A Fourth ^mi^ $m¥^tY CLASSIC SF.KIES UNKEftAITY 4 KDucAfioi sxn« Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2008 with funding from IVIicrbsoft Corporation http://www.archive.org/details/fourthreaderOOsticrich Claegjcg for CbJIbren. JOHN S. PRELL Civil & Mechanical Engineer. SAN FRAN^SGO, CAL. Fourth Reader. STICKNEY. BOSTON, U.S.A.: GINN & COMPANY. 1889. COPYRIGHT BY J. H. STICKNEY, ALL RIGHT? RESERVED. ANNOUNCEMENT. IN homes where literary taste is at all cultivated, children of nine or ten years will speak of a considerable number of stand- ard juvenile books with such familiarity as to show that the contents are in a large measure their own. With better facilities and under skilled direction, children at school should certainly have more to show for their reading than they now do. The half-- hour given to the reading lesson at each session of the school, if spent upon some choice book or selection, Jirst, for the inherent interest in the theme and its treatment, and second, for the purpose of learning to read it pleasantly, would result in better readers, would promote all the incidental objects of reading, and would lay the foundation for knowledge and taste in literature. The aim of the editor and publishers of this series has been to advance children, not simply in the oral reading of set lessons, but in that to which fluent oral reading is a means, the taste for a kind of reading which will ennoble and instruct. Comparison of the most approved American and foreign reading- books shows that while in England provision for the first years is inferior to our own, the higher English readers are of broader range and better literary quality. This is in part because they are more strictly readers — they do not attempt to cover the many specialties which have attached themselves of late to our own readers ; and in part because the power of really good reading to awaken interest and impress itself upon the mind has come to be better recognized. Two views obtain among teachers with regard to the grade of selections appropriate to a lesson in reading. One makes success in intelligent, agreeable, oral expression, for Typography by J. S. Gushing & Co., Presswork by Ginn & Co. Boston, U.S.A. . _ , . Boston, U.S.A. GIFT ANNOUNCEMENT. ^^J^ ^^^ the cultivation of style and taste, the chief desideratum ; the other requires that each lesson should be far enough above the pupil's attainment to be a study demanding effort on his part and aid from his teacher. The books of this series represent what is believed to be middle ground between these two extremes. The selections are mainly literary in character, and in the nar- rative style, which makes attractive reading. The poetry is chosen ill large part from standard authors. The aim to lead pupils to the reading of hooks, both in poetry and prose, shows itself in fewer short, disconnected lessons, and greater continuity of subjects. The practice of silent reading is of greater importance in each rising- grade . At least half a dozen good books should be thoroughly read in the year given to the Fourth Reader. If pupils cannot make these books their own property for home use, they should be freely loaned them. Historical and biographical passages, fragments of science and natural history, and details of description are omitted from this book for several reasons. It is taken for granted that provision will be otherwise made for readings whose office is chiefly to in- struct, and which, to be of benefit, should be presented in connected series. The book will lead to the interest in any record of life and its incidents, and so awaken the desire for knowledge in all these lines. Indebtedness for copyrighted material is gratefully acknowl- edged to the authors and publishers named below. To Messrs. Houghton and Mifflin for "A Night with a WoK," by Bayard Taylor; " Red Top and Timothy," by Miss Larcom; "The Story of the Amber Beads " and " Quercus Alba," by Miss Andrews. To Messrs. Harper & Brothers for "Friquet and Friquette," from Home Fairy Tales, by Jean Mace. To Messrs. Roberts Brothers for "The Ant's Monday Dinner," by Mrs. Jackson (H. H.), and " How the Leaves came Down," by Susan Coolidge. By special arrangement and permission of Messrs. Houghton and Mifflin the use is authorized of " Rain in Summer " and " Ex- celsior," by Longfellow, and " The Fountain/' b^ Lowell, 379 CONTENTS. PAGK His Sistek's Story 1, 5 The Cat-Rabbit 12, 15, 18 A LiTTLB Goose 21 The Story of the Amber Beads 25 Hop-Picking 30 Learning to Swim 31 How TO make the best of it 37 The Eagle's Nest 40, 48, 53, 60, 65 Robin Redbreast r . . 46 The Linnet Choir 57 Birds in Summer . 73 Papa's Story of the Butterfly 75 The King and Queen's Quarrel 80, 85 The Miller of the Dee .91 Through the Wood 93, 99 The Fox and the Cat 103 A Laughing Song 106 The Boasting Wolf 106 That's not the Way at Sea 109 Gleaners 112 The Basket-Woman 113, 119, 126 Blunder 133,139,143 Our Garden 147, 151 The Ant's Monday Dinner 156, 159 Afraid of Spiders 164 Tw^iNETTE 167, 170, 175 The Boisterous Wind 180 Thb AgoRjf ANp TiiB Cuilp .,,.,.,. 135 CONTENTS. V PAGE Qdercus Alba .... .... 187, 193 The Chimney-Sweep 198 Little Tom, the Chimney-Sweep 200, 209 1?HE Pet Lamb 203, 206 Little Streams 213 The Anxious Leaf 215 How THE Leaves came down 217 The Fox and the Horse 219 What the Goodman does is Right 222, 229 The Tree . . .228 The Use of Flowers . . 234 Tom, the Water-Baby 235 Tom and the Lobster 239 Mrs. Be-Done-By-As-You-Did 242 Red Top and Timothy 245 Mrs. Do-As-You-Wodld-Be-Done-By 247 A Night with a Wolf . 250 Ben Brightboots 253, 258, 264, 269, 275 Good Morrow 262 Winter Rain 273 Friquet and Friquette 279, 287, 299 Mabel on a Midsummer Day . . . . . . 283, 292 The Fairies of Caldon Low 305 The Frozen Zone 310 The Busy Little Lapps 314 Iceland and Greenland 317 The Story of Goody Blake and Harry Gill . . . 323, 326 The Truth-Teller 329 The Battle of Blenheim 334 Our Dandie 338, 344 The Fountain 342 Tubal Cain 348 The Stone in the Road 352 Rain in Summer 356, 358 Excelsior • . . . . 360 Frontispiece. loaRTH lEADER. »5»ic I. sen-tenced lec-tured foot-board fid-get ca-pa-ble cap-i-tal con-demned pre-tend-ed trou-ble-some mis-chiev-ous ad-ven-tures quar-relled HIS SISTER'S STORY. — Part I. 1. Fred was six, and the top of his head just reached to the tip of Hilda's nose; Hilda was ten, and thought herself quite capable of being Fred's aunt, instead of his sister. They often quarrelled, and while together hardly knew how much they loved each other ; but when Hilda was at school Fred felt out of sorts, and did as much mischief as possible ; and once, when Fred went away with his father for a whole week, Hilda felt very dull, and longed to have the naughty boy back again. 2. This wise little person one day made up her mind to write a history of her boy's mischievous pranks, and some time or other read it to him. "I FOURTH READER. That would be a capital way of making him ashamed of the past, and making him wise and good all at once ; so one dark day, just before Christmas, the holidays having begun, and Fred having been more troublesome than ever, Hilda said, — " Fred, come here." 3. But Fred was sitting in a corner trying to mend the hind leg of his wooden horse, which he had most unluckily just broken off. He was cross, and pretended not to hear. " Do come here, Fred ; I am going to read to you," said Hilda, in a coaxing voice, and she held up the wonderful history, and Fred came. Like everybody in the world, he was fond of stories. 4. " Now sit down on that stool, and don't kick and fidget, and I'll tell you the story of the robber chief Rufus Roughwig, and his wonderful deeds and adventures." Fred sat on the stool, and neither kicked nor fidgeted, and Hilda began. 5. " Once upon a time there lived a robber chief called Rufus Roughwig. He had a fairy god- mother, and, because he was always doing such dreadful things, this fairy made a book about him, and wrote in it everything he did. Then she sent HIS SISTER S STORY. 3 the book to the city to be printed, tliat everybody in the whole world might read it, and see what a shocking robber chief Rufus Rough wig was. I have the fairy's book, and you shall hear the whole story." 6. Fred pricked up his little ears. Never had he heard of a robber chief with a fairy godmother. What a jolly story ! "Now listen. ^January 1. — Rufus began the year by kicking the footboard out of his bed, and when he got up he put his clean sock to swim in the basin.' " Fred's eyes opened wide, but he said nothing. 7. "'January 18. — All the boys were out with their sleds. Rufus thought it would be nice to bury his hat in the snow, so that it would not be found before the snow melted in the spring. He did it, but as his left ear got frost-bitten, this time his mamma let him off with a warning.' " "I looked for my hat, I did." 8. " Listen again. ' February 14. — Mamma had eggs in a basket, and she put them in the ante-room, because there was no fire there. Rufus found the basket, and played at marbles with the eggs till they got broken, and the green sofa was spoiled. For this crime he was sentenced to be shut up in 4 FOURTH READER. the little pantry ; and he found a pot of jam and ate it all up. He was then shut up in papa's study, and condemned to sit still.' " 9. Fred looked ill at ease, but laughed. '' What a horrid robber chief ! But there's more still. ' March 7. — Rufus had a sister.' " "Her name was Hilda," said Fred. 10. "The book says her name was Arabella. ^Arabella had a most lovely, good doll, called Ellen. One day, while she was at school, Rufus poked out one of Ellen's eyes to see what it was made of. Afterwards he hung Ellen up by the curls to the bell-pull. When Arabella came home and saw the darling, she began to cry.' " 11. Fred grew very red, and his heels were heard kicking against the stool. "^Rufus cried too, and asked his papa to be doctor and cure Ellen.' What a cruel robber chief ! " " But she's all right now." 12. " Only it is a pity that Rufus should do such dreadful deeds. ^A week afterwards, on the 14th of March, he was in a hurry to go out to skate, and he could not find his woollen mittens; so he took a pair of his mamma's nice white kid gloves, and put them on his brown little hands. Off he His sisters story. 5 set, and when he came home one was lost in the snow, and there was not a finger left on the other.' Was not that a noble deed ?" "My hands were cold." " ' His mamma lectured, but Rufus did not improve.' " Adventure. — Anything out of the common way that a person goes through. Ante-room. — A small room lead- ing into a larger one. Capable of being. — Fit to be. Condemned to sit still. — It was ordered that he should sit still as a punishment. Find in the reading the place where " out of sorts " is used ; then read the paragraph, using an expression of your own instead. Do the same with "longed," "pranks," "a capital way," " unluckily," " lecture," and " improve." >^♦ic II. com-mit-ted sus-pi-cious ar-rest-ed re-proof pun-isli-ment sno"w-ball-ing beam-ing por-trait HIS SISTER'S STORY. — Part II. 1. Hilda went on reading : — "^ April 22. — His mamma had sowed peas in the morning, and in the evening Rufus pulled up a whole row to see which of them had grown the most. This time he escaped with a reproof. 6 FOURTH READER. 2. " ^ April 23. — He broke one of the best tea- cups, and then pounded it in the mortar, to make the cook believe it was sifted sugar. 3. " ' St. John's day. — Eufus committed so many crimes on this day that it was not possible to write them all.' " "Hilda, I only tore two holes in my jacket, and one was a very little one." 4. "Listen again. ^ June 30. — Eufus dug a hole in the garden, and buried papa's seal-ring, mamma's gold thimble, six fir-apples, and a toad HIS SISTEK S STORY. 7 in it ; this was a robber's cave. The house was turned upside down to find the ring and the thimble. At last Rufus was taken prisoner as a suspicious character; he admitted that he had buried the treasure.' Was that good ? " " But I told the truth the minute I was asked." 5. "^July 27. — Rufus went to the shore, took the boat, and tried to row. The water was rough, and the noble chieftain drifted out to sea ; he began to cry for help.' " " I could have rowed quite well, only — the oars were too big." 6. "' And Rufus Rough wig was too little. Sam followed in the big boat, and saved the brave cap- tain, and this time the judge thought the fright was punishment enough. Next day he tried to ride on the biggest cow, fell off, and was wounded in the head.' " " I know how to ride horses." 7. "^August 11. — The robber chief resolved to mount Billy, the goat ; Billy butted, Rufus ran away, and the enemy pursued him. If Mary had not come up just then with the milk-pails, there would have been a dreadful defeat.' " " I hit that goat, I did." " ' It is supposed that Rufus fancied he hit the 8 FOURTH READER. goat, but that he really shouted, ' Oh, Mary, help me!' 8. " ' September 4. — Rufus drew his school- master's portrait on the clean white wall in the kitchen with horrid black coal. He was put in prison for an hour.' " "I climbed out of the window," broke in Fred. " ^ The prisoner was removed to the garret^ HIS sister's story. 9 where it was not easy to escape through the window. "'October 16. — Rufus set fire to Mary's flax while she was spinning. He was condemned to go to bed at six o'clock. " ' November 3. — Without waiting to ask leave, he crept out over the thin ice to pull out a little boy who had fallen in. For this crime the chief was first arrested and afterwards rewarded. 9. "'December 4. — This was a dreadful day. Rufus fought with the Roberts boys for a priceless treasure found in the stable, — this was a dead mouse. The chief struck Charlie Roberts, and gave him a black eye. He was condemned to say he was sorry.' " " Charlie struck me first." 10. " Yes, but he was only four, and Rufus was six, past ; a big boy strike a little one, dreadful ! 'When Rufus would not say that he was sorry, then papa whipped him — the first time this year. The next day the boys were snow-balling, and the robber chief flung quite a hard ball at Charlie, and his cheek swelled.' Was that right?" 11. Fred was silent. " That was what is called revenge, and revenge 10 FOURTH READER. is the naughtiest thing in the whole world. How can such a robber chief ever be happy any more ? " Fred felt tears coming, and made his eyes quite round, and shut his teeth tight, to prevent himself crying. In a minute or two he got up and ran away ; half-an-hour after he hopped in, beaming. " Where did you go to, Fred ? " 12. Fred looked a little shy. " Oh, over there, you know." He fidgeted about, then got very red, and said very fast, " You know my sled, don't you, Hil — that beauty I got last Christmas? You know it's the best sled that ever was seen." " Yes, I know ; and you love it as well as Sam loves his best horse, and you always say it's the best in the town." "I have given it to Charlie, and he's so glad. Hilda, if you could only have seen how very glad he was ! " 13. "And you, Fred?" "I'm glad, too. You see, Hilda, I've been so bad ever since that dead mouse, and when you spoke about it, I could stand it no longer ; so I went to Charlie, you know, and now it's all right ; he is pleased. If you only saw ! And now Christmas will be real jolly ! " 1^. Hilda put her two arms round Fred, kissed HIS SISTERS STORY. 11 him, and danced round the room with him seven times. "Do you know what, Fred? When Rufus' fairy godmother sends the book to be printed, I'll ask her to tell the story of the dead mouse." And this is all we know of the deeds and adventures of the robber chief, Rufus Roughwig. — From the Finnish. Admitted. — Confessed. Arrested. — Taken prisoner. Portrait. — Picture, likeness. Priceless treasure. — Something so precious that no price is large enough to buy it. Pursued. — Ran after. Removed. — Taken away. Revenge. — Doing an injury in return for an injury received. Suspicious character. — A person whose past actions make people suspect him. Defeat. — Failure. Use other words for "let him off with a reproof " ; for "resolved to mount"; for " would have been a dreadful defeat " ; for " deeds and adventures." Read the paragraphs that contain these phrases again, giving the meaning in your own way. Practise saying the following words in sentences, taking care to give the final y the sound of short i, and not, as do many, short e : — pan-try fair-y liur-ry stud-y beau-ty liap-py eas-y re-al-ly The story Hilda wrote was in the form of a Diary ; that is, the doings of each day were put in writing, with the date. Copy what was written on August 11, and tell how many separate facts are noted. AVrite a record of your own for the day in which you have this lessoa. 12 FOURTH READER. III. tongue cud-died dis-po-si-tion i-deas aclied sat-is-fied com-plained dif-fer-ence THE CAT-RABBIT. — Parti. 1. In a round basket lined with soft green cloth, not far from the kitchen fire, lay a large white pussy cat, with two kittens, one black with white spots, and the other white with yellow trimmings. The cat washed her kittens till her rough tongue ached so that she had to rest it ; and as soon as it was rested, she washed them both all over again. 2. By and by a little girl came in, bringing something very carefully in her hands. '' It isn't anything for you to eat, Selina ; it is something for you to take care of," she said. " Selina " was the name by which Alice called the cat. 3. " My white rabbit has such a number of little ones, — more than she can possibly take good care of, I am sure ; and as you have only two kittens, I thought I would give you one of them. I am sure you will be kind to it." 4. The old cat was asleep just then, and had not heard a word that Alice had said. THE CAT-EABBIT. 13 Alice went softly to the basket, and put the little rabbit down by Selina's side ; then she sat down and waited to see what would happen. 5. To her great delight, as soon as she opened her eyes, puss gave it a loving lick all down its back. The little rabbit nearly fell over, for the touch was not as gentle as she had had before ; but she cuddled up close and lay still, so that Alice was satisfied that it was safe to leave them together. 6. That afternoon the basket was carried up stairs. " Are they not lovely kittens ? " asked Alice; "1 shall call them Fluffy and Bu%, but what shall I call the little rabbit ? I wonder whether it will grow up most like a cat or a rabbit?" " I should think it would always be a rabbit," said her sister May. 7. " Of course, I know it will always be a rabbit in one sense, but it will have all the ideas of a cat, I think." May did not know about ideas ; she thought it must mean something like catching mice ; but as Alice was not pleased to have this habit of Selina's talked about, she said nothing. 8. The children were called to tea, and Alice had to leave her pets. "It will be a cat-rabbit," 14 FOURTH READER. she said, as she helped herself to bread and butter. " I wish I could think of a good name for it." But she never could, so it was always called the " cat-rabbit." 9. It was a great delight to Alice to notice that Selina treated the cat-rabbit exactly like one of her own children ; or, if she made any difference, with more tenderness. 10. Puss was quite sure that the cat-rabbit would open its eyes first, and she was right. " Dear little thing," she said, " how wise she looks. She takes after me already." 11. As the children grew older and stronger, mother Puss would leave them for awhile in their basket, and great games the kittens had, tumbling over one another in every possible way. Cat- rabbit never joined in the romps, but sat looking on without so much as a smile. 12. " She is so stupid," the kittens complained to their mother, '' she will not play at all." " Sweet child," the mother would reply, " that is because of her gentle disposition. I had just the same when I was at her age." Tell this story as fully as you can, and using, as far as you remember them, the words used in the book. THE CAT-RABBIT. 15 IV. reg-u-lar squeak-ing sliuf-fling v^rath. un-us-u-al per-suade anx-ious act-u-al-ly ea-ger-ness awk-^ward poi-son-ous for-got-ten THE CAT-RABBIT. — Part II. 1. One day when pussy came home to her family there was a regular fight going on in the basket. The cat-rabbit was squeaking, — a most unusual thing. " What is going on ? " asked Selina. '' We were only trying to pull the little one's tail to the right length/' said Buffy ; " it looks so very odd." '• Her tail is long enough," answered Mother Puss ; " do not meddle with it again." 2. In her heart she had great fears about the little one's tail, and had often watched it, trying to persuade herself that it grew. " I cannot understand it," she said to herself. " There never was anything of that kind in our family. But her ears are wonderful, and will make a grand appear- ance when she learns to hold them upright." 3. The kittens were always finding something to complain of in the poor cat-rabbit. One day it was : " She cannot even mew." 16 FOURTH READER. " That's her sweet temper." " But she does not purr." " Her purr will be all the stronger by and by." " But I can purr as loud as you now, mother," said Buffy. 4. Selina did not know what to say, and the matter ended. At another time it was, — " She has such a shuffling, awkward walk." Another day Fluffy and Buffy came running to her in great haste. " Do look at the little one," they said ; '' she is actually eating a bit of raw cabbage-leaf that Miss Alice dropped on the floor." 6. This roused the mother. " Put that poison- ous stuff down this instant, you naughty child," she said. She gave the kittens a punishment for telling tales, but she felt anxious about these strange ways. For instance, when she told the children about the use of their claws, and the kittens listened with eagerness, the cat-rabbit did not take in a single word. She never showed the faintest inter- est in her mother's tail ; and when Alice swung a cork on a line for them to play with, she sat by without once trying to catch it. 6. One day mother Puss happened to meet Ponto, Alice's dog. They were not on the best THE CAT-RABBIT. 17 of terms, but lie stopped and asked, "Does it belong to your family to eat dry bran?" "Certainly not," said Selina; "what do you mean ( " Oh, nothing, only I happened to see one of them with her nose in a saucer of raw bran." 7. Mother Puss blushed, but she carried it off very well. "Some childish prank," she said; "my family is so large I can hardly look after them properly." She lost no time in running up stairs to see' what was going on. There, sure enough, was the cat-rabbit, busy with a saucer of bran. 8. " Little one," she said, more sorry than angry, " I would have lost a whole mouse sooner than have seen this sight." The cat-rabbit never looked up, but went quietly on with the bran. " Do you wish to break your poor mother's heart ? " 9. Just then the bran came to an end, and the cat-rabbit came to her mother with such gentle- ness that her wrath was for a moment forgotten. But Mother Puss became daily more unhappy about her smallest darling. " I fear," she at last made up her mind, "that her tail will never be quite like those of other people. But that is not her fault, poor dear," she added. 18 FOURTH EEADER. 10. " You might try to hold up your ears a little, my child," she said one day ; but the cat-rabbit was almost spoiled with the treatment she had from the kittens, and she did not answer. Continue the story-telling from memory. Write a comparison of the cat and the rabbit. Speak of their different motions ; their different wants and enjoyments. >:5«4c XI. rough, au-tumn pa-tience grudge be-longed h.eath.-er me-mo-ry neigli-bor THE EAGLE'S NEST. — Part I. 1. '^ Father, father, it is going to be a splendid day," cried Donald Mac Ian, as he opened the door of his little cottage home, high among the mountains. The first rays of the sun were just touching the top of Ben More, the great mountain above the little house, and made the purple heather brighten. There was not a cloud to be seen in all the sky. THE EAGLE S NEST. 41 2. " That is well, Donald/' answered his father, " for I have a long way to take to-day, to visit my cousin, and the walk seems but half as long on a fine day. Come, Donald, let the goats out, and look after Brown Kate, the cow. We will milk her quickly, and breakfast before I start." 3. " Oh ! Brown Kate is quite close," said Don- ald. " I just saw her come past neighbor Morse's 42 FOUKTII KEADEK. house, along the valley. She is as clever as a woman, and knows well that we want our break- fast. But what is going to happen now ? Neigh- bor Morse is driving Brown Kate into his own cow-house ! 4. "Neighbor, neighbor!" cried Donald, putting his hands to his mouth as a trumpet ; " that is our cow. Do you hear ? That is Brown Kate." " Oh ! I hear," answered a rough voice from below. "But I have a fancy for this cow, and I mean to keep her. You can tell your father that if he wants her he may come and fetch her." 5. "Father!" shouted Donald, who was still standing in the doorway ; " neighbor Morse says he is going to keep Brown Kate. Do come out and stop him.", Duncan Mac Ian came out quickly, and saw that, as Donald had said, his neighbor was driv- ing the cow into his own cow-house. "What's the meaning of this, John Morse?" he shouted. 6. "You don't seem to understand," returned the other. " You have quite forgotten, no doubt, that you owe me forty shillings ever since last winter, and that you promised, for the tenth time, to pay me yesterday. As your memory is so THE eagle's NESl. 43 short, I am just going to keep the cow to remind you. She can come on a visit to my cows until I see my forty shillings again." 7. Duncan Mac Ian frowned, and bit his lip. "You know well," he said, "that I could not pay you. My good wife's illness and death took all my little savings. But you know, too, that I am an honest man, and you need not be so hard upon me. That is not being a good neighbor, John." 8. " Neighbor, indeed ! " growled John Morse. " The cow is mine till I get my money." With these words he turned away, and went into his snug white house. 9. " Father," said Donald, in a vexed tone, when John Morse was no longer to be seen ; " have you to put up with that ? I would not bear it, if I were you." "Hush, my laddie! " said his father. " I grant you it is not nice or kind of John Morse to be so hard upon his poorer neighbor ; but he can do what he pleases^ for I owe him the money. That I cannot deny. 10. " If it had been possible, I would have paid him long, long ago ; but your poor mother's illness and death made it quite out of the ques- 44 FOURTH READER. tion. Patience, patience ! My cousin will lend me the forty shillings if I ask him, and then John Morse must give up our dear Brown Kate. To-morrow we will have her back." 11. " That we willy father/' the boy said, firmly. "We must and will have her back. This very day he shall give her up. Shame upon the rich man! What makes him behave in this way?" " I will tell you," replied his father. " He has coveted Brown Kate for a long time, because she is the best cow for miles round. Last autumn he offered me a good price for her, and, because I did not take it, he has a grudge against me." 12. "Well, you go on your way, father," said Donald. " I will get the good cow back to-day. I say I- will, and you know if I say a thing I mean it." His father smiled. "What pranks have you in your head, laddie?" he asked. "For pity's sake do not have high words with John Morse. You will only make the matter ten times worse. Don't do anything rash, Donald." 13. "Do I look as if I would?" said Donald, drawing himself to his full height. Duncan Mac Ian looked with pleasure and pride at his boy's tall, well-made figure. THE EAGLE S NEST. 45 " Well, you are a child no longer," said he. "You are sixteen years old, Donald, and the mountain air has made you strong and sturdy. But I should like to know what you have in your mind." 14. " But I should like not to tell you, daddy," said Donald. "It is nothing wrong. Will that set your mind at rest ? " " Well, well, if it is nothing wrong ; and now I must be gone," said Duncan, who had been eating a little oat cake, which was very dry without Brown Kate's milk. "Now remember, Donald," he said, as he went out, "no pranks, if you please." Heather. — A shrub bearing beau- tiful flowers, and keeping green all the year; used in Scotland for baskets, brooms, etc. To put up with. — To bear with- out complaint. Sturdy. — Hardy, robust. Ben. — Used before the name of a mountain, is the same as mount in our country. Clever. — Wise. Out of the question. —Not to be thought of, impossible. Coveted. — Desired very much. A grudge. — 111 will because of some advantage possessed by another. Mac is common before Scotch surnames. Donald and Duncan are common Scotch christian names. GENERAI. KNOWI.EDGE. Find out all you can about Scotland and the ways of Scotch people. 46 FOURTH READER. pinch.-ing XII. scan-ty rus-set "Wheat-stack ROBIN REDBREAST. Good-by, good-by to Summer, For Summer's nearly done ; The garden smiling faintly, Cool breezes in the sun; Our thrushes now are silent, Our swallows flown away, But Robin's here, in coat of brown, With ruddy breast-knot gay. Robin, Robin Redbreast, Robin dear! Robin singing sweetly In the falling of the year. ROBIN REDBREAST. 47 Bright yellow, red, and orange, The leaves come down in hosts; The trees are Indian Princes, But soon they'll turn to ghosts; The scanty pears and apples Hang russet on the bough ; It's Autumn, Autumn, Autumn late, ' Twill soon be Winter now. Robin, Robin Redbreast, Robin dear ! And what will this poor Robin do. For pinching days are near ? The fireside for the cricket. The wheatstack for the mouse, When trembling night- winds whistle And moan all round the house ; The frosty ways like iron. The branches plumed with snow, — Alas ! in Winter dead and dark. Where can poor Robin go ? Robin, Robin Redbreast, Robin dear ! And a crumb of bread for Robin, His little heart to cheer. W. Allingham. 48 FOURTH READER. XIII. dai-ry En-glisb.-maii sal-mon prec-i-pice ea-glet sov-er-eign dan-ger-ous ear-nest THE EAGLE'S NEST. — Part II. 1. Donald watched his father climb the moun- tain. " It is nothing wrong, but it is no small matter either that I have in hand/' he said to himself. " But now I must see to the goats." 2. The goats came at his call. Donald milked them, and put the milk in pans in a cool little dairy. He took a small axe, and put it in his belt, and a sharp knife in his pocket; put some bread and a bottle of goat's milk in a leather bag, and took in his hand a strong stick with a sharp iron point. Then he looked for a piece of strong cord, and went out of the cottage. 3. Away he went quickly down the valley. The sun was still low in the east, but he had some distance to go, and he whistled or sang as he went along, till he came to a little inn, from which there was a splendid view over the moun- tains. 4. "Good morning, Donald Mac Ian," said a waiter who was going in and out, getting break- THE eagle*s nest. 49 fast ready. "Are you come to go fishing or shooting with the English gentlemen to-day?" 5. " No, I am not ; but I want to see the Eng- lish gentleman that came last week — Dr. Mayne, I mean," said Donald. " Here he comes," said the waiter, as a gentle- man came down stairs calling loudly for his break- fast. 6. " Directly, directly, sir ! " cried the waiter ; and as the gentleman came to the inn door Donald touched his cap and went to him. " Ah, my man ! " said the Englishman, " have you come to tell me of another big salmon — eh ? " 7. "Not to-day, sir," said Donald. "I only wanted to know if you were in earnest the other day, when you said you would gladly give a sov- ereign to any one who would bring you an eagle's nest." 8. "An eagle's nest? Yes, indeed. But the nest would not be of much use to me. I want the young birds." 9. "And I know where there is a nest with young birds in it," said Donald. " I watched the eagles yesterday sailing here and there, and at last I tracked them out to the wildest bit of all our mountains, sir." 50 FOURTH READER. 10. " Go and get me them/' cried the English- man. " Get me them as quickly as possible, and I will give you a sovereign, my boy." 11. " Ah, but that is just it ! " said Donald, quickly. "1 want more than that; I want two sovereigns, sir. Then I will risk any danger to get them. Could you give me two sovereigns ? " The Englishman frowned. " What ! " he said. " So young, and already so anxious for money ! " 12. "No, sir; you mistake me," cried Donald. " It is not that. If it were only for myself I would get you the eaglets gladly, and ask noth- ing." " Indeed ! " said the gentleman ; " and what makes you want money so much, then?" 13. Donald was silent for a moment. Then, fearing he would lose the chance of buying back Brown Kate, he told the gentleman his story. " So you are willing to face the danger for your father's sake ? " said the Englishman. "Willing, sir? I have made up my mind to doit." 14. "And is it so very dangerous?" asked the gentleman. Donald laughed ; then he said, gravely, — " It is dangerous, sir ; there is no doubt THE eagle's, nest. 51 about that. The only way one can get to the nest is by climbing along a narrow ridge, like the back of a knife, with fearful precipices on both sides. But, please God, I shall go safe, and come back safe." 15. " Then you will risk your life," said the gen- tleman. " Well, then, bring me the birds, and the two sovereigns are yours that moment." "Thank you, sir," said Donald, and turned to go. " Stop, stop ! " cried the gentleman. " I wished to try if you really meant to go, but I have changed my mind. I do not think I care at all to have an eagle's nest." 16. Donald's face fell. " Go home, my boy," said his friend. " Go home without broken bones. Ah ! but you need not look so vexed. You shall have the money, and I will do without the eaglets. Here, take this." 52 FOURTH READER. 17. He held two shining pieces of gold out to Donald, who drew back. " Come, take them," he said, smiling. " I give them gladly. Take them and go, or I shall be very angry, and not want to know about any more salmon." At last Donald took the money. He thanked the kind friend most heartily, and then went away. 18. He walked along quietly till he was well out of hearing of the inn ; then he capered about, and fairly shouted aloud with joy. " Oh, pretty Brown Kate, you shall be ours again to-day — you shall, you shall! Oh, father, how glad you will be ! " Then he grew grave again. "But Dr. Mayne must have his eaglets too : that is quite certain," he said to himself. Directly. — Presently, without de- lay. Heartily. — Earnestly, with all the heart. Inn. — Home for travellers. Dairy. — The room or place where milk is kept, and butter or cheese is made. Eaglets. — Young eagles. Sovereign. — Twenty English shillings, or a little less than five U. S. dollars. Tracked. — Followed, by watching the way. Precipice. — A steep, rocky de- scent. Ridge. — The highest part of a range of hills or mountains. Salmon. — Those here men- tioned are probably Salmon Trout ; beautiful fresh-water fish which are abundant in the rivers of Scotland. They go up from the sea at spawning time. THE eagle's nest. 53 XIV. isth-mus circ-ling tlirob-bing fash.-ion stead-i-ly flushed al-read-y climbed sud-den-ly nest-led bruised swoop THE EAGLE'S NEST. — Part III. 1. It was still early and quite cool when Donald came for the second time out of the cottage ; but this time he did not take the path that goes down into the valley. He turned the other way, and climbed steadily up the mountain. 2. It was steep enough to make any one feel quite out of breath ; but Donald had been used from a baby to climb the steepest places. He did not care, but went on steadily. He stood at last upon the top, and looked back. 3. The mountain air blew fresh upon his flushed face. He could see for miles and miles over the rolling mountains, with a river foaming among them, and deep down in the valleys, or nestled on the hillsides, he could see the white houses, where the women were busy at their work. 4. Then he turned and looked the other way. Sharp, rocky peaks rose before him. He had climbed a steep and high mountain already, but he would have to climb a long way yet along 54 FOURTH HEADER. narrow ledges, where, if his head grew dizzy for a moment, if he made one false step, he would most certainly be killed. 5. Then his father would come home and look for him. How lonely his father would be if he were killed ! Worse still, he might not be killed at once, but lie bruised and with broken bones at the foot of some great rock, where no one could hear him call, till he died of hunger. 6. For a moment Donald thought of all this, but it was only for a moment. Then he turned and began his climb, not in a hurry, but quietly, steadily. Often his foot slipped a little upon the bare rocks or the heather ; but he fixed his sharp stick firmly into the ground at every step he took, and went on slowly. 7. Sometimes he had to walk along a narrow ledge on the side of a fearful rock, clinging to the side of the cliff, and knowing well that he must not look down into the depths below, or he would certainly lose his head and his footing. 8. It was very still all round. He could hear the wild mountain torrents, and the tinkle of a goat's bell far away. Nothing else was to be THE eagle's nest. 55 heard, except now and then the wild scream of an eagle, which he could see rise and sail high in the air, and then swoop suddenly down upon its prey. 9. Donald had now reached the last and most dangerous part of his journey. This was an edge of rock like an isthmus, which led to the high, flat place on which one nest was perched, with terrible depths surrounding it on every side but one. 10. This flat place the eagles had chosen for their nest, and it certainly seemed that they could not have found a better place to protect them from any living enemy. 11. To walk along this ledge was hopeless for any one but a rope-dancer, and even such a man might have trembled at the awful danger. But Donald could creep on his hands and knees, cling- ing tightly to the cliff. For some distance he went on in this fashion, and, to his great joy, he could now hear the hoarse but feeble cries of the hungry little eaglets. "^ 12. This sound gave him new strength. But now he came to a place where he could not even creep, and the only way to get on was to go astride. Donald did so, and with great care 56 FOURTH READER. moved on, while hope almost made him forget the peril he was in. 13. But suddenly a sound fell upon his ears, which made his heart for a moment stand still. It was a short, sharp cry, which seemed to come from the sky above him. Donald did not need to look up to know that the mother-eagle was cir- cling high in the air above him, as is the custom of those birds before dropping down upon their nest. 14. He knew the cry well, and he knew too that, if the mother-eagle saw him, she would at- tack him with her great claws and beak, flapping her huge wings about him. If she did so, he must he dashed from his perch, and thrown into that awful depth, where a dark mountain lake lay far, far below him. 15. In a moment he did the only thing that could be of the least use : he laid himself face downwards upon the sharp rock, keeping himself as still as the rock itself, and breathing a prayer to Heaven for help. 16. He could hear his own heart beat so loudly that he thought the eagle must hear it too. But in this worst of dangers help came. The young eaglets, seeing their mother, set up a loud scream- THE eagle's nest. 57 ing, and grew so eager for their food, that in a moment she came down upon the nest with a fish in her claws, which she had just taken in the lake. 17. The young ones fell upon their dinner at once, and the mother, after watching them for a moment or two, darted away again down into the valley, with the speed of an arrow. Lose his head. — Grow dizzy, and so be in danger of falling. Isthmus. — A narrow neck lead- ing to a broader place. Peril. — Danger. Custom. — Habit, False step. — An unsafe step. ^J«J«ic XXI. scis-sors com-plex-ion un-stead-y cup-board dang-ling friglit-ened scul-ler-y cliain-ber-lain THE KING AND QUEEN'S QUARREL — Part II. 1. A shudder went through me. The nursery scissors were lying on the table. He took them up, and in a minute it was done. Clip, clip, went 86 FOURTH READER. the scissors, as if they were pleased, and nearly the whole of my flaxen curls lay scattered on the floor. How I looked I don't know, but I think Bertie was a little frightened when he saw what he had done. I don't think he was anxious for his sister to see me, for he jumped up on the fen- der and put me on top of the mantel-piece. 2. Here I lay, with my feet dangling down off the side, about as ill at ease as a doll could be. Nearly all my hair was cut short, my hat had fallen off in the fray, and I found myself in a position of much discomfort, and even danger. I could see nothing that went on in the room, and the heat of the stove was fast melting my beauti- ful complexion. I tried to look like a princess, but it was hard. 3. The nursery door opened, and the little girl came back. In a hainute she ran up to the chair where she had left me, and then looked at her brother. 4. " Where's dolly ? " she cried, and she looked anxiously round. "I shan't tell you," said Bertie, beginning to look frightened. 5. "Oh, dolly, dolly! Where is my dolly?" cried the little girl, and how I longed for a voice THE KING AND QUEEn's QUARREL. 87 that could answer her. I could hear her going all round the room, pulling open drawers and cup- boards and hunting for me, but I never said a word. ^tr<\ 6. Suddenly I heard a cry. She had come to the hearth-rug, where lay the scissors and nearly all my beautiful flaxen curls on the floor. 7. " Oh, my dear dolly ! my dear dolly ! He's cut off her hair. Oh, you cruel boy ! " cried the little Queen, and she sat down and cried as if her heart would break. Then she glanced up and caught sight of where I lay quietly on the mantel- piece, with my, eyes turned up to the ceiling. 88 FOURTH READER. 8. In a moment she was upon a chair and ready to fetch me down, when, what with the chair being unsteady and her eyes being full of tears, the chair slipped beneath her, and down she fell on the floor. 9. Poor little Queen ! she was in a very bad way ! Her head fell against the fender, and hurt her very much. She sobbed and cried both with the fright and the pain. Nurse came running up, and took her on her knee, and it was a long time before she could console her. 10. "My dolly, my dolly!" she cried between her tears, and the nurse took me down from the mantel-piece and gave me to her. How she did cry over me! I felt dreadfully vexed, because tears are fatal to my complexion. 11. Bertie stood looking on frightened, and came up to look at his sister. " Go away, you naughty boy," cried nurse ; " it's all your doing, and your sister will make herself ill with crying." 12. When my little Queen heard Bertie being blamed she grew very quiet all at once. She gave her eyes a final wipe with her handkerchief, and she got ofl nurse's knee and turned to Bertie. Bertie was crying too, and he h^d gone quite white THE KING AND QUEEN S QUARREL. 89 with the fright that he got when he saw little May fall down. 13. " May, I am so sorry, dear," he said. " Will you kiss me, dear, and make it up ? Do, please." No need to ask the little Queen twice. She threw her little arms round Bertie. 14. "lam so sorry, May," he said. "I didn't know you would have cared so much." "Never mind, Bertie dear," said the little Queen gently; and she tried to look cheerful, though I knew she was grieved to the heart. " Perhaps it's almost for the best," she whispered 90 FOURTH READER. softly, "for now she can be prince or princess, just whichever you like." 15. So they made it up, and cried and laughed again, as is the way with these poor mortals. I had remained calm all the time ; but the poor little Queen had cried over me till she had washed nearly all the color off my face. 16. I lived with the children for a long time after this, but I never saw them quarrel again. I took my part in many a game, and was some- times a princess to please the Queen, and some- times a prince because the King liked it best. I have even been dressed up as the Lord Chamber- lain before now, and sometimes I have taken the part of the scullery-maid. But neither the King, nor the Queen, nor I, have ever lost our temper again, and I flatter myself that, whatever part I have taken, I have borne myself with dignity. Lucie Cobbe. Console. — To comfort. Fatal. — Sure to injure or destroy. Final. — Last. Mortals. — JIuman beings. Prop- erly all "svho must die. Borne myself. — Behaved. Lord Chamberlain. — A high offi- cer at a royal court. Dangled. — Hung down. Dignity. — A noble manner. Scullery-maid. — A servant who washes up plates and dishes. I flatter myself. — I like to be- lieve. Complexion. — The color of a face. THE MILLER OF THE DEE. 91 XXII. THE MILLER OF THE DEE. There dwelt a miller hale and bold Beside the river Dee; He worked and sang from morn till night. No lark more blithe than he ; And this the burden of his song Forever used to be, — " I envy nobody ; no, not I, And nobody envies me ! '* 92 FOURTH READER. " Thou'rt wrong, my friend!" said old King Hal, " Thou rt wrong as wrong can be ; For could my heart be light as thine, I'd gladly change with thee. And tell me now what makes thee sing, With voice so loud and free. While I am sad, though I'm the king, Beside the river Dee ? " The miller smiled and doffed his cap. " I earn my bread," quoth he ; " I love my wife, I love my friend, I love my children three j I owe no penny I cannot pay, I thank the river Dee, That turns the mill, that grinds the corn. To feed my babes and me." "Good friend," said Hal, and sighed the while, " Farewell ! and happy be ; But say no more, if thou'st be true, That no one envies thee. Thy mealy cap is worth my crown. Thy mill my kingdom's fee ; THE MILLER OF THE DEE. 93 Such men as thou are England's boast, miller of the Dee ! " C. Mackay. Hale. — Healthy. Burden. — The theme or subject most often repeated; so, the chorus of a song. Doffed. — " Doff " = do off; i.e., take off. Quoth. — Said. My kingdom's fee. — The owner- ship or possession of my king- dom. Blithe. — Gay, merry, joyous. >J*