, and gently kissed him on the forehead, and breathed her divine breath over him. At once he arose, well and strong, and greatly did the family rejoice. Ceres ever afterward took great interest in this boy. She taught him many ways of cultivating the fields, especially the use of the plow, so that through her kind- ness he became one of the greatest benefactors of men. Use other words instead of the following : — fruitful peasant gently especial grief divine searched suffering cultivating lonely arose benefactors Which words are better, those in the book or those you have used ? BOOK ONE 215 Two of your rules for the use of capital letters are illustrated in this story. Which are they ? In the sentence, Mother, why are you so sad? why is a comma used after mother f LXXXIX THIS IS THE WAY CERES LOST HER LITTLE GIRL Words Expressing Action Read : Pluto was the king who ruled all under the earth. He was dark and forbidding to look upon, but he was not unkind. Once Cupid, the little god of love, in sport, shot an arrow at the dark king, which went straight to his heart. Whenever this happened to any one, he at once fell in love, so Pluto fell in love. The one whom he loved was Proserpina, the fair daughter of the goddess Ceres. He wanted to marry her and make her his queen. But he knew that Ceres would never consent that her daughter should go to his dark home, so he resolved to take her by force. In his black chariot he came up above the ground as Proserpina was sitting in the field playing witli flowers. He seized her in his arms, hastened with her to the chariot, and drove back quickly to his gloomy abode. There he married the beautiful Proserpina and made her queen of his kingdom. At first she mourned for the sunlight and her mother. But Pluto was kind to her and in time she came to love him, and then found her dark home not unpleasant. But Ceres mourned and searched. At length she 216 ENGLISH LESSONS learned that her little Proserpina was the wife of Pluto and queen of the lower world. Then she asked the great Jupiter to let her daughter return to earth, but this could not be without Pluto's consent. At length, however, Pluto consented that Proserpina should spend half her time with her mother on the earth and the other half with him below the ground. So Pluto kept his wife, Ceres got her daughter, and all were happy. This is a story the ancients tell, and by it they mean this : Ceres is the fruitful fields. Proserpina is the seed of the golden grain. When it is cast into the ground, it is hidden for a time and then comes back again, but it does not stay the whole year. Each winter it disappears ; each spring it comes again: that is, Proserpina is restored to her mother ; spring brings her back to the light of day. Conversation : Tell the story in class. Would you rather be ruler in a dark world or a school boy or girl in a bright one ? Many of you eat some cereal for your breakfast every morning. Find out what cereal means. Does the word cereal look at all like Ceres f See if you can find out their relationship. Written Exercise : Find in the last three paragraphs of the story all the words that tell what Ceres did, and all the words that tell what Pluto did. BOOK ONE 217 Write them in a list, with the names Ceres and Pluto before them. Write the conversations, choose characters, and act the story. XC THE PARTS OF THE SENTENCE Words that Tell The mocking bird sings in the orange tree. What does this sentence tell something about ? What does it tell about the mocking bird ? We may separate this sentence into two parts, thus : The mocking bird sings in the orange tree. The first part tells what we are speaking of. The second part tells something about it. Every sentence has these two parts. Written Exercise : Separate each of these sentences into its two parts, leaving a wide space between the parts. Ceres dearly loved her daughter Proserpina. Pluto stole the lovely child away. The goddess searched for her through all the world. The sad mother pitied those who mourned like her- self. She healed the sick child of a peasant one day. The grateful family rejoiced with all their hearts. Ceres taught the boy the use of the plow. 218 ENGLISH LESSONS Write a list of the words in these sentences that tell what some one did. If you leave out these words, do the remaining words make statements ? Can you leave out the other words in the second part of each sentence, and still state something ? What do you think about the importance of the words that tell what persons or things do ? XCI A DAY'S HISTORY Word Study Write your name, your address, and the date. Write a history of one day of your life, telling what you did before school in the morning, what you did at school, what you did after school in the afternoon, and how you passed the evening. Make two lists of words from your day's history — nouns and words that describe things. Study each word carefully ; if you can think of a better one to use in its place, substitute it. Be sure to tell why you like the new words better. XCII ON THE BEACH Conversation on the Picture : Have you ever been at the seashore ? What do you think is in this cart besides the childrep ? BOOK ONE 219 ^^^^^^mH^^^Em^^^^ ^ 220 ENGLISH LESSONS Why did the children go down to the beach ? Are they glad they went ? How do you know ? Who is having the best time? Written Exercise : Write a story about the picture and call it " The Drive." XCIII TRADES IN BIRDLAND G-eneral Review The Woodpecker — the Carpenter Read : " I am birddom's Carpenter, Can make the splinters fly ; On poles and posts and forest trees My merry trade I ply." Conversation : Why is the woodpecker called the "carpenter"? Find out where the woodpecker builds his nest, and how he builds it. Why can he stay in the North during the winter, when many other birds cannot ? Find out all that you can about the habits of the woodpecker, and tell what you have found. To the Teacher : Other birds may be substituted for any of these. Whenever possible, study birds by observation. BOOK ONE 221 2 The S^YALLOW — the Mason Read: " The swallow's a mason and underneath the eaves He build's his nest and plasters it with mud and hair and leaves." Conversation : Where have you seen swallows ? Describe one. Of what use is the swallow to man ? Should we encourage the swallows to live where people are ? How can we do so ? Where did the swallows that you saw build their nests ? Tell about these nests. Why is the swallow called the mason ? The Oriole — the Weaver Read : " When the wind blows, the cr?,dle will rock, When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall." Orioles are weavers with ready-made weaving needles for sewing the hairs and fibers in and out. The oriole hangs its nest to the most flexible swaying branch it can find. Though the long pocket, moving with every breeze, seems a frail cradle for a brood of heavy nestlings, in reality it is so skillfully attached to the branches that it 222 ENGLISH LESSONS has been known to hold firm during a cyclone which swept down most of the other nests in the neighborhood. The same nest is sometimes used for several seasons. The oriole is a prince among birds, with most win- ning ways, and so melodious a voice that he is sure of the affection of all who study him. Conversation : Tell where you have seen an oriole's nest. If you can, get a last year's nest. Examine it carefully. Of what is it made ? Trace a piece of string woven in the nest. Does the oriole deserve to be called a weaver ? What kind of tree does the oriole like best for a home ? Why ? Tell how the oriole is marked. Find out why he is called the Baltimore oriole. Did you ever hear an oriole's call ? Written Exercise : Write a paragraph about the home of the oriole and another about Mr. and Mrs. Oriole. 4 Weave — Hang — Swing Good Usage: The oriole weaves her nest of threads and hair. She hangs it from a flexible bough. The little nest swings to and fro in the broeze. BOOK ONE 223 Separate each of the sentences above into the part that tells what is spoken of and the part that says something about it. Write the words that tell what something does. Change the sentences so as to tell what some- thing did. Change them so as to tell what something has done. If you do not know what words to use, ask your teacher. Write the altered sentences on the blackboard and read them aloud to the class. When you are sure that you have used the correct words, copy them in lists under these head- ings : Present Form Past Form Form with Have Use them orally in sentences of your own. XCIV THE ST. BERNARD Writing Stories Bead : A Doble St. Bernard dog was kept in a monastery in the mountains to find and rescue travelers lost in the snow. One day he found a little boy lying frozen in a snow bank. The brave dog laid himself upon the boy to warm him, licking his face and hands until the color came back 224 ENGLISH LESSONS and the boy opened liis eyes. Then he said to him, as well as a dog could, "Do you see these straps wrapped about my body ? Take them off. Now tie yourself on my back with them. Now lie still and hold on to my long hair." Finally the boy understood, and with the straps he tied himself to the dog's back, and was carried alive and safe to the monastery. Tell the story. Tell other stories about dogs. Write a story about a dog. Read the stories in class. Decide by vote which is the best story about dogs. Write that one on the board. After the class has criticized it, and it has been made correct in punctuation, sentences, and paragraphs, compare it with the story in the book. xcv TEST REVIEW Write answers to these questions : 1. What four things do sentences do ? 2. With what kind of letter does every sentence begin ? 3. What mark is placed after each kind of sentence ? 4. Where do we use capital letters ? BOOK ONE 225 5. In what places besides at the end of a sen- tence have we learned to use the period ? 6. What is an abbreviation? \Yhat mark is placed after it ? 7. Where do we use hyphens ? 8. Where do we use apostrophes ? 9. Where do we use quotation marks ? Review Capital letters are used to begin : Titles, whether written in full or abbreviated. Each important word of a heading in books or papers. Commas are used : To separate the name of a person or thing addressed from what is said to him. To separate a quotation from the rest of the sentence. Most nouns form their plurals by adding s. Nouns ending in a sound that will not unite with that of 5 add es to form the plural. Nouns ending in / with a consonant before it, change y to / and add es to form the plural. All other nouns ending in/ add 5. A few nouns have plurals that do not end in Sy as merif women j children^ feet, oxen. The possessive form of a singular noun is made by adding an apostrophe and 5. The possessive form of a plural noun ending in 5 is made by adding the apostrophe only. A plural noun that does not end in s adds the apostrophe and 5. Hyphens are used : To separate the parts of a compound word. 226 ENGLISH LESSONS At the end of a line, to show that a word is divided between syllables. The words an and a are used to show that no particular thing is meant. A is used before a consonant sound and an before a vowel sound. The word ihe is used to point out some particular object or objects. With singular nouns use /s, was, and has. With plural nouns use are, were, and have. After a/w, is, or are, use he, she, they, never him, her, them. XCVI PICTURE STUDY — EXCITEMENT Conversation : What are these boys doing ? Do you think they are excited ? Why ? Which one is most excited ? Why do you think so? What are they looking at ? Why do they not jump over the wall ? Written Exercise : Write a story of what is going on beyond the wall. XCVII THE MERRY LOCKSMITH Word Study — Adjectives — How to use a Dictionary 1 Read : From the workshop of the Golden Key there issued forth a tinkling sound, so merry and good-humored BOOK ONE 227 228 ENGLISH LESSONS that it suggested the idea of some one working blithely, and made quite pleasant music. No man who ham- mered on at a dull, monotonous duty could have brought such cheerful notes from steel and iron ; none but a chirping, healthy, honest-hearted fellow who made the best of everything and felt kindly toward every- body could liave done it for an instant. He might have been a coppersmith, and still be musical. If he had sat in a jolting wagon, full of rods of iron, it seemed as if he would have brought some harmony out of it. Tink, tink, tink — clear as a silver bell, and audible at every pause of the streets' harsher noises, as though it said, '' 1 don't care ; nothing puts me out ; I am resolved to be happy." Women scolded, children squalled, heavy carts went rumbling by, horrible cries proceeded from the lungs of hawkers ; still it struck in again, no higher, no lower, no louder, no softer, not thrusting itself on people's notice a bi% the more> for having been outdone by louder sounds — tink, tink, tink, tink, tink. ******* Who but the locksmith could have made such music ! A gleam of sun, shining through the unsashed window and checkering the dark workshop with a broad patch of light, fell full upon him as though at- tracted by his sunny heart. There he stood working at his anvil, his face all radiant with exercise and glad- ness, his sleeves turned up, his wig pushed off his shin- ing forehead — the easiest, freest, happiest man in all the world. Charles ])ickens. BOOK ONE 229 Conversation: Read aloud the description of the locksmith. How do you like it ? Can you not almost see the jolly locksmith and hear the cheerful sound of his hammer ? Read the first sentence again and see if you can pick out the words that make the picture so clear. Try to use some other words instead of thiMing, merry J good-humor ed^ blithely, pleasant, music. Can you find any that are as good as those in the book ? Name the nouns in the first sentence. Name the words that describe things. Copy in your notebook : Words that describe persons or things are called adjectives. Written Exercise: Copy from the other paragraphs the words that make clear pictures, \yrite them in three lists, nouns, adjectives, and words that tell -what persons or things do. Write a description of some workman whom you have seen at work. 2 Hoiv to use a Dictionary In reading you are sure to come across many words whose meanings you do not know. 230 ENGLISH LESSONS Do not pass them by or guess at their meanings, but look them up in a dictionary. This will enable you to understand better what you are reading and will give you a larger vo- cabulary, that is, more words that you can use in speaking and writing. The more words you know, the better you can express your thoughts, and this is the object of all speaking and writing. The dictionary will tell you many things about words, but the first thing is to find them. All the words in the dictionary are arranged in the order of the letters in the alphabet. First turn to the part where the words begin with the same letter as your word ; then turn to the words whose second and third letters are the same as those of your word, and so on until you come to the word itself. For example, look up blithely, in the third line of " The Merry Locksmith." First turn in your dictionary to the letter B, then find Bli, then Blithe. Soon you will see Blithely. Now what does the dictionary tell you about the meaning of blithely? Suppose the word suggested, in the same paragraph as blithely, is the one that you do not understand. Turn to S, then to Sug, and so on. You will probably not find Suggested at first, but you will find Suggest, and under that you can find Suggested and its meaning. BOOK ONE 231 A good game may be made of word hunting. Take your dictionaries. Let some one write a word on the blackboard. See who will find it first. Then see who will find and write the most in- formation about tbe word. XCVIII TO-DAY Commit to memory : So here hath been dawning Another blue day ; Think, wilt thou let it Slip useless away ? Out of Eternit}^ This new day is born ; Into Eternity, At night, will return. Behold it aforetime No eye ever did ; So soon it forever From all eyes is hid. Here hath been dawning Another blue day; Think, wilt thou let it Slip useless away ? Thomas Caklyle. 232 ENGLISH LESSONS XCIX THE STORY OF A LOAF OF BREAD 1 Writing a History Read : Bread is the food of all people. We eat many other tliinofs, some of which we could do without, but bread IN THE WHEAT FIELD This single machine cuts, threshes, winnows, and sacks wheat while in motion. we must have. Nearly all bread is made from some grain, which is the seed of a kind of grass. The most common grains are wheat, rye, barley, oats, millet, and corn ; and bread is made from all of them. In this country wheat is the grain most commonly used for bread raraking. The great wheat fields are in the west. In some regions, as in the Red River Valley, BOOK ONE 233 one may ride whole days, seeing nothing but miles and miles of waving golden wheat. The fields are plowed for the sowing of the wheat by machine plows drawn by steam engines or by many horses. The grain is sown by machines, and when it is ripe it is cat by machines. In the far west machines are used, a single one of which cuts the stalks, threshes out the grain, winnows it to remove the chafP, puts it into sacks, and drops the sacks on the ground. A picture of one of these machines is here given. After reading the above, tell it. Then find all that you can about the history of a loaf of bread. Make notes of what you find. Tell the story. Use the following outline : The Wheat : Where it grew. Who raised it. The plowing and preparing of the ground. The sowing. The growing. The reaping. The threshing. The winnowing and bagging. The transportation to the elevator, to the mill. The Flour: The grinding ; the sifting and separating and putting into barrels or sacks ; the journey to the store ; the selling ; the journey to the home ; mak- ing the bread. 234 ENGLISH LESSONS Written Exercise : Write the history of the loaf of bread. Collect pictures from papers and magazines show- ing each step and process, and use them to illustrate the history. Words to use with Is, Are, Was, and Were Separate these sentences into their two parts, — the part that names what is spoken of and the part that tells something about it : The plows are drawn by steam engines. The grain is sown by machines. Do these sentences tell what the plows and the grain do or what is done to them ? What two words, taken together, tell what is done to the plows ? to the grain ? Find other sentences in the story of the bread that tell what is done to things. Write in your notebooks : We use sentences to tell what persons or things do. We also use sentences to tell what is done to persons or things. The sentence, "Charles threw the ball," tells what Charles did. Can you change it to tell what was done to the ball ? BOOK ONE 235 We use the same words after is, are, ivas, and ivere to tell what is done to persons or things that w^e use after have and has to tell what persons or things have done. What word is used after are to tell what is done to the plows ? What word is used after is to tell what is done to the grain ? What word did you use after ivas to tell what was done to the ball by Charles ? Conversation : Tell something that is done to books, pencils, your coat or dress, windows, flowers, trees, oranges, apricots, horses, houses, ships, coal, iron, gold. Change these sentences so as to tell what w^as done to things : Ruth wrote a letter. The teacher rang the bell. Tlie boys ate the candy. The wind blew the house down. The cat stole the cream. The men did the work well. The people saw the airship. The bird began its nest. The balloon struck the ground. The horse kicked the dog. The cat chased the mouse. Henry gave me a book. 236 ENGLISH LESSONS C CONTRACTIONS 1 In writing, as in speaking, we often shorten or contract certain syllables and words by leaving out one or more letters: as, mi't for is not; dwit for do not. The apostrophe is used in all contractions to show that something has been omitted. These are some of the more common contrac- tions. Copy them : Isn't for is not I'd for I had Shan't for shall not I'll for I will Can't for can not I'm for I am Won't for will not It's for it is 'Tis for it is Doesn't for does not There's for there is Don't for do not You're for you are Hasn't for has not We'll for we will Hadn't for had not It is usually better to write words without either abbreviation or contraction, though both forms may be used. Some contractions should never be used. Never use aint. Do not say he dont, but he doesn't. Can you tell why ? BOOK ONE 237 A Temperance Song Read : I asked a sweet robin one morning in May, Who sang in the apple tree over the way, What it was he was singing so sweetly about, For I'd tried a long while and I could not find out. " Why, I'm sure," he replied, *' you cannot guess wrong ; Don't you know I am singing a temperance song ? Teetotal, oh ! that's the first word of my lay ; And then don't you see how I twitter away ? " 'Tis because I have just dipped my beak in the spring And brushed the fair face of the lake with my wing ; Cold water I cold water ! Yes, that is my song ? And I have to keep singing it all the day long ! " What do you think of the robin's temperance song ? Write in a list all the contractions in this poem. Write opposite each the words contracted. How would you contract the words could not? Find another poem in which many contractions are used. Make a list of them and write opposite each the words that have been contracted. Write sentences using correctly the words, am not, is not, do not, does not. 238 ENGLISH LESSONS CI A WORD PICTURE Nouns and Adjectives Read : 111 my walk yesterday forenoon I passed an old house which seemed to be quite deserted. It was a two- story, wooden house, dark and weather-beaten. The front windows, some of them, were shattered and open, and others were boarded up. Trees and shrubbery were growing neglected so as quite to block up the lower part. There was an aged barn near at hand, so ruinous that it had been necessary .to prop it up. There were two old carts, both of which had lost a wheel. Every- thing was in keeping. At first I supposed that there would be no inhabitants in such a dilapidated place ; but, passing on, I looked back, and saw a decrepit and infirm old man at the angle of the house, its fit occupant. The grass, however, was very green and beautiful around this dwelling, and, the sunshine falling brightly on it, the whole effect was cheerful and pleasant. It seemed as if the world was so glad, that this desolate old place, where there was never to be any more hope and happiness, could not at all lessen the general effect of Nathaniel Hawthorne. Read this selection silently. Then read it aloud in class. Then tell it, from memory, mentioning as many BOOK ONE 239 of the things described as you can remember and using the language of the book as nearly as you can recall it. Open your book and study the selection, sen- tence by sentence, discussing it with the class. Try to see what words in each sentence make the picture, that is, what ones you could not do with- out. For instance in the first sentence : Old house — seemed — deserted. Could any of these be omitted without spoiling the picture ? Do you find any others as important ? If you do not know the meaning of any word, look it up in the dictionary. Write in columns the important words ; in one column put the names of things, as house, ivindoios, trees. In another the words that describe, as old, tivo-story, loooden. Words, as we have seen, have different uses. Some 7iame persons or things, some describe persons or things, or tell of ivhat kind they are, some tell what persons or things do, and others have other uses. All words are given names according to their uses. W^e have learned that all names are called nouns. This is true, whether they are names of persons, as John ; or of things, as house ; or of a quality, as 240 ENGLISH LESSONS strength ; or of feelings, as joy. We have here two kinds of nouns, common and proper. A common noun is a name that may be applied alike to all thingfs of a kind, as licnise. A proper noun is a name given to one object to distinguish it from the rest of its kind, as John, What are words that describe called ? See whether there are more nouns than adjec- tives in " A Word Picture." Which do you think more important in making the picture clear ? Write in a column the names of five things in your schoolroom. Write before each name two adjectives that describe the thing named. CII ANOTHER WORD PICTURE Nouns and Adjectives Read : ... A good view, from an upland swell of our pasture, across the valley of the river Charles. There is the meadow, as level as a floor and carpeted with green, perhaps two miles from the rising ground on this side of the river to that on the opposite side. The stream winds through the midst of the flat space without any banks at all ; for it fills its bed almost to the brim and bathes the meadow grass on either side. . . . Now, into BOOK ONE 241 the broad, smooth meadow, as into a lake, capes and headlands put themselves forth, and shores of firm wood- land border it, covered with variegated foliage. . . . Everywhere the trees wear their autumnal dress, so that the whole landscape is red, russet, orange, and yellow, blending in the distance into a rich tint of brown orange, or nearly that, except the green expanse so definitely hemmed in by the higher ground. Hawthorne. After reading this description very carefully, close your eyes and try to see the picture. Read it again. Tell the description to the class as well as you can. Study it sentence by sentence and see what words make the picture clear. Write them in three columns, in one the nouns, in another the adjectives, and in another any other words that you find important in the description. In which column do you have the most words ? In which the most necessary words ? Draw a' perpendicular line. On one side of it w^rite in a column all the nouns in the first three sentences. Write on the other side of the line opposite each noun the adjective or adjec- tives, if any, that describe the thing named ; as, — good I view upland I swell See in each case which could be left out with the least loss, the noun or the adjective. 242 ENGLISH LESSONS cm WHAT IS A GENTLEMAN Commas Read : '' What is it to be a gentleman? It is to be honest, to be gentle, to be generous, to be brave, to be wise, and, possessing all these qualities, to exercise them in the most graceful outward manner." Thackeray. " The poorest man may be a gentleman in spirit and in daily life. He may be honest, truthful, upright, polite, temperate, courageous, self-respecting, and self- helping, that is, he may be a genuine gentleman. As he respects himself, he respects others. A brave and gentle character is often found under the humblest garb." Samuel Smiles. Which description of a gentleman do you prefer, Smiles's or Thackeray's ? What qualities do you think make a gentleman? Tell of some gentlemanly act that you have seen. Name some one whom you know who is your ideal gentleman. Tell why. Write a sketch of the kind of gentleman you admire most. Notice in the paragraph quoted above, the adjec- tives beginning with honest and ending with self- helping. Such a list of words is called a series. BOOK ONE 243 What mark is used to separate words in a series ? Find in your reader, or any other book, other series of words. (They may be other words than adjectives.) What mark separates the words from one another? Do you always find the comma used? Make a rule about the use of the comma with words in series. What other uses of the comma do you know ? Memorize : Be good, sweet maid, and let who will be clever ; Do noble deeds, not dream them, all day long ; And so make life, death, and that vast forever One grand, sweet song. Charles Kingsley. So nigh is grandeur to our dust So near is God to man. When Duty whispers low, '^ Thou must," The youth replies, "I can." Emerson. Discuss these stanzas in class until you under- stand them. So far as you have learned them, give reasons for the use of the commas in these stanzas. Write in your notebook : 244 ENGLISH LESSONS Commas are used to separate words forming a series unless all the conjunctions are expressed. Commas are used to separate the parts of a sentence, when they need to be separated in order to make the thought clear. CIV A GENTLEMAN Read : Sir Philip Sidney was a true gentleman. He was brave and generous and thought of others before him- self. The last act of his life showed his character. It was upon a battlefield. He was fighting bravel}^ for his country when he fell, mortally wounded. As he lay suffering upon the ground, his fevered lips parched with thirst, he called for water. A soldier who had a bottle with a little water in it came and offered it to the dying man. Just then Sir Philip saw another wounded soldier lying near him who looked wistfully at the cooling draught. " Give it to him, " said the dying hero, putting the bottle away, " his need is greater than mine." Oral Exercise : Tell this story. Tell what you think of this act of Sir Philip Sidney. Does he measure up to your ideal of a gentleman ? Explain the uses of quotation marks and commas in the last sentence. Find and bring to class stories of bravery,;, BOOK ONE 245 Written Exercise : Write the story of bravery that you like best. In the second paragraph of the story, find the word lay. Is it a past f-orm or a present form ? How can you tell this from the story ? How would you change it so as to tell what "he " does now ? so as to tell what " he " has done ? What word is used to tell about the wounded soldier ? Always say, " I am lying down," or " He is lying down," not laying down. These are the proper words to use : I lie down to sleep every night. I lay down to skep last night. 1 have lain down to sleep. I was lyiny down to sleep. CV REVIEW OF PUNCTUATION 1 All punctuation marks are used to make it easier for us to read and understand what we read. In ancient times, and for a very long time after people had learned to use writing, they had no 246 ENGLISH LESSONS punctuation marks. Think how hard it must have been to read what had been written. Indeed, one of the greatest difficulties that learned men now have in reading old books and inscriptions in ancient languages is in finding where the sentences end. There are three kinds of punctuation marks. Those of one kind mark the ends of sentences. These marks are periods (.), question marks (?), and sometimes exclamation marks (!). Another kind divides sentences into parts to make the meanings plainer. The most important of these is the comma (,), of which we have already learned. There are others that we shall learn of later. The third kind is the quotation mark. What is its use ? Find examples of each kind of mark in your reader or other book. Write sentences using the different kinds. Illustrate all the uses of the period and of the comma that you have learned. The following selection has no punctuation. Read it and see if you can understand it. An Allegory There is flying through the world the story of a builder the foolish eye servant a poor rogue he and his little ones were wretched and roofless whereupon a BOOK ONE 247 certain good Samaritan said in his heart 1 will surprise this man with the gift of a comfortable home so without telling his purpose he hired the builder at fair wages to build a house on a sunny hill and then went on busi- ness to a far city the builder was left at work with no watchman but his own honor ha said he to his heart I can cheat this man I can skimp the material and scamp the work Below is given the remainder of the story, partly punctuated. Read it and see how much plainer the sense is. So he went on spinning out the time putting in poor service poor nails poor timbers. When the Samaritan returned the builder said That is a fine house I have built you on the hill. Good was the reply go move your folks into it at once for the house is yours. Here is the deed. The man was thunderstruck. He saw that instead of cheating his friend for a year he had been industriously ch*^,ating himself. If I had only known it was my house I was building ! he kept muttering to himself. But in a deep sense we are always building our own houses. Read the following paragraphs that have been fully punctuated : An Allegory There is flying through the world the story of a builder, the foolish eye servant, a poor rogue. He and his little ones were wretched and roofless, whereupon a 248 ENGLISH LESSONS certain good Samaritan said in his heart, "I will sur- prise this man with the gift of a comfortable home." So, without telling his purpose, he hired the builder at fair wages to build a house on a sunny hill and then went on business to a far city. The builder was left at work with no watchman but his own honor. "Ha!" said he to his heart, "I can cheat this man. I can skimp the material and scamp the work." So he went on, spinning out the time, putting in poor service, poor nails, poor timbers. Edwin Markham. Write the remaining paragraphs of the story and put in all the punctuation marks that you think they need. Discuss your punctuation in class until you are satisfied that it is correct. CVI DON'T CROWD Writing a Composition Memorize : Don't crowd ; the world is large enough For you as well as me ; The doors of all are open wide — The realm of thought is free. In all earth's places you are right To chase the best you can — Provided that you do not try To crowd some other man. BOOK ONE 249 Don't crowd the good from out your heart By fostering all that's bad, But give to every virtue room — The best that may be had ; Make each day's record such a one That you might well be proud ; Give each his right — give each his room, And never try to crowd. Charles Dickens. Conversation: What does the poem mean ? Give some instance of unkindness or crowding that you have seen. Give instances of helpful- ness, in contrast with the crowding. Make a collection of pictures illustrating different kinds of crowding. Write a composition on crowding, telling how peo- ple crowd one another in the world. Write of all the kinds of crowding you have seen or known of. Wnat contractions do you find in the poem ? What mark shows them to be contractions ? Write the words out in full. When should cloesnt be used in place of dontf CVII REVIEW OF AVORD MARKS Besides j9imc^u«^io?i marks, or marks that point off or divide sentences^ we have learned to use cer- tain marks with words. 250 ENGLISH LESSONS One is the apostrophe ('). The apostrophe is used to show that certain letters have been omitted, as in we'll for we will, and to indicate the possessive, as John's book. Another is the hyphen. The hyphen is used to show that a word is compound, or made of two words, as left-handed. The hyphen is used also at the end of a line when a word is divided between syllables. CVIII SCROOGE AND HIS CLERK Read : Review of Punctuation At length the hour of shutting up the counting house arrived. With an ill will Scrooge dismounted from his stool and admitted the fact to the clerk, who instantly snuffed his candle out and put on his hat. " You'll want all day to-morrow, I suppose," said Scrooge. "If quite convenient, sir." " It's not convenient," said Scrooge, " and it's not fair. If I was to stop half a crown for it, you'd think yourself ill used, I'll he bound." The clerk smiled faintly. "And yet," said Scrooge, "you don't think me ill used when I pay a day's wages for no work." The clerk observed that it was only once a year. BOOK ONE 251 "A poor excuse for picking a man's pocket every twenty-fifth of December ! " said Scrooge, buttoning his great coat to the chin. ''But I suppose you must have the whole day. Be here all the earlier next morning." The clerk promised that he would ; and Scrooge walked out with a growl. Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol. Notice every mark and tell why it is used. Tell in what class each one belongs, that of 2mnctuation marks or that of word marks. Verbs Scrooge dismounted from his stool. The clerk smiled faintly. Scrooge walked out with a growl. What words in the sentences above tell what Scrooge did and what the clerk did ? If these words were left out of the sentences, w^ould the remaining words make statements ? The word in a sentence that tells, or states, something is called a verb. Most verbs express action ; that is, they tell what persons or things do. Oral Exercise : Make complete sentences. Use verbs to state : 252 ENGLISH LESSONS Something that boys and girls do. Something that your mothers do. Something that your fathers do. Something that the farmer does. Something that the miller does. Something that the miner does. Something that horses do. Something that rain does. Something that the sun does. Something that the wind does. CIX PSALM 23 1 Read and study : The Lord is my shepherd ; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures : He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul : he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thoupreparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the (lays of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. The Bible. BOOK ONE 253 Study each sentence. In what ways does the poet say that the Lord is good to him ? Describe fully the beautiful picture in the first paragraph. Commit the psalm to memory. Verbs You have learned that words that tell or state have a name given them. What is it ? What do most of these words tell ? In the sentence, " The Lord is my shepherd," there is no word that expresses action, bat there is a word that states. If you were to leave out the little word is, would the other words make a statement ? The word is, then, is the verb in this sentence. Read the paragraph from Hawthorne on page 238, and find the verbs that do not express action. Oral Exercise : Make statements out of these groups of words by inserting words that state : Night here. The sky clear and darkly blue. The moon just above the horizon. The stars twinkling brightly. The air still, and sweet with the fragrance of flowers. The songs of the birds hushed. The voices of the people 254 ENGLISH LESSONS still. The lights in the windows out. Every- thing cit rest. Write in your notebooks : A word that states is called a verb. You have learned that many words have differ- ent forms according to the time they express. Are those words verbs? Why ? When has or have is used with them, how many words form the verb ? Find the verbs in the story of Sir Philip Sidney (p. 244). Make a list of them. One of them gives a command. Which is it ? CX LANDSEER The Stuily of a Picture 1 Read : The picture of dogs on the next page was painted by Sir Edwin Henry Landseer, one of the greatest of animal painters. Landseer began to paint when he was a very little boy. His father was an engraver, who began to teach his son the use of pencil and brush when the boy was a mere baby. When Edwin was only five years old, he is said to have painted some good pictures of animals. At eight, he painted some excellent pictures, which are still to be seen with the dates on them, as they were written by the younqf artist's proud father. Landseer loved BOOK ONE 255 256 ENGLISH LESSONS his animals and in his pictures he usually painted them as having the same feelings as people. He often gave names to his pictures that suggest people, as A Member of the Benevolent Society. Do you notice in this picture any expressions on the dogs' faces and in their attitudes that make you think of human beings ? Did you ever notice such expressions on the faces of animals ? Tell the story of Sir Edwin Landseer. Write of some animal that you have seen that made you think of human beings. The Study of the Picture Conversation : Which of these dogs do you like the better? Which dog lives in the house ? Why do you think he lives there ? Why does he look so contented and bappy ? What kind of expression has the little dog ? Do you think he wants something ? What does he want ? What would you call him ? Where do you suppose he lives ? What do you think the big dog is thinking ? How does the little dog ask for what he wants? Do you think the large dog likes the little dog? Which dog would you trust ? Why ? Write a story about the picture. BOOK ONE 257 Verbs Select all the verbs that you can find in the story of Landseer, and write them in a list. Why are these words verbs ? Notice the verb began in the second paragraph. Is it in the present or the past form ? What is the present form of this verb? What form is used after has or have f Change the verb in this sentence to the past form and then to the form used with have: The flowers begin to blossom. How do we change the vowel in heghi to make the past form ? How do we change it to make the form used with ha^^e? Our language contains several verbs that are changed in the same way as hegin. Among them are ring^ sing, swim, spring. Write the three forms of each of these verbs under the proper headings. Use each of the forms in a sentence of your own. Read the sentences aloud in class. CXI PRONOUNS What are nouns ? When you speak of yourself, do you always use your name ? What other words do you sometimes 258 ENGLISH LESSONS use? When you are speaking to other people, or of them, do you always use their names? When you are speaking of things, do you always name them ? Read this paragraph : Dr. Franklin watched his cord and at once he saw it shake as if it had been struck. Then he put his fingers to the key and saw a spark and felt a shock such as he had caused by the use of his glass rod and silk. Write in a list all the nouns in this paragraph. There are certain words used here in the place of the names of Dr. Franklin and of the things he used. See if you can find them. If the nouns were used, the paragraph would read like this : Dr. Franklin watched Dr. Franklin's cord and at once Dr. Franklin saw the cord shake as if the cord had been struck. Then Dr. Franklin put Dr. Frank- lin's fingers to the key and saw a spark and felt a shock such as Dr. Franklin had caused by the use of Dr. Franklin's glass rod and silk. This would be very awkward, would it not ? Read the following : Aladdin said to the Genie, " The palace which I built ioY my princess is lost, /command you to take me to it and set me down under the Princess Badroul- boudour's window." If nouns w^ere used to name all the persons or things in this quotation, it would read : BOOK ONE 259 Aladdin said to the Genie, " The palace which Aladdin built for Aladdin's princess is lost. Aladdin commands the Genie to take Aladdin to the palace and set Aladdin down under the Princess Badroulboudour's window." 7, you, me\ and it are used instead of nouns. Words used instead of nouns are called pronouns. Turn to page 246, " An Allegory," and pick out all the pronouns that you can. CXII THE SENTENCE Subject and Predicate 1 1. Great deeds cannot die. Tennyson. What does this sentence tell about? What does it say about them ? 2. Kings have long arms. Latin Proverb. What does this sentence tell about ? What does it say about them? You have already seen that every sentence may he divided into two parts. One part names a person or thing ; the other says some- thing about it. What it says may he a statement, a question, or a command. What the sentence is about is called the subject In a command, the word you is the subject and ia usually omitted. ■ i^:.:^- 260 ENGLISH LESSONS What is said about the subject is called the predicate. The words great deeds are the subject of sentence 1. The words cannot die are the predicate. What is the subject and what the predicate of sentence 2 ? Write separately the subject and the predicat(^ of each of the following sentences : The bluebird sings in the apple tree. The mouse ran up the clock. Edison invented the phonograph. I we she her he him they them These words are all used instead of nouns. What are they called ? Which do you use in speaking of yourself alone ? Which do you use in speaking of yourself and some one else, thought of together ? How do you use the other words in the list ? Which of them mean but one ? In what number are they ? In what number are the others ? Which of these words are used in statements after is and ivasf The same words are used also as subjects of sentences. BOOK ONE 261 Study these sentences : Jimmy and / are going to play marbles. He and /went to the circus yesterday. She and Margaret have gone after wild flowers. We boys built a boat. They are your books, not mine. Tell what word or words form the subject of each sentence. In speaking, have you ever used other pronouns where /, he, she, loe and they are used in these sentences ? Be careful always to use the right pronouns. Write in your notebooks : We use /, he, she, we and they as subjects of sentences. We also use /, he, she, we and the/ after the verbs /s and was. CXIII MINING Writing a Description and a Letter 1 Read : You live in the air and the sunshine, whether your home is in the city or the country. Yet you use dail}^ many things that are made of iron or copper or other materials that are found deep in the earth. They are brought out for us by men, much of whose lives must be spent away from the sunshine and the flowers, in dark passages far below the roots of the trees. 262 ENGLISH LESSONS Make a list of things that you use which come from mines. Select one and find all you can about it. Tell how it is mined and how prepared for use. Write an account of the mining of this product. 2 The Miner Find all you can about the miners of the product you are studying. Conversation : Discuss : Where they come from. In what kind of houses they live. How they do their work. How necessary the miners are to us all. Written Exercise : Write a letter to a mining superintendent, apply- ing for a position as foreman in his mine. To the Teacher: Select for these lessons the mining industry most easily studied by your children, — if possible, one that can be visited. CXIV COAL Word Study Read : Thousands of years ago this earth was very much warmer than it is now. In many places there were BOOK ONE 263 great swamps of warm water, from which vast clouds of steam, arising, filled the air and sent down again floods of warm rain. In these immense swamps grew the most wonderful vegetation ever seen. There were enormous trees of soft, pulpy wood, ferns as big as trees, and many plants of such queer shapes that you would not know them. These strange plants grew so close together that a man, if there had been one, could not have passed through the jungle. As they grew old, and died and fell, they were covered by the water. Countless thou- sands fell each year for many years, and were buried out of sight in the deep swamps. Slowly, as the years passed, these swamps sank and dirt was washed in, or thrown up over them, and cov- ered them deep in the ground with all their fallen trees. The dirt became rock and pressed down upon the buried plants, squeezing them tighter than you can imagine. The heat from the earth cooked them, and between the heat and the pressure everything but the hard black carbon was squeezed out of these plants. And that black carbon lay under this weight of rocks and earth, till one day some men digging in the ground found it and thought it a strange black rock. But by chance a piece of it was thrown into the fire, when lo I the black rock burned as if it were wood. Then men rejoiced, for a new kind of fuel had been found, to keep them warm and cook their food, and they called it coal. And now, many, many men spend their days in the dark bowels of the earth, digging out these buried forests of long ago for you and me. 264 ENGLISH LESSONS Tell this story. Study, with the aid of the dictionary, the follow- ing words in the story of coal. Swamps, vast, arising, floods, wonderful, vegeta- tion, enormous, pulpy, ferns, queer, jungle, count- less, buried, imagine, carbon, pressure^ fuel. Substitute pronouns for any of the nouns, or nouns for any of the pronouns, without making the meaning less clear. Learn all you can about coal and how it is mined. Tell what you have learned. cxv WORD SEARCH IN READERS Pronouns and Verbs Three words, am, is, are, belong to the same family. What family is it ? Which of these do you use with / ? Search your readers and make sure you are right. Which do you use with you, he, she, it, they ? Prove it from your readers. To the Teacher : To avoid confusion, the teacher should select the passages in the reader in which the children are to search for words. BOOK ONE 265 Write a statement of what you have proved, as, We say, *' I am,'' '-you are!' Copy it in your notebooks. 2 Two other words belong to the same family as am, is, and are. They are ivas and loere. Can you tell how they differ in meaning from am, is, are ? ' Which do you use Avith /, we, you, lie, she, it, they f Write your answers. Copy them in your note- book. There are still other expressions belonging to the same family. Two of them are have been and has been. Which of these two expressions can you use with /, ive, you, she, it, they f ' Write them in sentences. Do and does are two other common verbs. Which do you use with I, we, you, he, she, it, they ? Find them in your readers or other books, and make sure you are right. What is the contraction of do not f Of does not? Write in a column each word in the list (1) be- low. Then write opposite ^ach of these, words all 266 ENGLISH LESSONS the words in the list (2) that can be correctly used with it. (1) I we you he she it they (2) am are is was loere has have do does as, I am, was, have, do. CXVI MAGELLAN General Review To the Teacher : See note G, page 325. Memorize : Behind him lay the gray Azores, Behind the Gates of Hercules ; Before him not the ghost of shores, Before him only shoreless seas. The good mate said : " Now must we pray. For lo ! the very stars are gone. Brave Admiral, speak — what shall I say?" " Why, say, ' Sail on ! sail on ! and on ! ' " From Columbus by Joaquin Miller. 1 FERDINAND MAGELLAN Head : Wonderful stories were floating about the Portu- guese Court. It was said that Christopher Columbus BOOK ONE 267 had returned to Spain from his first voyage with news of great discoveries. He had visited new lands and strange people, and had brought back a rich cargo of gold and pearls, sweet-smelling spices, and the feathers of beautiful birds. The twelve-year-old P^erdinand Magellan, who was living at the Court as page to the queen, because he was the son of noble parents, listened with wide-open eyes to these stories of adventure. To him every sailor was a hero, and to be a discoverer was the dream of his life. He wondered if the time would ever come when he too would sail away over the wide ocean to hunt new lands for his country, and come back with precious cargoes, and stories of people that had never been heard of before. After reading the above story, find out all you can in your geography, your history, and other books about the early years of Magellan. Talk about it in class. Write on the blackboard the principal facts in good paragraphs, one for each of the topics in the outline given below. Boyhood a. Noble birth. h. Dreams. (Love of adventure.) c. Early education. (Page to the queen.) d. Character. Expressive Activities : Gather pictures from magazines and other sources to illustrate your story. 268 ENGLISH LESSONS Written Exercise : Write the story of Magellan's boyhood. Write an imaginary letter by Magellan to a friend, telling about his life as page to the queen. 2 Conversation : How much of the world was known to Magel- lan ? Why were people beginning to believe the world round ? What did they know and believe about the western hemisphere ? (This should be studied with the aid of a globe.) What did Magellan think about the shape of the world ? 3 Plans and Preparations a. What plans did he make? h. Tell about the preparation of the fleet. c. How do his ships compare with those of to-day? Expressive Activities : Get pictures to illustrate your comparison of ships. Select one section and write the conversations of the different persons, as a play. Choose char- acters, and act your play. BOOK ONE 269 Study as many of the following topics as you can. Talk over those that you study, and write one of the stories. 1. Landings and Discoveries. 2. A New \yater Passage. 3. Voyage on the Pacific. 4. Adventures in the Philippines, Death of Magellan. 5. Return of the Victoria, Welcome Home. 6. Results of the Voyage. 7. Magellan, the Great Navigator. 8. The ^yorld before Magellan and after. CXVII STUDIES FROM DICKENS Indirect Quotations 1 Bead : " Well, Mr. Johnson," said Miss Crummies, seated there in full regal costume, " next week for Ryde, then for Winchester, then for — " '^ I iiave some reason to fear," interrupted Nicholas, " that before you leave here my career with you will have closed." " Closed !" cried Miss Crummies, raising her hands in astonishment. " Closed ! " cried Miss Snevelicci (Snev-il-ic-ci). " Why he don't mean to say he's going ! " exclaimed Miss Grudden, making her way toward Miss Crummies. 270 ENGLISH LESSONS "Hoitytoity! nonsense." Nicholas briefly said that he feared it would be so, although he could not yet speak with any degree of certainty. From Nicholas Nickleby. Read all the quotations in the above selection. They give the exact words of the different speakers. Quotations that give the exact words of the persons quoted are called direct quotations. Notice the last paragraph. Is it a quotation ? It tells what Nicholas said, but does not give the exact words that he used. It is called an indirect quotation. Indirect quotations are not inclosed in quotation marks. If what Nicholas said were written as a direct quotation, it would read : " I fear it will be so, although I cannot yet speak with any degree of certainty.'* Read : He lay in bed all that day, dozing and dreaming, and looking at Mr. Toots ; but got up on the next and went downstairs. Lo and behold, there was something the matter with the great clock ; and a workman on a pair of steps had taken us face off and was poking in- struments into the works by the light of a candle I BOOK ONE 271 This was a great event for Paul, who sat down on the bottom stair and watched the operation attentively, now and then glancing at the clock face, leaning all askew, against the wall hard by, and feeling a little confused by a suspicion that it was ogling him. The workman on the steps was very civil, and, as he said, when he observed Paul, " How do you do. Sir ? " Paul got into conversation with him, and told him he hadn't been quite well lately. The ice being thus broken, Paul asked him a multitude of questions about chimes and clocks, as whether people watched up in the lonely church steeples by night to make them strike, and how the bells were rung when people died, and whether thos3 were different bells from wedding bells, or only sounded dismal in the fancies of the living. Finding that his new acquaintance was not very well informed on the subject of the curfew bell of ancient days, Paul gave him an account of that institution, and also asked him, as a practical man, what he thought about King Alfred's idea of measuring time by the burning of candles ; to which the Avorkman replied that he thought it would be the ruin of the clock trade if it was to come up again. In fine, Paul looked on until the clock had quite recovered its familiar aspect and resumed its sedate inquiry ; when the workman, putting away his tools in a long basket, bade him good day and went away. From Dombey and So7i. Notice that in the second paragraph of the above selection Paul and the workman talk, but" usually their exact words are not given. The quotations are indirect. 272 ENGLISH LESSONS How many remarks does Paul make? How many the workman ? Read them separately. What one direct quotation is given ? "Paul got into conversation with him, and told him he hadn t been quite well lately T How would you write as a direct quotation, "he hadn't been quite well lately " ? Rewrite the entire paragraph, changing all the indirect quotations to direct. " I don't know what day of the month it is," said Scrooge. " I don't know how long I have been among the spirits. I don't know anything. I'm quite a baby." " It's Christmas Day ! " said Scrooge to himself. " I haven't missed it. The spirits have done it all in one night. They can do anything they like. Of course they can." " I'll send it to Bob Cratchit's," whispered Scrooge, rubbing his hands and splitting with a laugh. " He shan't know who sends it. It's twice the size of Tiny Tim." From A Christmas Carol. Rewrite the above quotations as indirect quo- tations. Copy all the contractions in the selection and write the words for which each stands. BOOK ONE 273 CXVIII BUSINESS LETTERS Usually in a large business, several people are associated together in a firm or company, and have an especial name by which they are called and which must be used in writing to them, as Silver, Burdett & Co., George S. Small, Jr., and Company, White Bear Spring Co., Coult & Howell. In waiting business letters either to individuals or to companies it is customary to write the name and address at the head of the letter above the salutation. The salutation is more formal than in a personal letter. The common form in writing to an in- dividual is Dear Sir, to a firm or corporation, Dear Sirs or Gentlemen. Copy : George S. Small, Jr., and Company, 62 Broadway, New York. Dear Sirs : White Bear Spring Company, 600 Washington Square, New York. Gentlemen : 274 ENGLISH LESSONS State Normal School, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Jan. 5, 1906. American Paper Company, 510 West 23d St., New York. Dear Sirs : Kindly send to me at the above address, at your earliest convenience, 500 embossed letter lieads, like the inclosed sample, and charge to the account of the State Normal Board. Yours sincerely, R. H. Halsey, President. 510 West 23d St., New York, Jan. 9, 1906. R. H. Halsey, Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Dear Sir : Your order for 500 letter heads is received and shall receive our prompt attention. Yours truly, American Paper Company. Per. C. The closing phrase of a business letter is usually simply Yours truly or Yours sincerely, or some- times Yours very truly or Yours resjyect fully. The address of the writer of a business letter BOOK ONE 275 should always be given. If it is not printed on the letter head, it should be written either with the heading or after the signature. Copy : Yours sincerely, Lanpher, Finch, and Skinner, 240 Fourth St., St. Paul, Minnesota. Yours very sincerely, T. D. Merwin, 35 Wall St., New York. Write headings, salutations, closing phrases, and signatures for letters from Hughes and Hughes, 1780 Thh^d Ave., New York, to F. A. Rising, Winona, Minnesota. From Owen Moore & Co., 280 Congress St., Portland, Maine, to the National Cash Register Co., 1170 Broadway, New York. From Dr. F. A. Skaife, University Club, San Francisco, California, to M. D. Painter, Hotel Pintoresco, Pasadena, California. A woman signing her name to a business letter should always indicate whether she is married or single. It is done in this way : (Miss) Marian Hill. Mrs. E. S. (Grace) Eaton, or if a widow (Mrs.) Helen C. Stacy. 276 ENGLISH LESSONS In writing to a woman on business use the form of salutation Dear Madam or Dear Madame, using the latter for a married woman only. On the envelopes the addresses should be : Miss Marian Hill. Mrs. E. S. Eaton. Mrs. Helen C. Stacy. Copy the above signatures and addresses. Play that the different members of the class are in business. Use the names of business houses that you know, and write letters to one another. CXIX THE POST 1 If you were really to send your letter, how would it get to the place where your friend is ? Find out all you can about the different people who would help it along, the different vehicles it would travel in, and what would be done to it along the route. Suggestions : The letter box. The postman. The post office. The postmaster. What he does to the letter. The mail bag. The mail car. The men in the mail car. What they do with the letter. The mail wagon. The post office again. BOOK ONE 277 The letter carrier. If you can, visit the post office and find out all about the way letters are sent. Talk about it fully in class. Read : You see, it takes many people to carry your letter, and all that you have to pay for what they do is the price of a postage stamp. Your government does all this for you. It costs the government a great deal to carry all the letters and papers of all the people. A portion of this expense is met by the sale of post- age stamps, which the government makes. Where does the remainder of the money needed come from ? The President appoints a man known as the Post- master General^ who has charge of all the business of carrying the mails. The President and the Postmaster General appoint all the postmasters and other people who have anything to do with the mail. They make contracts with the railroad and steamboat companies and other people to carry the mail bags from one post office to another. If your letter is sent to a foreign land, as England or Russia, it will find other people in that country all ready to take it and carry it to the person to whom it is written. These people are appointed by the government of that country. So you can send a letter anywhere in the civilized world, and be quite sure that, if you direct it correctly and add the proper postage, it will reach the person to whom you send it. 278 ENGLISH LESSONS Is it not wonderful, what the great, busy world does for even the youngest of us ? Read what is given here and find out all you can from other sources about what the government does in order that we may send letters where we wish and how it does it. Tell in class what you have found out. Read : It is very important that you direct all letters care- fully. If you do not, the postmaster will not know where to send them. Many letters are mailed every year so carelessly directed that they cannot be sent to the person for whom they are intended. If the postmaster can tell who sent such a letter, he returns it to the sender for better direction. A business man usually has printed on the outside of his envelopes his name and address, so that a letter not properly directed, or sent to people who cannot be found, may be returned to him. There is in Washington a special department for mis- directed and uncalled-for letters. It is known as the dead-letter office. Learn all you can about the dead-letter office and tell about it. How should letters be addressed ? Sometimes it is necessary, in order to avoid mis- BOOK ONE 279 takes, to put upon an envelope even fuller directions than the formal ones given. For example, your friends, Helen M. Stout and Jack Stout, are visiting their uncle, Alfred Hen- derson, in Ridgefield, Connecticut. Your friends are not known to the postmaster there. It is well in that case to address the envelope in this way : Cojpy : Miss Helen M. Stout, Care of Mr. Alfred Henderson, Ridgefield, Conn, or, Master Jack Stout, Ridgefield, Conn. Care of Mr. Alfred Henderson. Make models of envelopes, and put on them dif- ferent forms of address. Expressive Activities : If you can, build of thin wood or cardboard a post office, make mail bags and mail wagons. Ap- point a postmaster, and send letters to one another through your post office. Written Exercise : Imagine yourself to be a letter. Write a story telling the experiences of your journey, taking up each of the following topics : 280 ENGLISH LESSONS Where, when, and by whom I was written. What was done with me. The journey from the letter box to the post office. What happened at the post office. How I reached the station. The journey on the railroad. What happened when I reached the city to which I was sent. Experiences in the postman's bag in the new city. The welcome of friends to whom I was sent. cxx STORIES TO TELL Read each of the following stories silently ; then tell it in class. Pine Tree Legend The pine tree is often spoken of as the "sighing pine." The story of its presence in America is this: A little young pine was singing with its happy brothers in their woodland home in some far-away country. A traveler came. Here was a tree he had never seen before, so pretty, and graceful, and musical ! Very carefully he took it from its soil, and carried it across the water to a strange land. The little pine was lonesome, and oh, so homesick I Is it any wonder BOOK ONE 281 that its soft music was changed to sighing, and that it and all its children are still sighing for their native soil ? Benjamin Fkanklin's Story Dr. Franklin one day related the following story to Thomas Jefferson, who was feeling hurt because some people had found fault with some of his expressions in the Declaration of Independence. An apprentice hatter, having served his time, was about to open a shop for himself. He wanted a hand- some signboard, with this inscription, — ''John Thomp- son, Hatter, makes and sells hats for ready money." Underneath was to be the figure of a hat. But he thought he would let his friends see the inscription first. The first to whom he showed it thought the word " hatter " unnecessary, because it was followed by the words "makes hats," which showed he was a hatter. It was struck out. The next observed that the word "makes" might be omitted, because his customers would not care who made the hats, if only they were good. He struck it out. A third said he thought the words " for ready money " were useless, as it was not the custom of the place to sell on credit. They were parted with. The inscription now read : "John Thompson sells hats." "Sells hats?" said his next friend ; " why, nobody will expect you to give them away. What then is the use of that word?" It was stricken out, and "hats" followed it, because the figure of a hat was on the sign. So the inscription was reduced to "John Thompson," with the figure of a hat below the name. Which was the best sign ? Why ? 282 ENGLISH LESSONS CXXI BOTH PUZZLED Tell all the things that you see in the picture on the opposite page. Tell what puzzles them. What do you think of this school ? Would you like to go to such a school ? Do you think you would like the teacher ? Why ? Write a story suggested by the picture. CXXII ELECTRICITY 1 Experiments and Records If you can, get a long piece of sealing wax and a woolen cloth. Rub the wax hard with the cloth, then touch the wax to small pieces of paper and some balls made of pith, and see what happens. Get a glass rod, or a' straight lamp chimney, and rub it with a silk handkerchief. Then touch the glass to different small, light objects, and observe what happens. Touch the wax and the glass, after rubbing, to your knuckles. What do you observe ? Write an account of your experiments and the results. What is it that you have produced by rubbing the wax and the glass ? BOOK ONE 283 BOTH PUZZLED 284 ENGLISH LESSONS Did you ever notice the sparks when you stroked the cat on a cold day ? The sparks are caused by this same force, called electricity. On a clear cold morning shuffle your feet over the carpet, then quickly touch your knuckles to the key in the door, or some other metal. What do you see and feel? The shock and spark are caused by electricity. Tell the class about what you did, and the result. Write a full account of all you have done, in a letter to a friend. Franklin Read : Dr. Benjamin Franklin was one of the wise patriots who, in the days of the Revolution, helped to make this country of ours a great nation. But he did more than that. He was a student of nature, and he found out many facts which are yet of very great value to us all. In his day, people knew very little about electric- ity, that wonderful force which now drives our cars, lights our streets and houses, and turns the wheels of many great factories. They saw the lightning in the heavens and were afraid of it. They thought it was a sign of the wrath of God toward wicked men. For a long time men had noticed that if a glass rod were rubbed with silk, it would give off sparks, and tliey called this electricity, but they little thought that the lightning was merely a big electric spark. BOOK ONE 285 Dr. Franklin had studied these sparks, and he had watched the lightning, until he had come to believe that they were caused by the same force. In order to find out whether this was true or not, he made a large kite of silk and put an iron point on the top of it. Then he took a long hemp cord and fastened one end of it to the kite ; on the other end he tied a piece of silk cord, and to this he hung a key. One day when there was a thunder shower, he went out into the country and sent up his kite, holding the silk cord in his hand. Pretty soon there came a flash of lightning. Dr. Franklin was watching his cord, and at once he saw it shake as if it had been struck. Then he put his fingers to the key and saw a spark and felt a shock such as he had caused by the use of his glass rod and silk. He knew then that what he had believed was true, — lightning was electricity, and the air was full of it. It could be controlled and made of use to men. This was a great discovery. Many men were studying the problem, but to Dr. Franklin belongs the credit of first solving it. Tell this story in class. Name all the uses of electricity that you can. Learn all you can about some one instrument or machine that makes use of electricity, and write a description of it as complete as you can. Find other stories of Dr. Franklin, and tell them in class. Write one of them. 286 ENGLISH LESSONS May — Can Good Usage: In the first sentence of this lesson, we find the words, " If you can." What does can mean ? What does can mean in the sentence, " Name all the uses of electricity that you can " ? What do can and could mean in these sentences ? I can ride a bicycle. I could ride a bicycle a year ago. Use may, and not can, when you ask or give permission. If you say, "Mother, can I go to the picnic?" your question really means, " Am I able to go to the picnic?" But this is not what you intend to say. If you say, " Mother said I could go," your words really mean, " Mother said I was able to go." You should say, " Mother said I might go." Conversation: Ask of one another permission to do things. Let the one who is asked grant the permission. Write in your notehooks : We use may to ask or to give permission. We use can to express power, ability. BOOK ONE 287 CXXIII DEBATE Have a debate on one or more of the following topics : Which it is better to own, an automobile or a horse. Which is better to have, a bicycle or the money for a bicycle. Which is more enjoyable, to read a book or play a game. Of the books that you have read, which is best, and why. Which yoLi consider the more useful domestic animal, the horse or the cow. CXXIV MOVING DAY Conversation :' Have you ever had a Moving Day ? Did you enjoy it ? Why ? Have you seen your neighbors move ? How did they move things ? What kind of wagon or van was used ? Do they use the same kind of wagon on rainy days as on sunny days ? 20 — one 288 ENGLISH LESSONS Written Exercise : Write a letter, real or imaginary, telling about your old home and your new one and describing your moving from the old to the new. Expressive Activities: Paint a picture of a moving. Construct a model of a moving van and tell how you made it. cxxv THE LARCH AND THE OAK Divided Quotations — Word Study Read : " What is the use of thee, thou gnarled sapUng ? " said a young larch to a young oak. " I grow three feet in a year, thou scarcely so many inches ; I am straight and taper as a weed, thou straggling and twisted as a loosened withe." "And thy duration," answered the oak, " is some third part of a man's life and I am ap- pointed to flourish for a thousand years. Thou art felled and sawed into paling, where thou rottest and art burned after a single summer ; of me are fashioned battleships and I carry marines and heroes into unknown seas." Thomas Carlyle. Conversation : What does this fable mean ? Reproduce the conversation orally, as a dialogue, one being the oak, and another the larch. Who speaks first in the fable ? BOOK ONE 289 What sentence tells you that ? This sentence divides what the larch said into two parts, and is called a divided quotation. Each part of a divided quotation is inclosed in quotation marks. Read the two parts as one quotation. Write what the oak said as one quotation. Look up in the dictionary and discuss in class the meanings of these words : gnarled, sapling, taper, straggling, loithe, duration, flourish, felled, paling, fashioned, marines, heroes. Try to use other words instead of them. Can you find any others as good as those in the book ? Read each sentence in the fable. Can you find any sentence without a verb in it ? Study the sentences on some page of your reader. Do you find any without a verb ? Write in your notebook : Every sentence contains at least one verb. CXXVI GLUCK'S SEARCH FOR THE GOLDEN RIVER Use of the Dictionary 1 Read : " Listen ! " said the little man, without deigning to reply to this polite inquiry. " I am the king of what 290 ENGLISH LESSONS you mortals call the Golden River. The shape yon saw me in was owing to the malice of a stronger king, from whose enchantments you have this instant freed me. What I have seen of you, and your conduct to your wicked brothers, renders me willing to serve you; therefore, attend to what I tell you ! Whoever shall climb to the top of the mountain from which you see the Golden River issue, and shall cast into the stream at its source three drops of holy water, for him, and for him only, the river shall turn to gold. But no one, failing in his first, can succeed in a second attempt ; and if any one shall cast unholy water into the river, it will overwhelm him, and he will become a black stone." After a month or two Gluck grew tired, and made up his mind to go and try his fortune with the Golden River. " The little king looked very kind," thought he. " I don't think he will turn me into a black stone." So he went to the priest, and the priest gave him some holy water as soon as he asked for it. Then Gluck put some bread into his basket, and the bottle of water, and set off very early for the mountains. When he had climbed many hours, his thirst became intolerable, and when he looked at his bottle, he saw that there were only five or six drops left in it, and he could not venture to drink. And as he was hanging the flask to his belt again he satv a little dog lying on the rocks, gasping for breath, — just as Hans had seen it on the day of his ascent. And Gluck stopped and looked at it, and then at the Golden River, not five hundred yards above him ; and he thought of the dwarfs words, *' that no one could succeed except BOOK ONE 291 in his first attempt," and he tried to pass the dog, but it whined piteously, and Gluck stopped again. "Poor beastie," said Gluck, " it'll be dead when I come down again, if I don't help it now." Then he looked closer and closer at it, and its eye turned on him so mourn- fully that he could not stand it. "Confound the king, and his gold too !" said Gluck; and he opened the flask and poured all the water into the dog's mouth. The dog sprang up and stood on its hind legs. Its tail disappeared; its ears became long, longer, silky, golden; its nose became very red; its eyes became very twinkling; in three seconds the dog was gone, and before Gluck stood his old acquaintance, the King of the Golden River. "Thank you," said the monarch; "but don't be frightened, it's all right." ******* So saying, the dwarf stooped and plucked a lily that grew at his feet. On its white leaves there hung three drops of clear dew. And the dwarf shook them into the flask which Gluck held in his hand. " Cast these into the river," he said, "and descend on the other side of the mountain into the Treasure Valle3^ And so good speed!" John Ruskin. Read the story to yourselves. Then tell it in class, each, telhng a part. 2 Good Usage : Search the story for the words in italics. Most of them you have studied before. They are all verbs. 292 ENGLISH LESSONS Tell in each .case which form of the verb is used — the present, the past, or the form that we use wdth have. Write under proper headings the three forms of each of these verbs, and use them in sentences of your own. 3 Use of the Dictionary Look up in the dictionary the meanings of these words in the first paragraph of the story: — deign- ing, polite, malice, enchantments, instant, issue, over- lohelm. See how many facts you can find about them. For example, deigning. You will first find deign. Then you will see deigning. You will find several meanings given. Try them in the sentence and see w^hich makes tlie best sense. Select hard words in the other paragraphs of this story and see who will find out the most facts about them. CXXVII CROQUET Draw a diagram of a croquet ground. Conversation : Discuss the game, referring to the drawing ; tell about the wickets, the balls, the mallets, croqueting, who wins. BOOK ONE 293 Written Exercise : Write on the blackboard rules for the game. Write a letter, describing the last game of croquet that you played or saw. 2 the Teacher : Any other game may be substituted. CXXVIII GOD'S MIRACLE OF MAY Pictures in Words Read and study : There came a message to the vine, A whisper to the tree ; The bluebird saw the secret sign And merril}^ sang he I And like a silver string the brook Trembled with music sweet — Enchanting notes in every nook For echo to repeat. A magic touch transformed the fields, Greener each hour they grew, Until they shone like burnished shields All jeweled o'er with dew. Scattered upon the forest floor, A million bits of bloom Breathed fragrance forth thro' morning's door Into the day's bright room. Then inch by inch the vine confessed The secret it had heard, 294 ENGLISH LESSONS And in the leaves the azure breast Sang the delightful word : Glad flowers upsprang amid the grass And flung tlieir banners gay, And suddenly it came to pass — God's Miracle of May! Frank Dempster Sherman. By permission of Houghton, Mifflin and Company. The poem presents a series of pictures. Try to see them all. Here are a few suggestive questions. Answer them and ask others. Stanza I : What was the message f Who brought it ? Why was it whispered to the tree ? Why a secret sign ? Why did the brook tremble ? Did you ever see a brook like a silver string ? Where ? What made it so ? Stanza II : What was the magic touch ? What does jeweled oer ivith dew mean ? What is the morning's door f Stanza III: Does this stanza answer the questions asked above? What was the secret? BOOK ONE 295 How did the vine confess it? How did the flowers show their joy ? What is a miracle f Is May a miracle? CXXIX SCHOOL GARDENS Around nearly every schoolhouse there is some land which may be utilized for a school garden. If there is not room enough on the school ground, doubtless you can obtain permission to use a va- cant lot near the school. You will find on page 299 a picture of some school children who are working in their gardens; on page 297 are two plans of children's gardens. The School Garden Make a garden together m your schoolyard. If you cannot do this, some of vou perhaps can make gardens at home. You can at least have a box in a window. Watch your parden carefully. Take notes and talk about them m the class. The fol- lowing outline will suggest some of the things to watch for and to talk and write about. 1. Preparation of the bed-. Tell how the soil was prepared and enriched. 296 ENGLISH LESSONS MASTURTWFrS" c:>iMinMS c;nk^n^ CZ JX pHflTS K^QihHTTT "^■P- r» LFTT\ir,r g.APgr>T^- PAni.qurgs- WgPXH t ^ Tinr r y A^o mfwnyig gfgB jaEisL ^f xin?!^ JSJUH. ^iv^n'ifR PLANS OF SCHOOL GARDENS 2. The Plan. Write an accurate description of the plan for your garden, and make a diagram of it. 3. Tell about the making of the beds and paths. 4. Tell what you planted and why. 5. The Planting. Write how you planted the different seeds, in what kind of soil, and how deep. BOOK ONE 297 mr-^'^ •^:^-. 298 ENGLISH LESSONS 6. The Sprouting. Watch for the sprouting and give a full account of the time and conditions. Make a garden calendar, telling the dates of planting, sprouting, and blooming of the different plants. 7. Transplanting or thinning. Tell what you know about the time for trans- planting and thinning the different kinds of plants in your garden. Why should different times be selected for different plants ? 8. The Weeding. Tell what kind of weeds you found, and which are the most troublesome. Write about how yoii weeded the garden, what tools you used if any, and how often you found it necessary to weed, ^ The Insects Are there insects on the plants in your garden ? Do they do any harm? Find out all you can about them. 3 The Flower and Vegetable Shoivfrom the School Garden Have in autumn a display of all the products of your garden. Arrange the articles as to color, size, and kind. Invite your parents and friends to see what you BOOK ONE 299 have done. After your autumn display, send your flowers to some sick schoolmate or to the Children's Hospital. After it is all over in the fall, write an account of your garden and of your experiences. Write a list of the names of your flowers. Write a list of the names of your vegetables. Find and copy carefully in your garden calendar quotations from the poets about some of the flowers that you have studied. cxxx LETTERS OF INVITATION AND REPLIES Read : The Willows, ' 526 Culver Road, Rochester, New York. Dear Ruth : Mamma has told me that I may give a lawn party on Friday, the twenty-sixth. You will surely come, won't you? Yours lovingly, Mary Andrews. August 15, 1905. 236 University Ave., Rochester, New York. Dear Mary : It is lovely of you to ask me to your lawn party and I shall be very glad to come. Your friend, Ruth Wilson. August 17, 1905. 300 ENGLISH LESSONS 1050 Summit Ave., St. Paul, Minn. Dear Jack : I am to have a birthday party on Saturday, the twenty -fourth. We shall have skating first and games indoors later. Be sure to come and bring your skates. Your friend. Henry Allen. January 16, 1906. 872 Dayton Ave., St. Paul, Minn. Dear Henry : Your kind invitation to your birthday party is received. I am very sorry, but Billy has the measles and I fear I should not be welcome. I hope you will all have a good time. Yours mournfully, Jack Armstrong. January 17, 1906. The Willows, 526 Culver Road, Rochester, New York. Miss Mary Andrews asks the pleasure of Miss Wil- son's company at a lawn party on Friday, August 26. August 15, 1905. BOOK ONE 301 236 University Ave., Rochester, New York. Miss Ruth Wilson begs to thank Miss Andrews for her kind invitation on August 26, which she accepts with pleasure. August 17, 1905. 1050 Summit Ave., St. Paul, Minn. Henry Allen invites Jack Armstrong to be present at his birthday party on Saturday, the twenty-fourth. Skating in the afternoon. January 16, 1906. 872 Dayton Ave., St. Paul, Minn. Jack Armstrong thanks Henry Allen for his kind invitation for the twenty-fourth, and regrets that be- cause of illness in the family he is unable to accept. January 17, 1906. Invitations by letter are sometimes formal and sometimes informal. Here are letters and replies of both kinds. Copy them all carefully. Write invitations and replies, two of each kind, selecting your own occasions. (Notice that in the formal invitations the pro- nouns / and you are not used.) 302 ENGLISH LESSONS CXXXI THE CROW Adverbs Read : The cawinff of the crow resounds amonof the woods. A sentinel is aware of your approach a great way off, and gives the alarm to his comrades loudly and eagerly, — Caw, caw, caw ! Immediately the whole conclave replies, and you behold them rising above the trees, flapping darkly, and winging their way to deeper soli- tudes. Sometimes, however, they remain until you come near enough to discern their sable gravity of aspect, each occupying a separate bough, or perhaps the blasted tip-top of a pine. As you approach, one after another, with loud cawing, flaps his wings and throws himself upon the air. Hawthorne. Give orally the description of the crows. Look up the meanings of all words that you do not know. Pick out those that make the picture clear. Write in three lists the nouns, adjectives, verbs. Adverbs In the second sentence what do loudly and eagerly tell you ? BOOK ONE 303 Do these words help you to form a clear picture ? They tell how the crow gave the alarm. They therefore add to the meaning of the verb gives. Words that add to the meaning of verbs are called adverbs. In the sentence, " The lark flew swiftly upward," what adverbs do you find ? What does each tell about the lark's flight? With what word in the sentence are the adverbs used ? A word that is used with some other word to add to its meaning is said to modify that word, because modify means to alter in some degree. Adjectives describe persons or things, and there- fore they modify nouns, which are the names of persons or things. Adverbs most commonly modify verbs. Words that modify nouns are called adjectives. Words that modify verbs are called adverbs. Good Usage in Adverbs : A few adjectives are often used incorrectly for adverbs. One of these is the adjective good. It is correct to speak of a book or a dog or a horse or a man as good. But it is incorrect to say tha»t a person " writes good " or " sings good " or " recites good." The word ivell should be used. 304 ENGLISH LESSONS Many adverbs ; are made from adjectives by add- ing ly; as, — Adjectives Adverbs swift swiftly slow- slowly , sure surely fine finely easy easily A horse is sicift or sloio; but it travels siviftly or sloioly. A piece of work may be fine ; but it is done finely. Don't say, " You did that fine," but " You did that finely." A task may be easy ; but a person does it easily. Don't say, '' I can do that as easy as you can," but " I can do that as easily as you can." Be careful not to use adjectives for adverbs. CXXXII WOODMAN, SPARE THAT TREE Quotations within Quotations — Adverbs — Prepositions 1 Read and study : Woodman, spare that tree I Touch not a single bough ! In youth it sheltered me, And I'll protect it now. 'Twas my forefather's hand BOOK ONE 305 That placed it near his cot ; There, woodman, let it stand. Thy ax shall harm it not I That old familiar tree, Whose glory and renown Are spread o'er land and sea. And wouldst thou hew it down ? Woodman, forbear thy stroke ! Cut not its earth-bound ties, Oh, spare that aged oak, Now towering to the skies ! When but an idle boy I sought its grateful shade ; In all their gushing joy, Here, too, my sisters played. My mother kissed me here; My father pressed my hand — Forgive this foolish tear. But let that old oak stand! My heartstrings round thee cling, Close as thy bark, old friend! Here shall the wild bird sing. And still thy branches bend. Old tree, the storm shall brave! And, woodman, leave the spot ; While I've a hand to save. Thy ax shall harm it not. George P Morris. 306 ENGLISH LESSONS 2 The Story of "Woodman, Spare That Tree" Rpad : " Woodman, Spare that Tree" is a fine poem ; Morris never wrote a better one. He told the history of it as follows : "Riding out of town a few days ago, in com- pany with a friend, an old gentleman, he invited me to turn down a little romantic woodland pass, not far from Bioomingdale. 'Your object?' I inquired. " 'Merely to look once more at an old tree, planted by my grandfather, long before I was born, and where my sister played with me. There I often listened to the good advice of my parents. Father, mother, sisters, all are gone ; nothing but the old tree remains.' And a paleness overspread his fine countenance, while tears came to his eyes. After a moment's pause, he added : ' Don't think me foolish. I don't know how it is ; I never ride out but I turn down this lane to look at that old tree. I have a thousand recollections about it, and I always greet it as a familiar and well-remembered friend.' " These words were scarcely uttered when the old gentleman cried out, 'There it is!' Near the old tree stood a man with his coat off, sharpening an ax. ' You are not going to cut that tree down, surely ? ' 'Yes, but I am, though,' said the woodman. 'What for ? ' inquired the old gentleman, choking with emotion. 'What for? I like that. Well, I will tell you ; I want that tree for firewood.' " ' What is the tree worth to you for firewood ? ' "'Wliy, when down, about ten dollars.' BOOK ONE 307 " ' Suppose I should give you that sum,' said the old gentleman, 'would you let it stand?' "'Yes.' " ' You are sure of that ? ' "'Positive.' " 'Then give me a bond to that effect.' " Rev. W. M. Thayer. Tell the story. Observe the quotation marks in this story. They are of two kinds, — {' ') and (" "). These marks (") are repeated at the beginning of each paragraph. In a long quotation the first quotation marks (•') are repeated at the beginning of each paragraph or stanza. The whole story, beginning with " Riding out of town" in the first paragraph, is a quotation from Mr. Morris, the author of the poem. The other quotations are remarks repeated in his story. In the last line of the first paragraph, ' Your object,' is such a remark repeated. It is a quotation ivithin a quotation. A quotation within a quotation is indicated by single marks, thus (* ')• Point out other quotations within quotations in the story. 3 Adverbs What does never in the second line of the story tell ? It modifies the word ivrote. 308 ENGLISH LESSONS In the sentence, There I often listened to the good advice of my parents, what does there tell ? It modifies the word that expresses action. What is that word ? What are words that modify verbs called ? Adverhs, you see, answer several questions about the actions of verbs, such as, how f when f lohere f Find as many adverbs as you can in this story . CXXXIII PREPOSITIONS 1 . The lamp stands on the table. 2. The dog lies under the table. 3. The man sits by the table. 4. Our houses are lighted by electricity. 6. The house on the hill can be seen at a distance. 6. The house under the liill is sheltered. 7. Seeing his mother, the child ran toward her. In the first three sentences what words help you to see the position of the lamp, the dog, and the man in relation to the table? In sentence 4, what word shows the relation that electricity has to the lighting of our houses ? In sentences 5 and 6, what words show the location of the house in relation to the hill ? In sentence 7, what word shows the direction of the child's running in relation to his mother ? BOOK ONE 309 Notice that these words are all used before nouns or pronouns. They join the noun or pronoun to some other word in the sentence, and show how it is related to that word. 0;i, for example, joins the noun table to the verb stands, and shows a relation of place. Such words are called prepositions. A word that shows the relation of a noun or a pronoun to some other word in the sentence is called a preposition. We should be careful to use prepositions cor- rectly. Here are a few that are often misused. In — Into " He walked in the garden " means that 'he was already in the garden, and walked about. "He walked into the garden" means that he came in from the outside. Is it right to say, " When I came in the room I saw a stranger sitting there ? " Between — Among Between is used in speaking of two. Among is used in speaking of more than two. Tell the difference in meaning between these sentences : The apples were divided among the boys. The apples were divided between the boys. 310 ENGLISH LESSONS To — At To is used after a word that expresses motion. We say, " I went to school," but, " I staid at school," or, " I was at school." Don't say, " I haven't been to school to-day." Use at. Oral Exercise : Tell of something that you have done, using in and into. Tell of something, using between and among. Tell of going somewhere and of being or remain- ing somewhere, and use to and at correctly. You will learn best how to use prepositions by noticing how they are used by good writers and by persons who speak good English. CXXXIV REVIEW Conjunctions Read " How can I ever thank you for all the deep obliga- tions you impose upon me every day ? " said Nicholas. " By keeping silence upon the subject, my dear sir," BOOK ONE 311 returned brother Charles. " You shall be righted. At least you shall not be wronged. Nobody belonging to you shall be wronged. They shall not hurt a hair of your head, or the boy's head, or your mother's head, or your sister's head. I have said it, brotlier Ned has said it, Tim Linkinwater has said it, we have all said it, and will all do it. I have seen the father — if he is the father — and I suppose he must be. He is a bar- barian and a hypocrite, Mr. Nickleby. I told him, 'You are a barbarian, sir.' I did. I said, 'You're a barbarian, sir.' And I am glad of it. I am ver}^ glad I told him he was a barbarian — very glad indeed! '' Charles Dickens, Nicholas Nickleby. How many quotations do you find in these para- graphs ? How many quotations within quota- tions ? Write them out. Why is a comma used after subject in the second paragraph ? Why after head three times in the same paragraph ? In the sentence beginning, TJiey shall not hurt a hair of your head, observe the word or. In the next sentence you find the word and. Do you see its use ? There are some words that are used merely to tie words or sentences together. Some of them are and, or, hut, if. 312 ENGLISH LESSONS Words that connect words or sentences are called con- junctions. The word conjunction jneaxisjoiiwig together. 3 Exercise: Supply conjunctions where you see dashes : Washington was just wise patriotic. You must he a friend a foe to the cause. The day was sunny cold. The way was long the wind was cold. The roses in the deserted garden bloomed withered shed their petals on the ground. You may go stay, as you like. The old man's hair was white his form was erect his step was vigorous. We shall have a picnic the weather is pleasant. Which of the conjunctions connect adjectives? nouns ? verbs ? statements ? How many different conjunctions have you used ? Can you give reasons for your choice of conjunc- tions ? Perhaps the dictionary will help you. cxxxv THE STORY OF A SPOOL OF THREAD Learn all you can about the thread's history, following the suggestions given below and making notes on each point as you proceed. BOOK ONE 313 Conversation : Talk over each step in class, and tell the story of each. 1 Raising the Cotton Discuss where it is raised, in what climate, on what kind of soil; who the workmen are that are chiefly engaged in raising cotton ; the planting, the cultivating, the picking; cleaning the liber; packing; shipping. 2 The Thread Discuss cotton mills, where located, whether large or small ; preparing the cotton for spinning ; the spinning into thread ; the spools, made from what, where made ; winding the thread ; packing in cases. 3 Transportation and Selling Discuss the drays and draymen, the freight train or boat, the freight depot, carrying to the store, putting on the shelves, selling, carrying home; the present owner ; the use of cotton. 314 ENGLISH LESSONS 4 Written Exercise: Pretend you are a spool of thread and write your history. Be careful to obey all the rules for capitals and punctuation that you have learned. Gather samples of cotton at each stage from the ball to the spool of thread. Gather pictures of the various processes. Use these samples and pictures to illustrate your story. CXXXVI THE HONEY BEE Study Busy body, busy body, Always on the wing ; Wait a bit Where you have lit. And tell me what you sing. Up in the air again, Flap, flap, flap ! And now she stops, And now she drops, Into the rose's lap. Come just a minute, come, From your rose so red ; BOOK ONE 315 Hum, hum, Hum, hum, That was all slie said. Busy body, busy body, Always light and gay ; It seems to me, For all I see, Your work is only play. By permission of Ilougliton, Mifflin and Company. Alice Gary. What is a husij body ? Why does Miss Cary call the bee a husy body f Is it a good nairie for a bee ? What is the roses lap f Has the rose a lap ? Is the bee's work only play ? What do you suppose the bee thinks of us ? Learn all you can about the honeybee. If possible, watch bees at work and at home. Tell in class all you have observed or found out about the bee. Where do bees live ? Where do the bees carry their honey ? How many wings has a bee ? What colors do they wear ? Where do the wings and legs grow ? 316 ENGLISH LESSONS CXXXVII THE FIREMAN 1 Did 3^ou ever stop to think how many people stand ready to serve you, to supply your wants, to protect you from danger, to take care of your property, to guard your lives? There are the postmen of whom you have heard, the army of soldiers, the navy of vessels and sailors. All these the United States Government provides for your protection. Your town or your city also does much for you. Among those who serve you are the firemen, who protect your lives and property from injury by fires. Visit a fire-engine house if possible. Learn all you can about the firemen, and tell it in class : Who appoints them, who supports them, where the city gets the money, what kind of men must be chosen, what tests are applied, what training they must take, what their work is. Would you like to be a fireman ? Why ? Find out and name all the different kinds of wagons and other vehicles and apparatus the fire- men use. To the Teacher: If you cannot study a fire department with your class, take any other branch of the public service. BOOK ONE 317 What kind of horses have they ? How are they trained ? Tell a story of a fire-engine horse. Written Exercise : Write a description of a fire engine. Write an account of some large fire that you have witnessed. Imagine yourself a fireman and write a letter to your mother telling of your life and work. Expressive Activities : Make models of fire engines or other apparatus. Draw a picture of firemen going to a fire. Collect pictures of the firemen and fire apparatus. How John Burns, Fireman, Saved a Boy Read : Thirteen years have passed since, but it is all to me as if it had happened yesterday, the clanging of the fire bells, the hoarse shouts of the firemen, the wild rush and terror of the streets ; then the great hush that fell upon the crowd ; the sea of upturned faces with the fire-glow upon it ; and up there, against the background of black smoke that poured from roof and attic, the boy clinging to the narrow ledge, so far up that it seemed humanly impossible that help could ever come. 318 ENGLISH LESSONS But even then it was coming. Up from the street, while the crew of the truck company were laboring with tlie heavy extension ladder that at its longest stretch was many feet too short, crept four men upon long, slender poles with cross-bars, iron-hooked at the end. Standing in one window, they reached up and thrust the hook through the next one above, then mounted a story higher. Straight up the wall they crept, looking like human flies on the ceiling, and clinging as close, never resting, reaching one recess only to set out for the next ; nearer and nearer in the race for life, until but a single span separated the fore- most from the boy. And now the iron hook fell at his feet, and the fireman stood upon the step with the rescued lad in his arms, just as the pent-up flames burst lurid from the attic window, reaching with impotent fury for its prey. The next moment they were safe upon the great ladder waiting to receive them below. Then such a shout went up ! Men fell on each other's necks and cried and laughed at once. Strangers slapped one another on the back with glistening faces, shook hands, and behaved generally like men gone sud- denly mad. Women wept in tlie street. The driver of a car stalled in the crowd, who had stood through it all speechless, clutching the reins, whipped his horses into a galop and drove away, yelling like a Comanche, to relieve his feelings. The boy and his rescuer were carried across the street without any one knowing how. Policemen forgot their dignity and shouted with tlie rest. Fire, peril, terror, and loss were alike forgotten in the one touch of nature that makes the whole world kin. BOOK ONE 319 Fireman John Burns was made captain of his crew, and the Bennett medal was pinned on his coat on the next parade day. Jacob A. Riis, From " Heroes Who Fight Fire," The Cen- tury, Vol. LV, p. 483, February, 1898. Tell the story in class. Study this story paragraph by paragraph Try to pick out the words that make it vivid. Make lists of them. Mark the list of nouns n^ of adjectives adj, of verbs v, of pronouns p. Which list is longest ? What words do you think ' make pictures brightest, nouns, adjectives, or verbs ? CXXXVIII REVIEW Sentences There are four kinds of sentences : Those that tell or make statements. (Declarative sentences.) Those thgjt ask questions. (Interrogative sentences.) Those that command, request, direct. (Imperative sentences.) Those that exclaim. (Exclamatory sentences.) All sentences may be divided into two parts, the subject and the predicate. 320 ENGLISH LESSONS Sentences are usually arranged in paragraph s^ which are very short chapters, each containing one or more sen- tences on some one topic or division of the main subject. Nouns, Adjectives, Pronouns, Verbs, Adverbs, Prepositions, Conjunctions Names of persons or things are called nouns. Words used to describe persons or things are called adjectives. Words that are used in the place of nouns are called pronouns. Words that can be used to assert or state are called verbs. Words that modify verbs are called adverbs. Words that show the relations of nouns or pronouns to other words are called prepositions. Words that join words or sentences are called conjunc- tions. Words used to express sudden feeling are called inter- jections. Capital Letters Capital letters are used to begin : The first words of all sentences. The first words of all lines of poetry. Direct quotations. All names of God and the Bible. and I. All names of persons and places. All names of things personified. All names of months and days. Headings and titles. BOOK ONE 321 Punctuation Marks The period is used after : Sentences that tell. Sentences that command. Abbreviations. Dates. The question mark is used after sentences or words that ask questions. The exclamation point is used after sentences or words that exclaim. The comma is used : After the names of persons addressed, except at the end of a sentence. After the different parts of a letter *s heading and clos- ing. To separate the parts of a sentence, when needed to make the meaning clear. To separate words in a series. Quotation Marks Quotation marks are used to inclose direct quotations. Single quotation marks are used to inclose quotations within quotations. Indirect quotations do not give the exact words of the person quoted. They are not inclosed in quotation marks. Word Marks The apostrophe is used to indicate contractions, and also with or after 5, to denote the possessive case. The hyphen is used to join two words that are used as one, also at the end of a line to show that a word is divided between syllables. 322 ENGLISH LESSONS Names and Initials The surname is the family name. The other parts of a person's name are called the given name or Christian name. An initial is the first letter of a name used alone. It is always written as a capital and is followed by a period. Parts of a Letter The heading tells where and when the letter is writ- ten, and sometimes gives the name and address of the person to whom it is written. The salutation gives the name or title of the person addressed, usually with some polite or friendly phrase. The signature is the name of the writer, written at the end of the letter. The closing phrase is a polite or formal phrase placed before the signature. NOTES TO TEACHERS Note A. — After the children have read the story, let them tell it as they remember it. Let some one begin and tell a little. Then let others take it up in succession so that several shall talk. Finally let some one tell the whole story ; and let others follow. The story should be told over and over by the children. The stories thus told should be reviewed from time to time. Encourage the children to discuss the story and the characters. Then let them select their characters and act the story, one being the bean, one the coal, etc. They should also illustrate it in different ways, using various media of expression, as clay, paints, scissors, and paper. The various things constructed may often profitably be assembled on the sand-table, making a complete picture of the story. This is a most valuable means of clarifying impressions, always an essential to clear expression. The making utilizes motor activity. The assembling of the different articles on the sand-table produces unity of impression as well as clearness. The children should always describe orally and freely both the individual articles made and the composite picture. This is suggested as suitable treatment for the earlier lessons, based on stories told or read. Note B. — The expressive activities should not be deferred to the last, but should be employed along with the other arts of expression. As the children study the object, they should put their new-found knowledge and their ideas not only into words but into tangible form. This clarifies their ideas and aids the expression in words. Note C. — The use of guide words to direct the telling of stories is both an aid to the memory and a particularly good exercise for de- veloping a vocabulary. Before the lesson, the words should be written on the blackboard, where the children can refer to them freely and follow them with the eye while telling the story. The exercise should be only an occasional one, lest freedom be destroyed. Only a few of the words should be written on the board at a time, and these should be changed from time to time. This will prevent mechanical and uniform phraseology. 324 NOTES TO TEACHERS Note D. — The accompanying lessons (pp. 70-81), under the heading History and Geography, are intended as types of correlated work, the regular school topics in other subjects being used as the basis for lan- guage exercises. If the Dutch discoveries do not come into your own regular work, it may be better to select a topic from your course of study, instead of this one, and treat it in a similar way. In any case, as local history and geography quite commonly are found in courses of study for the third grade, it would be well, either in addition to these lessons or in place of them, in like manner to base much language work upon the study of the geography and early history oi your own state and its most important city or cities. However, the story of the founding of New York, the largest city of our country, is a good one for the children, even if it does not fall within the local course of study. A list of topics is here suggested. Questions are given for three ; others may be developed by the teacher. Henry Hudson ; Prepara- tion for the Voyage ; The Half-Moon ; The Voyage ; Discovery of the Hudson River ; Settlement ; Building a Fort ; Buying Manhattan Island ; Geography of New York Harbor and Hudson River ; Life in New Amsterdam ; Troubles with the Yankees ; Peter Stuyvesant ; Rip Van Winkle as a type ; Occupation, dress, social customs, education. Note E. — This (pp. 148-160) is a type lesson in the correlation of literature with language instruction. The teacher should familiarize himself with the story of Beowulf, if it is not freshly in mind. It may usually be obtained from public libraries. Heroes of Myth, an inexpensive book published by Silver, Burdett and Company, gives the story adapted for children, and is sufficiently full for the needs of this work. U no fuller edition is con- veniently accessible, what is given here will suffice for a veiy inter- esting series of lessons. 'J'he story of Beowulf was chosen because it is the great early epic of our race, and is full of interest and " action.'' Other classical stories may profitably be developed in like manner, such as the Homeric tales and the stories of Bible heroes. Method : The class will read the portion of the story for the day as it is given in the book, the teacher amplifying and explaining as needed or as he may desire. Then the class will tell the story, either in parts in sequence, or each one telling the entire story, as many telling it as NOTES TO TEACHERS 325 possible. The story should be told many times, until all the pictures are clear to every child. All the questions asked in the book should be answered and many more. Then as many of the class as can, should go to the blackboard, the remainder taking paper and pencil at their seats. All should write the story carefully, using in their proper places the words placed by the teacher on the blackboard. When the writing is finished, careful criticism should follow, taking note of : Accuracy, fullness, choice of words, punctuation, capitals, sentences, paragraphs, spelling, neatness. The corrected story should be carefully copied into the notebooks and preserved for future reference. Both cooperative and independent work should be done. At the end, each child should wi'ite the whole story of Beowulf. This may seem a difficult task, but if the parts have been carefully developed, the children will do it both joyously and well. The rules for the mechanics of writing, already developed, should be repeatedly referred to, so that the children may see their importance in making plain the meaning. Searching in readers for illustrations of these rules makes profitable exercises. "Guide words, " chosen by the teacher, may profitably be written on the blackboard, for study by the children, before each lesson. It is a good exercise to make plays of the different significant scenes and have the children act them, using suitable costumes and stage properties made by themselves. The children should make their own dialogues for the plays. Note F. — The story of Beowulf's last days is here briefly told. The teacher may amplify it at his pleasure. It may be treated as one lesson or divided into several, the teacher suggesting questions and outlines and selecting the words to put upon the blackboard as a guide to the children. Note G. — This is a series of lessons with Geography and History for their theme, based on the study of the life and voyage of Ferdinand Magellan, the greatest of the world's navigators. If this does not tit the local course of study, similar lessons may be prepared on some other theme in history and geography. To he kept always in mind. — Freedom and fluency come first ; accuracy and correct forms follow. First, stimulate thought. Second, encourage full expression. Third, apply technical standards. A BRIEF LIST OF BOOKS Teachers may find these books helpful in developing lessons upon various topics. Magellan Magellan, Butter worth. Magellan, " Heroes of History " Series, Towle. John Smith Makers of Virginia History, Chandler. Stories of the Old Dominion, John Esten Cooke. Henry Hudson First Book in American History, pp. 42-49, Eggleston. Stories of Our Country, pp. 24-29, Johonnot. Young Folks' Book of American Explorers, pp. 281-307, Higginson. History of the United States, pp. 54-58, Scudder. Children's Stories in American Plistory, pp. 292-294, Wright. The Pilgrims Story of Our Country, pp. 57-63, Monroe. Pilgrims and Puritans, pp. 7-70, Moore. Lee & Shephard's Young Folks' Series, No. 8. Stories of American History, pp. 18-25, Dodge. Birds Birdcraft, Mabel Osgood Wright. Citizen Bird, Mabel Osgood Wright. Birds through an Opera Glass, Merriara. Frail Children of the Air, Scudder. Everyday Birds, Bradford 'I'orrey. First Book of Birds, Olive Thorne Miller. Second Book of Birds, Olive Thorne Miller. QOA A BRIEF LIST OF BOOKS 327 Grasshoppers and Crickets Life Histories of American Insects, Clarence Moores "Weed. Insect Life, J. H. Comstock. Zoology, Colton. Nature Study, Lange. Insects, Howard. Seeds All the Year Round Botany, Andrews. First Principles of Agriculture, Voorhees. Nature Study, Lange. Fanner's Bulletin (New York State), No. 28. Two Hundred Weeds, United States Department of Agriculture. Bulletins Nos. 50 and 57, Kansas State Agricultural College. Wheat Commercial Geography, Adams. Nature Study, Lange. Agriculture for Beginners, Burkett, Stevens, and Hill. Cotton Farmer's Bulletin (New York State), Nos. 36 and 48. Carpenter's Geographical Reader, North America. Commercial Geography, Adams. The World's Work, January, 1906. Trees A Year among the Trees, Flagg. Familiar Trees and Their Leaves, Mathews. The Common Trees, Stokes. The Stories of the Trees, Dyson. Among Green Trees, J. Rogers. School Gardens Children's Gardens (for School and Home), Louise Kline Miller. Nature Study and Life, pp. 121-228, C. F. Hodge. How to make School Gardens, Hemenway. Garden Making, Bailey. INDEX Abbey, Henry, 109. Abbreviations, 84, 124, Action, Words expressing, 215, 252. Adjectives, 192, 226, 238, 240. Adverbs, 302, 304. Advertisements and Answers, 198. Alcott, L. M., 140. Aldrich, T. B., 87. Allegory, An, 246. Andersen, Hans Christian. 56. Angling Picture, 193. Apollo, 21, 192. Apostrophe, with contractions, 236. Apostrophe, with possessive, 58. Apple Orchard, The, 51. Arab and his Camel, The, 120. Arbor Day, 108. Arbor-Day Tree, 108. Arranging sentences, 23, 51. Article, The, 199. Aunt Effie's Rhymes, 27. Barber, Picture by, 24. Beach, On the, 219. Bee, The Honey, 314. Bell Tolling, The, 90. Beowulf, 148, 157. Bible, Capitals in Writing, 74. Bible, The, 252. Birdland, Trades in, 220. Bird's Nest ? Who stole the, 36. Birds, Stories of, 178. Blake, William, 45. Blum, Picture by, 135. Both Puzzled, 282. Bread, The Story of a Loaf of, 232. Bremen, Von, Picture by, 218. * Bryant, W. C, 143, 210. Bubble, The, 103. Bugs, Three, 132. Burns, John, 317. Buret, 44. Business Letters, 273. Candy Fudge, Recipe for, 197. Capitals, 10, 16, 20, 45, 73, 195. Carlyle. T., 231, 288. Carpenter, The, 18, 220. Carroll, Lewis (C. L. Dodgson), 61, 163. Cary, Alice, 315. Cary, Phoebe, 132. Ceres, 213. Ceres lost her Little Girl, How, 215. Child, L. M., 38. Christian Name, The, 59. Christmas, 75. Christmas, Old, 76. Christmas Stories (Dickens), 272. Christmas Tree, The Little, 180. Circus, The, 32. City Mouse and the Country • : Mouse, The, 4. City Streets, Things seen in, 65. Clark, Luella, 80. Clytie, 20, 21. Coal, 262. Come, Came, Has come, 53. Comma, The, 137, 138-140. Conjunctions, 310. Contractions, 117, 236. Coolidge, Susan, 182. Cooperative Story, 68. Corn, 67. Cotton, 312. Cricket, The, 122. Croquet, 292. Cro\^^, The, 302. Danes, The, 148. Dates, 59, 82. Day, Story of a, 84. 330 INDEX Dayre, Sidney, 105. Day's History, A, 218. Days of the Week, 84, 88. Debate, A, 286. Describe, Words that, 192, 302. Descriptions, 127, 188. Diary, A, 185. Diary, Keeping a, 186. Dickens, Charles, 228, 249, 250, 269, 311. Dickens, Studies from, 269. Dictionary, Use of the, 226, 229, 289. Dodgson, C. L. (Lewis Carroll), 61, 163. Dombey and Son, Quotation from, 271. Don't Crowd, 248. Down to Sleep, 167. Electricity, Experiments in, 282. Emerson, Ralph Waldo, 17, 71, 243. Envelopes, Addressing, 164. Excitement, Picture Lesson, 226. Exclamatory Sentences, 80. Fables, 127. Fir Tree, To a, 78. Fireman, The, 316. Flag, Salute the, 113. Fox and the Cat, The, 124. Franklin, Benjamin, 281, 284. Friend, A Sick, 175. Frog and the Ox, The, 41. Gambols of Children, The (picture by Sims), 47. Gambols of Children, The (poem by Darly), 45. Game, A, 117. Gardens, School, 295. Gardner, Picture by, 9. Gentleman, A, 244. Gentleman, What is a, 242. Given Name, The, 60. Gladness of Nature, The, 209.. God, Capitals in writing, 73. Golden River, Gluck'q Search for the. 289. Goldsmith, Oliver, 188. Grasshoppers and Crickets, 122. Grendel, 151. Grendel's Mother, 154. Grimm, Fairy Tales by, 7. Grouping Sentences, 51. Guessing Games, 11, 25, 40, 49, 117, 204. Half-Moon, The, 96. Hare and the Tortoise, The, 29. Hawthorne, Nathaniel, 238, 241, 302. Heading to a Letter, The, 161. Hen, The Clucking, 26. Heort, 149. Hiawatha, 97. History and Geography, 95. Holland, Life of the Pilgrims in, 170. Home of the Vicar of Wakefield, 188. Homes, 202. Hopkins, Oceanus, 166, 170. Hopscotch, 16. How the Flag was Made, 114. Howitt, Mary, 77. Hrothgar, 149. Hudson, Henry, 95. Hyacinthus, 192. Hygelac, 150. Hyphen, The, 120. /, Capitals in writing, 73. I'll Try, 116. Indenting for paragraph, 56. Initials, 59. "I shine," says the Sun, 140. It is. Words to use after, 40, 211. Jack, 10, 178. Jackson, Helen Hunt, 168. Kingsley, Charles, 243. Landseer, 254, 255. Larch and the Oak, The, 288. LarCom, Lucy, 82. Lee, Robert E. , 110. Letter, A (Lewis Carroll), 61. Letter, A (Robert E. Lee), 110. INDEX 331 Letter, A (Sir Walter Scott), 163. Letter Writing, 71, 75, 110, 162, 207, 261, 299. Lie, Lay, Lain, 160. Lincoln, Abraham, 60. Locksmith, The Merry, 226. Longfellow, H. W., 74, 97-99, 178. Ludwick, Christopher, 195. Magellan, 266. Marjorie's Almanac, 86. Markham, Edwin, 248. May, God's Miracle of, 293. Mayflower, The, 170. Member of the Benevolent So- ciety, A, 254-255. Memorizing, 73, 75, 81, 100, 115, 116, 178, 248. Milkweed, 12. Miller, Joaquin, 266. Miner, The, 262. Mining, 261. Months, The, 84. Morris, G. P., 305. Mothers and their Families, Two, 8. Mourner Comforted, The, 179. Moving Day, 287. Names, Christian, 94. Names, Given, 94. Names, Proper, 94. Names, Surname, 94. Names, written with capitals, 45. Names of things, 27. Neal, Picture by, 173. Nero, A Story, 72. New Year's Day, 81. New Year's Song, A, 81. Newsboy, The, 170. Newspaper, Advertisements, 198. Nickleby, Nicholas, Quotation from, 270, 311. Nicol, Picture by, 283. Notebook, Instructions for mak- ing a, 17. Nouns, 123, 192, 238, 240. Nouns, Common, 238, 240. Nouns, Proper, 59, 218. O, Capitals in writing, 73. On the Beach (picture), 219. O'Neil (picture), 91. Oriole, The, 221. Outlines for Fables, 127. Ownership, 59. Parades, 32. Paragraph, Review of the, 67, 95, 97, 202, 310. Paragraph, The, 56, 67. Period, Ending a Statement, 10, 16, 25. Personification, 104. Picture Lessons, 3, 8, 23, 45, 90, 135, 172, 175, 192, 202, 218, 226, 254, 282, 297. Pictures in Verse, 73. Pictures in Words, 73, 141, 188, 209, 293. Pilgrims, The, 167-169. Pine Tree Legend, The, 280. Plurals, 123, 127, 128. Plurals, Possessive, 4, 36, 71, 74-75. Pocahontas, 146. Poems, Study of, 11, 45, 71, 73, 75, 97, 102, 108, 115, 140, 180, 293, 314. Poetry, 182. Possession, How to show, 59, 190. Possessive Form, 175, 207. Possessive Plural, 206. Post, The, 276. Powhatan, 145. Predicate of a Sentence, The, 259. Prepositions, 304, 308. Princess and the Pea, 56. Pronouns, 257. Pronouns, Personal, 257, 264. Proper names, 59. Prose and Poetry, 180. Proverbs and Sayings, 10, 259. Psalm, The Twenty-third, 252. Punctuation, 116, 245. Puzzled, Both (picture), 282. Question Marks, 41. Question Sentences, 41. Quotation, 190. Quotation Marks, 29, 32, 36, 140, 190, 269, 288, 308. 332 INDEX Quotations, Direct, 36, 191. Quotations, Divided, 191, 288. Quotations, Indirect, 269. Quotations within Quotations, 304, 306. Rainbow, The, 103. Rainbow colors, 102. Red, White and Blue, The, 115. Review Lessons, 32, 35, 49, 56, 65, 67, 78, 89, 90, 94, 95, 102, 115, 118, 148, 161, 169, 192, 195, 202. 211, 218, 220, 224, 245, 248, 250, 266, 310, 319. Rhymes, 36. Riis, Jacob, 319. Robert of Lincoln, 141. Robin, The, 115. Robin's Nest, 53, 179. Ross, Betsy, 114. Rossetti, Christina, 4, 103. Ruskin, John, 291. Salutation in a Letter, The, 63, 110. Sangster, M. E., 54. Saxons, The, 151. School in Germany, A, 3. Scott, Sir Walter, 163. Scrooge and his Clerk, 250. Seasons, Names of the, 84-86. Seeds, 130. Sentence, 10, 12, 18, 32, 68, 102, 217, 259. Sentences, Commanding, 72. Sentences, Exclamatory, 80. Sentences, Subject and Predicate, 217. Sentences that make Statements, 25. Sentences that (juestion, 41. Shepherd Boy and Wolf, 88. Sherman, F. D., 294. Shine! says the Sun, 140. Shower in the Drawing-room, A, 135. Sidney, Sir Philip, 244. Signature to a Letter, The, 63, 110, 112. Sims, 42. Singular and Plural, 27., 104, 206, 209. Smiles, Samuel, 242. Smith, John, 145. Soap Bubbles, Recipe for, 103. Soldier, A , becomes the, 199. Song, A Temperance, 237. Song without Words, 47. Spool of Thread, The Story of a, 312. Spring, 104; 107. Spring Games, 206. Springtime (poem), 104. St. Bernard, The, 223. Stevenson, Robert Louis, 74, 101. Stories to Tell, 280. Story, A Cooperative, 67. Straw, the Coal, and the Bean, The, 6. Subject of a Sentence, The, 259. Sunflower, The, 20. Sunshine, A Streak of, 137. Swallow, The, 221. Tennyson, 259. Thackeray, 242. Thanksgiving, 71, 169. There is, There are, 234. There was, There were, 234. Things to talk or write about, 189. Thread, A Spool of, 312. Titles, 124. To-day, 231. Tolling the Bell (picture), 91. Trees, 108. Valentine, Saint, 92. Valentine's Day, 94. Verbs, 28, 30, 34, 50, 69. 199, 251. 252. 257. 264. . Verbs, Irregular, 4, 14. 19. 30. 34. 39. 48. 54, 64. 79, 83, 101, 134. 136, 147, 184, 222. 234. 286. Verse, Pictures in, 73. Von Bremen, 219. Wakefield, Vicar of, 188. Washington. George, 190. Watt. James. 172. What do we Plant, 109. Whip, The New (picture), 23. Who stole the Bird's Nest ? 36. INDEX 333 Wiglaf, 159. Wind, The, 97. Winslow, Anna Green, 185. Wolf, The Shepherd Boy and the, 88. Woodman, Spare that Tree, 304. Woodpecker, The, 220. Word Marks, 229, 245. Word Marks, Review of, 249. Word Picture, 238. Word Search in Readers, 264. Word Study, 121, 167, 180. 188. 192, 213, 215, 218, 226, 238, 240, 262, 288. Words, Choice of, 188, 213. Words after /« is, 211. W^ordsworth, 73. Yes and No, 190. Youth's Companion, The, 108. VB 36787 Ml8?507 ^f THE UNIVERSITY OF CAUFORNIA LIBRARY