AHEfBfflHflOOK COMPANY
DCATIOI
'Curfew must not ring to-night." (See page 2O9.)
\-SL
BARNES' NEW NATIONAL READERS
NEW
NATIONAL
FIFTH EEADEE
J.
JOHN SFPRELL
Qoll 6- Mechanical Engineer.
AiVtBRICAN BOOK CONIPANY
Copyright, 1884, by A. S. BARNES &> CO.
printeb
H. S. JSarncs & Company
flew &orh, Tfl. S. H.
GIFT
894
With the publication of this book, our series of
readers designed for the use of graded and ungraded
schools, is completed.
Concerning the simplicity and careful gradation
of the letter-press, a word of explanation is neces-
sary.
It is evident, even to the casual observer, that
pupils terminate their school life at a much earlier
age now than ever before.
This is due, in part, to
1. Better methods of instruction, which advance
pupils more rapidly toward the completion of
their course of study.
2. A. feverish desire on the part of the young to
commence their life-work
3. The humble circumstances of many parents,
who, consequently, need the assistance of their
children in the every-day affairs of life, and
take them from school by the time they have
finished the third reader.
The average age at which most pupils complete
the course of study in our public schools has been
378
6 FIFTH READER.
ascertained to "be about thirteen and a half years.
From this it is evident that many can not be more
than ten years old.
How utterly impossible it is for pupils of such
an immature age to understand or comprehend the
masterpieces of our literature, can be realized only
by those teachers who have exhausted every expe-
dient to accomplish such a result.
It is needless, perhaps, to say that the authors
of this series of readers, who have had many years'
experience in the school-room, have kept this fact
constantly in mind ; and they confidently believe
that the New National Series will be found more
pleasing, interesting, and intelligible to young minds
than any others ever issued.
If teachers of High Schools, Seminaries, and
Academies do not find that abstruse and difficult
kind of literature which they desire for the most
advanced pupils, let them await the appearance of
"Barnes' Collegiate Header and Speaker," which is in
preparation and will be issued shortly.
That these readers may lighten the labors of the
teaching fraternity every-where, and add to the
pupil's interest and pleasure during many hours
of hard study, is the fervent wish of
THE AUTHORS.
LESSONS IN PROSE.
LESSON PAGE
1. SOLDIER FRITZ (I) From the German by J. C. Pickard. 33
2. SOLDIER FRITZ (II) " " " " 38
4. MALIBRAN AND THE YOUNG MUSICIAN 44
5. ANECDOTES ABOUT ANTS (I) . . Sir John Lubbock. 49
6. ANECDOTES ABOUT ANTS (II) ..." " 53
8. BENJAMIN WEST (I) .... Nathaniel Hawthorne,. 60
9. BENJAMIN WEST (II) .... " " 64
11. MOTHER NATURE'S FAIRIES .... Mary W. Allen. 71
12. BEETHOVEN'S MOONLIGHT SONATA 77
14- ELEPHANT HUNTING IN AFRICA (I) Sir S. W. Baker. 84
15. ELEPHANT HUNTING IN AFRICA (II) " " 89
17. BAMBOO (I) A. R. Wallace. 96
18. BAMBOO (II) " " 100
20. AN ICEBERG R. H. Dana, Jr. 106
21. THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES . . Hans C. Andersen. 109
23. PAPER 115
24. THE SOLDIER'S REPRIEVE Mrs. R. D. 0. Robbins. 120
8 FIFTH READER.
LESSON PAGE
26. BEE HUNTERS A. R. Wallace. 128
27. THE COAST OP NORWAY . . . . Harriet Martineau. 132
"29. LAND AND SEA-BREEZES M. F. Maury. 140
30. THE FIRST NIGHT AT SCHOOL . . Thomas Hughes. 144
32. THE SAGACITY OF THE SPIDER. . . Oliver Goldsmith. 152
33. A GOOD INVESTMENT Freeman Hunt. 158
35. MRS. CAUDLE'S UMBRELLA LECTURE . Douglas Jerr old. 166
36. THE AMERICAN FLAG . . . Henry Ward Beecher. 170
38. THE HURRICANE John J. Audubon. 175
39. l s A TURTLE A FISH? Alexander Hunter. 180
41. STANLEY'S SEARCH FOR LIVINGSTONE . Edward King. 187
42. TYPHOONS AND WATER-SPOUTS . . Philip H. Gosse. 193
44- ALADDIN'S CAVE Benjamiji F. Taylor. 201
45. AN EXPLOIT OF SIR WILLIAM WALLACE. Sir W. Scott, 205
47. NICHOLAS NICKLEBY LEAVING SCHOOL. Charles Dickens. 212
48. MARK TWAIN'S WATCH S. L. Clemens. 219
50. AN INCIDENT IN THE LIFE OF SIR WALTER KALEIGH (I) 227
51. AN INCIDENT IN THE LIFE OF SIR WALTER KALEIGH (II)
Sir Walter Scott. 232
53. SCENES IN THE YELLOWSTONE COUNTRY . W. F. Phelps. 239
64- THE DISCOVERY OF PHOSPHORUS . . Rodney Welch. 243
56. THE BURNING OF Moscow (I) ... J. T. Headley. 251
57. THE BURNING OF Moscow (II) . . 254
59. THE "ARIEL" AMONG THE SHOALS (I). J. F. Cooper. 261
60. THE "ARIEL" AMONG THE SHOALS (II) " 268
62. THE FIRST SHIP OF PETER THE GREAT . E. Schuyler. 276
FIFTH READER. 9
LESSON PAGE
63. MY FIRST DAY IN THE QUARRY . . Hugh Miller. 282
65. AN HEROIC DEED Freeman Hunt. 289
66. ON CONVERSATION Sir Matthew Hale. 294
68. GENEROUS REVENGE . . 302
69. THE ONSET OF THE IROQUOIS . Francis Parkman. 307
71. TROPICAL VEGETATION IN SOUTH AMERICA
Charles Kingsley. 317
72. FRANKLIN'S VISIT TO His MOTHER . Freeman Hunt. 321
74. THE SKY John Ruskin. 331
75. A DINNER PARTY IN ANCIENT THEBES . Mrs. J. D. Steels. 335
77. THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA (1) . Washington Irving. 342
78. THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA (II) . " 348
80. LOST ON THE FLOES (I) .... Elisha K. Kane. 356
81. LOST ON THE FLOES (II) " " " 362
83. BENEATH THE FALLS OF NIAGARA . . John Tyndall. 370
84- THE COLISEUM AT KOME . . Charlotte M. Yonge. 376
86. THE GOLDEN TEMPLE OF PERU . . W. H. Prescott. 383
87. CAPTURE AND ESCAPE OF GENERAL WADS WORTH.
S. A. Drake. 387
89. THE RUBBER TREES OF THE AMAZON Herbert H. Smith. 396
90. ANECDOTE OF SIR MATTHEW HALE 401
92. SILK- WORMS John Henry Gray. 408
93. LATOUR D'AUVERGNE 413
96. CAPTURE OF QUEBEC Warburton. 428
98. THE BATTLE OF THERMOPYL^ (I) . . C. M. Yonge. 440
99. THE BATTLE OF THERMOPYL^ (II) ..." " 446
1O FIFTH READER.
LESSON PAGE
GOLD DUST 459
DEFINITIONS 463
PROPER NAMES 477
LESSONS IN VERSE.
3. LITTLE FEET Florence Percy. 42
7. WHAT I LIVE FOR G. Linnceus Banks. 58
10. THE OLD FARM-HOUSE 69
13. THE FROST SPIRIT ...... John G. Whittier. 82
./&_ GRADATIM J. a. Holland. 94
19. SONG OP THE AMERICAN EAGLE 104
22. THE SUNBEAM Mrs. Hemans. 114
25. OUR COUNTRY W. J. Parbodie. 126
28. KENTUCKY BELLE Constance F. Woolson. 135
31. THE BRAVE AT HOME T. Buchanan Read. 151
34- DRIVING HOME THE Cows .... Kate P. Osgood. 164
37. THE BISON TRACK Bayard Taylor. 173
40. LEGEND OF THE CANON . . . Jeremiah Mahoney. 184
43. AN ORDER FOR A PICTURE Alice Gary. 197
46." CURFEW MUST NOT RING TO-^IGHT," Rosa H. Thorpe. 209
49. CUSTER'S LAST CHARGE . . . Frederick Whittaker. 224
52. TRUE HEROISM 237
55. THE DEATH OF THE OLD YEAR . Alfred Tennyson. 248
58. A THANKSGIVING Lucy Larconi. 259
61. THE SONG OF STEAM G. W. Cutter. 273
64. MIDSUMMER J. T. Trowbridge. 287
FIFTH READER. 11
LESSON PAQE
67. THE FACE AGAINST THE PANE 299
70. THE VANE ON THE SPIRE . . . . B. F. Taylor. 313
73. THE WIDOW OF GLENCOE . . William E. Aytoun. 328
76. YIBGINIUS T. B. Macaulay. 339
79. THE CAVALRY CHARGE B. F. Taylor. 354
82. THE BIVOUAC OP THE DEAD . . Theodore O' If ara. 367
85. A ROMAN LEGEND .... Henry W. Longfellow. 380
88. SNOW-BOUND (Selection) . . . John G. Whittier. 392
91. THE AMERICAN FLAG. . . Joseph Rodman Drake. 405
&. THE DEAD GRENADIER B. F. Taylor. 419
95. SCENE FROM "KING JOHN" Shakspeare. 422
97. ELEGY WRITTEN IN A COUNTRY CHURCH- YARD . Gray. 435
100. THE RAVEN Edgar A. Poe. 454
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.
The publishers desire to thank Messrs. Houghton, Mifflin &
Co., Harper & Brothers, Charles Scribner's Sons, and S. C.
Griggs & Co., for permission to use some of their valuable
copyright matter in this book.
LIST OF AUTHORS.
ALLEN, MARY W., 71.
ANDERSEN, HANS C., 109.
AUDUBON, JOHN J., 175.
AYTOTJN, W. E., 328.
BAKER, SIR S. W., 84, 89.
BANKS, G. LINNJEUS, 58.
BEECHER, H. W., 170, 459.
BRYANT, WILLIAM C., 459.
BURKE, EDMUND, 459.
BYRON, LORD, 460.
GARY, ALICE, 197.
CHANNING, W. E., 460.
CHESTERFIELD, P. D. S., 459.
CLEMENS, S. L., 219.
COLERIDGE, S. T., 459.
COLTON, W., 461.
COOPER, J. F., 261, 268.
COWPER WILLIAM, 460, 462.
CUTTER, G. W., 273.
DANA, K. H., JR., 106.
DICKENS, CHARLES, 212.
DRAKE, JOSEPH B,., 405.
DRAKE, S. A., 387.
DRYDEN, JOHN, 461.
EMERSON, E. W., 459, 460.
FRANKLIN, BENJAMIN, 461.
GOLDSMITH, OLIVER, 152.
GOSSE, P. H., 193.
GRAY, JOHN HENRY, 408.
GRAY, THOMAS, 435.
HALE, MATTHEW, 294.
HAWTHORNE, N., 60, 64.
HEADLEY, J. T., 251, 254.
HEMANS, FELICIA D., 114.
HOLLAND, J. G., 94.
HOLMES, 0. W., 459.
HUGHES, THOMAS, 144.
HUNTER, ALEX., 180.
HUNT, FREEMAN, 158, 289, 321.
IRVING, WASHINGTON, 342, 348.
JERROLD, DOUGLAS, 166.
KANE, ELISHA KENT, 356, 362.
KING, EDWARD, 187.
KINGSLEY, CHARLES, 317, 462.
LARCOM, LUCY, 259.
LONGFELLOW, HENRY W., 380,
460, 461, 462.
LUBBOCK, SIR JOHN, 49, 53.
MACAULAY, T. B., 339.
MAHONEY, JEREMIAH, 184.
MARTINEAU, HARRIET, 132.
MAURY, M. F., 140.
MILLER, HUGH, 282.
O'HARA, THEODORE, 367.
FIFTH READER.
13
OSGOOD, KATE P., 164.
PARBODIE, W. J., 126.
PAEKMAN, FRANCIS, 307.
PERCY, FLORENCE, 42.
PHELPS, W. F., 239.
PICKARD, J. C., 33, 38.
POE, EDGAR A., 454.
PRESCOTT, W. H., 383.
EEAD, T. B., 151.
KOBBINS, MRS. E. D. C., 120.
RUSKIN, JOHN, 331, 462.
SCHUYLER, EUGENE, 276.
SCOTT, SIR W., 205, 227, 232,
461.
SHAKSPEARE, WILLIAM, 422,
459, 461, 462.
SMITH, HERBERT H., 396.
STEELE, MRS. J. D., 335.
SWIFT, JONATHAN, 460, 461.
TAYLOR, BAYARD, 173.
TAYLOR, BENJAMIN E., 201, 313,
354, 419.
TENNYSON, ALFRED, 248, 460.
THORPE, ROSA H., 209.
THOMSON, JAMES, 459.
TYNDALL, JOHN, 370.
WALLACE, A. R., 96, 100, 128.
WARBURTON, 428.
WELCH, RODNEY, 243.
WHITTAKER, FREDERICK, 224.
WHITTIER, J. G., 82, 392, 460.
WOOLSON, CONSTANCE F., 135.
YONGE, CHARLOTTE M., 376,
440, 446.
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
THE CURFEW . . . . C. D. Weldon. . Robert Varley. 2
ELEPHANT HUNTING . . Paul Frenzeny . Paul Del Orme. 87
SOLDIER'S REPRIEVE . . C. M. Mellhenney . J. A. Bogert. 122
EXPLOIT OF WALLACE . Sehell d- Hogan. . Samuel Davis. 208
CUSTER'S LAST CHARGE . W. M. Gary . . Horace Baker. 226
THE "ARIEL" E. R. Tichenor. 272
LITTLE MABEL . . . . J. S. Davis . . H. W. Miller. 300
WIDOW OF GLENCOE. . George White . . . W. Mollier. 330
14 FIFTH READER.
SUBJECT. ARTIST. ENGRAVER. PAGE
VIRGINIUS W. St. J. Harper . . H. Velten. 340
LOST ON THE FLOES. . M. J. Burns. . Wm. McCracken. 365
LATOTJR D'AUVERGNE . . Paul Frenzeny . Samuel Davis. 417
CAPTURE OF QUEBEC . T. De Thulstrup . E. C. Held. 434
THERMOPYLJS .... George White 448
Elocution is the art of using the voice for the
proper expression of thought.
The divisions under which Elocution will be con-
sidered are Pronunciation and Expression.
Before undertaking to put in application any system, of rules
for delivery, we must thoroughly understand the thoughts to be
expressed. To listen to good reading will educate us for the ex-
pression of thought ; but in no sense is it true that elocution can
be learned by exact imitation. Our observation of another's per-
formance may give us the general theory of expression ; but our
own improvement must depend altogether upon our own labors.
"Practice makes perfect" is the motto constantly to be borne in
mind : yet it must be intelligent practice, and not blind imitation,
which can result only in making mechanical readers.
PRONUNCIATION.
Pronunciation treats of the Elementary Sounds of
the Language, Articulation, Syllabication, and Ac-
cent.
The Phonic Chart on page 32 contains a list of the elementary
sounds with their equivalents ; and the continued practice upon
syllabication and accent in all the books of this series, makes it
unnecessary to repeat in abstract form what has already been
mastered by experience.
16 FIFTH READER.
ARTICULATION.
Articulation is the act of uttering the element-
ary sounds, either separately or together in syllables.
One meaning of the word articulate is to join or unite, and the
meaning of articulation as used in elocution is to utter words so
as to exhibit every joint, i.e., elementary sound.
A vowel by itself is easily sounded, and a syl-
lable containing one vowel and one consonant
usually presents no difficulty ; but where two, three,
or more consonants are joined with a single vowel,
considerable effort is sometimes necessary to articu-
late them correctly.
Examples. Well, tivelve, twelfth, twelfths; read, breadth, breadths.
The accented syllable of a long word may be in
such a position as to render the articulation of the
other syllables very difficult.
Examples. Dis' so lu "ble, ex'e era ble, for' mi da ble.
The repetition of the same or similar sounds in-
creases the difficulty of articulation.
Examples. With this speech. This is a last surprise.
In the last two examples we may articulate so poorly as to
change the meaning ; as, With his peach. This is alas surprise.
A faulty articulation can be much improved by
pronouncing words in a whisper.
This exercise does away with the use of loud speaking to
counteract a poor articulation. As soon as we understand that
words are made up principally of consonants, and that conso-
nants have little or no sound of themselves, we see the import-
ance of forming them correctly.
Suggestion. Let the class practice occasionally upon the con-
sonants, using such exercises as the following :
FIFTH READER. 17
EXE RCISE.
Pronounce in a whisper
p,
peep
b,
hob
f,
fife.
v,
five
t,
tight
d,
did
th,
thin
th,
this
k,
kick
g>
gig
ch,
chin
sh,
shop
1,
lull
m,
make
n,
noon
r,
rare
s,
sense
s,
as
zh,
azure
g,
age
h,
he
w,
we
y,
ye
c,
cede
Another excellent exercise is to separate words
into their elements, and then put them together
again.
EXERCISE.
boh
b o b
b o b
b-o b
bob
From what has been said, we may derive the
following rules in regard to articulation:
I. Every sound in a word, whether vowel or
consonant, should be pronounced.
II. Each syllable of a word should be pronounced
distinctly.
III. The words in a sentence should be separated
from one another.
The careless habit of running words together in reading is
very easily corrected by reading the words of a sentence back-
ward. By the latter method each word is separated rather more
widely from its successor than is necessary in direct reading.
18 FIFTH READER.
EXPRESSION.
Expression includes in its treatment the consid-
eration of Tone of Voice, Rate or Movement, Force,
Pitch, Emphasis, Pauses, Inflection, and Modulation.
TONE OF VOICE.
Tone, or Quality, of Voice is the kind of sound,
used in reading or speaking; as, a full tone, a quiet-
tone, or a loud tone.
The Tone should "be in harmony with the thoughts
expressed. In other words, Tone is regulated by
sentiment.
If the feelings to be expressed are quiet In their nature, the
tone of voice will "be quiet; if the sentiment is joyous, the tone
will be full and clear. Horror requires a harsh, unnatural tone;
fear, a suppressed tone, scarcely above a whisper.
The Conversational Tone of Voice is that used in
expressing quiet or unemotional thoughts.
In speaking of a lesson as requiring to be read in a conver-
sational tone, we mean that the conversational tone is the pre-
vailing tone to be used. A change of tone for a few lines may
occur in any reading lesson ; but need not be taken into account
in speaking of the general tone of the piece.
EXAMPLES OF CONVERSATIONAL TONE.
It was the time when lilies blow,
And clouds are highest up in air,
Lord Ronald brought a lily-white doe
To give to his cousin, Lady Clare.
From "Lady Clare," by TENNYSON.
To read with attention, exactly to define the expressions of our
author, never to admit a conclusion without comprehending its
reason, often to pause, reflect, and interrogate ourselves, these
are so many advices which it is easy to give, but difficult to
follow.
GIBBON.
FIFTH READER. 19
"Sit down, Mr. Nickleby," said Squeers. "Here we are
a-breakfasting, you see ! " .
Nicholas did not see that any body was breakfasting, except
Mr. Squeers ; but he bowed with all becoming reverence, and
looked as cheerful as he could.
From "Nicholas Mokleby," by DICKENS.
Suggestion. Each member of the class should be required to
furnish one or more short examples under each topic of Expres-
sion. Independent work will insure substantial progress.
A Full Tone of Voice is used to express such,
sentiments as great joy, sublimity, lofty courage,
reverential fear, exultation, and otners of a similar
nature.
EXAMPLES OF FULL TONE.
Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light;
The year is dying in the night ;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.
From "Death of (he Old Year," by TENNYSON.
When the world is dark with tempests,
"When thunder rolls and lightning flies,
Thou lookest forth in thy beauty from the clouds,
And laughest at the storm.
From " Ossian," by MACPHERSON.
Hail universal Lord, be bounteous still
To give us only good ; and if the night
Have gather'd aught of evil, or conceal'd,
Disperse it, as now light dispels the dark.
From "Paradise Lost" by MILTON.
Proceed, plot, conspire, as thou wilt, there is nothing thou
canst contrive, propose, attempt, which I shall not promptly be
made aware of. Thou shalt soon be convinced that I am even
more active in providing for the preservation of the state, than
thou in plotting its destruction.
From ''Oration I. against Catiline," by CICERO.
2O FIFTH READER.
The Middle Tone of Voice is adapted to the ex-
pression of sentiments not conversational, and yet
too moderate in their nature to require a full tone.
EXAMPLES OF MIDDLE TONE.
I bring fresh showers for the thirsting flowers,
From the seas and the streams ;
I "bear light shade for the leaves when laid
In their noonday dreams.
From " The Cloud," by SHELLBY.
Between the dark and the daylight,
When night is beginning to lower,
Comes a pause in the day's occupations,
That is known as the children's hour.
From " The Children's Hour,"'' by LONGFELLOW.
The easy chair, all patched with care,
Is placed "by the cold hearth-stone,
With witching grace, in the old fire-place,
The evergreens are strewn ;
And pictures hang on the whitened wall,
And the old clock ticks in the cottage hall.
Remark. Almost any quiet sentiment may find utterance in
a middle tone of voice. Meditation, soliloquy, quiet pleasure, and
happiness, are expressed incorrectly if given with a full tone
they are exaggerated and appear unnatural ; again, if given in a
conversational tone, they are lacking in fullness of expression.
The size of a room affects in a measure the tone of voice used.
A large room requires more volume of voice than a small room ;
and for this reason, the conversational tone in a large room should
be discarded for the middle or even the full tone.
The Calling Tone of Voice is used in loud excla-
mations, in addressing persons at a distance, and
in unbridled passion.
Properly speaking, the Calling Tone is only a Full Tone used
spasmodically. The name is used in this book simply for the
sake of convenience. A pleasing substitute for the Calling Tone
in a small room is a quiet utterance in imitation of an echo,
calling tones as they would sound a long distance away.
FIFTH READER. 21
EXAMPLE OF CALLING TONE
He shook the fragment of his blade.
And shouted "Victory!
Charge, Chester, charge ! On, Stanley, on ! "
Were the last words of Marmion.
From " Marmion," by SCOTT.
RATE OR MOVEMENT.
The Rate of reading may be moderate, fast, or
slow.
No two persons in a class will read a lesson with the same
rate, although every one in the class may accord to the lesson
the same sentiment, and call the rate slow, or fast, or moderate.
The difference will be only in practice, and not at all in theory.
Suggestion. Beading in concert will do more to correct the
faults of individuals in regard to time than any amount of ad-
monition. A sluggish or a rapid reader will realize his defect as
soon as he reads with others, and is obliged to regulate his time
according to theirs.
A Moderate Hate is suitable for all kinds of quiet
discourse, whether conversational, narrative, or de-
scriptive.
Conversational subjects should be treated neither too slowly
nor too rapidly. Even if the articulation of a speaker is clear
and distinct, he will weary his hearers by speaking too rapidly,
and the effect of what is said will be in part lost.
EXAMPLES OF MODERATE RATE.
No stir in the air, no stir in the sea,
The ship was still as she might be ;
Her sails from heaven received no motion;
Her keel was steady in the ocean.
from the " Inchcape Rock," by SOUTHBT.
In Columbus were singularly combined the practical and the
poetical. His mind had grasped all kinds of knowledge, whether
procured by study or observation, which bore upon his theories.
From "History of Columbus," by IRVING.
FIFTH READER.
The splendor falls on castle walls,
And snowy summits old in story;
The long light shakes across the lakes,
And the wild cataract leaps in glory.
From ''Bugle Song," by TENNYSON.
In the second of the three examples the time is slightly differ-
ent from that of the first and third, and yet they would all be
examples of moderate rate.
A Fast Mate may be used in expressing such feel-
ings as delight, anxiety, terror, and violent anger.
EXAMPLES OF FAST RATE.
He is come I he is come 1 do ye not behold
His ample robes on the wind unrolled ?
From " The Hurricane," by BRYANT.
"She is won! we are gone! over bank, bush, and scaur,
They'll have fleet steeds that follow," quoth young Lochinvar.
From " Lochinvar," by SCOTT.
They crush and they crowd; they trample upon the living
and the dead. A multitude fills roads, paths, bridges, plains,
hills, valleys, woods, choked up by the flight of forty thousand
men.
From "Les Miserables," by HUGO.
A Slow Rate is in keeping with the expression of
solemnity, grandeur, reverential fear, and like emo-
tions.
EXAMPLES OF SLOW RATE.
Slowly and sadly we laid him down,
Prom the field of his fame fresh and gory I
"We carved not a line, we raised not a stone,
But we left him alone in his glory.
From " The Burial of Sir John Moore," by WOLFE.
Adams and Jefferson are no more. On our fiftieth anniver-
sary, the great day of national jubilee, in the very hour of pub-
lic rejoicing, they took their flight together to the world of
spirits.
From "Adams and Jefferson," by WEBSTER.
FIFTH READER. 23
Roll on, thou deep and dark blue Ocean, roll !
Ten thousand fleets sweep over thee in vain.
From "Apostrophe to the Ocean" by BYRON.
The degree of slowness or rapidity will depend upon the in-
tensity of the feelings. In the case of anger, for instance, if we
have perfect control of ourselves, we may speak slowly and de-
liberately ; but if the feeling masters us, our utterance will be as
rapid as possible.
PITCH.
Pitch is the elevation or depression of the voice
in speaking.
This elevation or depression is reckoned from the natural pitch,
of the voice, or, as it is sometimes called, the key of the voice.
As the musical range of all voices is not the same, we have no
fixed method of reckoning pitch, and can only describe it with
reference to individual voices.
Natural Pitch is that used in ordinary conversa-
tion.
With the delivery of very joyful sentiments, our voices should
rise to a higher pitch than is used in conversation ; but in ex-
pressing calm sorrow or sad emotions of any kind, we should use
a low pitch.
Pitch, then, as well as tone, force, and rate, depends altogether
upon the sentiments to be expressed.
Middle Pitch is that used in ordinary conversa-
tion and in the delivery of unemotional thoughts.
EXAMPLES OF MIDDLE PITCH.
Surly, dozing humble-bee !
Where thou art is clime for me.
From " To the Humble-Bee" by EMERSON.
To him who in the love of Nature, holds
Communion with her visible forms, she speaks
A various language.
From " Thanatopsi^" 1 by BRYANT.
24 FIFTH READER.
Speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounced it to you, trip-
pingly on the tongue ; but if you mouth it, as many of your
players dc I had as lief the town-crier spoke my lines.
From " Hamlet," by SHAKSPEARE.
High Pitch is used in expressing thoughts that
require considerable force for their proper delivery,
or of which the sentiment is light and joyous.
EXAMPLES OF HIGH PITCH.
Cheerily, then, my little man,
Live and laugh as boyhood can !
From " The Barefoot Boy," by WHITTIER.
And see ! she stirs !
She starts, she moves, she seems to feel
The thrill of life along her keel !
From " The Launch of the Ship," by LONGFELLOW.
Hail to thee, blithe spirit 1
Bird thou never wert,
That from heaven, or near it,
Pourest thy full heart
In profuse strains of unpremeditated art.
From " Ode to the Skylark," by SHELLEY.
Low Pitch indicates great serenity of mind, and
is used to express deep joy, calm sorrow, and kin-
dred emotions.
EXAMPLES OF LOW PITCH.
Not a drum was heard, not a funeral note,
As his corse to the rampart we hurried ;
Not a soldier discharged his farewell shot,
O'er the grave where our hero we buried.
From " The Burial of Sir John Moore," by WOLFE.
All sights were mellowed and all sounds subdued;
The hills seemed farther, and the streams sung low;
As in a dream, the distant woodman hewed
His winter-log with many a muffled blow.
From " The Closing Scene," by READ.
FIFTH READER. 25
All is peace. The heights of yonder metropolis, its towers and.
roofs, which you then saw filled with wives and children, and
countrymen, in distress and terror, and looking with unutterable
emotions for the issue of the combat, have presented you to-day
with the sight of its whole happy population, come out to wel-
come and greet you with a universal jubilee. From " Oration at the
Laying of the Corner-stone of Bunker Hitt Monument, " by WEBSTEB.
TR AN SITION.
A change of sentiment will always be accom-
panied with a change in the manner of delivery.
Such a change is called a Transition.
In almost every narrative or descriptive selection, there will
be slight changes or variations in feeling, and the reading should
be varied to express such changes.
Two faults to "be avoided in reading are Monotony,
or sameness of tone, and Sing-Song, or a regular
method of elevating and lowering the voice "by a
system of false transitions having no reference
whatever to the sentiment.
We have considered under Expression the topics which relate
to the sentiment of what we read. We must now consider the
topics which relate to the delivery of separate sentences and
their parts, phrases, and words.
EMPHASIS.
Emphasis is the use of special force in the utter-
ance of certain words for the purpose of exhibiting
their importance to a listener.
Emphasis is of various degrees, from the slight force given to
the important words in ordinary discourse, to the strongest
force given to words in emotional utterances.
26 FIFTH READER.
Absolute Emphasis "belongs to words naturally
important to the meaning; as, "We have not long
to live." " The sun begins to rise." " He never said
that."
In the last example given, the meaning of the sentence will
be changed if -we emphasize each of the different words
He never said that. (Some one else said it.)
He never said that. (At no time in his life.)
He never said that. (He may have thought it.)
He never said that. (It was something else he said.)
If there is any doubt as to which words in a sentence are
emphatic, we must carefully consider the meaning of the sentence
as affected by the sentences which precede and follow it.
Relative Emphasis "belongs to words which gain
importance through contrast with other words ; as,
66 Yesterday 9 hope animated every breast ; now we find
ourselves in the depths of despair."
The words "yesterday" and "now," "hope" and "despair,"
have added to the emphasis naturally belonging to them, the
special emphasis due to their contrasted meaning.
Emotional Emphasis is given to words which ex-
press a depth of feeling not belonging to them in
unimpassioned discourse:
1. By increasing the force when the same word
is repeated; as, "I never would lay down my arms
newer, NEVER, NEVER!"
2. By prolonging the sounds of words ; as, " He was
a squ-e-e-z-ing, wr-e-nch-ing , gr-a-sp-ing, scr-a-p-ing 9
cl-u-tch-ing , c-o-v-et-ous, o-ld sin-ner."
The example just given is called an elocutionary climax. There
should be increased force given to each of the words as they fol-
low one another.
FIFTH READER. 27
3. By loud exclamations ; as, " Victory ! " " Hurra ! "
"A horse, a horse! my kingdom for a horse!"
4. By stopping between words ; as, " Caesar paused
on the bank of the Rubicon. IVhy \ did \ he \ pause ?
IVJiy | does | a man's heart | palpitate | , when he is on
the point of committing | an unlawful | deed ? "
This last mode of emphasis shows the force that can be added
to what we say by making such pauses as will aid in giving
thoughts their full importance. The use of too many or too long
pauses will, however, overdo the effect of emphasis and ruin the
force of expression.
PAUSES.
The Pauses used in reading are either to make
the meaning clear, or to emphasize certain words or
phrases. The former are called Grammatical Pauses;
the latter, Rhetorical Pauses.
The Grammatical Pauses period, colon, semicolon, and comma
are written in all cases where the sense would be obscure with-
out them.
Rhetorical Pauses are used to add emphasis to
certain words or phrases ; as, " This | is my answer :
Not that I loved Caesar | less | , but that I loved
Rome | more."
Rhetorical Pauses occur :
1. After an emphatic subject; as, " This | is my
answer."
2. Before any emphatic word ; as, " Now, | now is
the time for action ! We must conquer, or | die."
The rhetorical pause before "now" calls special attention to
the time; that before "die" to the dreadful alternative. The
speaker's evident reluctance to say "die" raises expectation on
the part of his hearers, and thus makes the word more emphatic.
28 FIFTH READER.
The Caesural Pause occurs either at or near the
middle of every line of poetry, and is used to rest
the voice and to mark the rhythm (now) of the
measure.
EXAM PLE.
There is a land I of every land the pride,
Beloved by heaven 1 o'er all the world "beside ;
Where brighter suns J dispense serener light,
And milder moons || emparadise the night.
MONTOOMBKT.
In solemn measure, the ccesural pause occurs after the middle
of each line ; and in lively measure, before the middle of each
line. When the lines of poetry are very short, the ccesural pause
is sometimes placed after each line.
INFLECTION
Inflection is a bending or turning* of the voice
at the close of a syllable or word.
The rising inflection, marked thus ('), is a turning
of the voice upward; the falling inflection, marked
thus p), is a turning of the voice downward.
EXAMPLES.
"Hear ye yon lion' roaring in his den'?
'Tis three days since he tasted flesh". "
"Do you hear the rain', Mr. Caudle'? T say v , do | you | hear |
the | rain 7 ? Nonsense v ! you don't impose on me x ; you can't r be
asleep N I "
"Affected passion', intense expression', the pomp of declama-
tion s , air may aspire' after it, they can not reach x it."
"Will you go to-day' or to-morrow x ?
"Where do you expect to go x ?"
From the above examples, we may derive the
following rules :
1. Questions which may be answered by yes or
no, regularly require the rising inflection.
FIFTH READER. 29
2. Questions which can not be answered by yes
or no, require the falling inflection.
3. The rising inflection is used upon one of two
contrasted words or phrases, the fatting inflection
upon the other.
4. The rising inflection is generally used upon all
the words or phrases of a series except the last,
which takes the falling inflection.
Remark. The rising inflection regularly indicates hesitation or
doubt ; the falling inflection, determination or decision.
The use of the inflections upon series of words, in contrasts,
is to avoid unpleasant sameness of sound. Emphasis may require
the use of falling inflections only, as in the case of using calling
tones.
The Kising Circumflex, marked thus ( v ), is a
slight downward turn of the voice followed by a
rise; and the Falling Circumflex, marked thus ( A ), a
slight rise followed by a downward turn.
EXAMPLES.
" Shine, v shine v forever/ glorious A flame/
Divinest v gift v of gods v to man A!"
"To-morrow v , didst thou say v ?
Methought I heard Horatio A say, To-morrow A ."
MOD UL ATIO N.
Modulation is the agreeable variation of sounds
in speaking, caused by the proper use of tone,
pitch, force, emphasis, and inflection. By employ-
ing all the means conducive to intelligent reading,
the thoughts we express receive full force and afford
both pleasure and interest.
The register, or extent, of the speaking voice from its lowest to
its highest pitch, will vary with individuals, and no fixed scale
of vocal tones can be used with benefit in class practice.
SO FIFTH READER.
Middle Pitch can be determined without difficulty, since it is
the part of the voice used in conversation. To make the conver-
sational tone flexible is the most important matter to be consid-
ered in reading. Unemotional reading is difficult.
THE MONOTONE.
The Monotone consists in the repetition of the
same musical note, and the partial absence of em-
phasis and inflection. The use of the monotone in-
dicates great solemnity.
Those who read a passage without any variation
whatever, ruin the effect by the monotony of their
reading. The correct use of the monotone seems to
lie in dwelling upon the same note through a num-
ber of words, and, in case of a change to a higher
or lower note, in holding the new note through
several words.
EXAMPLE.
"As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed
our transgressions from us."
BIBLE.
READING POETRY.
In reading poetry, the phrasing, or grouping of
words according to sense, seems to be more difficult
than in prose, on account of the rhythm and the
rhyme; but the sense is most important and must
be preserved.
The ccesural pause is usually preceded by a slight
increase and followed by a slight decrease of force.
The regular recurrence of accented and unac-
cented syllables in poetry the rhythm requires no
effort on the part of the reader to make it evident.
FIFTH READER. 31
Rhymed verse sounds better when the rhymed
syllables are not emphasized.
Any tendency to emphasize regularly certain
syllables in each line, or to repeat the same inflec-
tions in each line, constitutes what is called sing-
song, and must be carefully guarded against.
Suggestion Members of the class should be called
upon to explain, by examples of their own selection,
all points relating to elocution. Practice is better
than theory.
PHONIC CHART.
VOWELS.
a as in
lake
a
as
in
what
6
as
in
b6x
a " "
at
e
*<
be
u
tt
(4
use
a "
far
'*
<4
tet
u
d
up
a " "
all
T
"
"
196
u
"
"
fur
a " "
e^re
I
ti
(i
In
do
(4
tdb
a " "
ask
it
so
db
(4
Idbk
DIPHTHONGS,
oi, oy (unmarked), as in oil, boy
ou, ow
out,
CONSONANTS
b as
in bad
m
as
in
me
y
as
in
y5s
d "
" do
n
it
no
z
M
44
froze
f
" f6x
P
14
"
put-
ng
44
sing
g "
" go
r
((
u
rat
ch
44
a
chl-ek
h "
" he
s
(4
((
so
sh
((
she
j
" just
t
11
((
too
th
M
u
think
k "
" kite
V
((
u
vgry
th
a
the
1 "
" 16t
w
U
u
\ve
wh
(hw),
(4
what
EQUIVALENTS.
VOWELS.
a like 6 as in what
e '* a " " whr<
e " a " " they
e " u " " ner
girl
Q, u like do as in to, rule
6 " u " " -eome
6 " a " " for
u, o " db " " put,-eould
y " I " " by
y ' I " " klt'ty
like
tt
as
(4
CONSONANTS.
in
-eat
cage
n like ng as in think
" z " " ha
x " ks, or gz " b6x, exist
/. SOLDIER FRITZ.
PA RT I.
eor'po ral, an officer of the lowest
grade in a company of soldiers.
rgg'i merit, a body of soldiers,
consisting usually of ten compa-
nies.
veVer an, one who has been long
in service.
ser'dje^nt (stir), an officer next in
rank above a corporal.
mag nlf'i 9ent, grand, fine.
jn ing, making a sign to
another.
ad'ju tant, a staff officer who is
appointed to assist the colonel in
his duties.
e mo'tion, movements of the
mind or soul; feelings.
llb'er al ly, freely; with a gen-
erous regard for others.
pro mot'ed, raised in rank.
Soldier Fritz N was the little son of a corporal in
the Prussian army, and lived in Brandenburg. He
loved to play soldier himself, and that is why he
was called Soldier Fritz.
His father, during a war with the French, was
with his regiment on the Rhine. N Once, when writ-
ing to his family, he told them how he sometimes
suffered for want of vegetables. "If I only had a
peck of our fine potatoes," said he, " how good they
would taste ! "
By day and by night, Soldier Fritz thought and
dreamed of his poor father; and, at last, without
34 FIFTH HEADER.
the knowledge of his mother, he filled a bag with
the finest potatoes in the cellar, and started off to
find his father.
At noon, on the first day of his journey, he came
to a small village, went into the first inn he saw,
and sat down on a bench to rest. There were
many guests in the large room, and among them
an old crippled soldier with a wooden leg.
" What do you wish, "boy ? " asked the soldier,
rising, striding toward Fritz, and measuring him
in astonishment from head to foot.
"I wish to go to the Rhine," was the answer.
"My father has "been promoted and is a sergeant,
"but he doesn't care for that, so long as he has
no potatoes. So I wish to carry him some, and
have picked out the best. Here they are in this
sack."
"Why, you strange boy!" said the soldier, "tell
that again, if you are in earnest, and so that you
can be understood." Fritz did so, and all listened
attentively. When he had done, tears stood in the
eyes of the veteran, and all the rest were much
affected.
" You are a real soldier's child, and my old heart
trembles with joy as I look at you." So saying the
veteran caught Fritz and kissed him. Then the
others did the same, and even the big landlord was
moved to his inmost soul. Nor would they let him
think of going farther that day. He had to stay
at the inn, where he was waited on as if he were
a real prince.
In the evening he told his story to the new
guests, and was at last led to a chamber and put
into a soft bed, where he slept a refreshing sleep.
FIFTH READER. 35
And while lie was sleeping, the old soldier told the
guests it would be a shame to let so brave a boy
go farther without a penny for his journey.
All gladly opened their purses and gave liber-
ally for the good boy. The landlord kept the money
till morning, when he awoke the boy, gave him a
good breakfast, sewed the money into the lining
of his jacket, and bade him good-by with hearty
wishes for his welfare.
From this place he went on foot till evening,
when he was again obliged to pass the night in a
village. Here he told his story as before and was
tenderly cared for.
At length, after journeying many days, he saw
in the distance the first sentinel of the Prussian
camp, and hastened toward him with flying feet.
"Do you know where I can find my father?" he
asked, out of breath.
" Stupid boy!" said the sentinel harshly; "do you
suppose I know your father's name, and to what
regiment he belongs?"
"Why he belongs to the Brandenburg regiment
of grenadiers, and his name is Martin Bollermann,
and he is a sergeant."
"Well, if that is true, then hunt him up! You
may pass."
Fritz ran on ; came to a second sentinel, and a
third, and at last fell into the hands of an adju-
tant, who examined him closely. The more he heard,
the more friendly he became, and finally patted the
boy's cheek very kindly.
"Come with me," he said; "I think we shall soon
be able to find your father."
He went 011 to a large, magnificent tent, from
36 FIFTH READER.
the top of which, waved a broad banner. Fritz
trudged cheerfully along by his side, carrying his
potato sack, and, at the officer's beckoning, followed
fearlessly into the tent. Here he saw an elderly,
magnificently dressed officer, sitting in a large arm-
chair at a camp-table, and apparently studying a
map. He scarcely looked up, and merely nodded
his head a very little as Fritz's attendant respect-
fully approached him.
"That is surely a general," Fritz thought, as he
remained standing near the entrance. He was right.
The adjutant spoke in a low tone to the general, who
soon turned his eyes from the map, listened atten-
tively to the adjutant's story, now and then casting
a hasty look at Fritz. After giving the officer an
order and dismissing him, he beckoned to Fritz,
who at once obeyed, and with soldierly bearing
stood before the general.
"What is your name?" the general asked.
"Fritz Bollermann, and I am called Soldier Fritz."
The general smiled and asked again: "Where do
you come from?"
"From Brandenburg."
"Why have you come?"
"To bring potatoes to my father."
"Is this really true ?" said the general to himself.
"Have you them actually there in your sack?" he
added aloud.
"Yes, the best in our whole cellar," said Fritz,
taking the sack from his shoulder and opening it.
"Only see, sir! all of them round and smooth as
pebbles."
"Well, well, my son, they are very fine and give
one a first-rate appetite. But now go into the next
FIFTH READkfl. 37
room and stay till I call you! Leave your sack
here meanwhile ! "
Fritz went as ordered, and seated himself in a
large arm-chair. Wearied by the hard march of the
day, an^ more perhaps by his emotions, he was
soon nodding and at last fast asleep. So the gen-
eral found him when, about half an hour after, he
stepped into the room. He let the boy sleep on,
and went out softly.
While Fritz was thus forgetful of every thing,
the general was busy in his behalf, and did not
rest till he found the old sergeant, Martin Boller-
mann, of the Brandenburg regiment. He had him
forthwith ordered to come to supper and at the
same time invited some of his highest officers.
Nor did he forget to give his cook certain necessary
orders.
Notes and Questions. Fritz is used as a familiar name tor
Frederic.
The river Rhine was formerly the boundary between France
and Germany, of which Prussia forms a part. The desire for the
possession of this river caused many wars.
Where is Brandenburg? How do you distinguish between a
village, a town, and a city?
Elocution. This lesson should be read in a conversational
tone of voice. The words spoken by each one of the various
speakers, should be rendered in such a manner as to represent
the feelings of the speakers.
Language. Explain the meaning of the following expres-
sions
"My old heart trembles with joy." "Flying feet."
"Was moved to his inmost soul." "Hunt him up."
In the last paragraph, the general ordered the sergeant to
come to supper and invited his officers. Explain the difference in
meaning between the words. What would be the difference in
meaning in case the words commanded and requested had been
used?
38
FIFTH READER.
. SOLDIER FRITZ.
PART II.
no' tl^ a b% likely to be seen.
sig nif i -eant, expressing a mean-
ing; standing as a sign.
pam'per^d, fed luxuriously.
fll'ial (fil'yal), becoming a child
in relation to his parents.
en rapt'ur^d, delighted beyond
measure.
per $e\ v^', notice; observe.
al ter'nat^ ly, by turns.
stam' mer^d, hesitated in speak-
ing.
e6n'de s^Sn'sion, (sen' shun),
courtesy shown to one lower in
rank.
earn pai^n', the time that an
army keeps the field.
gen'u In^, real; natural.
The guests assembled in good season, and took
their seats at the table. Some were astonished to
find at the general's table a mere sergeant, in ser-
geant's uniform. But most of all, was the sergeant
himself astonished.
*The most noticeable thing, next to the sergeant,
was a large, covered ^dish, in which the guests
supposed there was, without doubt, something very
costly and delicious; and they cast many longing
looks toward it. The general observed their curi-
osity, but gave not the slightest hint to satisfy it.
He smiled when he looked at the dish, and ex-
changed occasionally a short, significant look with
his adjutant. Curiosity became extreme.
At length, the general, with loud voice, ordered
the sergeant to take off the cover, and the eyes of
all were turned at once to the mysterious dish.
What did they see? Potatoes in the skin, which,
indeed, appeared wonderfully clean and inviting,
but which disappointed not a little the pampered
taste of the dainty guests, who had expected some-
thing quite different. The only one who heartily
FIFTH READER. 39
rejoiced was Sergeant Bollermaim, and lie could
scarcely keep back an exclamation of the greatest
surprise and delight.
" Till now," said the general, while a bright smile
played about his lips "till now, you have been my
guests ; but if you wish to enjoy those splendid
potatoes, you must turn to Sergeant Bollermann ;
they belong to him." The officers shrugged their
shoulders scornfully. The general seemed to care
but little for their displeasiire.
"If you knew in what way the potatoes came
into our camp, you would deem it an honor to
receive only one of them."
"How so? How did it happen?" they asked.
"Tell us, if you please."
"I? O no! I have no skill in telling fine stories.
But since I see that you, as well as our honest
Bollermann, are somewhat tormented by curiosity,
I. will try to gratify you in another way. Adju-
tant ! bring in my story-teller, please." The adju-
tant disappeared ; all looked eagerly toward the
entrance.
The heart of Bollermann beat as if it would
burst, for a faint suspicion of the truth seemed to
dawn in his mind. He grew white and red by
turns and did not perceive how steadily and with
what intense interest the eyes of the general were
resting upon him. Soon the curtain was drawn,
and in came, at the adjutant's side, happy and
looking around with bright and fearless eyes, Sol-
dier Fritz.
" Fritz ! " cried the sergeant, forgetting all respect
for his superiors, and springing forward with out-
spread arms. "Fritz! how came you here?" The
4O FIFTH READER.
boy made no reply, but leaped with a loud cry to
his father's breast, and the two held each other in
a long and close embrace. The officers gazed with
deep emotion at this wonderful spectacle, and in
the eyes of the general a dear, good man glistened
tears of joy.
"Tell us, my boy, why and how you came
hither," he said; "but first be at ease and sit down
at the table. You need not hesitate to do so not
if it were a king's table. Your true filial love has
earned the honor."
The officers were all attention, as Fritz, holding
his father's hand, related his story. Their stern
bearing became more kindly, and their faces brighter.
They could but be pleased with the boy who loved
his father so heartily as to come a hundred miles
and more to bring him a favorite dish. The old
sergeant was wholly lost in joyful emotions, and
alternately laughed and wept.
When the story was ended, he forgot by whom
he was surrounded, and embraced his brave son
again and again, pressed hundreds of kisses upon
his lips, and asked him many questions, all of
which Fritz answered frankly.
At a hint from the general, all present left the
tent, and the enraptured father remained with his
dear boy. An hour after, the general came back,
and gave the brave old sergeant a great writing in
one hand, and a large purse full of gold pieces in
the other.
"Here is your discharge,* friend, with a promise
of your full pay as a life-long pension; and there
is a small present for your worthy son, which we
officers have collected. Keep it for him until he is
FIFTH READER. 41
grown and can make good use of it ; and now
go home to wife and children, who will be
greatly rejoiced to see husband and father once
more."
"O my general, your Grace N is too kind," stam-
mered the delighted sergeant, who did not know
at what to rejoice most the condescension of the
officers, or the pension, or the wealth of his son
Fritz. "How have I earned such favor?"
"By your brave conduct during the whole cam-
paign ; by the wound which you received in the
last battle, and which disables you for your whole
life-time ; and finally, by your boy, Soldier Fritz.
"In him I have seen that you must be a good
father. Such a one our king can better use at home
than in the field. Go then in peace, old comrade,
and with God's help train all your boys like this
one, who is a genuine, true soldier child. Farewell !
and do not forget to send Fritz to my regiment
when he is large enough to bear arms for his king."
Translated from the German, by J. C. PiCKARD.
Notes. A discharge from military service is given either on
account of old age, or disability for service from wounds or ill-
ness. A discharge ^vith full patj as a pension was the highest
honor that could be given for faithful service.
Grace is a term of respect used in some countries in address-
ing those of very high rank.
Elocution. Point out the inflections used in the third and
fourth paragraphs on page 39.
Mark the emphatic words in the last paragraph of the lesson.
Language. What is meant by the following
"A favorite dish." "In good season."
"A faint suspicion of the truth began to dawn in his mind."
Composition. Select six points in the story, that seem to
be important, and use them as an outline in reproducing the
story in your own language.
42 FIFTH READER.
3 LITTLE FEET.
fut'ur^ (fut'yur), time to come.
al lur^d', tempted; led into dan-
ger.
be tra^d', misled; given into the
maz'e, confusing places.
am bl'tion (bish'un), desire for
office or honor.
ettl\, pick out.
de lud'ed, led into error.
Two little feet, so small that both, may nestle
In one caressing hand ,
Two tender feet upon the untried border
Of life's mysterious land.
Dimpled, and soft, and pink as peach-tree blossoms
In April's fragrant days
How can they walk among the briery tangles,
Edging the world's rough ways?
Those white-rose feet, along the doubtful future,
Must bear a woman's load :
Alas! since woman has the heaviest burden,
And walks the hardest road-
Love for a while will make the path before them
All dainty, smooth, and fair ;
Will cull away the brambles, letting only
The roses blossom there.
But when the mother's watchful eyes are shrouded
Away from sight of men,
And these dear feet are left without her guiding,
Who shall direct them then?
How will they be allured, betrayed, deluded
Poor little untaught feet !
Into what dreary mazes will they wander?
What dangers will they meet?
FIFTH READER. 43
Will they go stumbling blindly in the darkness
Of sorrow's tearful shades,
Or find the upland slopes of peace and beauty,
Where sunlight never fades?
Will they go stumbling up ambition's summit,
The common world above?
Or in some nameless vale, securely sheltered,
Walk hand in hand with love?
Some feet there be which walk life's track un-
wounded,
Which find but pleasant ways;
Some hearts there be, to which this life is only
A round of happy days.
But they are few. Far more there are who wander
Without a hope or friend
Who find their journey full of pains and losses,
And long to reach the end.
How shall it be with her, the tender stranger,
Fair-faced and gentle-eyed,
Before whose unstained feet the world's rude high-
way
Stretches so strange and wide?
Ah, who may read the future? For our darling
We crave all blessings sweet
And pray that He who feeds the crying ravens,
Will guide the baby's feet.
FLORENCE PERCY.
Biography. Florence Percy (Mrs. Elizabeth Akers Allen) was
born in 1832, in the town of Strong, Maine. At an early age,
the death of her mother cast a gloom over her young life. The
effects of her bereavement may be noticed in an undertone of
sadness throughout her writings.
44 FIFTH READER.
Mrs. Allen's career as a writer began at a very early age,
with the publication of some verses. The enviable popularity
to which she has attained, is due to a tenderness and grace of
style,, which loses none of its charm even in the treatment of
homely subjects.
Elocution. What is the feeling or sentiment expressed in this
poem? With what tone of voice should it be read? What time
and force should be used?
The articulation should be clear and crisp.
Point out three or four cases in the poem where certain words
receive emphasis through repetition.
Show the changes in inflection due to contrasts in the fourth
stanza.
Language. Explain the meaning of the following
"The untried borders of life's mysterious land."
"The mother's eyes are shrouded away from sight of men."
Composition. Make each stanza the basis of a paragraph, and
treat the subject in prose form.
Notice the changes that must be made in turning the poetry
into prose: (1.) In the words used. (2.) The arrangement of
words in the sentences.
. MALIBRAN AND THE YOUNG MUSICIAN.
pftb'lish er, one who sends abook
or writing into the world.
ero\vn , a piece of money, in value
a little more than $1.20.
Itix'u ry (luk'shu 17), any thing
delightful to the senses.
rlv'et ed, fixed.
my! '! ad, a very great number.
In a humble room, in one of the poorest streets
of London, little Pierre, N a fatherless French boy,
sat humming by the bedside of his sick mother.
There was no bread in the closet, and for the whole
day he had not tasted food. Yet he sat humming
to keep up his spirits. Still, at times, he thought
pound, English money, each
pound equals about $4-$4-
a -e6m'plish^d, educated; care-
fully trained.
tal' ent ed, possessing great skill
in any direction.
station, condition of life.
d (dand), condescended.
FIFTH READER. 4S
of Ms loneliness and hunger, and he could scarcely
keep the tears from his eyes; for he knew nothing
would be so grateful to his poor, sick mother as a
good, sweet orange and yet he had not a penny in
the world.
The little song he was singing was his own,
one he had composed with air and words ; tor the
child was a genius.
He went to the window, and looking out, saw a
man putting up a great bill with yellow letters,
announcing that Madame Malibran would sing that
night in public.
" If I could only go," thought little Pierre ; and
then, pausing a moment, he clasped his hands. His
eyes lighted with a new hope. Running to the
little stand, he smoothed down his yellow curls,
and taking from a little box some old stained paper,
gave one eager glance at his mother, who slept, and
ran speedily from the house.
************
" Who did you say is waiting for me ? " said
the lady to her servant. "I am already worn out
with company."
"It is only a very pretty little boy with yellow
curls, who says if he can see you he is sure you
will not be sorry, and he will not keep you a mo-
ment."
"Well, let him come," said the beautiful singer,
with a smile; "I can never refuse children."
Little Pierre came in, his hat under his arm,
and in his hand a little roll of paper. With man-
liness unusual for a child, he walked straight to
the lady, and bowing, said : " I come to see you
because my mother is very si ok, and we are too
46 FIFTH READER.
poor to get food and medicine. I thought that
if you would only sing my little song at some of
your grand concerts, perhaps some publisher would
buy it for a small sum, and so I could get food
and medicine for my mother."
The beautiful woman rose from her seat, very
tall and stately she was, took the little roll from
his hand, and lightly hummed the air.
"Did you compose it?" she asked, "you, a child?
And the words ? Would you like to come to
my concert?" she asked, after a few moments of
thought.
"O yes!" and the boy's eyes grew bright with
happiness, " but I couldn't leave my mother."
"I will send somebody to take care of your
mother for the evening; and here is a crown, with
which you may go and get food and medicine.
Here is also one of my tickets ; come to-night ; that
will admit you to a seat near me."
Pierre could scarcely realize his good fortune.
He bought some oranges, and many a little luxury
besides, and carried them home to the poor invalid,
telling her, not without tears, of what had hap-
pened.
When % evening came, and Pierre was admitted
to the concert-hall, he felt that never in his life
had he been in so grand a place. The music, the
myriad lights, the beauty, the flashing of diamonds
and rustling of silks, bewildered his eyes and brain.
At last she came, and the child sat with his
eyes riveted upon her glorious face. Could he be-
lieve that the grand lady, all blazing with jewels,
and whom everybody seemed to worship, would
really sing his little song?
FIFTH READER. 47
Breathless he waited. The band the whole band,
struck up a little plaintive melody ; he knew it,
and clapped his hands for joy. And, O, how she
sung it! It was so simple, so mournful, so soul-
subduingmany a bright eye dimmed with tears;
and naught could be heard but the touching words
of that little song O, so touching!
Pierre walked home as if he were walking on the
air. What cared he for money now? The greatest
singer in all Europe had sung his little song, and
thousands had wept at his grief.
The next day, he was frightened at a visit from
Madame Malibran. She laid her hand on his yel-
low curls, and turning to the sick woman, said:
"Your little boy, madam, has brought you a for-
tune. I was offered, this morning, by the best pub-
lisher in London, three hundred pounds for his
little song; and after he has realized a certain
amount from the sale, little Pierre, here, is to share
the profits. Madam, thank God that your son has
a gift from Heaven."
The noble-hearted singer and the poor woman
wept together. As to Pierre always mindful of Him
who watches over the tried and temptedhe knelt
down by his mother's bedside and uttered a simple
but eloquent prayer, asking God's blessing on the
kind lady who had deigned to notice their afflic-
tion.
The memory of that prayer made the singer
even more tender-hearted; and she who was the
idol of England's nobility went about doing good.
And in her early, happy death, he who stood by
her bed, smoothed her pillow, and lightened her
last moments by his undying affection, was the
48 FIFTH READER.
little Pierre of former days, now rich, accomplished,
and the most talented composer N of the day.
All honor to those great hearts, who, from their
high station, send down bounty to the widow, and
to the fatherless child.
Biography. Madame Malibran, the celebrated vocalist, was
"born in Paris, in 1808. While she was still very young, her
reputation as a singer extended over Europe, and she was every-
where received with the greatest enthusiasm. The admiration
which she won as a vocalist, was increased by the many kind
acts done by her in private life. Her generosity was remark-
able, and the large sums of money "which she gained were ex-
pended in works of benevolence. Her early death, in 1836, was
universally deplored.
Notes. Pierre is a French name, corresponding to our name
Peter.
The term composer is applied only to authors of musical com-
positions.
Elocution. In what manner should the descriptive parts of
the lesson be read? the conversational? How many different
persons are introduced as speakers? The words of each person
should be delivered in such a manner as to express the feelings
with which they were uttered.
What different feelings or sentiments receive expression in
the lesson ?
Language. In the sentence "Thousands had wept at his grief/'
if the word thousands is thought to convey a meaning greater
than the truth, we say that it is an example of hyperbole or
exaggeration.
"As if walking on the air" means that the happy feelings of
Pierre made him forgetful of the effort of walking. The expres-
sion is both a comparison and hyperbole.
Since the meaning we give to the words used in the above
comparison is different from what would usually be given to
them, the words are said to be employed in a figurative sense.
Figures of comparison are of two kinds: 1. Sim'ile, when an
introductory word such as like, as, or similar words, is employed ;
2. Met/a phor, when the introductory word is omitted.
Composition. Select four points in the story, that are of spe-
cial importance, and treat them in your own language.
What constitutes a paragraph in writing prose?
Does conversation come under the rules for paragraphing ?
FIFTH READER.
49
6. ANECDOTES ABOUT ANTS.
PA RT I.
e^lo'ro formed, rendered sense-
less by chloroform.
an tSn'ncSe, feelers of insects.
at' ti tud^, positions.
spl' ral, winding.
In dl vld'u al, a single one.
eom mu'ni -eat^, make known.
-eon denied', sentenced to pun-
ishment.
re ist' an9^, opposition.
ex pe"l\^d', forced out.
eom mu/ni ty, a collection of
persons having common rights.
In'va lid, feeble; weak.
The behavior of ants toward one another differs
much, according to circumstances whether, for in-
stance, they are alone, or supported by friends. An
ant which would run away in the first case, will
defend itself bravely in the second.
On one occasion, several ants belonging to one
of my nests were feeding on some honey spread
on a slip of glass. N One of them had got thoroughly
entangled in it. I took her and put her down just
in front of another individual belonging to the
same nest, and close by I placed a drop of honey.
The ant devoted herself to the honey and en-
tirely neglected her friend, whom she left to perish.
I then chloroformed one, and put her on the board
among her friends. Several touched her, but while
I watched them for two or three hours, none took
any particular notice of her.
On the other hand, I have only on one occasion
seen a living ant expelled from her nest. I observed
once an ant carrying another belonging to the
same community away from the nest. The con-
demned ant made a very feeble resistance.
The first ant carried her burden hither and
thither for some time, evidently trying to get away
SO FIFTH READER.
from the nest, which was enclosed by a barrier of
far. After watching for some time, I provided the
ant with a paper bridge, up which she immediately
went, dropped her victim on the far side, and re-
turned home. Could this have been a case in which
an aged or invalid ant was being expelled from
the nest?
In order to test the affection of ants belonging
to the same nest for one another, I made the fol-
lowing experiments. I took six ants from one of
my nests and imprisoned them in a bottle, one
end of which was covered with a layer of muslin.
I then put the muslin close to the door of the
nest. The muslin *was of open texture, the meshes,
however, being sufficiently small to prevent the
ants from escaping. They could not only see one
another, but could also communicate freely with
their antennae.
We now watched to see whether the prisoners
would be tended or fed by their friends. We could
not see, however, that the least notice was taken
of them. The experiment, nevertheless, was less
conclusive than could be wished, because they
might have been fed at night, or at some time
when we were not looking. It struck me, therefore,
that it would be interesting to treat some strangers
also in the same manner.
Accordingly, I put two ants from one of my
nests into a bottle, the end of which was tied up
with muslin, as described, and laid it down close
to the nest. In a second bottle I put two ants
from another nest of the same species. The ants
which were at liberty took no notice of the bottle
containing their imprisoned friends. The strangers
FIFTH READER. SI
in the other bottle, on the contrary, excited them
considerably.
The whole day, one, two, or more ants stood
sentry, as it were, over the bottle. In the evening
no less than twelve were collected around it a
larger number than usually came out of the nest
at any one time. The whole of the next two days,
in the same way, there were several ants round
the bottle containing 1 the strangers; while, as far as
we could see, no notice whatever was taken of the
friends.
Seven days after, the ants had eaten through
the muslin and effected an entrance. We did not
chance to be on the spot at the moment; but as I
found two ants lying dead one in the bottle and
one just outside I think that there can be no doubt
that the strangers were put to death. The friends
throughout were quite neglected.
In one of my nests, was an ant without antennse.
Never having previously met with such a case, 1
watched her with great interest; but she never
appeared to leave the* nest. At length, one day, I
found her wandering about in an aimless sort of
manner, and apparently not knowing her way at
all. After a while she fell in with some specimens
of the little yellow ant, that directly attacked her.
I at once set myself to separate them ; but owing
either to the wounds she had received from her
enemies, or to my rough though well-meant hand-
ling, or to both, she was evidently much wounded,
and lay helplessly on the ground. After some time
another ant from her nest came by. She examined
the poor sufferer carefully, then picked her up
gently and carried her away into the nest. It
62 FIFTH READER.
would have been difficult for any one who wit-
nessed this scene to have denied to this ant the
possession of humane feelings.
Again, on another occasion, I perceived a poor
ant lying on her hack and quite unable to move.
The legs were in cramped attitudes, and the two
antennae rolled up in spirals. She was, of course,
altogether unable to feed herself. After this I kept
my eyes on her. Several times I tried uncovering
the part of the nest where she was. The other
ants soon carried her into the shaded part.
One day the ants were all out of the nest, prob-
ably for fresh air, and had collected together in a
corner of the box ; they had not, however, forgotten
her, but had carried her with them. I took off the
glass lid of the box, and after a while they returned
as usual to the nest, taking her in again. The next
day she was still alive, but shortly afterward, not-
withstanding all their care, she died.
At the present time I have two other ants per-
fectly crippled in a similar manner, so that they
are quite unable to move ; but they have been
tended and fed by their companions, the one for
five, the other for four months.
Notes. A. slip of glass means a long, narrow piece of glass.
The word slip has as many as fifteen different meanings in this
country. Mention four of the different uses of the word, explain-
ing the meaning of each.
Elocution. Point out the inflections in the last three lines of
the first paragraph, and state the purpose for which they are
employed.
Language. Explain the meaning of figures of comparison in
the following sentences, and state whether they are metaphors or
similes.
"One, two, or more ants stood sentry."
Did not this ant possess humane feelings?
FIFTH READER. 53
. ANECDOTES ABOUT ANTS.
PA RT II.
Is'o lat ed, placed by itself.
de vdl'op^d, formed by natural
growth.
lar'v^e, insects which liaw just
left the egg.
, a ditch.
mold, soft earth.
eap'il la ry, fine, like a hair.
im mers^d', dipped.
at tra-e'tion, the act of drawing
toward.
mln'i miz^, reduce to the smallest
amount.
ex pe'di ent, means.
In'ter po^', put between.
ac 965^1 bl^, easy to get at.
I liave made a number of experiments on the
power of smell possessed by ants. I dipped camel's-
hair brushes into peppermint - water, essence of
cloves, lavender-water, and other strong scents, and
suspended them about a quarter of an inch above
the strips of paper along which the ants were pass-
ing in the experiments before recorded.
Under these circumstances, while some of the
ants passed on without taking any notice, others
stopped when they came close to the pencil, and
evidently perceiving the smell, turned back. Soon,
however, they returned and passed the scented pencil.
After doing this two or three times, they generally
took no further notice of the scent.
This experiment left no doubt on my mind ;
still, to make the matter even more clear, I ex-
perimented with ants placed on an isolated strip
of paper. Over the paper, and at such a distance
as almost, but not quite, to touch any ant which
passed under it, I again suspended a camel's-hair
brush dipped in lavender-water, essence of cloves,
and other scents.
In these experiments the results were very
84 FIFTH READER.
marked ; and no one who watched the behavior of
the ants, under these circumstances, could have the
slightest doubt as to their power of smell.
I then took a large queen ant and fastened her
on a board by a thread. When she had become
quiet, I tried her with some tuning-forks, N but they
did not disturb her in the least. I then advanced
a feather very quietly, so as almost to touch first
one, and then the other of the antennae, which,
however, did not move.
I then dipped the pencil in essence of musk and
tried again ; the antenna was slowly drawn back.
I then repeated the same with the other antenna.
If I touched the antenna, the ant started away
apparently smarting. I then experimented with
essence of lavender, and with a second ant. The
results were the same as before.
Many of my other experiments point to the same
conclusion; and, in fact, there can be no doubt
whatever that in ants the sense of smell is highly
developed.
In order to test the intelligence of ants, it has
always seemed to me that there was no better way
than to ascertain some object which they would
clearly desire, and then to interpose some obstacle
which a little ingenuity would enable them to over-
come. I therefore placed some larvae in a cup, which
I put on a slip of glass surrounded by water, but
accessible to the ants by only one pathway, in which
was a bridge consisting of a strip of paper two-
thirds of an inch long and one-third of an inch
wide.
Having then put a black ant from one of my
nests near these larvae she began carrying 1 them off,
FIFTH READER. SB
and by degrees a number of friends came to help
her. I then, when about twenty-five ants were so
engaged, moved the little paper bridge slightly, so
as to leave a chasm just so wide that the ants
could not reach across. They came and tried hard
to do so ; but it did not occur to them to push
the paper bridge, though the distance was only
about one-third of an inch, and they might easily
have done so. After trying for about a quarter of
an hour, they gave up the attempt and returned
home. This I repeated several times.
Then thinking that paper was a substance to
which they were not accustomed, I tried the same
with a bit of straw one inch long and one-eighth
of an inch wide. The result was the same. I re-
peated this more than once.
Again, I suspended some honey over a nest of
yellow ants, at a height of about half an inch, and
accessible only by a paper bridge more than ten
feet long. Under the glass I then placed a small
heap of earth. The ants soon swarmed over the
earth on to the glass, and began feeding on the
honey. I then removed a little of the earth, so
that there was an interval of about one-third of
an inch between the glass and the earth; but
though the distance was so small, they would not
jump down, but preferred to go down by the long
bridge. ,
They tried in vain to stretch up from the earth
to the glass, which, however, was just out of their
reach, though they could touch it with their an-
tennae; but it did not occur to them to heap the
earth up a little, though if they had moved only
half a dozen particles, they would have secured for
86 FIFTH READER.
themselves direct access to the food. At length, they
gave up all attempts to reach up to the glass, and
went around by the paper bridge. I left the ar-
rangement for several weeks, but they continued to
go round by the long paper bridge.
Again I varied the experiment as follows: Hav-
ing left a nest without food for a short time, I
placed some honey on a small piece of wood, sur-
rounded by a little moat of glycerine half an inch
wide and about one-tenth of an inch in depth.
Over this moat I then placed a paper bridge, one
end of which rested on some fine mold. I then
put an ant to the honey, and soon a little crowd
was collected round it.
I then removed the paper bridge ; the ants could
not cross the glycerine ; they came to the edge
and walked round and round, but were unable to
get across, nor did it occur to them to make a
bridge or bank of the mold which I had placed
so conveniently for them. I was the more sur-
prised at this, on account of the ingenuity with
which they avail themselves of earth for construct-
ing their nests.
For instance, wishing, if possible, to avoid the
trouble of frequently moistening the earth in my
nests, I supplied one of my communities with a
frame containing, instead of earth a piece of linen,
one portion of which projected beyond the frame
and was immersed in water. The linen then sucked
up the water by capillary attraction, and thus the
air in the frames was kept moist.
The ants approved of this arrangement and took
up their quarters in the frame. To minimize evapo-
ration, I usually closed the frame all round, leav-
FIFTH READER. 87
ing only one or two small openings for the ants ;
but, in this case, I left the outer side of the frame
open.
The ants, however, did not like "being thus ex-
posed ; they therefore brought earth from some little
distance, and "built up a regular wall along the open
side, blocking up the space between the upper and
lower plates of glass, and leaving only one or two
small openings for themselves. This struck me as
very ingenious. The same expedient was, moreover,
repeated under similar circumstances by the slaves
belonging to my nest of Amazon ants.
SIR JOHN LUBBOCK.
Biography. Sir John Lubbock, the eminent English physicist,
was born in London in 1834. He is a graduate of Eton College.
The results he has achieved in his special work, and his charm-
ing style as a writer, have combined to render him a very popu-
lar author. He has contributed largely to various publications,
writing upon the subjects to which he has given special atten-
tion. Among the works of which he is the author may be
mentioned the following " Prehistoric Times, as illustrated by the
remains of ancient times, and the customs of modern savages,"
"The Origin of Civilization," and "The Origin and Metamor-
phoses of Insects."
Questions. A tuning-fork is a two-pronged steel instrument
used to give a certain fixed tone. For what purpose was it used
with the ants? Of what is lavender-water composed? What is
glycerine ?
How many senses have we ? What are they called ? How
many of these senses do the experiments described prove that
ants possess?
What is shown in the last lesson as to the intelligence of
ants?
Elocution. To render the delivery of selections like the last
two lessons effective, the reading should be somewhat slower
than in conversation, and the articulation distinct, even to a
greater degree than would ordinarily be thought essential.
Composition. Select three points in regard to ants, and treat
each one of them in a single paragraph.
88 FIFTH READER.
7. WHAT I LIVE FOR.
mar' tyr (tiirs), those who suffer
loss or even die for a good cause.
bardg, poets.
pa' tri ots, persons who love their
country.
as sl^n^d', pointed out.
' u lat^, strive to equal.
eom mun'ion(kSmmun'yiin),
intercourse.
di vin^', godlike; Jieaverily.
eon vl-e'tion, strong belief aris-
ing from proof .
sa'ge, wise men.
f I-e' tion, that which is imagined.
I live for those who love me,
Whose hearts are kind and true ;
For the heaven that smiles above me,
And awaits my spirit too;
For all human ties that bind me,
For the task by Q-od assigned me,
For the hopes not left behind me,
And the good that I can do.
I live to learn their story
Who've suffered for my sake;
To emulate their glory,
And follow in their wake ;
Bards, patriots, martyrs, sages,
The noble of all ages,
Whose deeds crown history's pages,
And time's great volLime make.
I live to hold communion
With all that is divine;
To feel there is a union
'Twixt nature's heart and mine;
To profit by affliction,
Heap truths from fields of fiction,
Grow wiser from conviction,
And fulfill each grand design.
FIFTH READER. 69
I live to hail that season
By gifted minds foretold,
When men shall live by reason,
And not alone by gold ;
When man to man united,
And every wrong thing righted,
The whole world shall "be lighted
As Eden was of old.
I live for those who love me,
For those who know me true;
For the heaven that smiles above me,
And awaits my spirit, too;
For the cause that lacks assistance,
For the wrong that needs resistance,
For the future in the distance,
And the good that I can do.
G. LINNAEUS BANKS.
Elocution. "With what tone of voice should this poem be read?
What rate and force should be used?
The peculiar double rhyme at the close of the first and third,
and of the fifth, sixth and seventh lines, increases a tendency to
sing-song, which must be carefully avoided.
The only lines to be closely joined in the reading occur in
the third and fourth stanzas.
Mark the inflections that should be used in the first and last
stanzas.
Language. In the expression follow in their wake, the com-
parison introduces the term wake, which means the track left
by a ship ; as a track upon the surface of water can last only
for a few moments, the expression really means follow them
closely.
As Eden was of old Is an example of what figure of com'
parison ?
Composition. Select six points, without regard to arrange-
ment of stanzas, that would fairly cover the thoughts contained
in the poem, and then use them in treating the subject in prose
form.
6O FIFTH READER.
. BENJAMIN WEST.
PART I.
, active interest; eagerness in
favor of a person or cause.
va' ri e gat ed, having different
colors.
l, woful; mournful.
im psr'ti neii9^, rudeness.
a bi^, songs to quiet Idbies.
dex'ter tis ly, quickly; skill-
fully.
phy i Sg'no my (fiz), face or
countenance.
an' es tor, those from whom a
person descends.
pr6ph'esl^d (prof ), foretold.
In the year 1738, there was born in the town
of Springfield, Pennsylvania, an infant, who was
named Benjamin West, and from whom his parents
and neighbors looked for wonderful things.
An aged preacher, a friend of his parents, had
prophesied about this child and foretold that he
would be one of the most remarkable characters
that had appeared on the earth since the days of
William Penn.
Little Ben lived to the ripe age of six years
without doing any thing that was worthy to be
told in history. But one summer afternoon, in his
seventh year, his mother put a fan into his hand
and bade him keep the flies away from the face of
a little child who lay fast asleep in the cradle.
She then left the room.
The boy waved the fan to and fro and drove away
the buzzing flies whenever they had the imper-
tinence to come near the baby's face. When they
had all flown out of the window or into distant
parts of the room, he bent over the cradle and de-
lighted himself with gazing at the sleeping infant.
It was, indeed, a very pretty sight. The little
FIFTH READER. 61
pei-sonage in the cradle slumbered peacefully, with
its waxen hands under its chin, looking as full of
blissful quiet as if angels were singing lullabies in
its ear. Indeed, it must have been dreaming about
heaven ; for, while Ben stooped over the cradle, the
little baby smiled.
"How beautiful she looks!" said Ben to himself.
"What a pity it is that such a pretty smile should
not last forever!"
ISTow Ben, at this period of his life, had never
heard of that wonderful art by which a look, that
appears and vanishes in a moment, may be made
to last for. hundreds of years. But, though nobody
had told him of such an art, he may be said to
have invented it for himself.
On a table near at hand, there were pens and
paper, and ink of two colors, black and red. The
boy seized a pen and sheet of paper, and, kneeling
down beside the cradle, began to draw a likeness
of the infant. While he was busied in this manner,
he heard his mother's step approaching, and hastily
tried to conceal the paper.
"Benjamin, my son, what hast thou been do-
ing?" inquired his mother, observing marks of
confusion in his face.
At first, Ben was unwilling to tell; for he felt
as if there might be something wrong in stealing
the baby's face and putting it upon a sheet of
paper. However, as his mother insisted, he finally
put the sketch into her hand, and then hung his
head, expecting to be well scolded. But, when the
good lady saw what was on the paper, in lines of
red and black ink, she uttered a scream of surprise
and joy.
62 FIFTH READER.
"Bless me!" cried she. "It is a picture of little
Sally ! "
And then she threw her arms around Benjamin,
and kissed him so tenderly that he never afterward
was afraid to show his performances to his mother.
As Ben grew older, he was observed to take vast
delight in looking at the hues and forms of nature.
For instance, he was greatly pleased with the blue
violets of spring, the wild roses of summer, and the
scarlet cardinal-no wers N of early autumn. In the
decline of the year, when the woods were variegated
with all the colors of the rainbow, N Ben seemed to
desire nothing better than to gaze at them from
morn till night.
The purple and gold clouds of sunset were a joy
to him. And he was continually endeavoring to
draw the figures of trees, men, mountains, horses,
cattle, geese, ducks, and turkeys, with a piece of
chalk, on barn-doors or on the floor.
In those old times, the Mohawk Indians were still
numerous in Pennsylvania. Every year a party of
them used to pay a visit to Springfield, because
the Avigwams of their ancestors had formerly stood
there.
These wild men grew fond of little Ben, and
made him very happy by giving him some of the
red and yellow paint with which they were accus-
tomed to adorn their faces. His mother, too, pre-
sented him with a piece of indigo. Thus he had
now three colors red, blue, and yellow and could
manufacture green by mixing the yellow with the
blue.
Our friend Ben was overjoyed, and doubtless
showed his gratitude to the Indians by taking their
FIFTH READER, 63
likenesses in the strange dresses which they wore,
with feathers, tomahawks, and bows and arrows.
But all this time the young artist had no paint-
brushes ; nor were there any to be bought, unless
he sent to Philadelphia on purpose. However, he
was a very ingenious boy, and resolved to manu-
facture paint-brushes for himself. With this design
he laid hold upon what do you think ? Why, upon
a respectable, old, black cat that was sleeping quietly
by the fireside.
"Puss/' said little Ben to the cat, "pray give me
some of the fur from the tip of thy tail."
Though he addressed the black cat so civilly, yet
Ben was determined to have the fur whether she
were willing or not. Puss, who had no great zeal
for the fine arts, would have resisted if she could ;
but the boy was armed with his mother's scissors,
and very dexterously clipped off fur enough to
make a paint-brush. This was of so much use to
him, that he applied to Madame Puss again and
again, until her warm coat of fur had become so
thin and ragged that she could hardly keep com-
fortable through the winter.
Poor thing ! She was forced to creep close into
the chimney-corner, and eyed Ben with a very rueful
physiognomy. But Ben considered it more neces-
sary that he should have paint-brushes than that
puss should be warm.
Notes. Cardinal-flowers are of several varieties, and of brill-
iant colors. They derive their name, so it is said, from their
color resembling that of a cardinal's cassock.
The colors of the rainbow are red, orange, yellow, green,
blue, indigo, and violet.
Elocution. Mark the inflections in the last paragraph.
64
FIFTH READER.
BENJAMIN WEST.
PART II.
men; a lofty place.
per plSx'i ty, doubt.
a bin ti^, qualities; talents.
eom mlt'ted, gave in trust.
so bri'e ty, calmness; gravity.
van' i ty , idle show ; empty pursuit.
sim pll9'i ty, freedom from cun-
ning or duplicity.
land' s^eap^s, portions of land
and water which may be seen at
one view.
fa-e'ul ty, gift; power.
dis eot^rs^", talk; conversation.
About tliis time, Friend West received a visit
from a Mr. Pennington, a merchant of Philadelphia,
who wa.s also a member of the Society of Friends.
The visitor, on entering the parlor, was surprised
to see it ornamented with drawings of Indian chiefs,
and of birds of beautiful plumage, and of the wild
flowers of the forest. Nothing of the kind was ever
before seen in the home of a farmer among the
Friends.
" Why, Friend West," exclaimed the Philadelphia
merchant, " what has possessed thee to cover thy
walls with all these pictures ? Where on earth didst
thou get them?"
Then Friend West explained that all these pic-
tures were painted by little Ben, with no better
materials than red and yellow ochre, and a piece
of indigo, and with brushes made of the black cat's
fur.
"Verily," said Mr. Pennington, "the boy hath a
wonderful faculty. Some of our friends might look
upon these matters as vanity; but little Benjamin
appears to have been born a painter, and Provi-
dence is wiser than we are."
FIFTH READER. 63
The good merchant patted Benjamin on the head,
and evidently considered him a wonderful boy.
When his parents saw how much their son's per-
formances were admired, they no doubt remem-
bered the prophecy of their old friend respecting
Ben's future eminence. Yet they could not under-
stand how he was ever to become a great and use-
ful man merely by making pictures.
One evening, shortly after Mr. Pennington's re-
turn to Philadelphia, a package arrived at Spring-
field, directed to our little friend Ben.
''What can it possibly be?" thought Ben, when
it was put into his hands. "Who could have sent
me such a great square package as this?"
On taking off the thick brown paper in which
it was wrapped, behold ! there was a paint-box, with
a great many cakes of paint, and brushes of various
sizes. It was the gift of good Mr. Pennington.
There were likewise several squares of canvas, such
as artists use for painting pictures upon, and, in
addition to all these treasures, some beautiful en-
gravings of landscapes. These were the first pict-
ures that Ben had ever seen, except those of his
own drawing.
What a joyful evening was this for the little
artist ! At bedtime he put the paint-box under his
pillow, and got hardly a wink of sleep ; for, all
night long, his fancy was painting pictures in the
darkness.
In the morning, he hurried to the garret, and was
seen no more till the dinner-hour; nor did he give
himself time to eat more than a mouthful or
two of food before he hurried back to the garret
again.
66 FIFTH READER.
The next day, and the next, he was just as
busy as ever; until at last his mother thought it
time to ascertain what he was about. She accord-
ingly followed him to the garret.
On opening the door, the first object that pre-
sented itself to her eyes, was our friend Benjamin,
giving the last touches to a beautiful picture. He
had copied portions of two of the engravings, and
made one picture out of both, with such admirable
skill that it was far more beautiful than the origi-
nals. The grass, the trees, the water, the sky, and
the houses were all painted in their proper colors.
There, too, were the sunshine and the shadow, look-
ing as natural as life.
" My dear child, thou hast done wonders ! " cried
his mother.
The good lady was delighted. And well might
she be proud of her boy ; for there were touches
in this picture, of which old artists, who had spent
a life-time in the business, need not have been
ashamed. Many a year afterward, this wonderful
production was exhibited at the Royal Academy in
London.
Well, time went on, and Benjamin continued to
draw and paint pictures, until he had now reached
the age when it was proper that he should choose
a business for life. His father and mother were in
considerable perplexity about him.
According to the ideas of the Friends, it is not
right for people to spend their lives in occupations
that are of no real and sensible advantage to the
world. Now, what advantage could the world expect
from Benjamin's pictures?
This was a difficult question ; and, in order to
FIFTH READER. 67
set their minds at rest, his parents determined, to
consult the preachers and wise men of their so-
ciety. Accordingly, they all assembled in the meet-
ing-house, and talked the matter over from begin-
ning to end.
Finally, they came to a very wise decision. It
seemed so evident that Providence had intended
Benjamin to be a painter, and had given him abili-
ties which would be thrown away in any other
business, that the Friends resolved not to oppose
his desire. They even admitted that the sight of
a beautiful picture might convey instruction to the
mind and might benefit the heart as much as a
good book or a wise discourse.
They therefore committed the youth to the di-
rection of G-od, being well assured that He best
knew what was his proper sphere of usefulness.
The old men laid their hands upon Benjamin's head
and gave him their blessing, and the women kissed
him affectionately. All consented that he should
go forth into the world and learn to be a painter,
by studying the best pictures of ancient and mod-
ern times.
So our friend Benjamin left the dwelling of his
parents, and his native woods and streams, and the
good Friends of Springfield, and the Indians who
had given him his first colors, he left all the places
and persons whom he had hitherto known, and re-
turned to them no more. He went first to Phila-
delphia, and afterward to Europe.
Here he was noticed by many great people, but
retained all the sobriety and simplicity which he
had learned among the Friends. It is related of
him, that, when he was presented at the court of
68 FIFTH READER.
the Prince of Parma, he kept his hat upon his head,
even while kissing the prince's hand.
When he was twenty-five years old, he went to
London, and established himself there as an artist.
In due course of time, he acquired great fame "by
his pictures, and was made chief painter to King-
George the Third, and President of the Royal Acad-
emy of Arts.
When the Friends of Pennsylvania heard of his
success, they felt that the prophecy of the old
preacher as to little Ben's future eminence was now
accomplished. It is true, they shook their heads
at his pictures of "battle and "bloodshed, such as the
"Death of Wolfe," thinking that these terrible scenes
should not "be held up to the admiration of the
world.
His picture of " Christ Healing the Sick " was ex-
hibited at the Royal Academy in London, where it
covered a vast space, and displayed a great number
of figures as large as life. On the wall, close beside
this admirable picture, there hung a small and faded
landscape. It was the same picture that little Ben
had painted in his father's garret, after receiving
the paint-box and engravings from good Mr. Pen-
niiigton.
He lived many years in peace and honor, and
died in 1820, at the age of eighty-two. The story
of his life is almost as wonderful as a fairy tale;
for there are few more wonderful changes than that
of a little unknown boy of the Society of Friends,
in the wilds of America, into the most distinguished
English painter of his day.
Let us each make the best use of our natural
abilities as Benjamin West did; and, with the bless-
FIFTH READER. 69
ing of Providence, we shall arrive at some good end.
As for fame, it is but little matter whether we
acquire it or not.
NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE.
Biography. Nathaniel Hawthorne, one of our best known
American writers, was born at Salem, Mass., in 1804. He was
graduated at Bowdoin College in 1825.
There were times in the life of Hawthorne when, on account
of poor health, he was compelled to give up literary work. On
several of these occasions, he filled various minor positions of
public trust.
The readiness of his mind for sudden changes of employment,
may be illustrated by the following incident. In 1849, he was a
surveyor of customs in Boston, and lost his position through a
change in the national administration. It is related that on the
very day he gave up his business duties, he began the composi-
tion of "The Scarlet Letter," one of his masterpieces.
Besides the work already mentioned, the most popular of
Hawthorne's books are "Twice-told Tales," "The House of the
Seven Gables," "The Marble Faun," and of his juvenile works,
"Tanglewood Tales," and "Wonder Book."
Hawthorne died at Plymouth, New Hampshire, in 1864.
Composition. Select the points from the last two lessons, that
could be used in a biographical sketch.
, a course woolen cloth with
. THE OLD FARM-HOUSE.
h^arth'-ston^, stone before the flask, a vessel for carrying gun-
powder.
shorn, clipped; cut.
pa^ch^d, mended with pieces.
The easy chair, all patched with care,
Is placed by the cold hearth-stone,
With witching grace, in the old fire-place,
The evergreens are strewn ;
And pictures hang on the whitened wall,
And the old clock ticks in the cottage hall.
7O FIFTH READER.
More lovely still, on the window-sill,
The dew-eyed flowers rest,
While midst the leaves on the moss-grown eaves,
The martin builds her nest.
And all day long, the summer breeze
Is whispering love to the bended trees.
Over the door, all covered o'er
With a sack of dark green baize,
Lies a musket old, whose worth is told
In the events of other days;
And the powder-flask, and the hunter's horn,
Have hung beside it for many a morn.
For years have fled with a noiseless tread,
Like fairy dreams, away,
And, in their flight, all shorn of his might,
A father old and gray;
And the soft winds play with the snow-white hair.
And the old man sleeps in his easy-chair.
Inside the door, on the sanded floor,
Light, airy footsteps glide,
And a maiden fair, with flaxen hair,
Kneels by the old man's side
An old oak wrecked by the angry storm,
While the ivy clings to its trembling form.
Elocution. With what tone of voice, rate, and force should
this poem be read?
Notice the pleasing effect of the rhyme at the middle and
end of the first and third lines of each stanza.
Language. In the second stanza, dew-eyed flowers means that
the sparkling dew-drops upon the flowers give one the impres-
sion of eyes. What is the name of the figure?
Arrange the words of the third stanza in the order of prose.
FIFTH READER. 71
//.MOTHER NATURE'S FAIRIES.
\no\\, a little, round hiU.
6x pe dl'tiong, inarches; excur-
sions.
pro fu' ion, great abundance.
ar ra^g', dresses; envelopes.
lav 7 ish, great; plentiful.
(jos'l), crowd against.
edn fi d&n'tial, trusting; secret.
adora'tion, the act of paying
honors to a divine being.
di/a tor, a public speaker.
pitish, a fabric with a soft nap on
one side.
ean'o p^, a covering to protect one.
"Spring-time is coming! search for the flowers f
Brush off the brown leaves, the darlings are here !
Joy of the spring-time picking the May-flowers !
Kiss the spring-beauties, the babes of the year ! "
The winter is over and gone; the warm south-
wind blowing over the snow-hanks has melted them
and they are now running away, joyous and free,
down the hill-sides, and through the meadows, sing-
ing such a merry song that the birds and flowers
are waking up and listening to it.
The day is gaining on the night, and the bright,
life-giving rays of the sun shining on the damp
ground, have warmed it ; the myriad forms of grow-
ing root, stem, and leaf feel the warmth, and are
already stretching themselves, preparatory to get-
ting up.
The more courageous flowers that are not afraid
of a cold morning, have rubbed their sleepy eyes,
are up and dressed, and calling in their sweet, win-
ning voices to their brothers and sisters.
Down in the valley, where the sun shines warm,
along the low hill-sides, and in the hazel-thickets,
the Dog-tooth- violet N is ringing his yellow bell, while
he gaily nods to passers-by, This flower is really
72 FIFTH READER.
a lily instead of a violet, but we will not try to
change his name now. We all know him very well,
and are glad to welcome his return with the first
warm days of spring.
He first spreads out his mantle of green, white,
and purple, so that his friends may know that be-
fore long he will be here himself. He is as good as
his word; and as if by magic, we see him standing
with his spotted cloak around him, and his yellow
cap turned up, giving us a good view of his happy
face. He has not rung in vain, for a whole troop
of his companions are ready to welcome him.
Standing beside him, and willing to shake hands
at any time, is that delicate little creature, the Spring
Beauty. She is very frail, and does not seem able
to bear much, and we will handle her very carefully
as we look with wonder on her delicate beauty.
Her gauzy, rose-colored dress seems ready to melt
at the touch, and we smile to see what a low bow
her friend, the Dog-tooth-violet, gives her. She is
a little queen, and he knows it. They are enjoy-
ing each other's society so well, that we can leave
them to themselves; for in their quiet way, they
are having a confidential chat that we will not listen
to.
Farther on, where the thickets are lost in the
deeper woods, we see the blue-bird's flower the
dainty Hepatica. Clustering among the dead leaves
of the past summer, at the roots of the trees, or cov-
ering large patches in the upland forest, they clus-
ter together in a timid, wide-awake manner. Very
gentle and loving they seem to be, and though they
do jostle one another a good deal, they never com-
plain, but smile and wink, and go on stretching
FIFTH READER. 73
up their downy necks that they may show their
beautiful, new dresses to the blue sky, as it looks
down at them through the bare branches of the
trees.
Near by, within speaking distance, the Blood-
root is unfolding her pearly spring dress ; and shak-
ing out all its creases, she arrays herself in it, and
stands up looking like a bride in her gold and
pearls.
These lovely spring blossoms, the fairies that at-
tend Mother Nature in all her rambles through
woodland and meadow, have been tenderly cared
for by her through the long winter. She has had
them tucked up most carefully in their snug, little
beds, with snow-white blankets wrapped around
them, and, by a gentle rocking, peculiarly her own,
has kept them sleeping through the long, cold night.
And now, when they hear her gentle voice calling
them, they are only too glad to obey, and, like obe-
dient children, come and go at her bidding.
The Buttercups, with their yellow dresses, fresh
and new, are gilding meadows and uplands every-
where. They are not very particular, but are con-
tented if they only have standing room. They open
their eyes wide to the sunshine, and greet their
friends, the daisies and violets, with a pleasant nod,
while the children are delighted to reflect their
little fat chins in their yellow cups.
These flowers are sturdy little fellows, some of
them, and lift up their heads pretty high as they
pass the gentle Wind-flowers, with the remark that
they are too tender to live, and the Wind-flowers,
as though hurt by the remark, gently close their
mild eyes, bow their heads, and, before long, fade
74 FIFTH READER.
away out of sight; while the Buttercup, in his
strength and vain-glory, keeps on his march through
the long summer days.
The voice of that little orator, Jack-in-the-Pul-
pit, is heard just as soon as it is considered safe
for him to speak without danger of getting cold
and having a sore throat. He erects his pulpit,
spreads his canopy over it, and then commences
his speech, which well pays all that hear it. He is
very attractive in his fanciful robe of green-spotted
velvet, and is considered the king of his time; hut
as his labors and strength are spent almost entirely
in the grand old woods, hundreds of his subjects
are off at play, on the lawns, in the meadows, and
by the brook side.
Those comical little beauties, the Dutchman's
Breeches, may be seen any time climbing the low
hill-side, or waving their feathery leaves in the
margin of the woods; and, although they spend
their time mainly in lolling about on the young
grass, or even on the bare ground, their waxy-white
garments are never soiled, and they are the envy
of their neighbors.
The Columbine in her scarlet and gold, that lives
in the rocky castle just above him, on the summit
of the knoll, is shaking her head in displeasure at
his laziness, telling him that he can never be any
body as long as he is content to live such a quiet,
humdrum life, never getting up on the highlands,
or making any expeditions among chasms or dan-
gerous depths; for her part, she delights in gazing
down steep places, and clinging to the rock side,
enjoying many a chat with the Harebells, whom
he never meets. But the flowers all know the Col-
FIFTH READER. 7S
umbine, and feel that if she does hold her head
so high up in the world, she is kind at heart and
means well.
Far out on the distant prairies and "bluffs of the
West, are seen some rare gems of flowers. Queen
among them all is the lovely Pasque-flower, N or, as
it is called, the Easter-bell, because she presents her
"lilies" at Easter. Before the ground has been
warmed even by the early spring sun, we see her
pushing up into view her flower-bud, covered with
plush of the softest brown. She stands alone on
the bare, cold ground, with the chill winds blowing
over her; often making her first offering before
there is even one blade of green grass to welcome
her, and her sister flowers are yet sleeping soundly
in their beds.
The beautiful brown plush of her cloak is lined
with bluish-purple, shading to white; and when she
unveils her face in all its beauty, a fairer one was
never seen. Her Eastern cousins would gaze in de-
light if they could only see her, but they probably
never will; for she is queen among the spring flow-
ers of the West, and never leaves home.
The Dodecatheon, N or Shooting-star, as it is famil-
iarly called, is a tall, graceful flower, hanging its
crown of lilac and pinkish blossoms in wing-like
clusters on the summit of the stem. It is a re-
markable flower, noted for its grace and beauty,
and grows in lavish profusion in the hazel-thick-
ets.
But one long, bright, summer day would not give
us time enough to tell the names, even of the dar-
lings east and west, that people our groves, meadows,
and brook sides ; beginning with that fragrant, waxy
76 FIFTH READER.
gem, the Trailing Arbutus, and closing our list with
the last "blossoms of the season, the waving G-olden-
rod and the classic Blue Gentian.
They smile on us from every nook the sun shines
on, and lift their bright eyes to the sky in mute
adoration, always receiving storm and sunshine
alike, in quiet content.
MARY W. ALLEN.
Notes. The Dog-tooth- violet is so called on account of two
projections somewhat resembling blunt teeth near the base of its
petals.
The Pasque-flower (pask) derives its name from pasque, an
old French word meaning Easter. The flower blooms about the
time of the Easter festival.
Do de eath'e on (dodeha, twelve ; theoi, gods) is a name given
by the poetic naturalist, Linnaeus, inasmuch as the twelve
flowers seemed to him to deserve the name of divinities.
Elocution. State what inflections should be employed in
reading the first paragraph on page 74.
Point out the position of rhetorical pauses in the first para-
graph of the lesson.
Language. The lesson, although prose in form, resembles
poetry both in thought and language. It may therefore be
called a prose-poem.
In the statement " The day is gaining on the night," is the
thought of a race between day and night suggested? If so, name
the figure of comparison employed.
When we speak of flowers as rubbing their sleepy eyes, rising and
dressing, we attribute to them the actions of persons. A metaphor
in which human characteristics are attributed to objects not
properly possessing them, is called personification.
What figure of comparison is used in the expression Dame
Nature ?
Composition. Use as a subject for analysis and treatment-
Buttercups and Daisies.
ItemarTa. The description of flowers will afford matter for an
occasional composition, to those interested in the subject of
botany. The habits of observation and classification acquired
through the study of plants and other natural objects, will
lead to the systematic arrangement of thoughts upon any sub-
ject, and prove invaluable aids to original composition.
FIFTH READER.
77
. BEETHOVEN'S MOONLIGHT SONATA.
so na'ta, a kind of musical com-
position.
fi na'le (fe na'la), the end of a
piece of music.
in v61'un ta ri ly, without
cfwice; without intending.
rSv'er ent ly, with fear, mingled
with respect and love.
ag i ta' to, hurried; trembling.
im p&l'siv^, sudden; unexpected.
Im' pro vi^', play something
without preparation.
in'fi nlt^ ly, without bounds or
limits.
gro tdsque' (gr5 tesk'), wildly
formed; ludicrous.
eom pas'sion at^ ly, with kind-
ness, pity, or sympathy.
glf'in, intricate; relating to elves.
In'ter lud^, a short piece of music.
It happened at Bonn. One moonlight winter's
evening I called upon Beethoven ; N for I wished him
to take a walk, and afterward sup with me. In
passing through some dark, narrow street, he sud-
denly paused. "Hush!" he said, "what sound is
that ? It is from my Sonata in F. N Hark ! how well
it is played!"
It was a little, mean dwelling, and we paused
outside and listened. The player went on; but, in
the midst of the finale, there was a sudden break ;
then the voice of sobbing. "I can not play any
more. It is so beautiful; it is utterly beyond my
power to do it justice. O, what would I not give
to go to the concert at Cologne!"
"Ah! my sister," said her companion; "why
create regrets when there is no remedy? We can
scarcely pay our rent."
"You are right, and yet I wish for once in my
life to hear some really good music. But it is of
no use."
Beethoven looked at me. "Let us go in," he
said.
78 FIFTH READER.
"Go in!" I exclaimed; "what can we go in for?"
"I will play to her," he said, in an excited tone.
"Here is feeling genius understanding ! I will play
to her, and she will understand it."
And, before I could prevent him, his hand was
upon the door. It opened and we entered.
A pale young man was sitting by the table,
making shoes; and near him, leaning sorrowfully
upon an old-fashioned piano, sat a young girl, with
a profusion of light hair falling over her face.
Both were cleanly but very poorly dressed, and
both started and turned toward us as we entered.
"Pardon me," said Beethoven, "but I heard mu-
sic and was tempted to enter. I am a musician."
The girl blushed, and the young man looked
grave and somewhat annoyed.
"I I also overheard something of what you
said," continued my friend. "You wish to hear-
that is, you would like that is shall I play for
you?"
There was something so odd in the whole affair,
and something so comical and pleasant in the man-
ner of the speaker, that the spell was broken in a
moment, and all smiled involuntarily.
"Thank you," said the shoemaker; "but our
piano is so wretched, and we have no music."
"ISTo music!" echoed my friend; "how, then,
does the young lady " He paused, and colored;
for, as he looked in the girl's face, he saw that she
was blind. "I I entreat your pardon," he stam-
mered. "I had not perceived before. Then you
play by ear? But where do you hear the music,
since you frequent no concerts?"
"We lived at Bruhl for two years, and while
FIFTH READER. 79
there, I used to hear a lady practicing near us.
During the summer evenings, her windows were
generally open, and I walked to and fro outside to
listen to her."
She seemed so shy that Beethoven said no more,
but seated himself quietly before the piano and
began to play. He had no sooner struck the first
chord than I knew what would follow how grand
he would be that night. And I was not mistaken.
Never, during all the years I knew him, did I hear
him play as he then played to that blind girl and
her brother. He seemed to be inspired; and, from
the instant when his fingers began to wander along
the keys, the very tone of the instrument seemed
to grow sweeter and more equal.
The brother and sister were silent with wonder
and rapture'. The former laid aside his work; the
latter, with her head bent slightly forward, and
her hands pressed tightly over her breast, crouched
down near the end of the piano, as if fearful lest
even the beating of her heart should break the
flow of those magical, sweet sounds. It was as if
we were all bound in a strange dream, and only
feared to awake.
Suddenly the flame of the single candle wavered,
sank, flickered, and went out. Beethoven paused,
and I threw open the shutters, admitting a flood
of brilliant moonlight. The room was almost as
light as before, the moon's rays falling strongest
upon the piano and player. But the chain of his
ideas seemed to have been broken by the accident.
His head dropped upon his breast; his hands rested
upon his knees ; he seemed absorbed in deep thought.
He remained thus for some time. At length the
8O FIFTH READER.
young shoemaker rose and approached him eagerly,
yet reverently.
"Wonderful man!" he said, in a low tone. "Who
and what are you?"
" Listen ! " said Beethoven, and he played the
opening bars of the Sonata in F. A cry of delight
and recognition burst from them both, and ex-
claiming, " Then you are Beethoven ! " they covered
his hands with tears and kisses.
He rose to go, but we held him back with en-
treaties. " Play to us once more only once more ! "
He suffered himself to be led back to the instru-
ment. The moon shone brightly in through the
window, and lighted up his glorious, rugged head
and massive figure. "I will improvise a sonata to the
moonlight ! " said he, looking up thoughtfully to the
sky and stars. Then his hands dropped on the keys,
and he began playing a sad and infinitely lovely
movement, which crept gently over the instrument,
like the calm flow of moonlight over the dark earth.
This was followed by a wild, elfin passage in triple
time a sort of grotesque interlude, like the dance
of sprites upon the lawn. Then came a swift agitato
finale a breathless, hurrying, trembling movement,
descriptive of flight, and uncertainty, and vague
impulsive terror, which carried us away on its rust-
ling wings, and left us all in emotion and won-
der.
" Farewell to you ! " said Beethoven, pushing back
his chair, and turning toward the door " farewell
to you ! "
"You will come again?" asked they, in one breath.
He paused and looked compassionately, almost
tenderly, at the face of the blind girl.
FIFTH READER. 81
"Yes, yes," lie said hurriedly, "I will come again,
and give the young lady some lessons ! Farewell !
I will come again ! "
Their looks followed us in silence more eloquent
than words till we were out of sight.
"Let us make haste back," said Beethoven, "that
I may write out that sonata while I can yet re-
member it."
We did so, and he sat over it until long past
day-dawn. And this was the origin of that Moon-
light Sonata with which we are all so fondly ac-
quainted.
Biography. lAidwig van Beethoven (ba't5 ven), one of the
greatest composers, was born at Bonn in 1770, and died in
Vienna in 1827.
The works of Beethoven created a new epoch in the develop-
ment of music, and the popularity of his compositions has not
diminished with the lapse of years.
The ]>ieture of Beethoven that is given us by his biographers,
is indeed a sad one. He was alone, deaf, and the object of un-
kind treatment on the part of those who should have been his
friends. How nobly he rose above all petty annoyances, we can
readily understand when we listen to the grand and solemn
strains of his immortal music.
Notes and Questions. Where is Bonn? Where is Cologne?
s' is the name of a musical composition written in
the key of F.
Elocution. The repetition of I in the seventh paragraph de-
notes hesitation or stammering. The dashes in the same para-
graph are used to mark abrupt changes of thought due to mental
jonfusion.
Find another example in the lesson, of repetition of words in
stammering.
Language. The first word of the lesson, It, has the following
meaning : The events u-hiHi T am about t<, tfrsrt-ihf or Miti-tiJf <>f.
The use of the word It may shorten t he expression of a thought;
but it, is too indefinite in monning i<> h<- employed frequently.
The use of the \vord in the case already referred to. en uses the
instant inquiry "What happened at Bonn?"
(jiv- t \vo other examples in \vhieh it is employed, and sub-
stitute its meaning in eaeli case.
82 FIFTH READER.
/i>~
word, adverbs.
94 FIFTH READER.
. GR AD AT I M. N
de pog^d', conquered; laid aside.
sap'phir^ (saf 'Ir), aprecious stone
of a blue color.
va^lt'ed, arched.
sla\n, put to death.
sen'su al (sen'shu al), relating to
the body.
as pir^', long after.
Heaven is not reached at a single bound;
But we build the ladder "by which we rise
From the lowly earth to the vaulted skies,
And we mount to the summit round "by round.
I count this thing to "be grandly true :
That a noble deed is a step toward Q-od
Lifting the soul from the common sod
To a purer air and a broader view.
We rise by things that are under our feet;
By what we have mastered of good and gain ;
By the pride deposed and the passion slain,
And the vanquished ills that we hourly meet.
We hope, we aspire, we resolve, we trust,
When the morning calls us to life and light ;
But our hearts grow weary, and ere the night,
Our lives are trailing the solemn dust.
We hope, we resolve, we aspire, we pray,
And we think that we mount the air on wings,
Beyond the recall of sensual things,
While our feet still cling to the heavy clay.
Wings for the angels, but feet for the men !
We may borrow the wings to find the way
We may hope, and resolve, and aspire, and pray ;
But our feet must rise, or we fall again.
FIFTH READER. 95
Only in dreams is a ladder thrown
From the weary earth to the sapphire walls;
But the dreams depart, and the vision falls,
And the sleeper wakes on his pillow of stone.
Heaven is not reached at a single bound;
But we build the ladder by which we rise
From the lowly earth to the vaulted skies,
And we mount to the summit round by round.
J. G. HOLLAND.
Biography. Josiah Gilbert Holland was born in Belchertown,
Massachussets, in 1819, and died in New York City, in 1882.
Holland was engaged in the practice of medicine for a num-
ber of years ; but gave up his profession to engage in educational
and literary work.
In 1870, he became the editor of "Scribner's Monthly," and
kept up his association with that periodical until the time of
his death.
Holland's reputation was chiefly due to his prose writings,
although his poems "Katrina" and "Bitter-Sweet" are widely
and favorably known. His principal prose works are: "The
Bay Path," " Timothy Titcomb's Letters," "Miss Gilbert's Career,"
and "Life of Abraham Lincoln."
Notes. The title of this poem "Gra da'tim," means step by
step.
Elocution. With what tone of voice, rate, and force should
this poem be read?
In the fourth, fifth, and sixth stanzas, there should be a slight
increase of force given to each member of the series of words,
in order to give them the proper emphasis. An increase of
force of the kind suggested is called an elocittionary climax.
Mark inflections used in the last stanza.
Language. Is not reached in the first stanza means can not
be reached.
Count in the second stanza means consider.
What figure of comparison is used frequently throughout the
poem ? Select one or two examples of the figure and explain
their meaning in ordinary language.
Point out the lines which rhyme, in the first two stanzas.
96 FIFTH READER.
//. B A M B O O.
PART I.
ap pre' ci at^, estimate truly.
ea.r'a bash eg, the fruit of a tree
of that name.
go^rdg, fleshy fruit with one cell
and many seeds.
fa 9ll'i ty, ease.
rattan', the stem of a plant grow-
ing in India.
e las tif' i ty, springiness.
fyit (sir' kit), distana round.
sub'sti tut^s, persons or things
put in the place of others.
in se -eu'ri ty, want of safety;
danger.
96 le>' i ty, speed; swiftness.
e -eo nom' i-e al, not marked with
waste or extravagance.
dl ag'o nal, crossing at an angle.
During my many journeys in Borneo, and espe-
cially during my various residences among the na-
tives, I first came to appreciate the admirable
qualities of the bamboo. In those parts of South
America which I had previously visited, these gigan-
tic grasses were comparatively scarce, and but little
used where found; their place being taken, as to
one class of uses, by the great variety of palms, and
as to another, by the hard rind of calabashes and
gourds. Almost all tropical countries produce bam-
boos; and, wherever they are found in abundance,
the natives apply them to a variety of uses.
Their strength, lightness, smoothness, straight-
ness, roundness, and hollo wness, the facility and
regularity with which they can be split, their many
different sizes, the varying length of their joints,
the ease with which they can be cut, and with
which holes can be made through them, their hard-
ness outside, their freedom from any pronounced
taste or smell, their great abundance, and the rapid-
ity of their growth tmd iucroHse, are all qualities
which, render them useful for a hundred different
FIFTH READER. 97
purposes, to serve which, other materials would re-
quire much more labor and preparation. The "bam-
boo is one of the most wonderful as well as beau-
tiful productions of the tropics, and one of nature's
most valuable gifts to uncivilized man.
The Dyak N houses are all raised on posts, and are
often two or three hundred feet long and forty or
fifty feet wide. The floor is always formed of strips,
about three inches wide, split from large bamboos,
so that each may be laid nearly flat, and these
are firmly tied down with rattan to the joists be-
neath. When well made, this is a delightful floor
to walk upon barefooted, the rounded surfaces of
the bamboo being very smooth and agreeable to
the feet, while at the same time affording a firm
hold.
But what is more important, they form, with a
mat over them, an excellent bed, the elasticity of
the bamboo and its rounded surface being far supe-
rior to a more rigid and flatter floor. Here we at
once flnd a use for bamboo which can not be sup-
plied so well by any other material without a vast
amount of labor. Palms and other substitutes re-
quire much cutting and smoothing, and are not
so good when finished.
When, however, a flat, close floor is required,
excellent boards are made by splitting open large
bamboos on one side only, and flattening them out
so as to form thin boards eighteen inches wide and
six feet long, with which some Dyaks floor their
houses. These, with constant rubbing of the feet
and the smoke of years, become dark and polished,
like walnut or old oak, so that their real material
can hardly be recognized.
98 FIFTH READER.
What labor is here saved a savage, whose only
tools are an ax and a knife, and who, if he wants
boards, must hew them out of the solid trunk of
a tree, and give days and weeks of labor to obtain
a surface as smooth and beautiful as the bamboo
thus treated affords him !
Again, if a temporary house is wanted, either
by the native on his plantation, or by the traveler
in the forest, nothing is so convenient as the bam-
boo, with which a house can be constructed with a
quarter of the labor and time required when other
materials are used.
The natives of the interior make paths for long
distances, from village to village, and to their cul-
tivated grounds, in the course of which they have
to cross many gullies and ravines, and even rivers;
or sometimes, to avoid a long circuit, to carry the
path along the face of the precipice. In all these
cases, the bridges they construct are of bamboo, and
so admirably adapted is the material for the pur-
pose, that it seems doubtful whether they would
ever have attempted such works if they had not
possessed it.
The native bridge is simple but well designed.
It consists merely of stout bamboos crossing each
other at the roadway like the letter X, and rising
a few feet above it. At the crossing they are firmly
bound together, and to a large bamboo which lies
upon them, and forms the only pathway, with a
slender and often very shaky one to serve as a
hand-rail.
When a river is to be crossed, an overhanging
tree is chosen, from which the bridge is partly sus-
pended and partly supported by diagonal braces
FIFTH READER. 99
from the banks, so as to avoid placing posts in the
stream itself, which would "be liable to be carried
away by floods.
In carrying a path along the face of the preci-
pice, trees and roots are made use of for suspen-
sion ; braces arise from suitable notches or crevices
in the rocks; and, if these are not sufficient, im-
mense bamboos, fifty or sixty feet long, are fixed on
the banks or on the branch of a tree below.
These bridges are traversed daily by men and
women carrying heavy loads, so that any insecurity
is soon discovered, and, as the- materials are close
at hand, immediately repaired.
When a path goes over very steep ground, and
becomes slippery in wet or dry weather, the bam-
boo is used in another way. Pieces are cut about a
yard long, and opposite notches being made at each
end, holes are formed through which pegs are
driven, and firm and convenient steps are thus con-
structed with the greatest ease and celerity. It is
true that much of this will decay in one or two
seasons ; but it can be so quickly replaced, as to
make its use more economical than that of a
harder and more durable wood.
Notes and Questions. Dy'ak is a name given to the natives
of the island of Borneo.
Where is the island of Borneo?
Elocution. In reading long sentences, exercise particular care
in regard to pauses and inflections. Unless the pauses are made
in the proper places, the meaning of the sentences will be ob-
scured. If the falling inflection is used before the close of long
descriptive sentences, listeners will think that the sentences are
completed before they are.
Avoid reading long sentences rapidly, for if the reader shows
that he is in a hurry, the sentences will appear to be even
longer than they are.
1OO FIFTH READER.
/#.- BAMBOO.
PART I I.
pr6p' er ti^, qualities belonging
de-e' o rat^, adorn; make beauti-
ful.
aq' ue dCi-ets, artificial channels
for conveying water.
per fe"-e' tion, the highest degree of
excellence.
u te"n'sil, vesselsused in a kitchen.
in serf ing, setting within so/ne-
ob li'que'ly (ob leek'), inclined at
an angle.
gyl' in der, a body of roller-like
form.
^ a bl^, useful; adapted
to any good end or use.
edv'et ed, wished for eagerly.
One of the most striking uses to winch bamboo
is applied by the natives, is to assist them in
climbing lofty trees. One day I shot a small ani-
mal, which caught in a fork of a tree and remained
fixed. As I was very anxious to get it, I tried to
persuade two young men who were with me to
cut down the tree, which was tall, perfectly straight,
and smooth-barked, and without a branch for fifty
or sixty feet.
To my surprise they said they would prefer
climbing it, although it would be a good deal of
trouble ; but after a little talking together, they
said they would try. They first went to a clump
of bamboos that stood near, and cut down one of
the largest stems. From this they chopped off a
short piece, and splitting it, made a couple of stout
pegs, about a foot long, and sharp at one end.
Then cutting a thick piece of wood for a mallet,
they drove one of the pegs into the tree and hung
their weight upon it. It held, and this seemed to
satisfy them, for they immediately began making
a quantity of pegs of the same kind, while I looked
FIFTH READER. 101
on with great interest, wondering now they could
possibly ascend sucli a lofty tree by merely driving
pegs in it, the failure of any one of which at a
good height would certainly cause their death.
When about two dozen pegs had been made, one
of them began cutting some very long and slen-
der bamboo from another clump, and also prepared
some cord from the bark of a small tree. They
now drove in a peg very firmly at about three
feet from the ground, and, bringing one of the
long bamboos, stood it upright, close to the tree,
and bound it firmly to the first two pegs, by means
of the bark cord, and small notches near the head
of each peg.
One of the men now stood on the first peg, and
drove in a third, about level with his face, to which
he tied the bamboo in the same way, and then
mounted another step, standing on one foot, and
holding by the bamboo at the peg immediately
above him, while he drove in the next one. In
this manner he ascended about twenty feet, when
the upright bamboo becoming thin, another was
handed up by his companion, and this was joined
on by tying both bamboos to three or four of the
pegs.
When this was also nearly ended, a third was
added, and shortly after, the lowest branches of
the tree were reached, along which the young na-
tive scrambled, and soon sent the little animal
tumbling headlong down.
I was exceedingly struck by the ingenuity of
this mode of climbing, and the admirable manner
in which the peculiar properties of the bamboo were
ma.de available. The ladder itself was perfectly safe,
102 FIFTH READER.
since if any one peg were loose or faulty, and gave
way, the strain would be thrown on several others
above and below it. I now understood the use of
the line of bamboo pegs sticking in trees, which I
had often seen, and wondered for what purpose they
Gould have been put there.
This method of climbing is constantly used in
order to obtain wax, which is one of the most valu-
able products of the country. The honey-bee of
Borneo very generally hangs its combs under the
branches of the tappan, a tree which towers above
all others in the forest, and whose smooth, cylin-
drical trunk often rises a hundred feet without
a branch. The natives climb these lofty trees at
night, building up their bamboo ladder as they go,
and bringing down gigantic honey-combs.
These furnish them with a delicious feast of
honey and young bees, besides the wax, which they
sell to traders, and with the proceeds buy the much
coveted brass wire, ear-rings, and gold-edged hand-
kerchiefs with which they love to decorate them-
selves. In ascending durio and other fruit trees,
which branch at from thirty to fifty feet from the
ground, I have seen them use the bamboo pegs
only, without the upright bamboo which renders
them so much more secure.
The outer rind of the bamboo, split and shaved
thin, is the strongest material for baskets; hen-
coops, bird-cages, and conical fish-traps are very
quickly made from a single joint, by splitting off
the skin in narrow strips left attached to one end,
while rings of the same material, or rattan, are
twisted in at regular distances.
Water is brought to the house by little aque-
FIFTH HEADER. 103
ducts formed of large bamboos split in half and
supported on crossed sticks of various heights to
give it a regular fall. Thin long-jointed bamboos
form their only water vessels, and a dozen of them
stand in the corner of every house. They are clean,
light, and easily carried, and are in many ways
superior to earthen vessels for the same purpose .
They also make excellent cooking utensils ; vege-
tables and rice can be boiled in them to perfection,
and they are often used by travelers. Salted fruit
or fish, sugar, vinegar, and honey are preserved in
them instead of in jars or bottles. In a small bam-
boo case, prettily carved and ornamented, the native
carries his materials for betel chewing, and his little
long-bladed knife has a bamboo sheath.
His favorite pipe is a large hubble-bubble, which
he will construct in a few minutes, by inserting a
small piece of bamboo for a bowl obliquely into a
large cylinder about six inches from the bottom,
containing water, through which the smoke passes
to a long, slender bamboo tube.
There are many other small matters for which
bamboo is daily used, but enough has now been
mentioned to show its value. In other parts of
the archipelago I have myself seen it applied to
many new uses, and it is probable that my limited
means of observation did not make me acquainted
with one-half the ways in which it is serviceable
to the natives.
A. R. WALLACE.
Biography. Alfred Russell Wallace is an eminent traveler
and scientist. He is known as the author of several works on
natural history, and as a contributor to a number of prominent
periodicals. Our knowledge of the Eastern Archipelago and of
South America has been greatly enlarged through his travels.
1O4 FIFTH READER.
. SONG OF THE AMERICAN EAGLE. N
He'rl^ (e'ry), the nest of a Urd of
prey.
poi^, balance.
vo lupt'u fcjus, given up to pleas-
ure.
(&zh'ur), a fine blue color.
her 7 it ag^, property passing from
one to another.
pSn'non, flag or streamer.
era'v^n, cowardly.
pH'grim, wanderers.
e. tilt', be glad; rejoice.
I build my nest on the mountain's crest,
Where the wild winds rock my eaglets to rest,
Where the lightnings flash and the thunders crash,
And the roaring torrents foam and dash ;
For my spirit free henceforth shall be
A type of the sons of Liberty.
Aloft I fly from my aerie high,
Through the vaulted dome of the azure sky;
On a sunbeam bright take my airy flight,
And float in a flood of liquid light ;
For I love to play in the noontide ray,
And bask in a blaze from the throne of day.
Away I spring with a tireless wing,
On a feathery cloud I poise and swing ;
I dart down the steep where the lightnings leap,
And the clear, blue canopy swiftly sweep ;
For dear to me is the revelry
Of a free and fearless Liberty.
I love the land where the mountains stand
Like the watch-towers high of a patriot band ;
For I may not bide in my glory and pride,
Though the land be never so fair and wide,
FIFTH READER. 1OS
Where Luxury reigns o'er voluptuous plains,
And. fetters the free-born soul in chains.
Then give to me in my nights to see
The land of the pilgrims ever free !
And I never will rove from the haunts I love,
But watch, from my sentinel track above,
Your banner free, o'er land and sea,
And exult in your glorious Liberty.
O, guard ye well the land where I dwell,
Lest to future times the tale I tell,
When slow expires in smouldering fires
The goodly heritage of your sires,
How Freedom's light rose clear and bright
O'er fair Columbia's N beacon height,
Till ye quenched the flame in a starless night.
Then will I tear, from your pennon fair,
The stars ye have set in triumph there ;
My olive branch on the blast I'll launch,
The fluttering stripes from the flag-staff wrench,
And away I'll flee, for I scorn to see, .
A craven race in the land of the free !
Notes and Questions. The American Eagle is used as an em-
blem of freedom. Mention some of our coins upon which it is
placed.
Columbia is a name applied to the United States in honor of
Columbus, the discoverer of America.
Describe the flag of our country. What does each star stand
for? How many stripes are used? What do the colors signify?
Elocution* Bead the lesson in a full and clear tone of voice,
expressive of courage and a sense of freedom.
Language. What is the force of the suffix et in the word
eaglet? In some words the letter I is prefixed to the sufllx, mak-
ing it let, as in stream-let, wave-let.
Such words as roar and crash are called mi met'ic, because their
sound gives an idea of their meaning.
106 FIFTH HEADER.
2O. AN ICEBERG.
ir rgg'u lar, not well formed.
eav'i ti^, hollow places.
pln'na-el^, high points.
eTe ment, portion.
com blnfyi', joined; united.
(il), islands.
he^v'ing, swelling; rising.
a stern', behind a ship.
un -eo^th', awkward; strange.
sub llm'i ty, nobleness; awe.
At twelve o'clock we went below, and had just
got through dinner when the cook put his head
down the companion-way N , and told us to come
on deck and see the finest sight we had ever seen.
"Where away, cook?" asked the first man who
came up.
"On the port N bow."
And there, floating in the ocean, several miles off,
lay an immense irregular mass, its tops and points
covered with snow, and its center of a deep indigo
color. This was an iceberg, and of the largest size,
as one of our men said who had been in the North-
ern Ocean.
As far as the eye could reach, the sea in every
direction was of a deep blue color, the waves run-
ning high and fresh, and sparkling in the light ;
and in the midst lay this immense mountain island,
its cavities and valleys thrown into deep shade, and
its points and pinnacles glittering in the sun. All
hands were soon on deck, looking at it, and ad-
miring its beauty and grandeur.
]STo description can give any idea of the strange-
ness and beauty of the sight. Its great size for it
must have been two or three miles in circumfer-
ence, and several hundred feet in height ; its slow
motion as its base rose and sunk in the water, and
FIFTH READER 1O7
its high points nodded against the clouds ; the dash-
ing of the waves upon it, which, "breaking high
with foam, lined its base with a white crust; and
the thundering sound of the crackling mass, and
the breaking and tumbling down of huge pieces,
as well as its nearness and approach, which added
a slight element of fear all combined to give it
the character of true sublimity.
The main body of the mass was, as I have said,
of an indigo color, its base crusted with frozen
foam ; and as it grew thin and transparent toward
the edges, its color shaded off from a deep blue to
the whiteness of snow. It seemed to be drifting
slowly toward the north, so that we kept away and
avoided it. It was in sight all the afternoon, and
when we got to leeward of it, the wind died away,
so that we lay to, quite near it, for the greater
part of the night.
Unfortunately there was no moon ; but it was a
clear night, and we could plainly mark the long,
regular, heaving mass, as its edges moved slowly
against the stars. Several times in our watch loud
cracks were heard, which sounded as though they
must have run through the whole length of the
iceberg, and several pieces fell down with a thun-
dering crash, plunging heavily into the sea. To-
ward morning a strong breeze sprung up, and we
filled away, and left it astern, and at daylight it
was out of sight.
No pencil has ever yet given any thing like the
true effect of an iceberg. In a picture they are huge,
uncouth masses stuck in the sea ; while their chief
beauty and grandeur their slow, stately motion,
the whirling of the snow about their summits, and
108 FIFTH READER.
the fearful groaning and crackling of their parts^
the picture can not give. This is the large iceberg;
while the small and distant islands, floating on the
smooth sea, in the light of a clear day, look like
little floating fairy isles of sapphire N .
R. H. DANA, JR.
Biography. Richard Henry Dana, jr., was born at Cambridge
Massachusetts, in 1815, and died in 1881.
When about twenty years of age, he made a voyage to San
Francisco, an account of which was published in 1840 under the
title of "Two Tears Before the Mast." Probably no other book
has been written which gives such an accurate picture of sailor-
life ; and its popularity, both in this country and in England,
has been remarkable.
Mr. Dana was for many years a distinguished member of the
Boston Bar, but his national reputation is due to his books.
"The Seaman's Friend," containing a treatise on practical sea-
manship, was published in 1841, and republished in London in
1856.
Notes. Port signifies the side of a boat which is at the left
hand of a person looking toward the bow.
The companion-way is the name of a staircase leading from
the deck to the cabin of a ship.
Sapphire is a gem of a bluish color.
Elocution. The long sentences used in description, should be
read somewhat more slowly than conversation. The pauses,
both grammatical and rhetorical, should be carefully regarded.
Point out the location of the rhetorical pauses in the last
paragraph of the lesson.
Language. Let us select a subject and a predicate from the
lesson and join them to form a sentence.
Example. "A breeze" (subject) " sprung up " (predicate). Add-
ing an adjective to the subject and an adverbial phrase to the predi-
cate, we have
"A strong breeze sprung up toward morning."
This is called a simple sentence because it contains only a single
subject and a single predicate.
If we join to this sentence another sentence "We sailed
away," and use a connecting -ivord "and" between them, we shall
have a compound sentence.
Compose two compound sentences, after the model just given.
FIFTH READER. 1O9
ex 96's^'iv^ ly, in an extreme de-
gree.
/.-THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES.
ex pa'ti at ed (eks pa'shi at ed),
talked at length.
eoun'sel^d, advised.
rSt'i nu^, a train of attendants.
en chant 7 ed, delighted in a high
degree.
de ri' slv^, mocking; scornful.
', agreed.
im p61'i tl-e, unwise.
(gor'jtis), beautiful;
In vlg'i bl^, unable to be seen.
In ages long past there lived an emperor who
was excessively fond of new clothes. He spent at
least half of his time in his wardrobe, looking at
his costly robes, and trying on one after another,
to see which best pleased his fancy.
One day there came to his capital two clever
rogues who declared that they were weavers, and
able to produce a fabric surpassing every other in
color and design, but that the clothes made from
it had the wonderful property of becoming invis-
ible to any one who was unfit for the office he held,
or unworthy of the esteem of his fellow-men.
" What capital clothes those would be ! " thought
the emperor. "If I wore such clothes, I should be
able to see what men in my empire are unfit for
their posts and unworthy of my confidence. Yes,
I will have a suit of those clothes made directly."
So orders were given to the two rogues to begin
at once.
As for them, they put up a loom and pretended
to be working ; but in reality it was all a pretense.
They demanded the finest silk and the purest gold ;
these they put in their pockets, and worked at their
empty loom from morning till night.
" I should like to know how the weavers are get-
HO FIFTH READER.
ting on with my wonderful clothes," thought the
emperor ; " but I must send some one whom I know
to "be "both able and faithful, or he will be unable
to see any thing." So the emperor called his prime
minister N , and sent him to examine the marvelous
cloth, and to bring him a faithful report.
Now the minister knew the peculiar property of
the cloth, but readily complied with his royal mas-
ter's wishes, for he felt confident of his own fitness
for the high oflice he had held so long.
So the old minister entered the room where the
two rogues sat working at the empty loom. On
approaching, he opened his eyes wide, but the loom
seemed to him quite empty. " Mercy on me! I
can not see any thing at all ! " he whispered to
himself.
Both the rogues drew his attention to the beauti-
ful fabric they had woven, and asked him if he did
not admire the brilliant colors and chaste design.
While speaking they seemed to be handling some-
thing in the loom, and to be pointing out its beau-
ties; but the good minister was grieved that he
could see nothing. Thinking it impolitic to let it
be known that the wonderful cloth was invisible
to him, he peered through his spectacles, as if he
saw it, and occasionally exclaimed, "Charming!"
"Delightful!"
The minister on returning spoke of its gorgeous
colors and the rare beauty of its design in the same
terms that he had heard from the weavers.
The emperor, wishing to put his officers to the
test, sent them one after another to witness the
weaving, and to bring back a report of the prog-
ress made by the weavers, All of them were re-
FIFTH READER. Ill
ceived courteously by the two rogues, who expa-
tiated to their visitors on the "beauty of the material
they had woven, and all of them pretended to be
enchanted with what they had witnessed.
By this time all the people in the town were
talking of the wonderful fabric, which was now
supposed to be nearly completed. Before it was
taken from the loom the emperor wished to see it
himself. With a crowd of courtiers, including all
the statesmen who had previously visited the loom,
the monarch entered the hall, where the two cun-
ning rogues were weaving with might and main
without warp or woof N .
" What's this?" thought the emperor. "Why, I
can see nothing at all ! This is indeed terrible !
Am I, then, unfit to be emperor?" But as the
monarch thought it would be very unwise to con-
fess his inability to see the wonderful cloth, he
nodded his head in a contented way, and said aloud,
"It is indeed magnificent ! It has our highest ap-
proval."
The whole retinue stood round the loom with
admiring looks, and re-echoed their sovereign's
words. The ministers present counseled him to
wear his new clothes for the first time at the great
procession that was soon to take place.
"It is splendid charming !" went from mouth
to mouth. On all sides there seemed general satis-
faction, and the emperor gave the rogues the title
of Imperial Court Weavers on the spot.
In the presence of the court the rogues pro-
ceeded to take the cloth from the looms. They
went through all the motions proper for the pur-
pose, and begged to be left for two days to prepare
112 FIFTH READER.
the royal clothes, after accurately measuring his
majesty's person. Before the royal party withdrew,
the rogues were busy making cuts in the air with
great scissors, and sewing with needles without
thread.
On the appointed day the Imperial Court Weav-
ers sought the emperor's dressing-room with the
wonderful clothes. The emperor entered with his
chief attendants, and proceeded to put on his new
robes, after removing all his upper garments. The
two rogues, lifting up one arm as if they were
holding something, said, "See! here is the waist-
coat ! here is the coat ! here is the cloak ! " and so
on.
The two rogues then proceeded to put on the
new clothes with the greatest care ; the emperor, on
receiving each garment, turned round and round
"before the mirror, and seemed to "be highly pleased
with the effect. All the courtiers present expressed
their satisfaction, and seemed to gaze on his majesty
with admiration.
The emperor, arrayed in his new robes, descended
the grand staircase to mount his horse and join
the procession. The two chamberlains N , whose office
it was to carry the train, stooped down and pre-
tended to be holding something in the air. They
did not dare let it be thought that they saw noth-
ing to hold.
So the emperor mounted his horse, and the pro-
cession moved forward. Every eye was strained to
catch a glimpse of the beautiful robes of which so
much had been heard, and every one was on the
tiptoe of delighted expectation. ISTor did they seem
disappointed, for no one wished it to be known
FIFTH READER. 113
that he failed to see tlie wonderful clothes. So
on the procession moved, amid the delighted ap-
plause of the crowd.
At last a little child cried out in a shrill voice,
" How funny ! he has nothing on but his hat, shirt,
and trousers ! "
That word of simple truth broke the spell, and
in a moment more the emperor in his new clothes
was greeted with the derisive cheers of the mob.
HANS ANDERSEN.
Biography. Hans Christian Andersen, the Danish poet and
author, was born in 1805, and died in 1875.
Owing to poverty, the education of the poet was begun some-
what later in life than is usual, and he did not enter upon his
academic studies until he was twenty-three years old. Before
that time, however, he had given evidence of his wonderful
powers in the composition of a number of poems. One of these,
"The Dying Child," attracted general attention.
The greater part of Andersen's life was devoted to travel ;
and in this way, he became master of a great number of the
legends current in different parts of Europe.
Probably there are few writers of the century, whose works
Will stand the test of time better than those of Andersen. His
writings are in a style peculiarly pleasing to young readers.
Among his works, which are generally read in this country, are
"Picture Book without Pictures," "Tales from Jutland," and
"Tales for Children."
Notes. A prime minister is the chief adviser of a king or
queen.
A chamberlain is a high officer of a court.
Warp means the threads extended lengthwise in a loom.
Woof means the threads which cross the warp in weaving.
Language. Select from the lesson three simple sentences; two
compound sentences.
If a sentence has either its subject or predicate modified by
another sentence, used either as an adverb or adjective, it is called
a complex sentence, as "The child tvho cried out, was honest."
Here we have the sentence (clause) "who cried out" used as a
modifier of child, a nanu'-trowl, arid hence an adjective.
Select two complex sentences frojn the lesson.
114 FIFTH READER*
22. THE SUNBEAM.
lln'ger er, one who lags or loi-
ters.
, pleased; made glad.
easement, window opening on
change.
mdr'tal, human being.
Thou art no lingerer in monarch's hall:
A joy thoTi art and a wealth to all;
A "bearer of hope unto land and sea:
Sunbeam, what gift hath the world like thee?
Thou art walking the billows, and ocean smiles;
Thou hast touched with glory his thousand isles ;
Thou hast lit up the ships, and the feathery foam,
And gladdened the sailor like words from home.
To the solemn depths of the forest shades
Thou art streaming on through their green arcades,
And the quivering leaves that have caught thy glow,
Like fireflies glance to the pools "below.
I looked on the mountains: a vapor lay
Folding their heights in its dark array;
Thou breakest forth, and the mist "became
A crown and a mantle of living flame.
I looked on the. peasant's lowly cot:
Something of sadness had wrapped the spot;
But a gleam of thee on its casement fell,
And it laughed into "beauty at that "bright spell.
FIFTH READER. 115
Sunbeam of summer, O, what is like thee,
Hope of the wilderness, joy of the sea !
One thing is like thee, to mortals given
The faith touching all things with hues of heaven.
MRS. HEMANS.
Biography. Felicia Dorothea Hemans, an English poetess, was
born at Liverpool in 1794, and died at Dublin in 1835.
The first volume of her poems was published when she was
fourteen years of age ; and the second, when she was eighteen.
Mrs. Hemans' style is both natural and pleasing. Her poem
"Casablanca" is one of the most popular in the English language.
Among her works, maybe mentioned: "The Siege of Valencia,"
"The Last Constantino," and "Hymns for Childhood."
Language. This poem, in which the Sunbeam is repeatedly
addressed as a person, is an example of the figure Apds'trophe.
Apostrophe signifies a turning away from the ordinary form
of address ; an inanimate object is regarded as a person, or what
is distant as near at hand.
Point out two metaphors in the second stanza.
23. PAPER.
sub j&et'ed, brought under the
action of.
dl ver 7 si ty, variety.
eu'i rasl', (kwe ras'), apiece of
armor covering the body.
ml nut^', very smatt.
bl^, capable of being lent.
eon ver'sion, making; chang-
ing.
eom pet^', strive.
ad her^'> stick fast.
transversely, crosswise.
rgm'nants, small portions,
-co he's, ion (zhun), uniting.
Egypt, China, and Japan, are the countries in
which the earliest manufacture of paper is known
to have been carried on. The Egyptian paper was
made of the plant called papyrus, N a kind of grass.
According to the information handed down to us,
the delicate inner fibers were 'separated from the
blade of the grass, and spread upon a table in such
a manner that they overlapped one another.
116 FIFTH READER.
The table was sprinkled with water from the
Nile, which had, no doubt, the effect of moistening
the natural gum of the plant so as to make the
fibers adhere. When this first layer of papyrus fiber
was complete, succeeding layers were laid upon it
transversely, until the paper was sufliciently thick.
These layers were then pressed together, and the
sheet of paper was dried in the sun.
The best quality was preserved for religious uses,
and not allowed to be exported. The Romans, how-
ever, discovered a process of cleansing this kind of
paper from the marks of writing, and after this
discovery they imported from Egypt sacred books
written on this material, which they used for their
own purposes, after the original writing had been
removed.
Besides the papyrus, there are remnants of an-
cient paper made of the inner bark of trees. Egyp-
tian paper was in general use in Europe until the
eighth or ninth century. It then slowly began to
give place to paper manufactured from cotton and
other materials, the art of making which was ap-
parently learned by the Arabs in Asia, and intro-
duced by them into Europe.
This manufacture had probably spread to West-
ern Asia from China, where it is known to have
existed at a very early period. Paper was made by
the Chinese from some materials at least as early
as the beginning of the first century, and, accord-
ing to their own account, the fabrication of paper
from cotton appears to have been invented about
200 A. D.
The materials that have been used for the manu-
facture of paper are very numerous. In China,
FIFTH READER. 117
Where much of the paper made is of very excellent
quality, different materials are used in different
provinces. Hemp N and linen N rags are used in one
part of the country; the inner "bark of the mul-
berry-tree in another; and in other parts, the "bark
of the elm, straw, bamboo, etc,
The Japanese make use principally of a kind of
mulberry-tree, and the paper manufactured by them
is unequaled for strength and softness, qualities
which enable it to be used for many purposes for
which leather is commonly employed elsewhere,
such as the making of ladies' reticules.
The natives of Mexico, before the Spanish Con-
quest, made their paper from the leaves of the
agave N plant, or American aloe, in a manner resem-
bling the ancient mode of preparing papyrus.
After the introduction into Europe of cotton
and linen rags as materials for paper-making, the
use of other vegetable fibers was for many centuries
entirely, or almost entirely, given up ; not so much,
however, on account of their unfitness, as because
rags, besides being admirably adapted for the pur-
pose, were cheaper than any other material.
It was not until about the close of the eigh-
teenth century that paper - manufacturers began
again to turn their attention to the possibility of
using vegetable fibers as substitutes for rags. In
1772, a G-erman published a work containing sixty
specimens of paper made from different vegetable
substances. From this time, serious attempts were
made to find a process, by which some of these
vegetable materials could be used with success to
replace rags.
The difficulty did not consist in the mere con-
118 FIFTH READER.
version into paper of the materials on which ex-
periments were made for any vegetable fiber with
a rough edge can be made into paper but in mak-
ing paper out of them of such quality and at such
a price, as would enable the manufactured product
to compete with that made from rags.
Straw, wood, and esparto N grass are the chief
vegetable fibers which, with rags, have hitherto been
found to answer these conditions, and all of these
are now used more or less in paper-making. The
combination of flexible fibers by which the paper
is produced, depends on the minute subdivision of
the fibers, and their subsequent cohesion.
The rags used are chiefly cotton and linen.
Woolen rags are no longer employed for the pur-
pose. Cotton is used in the manufacture of paper
not only in the form of rags, but also in that of
waste or sweepings from spinning mills.
Before the rags or other materials can be made
into paper, they must be torn or cut into minute
particles so small that they form a pulp when
mixed with water. A sheet of paper is a thin layer
of this pulpy matter, mixed with some kind of glue
or size to give it firmness, and then dried.
The invention of the machine for paper-making
is due to a Frenchman, and a patent was obtained
for it by the inventor from the French Government
in 1799. A method of treating straw so as to make
it capable of being manufactured into paper, was
invented at the beginning of the present century.
Various improvements have since been effected, and
there are now mills which produce no other kind of
paper than that made mostly from straw and wood-
pulp; but the best and most important use of wood
FIFTH READER. 119
and straw in paper-making, is to impart stiffness to
the paper.
Two processes have been patented for the manu-
facture of paper entirely from wood. By the first
process the wood is reduced to a pulp by means of
chemicals. By the other process the pulp is ob-
tained by merely grinding down the wood and mix-
ing it with water during the operation.
Esparto, or Spanish grass, and the kindred plant
called alfa, which is brought from Algeria, have
been applied to paper-making only in comparatively
recent years. The use of rushes for paper-making
belongs to this country, and dates from the year
1866. The paper made from this material is white,
firm, and of good quality, and considerably cheaper
than that made from wood.
Blotting paper is made in the same way as ordi-
nary paper, except that the sizing is omitted. Paste-
board is made from coarse paper by pasting several
sheets together, or by laying the sheets above one
another when fresh from the mold and uniting
them by pressure. This second method is much the
better of the two, as the sheets cohere more firmly.
Pasteboard made in the other way is very apt to
split into separate sheets when subjected to unusual
heat.
Nothing is more remarkable than the great num-
ber and diversity of new uses that have been found
for paper in recent years. Besides being largely
employed for making collars, cuffs, and other articles
of dress, it is sometimes used for making small
houses in the backwoods of our Western States and
territories, which are found to be warmer than
those made of wood or sheet iron. It is used also
12O FIFTH READER.
for making boats, pipes, tanks, and pails for water;
cuirasses firm enough to resist musket-balls, wheels
for railway carriages, and even "bells and cannon
have been made of it.
Notes and Questions. The word pape* is derived from, the
word pa p^'rus.
The aga've or American al'o^ is a, plant requiring from ten to
seventy years to reach maturity. It then produces a gigantic
flower-stem forty feet in height, and perishes.
The es par' to is a kind of rush grown in Spain, and used in
the making of ropes, baskets, shoes, etc.
Hemp is the fibrous covering of a plant, and is used in making
cloth and cordage.
linen is thread or cloth made from flax or hemp.
What is the location of the follpwing countries Egypt, China,
Japan, Algeria ?
Language. A rSt'i-eule is a small "bag to "be carried in the
hand.
Q-ive two words ending in cule and show the force of the
suffix; also, two words ending in cle and show the force of the
suffix.
.. THE SOLDIER'S REPRIEVE.
pary, destroy action of.
e ter'ni ty, the state which begins
at death.
In ter rttpt'ed, broke in,
re pr\ev^', suspension of punish-
ment.
ter^d, recorded.
fer'vent ly, in a devotional man-
ner.
fal'ter^d, stammered; hesitated.
jus'ti fy, free from guilt or
blame.
blanched, pale; color taken out. -eul' pa bl^, worthy of blame.
"I thought, Mr. Allen, when I gave my Bennie
to his country, that not a father in all this broad
land made so precious a gift, no, not one. The
dear boy only slept a minute just one little min-
uteat his post: N I know that was all, for Bennie
never dozed over a duty. How prompt and trust-
worthy he was!
FIFTH READER.
"I know he fell asleep only one little second;
he was so young, and not strong, that "boy of mine!
Why, he was as tall as I, and only eighteen ! and
now they shoot him "because he was found asleep
when doing sentinel duty! Twenty-four hours,
the telegram said, only twenty-four hours. Where
is Bennie now?"
"We will hope with his Heavenly Father," said
Mr. Allen, soothingly.
"Yes, yes, let us hope; God is very merciful.
"'I should "be ashamed, father/ Bennie said,
'when I was a man, to think I never used this
great right arm,' and he held it out so proudly
before me, 'for my country, when it needed it.
Palsy it rather than keep it at the plow.'
'"Go, then, my "boy!' I said, 'and God keep
you!' God has kept him, I think, Mr. Allen;" and
the farmer repeated those last words slowly, as if,
in spite of his reason, his heart doubted them.
"Like the apple of his eye, Mr. Owen, doubt it
not ! "
Blossom sat near them, listening with blanched
cheeks. She had not shed a tear. Her anxiety had
been so concealed that no one had noticed it. She
had occupied herself mechanically in the house-
hold cares. ISTow she answered a gentle tap at the
kitchen door, opening it to receive from a neigh-
bor's hand a letter. "It is from him," was all she
said.
It was like a message from the dead ! Mr. Owen
took the letter, but could not break the envelope
on account of his trembling fingers, and held it
toward Mr. Allen, with the helplessness of a child.
The minister opened it and read as follows
FIFTH READER.
" 3)ear Father; When this reaches you, I shall
be in eternity. At first, it seemed awful to me;
"but I have thought about it so much now that it
has no terror. They say that they will not "bind
me, nor "blind me; "but that I may meet my death
like a man. I thought, father, that it might have
"been on the "battle-field, for my country, and that,
when I fell, it would "be fighting gloriously ; "but
to be shot down like a dog for nearly betraying
it, to die for neglect of duty! O father, I wonder
the very thought does not kill me ! But I shall
not disgrace you. I am going to write you all
about it; and when I am gone, you may tell my
comrades ; I can not now.
"You know I promised Jemmie Carr's mother I
would look after her boy; and, when he fell sick,
I did all I could for him. He was not strong when
he was ordered back into the ranks, and the day
before that night, I carried all his baggage, besides
my own, on our march. Toward night we went
in on double-quick**, and the baggage began to feel
very heavy. Every body was tired ; and as for
Jemmie, if I had not lent him an arm now and
then, he would have dropped by the way.
"I was all tired out when we came into camp;
and then it was Jemmie's turn to be sentry, and I
would take his place; but I was too tired, father.
I could not have kept awake if a gun had been
pointed at my head ; but I did not know it until
well, until it was too late."
"G-od be thanked!" interrupted Mr. Owen, rever-
ently. "I knew Beniiie was not the boy to sleep
carelessly."
"They tell me to-day that I have a short re-
The Soldier's Reprieve. (See pacje 120.)
FIFTH READER. 123
prieve given to me by circumstances 'time to
write to you,' our good Colonel says. Forgive Mm,
father, he only does his duty; he would gladly
save me if he could ; and do not lay my death up
against Jemmie. The poor boy is broken-hearted,
and does nothing but beg and entreat them to let
him die in my stead.
"I can't bear to think of mother and Blossom.
Comfort them, father! Tell them I die as a brave
boy should, and that, when the war is over, they
will not be ashamed of me, as they must be now.
God help me; it is very hard to bear! Good-by,
father !
4 'To-night, in the early twilight, I shall see the
cows all coming home from pasture, and precious
little Blossom standing on the back stoop, N waiting
for me, but I shall never, never come! God bless
you all! Forgive your poor Bennie."
Late that night the door of the "back stoop"
opened softly, and a little figure glided out and
down the foot-path to the road that led by the
mill. She seemed rather flying than walking, turn-
ing her head neither to the right nor the left,
looking only now and then to Heaven, and fold-
ing her hands, as if in prayer.
Two hours later the same young girl stood at
Mill Depot,* watching the coming of the night
train; and the conductor, as he reached down to
lift her into the car, wondered at the tear-stained
face that was upturned toward the dim lantern he
held in his hand. A few questions and ready
answers told him all; and no father could have
cared more tenderly for his only child than he
did for our little Blossom.
124 FIFTH READER.
She was on her way to Washington to ask Presi-
dent Lincoln for her "brother's life, She had stolen
away, leaving only a note to tell her father where
and why she had gone. She had taken Bennie's
letter with her. No good, kind heart, like the
President's, could refuse to "be melted by it. The
next morning they reached New York, and the
conductor hurried her on to Washington. Every
minute, now, might "be the means of saving her
brother's life. And so, in an incredibly short time,
Blossom reached the capital, and hastened imme-
diately to the White House.
The President had but just seated himself at his
morning's task of looking over and signing impor-
tant papers, when, without one word of announce-
ment, the door softly opened, and Blossom, with
downcast eyes and folded hands, stood before
him.
"Well, my child," he said, in his pleasant, cheer
ful tones, "what do you want so bright and early
in the morning?"
"Bennie's life, please, sir," faltered Blossom.
"Bennie?' Who is Bennie?"
"My brother, sir. They are going to shoot him
for sleeping at his post."
"O yes," and Mr. Lincoln ran his eye over the
papers before him. "I remember! It was a fatal
sleep. You see, child, it was at a time of special
danger. Thousands of lives might have been lost
through his culpable negligence."
"So my father said," replied Blossom, gravely;
"but poor Bennie was so tired, sir, and Jemmie so
weak. He did the work of two, sir, and it was
Jemmie's night, not his;, but Jemmie was too tired,
FIFTH READER. 125
and Bennie never thought about himself that he
was tired too."
"What is this you say, child? Come here; I do
not understand," and the kind man caught eagerly,
as ever, at something to justify the offense.
Blossom went to him : he put his hand tenderly
on her shoulder, and turned up the pale, anxious
face toward his. How tall he seemed, and he was
President of the United States too. A dim thought
of this kind passed through Blossom's mind; but
she told her simple and straightforward story, and
handed Mr. Lincoln Bennie's letter to read.
He read it carefully ; then, taking up his pen,
wrote a few hasty lines, and rang his bell.
Blossom heard this order given: "Send this
dispatch at once."
The President then turned to the girl and said:
"Go home, my child, and tell that father of yours,
who could approve his country's sentence, even
when it took the life of a child like that, that
Abraham Lincoln thinks the life far too precious
to be lost. Go back, or wait until to-morrow;
Bennie will need a change after he has so bravely
faced death; he shall go with you."
"God bless you, sir," said Blossom; and who
shall doubt that God heard and registered the
request ?
Two days after this interview, the young soldier
came to the White House with his little sister.
He was called into the President's private room,
and a strap fastened upon the shoulder. N Mr. Lin-
coln then said: "The soldier that could carry a
sick comrade's baggage, and die for the act without
complaining, deserves well of his country."
126 FIFTH READER.
Tlien Bennie and Blossom took their way to
their G-reen Mountain 14 home. A crowd gathered at
the Mill Depot to welcome them "back ; and as
farmer Owen's hand grasped that of his "boy, tears
flowed down his cheeks, and he was heard to say
fervently, "The Lord "be praised."
MRS. R. D. C. ROBBINS.
Notes. A soldier who is found asleep at Ms post when doing
duty as a sentinel, is usually sentenced to be shot.
Double-quick means the fastest time or step in marching, next
to the run.
A stoop, as used in the lesson, means either a number of steps
leading to the door of a house ; or, a porch with a railing
around it.
The Green, Mountains are in the State of Vermont.
Depot (depo' or dS'po) is a word often used in some parts of
this country to signif / a railway station. The popular meaning
of depot in the United States seems to be a place where cars and
freight are kept, and from which trains start ; and station, any
other stopping-place on a railway.
A. strap upon the shoulder is the badge of a commissioned officer
either in the army or navy. As employed in the lesson, the
expression means that Bennie was made a lieutenant.
25. OUR COUNTRY.
nftrt'ur^d, fed; brought up.
am'pl^, large; great in size.
en am' el^d, covered; painted.
ty'rant, cruel ruler.
hi r^' ling, one serving for wages.
boun'te ^us, plentiful.
Our country ! ' tis a glorious land !
With broad arms stretched from shore to shore;
The proud Pacific chafes her strand,
She hears the dark Atlantic roar;
And, nurtured on her ample "breast,
How many a goodly prospect lies
In Nature's wildest grandeur drest,
Enameled with her loveliest dyes!
FIFTH READER. 127
Rich, prairies, decked with flowers of gold,
Like sunlit oceans roll afar ;
Broad lakes her azure heavens behold,
Reflecting clear each trembling star:
And mighty rivers, mountain-born,
Go sweeping onward, dark and deep,
Through forests where the bounding fawn
Beneath their sheltering brandies leap.
And, cradled 'mid her clustering hills,
Sweet vales in dream-like beauty hide,
Where love the air with music fills,
And calm content and peace abide ;
For plenty here her fullness pours
In rich profusion o'er the land,
And, sent to seize her generous stores,
There prowls no tyrant's hireling band.
Great God! we thank Thee for this home
This bounteous birth-land of the free;
Where wanderers from afar may come,
And breathe the air of liberty.
Still may her flowers untrampled spring,
Her harvests wave, her cities rise;
And yet, till time shall fold his wing,
Remain Earth's loveliest Paradise!
W. J. PARBODIE.
Elocution. With what tone of voice should this lesson be read?
Language. What simile occurs in the second stanza?
" Calm content and peace abide " is an expression containing
either the figure personification, in case we think of "content"
and "peace" as persons; or, me ton'y my, if we regard "content"
and "peace" simply as qualities used instead of the possessors
of those qualities.
Metonymy signifies a change of name, one word being used for
another on. account of a close relationship between them,
128 FIFTH READER.
. BEE-HUNTERS.
sm I ptr'-eu lar, hamng the
form of half a circle.
ere^p'er, a plant which clings to
something for support.
h6r i z6n'tal, level.
pas' si v^, not opposing; inactive.
sta'pe fl^d, made senselest.
su-e 9s / siv^ ly, one after an
other.
lus'ci^tis (lush' us), sweet,
im mu'ni ty, freedom.
per'se -eut ing, annoying.
One of tlie most important and valuable prod-
ucts of the Island of Timor, in the Malay Archi-
pelago, is "bees-wax. This is formed by the wild
bees, which build huge honey-combs, suspended in
the open air from the under side of the lofty
branches of the highest trees. These combs are of
semicircular form, and often three or four feet in
diameter.
I once saw the natives take a bees' nest, and a
very interesting sight it was. In the valley where
I used to collect insects, I one day noticed three or
four men and boys under a high tree, and looking
up, saw on a very lofty horizontal branch, three large
bees' combs.
The tree was straight and smooth-barked and
without a branch, till at seventy or eighty feet
from the ground it gave out the limb which the
bees had chosen for their home.
As the men were evidently looking for honey, I
waited to watch their operations. One of them first
produced a long piece of wood, apparently the stem
of a small tree or creeper, which was very tough and
stringy, and began splitting it through in several
directions. He then wrapped it in palm-leaves,
which were recured by twisting a slender creeper
round, them.
FIFTH READER. 129
He then fastened his cloth tightly around his
waist, and producing another cloth wrapped it
around his head, neck, and body, and tied it firmly,
leaving his face, arms, and legs completely bare.
Slung to his girdle N he carried a long coil of thin
cord; and while he had been making these prepara-
tions, one of his companions had cut a strong
creeper, or bush-rope, eight or ten yards long, to
one end of which a wood torch was fastened. It
was then lighted at the bottom, and emitted a
steady stream of smoke. Just above the torch a
chopping-knife was fastened with a short cord.
The bee-hunter now took hold of the bush-rope
just above the torch, and passed the other end
around the trunk of the tree, holding one end in
each hand. Jerking it above the tree a little above
his head, he set his foot against the trunk, and
leaning back began walking up it. It was wonder-
ful to see the skill with which he took advantage
of the slightest irregularities of the bark or in-
clination of the stem to aid his ascent, jerking the
stiff' creeper a few feet higher when he had found
a firm hold for his bare feet.
It almost made me giddy to look at him as he
rapidly got up thirty, forty, fifty feet above the
ground; and I kept wondering how he could possi-
bly mount the next few feet of straight smooth
trunk. Still, however, he kept on with as much
coolness and apparent certainty as if he were going
up a ladder, till he had got within ten or fifteen
feet of the bees.
Then he stopped a moment and took care to swing
the torch, which hung just at his feet, a little to-
ward these dangerous insects, so as to send up the
ISO FIFTH READER.
stream of smoke "between him and them. Still go-
ing on, in a minute more he brought himself under
the limb, and, in a manner that I could not uii-
.derstand, seeing that both hands were occupied in
supporting himself by the creeper, managed to get
upon it.
By this time the bees began to be alarmed, and
formed a dense buzzing swarm just over him, but
he brought the torch up closer to him, and coolly
brushed away those that settled on his arms and
legs. Then stretching himself along the limb, he
crept toward the nearest comb and swung the torch
just under it. The moment the smoke touched it,
its color changed in a most curious manner from
black to white, the myriads of bees that had cov-
ered it flying off and forming a dense cloud above
and around.
The man then lay at full length along the limb,
and brushed off the remaining bees with his hand,
and then drawing his knife, cut off the comb at
one slice close to the tree, and attaching the thin
cord to it, let it down to his companions below.
He was all this time enveloped in a swarm of
angry bees, and how he bore their stings so coolly,
and went on with his work at that giddy height
so deliberately, was more than I could understand.
The bees were evidently not stupefied by the smoke
or driven away far by it, and it was impossible
that the small stream from the torch could protect
his whole body when at work.
There were three other combs on the same tree,
and all were successively taken, and furnished the
whole party with a luscious feast of honey and,
young bees, as well as a valuable lot of wa.x.
FIFTH READER. 131
After two of the combs had "been let down, the
bees became rather numerous below, flying about
wildly and stinging viciously. Several got about
me, and I was soon stung, and had to run away,
beating them off with my net, and capturing them
for specimens. Several of them followed me for at
least half a mile, getting into my hair and perse-
cuting me in a most determined manner, so that I
was more astonished than ever at the immunity
of the natives.
I am inclined to think that slow and deliberate
motion, and no attempt to escape, are perhaps the
best safeguards. A bee settling on a passive native
behaves as it would on a tree or other inanimate
substance, and does not attempt to sting. Still
these men must often suffer and learn to bear the
pain impassively, as without doing so no man
could be a bee-hunter.
A. R. WALLACE.
Notes and Questions. A girdle is a band of cloth or leather
which encircles the body at the waist.
Where is the Ma lay' Archipelago ?
Language. A pronoun, is a word used instead of a name-word
(noun).
What word is used instead of "bee-hunter" in the second and
third sentences of the fifth paragraph ?
Does the use of the word "he" save the repetition of the
name-word ?
What, then, is one of the uses of a pronoun?
Who is the author of the lesson ? What word does he use
instead of his name ? Why ?
I, thou, he, she, and it are called jwtional pronouns and take
the place of name-words; tvho, tvhich and what, interrogative pro-
nouns, when used in questions; are
194 FIFTH READER.
seen on the projecting points of the masts and
upper spars, appearing from the deck like dim stars.
Soon after their appearance the gale abates, and
presently clears away with a rapidity equal to that
which marks its approach.
These storms are found, by carefully comparing
the direction of the wind at the same time in
different places, or successively at the same place,
to blow in a vast circle around a center; a fact of
the utmost importance, as an acquaintance with
this law will frequently enable the mariner so to
determine the course of his ship as to steer out of
the circle, and consequently out of danger, when,
in ignorance, he might sustain the whole fury of
the tempest. The course of a circle is the opposite
of that taken by the hands of a watch, and is the
same as that of the still more striking phenomena
called water-spouts.
Water-spouts are, perhaps, the most majestic of
all those "works of the Lord, and His wonders in
the deep," which they behold who "go down to
the sea in ships." They frequently appear as per-
pendicular columns, apparently of many hundred
feet in height, and three feet or more in diameter,
reaching from the surface of the sea to the clouds.
The edge of the pillar is perfectly clean and well de-
nned, and the effect has been compared to a column
of frosted glass.
A series of spiral lines runs around it, and the
whole has a rapid spiral motion, which is very ap-
parent, though it is not always easy to determine
whether it is an ascending or descending line.
G-enerally, the body of clouds above descend below
Joining tto pillar iu
FIFTH READER. 198
of a funnel, but sometimes the summit is invisible,
from its becoming gradually more rare. Much, more
constant is the presence of a visible foot; the sea
being raised in a great heap, with a whirling and
bubbling motion, the upper part of which is lost
in the mass of spray and foam which is driven
rapidly round.
The column, or columns for there are frequently
more than one mov3 slowly forward with a stately
and majestic step, sometimes inclining to the per-
pendicular, now becoming curved, and now taking
a twisted form. Sometimes the mass becomes more
and more transparent, and gradually vanishes; at
others, it separates, the base subsiding, and the
upper portion shortening with a whirling motion
till lost in the clouds.
The pillar is not always cylindrical; a very fre-
quent form is that of a slender funnel depending
from the sky, which sometimes retains that appear-
ance without alteration, or, at others, lengthens its
tube toward the sea, which at the same time begins
to boil and rise in a hill to meet it, and soon the
two unite and form a slender column, as first
described.
When these sublime appearances are viewed from
a short distance, they are attended with a rushing
noise somewhat like the roar of a cataract. The
phenomenon is doubtless the effect of a whirlwind
or current of air revolving with great rapidity and
violence, and the lines which are seen are probably
drops of water ascending in the cloudy column.
They are esteemed highly dangerous; instances
have "been known in which vessels that have been
toy tksxu have laeeix uist*atly dismasted stud
196 FIFTH READER.
left a total wreck. It is supposed that any sudden
shock will cause a rupture in the mass and destroy
it; and hence it is customary for ships to fire a
cannon at such as, from their proximity, there is
any reason to dread.
Typhoons are seen in all parts of the world, but
are most frequent in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
PHILIP HENRY GOSSE.
Biography. Philip Henry Gosse -was born in Worcester, Eng-
land, in 1810.
Early in life he evinced an aptitude for natural history, and
after reaching manhood, set out on his travels over different
parts of the world. His first important work, " The Canadian
Naturalist," was published in 1840. Some years later, he returned
to England, where he continued his researches and published a
number of works on geology and natural history.
The style of Gosse is clear and pleasing, and the enthusiasm
of the scientist pervades every page of his writings.
His principal works, aside from a number of excellent text-
books for schools, are: "Birds of Jamaica," "Ocean Described,"
"British Ornithology," "Bivers of the Bible," "The Aquarium,"
and "Tenby, a Sea-side Holiday."
Language. In the first paragraph, canvas is employed for sails,
an example of the use of a material instead of the articles
made from it. The expression is an illustration of the figure
metonymy.
In the second paragraph, on page 195, "The columns move
forward with a stately and majestic step." What figure of rhet-
oric is used? Explain the comparison and state whether or not
you think it is a good one.
What kind of sentence is the first one in the third paragraph ?
What is its subject? What is its predicate? The expression "In
loud, sharp, startling explosions " is a modifier of the action-woi-d
(verb) "peals," and is therefore an adverb or adverbial phrase.
A phrn.se is a combination of two or more words, not contain-
ing an action-word and its subject.
The phrase given above is made up of the relation-ward (prepo-
sition) "in" and the name-word "explosions" -with its modifiers
"loud," "sharp," and "startling."
Point out three phrases in the last sentence of the lesson.
The relation-words, (prepositions) introducing them are "in," " qf k "
aoid "to,"
FIFTH READER. 197
3. AN ORDER FOR A PICTURE.
, dry; withered. ' ad vent'ur &?us, daring; cour-
sas'sa fras, a tree of the laurel
family.
tjir'ching, children.
su'ma-elQ., a plant or shrub.
ageous.
tyfts, pleasing to
sight.
re pro^eh'ful, expressing blame
O good painter, tell me true,
Has your hand the cunning to draw
Shapes of things that you never saw?
Ay? Well, here is an order for you.
Woods and corn fields, a little brown,
The picture must not "be over bright
Yet all in the golden and gracious light
Of a cloud, when the summer sun is down,
Alway and alway, night and morn,
Woods upon woods, with fields of corn
Lying between them, not quite sere,
And not in the full, thick, leafy bloom,
When the wind can hardly find breathing-room
Under their tassels, cattle near,
Biting shorter the short green grass,
And a hedge of sumach and sassafras,
With bluebirds twittering all around,
Ah, good painter, you can't paint sound !
These, and the house where I was born,
Low and little, and black and old,
With children, many as it can hold,
All at the windows, open wide,
Heads and shoulders clear outside,
And fair young faces all a-blush:
Perhaps you may have seen, some day,
198 FIFTH RSADEE.
Roses crowding the self-same way,
Out of a wilding, wayside bush.
Listen closer. When you have done
With woods and corn fields and grazing herds,
A lady, the loveliest ever the sun
Looked down upon you must paint for me;
O, if I only could make you see
The clear blue eyes, the tender smile,
The sovereign sweetness, the gentle grace,
The woman's soul, and the angel's face
That are beaming on me all the while,
I need not speak these foolish words:
Yet one word tells you all I would say,
She is my mother: you will agree
That all the rest may be thrown away.
Two little urchins at her knee
You must paint, sir: one like me,
The other with a clearer brow,
And the light of his adventurous eyes
Flashing with boldest enterprise:
At ten years old he went to sea,
God knoweth if he be living now,
He sailed in the good ship Commodore,
Nobody ever crossed her track
To bring us news, and she never came back.
Ah, it is twenty long years and more
Since that old ship went out of the bay
With my great-hearted brother on her deck:
I watched him till he shrunk to a speck,
And his face was toward me all the way.
Bright his hair was, a golden brown,
The time we stood at our mother's knee ;
FIFTH READER. 199
That beauteous liead, if it did go down,
Carried sunshine into the sea.
Out in the fields one summer night
We were together, half afraid
Of the corn-leaves' rustling, and of the shade
Of the high hills, stretching so still and far,
Loitering till after the low little light
Of the candle shone through the open door,
And over the hay-stack's pointed top,
All of a tremble, and ready to drop,
The first half-hour, the great yellow star,
That we, with staring, ignorant eyes,
Had often and often watched to see
Propped and held in its place in the skies
By the fork of a tall, red mulberry-tree,
Which close in the edge of our flax field grew,
Dead at the top, just one branch full
Of leaves, notched round, and lined with wool,
From which it tenderly shook the dew
Over our heads, when we came to play
In its hand-breadth of shadow, day after day.
Afraid to go home, sir ; for one of us bore
A nestful of speckled and thin-shelled eggs,
The other, a bird, held fast by the legs,
Not so big as a straw of wheat :
The berries we gave her she wouldn't eat,
But cried and cried, till we held her bill,
So slim and shining, to keep her still.
At last we stood at our mother's knee.
Do you think, sir, if you try,
You can paint the look of a lie?
If you can, pray have the grace
2OO FIFTH READER.
To put it solely in the face
Of the urchin that is likest me:
I think 'twas solely mine, indeed :
But that's no matter, paint it so;
The eyes of our mother take good heed
Looking- not on the nestful of eggs,
ISTor the fluttering "bird, held so fast by the legs,
But straight through our faces down to our lies,
And, O, with such injured, reproachful surprise !
I felt my heart bleed where that glance went, as
though
A sharp blade struck through it.
You, sir, know
That you on the canvas are to repeat
Things that are fairest, things most sweet;
Woods and corn fields and mulberry-tree,
The mother, the lads, with their bird, at her knee :
But, O, that look of reproachful woe !
High as the heavens your name I'll shout,
If you paint me the picture, and leave that out.
ALICE GARY.
Biography. Alice Gary was born near Cincinnati, Ohio, in
1820, and died in New York City in 1871.
Her first poems were published in periodicals, and soon at-
tracted general attention. In 1850, in company with her sister
Phoebe, she removed to New York City, where she continued her
literary labors until the time of her death.
Miss Gary's genius in both prose and poetry has not been ex-
celled by any other woman in America. Her style has a peculiar
charm the charm of the woman as well as of the poet.
Her principal works are : " Clovernook Sketches," "Lyra and
Other Poems," "Hagar," "Ballads, Lyrics, and Hymns," "Pict-
ures of Country Life," and "Stories Told to a Child."
Elocution. With what tone of voice, rate, and force, should the
different parts of the poem be read? Point out the places where
a change of feeling occurs.
FIFTH READER. 2O1
. ALADDIN'S CAVE.
se pul'-el^ral, as if from the
grave.
e6n fla gra'tion, a very large
fire.
n ^m, workmanship,
ar-e, a part of a curve.
plum ba'go, black lead.
eon dgns^d', made close,
mis no' mer, using one
for another.
, punished; struck with a u ni'que' (neek), without a tike;
flat piece of wood.
fur' na9 e, closed places to keep
a hot fire in.
sal' a man' der, an animal
falsely thought to be able to bear
great heat.
ve'he ment, furious.
You climb the pyramid of steps and enter halls
and rooms that with their stone floors, walls, and
ceilings, are rocky as the Mammoth Cave. Every
thing reverberates. The voice has a sepulchral ring.
If you can fancy a vehement ghost calling the cows,
you know how it sounds.
Your gentle-spoken friend talks so loud you can
not hear him. You are in the mill where money
is made. You see the raw material, fresh from the
mines, piled around like bricks in a kiln. They are
bricks. Here is enough in this vault to build a
stone wall of gold around your garden spot.
The precious metals run to brick here, brick
without straw. Ah, if the poor Israelites had pos-
sessed such material to work, there would have been
no complaint in Pharaoh's brick-yard. Here are
four gold cubes. They weigh about ninety pounds
apiece. You can carry a couple for the gift of them,
and you would have fifty thousand dollars.
Yonder are two pieces of hardware from Mexico.
They are gold and silver together, and shaped a
little like blacksmiths' anvils before their horns are
FIFTH READER.
grown. They are awkward things to handle, for
they have no bails to them, and they weigh more
than five hundred pounds apiece. They are made
to "be robber proof, for if Mexican bandits attacked
the train, they could not very well get off with
such hardware at their saddle-bows.
Nothing here puzzles you like values. They are
condensed into a wonderfully small compass. You
are in the gold ingot room, and you pick up a bar
about a foot long, an inch and a half wide, and
three times as thick as the snug-setting maple ruler
with which you used to be feruled. You could
slip it up your sleeve if that gray-eyed man, who
would be your "man of destiny" if you did it, were
not looking at you. You mentally cut it into eagles
as you hold it, and it turns out sixty of them, but
the melter quietly tells you it is worth fifteen hun-
dred dollars. I laid mine down immediately.
You follow a brick of gold into the Melting De-
partment. Here is weather for you. The twelve
furnaces are glowing all about you. The iron eye-
lid of one of them is thrown up, and the very es-
sence of fire winks at you. "When you are 108 it is
your last fever. When the steam is 212 away dashes
the locomotive. But here is a crucible in the heart
of a fire urged to a volcanic glow of 2,112. In the
crucible is gold, and the gold boils like a tea-kettle.
If you are curious to know what the salamander of
a crucible is made of, it is sand and plumbago.
The air you breathe before the furnace doors is
130.
The men -some of them are giants are stripped
like athletes. Sweat rolls off like rain. The floor is
stone, and carpeted with iron lattice. Every day
FIFTfl READER.
this is removed, the dust swept up and saved for
the precious particles that may be in it. There is
no such thing as a trine in this mint.
Gold and silver are in unsuspected places. They
are in the air, in the water, under foot. There is
little you can call "dirt" in most parts of the Mint
without "being guilty of a misnomer. And just here
we may as well gossip by the way about the curious
domestic fashions within these walls.
For one of them, they wash their clothes once
a year ! The rough dresses of the men in the fur-
nace room, and out of which they husk themselves
daily when the work is done, never leave the Mint
after they enter it, until they have been washed
span-clean. The method of washing is unique. They
just put them in the furnaces, and they are cleansed
in a twinkling. A ten-dollar suit may be worth five
after it is burned up, and an old apron bring money
enough to buy a new one.
When they take up carpets they do not beat
them with whips and broomsticks, after the manner
of good housewives, filling their lungs with dust
and the premises with confusion, but they just
bundle them bodily into the fire ; and it is gener-
ally calculated that the destruction of an old car-
pet, after three years of wear, will about buy a new
one.
A mint is the only place in the world where a
conflagration produces its own insurance money.
The ashes of these clothes and carpets are carefully
gathered, sifted and washed, and out come the
truant gold and silver they contain.
You see scales, the most delicate pieces of mech-
anism. The wave of a butterfly's wing could blow
2O4 FIFTH READER.
the truth, away from them. They hang in glass
houses of their own. " Let us weigh ari animal.
Let us go hunting. Let us catch a fly." We cap-
tured a victim and drove him upon the scale as if
he were a bullock. A weight was put in the other
dish, and our mammoth made it kick the beam.
The long, slender index depending from the balanc-
ing point, and describing an arc on the graduated
ivory when the scales are moved, swung through
ten spaces when the monster was put aboard !
The brown house-fly pulled down the dish at
thirty-one thousandths of seven and a half grains
and he was only in good flying order at that.
Then one wing was lifted upon the scale, and it
astonished us to see what a regiment of heavy
figures it took to tell how light it was, that bit of
an atmospheric oar.
Have you never thought that things may be so
enormously little as to be tremendously great? "We
go to the Assaying Department, where they weigh
next to nothing, and keep an account of it. Here
are scales where a girl's eyelash will give the index
the swing of a pendulum. The smallest weight is
an atom of aluminum, the lightest of the mineral
family, that you could carry in your eye and not
think there was a, beam in it. Its weight is 5-10
of 1-100 of 1-2 of 1-24 of one ounce. It would take
ninety-six hundred of those metallic motes to weigh
a humming-bird.
BENJAMIN F. TAYLOR.
Biography. Benjamin Franklin Taylor was born in Xew York
in 1822, and educated at Madison University, of which institu-
tion his father was President.
Taylor's career has been full of romantic incident. For many
FIFTH READER. 2O8
years he discharged the duties of a journalist. His writings show
a knowledge of both the last and the present generation of the
American people. His style is characterized by artistic taste and
a careful handling of details. Under his treatment even dry
subjects become bright and interesting.
Of Taylor's numerous works we may mention the following
as good specimens of his genius: "Pictures of Life in Camp and
Field," "Old-Time Pictures," "The World on Wheels," "Songs of
Yesterday," and "Between the Gates."
Language. How do the short sentences used in the lesson
affect our interest?
. AN EXPLOIT OF SIR WILLIAM WALLACE.*
ex pi o it', a great deed.
prow'es^, bravery.
a^: Il'ia ry (awg zil' ya ry),
. helping; aiding.
cham' pi on, one ready to fight
all who offer against him.
do min'ion (mm'yun), rule.
ap pre hen'sion, alarm.
faX'-e^n, a bird of prey.
grap'pling-i'ron (urn), in-
com pro's i^d', pressed together;
brought within narrow space.
eon fer^d', granted.
During the brief career of the celebrated pa-
triot, Sir William Wallace, and when his arms had
for a time expelled the English invaders from his
native country, he is said to have undertaken a
voyage to France, with a small band of trusty
friends, to try what his presence for he was re-
spected through all countries for his prowess
might do to induce the French monarch to send
to Scotland a body of auxiliary forces, or other
assistance, to aid the Scots in regaining their inde-
pendence.
The Scottish champion was on board a small
vessel, and steering for the port of Dieppe, when a
sail appeared in the distance, which, the mariners re-
206 FIFTH READER.
garded at first with doubt and apprehension, and at
last with, confusion and dismay. Wallace demanded
to know what was the cause of their alarm.
The captain of the ship informed him, that the
tall vessel which was bearing down, with the pur-
pose of boarding that which he commanded, was
the ship of a celebrated rover, equally famed for
his courage, strength of body, and successful pira-
cies. It was commanded by a brave man named
Thomas de Longueville, a Frenchman by birth, but
by practice one of those pirates who called them-
selves friends to the sea, and enemies to all those
who sailed upon that element.
He attacked and plundered vessels of all na-
tions, like one of the ancient Norse N sea-kings, as,
they were termed, whose dominion was upon the
mountain waves. The master added, that no ves-
sel could escape the rover by flight, so speedy was
the craft he commanded; and that no crew, how-
ever hardy, could hope to resist him, when, as was
his usual mode of combat, he threw himself on
board a ship at the head of his followers.
Wallace smiled sternly, while the master of the
ship, with alarm in his countenance and tears in
his eyes, described to him the certainty of their
being captured by the Red Rover, a name given to
Longueville because he usually displayed the blood-
red flag which he had now hoisted.
"I will clear the narrow seas of this rover,"
said Wallace.
Then calling together some ten or twelve of his
own followers Boy d, Kerlie, Seatoii, and others to
whom the dust of the most desperate battle was
t>ro3itlx of life* lio commanded, "tttem to arnx
FIFTH READER. 2O7
themselves and lie flat upon the deck, so as to be
out of sight. He ordered the mariners below, ex-
cepting such as were absolutely necessary to man-
age the vessel ; and he gave the Piaster instructions,
upon pain of death, to steer so that, while the vessel
had the appearance of attempting to fly, it would
in fact permit the Bed Rover to come up with
them and do his worst.
Wallace himself then lay down on the deck, that
nothing might be seen which would intimate any
purpose of resistance. In a quarter of an hour De
Longueville's vessel ran aboard that of the cham-
pion, and the Red Rover, casting out grappling-irons
to make sure of his prize, jumped on the deck in
complete armor, followed by his men, who gave
a terrible shout, as if victory had already been se-
cured by them.
But the armed Scots started up at once, and the
Rover found himself unexpectedly engaged with
men accustomed to consider victory as secure when
they were only opposed as one to two or three.
Wallace himself rushed on the pirate captain, and a
dreadful strife began between them, with such fury
that the others suspended their own battle to look
on, and seemed by common consent to refer the
issue of the strife to the result of the combat be-
tween the two chiefs.
The pirate fought as well as man could do ; but
Wallace's strength was beyond that of ordinary mor-
tals. He dashed the sword from the Rover's hand,
and placed him in such peril that, to avoid being
cut down, he was fain to close with the Scottish
champion, in hopes of overpowering him in the
struggle. In this also ae was foiled.
208 FIFTH READER.
They fell on the deck locked in each other's arms ;
but the Frenchman fell undermost, and Wallace, fix-
ing his grasp upon his gorget, N compressed it so
closely, notwithstanding it was made of the finest
steel, that the blood gushed from his eyes, nose, and
mouth, and he was only able to ask for quarter
by signs.
His men threw down their weapons, and begged
for mercy, when they saw their leader thus severely
handled. The victor granted them all their lives,
but took possession of their vessel and detained them
prisoners.
When he came in sight of the French harbor,
Wallace alarmed the place by displaying the Rover's
colors, as if De Longueville were coming to pillage
the town. The bells were rung, horns were blown,
and the citizens were hurrying to arms, when the
scene changed. The Scottish Lion on his shield of
gold was raised above the piratical flag, which an-
nounced that the champion of Scotland was ap-
proaching, like a falcon with his prey in his clutch.
He landed with his prisoner, and carried him to
the court of France, where, at Wallace's request, the
robberies which the pirate had committed were for-
given, and the king even conferred the honor of
knighthood on Sir Thomas de Longueville, and
offered to take him into his service. But the Rover
had contracted such a friendship for his generous
victor, that he insisted on uniting his fortunes with
those of Wallace, and fought by his side in many a
bloody battle, where the prowess of Sir Thomas de
Longueville was remarked as inferior to that of
none, save of his heroic conqueror,
SIR WALTER SCOTT..
They fell on the deck locked in each, other's arms.'
(See page SOS.)
FIFTH READER. 2O9
Biography. Sir Walter Scott was born in Edinburgh, Scotland,
in 1771, and died at Abbotsford in 1832.
His first publication, the ballads " Lenore " and "The Wild
Huntsman," appeared in 1796.
We have no need to mention all his works by name, " The
Waverly Novels," "The Lay of the Last Minstrel," "Marmion,"
and "The Lady of the Lake," are among those most widely read.
Notes. Sir William Wallace, the champion of Scottish liberty,
was executed, by order of Edward I., in London in 1305.
The Norse sea-kings were famous navigators from the Nor-
wegian Peninsula.
Gdr'get, a piece of armor for defending the throat.
.tf._CURFEW MUST NOT RING TO-NIGHT."
sSx'ton, an under officer of a tur'rets, topmost parts of a build-
church.
, walking.
vow, a solemn promise.
sus pSnd'ed,
, stroke of a bell rung at a
funeral ; death signal.
il lumV, make light.
Slowly England's sun was setting o'er the hill-tops far away,
Filling all the land with beauty at the close of one sad day ;
And the last rays kissed the forehead of a man and maiden fair,
He with footsteps slow and weary, she with sunny, floating hair :
He with bowed head, sad and thoughtful, she with lips all cold
and white,
Struggling to keep back the murmur, " Curfew N must not ring
to-night."
"Sexton," Bessie's white lips faltered, pointing to the prison old,
With its turrets tall and gloomy, with its walls dark, damp,
and cold,
"I've a lover in that prison, doomed this very night to die,
At the ringing of the curfew and no earthly help is nigh:
Cromwell N will not come till sunset," and her lips grew strangely
white
As she breathed the husky whisper,-- "Curfew must not ring
to-night."
21O FIFTH READER.
"Bessie," calmly spoke the sexton, every word pierced her young
heart
Like the piercing of an arrow, like a deadly, poisoned dart,
"Long, long years I've rung the curfew from that gloomy,
shadowed tower;
Every evening, just at sunset, it has told the twilight hour;
I have done my duty ever, tried to do it just and right,
Now I'm old I still must do it, Curfew must be rung to-night."
Wild her eyes and pale her features, stern and white her
thoughtful brow,
And within her secret bosom Bessie made a solemn vow.
She had listened while the judges read without a tear or sigh,
"At the ringing of the curfew, BasilN Underwood must die."
And her breath came fast and faster, and her eyes grew large
and bright
In an undertone she murmured, " Curfew must not ring to-
night."
She with quick steps bounded forward, sprung within the old
church door,
Left the old man threading slowly paths so oft he'd trod be-
fore;
Not one moment paused the maiden, but with eye and cheek
aglow,
Mounted up the gloomy 'tower, where the bell swung to and
fro;
And she climbed the dusty ladder on which fell no ray of light,
Op and up her white lips saying, " Curfew must not ring
to-night."
She has reached the topmost ladder, o'er her hangs the great,
dark bell;
Awful is the gloom beneath her, like a pathway down to hell.
Lo, the ponderous rongue is swinging, 'tis the hour of curfew
now,
And the sight has chilled her bosom, stopped her breath, and
paled her brow,
FIFTH READER. 211
Shall she let it ring? No, never! Flash her eyes with sudden
light,
And she springs and grasps it firmly, " Curfew shall not ring
to-night."
Out she swung, far out, the city seemed a speck of light below,
'Twixt heaven and earth her form suspended, as the bell swung
to and fro,
And the sexton at the bell-rope, old and deaf, heard not the bell,
But he thought it still was ringing fair young Basil's funeral
knell.
Still the maiden clung most firmly, and with trembling lips and
white,
Said to hush her heart's wild beating, ' ' Curfew shall not ring
to-night."
It was o'er, the bell ceased swaying, and the maiden stepped
once more
Firmly on the dark old ladder, where for hundred years before,
Human foot had not been planted. The brave deed that she had
done
Should be told long ages after, as the rays of setting sun
Should illume the sky with beauty; aged sires with heads of
white,
Long should tell the little children, Curfew did not ring that
night.
O'er the distant hills came Cromwell; Bessie sees him, and her
brow,
Full of hope and full of gladness, has no anxious traces now.
At his feet she tells her story, shows her hands all bruised and
torn;
And her face so sweet and pleading, yet with sorrow pale and
worn,
Touched his heart with sudden pity, lit his eye with inisty light :
"Go, your lover lives," said Cromwell: "Curfew shall not ring
tO-night I"
ROSA HART WICK THORPE,
212 FIFTH READER.
Notes. Cur' few is derived from the French, and means ' ' cover
fire." The ringing of the curfew in England after the Norman
Conquest, was to warn people to cover up their fires and go to
bed. The custom of ringing the bell at eight or nine o'clock is
still continued in some parts of England, and also in some cities
in the United States. The original significance of the ringing
has of course been lost.
Oliver Cromwell was born in 1599, and became the real leader
of the party which rose in rebellion against Charles I. in 1646.
In 1653, he was invested with the title of "Lord Protector," and
ruled England in that capacity until his death in 1658.
Bas/il is a name derived from the Greek, and means kingly.
Elocution. With what tone of voice should the first stanza be
read? Point out the changes in tone that should occur through-
out the poem.
Mark the inflections in the last line of the first stanza, and in
the last line of the last stanza.
Language. Arrange the words in the last stanza in the order
of prose. Change such words and forms of expression as do not
properly belong to prose.
. NICHOLAS NICKLEBY LEAVING THE
YORKSHIRE SCHOOL.
II ba'tion, drink.
flag el la' tion, beating or whip-
ping.
spleen, anger.
hu' mor, temper.
pr6s' trat^, stretched out.
pro 16ng^d', continued. siip'pl^, pliant ; yielding.
fu/ dji tlv^, one who has fled. a' mi a bl^, pleasing ; charming.
As time passed away the poor creature, Smike,
paid bitterly for the friendship of Nicholas Nick-
leby ; all the spleen and ill humor that could not
be vented on Nicholas were bestowed on him.
Stripes and blows, stripes and blows, stripes and
blows, morning, noon, and night, were his penalty
for being compassionated by the daring new mas-
ter. Squeers was jealous of the influence which the
sai4 new master soon acquired in the school, and
FIFTH READER. 213
hated him for it; Mrs. Squeers had hated him. from
the first ; and poor Smike paid neavily for all.
One night he was poring hard over a "book, vainly
endeavoring to master some task which a child of
nine years could have conquered with ease, "but
which to the brain of the crushed "boy of nineteen
was a hopeless mystery.
Nicholas laid his hand upon his shoulder.
"I can't do it."
"Do not try. You will do "better, poor fellow,
when I am gone."
" Gone ? Are you going ? "
"I can not say. I was speaking more to my own
thoughts than to you. I shall be driven to that at
last ! The world is "before me, after all."
"Is the world as "bad and dismal as this place?"
" Heaven forbid. Its hardest, coarsest toil is hap-
piness to this."
"Should I ever meet you there?"
"Yes," willing to soothe him.
"]STo! no! Should I should I Say I should
be sure to find you."
"You would, and I would help and aid you, and
not bring fresh sorrow upon you, as I have done
here."
The boy caught both his hands, and uttered a few
broken sounds which "were unintelligible. Squeers
entered at the moment, and he shrunk back into
his old corner.
Two days later, the cold feeble dawn of a Jan-
uary morning was stealing in at the windows of
the common sleeping-room, when Nicholas, raising
himself on his arm, looked among the prostrate
forms in search of one.
214 FIFTH READER.
"Now, then," cried Squeers, from the bottom oi
the stairs, "are you going to sleep all day up
there?"
"We shall be down directly, sir."
" Down directly ! Ah ! you had better be down
directly, or I'll be down upon some of you in less
time than directly. Where's that Smike?"
Nicholas looked round again.
"He is not here, sir."
"Don't tell me a lie. He is."
"He is not. Don't tell me one."
Squeers bounced into the dormitory, and swing-
ing his cane in the air ready for a blow, darted into
the corner where Smike usually lay at night. The
cane descended harmlessly. There was nobody there.
"What does this mean? Where have you hid
him?"
"I have seen nothing of him since last night."
"Come, you won't save him this way. Where is
he?"
"At the bottom of the nearest pond, for any
thing I know."
In a fright, Squeers inquired of the boys whether
any one of them knew any thing of their missing
school-mate.
There was a general hum of denial, in the midst
of which one shrill voice was heard to say as in-
deed every body thought
"Please, sir, I think Smike's run away, sir."
"Ha! who said that?"
Squeers made a plunge into the crowd, and
caught a very little boy, the perplexed expression
of whose countenance as he was brought forward,
seemed to intimate that he was uncertain whether
FIFTH READER. 216
he was going to be punished or rewarded for his
suggestion. He was not long in doubt.
"You think he has run away, do you, sir?"
"Yes, please, sir."
" And what reason have you to suppose that any
boy would want to run away from, this establish-
ment? Eh?"
The child raised a dismal cry by way of answer,
and Squeers beat him until he rolled out of his
hands. He mercifully allowed him to roll away.
" There ! Now if any other boy thinks Smike has
run away, I shall be glad to have a talk with him."
Profound silence.
"Well, ISTickleby, you think he has run away, I
suppose ? "
"I think it extremely likely."
"Maybe you know he has run away?"
"I know nothing about it."
"He didn't tell you he was going, I suppose?"
"He did not. I am very glad he did not, for it
would then have been my duty to tell you."
"Which no doubt you would have been sorry
to do?"
"I should, indeed."
Mrs. Squeers had listened to this conversation
from the bottom of the stairs; but now, losing all
patience, she hastily made her way to the scene of
action.
" What's all this here to-do ? What on earth are
you talking to him for, Squeery? The cow-house
and stables are locked up, so Smike can't be there ;
and he's not down stairs anywhere, for the girl
has looked. He must have gone York N way, and by
a public road. He must beg his way, and he could
216 FIFTH READER.
do that nowheres but on the public road. Now,
if you takes the chaise and goes one road, and I
borrows Swallow's chaise and goes t'other, one or
other of us is moral sure to lay hold of him."
The lady's plan was put in execution without
delay, Nicholas remaining behind in a tumult of
feeling. Death, from want and exposure, was the
best that could be expected from the prolonged
wandering of so helpless a creature through a coun-
try of which he was ignorant. There was little,
perhaps, to choose between this and a return to the
tender mercies of the school. Nicholas lingered on,
in restless anxiety, picturing a thousand possibili-
ties, until the evening of the next day, when
Squeers returned alone.
" No news of the scamp ! "
Another day came, and Nicholas was scarcely
awake when he heard the wheels of a chaise ap-
proaching the house. It stopped, and the voice of
Mrs. Squeers was heard, ordering a glass of spirits
for somebody, which was in itself a sufficient sign
that something extraordinary had happened. Nich-
olas hardly dared look out of the window, but he
did so, and the first object that met his eyes was
the wretched Smike, bedabbled with mud and rain,
haggard and worn and wild.
"Lift him out," said Squeers. "Bring him in,
bring him in."
"Take care," cried Mrs. Squeers. "We tied his
legs under the apron, and made 'em fast to the
chaise, to prevent him giving us the slip again."
With hands trembling with delight, Squeers
loosened the cord ; and Smike, more dead than
alive, was brought in and locked up in a cellar,
FIFTH READER. 217
until such a time as Squeers should deem it ex-
pedient to operate upon him.
The news that the fugitive had been caught and
brought back ran like wildfire through the hungry
community, and expectation was on tiptoe all the
morning. On tiptoe it remained all the afternoon,
when Squeers, having refreshed himself with his
dinner and an extra libation or so, made his ap-
pearance, accompanied by his amiable partner, with
a fearful instrument of flagellation, strong, supple,
wax-ended, and new.
"Is every boy here?"
Every boy was there, but every boy was afraid
to speak ; so Squeers glared along the lines to as-
sure himself.
"Each boy keep his place. Nickleby! you go to
your desk, sir."
There was a curious expression in the usher's N
face; but he took his seat, without opening his
lips in reply. Squeers left the room, and shortly
afterward returned, dragging Smike by the collar
or rather by that fragment of his jacket which
was nearest the place where his collar ought to
have been.
11 Now what have you got to say for yourself?
Stand a little out of the way, Mrs. Squeers, my
dear; I've hardly got room enough."
"Spare me, sir!"
"O, that's all you've got to say, is it? Yes, I'll
flog you within an inch of your life, and spare
you that."
One cruel blow had fallen on him, when Nicho-
las Nickleby cried, " Stop ! "
"Who cried 'Stop!'"
FIFTH READER.
"I did. This must not go on."
" Must not go on ! "
"No I Must not! Shall not! I will prevent it!
You have disregarded all my quiet interference in
this miserable lad's "behalf; you have returned no
answer to the letter in which I begged forgiveness
for him, and offered to be responsible that he would
remain quietly here. Don't blame me for this pub-
lic interference. You have brought it upon your-
self, not I."
" Sit down, beggar ! "
" Wretch, touch him again at your peril ! I will
not stand by and see it done. My blood is up, and
I have the strength of ten such men as you. By
Heaven ! I will not spare you, if you drive me on !
I have a series of personal insults to avenge, and
my indignation is aggravated by the cruelties prac-
ticed in this cruel den. Have a care, or the conse-
quences will fall heavily upon your head ! "
Squeers, in a violent outbreak, spat at him, and
struck him a blow across the face. Nicholas in-
stantly sprung upon him, wrested his weapon from
his hand, and, pinning him by the throat, beat the
ruffian till he roared for mercy.
He then flung him away with all the force he
could muster, and the violence of his fall precipi-
tated Mrs. Squeers over an adjacent form ; Squeers,
striking his head against the same form in his de-
scent, lay at his full length on the ground, stunned
and motionless.
Having brought affairs to this happy termina-
tion, and having ascertained to his satisfaction
that Squeers was only stunned, and not dead upon
which point he had had some unpleasant doubts
FIFTH READER. 219
at first, Nicholas packed up a few clothes in a
small valise, and finding that nobody offered to
oppose his progress, marched boldly out by the
front door, and struck into the road. Then such
a cheer arose as the walls of Dotheboys Hall had
never echoed before, and would never respond to
again. When the sound had died away, the school
was empty ; and of the crowd of boys not one re-
mained.
CHARLES DICKENS.
Biography. Charles Dickens was born at Portsmouth, Eng-
land, in 1812, and died in 1870.
Dickens began life as a newspaper reporter, and was soon dis-
tinguished for uncommon ability. His "Sketches by Boz" ap-
peared in the "Morning Chronicle" in 1836, and "Pickwick
Papers" was written in the following year. The young author's
popularity was now assured ; he had taken a path altogether
new for literary work, and one which was to make him both
friends and enemies.
Among his principal works may be mentioned the following :
"A Christmas Carol," "David Copperfleld, " "Bleak House,"
"Nicholas Nickleby," and "Oliver Twist."
Notes. York, is the capital of Yorkshire, the largest county in
England. "Nicholas Nickleby" was written by Dickens to show
the character of Yorkshire cheap schools.
Usher is a term used to designate an assistant teacher.
8. MARK TWAIN'S WATCH.
in fal'li bl^, certain; not capable
of making a mistake.
an'guish
tress.
n gi ne^r', one who runs an
engine.
im plor^d', earnestly asked.
for^ r&n'ner, a sign slwwing
something to follow.
dis-erS'tion (kreWun), judg-
ment.
ver'di-et, opinion.
a nat' o my, parts.
bod'ingg, tfioughts of the future.
My beautiful, new watch had run eighteen
months without losing or gaining, and without
22O FIFTH READER.
breaking any part of its machinery, or stopping.
I had come to believe it infallible in its judg-
ments about the time of day, and to consider its
constitution and anatomy imperishable. But at
last, one night, I let it run down. I grieved about
this oversight as if it were a recognized messenger
and forerunner of calamity. But by and by I
cheered up, set the watch by guess, and commanded
my bodings and superstitions to depart.
Next day I stepped into the chief jeweler's to
set it by the exact time, and the head of the estab-
lishment took it out of my hand and proceeded to
set it for me. Then he said, "She is four minutes
slow regulator wants pushing up." I tried to stop
him tried to make him understand that the watch
kept perfect time. But no; all this human cabbage
could see was that the watch was four minutes
slow, and the regulator must be pushed up a little;
and so, while I danced around him in anguish, and
implored him to let the watch alone, he calmly
and cruelly did the shameful deed.
My watch began to gain. It gained faster and
faster day by day. Within the week it sickened to a
raging fever, and its pulse went up to one hundred
and fifty in the shade. At the end of two months
it had left all the other time-pieces of the town far
in the rear, and was a fraction of thirteen days
ahead of the almanac. It was away into November
enjoying the snow, while the October leaves were
still turning. It hurried up house rent, bills pay-
able, and such things, in such a ruinous way that
I could not abide it.
I took it to the watchmaker to be regulated.
He asked rne if 1 had ever had it repaired. I said
FIFTH READER. 221
no, it had never needed any repairing. He looked
a look of vicious happiness and eagerly pried the
watch open, and then put a small dice-box into
his eye, and peered into its machinery. He said it
wanted cleaning and oiling, "besides regulating
come in a week.
After "being cleaned, and oiled, and regulated,
my watch slowed down to that degree that it ticked
like a tolling hell. I began to be left by trains, I
failed all appointments, I got to missing my dinner;
my watch strung out three days of grace to four
and let me go to protest ; I gradually drifted back
into yesterday, then day before, then into last week,
and by and by the comprehension came upon me
that, solitary and alone, I was lingering along in
week before last, and the world was out of sight.
I seemed to detect in myself a sort of sneaking
fellow-feeling for the mummy in the museum, and
a desire to exchange news with him.
I w^ent to a watchmaker again. He took the
watch all to pieces while I waited, and then said
the barrel was "swelled." He said he could reduce it
in three days. After this the watch averaged N well,
but nothing more. For half a day it would go like
the very mischief, and keep up such a barking and
wheezing and whooping and sneezing and snorting,
that I could not hear myself think for the dis-
turbance; and as long as it held out there was not a
watch in the land that stood any chance against it.
But the rest of the day it would keep on slow-
ing down and fooling along until all the clocks it
had left behind caught up again. So at last, at the
end of twenty-four hours, it would trot up to the
Judges' stand all right and just in time. It would
222 FIFTH READER.
show a fair and square average, and no man coulcj
say it had done more or less than its duty. But
a correct average is only a mild virtue in a watch,
and I took this instrument to another watch-
maker.
He said the king-bolt was broken. I said I was
glad it was nothing more serious. To tell the plain
truth, I had no idea what the king-bolt was, but I
did not choose to appear ignorant to a stranger.
He repaired the king-bolt, but what the watch
gained in one way it lost in another. It would run
awhile and then stop awhile, and then run awhile
again, and so on, using its own discretion about the
intervals. And every time it went off it kicked
back like a musket.
I padded my breast for a few days, but finally
took the watch to another watchmaker. He picked
it all to pieces, and turned the ruin over and over
under his glass ; and then he said there appeared to
be something the matter with the hair-trigger. He
fixed it and gave it a fresh start. It did well now,
except that always at ten minutes to ten the hands
would shut together like a pair of scissors, and from
that time forth they would travel together.
The oldest man in the world could not make
out the time of day by such a watch, and so I went
again to have the thing repaired. This person said
that the crystal had got bent, and that the main-
spring was not straight. He also remarked that part
of the works needed half-soling. N He made these
things all right, and then my time-piece performed
correctly, save that now and then she would reel
off the next twenty-four hours in six or seven
minutes, and then stop with a bang.
FIFTH READER. 223
I went with, a heavy heart to one more watch-
maker, and looked on while he took her to pieces.
Then I prepared to cross-question him rigidly, for
this thing was getting serious. The watch had cost
two hundred dollars originally, and I seemed to
have paid out two or three thousand for repairs.
While I waited and looked on I presently recognized
in this watchmaker an old acquaintance a steam-
boat engineer of other days, and not a good engi-
neer, either. He examined all the parts carefully,
just as the other watchmakers had done, and then
delivered his verdict with the same confidence of
manner.
He said "She makes too much steam you want
to hang the monkey-wrench N on the safety-valve !" N
I floored him on the spot.
S. L. CLEMENS.
Biography. Samuel Langborne Clemens (Mark Twain) was
born in Missouri in 1835.
Clemens is one of our most popular humorists. During his
"steam-boating" experience upon the Mississippi River, when
the lead was cast, he often heard the sailors call out "By the
mark, twain ! " meaning that there were two fathoms of water
under the boat. The words "Mark Twain" caught the fancy of
Clemens, and when he began to write he determined to use them
as the name by which he should be known as an author.
His principal works are: "Innocents Abroad," "Houghing It,"
"Gilded Age," and "A Tramp Abroad."
Notes. Averaged well means that between going too fast for
a part of the day and too slow for the rest of it, the watch was
about right at the end of every twenty-four hours.
Half-soling means to repair shoes by putting on new half-
soles. The watchmaker who used the expression must have
once been a shoemaker, and his meaning was that the watch
had run so much that it was worn out.
A monkey -tvrench is a wrench with a movable jaw.
A safety-valve is a valve fitted to the boiler of a steam-engine,
which opens and lets off steam when the pressure within the
boiler becomes so great as to create danger of explosion.
224 FIFTH READER.
9. OUSTER'S LAST CHARGE.
, cared.
, surrounded.
, punishment in re-
turn for injuries.
, wandering tribes.
as suag' ing, easing; mil
, time long past.
shun'ning, avoiding.
quaV'ing (kwal), shrinking; giv-
ing way.
blSnch, draw back.
elar'i on, a kind of trumpet.
Dead ! Is it possible ? He, the bold rider,
Ouster, N our hero, the first in the fight,
Charming the bullets of yore to fly wider,
Far from our battle-king's ringlets of light !
Dead, our young chieftain, and dead, all forsaken I
No one to tell us the way of his fall !
Slain in the desert, and never to waken,
Never, not even to victory's call !
Proud for his fame that last day that he met them!
All the night long he had been on their track,
Scorning their traps and the men that had set them 5
Wild for a charge that should never give back.
There on the hill-top he halted and saw them,
Lodges all loosened and ready to fly ;
Hurrying scouts with the tidings to awe them,
Told of his coming before he was nigh.
All the wide valley was full of their forces,
Gathered to cover the lodges' retreat !
Warriors running in haste to their horses,
Thousands of enemies close to his feet !
Down in the valleys the ages had hollowed,
There lay the Sitting Bull's camp for a prey !
Numbers ! What recked he ? What recked those
who followed
Men who had fought ten to one ere that day?
FIFTH READER.
Out swept the squadrons, the fated three hundred,
Into the battle-line steady and full ;
Then down the hill-side exultingly thundered,
Into the hordes of the old Sitting Bull I N
Wild Ogalallah, N Arapahoe, N Cheyenne, N
Wild Horse's braves, and the rest of their
crew,
Shrunk from that charge like a herd from a lion,
Then closed around, the grim horde of wild
Sioux ! N
Bight to their center he charged, and then facing-
Hark to those yells ! and around them, O see !
Over the hill-tops the Indians come racing,
Coming as fast as the waves of the seal
Red was the circle of fire about them :
No hope of victory, no ray of light,
Shot through that terrible black cloud without
them,
Brooding in death over Ouster's last fight.
Then, did he blench? Did he die like a craven,
Begging those torturing fiends for his life?
Was there a soldier who carried the Seven N
Flinched like a coward or fled from the strife?
No, by the blood of our Ouster, no quailing !
There in the midst of the Indians they close,
Hemmed in by thousands, but ever assailing,
Fighting like tigers, all 'bayed N amid foes !
Thicker and thicker the bullets came singing ;
Down go the horses and riders and all ;
Swiftly the warriors round them were ringing,
Circling like buzzards awaiting their fall.
226 FIFTH READER.
See the wild steeds of the mountain and prairie,
Savage eyes gleaming from forests of mane ;
Quivering lances with pennons so airy;
War-painted warriors charging amain.
Backward, again and again, they were driven,
Shrinking to close with the lost little band;
Never a cap that had worn the bright Seven
Bowed till its wearer was dead on the strand.
Closer and closer the death circle growing,
Even the leader's voice, clarion-clear,
Bang out his words of encouragement glowing,
"We can but die once, boys, we'll sell our lives
dear ! "
Dearly they sold them like Berserkers N raging,
Facing the death that encircled them round ;
Death's bitter pangs by their vengeance assuaging,
Marking their tracks by their dead on the ground.
Comrades, our children shall yet tell their story,
Custer's last charge on the old Sitting Bull ;
And ages shall swear that the cup of his glory
Needed but that death to render it full.
FREDERICK WHITTAKER.
Notes. Frederick Whittaker is a well -known contributor to
periodical literature. He has written a "Life of Custer" which
has "been highly praised.
General George A. Custer and all his men were killed near the
Big Horn Elver, in Montana Territory, in an attack upon the
Sioux (Soo) Indians. The sad event took place June 25, 1876.
Ogalal'lah, A rap' a hoe, Ch^y e'ni^'j are tne names of different
tribes of Indians, all under the command of Sitting Bull, a noto-
rious Indian warrior at the time of the Custer massacre.
Seven is the number of the regiment, the "Seventh U. S.
Cavalry."
>Bat/e THE BURNING OF MOSCOW.
PART II.
ex tln'guish, to put an end to;
to destroy.
In de s-erlb'a bl^, that which
can not be narrated.
sub II m^', grand.
suf' fo -eat ed, choked. un s-eath^d' (or un scathed'), un-
In -eon 9e\v'a bl^, that which
can not be understood.
pos'tern, back; small; private.
The wind had increased to a perfect hurricane,
and shifted from quarter to quarter, as if on pur-
pose to swell the sea of fire and extinguish the last
hope. The fire was approaching the Kremlin, and
eT e vat ing, raising.
, leaving ; departure.
FIFTH READER.
already the roar of the flames, and the crash of
falling houses, and the crackling of burning tim-
bers, were borne to the ears of the startled Em-
peror. He rose and walked to and fro, stopping
convulsively, and gazing on the terrific scene. Mu-
rat, Eugene, N and Berthier N rushed into his presence,
and on their knees besought him to flee ; but he
still clung to that haughty palace as if it were his
empire.
But at length the shout, "The Kremlin is on
fire ! " was heard above the roar of the conflagra-
tion, and Napoleon reluctantly consented to leave.
He descended into the streets with his staff, and
looked about for a way of egress, but the flames
blocked every passage. At length they discovered
a postern gate, leading to the river Moskwa, N and
entered it ; but they had passed still farther into
the danger. As Napoleon cast his eyes round the
open space, girdled and arched with flre, smoke,
and cinders, he saw one single street yet open, but
all on fire. Into this he rushed, and amid the
crash of falling houses, and the raging of the flames,
over burning ruins, through clouds of rolling smoke,
and between walls of fire, he pressed on. At length,
half suffocated, he emerged in safety from the blaz-
ing city, and took up his quarters in the imperial
palace nearly three miles distant.
Mortier, relieved from his anxiety for the Em-
peror, redoubled his efforts to arrest the conflagra-
tion. His men cheerfully rushed into every danger.
Breathing nothing but smoke and ashes; canopied
by flame and smoke and cinders ; surrounded by
walls of flre, that rocked to and fro, and fell with
a crash amid the blazing ruins, carrying down with
FIFTH READER.
tliem red-hot roofs of iron, he struggled against an
enemy that no "boldness could awe, no courage over-
come.
Those brave troops had often heard without fear
the tramp of thousands of cavalry sweeping to bat-
tle ; but now they stood in still terror before the
march of the conflagration, under whose burning
footsteps was heard the incessant crash of falling
houses, palaces, and churches. The continuous roar
of the raging hurricane, mingled with that of the
names, was more terrible than the thunder of ar-
tillery; and before this new foe, in the midst of
this battle of the elements, the awe-struck army
stood affrighted and powerless.
When night again descended on the city it pre-
sented a spectacle, the like of which was never seen
before, and which baffles all description. The streets
were streets of flre, the heavens a canopy of fire,
and the entire body of the city a mass of flre, fed
by a hurricane that sped the blazing fragments in
a constant stream through the air. Incessant ex-
plosions, from the blowing up of stores of oil, tar,
and spirits, shook the very foundations of the city,
and sent vast volumes of smoke rolling furiously
toward the sky.
Huge sheets of canvas oil flre came floating like
messengers of death through the flames; the towers
and domes of the churches and palaces, glowing
with a red heat over the wild sea below, then tot-
tering a moment on their bases, were hurled by the
tempest into the common ruin. Thousands of
wretches, before unseen, were driven by the heat
from the cellars and hovels, and streamed in an
incessant throng through the streets.
FIFTH READER. 237
Children were seen carrying their parents; the
strong, the weak ; while thousands more were stag-
gering under the loads of plunder which they had
snatched from the flames. This, too, would fre-
quently take fire in the falling shower; and the
miserable creatures would be compelled to drop it
and flee for their lives. O, it was a scene of woe
and fear inconceivable and indescribable ! A mighty
and closely packed city of houses, churches, and
palaces, wrapped from limit to limit in flames,
which are fed by a whirling hurricane, is a sight
this world will seldom see.
But this was within the city. To Napoleon,
without, the spectacle was still more sublime and
terrific. When the flames had overcome all obsta-
cles, and had wrapped everything in their red
mantle, that great city looked like a sea of rolling
fire, swept by a tempest that drove it into billows.
Huge domes and towers, throwing off sparks like
blazing fire-brands, now disappeared in their mad-
dening flow, as they rushed and broke high over
their tops, scattering their spray of fire against the
clouds. The heavens themselves seemed to have
caught the conflagration, and the angry masses
that swept it rolled over a bosom of flre.
Columns of flame would rise and sink along the
surface of this sea, and huge volumes of black
smoke suddenly shoot into the air, as if volcanoes
were working below. The black form of the Krem-
lin alone towered above the chaos, now wrapped in
flame and smoke, again emerging into view, and
standing amid this scene of desolation and terror,
like virtue in the midst of a burning world, en-
veloped but unscathed by the devouring elements.
258 FIFTH READER.
Napoleon stood and gazed on the scene in silent
awe. Though, nearly three miles distant, the win-
dows and walls of his apartment were so hot that
he could scarcely bear his hand against them.
Said he, years afterward, "It was the spectacle of
a sea and billows of fire, a sky and clouds of flame ;
mountains of red, rolling flames, like immense
waves of the sea, alternately bursting forth and
elevating themselves to skies of fire, and then sink-
ing into the flame below. O, it was the most grand,
the most sublime, and the most terrific sight the
world ever beheld!"
J. T. HEADLEY.
Biography. Rev. Joel Tyler Headley was born at Walton, New
York, In 1814, and graduated at Union College in 1839.
After preparing for the Church, he acted as pastor of a con-
gregation in Stockbridge, Mass., but was obliged to leave the
ministry on account of the failure of his health. After spending
two years in Italy, he returned home and published "A Trans-
lation from the Q-erman," in 1844:, and "Letters from Italy," in
1845.
His most popular works are "The Alps and the Rhine," "Na-
poleon and his Marshals," and his historical and biographical
sketches. The sale of his books has been almost unprecedented.
Notes. Eugene is pronounced in English, either Eu'gene or
Eu gene' ; Berthier is pronounced Ber te a'.
Moskwa (MSsk'wa) is the name of the river on which Moscow
is situated.
Elocution Point out the quotation where calling tones may
be employed.
Language. Explain each of the following figures: "A sea of
fire," "Canopied by flame," "Burning footsteps," "Eire fed by a
hurricane," and "Wrapped every thing in their red mantle."
Notice the climax in the last sentence of the lesson.
Composition. Select the principal points in the lesson and
join them in the form of an analysis.
Give rules for the marks of punctuation employed in the first
paragraph of this lesson.
FIFTH READER. 239
.-A THANKSGIVING.
mlr'ror^d, reflected as in a mir-
ror.
as pi ra' tions., strong wisJies or
desires.
am' a ranth, an imaginary
flower, said never to fade or
perish.
molten, glowing ; melted.
For the wealth of pathless forests,
Whereon no ax may fall;
For the winds that haunt the "branches;
For the young "bird's timid call;
For the red leaves dropped like rubies
Upon the dark green sod;
For the waving of the forest,
I thank Thee, O my God!
For the sound of water gushing
In bubbling beads of light;
For the fleets of snow-white lilies
Firm anchored out of sight;
For the reeds among the eddies;
The crystal on the clod;
For the flowing of the rivers,
I thank Thee, O my Godl
For the rosebud's break of beauty*
Along the toiler's way;
For the violet's eye that opens
To bless the new-born day;
For the bare twigs that in summer
Bloom like the prophet's rod;
For the blossoming of flowers,
I thank Thee, O my. Qodl
260 FIFTH READER.
For the lifting up of mountains,
In "brightness and in dread;
For the peaks where snow and sunshine
Alone have dared to tread;
For the dark of silent gorges,
Whence mighty cedars nod;
For the majesty of mountains,
I thank Thee, O my God!
For the splendor of the sunsets,
Vast mirrored on the sea;
For the gold-fringed clouds that curtain
Heaven's inner mystery;
For the molten bars of twilight,
Where thought leans glad, yet awed;
For the glory of the sunsets,
I thank Thee, O my God!
For the earth and all its beauty ;
The sky and all its light;
For the dim and soothing shadows,
That rest the dazzled sight;
For unfading fields and prairies,
Where sense in vain hath trod;
For the world's exhaustless beauty,
I thank Thee, O my God.
For an eye of inward seeing;
A soul to know and love;
For these common aspirations
That our high heirship prove;
For the hearts that bless each other
Beneath Thy smile, Thy rod;
For the amaranth saved from Eden,
I thank Thee, O my God!
FIFTH READER.
261
For the hidden scroll, o'erwritten
With one dear name adored;
For the heavenly in the human,
The spirit in the Word;
For the tokens of Thy presence
Within, above, abroad ;
For Thine own great gift of Being,
I thank Thee, O my G-od !
LUCY LARCOM.
Notes. Lucy Larcom is a native of Massachusetts. She has
been for many years a popular contributor to periodical literature.
Break of beauty means the unfolding of the beautiful petals of
the rose.
Elocution. Each stanza of the poem is an elocutionary climax.
An increase of force is given to each line, and the refrain at the
close of every stanza should be read slowly, forcibly, and with a
full, clear tone of voice.
Language. In each stanza of the poem, there is only one
sentence of which the subject is "I" and the predicate "thank"
and its modifiers. The first stanza is a complex sentence and the
second stanza a simple sentence.
What kinds of sentences are the third and fourth stanzas?
59. THE "ARIEL" AMONG THE SHOALS.
PA RT I.
pervad'ed, overspread.
pro dlg'l^tts, (did'jiis), wonder-
lu'tion, movement.
e6m'pli -eat ed., having parts
difficult to understand.
mo n6t'o nfcjtis, unvaried; dull.
ap'a thy, unconcerned.
eoun' ter mand', oppose; or-
ob tr\id'ed, thrust.
par' a lyz^d, deprived of motion.
Sx'tri -eat^, free; relieve.
pre 9l'ion (sizh'iin), exactness.
The last rope was coiled and deposited in its
proper place by the seamen, and for several min-
utes the stillness of death pervaded the crowded
262 FIFTH READER.
decks. It was evident to every one that the ship
was dashing at a prodigious rate through the waves ;
and as she was approaching with such velocity the
quarter of the bay where the shoals and dangers
were known to be situated, nothing but the habit
of the most exact discipline could suppress the un-
easiness of the officers and men within their own
bosoms. At length the voice of Captain Munson
was heard calling to the pilot.
" Shall I send a hand into the chains, Mr. Q-ray,"
he said, "and try our water?"
"Tack your ship, sir; tack your ship; I would
see how she works before we reach the point where
she must behave well, or we perish."
Griffith gazed after him in wonder, while the
pilot slowly paced the quarter-deck, and then, rous-
ing from his trance, gave forth the cheering order
that called every man to his station to perform the
desired evolution. The confident assurance which
the young officer had given, to the pilot respecting
the quality of his vessel, and his own ability to
manage her, were fully realized by the result.
The helm was no sooner put alee, N than the huge
ship bore up gallantly against the wind, and, dash-
ing directly through the waves, threw the foam
high into the air as she looked boldly into the
very eye of the wlnd, N and then, yielding grace-
fully to its power, she fell off on the other tack
with her head pointed from those dangerous shoals
that she had so recently approached with such ter-
rifying velocity.
The heavy yards swung round as if they had
been vanes to indicate the currents of the air, and,
in a few moments, the frigate again moved with
FIFTH READER. 263
stately progress through the water, leaving the
rocks and shoals behind her on one side of the
bay, but advancing toward those that offered equal
danger on the other.
During this time the sea was becoming more
agitated, and the violence of the wind was gradu-
ally increasing. The latter no longer whistled
among the cordage of the vessel, but it seemed to
howl surlily as it passed the complicated machinery
that the frigate obtruded in its path. An endless
succession of white surges rose above the heavy
billows, and the very air was glittering with the
light that was disengaged from the ocean and
sparkled in her wake.
The ship yielded every moment more and more
before the storm, and, in less than half an hour
from the time that she had lifted her anchor, she
was driven along with tremendous fury by the full
power of a gale of wind. Still the hardy and ex-
perienced mariners who directed her movements
held her to the course that was necessary to their
preservation, and still Griffith gave forth, when
directed by their unknown pilot, those orders that
turned her in the narrow channel where safety was
alone to be found.
So far the performance of his duty seemed easy
to the stranger, and he gave the required direc-
tions in those still, calm tones that formed so re-
markable a contrast to the responsibility of his
situation. But when the land was becoming dim,
in distance as well as in darkness, and the agitated
sea was only to be discovered as it swept by them
in foam, he broke in upon the monotonous roaring
of the tempest, with the sounds of his voice, seem-
264 FIFTH READER.
ing to shake off his apathy, and rouse himself to
the occasion.
"Now is the time to watch her closely, Mr.
Griffith," he cried ; " here we get the true tide and
the real danger. Place the best quarter-master N in
your ship in those chains, and let an officer stand
by him and see that he gives us the right water."
" I will take that office on myself," said the cap-
tain ; " pass a light into the weather main-chains ! "
"Stand by your braces!" exclaimed the pilot with
startling quickness. " Heave away that lead ! "
These preparations taught the crew to expect
the crisis, and every officer and man stood in fear-
ful silence, at his assigned station, awaiting the
issue of the trial. Even the quarter-master gave
out his orders to the men at the wheel in deeper
and hoarser tones than usual, as if anxious not to
disturb the quiet and order of the vessel.
While this deep expectation pervaded the frigate,
the piercing cry of the leadsman, as he called,
"By the mark, seven !" N rose above the tempest,
crossed over the decks, and appeared to pass away
to leeward, borne on the blast like the warnings of
some water-spirit.
" 'Tis well," returned the pilot calmly ; " try it
again."
The short pause was succeeded by another cry,
"And a half-five!"
" She shoals ! she shoals ! " exclaimed Griffith ;
" keep her a good full ! "
"Ay, you must hold the vessel in command
now," said the pilot, with those cool tones that are
most appalling in critical moments, because they
seem to denote most preparation and care.
FIFTH READER. 265
The third call of "By the deep four!" was fol-
lowed by a prompt direction from the stranger to
tack.
Griffith seemed to emulate the coolness of the
pilot, in issuing the necessary orders to execute
this maneuver.
The vessel rose slowly from the inclined position
into which she had been forced by the tempest,
and the sails were shaking violently, as if to release
themselves from their confinement, while the ship
stemmed the billows, when the well-known voice
of the sailing-master was heard shouting from the
forecastle "Breakers, breakers, dead ahead!"
This appalling sound seemed yet to be lingering
about the ship, when a second voice cried "Break-
ers on our lee-bow ! "
"We are in a bight of the shoals, Mr. Gray," said
the commander; "she loses her way; perhaps an
anchor might hold her."
"Clear away that best bower!" shouted Griffith
through his trumpet.
"Hold on!" cried the pilot, in a voice that
reached the very hearts of all who heard him;
"hold on every thing!"
The young man turned fiercely to the daring
stranger who thus defied the discipline of his vessel,
and at once demanded "Who is it that dares to
countermand my orders? Is it not enough that
you run the ship into danger, but you must ^.nter-
fere to keep her there? If another word "
"Peace, Mr. Griffith," interrupted the captain,
bending from the rigging, his gray locks blowing
about in the wind, and adding a look of wildness
to the haggard care that he exhibited by the light
266 FIFTH READER.
of his lantern; "yield the trumpet to Mr. Q-ray;
he alone can save us."
Griffith threw his speaking-trumpet on the deck,
and, as he walked proudly away, muttered in bit-
terness of feeling, "Then all is lost indeed, and
among the rest the foolish hopes with which I
visited this coast."
There was, however, no time for reply; the ship
had been rapidly running into the wind, and, as
the efforts of the crew were paralyzed by the con-
tradictory orders they had heard, she gradually lost
her way, and in a few seconds all her sails were
taken aback.
Before the crew understood their situation, the
pilot had applied the trumpet to his mouth, and,
in a voice that rose above the tempest, he thun-
dered forth his orders. Each command was given
distinctly, and with a precision that showed him
to be a master of his profession. The helm was
kept fast, the head-yards swung up heavily against
the wind, and the vessel was soon whirling around
on her keel with a backward movement.
Griffith was too much of a seaman not to per-
ceive that the pilot had seized, with a perception
almost intuitive, the only method that promised
to extricate the vessel from her situation. He was
young, impetuous, and proud; but he was also
generous. Forgetting his resentment, he rushed
forward among the men, and, by his presence and
example, added certainty to the experiment. The
ship fell off slowly before the gale, and bowed her
yards nearly to the water, as she felt the blast
pouring its fury on her broadside, while the surly
waves beat violently against her stern, as if in
FIFTH READER. 267
reproach, at departing from her usual manner of
moving.
The voice of the pilot, however, was still heard,
steady and calm, and yet so clear and high as to
reach every ear; and the obedient seamen whirled
the yards at his "bidding in despite of the tempest,
as if they handled the toys of their childhood.
When the ship had fallen off dead "before the
wind, her head-sails were shaken, her after-yards
trimmed, and her helm shifted before she had time
to run upon the danger that had threatened, as
well to leeward as to windward. The beautiful
fabric, obedient to her government, threw her bows
up gracefully toward the wind again, and, as her
sails were trimmed, moved out from among the
dangerous shoals in which she had been surrounded,
as steadily and swiftly as she had approached them.
Notes. The word Ariel (a'riel) means a water-spirit ; also,
a spirit of the air. It is a fit name for the beautiful frigate
whose peril is so graphically described in these lessons.
Alee' is on the side opposite that from which the wind blows.
"By the mark, seven" means that the depth of the water was
seven fathoms or forty-two feet.
Into the eye of the wind, or into the wind's eye, means in the exact
direction from which the wind blows.
A quarter-master is a petty officer who attends to the helm
and signals, and works under the direction of the master.
Elocution. Should parts of this lesson be read rapidly? If so,
state where they are.
Why do we speak more rapidly when excited than in ordi-
nary conversation? What feeling is the cause of the excitement
in the present instance ?
Language. All name-words (nouns) and pronouns indicating
persons possess gender, and are said to be masculine or feminine.
We also attribute the personal characteristic of gender to some
objects. It is customary to speak of the sun as masculine and
of the moon as feminine.
What gender is given to a ship?
268 FIFTH READER,
60. THE "ARIEL" AMONG THE SHOALS,
PA RT II.
b6x' ha^l ing, changing a ship's
course.
pre va\l^d', conquered.
por tnt'^\i, ominous.
re straljit', check; government.
ef f&et'u al ly, thoroughly.
tu'mult, uproar.
e6n siim' mat^, perfect.
dis tSnd' ed, stretched.
dig 9ern^d' (diz zernd'), st
A moment of breathless astonishment succeeded
the accomplishment of this nice maneuver, but
there was no time for the usual expressions of sur-
prise. The stranger still held the trumpet, and
continued to lift his voice amid the howlings of
the blast, whenever prudence or skill directed any
change in the management of the ship. For an
hour longer there was a fearful struggle for their
preservation, the channel becoming at every foot
more complicated, and the shoals thickening around
the mariners on every side.
The lead was cast rapidly, and the quick eye of
the pilot seemed to pierce the darkness with a keen-
ness of vision that exceeded human power. It was
apparent to all in the vessel that they were under
the guidance of one who understood navigation
thoroughly, and their exertions kept pace with
their reviving confidence.
Again and again the vessel appeared to be rush-
ing blindly on shoals, where the sea was covered
with foam, and where destruction would have been
as sudden as it was certain, when the clear voice of
the stranger was heard warning them of the danger,
and inciting them to their duty.
FIFTH READER. 269
The vessel was implicitly yielded to his govern-
ment, and during 1 those anxious moments when she
was dashing the waters aside, throwing the spray
over her enormous yards, every ear would listen
eagerly for those sounds that had obtained a com-
mand over the crew, which can only "be acquired,
under such circumstances, "by great steadiness and
consummate skill.
The ship was recovering from the inaction of
changing her course in one of those critical tacks
that she had made so often, when the pilot, for the
first time, addressed the commander of the frigate,
who still continued to superintend the all-impor-
tant duty of the leadsman.
"Now is the pinch," he said; "and if the ship
behaves well, we are safe but, if otherwise, all we
have yet done will be useless."
The veteran seaman whom he addressed left the
chains at this portentous notice, and, calling to his
first lieutenant, required of the stranger an ex-
planation of his warning.
"See you yon light on the southern headland?"
returned the pilot; "you may know it from the
star near it by its sinking, at times, in the ocean.
Now observe the hummock, a little north of it,
looking like a shadow in the horizon 'tis a hill
far inland. If we keep that light open from the
hill we shall do well but if not, we surely go to
pieces."
" Let us tack again ! " exclaimed the lieutenant.
The pilot shook his head as he replied, "There
is no more tacking or boxhauling N to be done to-
night. We have barely room to pass out of the
shoals on this course, and if we can weather the
27O FIFTH READER.
"Devil's Grip," we clear their outermost point but
if not, as I said before, there is but one alterna-
tive."
"If we had beaten out the way we entered," ex-
claimed Griffith, " we should have done well."
" Say, also, if the tide would have let us do so,"
returned the pilot calmly. " G-entlemen, we must
be prompt ; we have but a mile to go, and the ship
appears to fly. That topsail is not enough to keep
her up to the wind ; we want both jib and main-
sail."
" 'Tis a perilous thing to loosen canvas in such
a tempest ! " observed the thoughtful captain.
"It must be done," returned the collected
stranger; "we perish without. See! the light al-
ready touches the edge of the hummock, the sea
casts us leeward ! "
"It shall be done," cried Griffith, seizing the
trumpet from the hand of the pilot.
The orders of the lieutenant were executed al-
most as soon as issued, and, every thing being ready,
the enormous folds of the mainsail were trusted
loose to the blast. There was an instant when the
result was doubtful, the tremendous threshing of
the heavy sails seeming to bid defiance to all re-
straint, shaking the ship to her center, but art and
strength prevailed, and gradually the canvas was
distended, and drawn down to its usual place by
the power of a hundred men. The vessel yielded
to this immense addition of force, and bowed before
it like a reed bending to a breeze. But the success
of the measure was announced by a joyful cry from
the stranger that seemed to burst from his inmost
soul.
FIFTH READER. 271
"She feels it! She springs her luff! Observe,"
he raid, "the light opens from the hummock
already; if she will only bear her canvas, we shall
go clear!"
A report like that of a cannon interrupted his
exclamation, and something resembling a white
cloud was seen drifting before the wind from the
head of the ship, till it was driven into the gloom
far to leeward.
"Tis the jib blown from the bolt-ropes," said the
commander of the frigate. "This is no time to
spread light duck but the mainsail may stand it
yet."
"The sail would laugh at a tornado," returned
the lieutenant; "but the mast springs like a piece
of steel."
"Silence all!" cried the pilot. "ISTow, gentlemen,
we shall soon know our fate. Let her luff luff
you can."
This warning effectually closed all discourse, and
the hardy mariners, knowing that they had already
done all in the power of man to insure their safety,
stood in breathless anxiety awaiting the result.
At a short distance ahead of them, the whole ocean
was white with foam, and the waves, instead of
rolling on in regular succession, appeared to be
tossing about in mad gambols.
A single streak of dark billows, not half a cable's
length in width, could be discerned running into
the chaos of water ; but it was soon lost to the
eye amid the confusion of the disturbed element.
Along this narrow path the vessel moved more
heavily than before, being brought so near to the
wind as to keep her sails touching.
272 FIFTH READER.
The pilot silently proceeded to the wheel, and
with his own hands undertook the steerage of the
ship. ISTo noise proceeded from the frigate to in-
terrupt the horrid tumult of the ocean, and she
entered the channel among the breakers with the
silence of a desperate calmness. Twenty times as
the foam rolled away to leeward the crew were on
the eve of uttering their joy, as they supposed the
vessel past the danger; but breaker after breaker
would still rise before them, following one another
into the general mass, to check their exultation.
Occasionally the fluttering of the sails would be
heard ; and when the looks of the startled seamen
were turned to the wheel, they beheld the stranger
grasping its spokes, with his quick eye glancing
from the water to the canvas. At length the ship
reached a point where she appeared to be rushing
directly into the jaws of destruction, when suddenly
her course was changed, and her head receded
rapidly from the wind. At the same instant the
voice of the pilot was heard shouting, "Square
away the yards in mainsail!"
A general burst from the crew echoed, "Square
away the yards ! " and quick as thought the frigate
was seen gliding along the channel before the wind.
The eye had hardly time to dwell on the foam,
which seemed like clouds driving in the heavens,
and directly the gallant vessel issued from her
perils, and rose and fell on the heavy waves of the
open sea.
J. FENIMORE COOPER.
Biography. James Fenimore Cooper was born at Burlington,
New Jersey, in 1789, and died at Cooperstown, New York, in 1851.
Cooper entered Yale College at the age of thirteen, and after
pursuing his studies for three years, was appointed a midship-
"The gallant vessel issued from her perils." (See page 272.)
FIFTH READER. 273
man in the navy. During his six years' service at sea, he ac-
quired the nautical experience of which he was to make such good
use in his novels. His first work, "Precaution," appeared in 1821,
and was unsuccessful ; but in the following year he published
"The Spy," which at once established his reputation as a novelist.
His principal works are : "The Pioneers," "The Pilot," "The
Last of the Mohicans," and " The Red Rover."
Notes. Boxhauling is the act of going from one tack to
another, by bracing the yards aback.
Language. A large number of complex words have been taken
from the Latin. G-reek, and other languages. Many of these do
not appear in their separate parts in English, and their mean-
ing must be obtained by seeking out their parts in the language
from which they are derived. Words like emit, prefer, etc., do
not appear in their separate parts, yet their meaning is easily
found out.
Illustrations. Emit is composed of the stem mit (Latin mittere,
to send) and the prefix e (Latin e or ex, from or out): the word
therefore means to send out. Prefer, stem fer (Latin ferre, to
place or bear), prefix pre (Latin pre, before) : the meaning of prefer,
therefore, is to place before, consider better.
. THE SONG OF STEAM.
eow'er, bend with fear
make.
de -ere^d', ordered.
, grows dim.
It^, a kind of hard rock.
(bel'liis), an instru-
ment for sending air through a
tube.
na'vy, ships of war; a fleet.
pO.' ny, small and feeble.
Harness me down with, your iron bands ;
Be sure of your curb and rein ;
For I scorn the power of your puny hands,
As the tempest scorns a chain !
How I laughed as I lay concealed from sight,
For many a countless hour,
At the childish boast of human might,
And the pride of human power !
274 FIFTH READER.
When I saw an army upon the land,
A navy upon the seas,
Creeping along, a snail-like band,
Or waiting the wayward "breeze ;
When I marked the peasant fairly reel
With the toil which he faintly bore,
As he feebly turned the tardy wheel,
Or tugged at the weary oar;
When I measured the panting courser's speed,
The flight of the courier dove, N
As they bore the law a king decreed,
Or the lines of impatient love
I could not but think how the world would feel,
As these were outstripped afar,
When I should be bound to the rushing keel,
Or chained to the flying car!
Ha, ha, hal they found me out at last,
They invited me forth at length,
And I rushed to my throne with a thunder-blast,
And laughed in my iron strength !
O, then ye saw a wondrous change
On the earth and ocea^ wide,
Where now my fiery armies range,
wait for wind and tide 1
Hurra! hurra! the waters o'er;
The mountain's steep decline ;
Time space have yielded to my power,
The world the world is mine!
The rivers the sun hath earliest blest,
Or those where his beams decline ;
The giant streams of the queenly west,
And the orient floods N divine.
FIFTH READER. 275
The ocean pales where'er I sweep
To hear my strength rejoice,
And the monsters of the briny deep
Cower, trembling at my voice.
I carry the wealth and the lord of earth,
The thoughts of his god-like mind ;
The wind lags after my flying forth,
The lightning is left behind.
In the darksome depths of the fathomless mine
My tireless arm doth play,
Where the rocks ne'er saw the sun's decline,
Or the dawn of the glorious day.
I bring earth's glittering jewels up
From the hidden cave below,
And I make the fountain's granite cup
With a crystal gush o'erflow.
I blow the bellows, I forge the steel,
In all the shops of trade ;
I hammer the ore and turn the wheel
Where my arms of strength are made.
I manage the furnace, the mill, the mint,
I carry, I spin, I weave ;
And all my doings I put into print
On every Saturday eve.
I've no muscles to weary, no breast to decay,
No bones to be " laid on the shelf,"
And soon I intend you may "go and play,"
While I manage this world myself.
But harness me down with your iron bands,
Be sure of your curb and rein :
For I scorn the strength of your puny hands,
As the tempest scorns a chain !
276
FIFTH READER.
Notes. Capt. George W. Cutter, tlie author of this poem, is
known also as the writer of " Buena Vista," and "The Song of
the Lightning."
A courier-dove, or carrier-pigeon, is a variety of the domestic
pigeon used to convey letters from place to place.
Orient floods means the seas or oceans in the eastern hemi-
sphere.
The last two lines of the eighth stanza refer to the printing
of weekly newspapers.
Elocution. The tone of voice, rate, and force for the rendering
of this lesson should be in keeping with the lively and "boastful
utterances attributed to steam.
Language. If "flying-car" means a railway car, what figure
is used?
To what do "curb and rein" properly refer? Name the figure
contained in the words as employed in the lesson.
Explain the meaning of "G-iant streams of the queenly west,"
and of "Fiery armies."
In third stanza, the use of "keel" for boat is an example of
what figure?
What figure is used in relation to steam throughout the poem?
62. THE FIRST SHIP OF PETER THE GREAT.
as'tro lab^, an instrument for
observing the position of the stars.
sx' tant, an instrument of reflec-
tion for measuring angular dis-
tances between objects, especially
at sea.
siib'urb, region just outside a
city.
de fl'cient, wanting; imperfect.
for ti fi -ea'tion, the art of erect-
es tales', possessions.
ea\k^d (kawkt), filled the seams
'of.
ex tdrt'ed, forced.
an ni ver' sa ry, yearly celebra-
tion of a day or extent.
in jiin-e'tion, orders.
Peter the G-reat, N of Russia, while a youth., had
heard somewhere, that in foreign countries people
had an instrument by which distance could be
measured without moving from the spot.
When Prince Jacob Dolgoruki N was about to start
on his mission to France, and came to take his leave,
Pater told him of this wonderful instrument, and
FIFTH READER. 277
begged him to procure Mm one while abroad. Dol-
goruki told Mm that lie himself had once had one,
which was given Mm as a present, but it had been
stolen, and that he would certainly not forget to
bring one home.
On Dolgoruki's return in May, 1688, the first
question of Peter was whether he had fulfilled his
promise; and great was the excitement as the box
was opened and a parcel, containing an astrolabe
and a sextant, was eagerly unwrapped. But, alas !
when they were brought out, no one knew the use
of them. Dolgoruki scratched his head, and said
that he had brought the instruments, as directed,
but it had never occurred to him to ask how they
were used.
In vain Peter sought some one who knew how
to use the sextant. At last his new doctor told him
that in the German suburb he knew of a man well
skilled in mechanics Franz Timmermann, a Dutch
merchant, who had settled in Moscow, and who had
a certain amount of education. Timmermann was
brought next day. He looked at the instrument,
and, after a long inspection, finally said he could
show how it was used.
Immediately he measured the distance to a
neighboring house. A man was at once sent to
pace it, and found the measurement correct. Peter
was delighted, and asked to be instructed in the
use of the new instrument. Timmermann said :
"With pleasure; but you must first learn arith-
metic and geometry." Peter had once begun study-
ing arithmetic, but was deficient in its full knowl-
edge. He did not even know how to subtract or
divide.
278 FIFTH READER.
He now set to work witli a will, and spent his
leisure time, "both day and night, over his copy-
books. Q-eometry led to geography and fortification.
The old globe of his school-room was sent for re-
pairs, and he had, besides, the one in metal pre-
sented to his father, which is still shown in the
treasury at Moscow.
From this time Timmermann became one of
Peter's constant companions, for he was a man
from whom something new could always be learned.
A few weeks later, in June, 1688, as Peter was wan-
dering about one of his country estates, he pointed
to an old building in the flax-yard, and asked one
of his attendants what it was.
"A store-house," replied the man, "where all the
rubbish was put that was left after the death of
Ivan Romanoff, N who used to live here."
With the natural curiosity of a boy, Peter had
the doors opened, went in, and looked about. There,
in one corner, turned bottom upward, lay a boat,
yet not in any way like those flat-bottomed, square-
sterned boats which he had seen on the river
Moskwa.
"What is that?" he asked.
"That is an English boat," said Timmermann.
"What is it good for? Is it better than our
boats?" asked Peter.
"If you had sails to it, it would go not only
with the wind, but against the wind," replied Tim-
mermann.
" How against the wind ? Is it possible ? Can
that be possible?"
Peter wished to try it at once. But, after Tim-
mermann had looked at the boat on all sides, it was
FIFTH READER. 279
found to be too rotten for use ; it would need to
be repaired and tarred, and, besides that, a mast and
sails would have to be made. Timmermann at last
thought he could find a man capable of doing this,
and sent for a certain Carsten Brandt, who had
been brought from Holland about 1660 by the Czar
Alexis, for the purpose of constructing vessels on
the Caspian Sea.
The old man looked over the boat, calked it, put
in the mast, arranged the sail, and then launched
it on the river.
There, before Peter's eyes, he began to sail up
and down the river, turning now to the right and
then to the left. Peter's excitement was intense.
He called out to him to stop, jumped in, and him-
self began to manage the boat under Brandt's
directions.
It was hard for the boat to turn, for the river
was narrow, and the water was too shallow. Peter
eagerly asked where a broader piece of water could
be found, and was told of a small lake near by.
The boat was dragged overland to the lake. It
went better, but still not to his satisfaction.
At last Peter found that about fifty miles away
there was a good large lake, where he would have
plenty of room to sail. It was not, however, so
easy for Peter to get there. It was not customary
for the Czars or members of their family to make
journeys without some recognized object, and what
should a boy of this age do so far away, and alone ?
An idea struck Peter. It was then June, and
there was a great festival at the Troitsa Monastery. N
He asked his mother's permission to go to Troitsa
to attend the festival, and as soon as the religious
28O FIFTH READER.
service was over, he drove as fast as lie could to the
lake.
But he soon learned that there was no boat
there, and he knew that it was too far to bring
the little English boat. Anxiously he asked Brandt
whether it were not possible to build some boats
there.
"Yes, sire," said Brandt, "but we shall require
many things."
" Ah, well ! that is of no consequence," said Peter.
"We can have any thing."
And he hastened back to Moscow with his head
full of visions of ship-building. He scarcely knew
how to manage it, because in order to engage in
such a work at the lake would require his living
there for some time, and he knew that it would be
hard to bring his mother to consent to this.
At last he extorted this consent. He hastened off,
together with Carsten Brandt and a ship-builder
named Kort, an old comrade whom Brandt had suc-
ceeded in finding at Moscow. Timmermann, proba-
bly, also accompanied him.
Fast as Peter and his comrades worked together
for he had remained with them in the woods
there was so much to do in the preparation of tim-
ber, in the construction of huts to live in, and in
the building of a dock from which to launch the
boats, that it came time for Peter to return long
before any boat was ready, and there was no sign
that any could be completed before winter set in.
Peter's mother had grown anxious about her son.
He had been away nearly a month, and political
affairs were taking a serious turn. Much to his re-
gret, therefore, Peter went back to Moscow to cele-
FIFTH READER. 281
brate his mother's name's-day, N on September 6, leav-
ing his faithful Dutchmen strict injunctions to do
their utmost to have the boats ready by the fol-
lowing spring.
The place chosen by Peter for his ship-building,
was on the east side of the lake. The only evi-
dences still remaining of Peter's visit are the site
of a church there, dedicated to the Virgin of the
Ships,* and the decaying remains of some piles
under water, which apparently formed the founda-
tion of the wharf or landing-place.
The boat which Peter discovered on his estate
is thought by many to have been constructed in
Russia by Dutch carpenters in 1688, during the
reign of the Czar Alexis. By others it is supposed
to be a boat sent by Queen Elizabeth to the Czar
Ivan, the Terrible.
Ever since Peter's time it has borne the name
of the "Grandsire of the Russian Fleet," and is pre-
served with the greatest care in a small brick
building near the Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul,
within the fortress at St. Petersburg. In 18 TO, on
the celebration of the 200th anniversary of Peter's
birth, it was one of the chief objects of interest in
the great parade at St. Petersburg ; and again, in
1872, it was conveyed with much pomp and solem-
nity to Moscow, where, for a time, it formed a part
of a great exhibition in that city.
EUGENE SCHUYLER.
Notes. This selection is from a "Life of Peter the Great."
Peter the Great, or Peter I., of Russia, was born at Moscow in
1672, and died in St. Petersburg in 1725. He was the originator
of the Russian navy, the founder of St. Petersburg, and one of
the most renowned rulers the world has ever produced. Some
portions of his life were full of romance, and his visits to other
282 FIFTH READER.
countries were performed for the purpose of acquiring such, in-
formation as would be of great benefit to Russia.
Dolgoruki is pronounced dol'goru'k'i; Ivan Romanoff, ivan'
ro ma/ nof.
A mon'aster'y is the residence of a body of men who have bound
themselves by vows to the performance of certain religious prac-
tices.
Name's-day means the feast of the Saint whose name one
bears.
Virgin, of the Ships was a title given the "Virgin Mary, as if
invoking her protection over the new Russian navy.
Language. Instead of wished in the sentence "He wished to
go, " use in turn, each of the following words : desired, requested,
longed.
Explain the exact meaning of each of the words used.
Words which are nearly alike in signification and can be used
to express the same general meaning are called syn'onyms.
rawt), worked.
inefficient (fish'ent), useless;
# roitotin which and the adverb when are
used as connect iuy-tt-ord.-, (conjunctions).
328 FIFTH READER.
73. THE WIDOW OF GLENCOE.
'en, fern.
he^th'er, plant bearing beau-
tiful flowers.
tar' tan, woolen cloth, cross-barred
with threads of various colors.
slo'gan, war-cry.
e6r' a na-el^., a funeral song.
n, struck; hit.
he^th'-bel\, blossoms of the
heather.
spe-e'tral, ghostly.
lam' en ta'tion, expression of
sorrow.
remains.
Do not lift him from the bracken, leave him lying where he fell
Better bier ye can not fashion : none beseems him half so well
As the bare and broken heather, and the hard and trampled sod,
Whence his angry soul ascended to the judgment-seat of God !
Winding-sheet we can not give him seek no mantle for the dead,
Save the cold and spotless covering showered from heaven upon
his head.
Leave his broadsword as we found it, bent and broken with the
blow,
Which, before he died, avenged him on the foremost of the foe.
Leave the blood upon his bosom wash not off that sacred stain;
Let it stiffen on the tartan, let his wounds unclosed remain,
Till the day when he shall show them at the throne of God on
high,
When the murderer and the murdered meet before their Judge's
eye !
Nay _ ye shall not weep, my children 1 leave it to the faint and
weak ;
Sobs are but a woman's weapon tears befit a maiden's cheek.
Weep not, children of Macdonald ! N Weep not thou, his orphan
heir
Not in shame, but stainless honor, lies thy slaughtered father
there.
Weep not but when years are -over, and thine arm is strong
and sure,
And thy foot is swift and steady on the mountain and the
muir N
FIFTH READER. 329
Let thy heart be hard as iron, and thy wrath as fierce as fire,
Till the hour when vengeance cometh for the race that slew thy
sire!
Till in deep and dark GlenlyonN rise a louder shriek of woe,
Than at midnight from their aerie, scared the eagles of Glencoe :
Louder than the screams that mingled with the howling of the
blast,
When the murderer's steel was clashing, and the fires were ris-
ing fast.
When thy noble father bounded to the rescue of his men,
And the slogan of our kindred pealed throughout the startled
glen !
When the herd of frantic women stumbled through the midnight
snow,
With their fathers' houses blazing, and their dearest dead below !
O, the horror of the tempest as the flashing drift was blown,
Crimsoned with the conflagration, and the roofs went thunder-
ing down.
O, the prayers the prayers and curses that together winged
their flight
From the maddened hearts of many through that long and wo-
ful night !
Till the fires began to dwindle, and the shots grew faint and few,
And we heard the foeman's challenge only in a far halloo :
Till the silence once more settled o'er the gorges of the glen,
Broken only by the ConaN plunging through its naked den.
Slowly from the mountain summit was the drifting veil with-
drawn,
And the ghastly valley glimmered in the gray December dawn.
Better had the morning never dawned upon our dark despair !
Black upon the common whiteness rose the spectral ruins there.
But the sight of these was nothing more than wrings the wild-
dove's breast,
When she searches for her offspring round the relics of her nest.
For in many a spot the tartan peered above the wintry heap,
Marking where a dead Macdonald lay within his frozen sleep.
3SO FIFTH READER.
Tremblingly we scooped the covering from each kindred victim's
head,
And the living lips were burning on the cold ones of the dead.
And I left them with their dearest dearest charge had every
one
Left the maiden with her lover, left the mother with her son.
I alone of all was mateless far more wretched I than they,
For the snow would not discover where my lord and husband lay;
But^I wandered up the valley, till I found him lying low,
With the gash upon his bosom and the frown upon his brow
Till I found him. lying murdered, where he wooed me long ago 1
Woman's weakness shall not shame me why should I have
tears to ^fted?
Could I rain them down like water, O my hero ! on thy head
Could the cry of lamentation wake thee from thy silent sleep,
Could it set thy heart a-throbbing, it were mine to wail and
weep I
But I will not waste my sorrow, lest the Campbell^ women say
That the daughters of ClanranaldN are as weak and frail as
they.
I had wept thee hadst thou fallen, like our fathers, on thy
shield,
When a host of English foemen camped upon a Scottish field N_
I had mourned thee, hadst thou perished with the foremost of
his name, '
When the valiant and the noble died around the dauntless
Q-raeme I N
But I will not wrong thee, husband 1 with my unavailing
cries,
Whilst thy cold and mangled body stricken by the traitor lies ;
Whilst he counts the gold and glory that this hideous night has
won,
And his heart is "big with triumph at the murder he has done.
Other eyes than mine shall glisten, other hearts be rent in
twain,
Ere the heath-bells on thy hillock wither in the autumn rain.
'But I -wandered up the vallev, till I found him lying low-
Till I found him lying murdered, where he wcped me long
ago!" (See page 33O,)
FIFTH READER.
331
Then I'll see thee -where thou sleepest, and I'll veil my -weary
head,
Praying for a place "beside thee, dearer than my bridal bed :
And I'll give thee tears, my husband, if the tears remain to me,
When the widows of the foeman cry the coranach for thee 1
Biography. William Edmondstoune Aytoun (1813-1865), the
writer of this poem, is -well known as the author of "Lays of the
Scottish Cavaliers."
Notes. Glencoe is a valley in Argyleshire, Scotland, well known
not only for the terrible massacre of the Macdonalds referred to
in the poem, but also for the wildness and grandeur of its
scenery. The Cona, a mountain stream, flows through the valley.
Before daylight, on the morning of February 13, 1692, Captain
Campbell, of Glenlyon, with a party of soldiers, mostly of the
Campbell clan, surprised the Macdonalds and slew nearly forty
of them. After the massacre, the huts of the village were burned,
and the valley has been uninhabited ever since.
Muir (mur) is the Scottish word for moor or heath a piece
of land of little value on account of its thin, poor soil. The
heath-flowers or heather-bells are very beautiful.
Clan ran' aid is anothe^name for the Macdonald clan.
Graeme (gram) refers to James Graham, Marquis of Montrose,
who was executed in Edinburgh, for an attempt to restore Charles
II. to the throne. Graham was an enemy of the Campbell clan.
field, as used in the lesson, means a field of battle.
. THE SKY.
vls'taig, mews; scenes.
m' e raid, a precious stone of a
rich green color.
am' ber, a hard, yellow substance.
trans mit', let pass through.
pal' pi tat ing, throbbing.
riex, a kind of evergreen tree.
II' -el^en, a kind of moss.
tab'er na -el^, sacred place.
buQy'ant (or bw6\y r ), cheerful.
Not long- ago I was slowly descending the car-
riage road after you leave Albano. N It had been wild
weather when I left Rome, and all across the Cam-
pagna N the clouds were sweeping in sulphurous
blue, with a clap of thunder or two, and breaking
332 FIFTH READER.
gleams of sunlight along the Claudian Aqueduct N
lighting up its arches like the bridge of chaos.
As I climbed the long slope of the Alban N mount,
the storm swept finally to the north, and the
noble outlines of the domes of Albano and the
graceful darkness of its ilex grove rose against pure
streaks of alternate blue and amber, the upper sky
gradually flushing through the last fragments of
rain-cloud in deep, palpitating azure, half ether and
half dew.
The noonday sun came slanting down the rocky
slopes of La Ricca, and its masses of entangled and
tall foliage, whose autumnal tints were mixed with
the wet verdure of a thousand evergreens, and were
penetrated with it as with rain.
I can not call it color, it was conflagration.
Purple, and crimson, and scarle|| like the curtains of
Q-od's tabernacle, the rejoicing trees sunk into the
valley in showers of light, every separate leaf quiv-
ering with buoyant and burning life, each, as it
turned to reflect or to transmit the sunbeam, first
a torch and then an emerald.
Far up into the recesses of the valley the green
vistas, arched like the hollows of mighty waves
of some crystalline sea, with the arbutus flowers
dashed along their flanks like foam, and silver
flashes of orange spray tossed into the air around
them, breaking over the gray walls of rock into a
thousand separate stars, fading and kindling alter-
nately, as the weak Avind lifted and let fall.
Every blade of grass burned like the golden floor
of heaven, opening in sudden gleams as the foliage
broke and closed above it, as sheet lightning opens
in a cloud at sunset the motionless masses of dark
FIFTH READER. 333
rocks dark, though, flushed with scarlet lichen,
(Casting their quiet shadows across its restless radi-
ance, the fountain underneath them filling its
marble hollow with "blue mist and fitful sound, and,
over all, the multitudinous bars of amber and rose,
the sacred clouds that have no darkness, and only
exist to illuminate, were seen in intervals between
the solemn and orbed repose of the stone pines,
passing to lose themselves in the last, white, blind-
ing luster of the measureless line where the Cam-
pagna melted into the blaze of the sea.
Are not all natural things, it may be asked, as
lovely near, as far away? By no means. Look at
the clouds and watch the delicate sculpture of their
alabaster sides, and the rounded luster of their mag-
nificent rolling ! They are meant to be beheld far
away : they were shaped for the place high above
your head : approach them and they fuse into vague
mists, or whirl away in fierce fragments of thun-
derous vapor.
Look at the crest of the Alps from the far away
plains, over which its light is cast, whence human
souls have communed with it by their myriads. It
was built for its place in the far off sky; approach
it, and as the sound of the voice of man dies away
about its foundations, and the tide of human life
is met at last by the eternal " Here shall thy waves
be stayed," the glory of its aspect fades into blanched
fearfulness: its purple walls are rent into grizzly
rocks, its silver fretwork saddened into wasting
snow; the storm brands of ages are on its breast;
the ashes of its own ruin lie solemnly on its white
raiment.
If you desire to perceive the great harmonies of
334 FIFTH READER.
the form of a rocky mountain, you must not ascend
upon its sides. All there is disorder and accident,
or seems so. Retire from it, and as your eye com-
mands it more and more, you see the ruined moun-
tain world with a wider glance ; behold ! dim sym-
pathies "begin to busy themselves in the disjointed
mass : line binds itself into stealthy fellowship with
line; group by group the helpless fragments gather
themselves into ordered companies: new captains of
hosts and masses of battalions become visible one by
one; and far away answers of foot to foot, and bone
to bone, until the powerless is seen risen up with
girded loins, and not one piece of all the unregarded
heap can now be spared from the mystic whole.
JOHN RUSKIN.
Biography. John Buskin, one of the most noted of art critics,
was born in London in 1819, and graduated at Oxford University
in 1842.
The year after graduation, the first volume of his work on
"Modern Painters" was published, and the young author found
himself assailed on all sides on account of his independent views
upon painting and painters. Ruskin believed in the worth of
modern talent, and scorned to bow before the ancient models so
blindly adhered to by others. His influence has been toward
progress, and his earnest and conscientious views have found
many supporters. He was appointed Professor of Art at Oxford
in 1869. His style as a writer is excellent.
Of his -works -we may mention the following: "Seven Lamps
of Architecture," "The Queen of the Air," "The Eagle's Nest,"
"Lectures on Architecture and Painting," and his greatest work,
"Modern Painters."
Notes. Albano (alba/no) is a town in Italy, about twelve miles
from Rome.
Campayna (cam pan'ya), a very fertile plain, near Rome.
Clatydian A.q'ueduct, a famous bridge of many arches across the
Campagna, erected to convey a supply of water to the city of
Rome, and finished by the Emperor Claudius in the year 51.
The ruins of this aqueduct present an interesting sight.
The Alban Mount is a mountain 3,000 feet high near Lake Al-
bano.
FIFTH READER.
336
. A DINNER PARTY IN ANCIENT THEBES. N
(1311-1245 B. C.)
pal' an ke^n' (par an ken), a cov-
^red conveyance used in the East.
san' dal, coverings for the soles of
the feet.
stu-e'-eo^d, plastered.
U^, twists of hair.
e6r'ri dorg, long passage ways.
hl'e ro gl^ph'i-es (glif ), the pict-
ure-writing of the Egyptians.
am' u let, a charm against evil.
eom'ment ing, remarking.
-eardrong (kawrdriing), kettles.
por' us, full of minute holes.
eul'mi nat ing, greatest.
The Labyrinth. 1 * has stood for nearly seven cent-
uries. During this time the Shepherd kings N have
had their sway and been expelled. The XVIIIth
dynasty, including the long and brilliant reign of
Thothmes III., has passed away, leaving behind it
temples, obelisks, and tombs of marvelous magnifi-
cence. Thebes is at the height of that architect-
ural triumph which is to make her the wonder
of succeeding ages.
Meantime, what of the people? Let us invite
ourselves to a dinner party in Theban high life.
The time is midday, and the guests are arriving
on foot, in palankeens borne by servants, and in
chariots. A high wall, painted in panels, sur-
rounds the fashionable villa, and on an obelisk
near by is inscribed the name of the owner. We
enter the grounds by a folding gate flanked with
lofty towers.
At the end of a broad avenue, bordered by rows
of trees and spacious water tanks, stands a stuc-
coed brick mansion, over the door of which we
read in hieroglyphics, "The Good House." The
building is made airy by corridors, and columns,
336 FIFTH READER.
and open courts shadowed by awnings, all gayly
painted and ornamented "by banners. Its extensive
grounds include flower gardens, vineyards, date,
orchards and sycamore trees.
There are little summer-houses, and artificial
ponds from which rises the sweet, sleepy perfume
of the lotus blossom; here the genial host some-
times amuses his guests by an excursion in a pleas-
ure boat towed by his servants. The stables and
chariot houses are in the center of the mansion,
but the cattle sheds and granaries are detached.
We will accompany the guest whose chariot
has just halted. The Egyptian nobleman drives his
own horse, but is attended by a train of servants;
one of these runs forward to knock at the door,
another takes the reins, another presents a stool to
assist his master to alight, and others are present
with various articles which he may desire during
the visit.
As the guest steps into the court, a servant re-
ceives his sandals and brings a foot pan that he may
wash his feet. He is then invited into the festive
chamber, where side by side on a double chair, to
which their favorite monkey is tied, sits his placid
host and hostess, blandly smelling their lotus
flowers and beaming a welcome to each arrival.
They are dressed like their guests.
On his shaven head the Egyptian gentleman
wears a wig with little top curls, and long cues
which hang behind. His beard is short a long one
is only for the king. His large sleeved, fluted robe
is of fine, white linen, and he is adorned with neck-
lace, bracelets, and a multitude of finger rings.
The lady by his side wears also a linen robe
FIFTH READER. 337
over one of a richly colored stuff. Her liair falls
to lier shoulders front and back, in scores of crisp
and glossy braids. The brilliancy of her eyes is
heightened by antimony; and amulet beetles, drag-
ons, asps, and strange, symbolic eyes, dangle from
her gold ear-rings, bracelets, necklace, and anklets.
Having saluted his entertainers, the new-comer is
seated on a low stool, where a servant anoints his
bewigged head with sweet-scented ointment, hands
him a lotus blossom, hangs garlands of flowers
on his neck and head, and presents him with
wine. The servant, as he receives back the emptied
vase and offers a napkin, politely remarks, " May it
benefit you." This completes the formal reception.
Every lady is attended in the same manner by
a female slave. While the guests are arriving, the
musicians and dancers belonging to the household
amuse the company, who sit on chairs in rows
and chat, the ladies commenting on one another's
jewelry, and, in compliment, exchanging lotus
flowers.
The house is furnished with couches, arm-chairs,
ottomans, and footstools made of the native acacia
or of ebony and other rare, imported woods, inlaid
with ivory, carved in animal forms, and cushioned
and covered with leopard skins. The ceilings are
stuccoed and painted, and the panels of the walls
adorned with colored designs. The tables are of
various sizes and fanciful patterns. The floor is
covered with a palm leaf matting, or wool carpet.
In the bedrooms are high couches reached by
steps; the pillows are made of wood or alabaster.
There are many elegant toilet conveniences, such
as polished bronze mirrors, fancy bottles for the
338 FIFTH READER.
kohl with which the ladies stain their brows and
eyelids, alabaster vases for sweet-scented ointments,
and trinket boxes shaped like a goose, a fish, or a
human dwarf.
Every- where throughout the house is a profusion
of flowers hanging in festoons, clustered on stands,
and crowning the wine bowl. Not only the guests
but the attendants are wreathed, and fresh blos-
soms are constantly brought in from the garden
to replace those which are fading.
And now the ox, kid, geese, and ducks, which,
according to custom, have been hurried into the
cooking caldrons as soon as killed, are ready to be
served. After hand-washing and saying of grace,
the guests are seated on stools, chairs, or the floor,
one or two at each little, low, round table. The
dishes, many of which are vegetables, are served in
courses, and the guests, having neither knife nor
fork, help themselves with their fingers. Mean-
time, a special corps of servants keep the wine and
water cool by vigorously fanning the porous jars
which contain them.
During the repast, when the enjoyment is at its
height, the Osiris an. image like a human mummy
is brought in and formally introduced to each
visitor with the reminder that life is short, and all
must die. This little incident does not in the least
disturb the placidity of the happy guests.
There is one, however, to whom the injunction
is not given, and who, though anointed and gar-
landed and duly placed at a table, does not par-
take of the delicacies set before him. This is a real
mummy, a dear deceased member of the family,
whom the host is keeping some months before
FIFTH READER. 339
burial, being loath to part with him. It is in his
honor, indeed, that the relatives and friends are
assembled, and the presence of a beloved mummy,
whose soul is journeying toward the Pools of Peace,
is the culminating pleasure of an Egyptian party.
MRS. J. DORMAN STEELE.
Thebes, the ancient capital of Upper Egypt, -was situ-
ated in the broadest part of the Nile valley. Its ruins comprise
nine townships. With its 20,000 war chariots, its vast wealth,
and its marvelous "buildings, it was in ancient times the most
powerful and important city in the world. To-day, a few Arab
families are located near its site, and gain a scanty living by
showing to travelers the ruins of the once proud city.
jjtib'y rlnth, the name of a wonderful structure at Croc o di lop'-
o lis, Egypt, consisting of twelve palaces under one roof, sup-
posed to have been inhabited by twelve kings who ruled at the
same time. The passages throughout the structure are so mingled
together, that a guide is needed to show the way. The age of
the building is estimated to be about 3,900 years.
The Shepherd kings, supposed to have been Ar'abs, obtained con-
trol of Lower Egypt about 2000 B. C. They were finally conquered
and driven out by the rulers of Upper Egypt.
Language. Use each of the following words in a separate
sentence, and explain the difference in their meaning : pleasure,
enjoyment, delight.
76. VIRGINIUS.
sew'er (su'er), a passage under
ground to carry off water or filth.
re^k'ing, steaming.
glo^t, gaze; look.
9! v' i-e, relating to a city or citizen.
sham'bl^i=>, a place where butch-
ers' meat is sold.
be reft', robbed.
le^ch, doctor.
a vert' ed, turned away.
Straightway VirginiusN led the maid a little space aside,
To -where the reeking shambles stood, piled up with horn and
hide,
Close to yon low, dark archway, where, in a crimson flood,
Leaps down to the great sewer the gurgling stream of blood.
34O FIFTH READER.
Hard by, a flesher N on a block had laid his whittle N down ;
Virginius caught the whittle up, and hid it in his gown.
And then his eyes grew very dim, and his throat began to swell,
And in a hoarse, changed voice he spoke, "Farewell, sweet child,
farewell 1
*'O how I loved my darling! Though stern I sometimes be,
To thee, thou knowest, I was not so. Who could be so to thee?
And how my darling loved me 1 How glad she was to hear
My footstep on the threshold when I came back last year!
"And how she danced with pleasure to see my civic crown,
And took my sword and hung it up, and brought me forth my
gown I
Now all these things are over yes, all thy pretty ways,
Thy needle-work, thy prattle, thy snatches of old lays ;
And none will grieve when I go forth, or smile when I return,
Or watch beside the old man's bed, or weep upon his urn.
"The house that was the happiest within the Roman walls,
The house that envied not the wealth of Capua's N marble halls,
Now, for the brightness of thy smile, must have eternal gloom;
And for the music of thy voice, the silence of the tomb.
"The time is come. See how he points his eager hand this way !
See how his eyes gloat on thy grief, like a kite's upon the prey !
With all his wit, he little deems that, spurned, betrayed, bereft,
Thy father hath in his despair one fearful refuge left.
"He little deems that in this hand I clutch -what still can save
Thy gentle youth from taunts and blows, the portion of the
slave ;
Yea, and from nameless evil, that passeth taunt and blow
Foul outrage which thou knowest not, which thou shalt never
know.
"Then clasp me round the neck once more, and give me one
more kiss ;
And now, mine own dear little girl, there is no way but this."
With that he lifted high the steel, and smote her in the side,
And in her blood She sunk to earth, and with one sob she died,
"See how his eyes gloat on thy grief, like a kite's
upon the prey." (See page 34O.)
FIFTH READER, 341
Then, for a little moment, all people held their breath;
And through the crowded forum was stillness as of death;
And in another moment broke forth from one and all
A cry as if the "VolsciansN were coming o'er the wall.
Some with averted faces, shrieking, fled home amain;
Some ran to call a leech, and some ran to lift the slain :
Some felt her lips and little wrist, if life might there be found;
And some tore up their garments fast, and strove to stanch the
wound,
In vain they ran and felt and stanched; for never truer blow
That good right arm had dealt in fight against a Volscian foe.
LORD MACAULAY.
Biography. Thomas Babington Macaulay was born in Leicester-
shire (Les'ter sheer), England, in 1800, and died in 1859.
Macaulay entered Trinity College, Cambridge, at the age of
eighteen, where he soon acquired prominence for scholarship and
oratorical power. He twice won the Chancellor's Medal for poems,
and graduated in 1822. He was soon elected to a fellowship, and
entered upon a literary life. His ballads, " The Spanish Armada"
and "The Battle of Ivry," and his essay on Milton, gave him a
wide popularity. In 1826, he began to practice law, and in 1830,
entered Parliament. After an eventful and highly useful career,
he was raised to the peerage in 1857, with the title of Baron
Macaulay. As a writer, his style is both vigorous and polished.
His best known works are "Lays of Ancient Borne," "Essays,"
and "History of England."
Notes. "Virginius, after slaying his daughter to save her from
the tyrant Ap'piiis, appealed to tho Roman army for vengeance.
The army responded, the tyrant was overpowered and consigned
to prison, where he took his own life. The unhappy fate of Vir-
ginia, the daughter, Was thus followed by the restoration of free-
dom to the Roman people.
Flcsher, a butcher. Whittle, a butcher's knife.
Cap'ua, a city of Southern Italy, second only to ancient Rome
in wealth and power. The buildings of the city were noted for
their magnificence.
Vdl'scians (shuns). The Vol'sei, an ancient barbaric race, were
much dreaded by the Romans. They were in the habit of mak-
ing expeditions against Rome. In the fourth century B. C., they
were finally subdued by the Romans and admitted to the rights
of Roman citizenship.
342
FIFTH READER
77. THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA.
PA RT I.
ad/ mi ral, a nwal officer of the
highest rank.
an ti9'i pa'tiong, hopes.
eu pid'i ty, greediness.
transient (titm' shent), passing.
af f irm' ing, declaring.
tin' du la' tion, waving
ment.
mu'ti nfc^us, rebellious.
av'a rl9^, great desire of gain.
re fraet'o ry, unruly.
e6n' stan y, steadiness.
Early in the morning of the 6th of September,
1492, Columbus N set sail from the island of G-omera,
and now might be said first to strike into the region
of discovery, taking leave of these frontier islands '
of the Old World, and steering westward for the
unknown parts of the Atlantic. For three days,
however, a profound calm kept the vessels loitering
with nagging sails within a short distance of the
land.
On the following Sunday, the 9th of September,
at day-break, he beheld Ferro, the last of the Canary
Islands, about nine leagues distant. Fortunately a
breeze sprung up with the sun, their sails were
once more filled, and in the course of the day the
heights of Ferro gradually faded from the horizon.
On losing sight of this last trace of land the
hearts of the crew failed them. Behind them was
every thing dear to the heart of man country,
family, friends, life itself; before them every thing
was chaos, mystery, and peril. Many of the rugged
seamen shed tears, and some broke into loud lam-
entations.
The admiral tried in every way to soothe their
distress, and inspire them with his own glorious
FIFTH READER. 343
anticipations. He described to them the magnifi-
cent countries to which he was about to conduct
them: the isles of the Indian seas teeming with
gold and precious stones. He promised them land
and riches, and every thing that could arouse their
cupidity or inflame their imaginations.
He now issued orders to the commanders of the
other vessels that in the event of separation by
any accident, they should continue directly west-
ward; but that, after sailing seven hundred leagues,
they should lay by from midnight until daylight,
as at about that distance he confidently expected
to find land.
To deceive the sailors he kept two reckonings;
one correct, in which the true way of the ship was
noted, and which he retained in secret for his own
government; in the other, which was open to gen-
eral inspection, a number of leagues was daily sub-
tracted from the sailing of the ship, so that the
crews were kept in ignorance of the real distance
they had advanced.
On the 14th of September, the voyagers were
rejoiced by what they considered indications of
land. A heron and a certain tropical bird, neither
of which is supposed to venture far to sea, hovered
about the ships.
The wind had hitherto been favorable, with oc-
casional though transient clouds and showers. They
had made great progress every day, though Colum-
bus, according to his secret plan, contrived to sup-
press several leagues in the daily reckonings left
open to the crew.
On the 18th of September the same weather
continued; a soft steady breeze from the east filled
344 FIFTH READER.
every sail, while Columbus fancied that the water
of the sea grew fresher as he advanced, and noticed
this as a proof of the superior sweetness and purity
of the air.
The crews were all in high spirits; each ship
strove to get in the advance, and every seaman
was eagerly on the lookout ; for the sovereign had
promised a pension of ten thousand maravedies N to
him who should first discover land.
Notwithstanding his precaution to keep the
people ignorant of the distance they had sailed,
they were now growing extremely uneasy at the
length of the voyage. They had advanced much
farther west than ever man had sailed before, and
though already beyond the reach of succor, still
they continued daily leaving vast tracts of ocean
behind them, and pressing onward and onward into
that apparently boundless abyss.
On the 20th of September, the wind veered, with
light breezes from the south-west. These, though
adverse to their progress, had a cheering effect
upon the people, as they proved that the wind did
not always prevail from the east. Several birds
also visited the ships; three of a small kind, which
keep about groves and orchards, came singing in
the morning and flew away again in the evening.
Their song cheered the hearts of the dismayed
mariners, who hailed it as the voice of land. The
larger fowl, they observed, were strong of wing,
and might venture far to sea; but such small birds
were too feeble to fly far, and their singing showed
that they were not exhausted by their flight.
For three days there was a continuance of light
summer airs from the southward and westward,
FIFTH READER. 848
and the sea was as smooth as a mirror. A whale
was seen heaving up its huge form at a distance,
which Columbus immediately pointed out as a fa-
vorable indication, affirming that these creatures
were generally seen in the neighborhood of land.
The crews however became uneasy at the calm-
ness of the 'weather. Every thing differed, they
said, in these strange regions, from the world to
which they had been accustomed. The only winds
which prevailed with any constancy and force were
from the east, and there was a risk, therefore, either
of perishing amidst stagnant and shoreless waters,
or of being prevented, by contrary winds, from ever
returning to their native country.
Columbus continued with admirable patience to
reason with these fancies; observing that the calm-
ness of the sea must undoubtedly be caused by the
vicinity of land in the quarter whence the wind
blew, which, therefore, had not space to act upon
the surface, and heave up large waves.
The more Columbus argued, the more boisterous
became the murmurs of the crew, until, on Sun-
day, the 25th of September, there came on a heavy
swell of the sea, unaccompanied by wind. This
phenomenon often occurs on the broad ocean ; being
either the expiring undulation of some past gale,
or the movement given to the sea by some distant
current of wind. It was nevertheless regarded
with astonishment by the mariners, and dispelled
the imaginary terrors occasioned by the calm.
The situation of Columbus was, however, becom-
ing daily more and more critical. In proportion
as he approached the regions where he expected to
find land, the impatience of his crew increased.
346 FIFTH READER.
What was to become of them should their provi-
sions fail?
Their ships were too weak and defective even
for the great voyage they had already made, but if
they were still to press forward, adding at every
moment to the immense expanse behind them, how
should they ever be able to return, having no inter-
vening port where they might victual and rent?
They had already penetrated unknown seas, un-
traversed by a sail, far. beyond where man had ever
before ventured. They had done enough to gain for
themselves a character for courage and hardihood
in undertaking such an enterprise, and persisting
in it so far. How much farther were they to go
in search of a merely conjectured land? Were they
to sail on until they perished, or until -all return
became impossible ? In such case they would be
the authors of their own destruction.
Columbus was not ignorant of the mutinous
disposition of his crew, but he still maintained a
serene and steady countenance, soothing some with
gentle words, endeavoring to stimulate the pride or
avarice of others, and openly menacing the refrac-
tory with signal punishment should they do any
thing to impede the voyage.
On the 25th of September, the wind again became
favorable, and they were able to resume their course
directly to the west. While Columbus, his pilot, and
several of his experienced mariners were studying
a map, and endeavoring to make out from it
their actual position, they heard a shout from
the Pinta, and looking up beheld Martin Alonzo
Pinzon mounted on the stem of his vessel, crying,
"Land! Land! Seiior, I claim my reward!" He
FIFTH READER. 347
pointed at the same time to the south-west, where
there was indeed an appearance of land in the dis-
tance. Upon this, Columbus threw himself upon
his knees, and returned thanks to God.
The seamen now mounted to the mast-head, or
climbed about the rigging, straining their eyes in
the direction pointed out. The conviction became
so general of land in that quarter, and the joy of
the people so ungovernable, that Columbus found
it necessary to vary from his usual course, and
stand all night to the south-west.
The morning light however put an end to their
hopes, as to a dream. The fancied land proved to
be nothing but an evening cloud, and had vanished
in the night. With dejected hearts they once more
resumed their western course, from which Colum-
bus would never have varied but in compliance
with their clamorous wishes.
For several days they continued on with the
same favorable breeze, tranquil sea, and mild, de-
lightful weather. The water was so calm that the
sailors amused themselves with swimming about
the vessel. Dolphins began to abound, and flying-
fish, darting into the air, fell upon the decks. The
continued signs of land diverted the attention of
the crews, and insensibly allured them onward.
On the 1st of October, according to the reckon-
ing of the pilot of the admiral's ship, they had
come five hundred and eighty leagues west since
leaving the Canary Islands. On the following day
fche weeds floated from east to west, and on the
third day no birds were to be seen.
The crews now began to fear that they had
passed between islands, from one to the other of
348
FIFTH READER.
which, the birds had been flying. Columbus had
also some doubts of the kind, but refused to alter
his westward course. The people again uttered
menaces and murmurs, but on the following day
they were visited by such nights of birds and the
various indications of land became so numerous,
that from a state of despondency they passed to
one of confident expectation.
Notes. Christopher Columbus (1436-1506), the discoverer of
America, was a native of Q-en'oa, Italy. He early developed a
taste for geography and astronomy, and afterward became a
sailor. His idea that there must be a passage to India by fol-
lowing a "westerly course across the ocean finally found credence
-with the King and Queen of Spain, and they assisted him to make
his remarkable voyage in 1492, which resulted in the discovery of
America, and made his name famous. The ingratitude of kings is
shown in the fact that Columbus was allowed to die in abject
poverty.
Mar a vS f dt^s f old Spanish coins of very small value ; 10,000 mar-
avedies of silver would be equal to about $35.
78. THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA.
PART II.
pre'-eon fert/ed, determined up-
on by previous agreement.
tur' bu lent, disorderly.
pa9'i fy, calm; quiet.
de s^rl^d', seen.
man'i fes ta' tion, evidences.
san' guin^ (sang'gwin), hopeful.
affirm' a tlv^, a word express-
ing assent.
SUP mount' ed, topped.
dgfer en.9^, respect.
a-e' qul es' en^, assent.
be nlg'ni ty, kindness.
fip'ma ment, air; sky.
On the morning of the 7th of October, at sun-
rise, several of the admiral's crew thought that they
beheld land in the west, but so indistinctly that no
one ventured to proclaim it. The Nina, however,
FIFTH READER. 349
being a good sailer, pressed forward to ascertain the
fact. In a little while a flag was hoisted at her
mast-head, and a gun discharged, these "being the
preconcerted signals for land.
New joy was awakened throughout the little
squadron, and every eye was turned to the west.
As they advanced, however, their cloud-built hopes
faded away, and before evening the fancied land
had again melted into air. The crew now sank
into a state of dejection proportioned to their recent
excitement ; but new circumstances occurred to
arouse them.
Columbus having observed great flights of small
field birds going toward the south-west, concluded
they must be secure of some neighboring land,
where they would find food and a resting place.
He knew the importance which the Portuguese
voyagers attached to the flight of birds, by follow-
ing which they had discovered most of their
islands. He determined therefore on the evening
of the 7th of October, to alter his course to the
west-south-west, the direction in which the birds
generally flew.
For three days they stood in this direction, and
the farther they went the more frequent and en-
couraging were the signs of land. Flights of small
birds of various colors, some of them such as sing
in the fields, came flying about the ships, and then
continued toward the south-west, and others were
heard flying by in the night. Tunnies played about
in the smooth sea, and a heron, a pelican, and
a duck were seen, all bound in the same direction.
All these, however, were regarded by the crew
as so many delusions beguiling them, on to desti'uc-
38O FIFTH READER.
tion; and when, on the evening of the third day,
they beheld the sun go down upon a shoreless
horizon, they broke forth into turbulent clamor.
They insisted upon returning home, and abandon-
ing the voyage as hopeless.
Columbus endeavored to pacify them by gentle
words and promises of large rewards; but finding
that they only increased in clamor, he assumed a
decided tone. He told them it was useless to mur-
mur; the expedition had been sent by the sover-
eigns to seek the Indies, and, happen what might,
he was determined to persevere, until, by the
blessing of God, he should accomplish the enter-
prise.
Columbus was now at open defiance with his
crew, and his situation became desperate. Fortu-
nately the manifestations of the vicinity of land
were such on the following day as no longer to
admit of doubt. Besides a quantity of fresh weeds,
such as grow in rivers, they saw a green fish of a
kind which keeps about rocks ; tjien a branch of
thorn with berries on it, and recently separated
from the tree, floated by them ; then they ^picked
up a reed, a small board, and, above all, a staff
artificially carved.
All gloom and mutiny now gave way to san-
guine expectation ; and throughout the day each one
was eagerly on the watch, in hopes of being the one
to discover the long-sought-for land. The breezes
had been fresh all day, with more sea than usual,
and they had made great progress. At sunset they
had stood again to the west, and were plowing
the waves at a rapid rate, the Pinta keeping the
lead from her superior sailing.
FIFTH READER. 351
The greatest animation prevailed throughout the
ships; not an eye was closed that night. As the
evening darkened, Columbus took his station on the
top of the castle or cabin of his vessel, ranging his
eye along the dusky horizon, and maintaining an
intense and unremitting watch.
About ten o'clock he thought he beheld a light,
glimmering at a great distance. Fearing his eager
hopes might deceive him, he called to one of his
men and inquired whether he saw such a light ;
the latter replied in the affirmative. Doubtful
whether it might not yet be some delusion of the
fancy, Columbus called to still another, and made
the same inquiry.
By the time the latter had ascended the round-
house the light had disappeared. They saw It once
or twice afterward in sudden and passing gleams,
as if it were a torch on the bark of a fisherman,
rising and sinking with the waves, or in the hand
of some person on shore, borne up and down as he
passed from house to house. So transient and un-
certain were these gleams that few attached any
importance to them ; Columbus, however, consid-
ered them as certain signs of land, and, moreover,
that the land was inhabited.
They continued their course until two in the
morning, when a gun from the Pinta gave the
joyful signal of land. It was first descried by a mar-
iner named Rodrigo de Triana ; but the reward was
afterward adjudged to the admiral, for having pre-
viously perceived the light. The land was now
clearly seen about two leagues distant, whereupon
they took in sail and lay to, impatiently waiting
for the dawn.
352 FIFTH READER.
It was on Friday morning, the 12th of October,
that Columbus first beheld the New World. As the
day dawned he saw before him a level island sev-
eral leagues in extent, and covered with trees like
a continuous orchard. Though apparently uncul-
tivated, it was populous, for the inhabitants were
seen issuing from all parts of the woods and run-
ning to the shore. They stood gazing at the ships,
and appeared by their attitudes and gestures to be
lost in astonishment.
Columbus made signal for the ships to cast
anchor, and the boats to be manned and armed.
He entered his own boat, richly attired in scarlet,
and holding the royal standard, having on either
side the letters F and Y, the initials of the Cas-
tilian monarchs, Ferdinand and Ysabel, surmounted
by crowns.
On landing he threw himself upon his knees,
kissed the earth, and returned thanks to G-od with
tears of joy. His example was followed by the rest,
whose hearts indeed overflowed with the same feel-
ings of gratitude.
Columbus then rising, drew his sword, displayed
the royal standard, and assembling around him the
two captains, with the notary of the armament and
the rest who had landed, he took solemn posses-
sion in the name of the Castilian sovereigns, giving
the island the name of San Salvador.
The feelings of the crews now burst forth in the
most extravagant transports. They had recently
considered themselves devoted men hurrying for-
ward to destruction ; now they looked upon them-
selves as favorites of fortune, and gave themselves
up to the most unbounded joy. They thronged
FIFTH READER. 3S3
around the admiral with, overflowing zeal; some
embraced him-, others kissed his hands.
The natives of the island, when, at the dawn of
day, they had "beheld the ships hovering on their
coast, had supposed them monsters, which had
issued from the deep during the night. They had
crowded to the "beach, and watched their move-
ments with awful anxiety. Their veering about,
apparently without effort, and the shifting and
furling of their sails, resembling huge wings, filled
them with astonishment. When they beheld their
boats approaching and a number of strange beings,
clad in glittering steel, or raiment of various
colors, landing upon the beach, they fled in affright
to the woods.
Finding however that there was no attempt to
pursue or molest them, they gradually recovered
from their terror, and approached the Spaniards
with great awe, frequently prostrating themselves
on the earth, and making signs of adoration.
The admiral particularly attracted their atten-
tion from his commanding height, his air of au-
thority, his dress of scarlet, and the deference
which was paid him by his companions, all of
which pointed him out to be commander. When
they had still further recovered from their fears,
they approached the Spaniards, touched their beards,
and examined their hands and faces, admiring their
whiteness.
Columbus was pleased with their gentleness and
confiding simplicity, and suffered their scrutiny
with perfect acquiescence, winning them by his
benignity. They now supposed that the ships had
sailed out of the crystal firmament which bounded
384 FIFTH READER.
tlieir horizon, or had descended from above on their
ample wings, and that these marvelous "beings were
inhabitants of the skies.
WASHINGTON IRVING.
Biography. "Washington Irving was born in tho City of Xew
York in 1783, and died in 1859.
When sixteen years old, Irving entered a law office; but soon
found that he had no taste for the work. In 1801, ho visited
Europe, and on his return published "A History of New York,"
the style of which is both humorous and entertaining. Owing
to financial reverses, Irving was obliged in 1815 to resort to
literature as a means of support, and the beauty of his style soon
captivated the reading public of England and America. In. 1831,
he was honored with tho degree of LL.D. from Oxford University;
and in 1842, was appointed United States Minister to Spain.
His best known works are "The Alhambra," "Tales of a
Traveler," "Bracebridge Hall," "History of the Life and Voyages
of Columbus," and "Life of Washington." An edition of his
works in fifteen volumes has reached a sale of several hundred
thousand copies.
79. THE CAVALRY CHARGE.
mtis' ket 6^r', soldiers armed
with muskets.
shat' ter^d, broken.
dol^d, spoken.
plash' y, watery.
sea b' bard, case of a sword.
Hark ! the rattling roll of the musketeers,
And the ruffled drums and the rallying cheers,
And the rifles burn with a keen desire
Like the crackling whips of a hemlock fire,
And the singing shot and the shrieking shell,
And the splintered fire of the shattered hell,
And the great white breaths of the cannon smoke
As the growling guns by batteries spoke;
And the ragged gaps in the walls of blue
Where the iron surge rolled heavily through,
FIFTH READER. 355
That the colonel builds with a breath again,
As he cleaves the din with his "Close up, menl"*
And the groan torn out from the blacken'd lips,
And the prayer doled slow with the crimson drips,
And the beaming look in the dying eye
As under the clouds the stars go by,
"But his soul marched on," the captain said,
"For the Boy in Blue N can never be dead!"
And the troopers sit in their saddles all
Like statues carved in an ancient hall,
And they watch the whirl from their breathless
ranks,
And their spurs are close to the horses' flanks,
And the fingers work of the saber hand
O, to bid them live, and to make them grand 1
And the bugle sounds to the charge at last,
And away they plunge, and the front is passed!
And the jackets blue grow red as they ride,
And the scabbards too that clank by their side,
And the dead soldiers deaden the strokes iron-shod
As they gallop right on o'er the plashy, red sod
Right into the cloud all spectral and dim,
Right up to the guns black-throated and grim,
Right down on the hedges bordered with steel,
Right through the dense columns, then "right
about wheel!" 1 *
Hurra ! A new swath through the harvest again !
Hurra for the flag! To the battle, Amen!
BENJAMIN F. TAYLOR.
Biography. For a biographical sketch of Benjamin Eranklin
Taylor, see page 204.
Notes. Close up, means join the broken parts of the ranks by a
movement, usually from the left toward the right.
366 FIFTH READER.
Boy in Blue is a name given to a United States soldier on ac-
count of the color of his uniform.
Right about wheel is a command for the soldiers to turn around
and march in an opposite direction.
Elocution. State whether or not the first few lines should "be
read in a suppressed tone of voice. How should the interjection
"Hark!" be uttered? Do not emphasize and.
Language. 'The repetition of the word "and" so often through-
out the poem, indicates the excitement with which the thoughts
are uttered.
What figure of rhetoric is used in the last line of page 354?
In lines 9 and 10, page 355?
8O. LOST ON THE FLOES.
PA RT I.
tin' en -e&m' ber^d, free; un-
burdened.
pern' mi -ean, thin pieces of meat
dried in the sun.
su' per'flu fcj&s, unnecessary.
pre' mo nl'tion, previous notice.
, a hole in the ground.
in' dis pSn'sa bl^, necessary.
at trfb'ut^, ascribe ; consider as
' ti-e, a substance which, when
appUed, icttl burn the flesh.
fra-et' iir^, breaking of a bone.
ef fa9^d', removed; destroyed.
em bal^', pack.
eon' fig u ra' tion, form.
We were at work cheerfully, sewing away at tlie
skins of some moccasins "by the blaze of our lamps,
when, toward midnight, we heard the noise of steps
above, and the next minute Sontag, Ohlsen, and
Petersen came down into the cabin. Their manner
startled me even more than their unexpected ap-
pearance on board. They were swollen and haggard,
and hardly able to speak.
Their story was a fearful one. They had left
their companions in the ice, risking their own lives
to bring us the news: Brooks, Baker, Wilson, and
Pierre were all lying frozen and disabled. Where?
FIFTH READER. 357
They could not tell: somewhere in among the
hummocks to the north and east; it was drifting
heavily round them when they parted.
Irish Tom had stayed by to feed and care for
the others; but the chances were sorely against
them. It was in vain to question them further.
They had evidently traveled a great distance, for
they were sinking with fatigue and hunger, and
could hardly be rallied enough to tell us the direc-
tion in which they had come.
My first impulse was to move 011 the instant
with an unencumbered party: a rescue to be effect-
ive, or even hopeful, could not be too prompt.
What pressed on my mind most was, where the
sufferers were to be looked for among the drifts.
Ohlsen seemed to have his faculties rather more
at command than his associates, and I thought that
he might assist us as a guide * but he was sinking
with exhaustion, and if he went with us we must
carry him.
There was not a moment to lose. While some
were still busy with the new-comers and getting
ready a hasty meal, others were rigging out the
Little Willie N with a buffalo cover, a small tent,
and a package of pemmican; and, as soon as we
could hurry through our arrangements, Ohlsen was
strapped on in a fur bag, his legs wrapped in dog-
skins and eider-down, and we were off upon the
ice. Our party consisted of nine men and myself.
We carried only the clothes on our backs.
The thermometer stood at 46 degrees,* seventy-
eight degrees below the freezing-point. A well-
known peculiar tower of ice, called by the men
the "Pinnacly Berg," served as our first landmark;
358 FIFTH READER.
other icebergs of colossal size, which, stretched in
long, beaded lines across the bay, helped to guide
us afterward ; and it was not until we had traveled
for sixteen hours that we began to lose our way.
We knew that our lost companions must be
somewhere in the area before us, within a radius
of forty miles. Mr. Ohlsen, who had been for fifty
hours without rest, fell asleep as soon as we began
to move, and awoke now with unequivocal signs
of mental disturbance. It became evident that he
had lost the bearing of the icebergs, which in form
and color endlessly repeated themselves ; and the
uniformity of the vast field of snow utterly for-
bade the hope of local landmarks.
Pushing ahead of the party, and clambering over
some rugged ice piles, I came to a long, level floe,
which I thought might probably have attracted the
eyes of weary men iii circumstances like our own.
It was a light conjecture ; but it was enough to
turn the scale, for there was no other to balance
it. I gave orders to abandon the sledge, and dis-
perse in search of foot-marks. "We raised our tent,
placed our pemmican in cache, N except a small
allowance for each man to carry on his person ; and
poor Ohlsen, now just able to keep his legs, was
liberated from his bag.
The thermometer had fallen by this time to
49 degrees, and the wind was -setting in sharply
from the north-west. It was out of the question
to halt: it required brisk exercise to keep us from
freezing. I could not even melt ice for water; and,
at these temperatures, any resort to snow for the
purpose of allaying thirst was followed by bloody
lips and tongue; it burned like caustic.
FIFTH READER. 359
It was indispensable, then, that we should move
on, looking out for traces as we went. Yet when
the men were ordered to spread themselves, so as
to multiply the chances, though they all obeyed
heartily, some painful impress of solitary danger,
or perhaps it may have been the varying configu-
ration of the ice-field, kept them closing up con-
tinually into a single group.
The strange manner in which some of us were
affected I now attribute as much to shattered
nerves as to the direct influence of the cold. Men
like McGary and Bonsall, who had stood out our
severest marches, were seized with trembling-fits
and short breath, and, in spite of all my efforts to
keep up an example of sound bearing, I fainted
twice on the snow.
We had been nearly eighteen hours out without
water or food, when a new hope cheered us. I think
it was Hans, our Esquimau N hunter, who thought
he saw a broad sledge track. The drift had nearly
effaced it, and we were some of us doubtful at first
whether it was not one of those accidental rifts
which the gales make in the surface snow.
But as we traced it on to the deep snow among
the hummocks, we were led to footsteps ; and fol-
lowing these with religious care, we at last came
in sight of a small American flag fluttering from a
hummock, and lower down a little Masonic banner
hanging from a tent pole hardly above the drift.
It was the camp of our disabled comrades ; we
reached it after an unbroken march of twenty-one
hours.
The little tent was nearly covered. I was not
among the first to come up; but, when I reached
36O FIFTH READER.
the tent curtain, the men were standing in silent
file on each side of it. With more kindness and
delicacy of feeling than is generally supposed to
"belong to sailors, but which is almost character-
istic, they intimated their wish that I should go
in alone. As I crawled in, and, coming upon the
darkness, heard before me the burst of welcome
gladness that came from the four poor fellows
stretched upon their backs, and then for the first
time the cheer outside, my weakness and my grati-
tude together almost overcame me. "They had
expected me: they were sure I would come!"
We were now fifteen souls; the thermometer
75 degrees below the freezing-point; and our sole
accommodation a tent barely able to contain eight
persons: more than half our party were obliged to
keep from freezing by walking outside while the
others slept. We could not halt long. Each of us
took a turn of two hours' sleep; and then we pre-
pared for our homeward march.
We took with us nothing but the tent, furs to
protect the rescued party, and food for a journey
of fifty hours. Every thing else was abandoned.
Two large buffalo bags, each made of four skins
were doubled up, so as to form a sort of sack, lined
on each side with fur, closed at the bottom, but
open at the top. This was laid on the sledge; the
tent, smoothly folded, serving as a floor.
The sick, with their limbs sewed up carefully in
reindeer-skins, were placed upon the bed of buffalo
robes, in a half-reclining posture; other skins and
blanket bags were thrown above them ; and the
whole litter was lashed together so as to allow but
a single openirg opposite the mouth for breathing.
FIFTH READER. 361
This necessary work cost us a great deal of time
and effort; but it was essential to the lives of the
sufferers. It took us no less than four hours to
strip and refresh them, and then to embale them
in the manner I have described. Few of us escaped
without frost-bitten lingers; the thermometer was
55 degrees below zero, and a slight wind added to
the severity of the cold.
It was completed at last, however; all hands
stood round; and, after repeating a short prayer, we
set out on our retreat. It was fortunate indeed
that we were not inexperienced in sledging over
the ice. A great part of our track lay among a suc-
cession of hummocks; some of them extending in
long lines, fifteen and twenty feet high, and so uni-
formly steep that we had to turn them by a consid-
erable deviation from our direct course; others that
we forced our way through, far above our heads in
height, lying in parallel ridges, with the space be-
tween too narrow for the sledge to be lowered into
it safely, and yet not wide enough for the runners
to cross without the aid of ropes to stay them.
These spaces too were generally choked with
light snow, hiding the openings between the ice
fragments. They were fearful traps to disengage a
limb from, for every man knew that a fracture or
a sprain even would cost him his life. Besides all
this, the sledgo was top-heavy with its load: the
maimed men could not bear to be lashed down
tight enough to secure them against falling off.
Notwithstanding our caution in rejecting every su-
perfluous burden, the weight, including bags and
tent, was eleven hundred pounds.
And yet our march for the first six hours was
362
FIFTH READER.
very cheering. We made, by vigorous pulls and
lifts, nearly a mile an hour, and reached the new
floes before we were absolutely weary. Our sledge
sustained the trial admirably. Ohlsen, restored by
hope, walked steadily at the leading belt of the
sledge lines; and I began to *feel certain of reaching
our half-way station of the day before, where we
had left our tent. But we were still nine miles from
it, when, almost without premonition, we all became
aware of an alarming failure of our energies.
Notes. Little Willie was the name given "by Dr. Kane's party
to a sledge.
The expression 46 degrees, means- forty-six degrees below zero.
Freezing-point is indicated as 82 degrees above zero ; 32 degrees
added to 46 degrees equals 78 degrees below freezing-point.
Cache (kash), a place -where provisions are placed for preser-
vation or concealment, usually a hole in the ground.
Esquimau (es'ke m6) is the singular form of the noun; Esqui-
maux (es'ke mo), the plural.
Language. Some adverbs are formed from adjectives by the
addition of the ending ly ; as, firmly, steadily, hopefully. The
ending ly indicates manner, and the adverbs so formed are called
adverbs of manner.
8f. LOST ON THE FLOES.
PART I I.
stra bl' mus, an affection of
one or both eyes so that they can
not be directed toward the same
i mand'ed, found fault
with.
e mer'gen 9y, a crisis; a sud-
den occasion.
ar tie' u lat^, speak.
v61 un te^r^d', offered.
em beTlish merit, ornament.
I was of course familiar with the benumbed and
almost lethargic sensation of extreme cold; but I
had treated the sleepy comfort of freezing as some-
am'pu ta'tion, cutting off.
de IIP' i us, deprived of reason.
, an extract of opium.
FIFTH READER. 363
thing like the embellishment of romance. I had
evidence now to the contrary.
Bonsall and Morton, two of our stoutest men,
came to me, "begging permission to sleep : " They
were not cold; the wind did not penetrate them
now : a little sleep was all they wanted ! " Pres-
ently Hans was found nearly stiff in a hollow ; and
Thomas, "bolt upright, had his eyes closed, and could
hardly articulate.
At last John Blake threw himself on the snow,
and refused to rise. They did not complain of feel-
ing cold ; but it was in vain that I wrestled, "boxed,
ran, argued, jeered, or reprimanded ; an immediate
halt could not "be avoided.
We pitched our tent N with much difficulty. Our
1 lands were too powerless to strike a fire ; we were
obliged to do without water or food. Even the
spirits (whisky) had frozen at the men's feet, under
all the coverings. We put Bonsall, Ohlsen, Thomas,
and Hans, with the other sick men, well inside
the tent, and crowded in as many others as we
could.
Then leaving the party with Mr. McGary, with
orders to come on after four hours' rest, I pushed
.ahead with William Godfrey, who volunteered to be
my companion. My aim was to reach the half-way
tent, and thaw some ice and pemmican before the
others arrived. The fioe was of level ice, and the
walking excellent. I can not tell how long it took
us to make the nine miles ; for we were in a strange
sort of stupor, and had little appreciation of time.
It was probably about four hours.
We kept ourselves awake by imposing on each
other a continued articulation of words. I recall
364 FIFTH READER.
these hours as among the most wretched I have
ever gone through ; we were neither of us in our
right senses, and retained a very confused recollec-
tion of what preceded our arrival at the tent. We
both of us however remember a bear, that walked
leisurely before us and tore up, as he went, a
jumper that Mr. McGary had carelessly thrown off
the day before. He tore it into shreds and rolled
it into a ball, but never offered to interfere witli
our progress. T remember this, and with it a con-
fused sentiment that our tent and buffalo robes
might probably share the same fate.
Godfrey had a better eye than myself; and, look-
ing some miles ahead, he could see that our tent
was undergoing the same unceremonious treatment.
I thought I saw it too, but we were so overcome
with cold that we strode on steadily, and, for aught
I know, without quickening our pace.
Probably our approach saved the contents of the
tent; for when we reached it the tent was unin-
jured, though the bear had overturned it, tossing
the buffalo robes and pemmican into the snow ; we
missed only a couple of blanket bags. What we
recollect, however, and perhaps all we recollect, is,
that we had great difficulty in raising it.
We crawled into our reindeer sleeping-bags, with-
out speaking, and for the next three hours slept on
in a dreamy but intense slumber. When I awoke,
my long beard was a mass of ice, frozen fast to the
buffalo-skin; Godfrey had to cut me out with his
jackknife. Four days after our escape, I found my
woolen comfortable with a goodly share of my
beard still adhering to it.
Wo were able to melt water and get some soup
FIFTH READER. 363
cooked before the rest of our party arrived; it took
them but five hours to walk the nine miles. They
were doing well, and, considering the circumstances,
were in wonderful spirits. Most fortunately the
day was windless, with a clear sun. All enjoyed
the refreshment we had got ready ; the crippled
were repacked in their robes ; and we sped briskly
toward the hummock-ridges which lay between us
and the "Pinnacly Berg."
It required desperate efforts to work our way
over the surface floes, literally desperate, for our
strength failed us anew, and we began to lose our
self-control. We could not abstain any longer from
eating snow; our mouths swelled, and some of us
became speechless. Happily the day was warmed by
a clear sunshine, and the thermometer rose to -i
degrees in the shade ; otherwise we must have frozen.
Our halts multiplied, and we fell half-sleeping
011 the snow. I could not prevent it. Strange to
say, it refreshed us. I ventured iipon the experi-
ment myself, making Riley wake me at the end of
three minutes; and I felt so much benefited by it
that I timed the men in the same way. They sat
on the runners of the sledge, fell asleep instantly,
and were forced to wakefulness when their three
minutes were out.
By eight in the evening we emerged from the
floes. The sight of the "Pinnacly Berg" revived
us. Brandy, an invaluable resource in emergency,
had already been served out in table-spoonful doses.
We now took a longer rest, and a last but stouter
dram, and reached the brig at 1 P. M., we believe
without a halt.'
I say we believe ; and here perhaps is the most
366 FIFTH READER.
decided proof of our sufferings: we were quite de-
lirious, and had ceased to entertain a sane appre-
hension of the circumstances about us. We moved
on like men in a dream. Our foot-marks, seen after-
ward, showed that we had steered a "bee-line for the
brig. It must have been by a sort of instinct, for
it left no impression on tho memory.
Bonsall was sent staggering ahead, and reached
the brig, God knows how, for he had fallen re-
peatedly at the track lines; but he delivered with
perfect accuracy the messages I had sent by him to
Dr. Hayes. I thought myself the soundest of all,
and I can now recall the muttering delirium of my
comrades when we got back into the cabin of our
brig. Yet I have been told since of some speeches
and some orders too of mine, which I should have
remembered for their absurdity if my mind had
retained its balance.
Petersen and Whipple came out to meet us about
two miles from the brig. They brought my clog
team, with the restoratives I had sent for by. Bon-
sall. I do not remember their coming. Dr. Hayes
entered with judicious energy upon the treatment
our condition called for, giving morphine freely,
after the usual frictions.
He reported none of our brain symptoms as seri-
ous, referring them properly to the class of those
indications of exhausted power which yield to gen-
erous diet and rest. Mr. Ohlsen suffered some time
from strabismus and blindness; two others under-
went amputation of parts of the foot, without un-
pleasant consequences ; and two died in spite of all
our efforts.
This rescue party had been out for seventy-two
FIFTH READER. 367
hours. We had halted in all eight hours, half of
our number sleeping at a time. We traveled be-
tween eighty and ninety miles, most of the way
dragging a heavy sledge. The mean temperature
of the whole time, including the warmest hours of
three days, was at 41 degrees. We had no water
except at our two halts, and were at no time able
to intermit vigorous exercise without freezing.
ELISHA K. KANE.
Biography. Elisha Kent Kane (1820-1857), the celebrated Arctic
explorer, entered the University of Virginia in 1836, afterward
studied medicine, and entered the navy as a surgeon. After
visiting many parts of the world, he joined an expedition to the
Arctic regions in 1850. In 1853, he commanded a second expedi-
tion which made important discoveries. His work, "Second
Grinnell Expedition in Search of Sir John Franklin," is a thrill-
ing narrative.
Notes. Pitched our tent means fixed our tent firmly in posi-
tion to shelter us.
82. THE BIVOUAC OF THE DEAD.
mtif' fl^d, wrapped with some-
thing to dull the sound.
tat too', a beat of drum at night
as a signal for retiring.
sSr'ri^d, crowded.
r e m 6 rs^' 1 es $ , unyntying; cruel.
blv'oua-e (biv'wak), encampment
without tents.
em baXm^d', loved; preserved
martial (sh&l), warlike.
e6n'se -era! ed, sacred.
The muffled drum's sad roll has beat
The soldier's last tattoo ;
No more on life's parade shall meet
The brave and daring few.
On Fame's eternal camping-ground
Their silent tents are spread,
And Glory guards -with solemn round
The bivouac of the dead.
368 FIFTH READER.
No answer of the foe's advance
Now swells upon the wind,
No troubled thought at midnight haunts
Of loved ones left behind :
No vision of the morrow's strife
The warrior's dream alarms :
No "braying horn or screaming life
At dawn shall call to arms.
Their shivered swords are red with rust;
Their plumed heads are bowed ;
Their haughty banner, trailed in dust,
Is now their martial shroud ;
And plenteous funeral tears have washed
The red stains from each brow,
And their proud forms, in battle gashed,
Are free from anguish now.
The neighing steed, the flashing blade,
The trumpet's stirring blast,
The charge, the dreadful cannonade
The din and shout, are past;
No war's wild note, nor glory's peal,
Shall thrill with fierce delight
Those breasts that never more shall feel
The rapture of the fight.
Like the dread northern hurricane
That sweeps the broad plateau,
Flushed with the triumph yet to gain,
Came down the serried foe.
Our heroes felt the shock, and leapt
To meet them on the plain ;
And long the pitying sky hath wept
Above our gallant slain.
FIFTH READER. 369
Sons of our consecrated ground,
Ye must not slumber there,
Where stranger steps and tongues resound
Along the sleepless air.
Your own proud land's heroic soil
Shall be your fitter grave ;
She claims from war his richest spoil
The ashes of her brave.
So 'neath their parent turf they rest,
Far from the gory field ;
Borne to a Spartan N mother's breast,
On many a bloody shield.
The sunshine of their native sky
Smiles sadly on them here,
And kindred hearts and eyes watch by
The heroes' sepulcher.
Rest on, embalmed and sainted dead!
Dear as the blood you gave ;
No impious footsteps here shall tread
The herbage of your grave.
Nor shall your glory be forgot
"While Fame her record keeps,
Or Honor points the hallowed spot
Where Valor proudly sleeps.
Yon marble minstrel's voiceless tone
In deathless songs shall tell,
When many a vanquished age hath flown,
The story how ye fell.
Nor wreck, nor change, nor winter's blight,
Nor time's remorseless doom,
Shall dim one ray of holy light
That gilds your glorious tomb.
37O FIFTH READER.
Biography. Theodore O'Hara (1820-1867) was a native of Ken>
tucky, where his remains now lie buried. This beautiful poem
is the only one of his productions that is generally known, but
it is sufficient to render his name memorable.
Stanzas of the poem have been inscribed upon various military
monuments at Boston, Chancellorsville, and even on one of the
famous battle grounds of the Crimea. N
Notes. Spartan mother. The reference is to the courageous
saying of the Spartan mother to her son going forth to battle
"Return with your shield or on it," meaning "Victory or death."
The Crime' a, a peninsula in the South of Russia, was the
scene of the great strife in 1854, between Russia and the allied
forces of Prance and England, for the control of the Black Sea.
83. BENEATH THE FALLS OF NIAGARA.
6b' vi fcjus ly, dearly ; easily seen
to be.
sub mer'sion, plunge under
water.
tgnd'en $y, disposition.
, bubbling; hissing.
hdrt' ed (egz hort'), urged.
s-ean'riing, examining ; looking
over.
im'pe tus, force.
shal^, fine-grained rock.
a bl^, praiseworthy.
nant, sounding.
pro tu' ber an9^, projection.
On the first evening of my visit, I met, at the
head of Biddle's Stair, the guide to the Cave of the
Winds. He was in the prime of manhood large,
well-built, firm, and pleasant in mouth and eye.
My interest in the scene stirrejl up his, and made
him communicative. Turning to a photograph, he
described, by reference to it, a feat which he had
accomplished some time previously, and which had
brought him almost under the green water of the
Horseshoe Fall.
"Can you take me there to-morrow?" I asked.
He eyed me inquiringly, weighing, perhaps, the
chances of a man of light build, and with gray in
his whiskers, in such an undertaking.
FIFTH READER. 371
"I wish.," I added, "to see as much, of the Fall
as can be seen, and where you lead I will endeavor
to follow."
His scrutiny relaxed into a smile, and he said,
" Very well ; I shall be ready for you to-morrow."
On the morrow, accordingly, I came. In the hut
at the head of Biddle's Stair, I dressed according to
instructions, drawing on two pairs of woolen pan-
taloons, three woolen jackets, two pairs of socks,
and a pair of felt shoes. Even if wet, my guide
assured me that the clothes would keep me from
being chilled ; and ho was right. A suit and hood
of yellow oil-cloth covered all. Most laudable pre-
cautions were taken by the young assistant who
helped to dress me to keep the Abater out; but his
devices broke down immediately when severely
tested.
We descended the stair; the handle of a pitch-
fork doing, in my case, the duty of an alpenstock. 11
At the bottom, the guide inquired whether we
should go first to the Cave of the Winds, or to the
Horseshoe, remarking that the latter would try us
most. I decided on getting the roughest done first,
and he turned to the left over the stones. They
were sharp and trying.
The base of the first portion of the cataract is
covered with huge bowlders, obviously the ruins
of the limestone ledge above. The water does not
distribute itself uniformly among them, but seeks
out channels through which it pours with the force
of a torrent. We passed some of these with wet
feet, but without difficulty. At length we came to
the side of a more formidable current. My guide
walked along its edge until he reached its least
372 FIFTH READER.
turbulent portion. Halting, lie said, "This is our
greatest difficulty; if we can cross here, we shall
get far toward the Horseshoe."
He waded in. It evidently required all his
strength to steady himself. The water rose above
his loins, and it foamed still higher. He had to
search for footing, amid unseen bowlders, against
which the torrent rose violently. He struggled
and swayed, but he struggled successfully, and
finally reached the shallower water at the other
side. Stretching out his arm, he said to me, "Now
come on ! "
I looked down the torrent as it rushed to the
river below, and was seething with the tumult of
the cataract. Even where it was not more than
knee-deep, its power was manifest. As it rose around
me, I sought to split the torrent by presenting a
side to it; but the insecurity of the footing enabled
it to grasp my loins, twist me fairly round, and
bring its impetus to bear upon my back. Further
struggle was impossible; and feeling my balance
hopelessly gone, I turned, flung myself toward the
bank just quitted, and was instantly, as expected,
swept into shallower water.
The oil-cloth covering was a great incumbrance;
it had been made for a much stouter man, and,
standing upright after my submersion, my legs
occupied the center of two bags of water. My guide
exhorted -me to try again. Instructed by the first
misadventure, I once more entered the stream. Had
the alpenstock been of iron, it might have helped
me; but, as it was, the tendency of the water to
sweep it out of my hands rendered it worse than
useless. I however clung to it from habit.
FIFTH READER. 373
Again the torrent rose, and again I wavered;
but, by keeping the left hip well against it, I re-
mained upright, and at length grasped the hand of
my leader at the other side. He laughed pleasantly.
" ISTo traveler," he said, " was ever here before."
Soon afterward, by trusting to a piece of drift-
wood which seemed firm, I was again taken off my
feet, but was immediately caught by a protruding
rock.
We clambered over the bowlders toward the
thickest spray, which soon became so weighty as
to cause us to stagger under its shock. For the
most part nothing could be seen; we were in the
midst of bewildering tumult, lashed by the water,
which sounded at times like the cracking of innu-
merable whips. Underneath this was the deep res-
onant roar of the cataract. I tried to shield my
eyes with my hands and look upward but the de-
fense was useless. The guide continued to move
on, but at a certain place he halted, desiring me
to take shelter in his lee, and observe the cataract.
The spray did not come so much from the upper
ledge as from the rebound of the shattered water
when it struck the bottom. Hence the eyes could
be protected from the blinding shock of the spray,
while the line of vision to the upper ledges re-
mained to some extent clear. On looking upward
over the guide's shoulder I could see the water bend-
ing over the ledge, while the Terrapin Tower N loomed
fitfully through the intermittent spray-gusts. We
were right under the tower. A little farther on, the
cataract, after its first plunge, hit a protuberance
some way down, and flew from it in a prodigious
burst of spray; through this we staggered.
374 FIFTH READER.
We rounded the promontory on which the Ter-
rapin Tower stands, and moved, amid the wildest
commotion, along the arm of the Horseshoe, until
the bowlders failed us, and the cataract fell into the
profound gorge of the Niagara River.
Here the guide sheltered me again, and desired
me to look up; I did so, and could see as "before
the green gleam of the mighty curve sweeping over
the upper ledge, and the fitful plunge of the water,
as the spray between us and it alternately gathered
and disappeared.
We returned, clambering at intervals up and
down, so as to catch glimpses of the most impress-
ive portions of the cataract. We passed under
ledges formed by tabular masses of limestone, and
through some curious openings formed by the fall-
ing together of the summits of the rocks. At
length we found ourselves beside our enemy of the
morning. The guide halted for a minute or two,
scanning the torrent thoughtfully. I said that, as a
guide, he ought to have a rope in such a place ;
but he retorted that, as no traveler had ever before
thought of coming there, he did not see the neces-
sity of keeping a rope.
He waded in. The struggle to keep himself was
evident enough; he swayed, but recovered himself
again and again. At length he slipped, gave way,
did as I had done, threw himself toward the bank,
and was swept into the shallow. Standing in the
stream near its edge, he stretched his arm toward
me. I retained the pitchfork handle, for it had
been useful among the bowlders. By wading some
way in the staff could be made to reach him, and
I proposed his seizing it.
FIFTH READER. 37S
"If you arc sure," he replied, "that in case of
giving way you can maintain your grasp, then I
will certainly hold you."
Remarking that he might count on this, I waded
in and stretched the staff to my companion. It was
firmly grasped "by both of us. This helped ; though
its onset was strong, I moved safely across the tor-
rent. All danger ended here.
We afterward roamed sociably among the tor-
rents and v bowlders below the Cave of the Winds.
The rocks were covered with organic slime, N which
could not have been walked over with bare feet, but
the felt shoes effectually prevented slipping. We
reached the cave and entered it, first by a wooden
way carried over the bowlders, and then along a
narrow ledge, to the point eaten deepest into the
shale. When the wind is from the south, the fall-
ing water, I am told, can bo seen tranquilly from
this spot ; but when we were there, a blinding
hurricane of spray was whirled against us.
JOHN TYNDALL.
Biography. John Tyndall, the eminent physicist, was born in
Ireland in 1820. He has devoted much attention to the solution
of scientific problems, and his works on heat, light, and sound,
rank among the best of the age.
Tyndall has also an enviable reputation as a traveler and
explorer.
Notes. Al' pen stock, meaning Alps' stick, is a long staff pointed
with iron, used in traveling among the Alps and other moun-
tains.
Terrapin Tower was a small tower built on a rock just above
what is called the American Fall.
Organic slime is a soft, moist earth or sticky mud, containing
the lowest forms of animal or plant life.
Composition. In this lesson the order of time is followed, and
it is therefore a narrative; but the amount of descriptive matter
introduced makes it a descriptive narrative.
376 FIFTH READER.
. THE COLISEUM AT ROME.
a rS'na, tJte open space of an
amphitheater.
o beVsan9^, a bow; expression
of respect.
ad'ver sa ry, opponent.
am phi thg'a ter, an oval-
shaped building having rows of
seats one above another around
an open space for combats.
Ir^, rage.
re nown^d', famous.
p6p'u la^, the common people.
dls'-eon $ert' ing, confusing.
The grandest and most renowned of all the an-
cient amphitheaters is the Coliseum at Rome. It
was built by Vespasian and his son Titus, the con-
querors of Jerusalem, x in a valley in the midst of
the seven hills of Rome. The captive Jews were
forced to labor at it; and thr? materials granite
outside, and a softer stone within are so solid, and
so admirably built, that still, at the end of eighteen
centuries, it has scarcely even become a ruin, but
remains one of the greatest wonders of Rome.
Five acres of ground are inclosed within the
oval of its outer wall, which, outside, rises perpen-
dicularly in tiers of arches one above another.
Within, the galleries of seats projected forward,
each tier coming out far beyond the one above it;
so that between the lowest and the outer wall there
was room for a great variety of chambers, passages,
and vaults around the central space, called the
arena.
Altogether, when full, this huge building held
no fewer than eighty-seven thousand spectators. It
had no roof; but when there was rain, or if the
sun was too hot, the sailors in the porticoes un-
furled awnings that ran along upon ropes, and
formed a covering of gold and silver tissue over
FIFTH READER. 377
the whole. Purple was the favorite color for this
veil ; because, when the sun shone through it, it
cast such beautiful rosy tints on the snowy arena
and the white, purple-edged togas of the Roman
citizens.
When the emperor had seated himself and given
the signal, the sports began. Sometimes a rope-
dancing elephant would begin the entertainment,
by mounting even to the summit of the building,
and descending by a cord. Or a lion came forth
with a jeweled crown upon his head, a diamond
necklace round his neck, his mane plaited with
gold, and his claws gilded, and played a hundred,
pretty, gentle antics with a little hare that danced
fearlessly within his grasp.
Sometimes water was let into the arena, a ship
sailed in, and falling to pieces in the midst, sent
a crowd of strange animals swimming in all direc-
tions. Sometimes the ground opened, and trees
came growing up through it, bearing golden fruit.
Or the beautiful old tale of Orpheus N was acted:
these trees would follow the harp and song of the
musician; but to make the whole part complete
it was in no mere play, but in real earnest, that
the Orpheus of the piece fell a prey to live bears.
For the Coliseum had not been built for such
harmless spectacles as those first described. The
fierce Romans wanted to be excited and to feel
themselves strongly stirred; and, presently, the
doors of the pits and dens around the arena were
thrown open, and absolutely savage beasts were let
loose upon one another rhinoceroses and tigers,
bulls and lions, leopards and wild boars while the
people watched with ferocious curiosity to see the
378 FIFTH READER.
various kinds of attack and defense, their ears at
the same time "being delighted, instead of horror-
struck, by the roars and howls of the noble creat-
ures whose courage was thus misused.
Wild beasts tearing one another to pieces might,
one would think, satisfy any taste for horror; but
the spectators needed even nobler game to be set
before their favorite monsters;^ men were brought
forward to confront them. Some of these were, at
first, in full armor, and fought hard, generally with
success. Or hunters came, almost unarmed, and
gained the victory by swiftness and dexterity,
throwing a piece of cloth over a lion's head, or
disconcerting him by putting their fist down his
throat.
But it was not only skill, but death, that the
Romans liked to see ; and condemned criminals and
deserters were reserved to feast the lions, and to
entertain the populace with their various kinds of
death. Among those condemned was many a Chris-
tian martyr, who witnessed a good confession before
the savage-eyed multitude around the arena, and
met the lion's gory mane with a calm resolution
and a hopeful joy that the lookers-on could not
understand. To see a Christian die, with upward
gaze, and hymns of joy on his tongue, was the
most strange and unaccountable sight the Coliseum
could offer; and it was therefore the choicest, and
reserved for the last of the spectacles in which the
brute creation had a part.
The carcasses were dragged off with hooks, the
blood-stained sand was covered with a fresh, clean
layer, perfume was wafted in stronger clouds, and a
procession came forward tall, well-made men, in
FIFTH READER. 379
the prime of their strength. Some carried a sword
and a lasso, others a trident and a net; some were
in light armor, others in the full, heavy equipment
of a soldier; some on horseback, some in chariots,
some on foot. They marched in, and made their
obeisance to the emperor, and with one voice their
greeting sounded through the building: "Hail, Cae-
sar! We who are about to die salute thee!" N They
were the gladiators the swordsmen trained to fight
to the death to amuse the populace.
Fights of all sorts took place the light-armed
soldier and the netsman the lasso and the javelin
the two heavy-armed warriors, all combinations
of single combat, and sometimes a general mele*e of
the athletes.
"When a gladiator wounded his adversary, he
shouted to the spectators, " He has it ! " and looked
up to know whether he should kill or spare. When
the people held up their thumbs, the conquered was
left to recover, if he could; if they turned them
down, he was to die; and if he showed any reluc-
tance to present his throat for the death blow, there
was a scornful shout, "Receive the steel!"
Many of us must have seen casts of that most
touching statue of the Wounded Gladiator, that
called forth from Byron N these noble lines of in-
dignant pity:
I see before me the gladiator lie :
He leans upon his hand ; his manly brow
Consents to death, but conquers agony ;
And his drooped head sinks gradually low ;
And through his side the last drops, ebbing slow
From the red gash, fall heavy, one by one,
Like the first of a thunder shower ; and now
The arena swims around him he is gone,
Ere ceased the inhuman shout which hailed the wretch who won,
38O FIFTH READER.
He heard it, but he heeded not ; his eyes
Were with his heart, and that was far away:
He recked not of the life he lost, nor prize ;
But where his rude hut by the Danube lay
There were his young barbarians N all at play,
There was their DacianN mother he their sire,
Butchered to make a lioman holiday
All this rushed with his blood. Shall he expire,
And unavenged? Arise, ye Goths,N and glut your ire!
CHARLOTTE M. YONGE.
Biogrnphy. Charlotte M. Tonge is a popular English authoress.
Her first production, "Abbey Church," was published in 1844.
This was followed by "Kings of England" and "Landmarks of
History." Her works number about thirty.
Notes. The "Conquerors of Jerusalem," Vespasian and Titus,
lived in the first century A. D.
Or'phe us, a musician of fabulous times, was said to move rocks
and trees by the music of his lyre.
""We who are about to die, salute thee" is the translation of
the Latin words moritu'ri, te salutd'mus.
Jtyron (1788-1824) was one of the most famous of English poets.
Barbarians was a term applied by Greeks and Romans to for-
eigners, because their language sounded to them like "bar, bar."
Da' dan, belonging to an ancient tribe beyond the Danube.
Goths, a barbarous nation that formerly inhabited Europe.
85. k. ROMAN LEGEND.
e6r'o net, an inferior crown.
delved, dug.
en chased', adorned.
vl'andg, provisions.
man'i f51d, many.
]am" bent, gleaming.
ter rs' tri al, eartMi
pe'lf, riches ; money.
me di as" val, of the middle ages. se quSs'ter^d, secluded; quiet.
In mediaeval Rome, I know not where,
There stood an image with its arm in air,
And on its lifted finger, shining clear,
A golden ring with the device, " Strike here ! "
Greatly the people wondered, though none guessed
The meaning that these words "but half expressed,
FIFTH READER. 381
Until a learned clerk, who at noonday
With downcast eyes was passing on his way,
Paused, and observed the spot, and marked it well,
Whereon the shadow of the finger fell;
And, coming back at midnight, delved, and found
A secret stair-way leading under ground.
Down this he passed into a spacious hall,
Lit by a flaming jewel on the wall ;
And opposite, in threatening attitude
With bow and shaft a brazen statue stood.
Upon its forehead, like a coronet,
Were these mysterious words of menace set :
"That which I am, I am; my fatal aim
None can escape, not even yon luminous flame ! "
Midway the hall was a fair table placed,
With cloth of gold and golden cups enchased
With rubies, and the plates and knives were gold,
And gold the bread and viands manifold.
Around it, silent, motionless, and sad,
Were seated gallant knights in armor clad,
And ladies beautiful with plume and zone,
But they were stone, their hearts within were stone ;
And the vast hall was filled in every part
With silent crowds, stony in face and heart.
Long at the scene, bewildered and amazed,
The trembling clerk in speechless wonder gazed;
Then from the table, by his greed made bold,
He seized a goblet and a knife of gold,
And sudden from their seats the guests upsprang,
The vaulted ceiling with loud clamors rang,
The archer sped his arrow, at their call,
Shattering the lambent jewel on the wall,
382 FIFTH READER.
And all was dark around and overhead;
Stark on the floor the luckless clerk lay dead!
The writer of this legend then records
Its ghostly application in these words:
The image is the Adversary old,
Whose beckoning finger points to realms of gold^
Our lusts and passions are the downward stair
That leads the soul from a diviner air;
The archer, Death ; the flaming jewel, Life ;
Terrestrial goods, the goblet and the knife;
The knights and ladies, all whose flesh and bone
By avarice have been hardened into stone ;
The clerk, the scholar, whom the love of pelf
Tempts from his books and from his nobler self.
The scholar and the world 1 The endless strife,
The discord in the harmonies of life !
The love of learning, the sequestered nooks,
And all the sweet serenity of books ;
The market-place, the eager love of gain,
Whose aim is vanity, and whose end is pain!
LONGFELLOW.
Biography. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) may
justly be called the most popular of America's poets.
He graduated from Bowdoin (Bod'n) College in 1825, and be-
gan the practice of law ; "but the tempting offer of a professor-
ship in Bowdoin induced him to begin a literary life. His first
prose work, "Outre Mer" (Beyond the Sea), appeared in 1835,
and during the same year he was called to a professorship in
Harvard College.
Longfellow visited Europe a number of times in order to per-
fect his acquaintance with the languages and the literature of
the different nations. As a man and as a poet, he seems to
have been in perfect harmony with all classes of society, and
his writings have reached an enormous sale in both England and
America.
FIFTH READER. 383
86. THE GOLDEN TEMPLE OF PERU.
sub' ter ra' ne fcjus, under-
ground.
do main', estate; property.
mu nlf'i 90 119^, generosity.
eor'nl? e, projecting pieces.
vSn'er a'tion, awe/ respect.
ew' erg (yu r ), pitcliers with uxde
a j#a band.
9ns / er, 0#s* or ^a/i* in which
incense is burned.
ap pro' pri at ed, assigned.
The worship of the Sun constituted the peculiar
care of the Incas, and was the object of their lavish
expenditure. The most ancient of the many tem-
ples dedicated to this divinity was in the Island of
Titicaca, whence the royal founders of the Peruvian
line were said to have proceeded. From this cir-
cumstance this sanctuary was held in peculiar ven-
eration.
Every thing Avhich "belonged to it, even the
broad fields of maize, which surrounded the temple,
and formed part of its domain, partook of a por-
tion of its sanctity. The yearly produce was dis-
tributed among the different public store-houses, in
small quantities to each, as something that would
sanctify the remainder of their contents. Happy
was the man who could secure even an ear of the
blessed harvest for his own granary!
But the most renowned of the Peruvian temples,
the pride of the capital, and the wonder of the
empire, was at Cuzco, where, under the munificence
of successive sovereigns, it had become so enriched,
that it received the name of Coricancha, or "The
Place of Gold." It consisted of a principal building
and several chapels and inferior edifices, covering
a large extent of ground in the heart of the city,
384 FIFTH READER.
and completely surrounded by a wall, which, with
the edifices, was all constructed of stone.
The work was so finely executed that a Spaniard,
who saw it in its glory, assures us he could call to
mind only two edifices in Spain, which, for their
workmanship, were at all to "be compared with it.
Yet this substantial, and, in some respects, magnifi-
cent structure, was thatched with straw 1
The interior of the temple was the most worthy
of admiration. It was literally a mine of gold. On
the western wall was emblazoned a representation
of the deity, consisting of a human countenance
looking forth from innumerable rays of light, which
darted out from it in every direction. The figure
was engraved on a massive plate of gold of enor-
mous dimensions, thickly powdered with emeralds
and other precious stones.
It was so situated in front of the great eastern
portal, that the rays of the morning sun fell di-
rectly upon it at its rising, lighting up the whole
apartment with a brilliancy that seemed more than
natural, and which was reflected back from the
golden ornaments with which the walls and ceil-
ing were every-where incrusted.
Gold was said by the people to be "the tears
wept by the sun," and every part of the interior
of the temple glowed with burnished plates and
studs of the precious metal. The cornices, which
surrounded the walls of the sanctuary, were of the
same costly material ; and a broad belt or frieze of
gold, let into the stone-work, surroimded the whole
exterior of the edifice.
Adjoining the principal structure were several
chapels of smaller dimensions. One of them was
FIFTH READER. 385
consecrated to the Moon, the deity held next in
reverence, as the mother of the Incas. Her effigy
was represented in the same manner as that of the
Sun, on a vast plate that nearly covered one side
of the apartment. But this plate, as well as all the
decorations of the building, was of silver, as suited
to the pale silvery light of the beautiful planet.
There were three other chapels, one of which
was dedicated to the host of Stars, that formed the
bright court of the Sister of the Sun ; another was
consecrated to his dread ministers of vengeance,
the Thunder and the Lightning; and a third to
the Rainbow, whose many-colored arch spanned the
walls of the edifice with hues almost as radiant as
its own. There were besides several other build-
ings, or isolated apartments, for the accommoda-
tion of the numerous priests who conducted the
services of the temple.
All the plate, the ornaments, the utensils of
every description, appropriated to the uses of re-
ligion, were of gold and silver. Twelve immense
vases of the latter metal stood on the floor of the
great saloon, filled with grain of the Indian corn;
the censers for the perfumes, the ewers which held
the water for sacrifice, the pipes which conducted
it through subterraneous channels into the build-
ings, the reservoirs that received it, even the agri-
cultural implements used in the gardens of the
temple, were all of the same rich materials.
The gardens sparkled with flowers of gold and
silver, and various imitations of the vegetable king-
dom. Animals, also, were to be found there, among
which the llama, with its golden fleece, was most
prominent, executed in the same style, and with a
386 FIFTH READER.
degree of skill, which, in this instance, probably,
did not surpass the excellence of the material.
Perhaps the most magnificent of all the national
solemnities was the feast of Raymi, held at the
period of the summer solstice, N when the Sun, hav-
ing touched the southern extremity of his course,
retraced his path, as if to gladden the hearts of his
chosen people by his presence. On this occasion the
Indian nobles from the different quarters of the
country thronged to the capital to take part in the
great religious celebration.
For three days previous, there was a general fast,
and no fire was allowed to be lighted in the dwell-
ings. When the appointed day arrived, the Inca
and his court, followed by the whole population of
the city, assembled at early dawn in the great square
to greet the rising of the sun.
They were dressed in their gayest apparel, and
the Indian lords vied with one another in the dis-
play of costly ornaments and jewels on their per-
sons, while canopies of gaudy feather-work and
richly tinted stuffs, borne by the attendants over
their heads, gave to the great square and the streets
that emptied into it, the appearance of being spread
over with one vast and magnificent awning.
Eagerly they watched the coming of their deity,
and, no sooner did his first yellow rays strike the
turrets and loftiest buildings of the capital, than a
shout of joy broke forth from the assembled mul-
titude, accompanied by songs of triumph, and the
wild melody of barbaric instruments, that swelled
louder and louder as his bright orb, rising above
the mountain range toward the east, shone in full
splendor on his worshipers.
FIFTH READER.
387
After the usual ceremonies of adoration, a liba-
tion was offered to the great deity by the Inca, from
a huge golden vase, filled with the fermented liquor
of maize or of maguey, which, after the monarch
had tasted it himself, he distributed among his
royal kindred. These ceremonies completed, the
vast assembly was arranged in order of procession,
and took its way toward the Coricancha.
WILLIAM H. PRESCOTT.
Biography. William Hickling Prescott (1796-1859) was a native
of Salem, Massachusetts, and a graduate of Harvard College.
After a visit to Europe, he married and decided to adopt a
literary life. His determination in 1819 was to devote ten years
to study and ten years to composition. His first work, "History
of Ferdinand and Isabella," was published in 1837, and met with
great success. "History of the Conquest of Mexico" appeared in
1843; "Conquest of Peru" in 1847, and "History of Philip II."
in 1855-8.
His writings have been much admired, and are translated into
French, Spanish, and German. Prescott was very methodical in
his habits. Every day he devoted five hours to literary work
and two hours to reading novels.
Note. The summer solstice, in Peru, occurs on Dec. 21, when
the farthest point south of the equator is touched by the sun.
on', case made by the silk-
worm to hold its larva
d^r^s'a lid, forms into which
the worms pass before becoming
perfect insects.
e j&et'ing, throwing out.
ex pand'ed, spread out.
eo'ma, deep sleep; lethargy.
, weights, each of one ounce
and a third.
jiis (nok'shus), injurious;
hurtful.
de"ft, apt; dextrous,
e6r re spond', agrees.
ar o mat' i-e, fragrant.
dl mln'u tlv^, very small.
In endeavoring to give some account of the
manufacture of silk, the most important branch of
Chinese industry, the first point to be noticed is the
mode in which the silk-worms are reared. Those
who are engaged in this work select a certain num-
ber of male and female cocoons. They have no
difficulty in distinguishing the sex, as the cocoon
which contains the male is strong, very pointed at
each end, and smaller than that which contains the
female, which is thick, round, and soft.
At the end of a period of fifteen or twenty days,
the moths come out of the cocoons. They free
themselves by first ejecting a fluid which dissolves
a portion of the cocoon. All moths, the wings of
which are expanded at the time of their birth, are
regarded as useful, whereas those which have crum-
pled wings, no eyebrows, and are without down, are
considered useless, and at once destroyed.
After a day, the male moths are removed, and the
females, each having been placed on a sheet of coarse
paper, begin to lay their eggs. In the silk districts
of the north, owing, I suppose, to the severity of the
climate, pieces of cloth are used instead of sheets of
paper. The number of eggs which one moth lays, is
FIFTH READER. 4O9
generally five hundred, and the period required for
her to perform so great a labor, is, I believe, about
seventy-four hours. The females often die almost
immediately after they have laid their eggs, and the
males do not long survive them.
The egg of the silk- worm, which is of a whitish,
or pale ash color, is not larger than a grain of mus-
tard seed. When eighteen days old the eggs are
carefully washed with spring water. The sheet of
coarse paper or piece of cloth on which they were
laid, and to which they adhere, is very gently drawn
through spring water contained in a wooden or
earthenware bowl. During the autumnal months the
eggs are carefully kept in a cool chamber, the sheets
of paper or pieces of cloth being suspended back
to back from bamboo rods placed in a horizontal
position.
In the tenth month of the Chinese year, which
corresponds with our December, the sheets are rolled
up, and then deposited in a room which is well
swept, and free from all noxious influences. On the
third day of the twelfth month the eggs are again
washed, and then exposed to the air to dry.
In the spring of the year, the eggs being now
ready to bring forth, the sheets are placed on mats,
and each mat placed on a bamboo shelf, in a well-
swept and well-warmed chamber containing a series
of shelves arranged along the walls. The shelves
are almost invariably made of bamboo, the wood
of which emits no fragrance, aromatic wood being
especially avoided as unsuitable for the purpose.
At the time of their birth the worms are black,
and so small as scarcely to exceed a hair in breadth.
Owing to their diminutive size, those in charge of
410 FltfTH HEADER.
them cut the leaves of the mulberry-tree, on which
they are fed, into very small pieces. This is done
with very sharp knives, so that the leaves may not
he bruised, and consequently retain as much sap as
possible.
When the worms are quite young, they are fed
not less than forty-eight times in twenty-four
hours. In course of time their meals are reduced
to thirty in twenty-four hours; and when they
have attained to their full growth, they get only
three or four in the day. Occasionally that is, once
or twice during the first month the worms are fed
with mulberry leaves well mixed with the flour of
green pease, N that of black beans, and that of rice.
This mixture is supposed to be cooling and cleans-
ing to the worms, and to tend to the production
of strong and glossy silk.
Like all other creatures, these insects have their
seasons of rest, and to these seasons the Chinese
give distinguishing names. The first sleep, which
takes place on the fourth or fifth day after birth,
is termed the "hair sleep," and lasts but one day.
The second sleep takes place on the eighth or ninth
day, and the third, on the fourteenth ; the fourth and
last sleep, which takes place on or about the twenty-
second day, is styled, in consequence of its long
duration, the " great sleep." On the near approach
of each period the worm loses its appetite. It erects
the upper part of its body, and sleeps in this posi-
tion.
During each period of sleep it casts its skin,
continuing in a state of repose until the new skin
is fully matured. It relieves itself of the old skin
by wriggling out at that part of it which covers
FIFTH fcEADEfc. 411
the head, and which is broken. Sometimes the
worm dies in consequence of its inability to free
the end of its body from the old skin. The skin
being shed, the worm grows very quickly in size
and strength.
Between the successive periods of rest, there
are generally intervals of three or four days, dur-
ing which these little creatures eat most vora-
ciously. During the four or five days which im-
mediately follow the "great sleep," they have a
greater appetite for food than they have hitherto
manifested. When they have reached the age of
thirty-two days they are full grown, each being
about two inches in length, and almost as thick as
a man's little finger.
When the worms are gradually increasing in size
they are separated periodically, into several lots so
as to give them more room. Now that it is full
grown, the worm, which before was of a whitish
hue, assumes a tint resembling that of amber. At
this period they cease to partake of food, and begin
to spin the silk from their mouths on the frames
or shelves on which they have been placed.
In spinning, they move the head first to one
side and then to the other, and continue the opera-
tion until the whole body has been enveloped in a
cocoon. The time which a worm requires to accom-
plish this labor is, I believe, from three to five
days; and as soon as it has inclosed itself in the
cocoon, it falls into a state of coma, casts its skin,
and eventually becomes a chrysalis.
The attendants then place the bamboo shelves
on which the cocoons lie, near a slow fire of
charcoal or wood, in order that the chrysalids may
FIFTH HEADER.
be destroyed by its lieat, otherwise these would, in
three weeks more, break from their prison and'
appear in the imago form the last perfected state
of insect life.
The chrysalids having been destroyed, the co-
coons are removed from the frames and placed in
baskets. Women and girls, carefully selected for the
task, now unwind the cocoons a process which
they make easy by placing them in boiling water.
These workers must be deft of hand, and expert in
the business, fully capable of making the threads
of equal size, and of producing them bright, clear,
and glossy.
When the cocoons are put into boiling water,
the outer layer, which is called the silk rind or
shell, is first unwound. Another set of women or
girls, who are equally expert, are then engaged to
unwind the inner layers of the cocoon, called the
silk pulp or flesh. In the course of a day one
"woman can unwind four taels of silk in weight.
The most expert workers can not, I believe, turn off
more than five or six taels' weight. '
Industrious workers, who are masters of the
business, will finish one season, or silk harvest, in
the course of eighteen or nineteen days. Ordinary
or second-rate workers will require twenty-four or
twenty-five days to get through the same amount
of work. From long, white, and shining cocoons a
small and good thread of silk is obtained; from
those which are large, dull in color, and not firm
of texture, a coarse thread is produced. This coarse
thread is used in making the stuffs with which
dresses are lined. The chrysalids are eaten by the
workers as food of an excellent kind.
FIFTH READER. 413
Biography. John Henry Gray, the author of this piece, was
for many years a resident of China. His work entitled "China"
is an accurate description of the customs and industries of the
"Celestial Empire."
Note. Pease is one of the plural forms of pea, and is used
when no definite number is mentioned. We say two peas, three
peas, etc., when the definite number is given.
Language. Either the subject or predicate of a simple sen-
tence may bo compounded; as ""Women and girls now unwind
the cocoons." Women and girls together forming a compound sub-
ject. If we add to the sentence just given and make them into
thread, the predicate will also be compound.
Select from the lesson two examples of simple, compound, and
complex sentences.
Compose a simple sentence containing a compound subject and a
compound predicate.
Nouns and pronouns are of the first person if they represent
the speaker ; of the second person, if they represent a person or
thing spoken to ; and of the third person, if they represent a
person or thing spoken of.
93. L AT OUR D'AUVERGNE.
to pog'ra phy, exact features;
appearance.
post pon^', put off.
grSn' a d\er', company of
tall, stout soldiers.
de filV, narrow passage.
per pt' u a' ted, caused to last;
preserved.
an' rials., records.
mSr'it ed, deserved.
as sa^lt', attack.
dis tln-e'tion, renown.
Heroic deeds of bravery have been handed down
to us by writers of all ages and countries, and
nearly every nation has thus perpetuated the name
and fame of one or more fearless souls, who, by
some marvelous act of courage and fortitude, be-
came famous in the annals of history.
The name of Latour d'Auvergne, a member of
a regiment of grenadiers in the army of Napoleon,
is one which is regarded by the French nation
414 FIFTH READER.
with, pride, and which figures prominently in the
history of its armies.
For many years after his death, his name was
regularly called, when the companies of his old
regiment paraded for their daily roll-call. N
Then it was that the ranking sergeant stepped
forward, and, saluting the commanding officer, said
with a loud voice, "Dead on the field of Honor!"
To a stranger, this daily incident could not but
excite wonder, but to the soldiers of the army, and
all others having knowledge of the circumstances
which occasioned the strange proceeding, the words,
"Dead on the field of Honor!" had a thrilling sig-
nificance, and caused a momentary thought of ven-
eration to flow back to the brave soldier who was
thus proudly honored.
This honor was, however, well merited. Latour
d'Auvergne entered the army, for which he was
educated, in the year 1T6T. Serving with marked
distinction, he was frequently named for promo-
tion, but uniformly refused all such honors, being
content to command a company of grenadiers,
which appeared to be the extent of his ambition.
At one period in his career, when a number of
companies of grenadiers were massed in one body,
he was placed in command of eight thousand men,
although he retained only the rank of captain.
This caused him to be known as the "First Grena-
dier of France."
While on a visit to friends who lived in the
vicinity of a future field of action, he busied him-
self in studying the topography of the surrounding
country, with a view of making good use of the
knowledge thus gained, should occasion require.
FIFTH READER. 416
He had scarcely completed Ms observations,
when, to his amazement, he learned that a part of
the Austrian army was rapidly pushing forward
with the intention of possessing a mountain pass,
to prevent an important movement the French
army was then on the march to accomplish.
Latour d'Auvergne knew that the Austrians
were only a few hours distant, and that they would
pass the point at which he was staying. He did not
intend to "be captured, and immediately started off
for the pass. He knew that it was defended "by a
small garrison, consisting of about thirty men, who
were stationed in a strong tower at the entrance
of the pass, and his object was to give these men
warning of their danger.
On arriving at the tower, he found that the
garrison had fled upon hearing of the advance of
the Austrians, and that they had left behind them
thirty muskets, all in prime order.
Latour d'Auvergne was made furious by this
discovery. Hastily searching about the building, he
found that the cowardly soldiers had destroyed a
large part of the ammunition before leaving, a fact
which caused him a moment of intense anxiety,
but then, with a countenance indicating fearless
determination, he fastened the main entrance, and
secured it with such heavy articles as were at
hand.
He then proceeded coolly to load all the muskets,
and place them with an ample supply of ammuni-
tion near the loop-holes which commanded the
pass, and through which the enemy must march.
Having some provisions with him, he ate heartily,
and then calmly awaited events. He had actually
416 FIFTH READER.
resolved to defend the tower alone against the
Austrians.
The pass was steep and narrow, and the enemy
could advance only in double files, which would
expose them to a direct fire from the tower. Pa-
tiently Latour d'Auvergne awaited their approach,
"but they were long in coming, and he at one time
concluded that the expedition had been aban-
doned.
About midnight the practiced ear of the old
soldier caught the sound of approaching troops.
On they came, nearer and nearer, until he heard
them entering the narrow pass. He immediately
discharged two muskets into the darkness as a
warning that some one at the tower knew their
intentions ; then he heard the officers giving hasty
commands, and the troops appeared to be retiring
from the defile.
He was not further disturbed until morning.
The commander of the Austrians, assuming that
the garrison had received information of his ap-
proach, and was prepared to resist him, concluded
he could not capture the tower by surprise as he
had intended, and thought it wise to postpone his
attack until daylight.
Early in the morning he demanded the surren-
der of the garrison. A grenadier stepped forward
to answer the messenger, and said, " Say to your
commanding officer that this garrison will defend
this pass to the last extremity."
The bearer of the flag of truce returned, and,
shortly after, a piece of artillery N was wheeled into
the pass. In order to get a correct aim on the
tower, it was necessary to place it in front, and
'As the troops entered the pass, the firing from the tower
opened again." (See page 417.)
FIFTH READER. 417
directly within easy musket range. No sooner had
it, been put in position, than rapid firing from the
tower opened on the artillerymen, and was con-
tinued with such deadly precision that the cannon,
was hauled off after two or three discharges, with
a loss of five men.
Finding that the artillery could not be used
effectively, the Austrian commander determined
upon an assault. As the troops entered the pass,
the firing from the tower opened again, with such
vigor and accuracy that fifteen men fell, killed or
disabled, before half the distance was reached.
In like manner, three more assaults were re-
pulsed, and ore sunset the enemy had lost forty-
five men in killed and wounded. The Austrian
commander noticed that the firing from the tower
had been unusually rapid and accurate, and what
was strange, every shot appeared to come from one
particular point. For a time this puzzled him, but
he finally concluded that there were several loop-
holes near together, and so situated in the tower
as to bear directly on the defile.
As night approached, the Austrian commander
again demanded the surrender of the garrison. This
time he received a favorable reply. The garrison
proposed to surrender in the morning, provided
they were permitted to march out with their arms,
and proceed to the French army without interrup-
tion. The terms were agreed to.
Latour d'Auvergne had passed a day of great
anxiety. He began the fight with his thirty mus-
kets, all loaded and ready for use. His fire had
been rapid and accurate, for he was one of those
efficient soldiers who seldom waste a shot.
418 FIFTH READER.
A worthy object had caused him to bravely de-
fend the tower, and that was, to hold the position
long enough to enable the French army to accom-
plish its maneuver. This completed, he knew the
pass would be of no use to the Austrians.
At sunrise the next morning, the Austrian
troops were ranged in line on both sides of the
pass, leaving a space between them for the garrison
to march out. The massive door of the tower
opened, and directly the brave old grenadier, almost
staggering under his load of muskets, marched out,
and passed along between the lines of soldiers. To
the intense amazement of the Austrians, he was
alone.
The Austrian commander, in surprise and aston-
ishment, rode up to him and inquired why it was
that the garrison did not follow him.
"I am the garrison, colonel," said the grenadier,
proudly.
" What ! " exclaimed the colonel, " do you mean
to tell me that you alone defended the tower
against my forces?"
"I have that honor, colonel," was the calm
reply.
" How came you to make such a bold attempt,
grenadier?" inquired the colonel.
"Because, sir, the honor of France was in peril,"
replied the noble old soldier.
The colonel stood for a moment viewing the
soldier with evident admiration. Then raising his
cap, he said with much feeling, "Grenadier, I salute
you. You have proved yourself the bravest of the
brave."
The officer then gave orders to have all the
FIFTH READER. 419
muskets which. Latour d'Auvergne could not carry,
sent with him into the French camp, and then
wrote a letter to the French commander, relating
the circumstances. When Napoleon learned the par-
ticulars of the affair, he desired to promote Latour
d'Auvergne, but the latter preferred to remain a
grenadier.
The "brave old soldier was killed at the battle
of Oberhausen, in June, 1800, and the simple and
expressive scene at the daily roll-call of his regi-
ment was ordered and continued by the great and
appreciative Napoleon.
Notes. Roll-call refers to the practice of assembling soldiers
by tapping loudly upon a drum, and then calling over their
names to find out -whether or not all are present. The compli-
ment to d'Auvergne consisted in keeping his name on the roll
of the grenadiers after his death and having him accounted for
daily as one whose deeds made him worthy of perpetual remem-
brance.
A piece of artillery is a single cannon, mortar, or howitzer.
A battery of ten pieces, means a body of artillery containing ten
pieces of ordnance cannons, mortars, or howitzers.
Language. What are the essential parts of every sentence?
What are the uses of adjectives and adverbs? What words are
employed to connect sentences? Why are personal pronouns
used instead of proper names?
. THE DEAD GRENADIER.
de fTant, bold; daring.
ml'ter, head-covering of a bishop.
dlg'ni ty, true worth.
On the right of the battalion a grenadier of France,
Struck through his iron harness by the lightning of a lance,
His breast all wet with British blood, his brow with British
breath,
There fell defiant, face to face with England and with death.
42O FIFTH READER.
They made a miter of his heart they cleft it through and
through
One half was for his legion, and the other for it too !
The colors of a later day prophetic fingers shed,
For lips were blue and cheeks were white and the fleur-de-lis N
was red !
And the bugles blew, and the legion wheeled, and the grenadier
was dead.
And then the old commander rode slowly down the ranks,
And thought how brief the journey grew, between the battered
flanks ;
And the shadows in the moonlight fell strangely into line
"Where the battle's reddest riot pledged the richest of the wine,
And the camp fires flung their phantoms, all doing what they
could
To close the flinty columns up as old campaigners would I
On he rode, the old commander, with the ensign in advance,
And, as statued bronzes brighten with the smoky torch's glance
Flashed a light in all their faces, like the flashing of a lance ;
Then, with brow all bare and solemn, "For the King!" he
grandly said,
"Lower the colors to the living beat the ruffle N for the dead!"
And thrice the red silk flickered low its flame of royal fire,
And thrice the drums moaned out aloud the mourner's wild
desire.
Ay, lower again, thou crimson cloud again ye drums lament
'Tis Rachel N in the wilderness and RamahN in the tent !
' Close up! Bight dress I" the captain said, and they gathered
under the moon,
As the shadows glide together when the sun shines down at
noon
A stranger at each soldier's right ah, war's -wild work is grim!
And so to the last of the broken line, and Death at the right of
him!
And there, in the silence deep and dead, the sergeant called the
roll,
And the name went wandering down the lines as he called a
passing soul.
FIFTH READER. 421
O, then that a friendly mountain that summons might have
heard,
And flung across the desert dumb the shadow of the word,
And caught the name that all forlorn along the legion ran,
And clasped it to its mighty heart and sent it hack to man I
There it stood, the battered legion, while the sergeant called the
roll,
And the name went wandering down the lines as he called for
a passing soul.
Hurra for the dumb, dead lion ! And a voice for the grenadier
Boiled out of the ranks like a drum-beat, and sturdily answered
"HERE!"
"He stood," cried the sons of thunder, and their hearts ran over
the brim,
"He stood by the old battalion, and we'll always stand by him!
Ay, call for the grand crusader, and we'll answer to the name."
"And what will ye say?" the sergeant said.
"DEAD ON THE FIELD OF FAME I"
And dare ye call that dying? The dignity sublime
That gains a furlough from the grave, and then reports to Time?
Doth earth give up the daisies to a little sun and rain,
And keep at their roots the heroes while -weary ages wane?
Sling up the trumpet, Israfeel IN Sweet bugler of our God,
For nothing waits thy summons beneath this broken sod;
They march abreast with the ages to the thunder on the right,
For they bade the world " Good-morning 1 " when the world had
said ' ' Good-night ! "
BENJAMIN F. TAYLOR.
Biography. For biographical sketch of Benjamin Franklin
Taylor, see page 204.
Notes. Fleur-de-lis (flur-de-le'), the royal insignia or badge
of France. It represents a lily, or, as some insist, the head of a
javelin..
Beat the ruffle means beat a low, vibrating sound on a drum,
not so loud as a roll-call.
Ra'chel, the youngest daughter of La' ban and wife of Jacob.
She was the mother of Joseph and Benjamin.
422 FIFTH READER.
R&'mah was one of the cities of Benjamin; oy metonymy
it here means the soldiers of Bamah.
Israfeel: In heaven a spirit doth dwell
"Whose heart-strings are a lute;"
None sing so wildly well
As the angel Israfel,
And the giddy stars (so legends tell)
Ceasing their hymns, attend the spell
Of his voice, all mute. E. A. FOB.
96. SCENE FROM "KING JOHN."
, thin fluid secreted ly
ar'ras, curtain; hangings woven
with figures.
s-er\i' pl^, doubts.
wan' ton nes^, sport;
camp to find out their strength.
prat^, talk.
er&ft'y, artful; sly.
ill; evil.
Scene Northampton. A Eoom in the Castle.
Enter HUBEKT and Two Attendants.
Hub. Heat me these irons hot; and look thou
stand
Within the arras: when I strike my foot
Upon the bosom of the ground, rush forth
And bind the boy which you will find with me
Fast to the chair: be heedful: hence, and watch.
First Attend. I hope your warrant will bear out
the deed.
Hub. Uncleanly scruples! Fear not you: look
to 't.
[Exeunt Attendants.
Young lad, come forth: I have to say with you.
Enter ARTHUR.
Arth. Good-morrow, Hubert.
Hub. Good-morrow, little prince.
FIFTH READER. 423
Arth. As little prince (having so great a title
To be more prince) as may be. You are sad.
Hub. Indeed, I have been merrier.
Arth. Mercy on me,
Methinks, nobody should be sad .but I :
Yet, I remember, when I was in France,
Young gentlemen would be as sad as night,
Only for wantonness. By my Christendom,
So I were out of prison, and kept sheep,
I should be as merry as the day is long;
And so I would be here, but that I doubt
My uncle practices more harm to me:
He is afraid of me, and I of him :
Is it my fault that I was Geoffrey's son?
No, indeed, 'tis not; and I would to heaven
I were your son, so you would love me, Hubert.
Hub. (aside). If I talk to him, with his innocent
prate
He will awake my mercy, which lies dead :
Therefore I will be sudden, and dispatch.
A.rth. Are you sick, Hubert? you look pale to-
day:
In sooth, I would you were a little sick;
That I might sit all night and watch with you.
I warrant I love you more than you do me.
Hub. (aside). His words do take possession of my
bosom.
Read here, young Arthur. [Showing a paper.
(Aside.) How now, foolish rheum 1
Turning dispiteous N torture out of doorl
I must be brief; lest resolution drop
Out of mine eyes in tender womanish tears.
Can you not read it? is it not fair writ?*
jirth. Too fairly, Hubert, for so foul effect:
424 FIFTH READER.
Must you with hot irons "burn out both mine eyes?
Hub. Young boy, I must.
Arth. And will you?
Hub. And I will.
A.rth. Have you the heart? When your head did
but ache,
I knit my handkerchief about your brows,
(The best I had, a princess wrought it me),
And I did never ask it you again;
And with my hand at midnight held your head;
And, like the watchful minutes to the hour,
Still and anon cheered up the heavy time ;
Saying "What lack you?" and, "Where lies your
grief?"
Or, "What good love may I perform for you?"
Many a poor man's son would have lain still,
And ne'er have spoke a loving word to you ;
But you at your sick service had a prince.
Nay, you may think my love was crafty love,
And call it cunning; do, an if you will:
If heaven be pleased that you must use me ill,
Why, then you must. Will you put out mine eyes?
These eyes that never did, nor never shall,
So much as frown on you?
Hub. I have sworn to do it ;
And with hot irons must I burn them out.
Arth. Ah, none, but in this iron age, would do
it!
The iron of itself, though heat red-hot,
Approaching near these eyes, would drink my tears,
And quench his fiery indignation
Even in the matter of mine innocence;
Nay, after that, consume away in rust,
But for containing fire to harm mine eye,
FIFTH READER. 42S
Are you more stubborn-hard than hammered iron?
And if an angel should have come to me,
And told me Hubert should put out mine eyes,
I would not have believed him. No tongue but
Hubert's
Hub. Come forth. [Stamps.
Re-enter Attendants, with Cords, Irons, &c.
Do as I bid you do.
Arth. O save me, Hubert, save me ! my eyes are
out
Even with the fierce looks of these bloody men.
Hub. Give. me the iron, I say, .and bind him here.
Arth. Alas, what need you be so boisterous-
rough ?
I will not struggle, I will stand stone-still.
For heaven's sake, Hubert, let me not be bound !
Nay, hear me, Hubert ! drive these men away,
And I will sit as quiet as a lamb;
I will not stir, nor wince, nor speak a word,
Nor look upon the iron angrily :
Thrust but these men away, and I'll forgive you,
Whatever torment you do put me to.
Ht/b. Go, stand within; let me alone with him.
First Attend. I am best pleased to be from such
a deed. [Exeunt Attendants.
A.rth. Alas! I then have chid N away my friend;
He hath a stern look, but a gentle heart:
Let him come back, that his compassion may
Give life to yours.
Hub. Come, boy, prepare yourself.
Arth. Is there no remedy?
Hub. None, but to lose your eyes.
A.rth. O heaven ! that there were but a mote in
yours,
426 FIFTH READER.
A grain, a dust, a gnat, a wandering hair,
Any annoyance in that precious sense !
Then, feeling what small things are boisterous
there,
Your vile intent must needs seem horrible.
Hub. Is this your promise? Go to, hold your
tongue.
&rth. Hubert, the utterance of a brace of tongues
Must needs want pleading for a pair of eyes :
Let me not hold my tongue, let me not, Hubert 1
Or, Hubert, if you will, cut out my tongue,
So I may keep mine eyes. O, spare mine eyes;
Though to no use but still to look on you 1
Lo, by my troth, N the instrument is cold,
And would not harm me.
Hub. I can heat it, boy.
Arth. No, in good sooth; the fire is dead with
grief,
Being create for comfort, to be used
In undeserv'd extremes : see else yourself;
There is no malice in this burning coal;
The breath of heaven hath blown his spirit out,
And strewed repentant ashes on his head.
Hub. But with my breath I can revive it, boy.
Arth. And if you do, you will but make it
blush
And glow with shame of your proceedings, Hubert :
Nay, it perchance will sparkle in your eyes;
And, like a dog that is compelled to fight,
Snatch at his master that doth tarre N him on.
All things that you should use to do me wrong
Deny their office : only you do lack
That mercy which fierce fire and iron extend,
Creatures of note for mercy-lacking uses.
FIFTH READER. 427
Hub. Well, see to live; I will not touch thine
eyes
For all the treasure that thine uncle owns :
Yet am I sworn, and I did purpose, boy,
With this same very iron to burn them out.
Arth. O, now you look like Hubert ! all this
while
You were disguised.
Hub. Peace : no more. Adieu ;
Your uncle must not know but you are dead:
I'll nil these dogged spies with false reports.
And, pretty child, sleep doubtless and secure
That Hubert, for the wealth of all the world,
Will not offend thee.
Arth. O heaven! I thank you, Hubert.
Hub. Silence; no more; go closely in with me.
Much danger do I undergo for thee. [Exeunt.
WILLIAM SHAKSPEARE.
Biography. William Shakspeare (1564-1616), the greatest of
English poets and dramatists, was born at Stratford-on-Avon,
England.
Very little is known in regard to his early life, and the man-
ner of his education must remain matter for conjecture. At the
age of twenty-two he went to London, and soon came into notice
as a writer of plays. It is not possible here to go into the details
of his success or to speak of his marvelous genius. His first
drama was written in 1590 and the last in 1613; in all they
number thirty-five.
Notes. Dispiteous is made up of the prefix dis and the stem
piteous, and means without pity, cruel. The word is now obso-
lete.
Fair writ means well written, hence easily read and under-
stood.
Ex'eunt is a L,atin word, meaning they go forth, depart.
Chid (for chidden) awaij, means driven away by reproaches.
Troth is the same as truth. Ry my troth means nearly the same
as "on my honor."
Tarre (tar) means drive, drive with a whip (obsolete}.
428 FIFTH READER.
96. THE CAPTURE OF QUEBEC.
(A. D. 1759.)
in trenched', surrounded with a
ditch; fortified.
skii/mish er, light troops sent
and movements of an
es -edrt' ed, accompanied.
en dur' an^, fortitude.
ear' nag^, slaughter
in ev' i ta bl^, unavoidable.
re douVt', outwork placed within
another outwork.
re'-en for9^'ment, additional
forces.
a la-e'ri ty, readiness; a cheerful
phiv'al r^us, gallant.
flo til' la, fleet of small vessels.
eT e $y, sorrowful poem.
The closing scene of French dominion in Canada
was marked "by circumstances of deep and peculiar
interest. The pages of romance can furnish no more
striking episode than the Battle of Quebec. The
skill and daring of the plan which brought on the
combat, and the success and fortune of its execution,
are unparalleled. A broad, open plain, offering no
advantages to either party, was the field of fight.
The contending armies were nearly equal in mili-
tary strength, if not in numbers. The chiefs of
both were already men of honorable fame.
France trusted firmly in the wise and chival-
rous Montcalm. England trusted hopefully in the
young and heroic Wolfe. The magnificent strong-
hold which was staked upon the issue of the strife,
stood close at hand. For miles and miles around,
the prospect extended over as fair a land as ever
rejoiced the sight of man mountain and valley,
forest and waters, city and solitude, grouped together
in forms of almost ideal beauty.
Quebec stands on the slope of a lofty eminence
on the left bank of the St. Lawrence. That portion
FIFTH READER. 429
of the heights nearest the town on the west is called
the Plains of Abraham. Wolfe had discovered a nar-
row path winding up the side of the steep precipice
from the river. For miles on either side there was
no other possible access to the heights. Up this
narrow path Wolfe decided to secretly lead his whole
army, and make the plains his battle-ground.
Great preparations . were made throughout the
fleet and the army for the decisive movement ; but
the plans were all kept secret.
At nine o'clock at night, on the 13th of Septem-
ber, 1759, the first division of the army, 1,600 strong,
silently embarked in flat-bottomed boats. The sol-
diers were in high spirits. Wolfe led in person.
About an hour before daylight, the flotilla dropped
down with the ebb-tide in the friendly shade of the
overhanging cliffs. The rowers scarcely stirred the
waters with their oars; the soldiers sat motionless.
Not a word was spoken, save by the young general.
He, as a midshipman on board of his boat after-
ward related, repeated, in a low voice, to the offi-
cers by his side, this stanza of Gray's ''Elegy Written
in a Country Church-yard:"
"The boast of heraldry, N the pomp of power,
And all that beauty, all that wealth e'er gave.
Await alike the inevitable hour :
The paths of glory lead but to the grave."
As he concluded the beautiful verses, he said,
"Now, gentlemen, I would rather be the author of
that poem than take Quebec ! "
But while Wolfe thus gave vent to the intensity
of his feeling, in the poet's words, his eye was
constantly bent upon the dark outline of the
43O FIFTH READER.
heights under whicli lie was hurrying. At length
he recognized the appointed spot and leaped ashore.
Some of the leading "boats, conveying the light
company of the 78th Highlanders, had, in the mean-
time, been carried about two hundred yards lower
down by the strength of the tide. These High-
landers, under Captain MacDonald, were the first to
land. Immediately over their heads hung a woody
precipice, without path or track upon its rocky face.
On the summit, a French sentinel marched to and
fro, still unconscious of their presence.
Without a moment's hesitation, MacDonald and
his men dashed at the height. They scrambled
up, holding on by rocks and branches of trees,
guided only by the stars that shone over the top
of the cliff. Half of the ascent was already won,
when, for the first time, "Qui vive?" broke the
silence of the night. "La France," answered the
Highland captain, with ready self-possession, and
the sentry shouldered his musket and pursued his
round.
In a few minutes, however, the rustling of the
trees close at hand alarmed the French guard.
They hastily turned out, fired one irregular volley
down the precipice, and fled in a panic. The cap-
tain, alone, though wounded, stood his ground.
When summoned to surrender, he fired at one
of the leading assailants, but was instantly over-
powered. In the meantime, nearly five hundred
men landed and made their way up the height.
Those who had first reached the summit then took
possession of the intrenched post at the top of the
path which Wolfe had selected for the ascent of his
army.
FIFTH READER. 431
Wolfe, Monckton, and Murray landed with the
first division. As fast as each boat was cleared, it
put back for re-enforcements to the ships, which
had now also floated down with the tide to a point
nearly opposite that of disembarkation. The bat-
talions formed on the narrow beach at the foot of
the winding path; and as soon as completed, each
ascended the cliff, when they again formed upon
the plains above.
The boats plied busily; company after company
was quickly landed, and they swarmed up the steep
ascent with ready alacrity. When morning broke,
the whole disposable force of Wolfe's army stood in
firm array upon the table-land above the cove.
Only one gun, however, could be carried up the
hill; and even that was not placed in position with-
out incredible difficulty.
Montcalm was already worsted as a general: it
was still left him, however, to fight as a soldier.
His order of battle was steadily and promptly made.
He commanded the center column in person. His
total force engaged was 7,520, besides Indians. Wolfe
showed only a force of 4,828 of all ranks; but every
man was a trained soldier.
The French attacked. After a spirited advance
made by a swarm of skirmishers, their main body,
in long, unbroken lines, was seen approaching
Wolfe's position. Soon a murderous and incessant
fire began. The British troops fell fast. Wolfe was
struck in the wrist, but was not disabled.
Wrapping a handkerchief around the wound, he
hastened from one rank to another, exhorting the
men to be steady and to reserve their fire. No
English soldier pulled a trigger ; with matchless
432 FIFTH READER.
endurance they sustained the trial. Not a company
wavered; their arms shouldered as if 011 parade,
and motionless, save when they closed up the
ghastly gaps, they waited the word of command.
When the head of the French attack had reached
within forty yards, Wolfe gave the order: "Fire."
At once the long row of muskets was leveled, and
a volley, distinct as a single shot, flashed from the
British line. For a moment the advancing columns
still pressed on, shivering like pennons in the fatal
storm; but a few paces told how terrible had been
the force of the long-suspended blow.
Montcalm commanded the attack in person. Not
fifteen minutes had elapsed since he had first
moved on his line of battle, and already all was
lost ! But the gallant Frenchman, though ruined,
was not dismayed. He rode through the broken
ranks, cheered them with his voice, encouraged
them by his dauntless bearing, and, aided by a
small redoubt, even succeeded in once again pre-
senting a front to his enemy.
Meanwhile Wolfe's troops had reloaded. He seized
the opportunity of the hesitation in the hostile
ranks, and ordered the whole British line to ad-
vance. At first they moved forward with majestic
regularity, receiving and paying back with deadly
interest the volleys of the French; but soon the
ardor of the soldiers broke through the restraints
of discipline they increased their pace to a run,
rushing over the dying and the dead, and sweeping
the living enemy from their path.
Wolfe was soon wounded in the body; but he
concealed his suffering, for his work was not yet
accomplished. Again a ball from the redoubt struck
FIFTH READER. 433
him in the breast. He reeled to one side; but at
the moment it was not generally observed.
"Support me," said he to a grenadier officer who
was close at hand, "that my brave fellows may not
see me fall." In a few seconds, however, he sunk to
the ground, and was borne a little to the rear.
The brief struggle fell heavily upon the British,
but was ruinous to the French. They wavered
under the carnage ; the columns which death had
disordered were soon broken and scattered. Mont-
calm, with a courage that rose above the wreck of
hope, galloped through the groups of his stubborn
veterans, who still made head against the enemy,
and strove to show a front of battle. His efforts
were vain. The head of every formation was swept
away before that terrible musketry. In a few
minutes the French gave way in all directions.
Just then their gallant general fell with a mortal
wound ; from that time all was utter rout.
While the British troops were carrying all before
them, their young general's life was ebbing fast
away. From time to time he tried, with his faint
hand, to clear away the death-mist that gathered
before his sight; but the efforts seemed vain, for
presently he lay back, and gave no signs of life
beyond a heavy breathing and an occasional groan.
Meantime the French had given way, and were
flying in all directions. A grenadier officer seeing
this, called out to those around him, " See ! they
run ! " The words caught the ear of the dying man.
He raised himself, like one aroused from sleep,
and eagerly asked, "Who run?" "The enemy, sir,"
answered the officer; "they give way every- where."
"Go, one of you, to Colonel Burton," said Wolfe;
434 FIFTH READER.
"tell him to march Webbe's regiment with all
speed down to the St. Charles River, to cut off the
retreat. " N His voice grew faint as he spoke, and he
turned on his side, as if seeking an easier position,
When he had given this last order, his eyes closed
in death.
Wolfe's body was embalmed, and borne to the
river for conveyance to England. The army escorted
it in solemn state to the beach. They mourned
their young general's death as sincerely as they had
followed him in battle bravely.
WARBURTON.
Biograpliy. William Warburton (1698-1779), commonly known
as Bishop Warburton, was a distinguished English divine, whose
services to the literature of his time are universally admitted.
Notes. Heraldry in the lesson means "proud name," or "old
and titled family," since heraldry is the science that relates to
deciphering the meaning of the various devices and designs used
as emblems by the old and titled families in kingdoms.
" God be praised 1' I die happy," according to another author-
ity, were Wolfe's last words.
Elocution. Pronounce in a whisper the following lines, as an
exercise in articulation
"In a few minutes, however, the rustling of the trees close
at hand alarmed the French guard."
Point out the words that are most difficult to pronounce in
the first sentence of the second paragraph. Whisper them.
Language. Explain the difference in meaning of the following
words : chief , commander, leader, general.
Compose a sentence in which any one of them could be cor-
rectly used ; and then, if possible, compose two sentences in which
the words can not be interchanged.
Select from the lesson two words which are synonymous.
Composition. In considering the question of merit in regard
to a composition, we may ask the following questions
1. Does the treatment bear altogether upon the subject?
2. Is the treatment complete?
3. Is the language in keeping with the subject?
be praised I I die happy" (See page 434.)
FIFTH READER.
436
97. ELEGY WRITTEN IN A COUNTRY CHURCH-
YARD.
an'them, church music adapted
to passages from the Scriptures.
9ir'-eum s-erib^d", bounded;
limited.
e6n' tern pla' tion, reflection ;
musing.
ig no' bl^, mean; base.
l' an -el^.61' y, grief; gloom.
p' i taph (gp'i taf ), a writing on
a tombstone in memory of the
dead.
in dfn' u fts, noble; frank.
J6e' und, merrily.
im put^', charge; attribute.
prg' nant, teeming; fitted.
un fa th' om^d, unmeasured.
The curfew tolls the knell of parting day,
The lowing herd winds slowly o'er the lea;
The plowman homeward plods his weary way,
And leaves the world to darkness and to me.
Now fades the glimmering landscape on the sight,
And all the air a solemn stillness holds,
Save whero the beetle wheels his droning flight,
And drowsy tinklings lull the distant folds,
Save that from yonder ivy-mantled tower
The moping owl does to the moon complain
Of such as, wandering near her secret bower,
Molest her ancient, solitary reign.
Beneath those rugged elms, that yew-tree's shade,
Where heaves the turf in many a moldering heap,
Ep^h in his narrow cell forever laid,
The rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep.
The breezy call of incense-breathing morn,
The swallow twittering from the straw-built shed,
The cock's shrill clarion, or the echoing horn,
No more shall rouse them from their lowly bed,
436 FIFTH READER.
For them no more the blazing hearth shall burn,
Or busy housewife ply her evening care ;
No children run to lisp their sire's return,
Or climb his knees the envied kiss to share.
Oft did the harvest to their sickle yield,
Their furrow oft the stubborn glebe has broke;
How jocund did they drive their team a-fleld!
How bowed the woods beneath their sturdy
stroke !
Let not Ambition mock their useful toil,
Their homely joys, and destiny obscure;
Nor Grandeur hear with a disdainful smile
The short and simple annals of the poor.
The boast of heraldry, the pomp of power,
And all that beauty, all that wealth e'er gave,
Await alike the inevitable hour:
The paths of glory lead but to the grave.
Nor you, ye proud, impute to these the fault,
If Memory o'er their tomb no trophies raise,
Where through the long-drawn aisle and fretted
vault
The pealing anthem swells the note of praise.
Can storied urn or animated bust
Back to its mansion call the fleeting breath?
Can Honor's voice provoke the silent dust,
Or Flattery soothe the dull, cold ear of Death?
Perhaps in this neglected spot is laid
Some heart once pregnant with celestial fire;
Hands that the rod of empire might have swayed,
Or waked to ecstasy the living lyre:
FIFTH READER. 437
But Knowledge to their eyes her ample page,
Rich with the spoils of time, did ne'er unroll ;
Chill Penury repressed their noble rage,
And froze the genial current of the soul.
Full many a gem of purest ray serene,
The dark, unfathomed caves of ocean bear;
Full many a flower is born to blush unseen,
And waste its sweetness on the desert air.
Some village Hampden, N that with dauntless breast
The little tyrant of his fields withstood;
Some mute, inglorious Milton N here may rest,
Some Cromwell, N guiltless of his country's blood.
The applause of listening senates to command,
The threats of pain and ruin to despise,
To scatter plenty o'er a smiling land,
And read their history in a nation's eyes,
Their lot forbade: nor circumscribed alone
Their growing virtues, but their crimes con-
fined;
Forbade to wade through slaughter to a throne,
And shut the gates of mercy on mankind;
The struggling pangs of conscious truth to hide,
To quench the blushes of ingenuous shame,
Or heap the shrine of Luxury and Pride
With incense kindled at the Muse's flame.
Far from the madding crowd's ignoble strife,
Their sober wishes never learned to stray;
Along the cool, sequestered vale of life,
They kept the noiseless tenor of their way.
438 FIFTH READER.
Yet e'en these bones from insult to protect,
Some frail memorial still erected nigh,
With, uncouth, rhymes and shapeless sculpture
decked,
Implores the passing- tribute of a sigh.
Their name, their years, spelt by the unlettered
Muse,
The place of fame and elegy supply;
And many a holy text around she strews,
That teach the rustic moralist to die.
For who, to dumb Forgetfulness a prey,
This pleasing, anxious being e'er resigned;
Left the warm precincts of the cheerful day,
cast one longing, lingering look behind?
On some fond breast the parting soul relies;
Some pious drops the closing eye requires;
Even from the tomb the voice of Nature cries,
Even in our ashes live their wonted fires.
For thee, who, mindful of the unhonored dead,
Dost in these lines their artless tale relate;
If chance, by lonely Contemplation led,
Some kindred spirit shall inquire thy fate,
Haply some hoary-headed swain may say,
"Oft have we seen him at the peep of dawn,
Brushing with hasty steps the dews away,
To meet the sun upon the upland lawn;
"There at the foot of yonder nodding beech,
That wreathes its old, fantastic roots so high,
His listless length at noontide would he stretch,
And pore upon the brook that babbles by.
FIFTH READER. 439
"Hard by yon wood, now smiling as in scorn,
Muttering Ms wayward fancies, lie would rove ;
Now drooping, woful, wan, like one forlorn,
Or crazed with care, or crossed in hopeless love.
"One morn I missed him on the 'customed hill,
Along the heath, and near his favorite tree;
Another came, nor yet "beside the rill,
JSTor up the lawn, nor at the wood was he;
"The next, with dirges due, in sad array,
Slow through the church-way path we saw him
"borne ;
Approach and read for thou canst read the lay
Graved on the stone beneath yon aged thorn."
THE EPITAPH.
Here rests his head upon the lap of Earth,
A youth to Fortune and to Fame unknown;
Fair Science frowned not on his humble bvrth,
And Melancholy marked him for her own.
Large was his bounty, and his soul sincere;
Heaven did a recompense as largely send:
He gave to Misery, att he had a tear;
He gained from Heaven, 'twas att he wished a friend.
No furtJier seek his merits to disclose,
Or draw his frailties from their dread abode,
There they alike in trembling hope repose
The bosom of his Father and his God.
THOMAS GRAY.
440 FIFTH HEADER.
Biography. Thomas Gray (1716-1771) was a native of London
and a graduate of Cambridge University.
After visiting foreign countries, Gray returned to Cambridge,
and remained there during the rest of his life. His "Ode to
Eton College" was published in 1747 and his "Elegy Written in
a Country Church-yard," in 1749. Although many of his poems
are devoid of interest to the general public, his "Elegy" more
than compensates for the rest. On the death of the poet Colley
Gibber, he was offered the post of poet laureate, but declined the
honor.
Notes. John Hampden (Hamp'den) (1594-1643) was regarded as
a hero by the English people, on account of his determined stand
against unjust taxation.
John Milton (1608-1674), the author of "Paradise Lost," is re-
ferred to.
Oliver Cromwell. See note, page 212.
Elocution. Give full particulars in regard to the proper man-
ner of reading this poem.
Language. Notice the number of different -ways in which the
words composing the third line of the first stanza may be ar-
ranged.
98. THE BATTLE OF THERMOPYLAE.
PART I.
mar' shal ing, arranging; lead-
ing.
ehSr' ish^d, nurtured with care;
dear.
6n' voy, messengers.
de fll^d', soiled; rendered foul.
sa' traps, governors of provinces.
' boot' ing, robbing ; plun-
ab hor^d', hated.
po'tent at^, ruler.
6b' se qui^s., funeral services.
There was trembling in Greece. "The Great
King," as the Greeks called the chief potentate of
the East, whose domains stretched from the Indian
Caucasus to the ^Egeeus, from the Caspian to the
Bed Sea, was marshaling his forces against the
little free states that nestled amid the rocks and
gu-lfs of the Eastern Mediterranean.
FIFTH READER. 441
Already had his might devoured the cherished
colonies of the Greeks on the eastern shore of the
Archipelago, and every traitor to home institutions
found a ready asylum at that despotic court, and
tried to revenge his own wrongs by whispering
incitements to invasion.
"All people, nations, and languages," was the
commencement of the decrees of that monarch's
court; and it was scarcely a vain boast, for his
satraps ruled over subject kingdoms, and among
his tributary nations he counted the Chaldean,
with his learning and old civilization, the wise and
steadfast Jew, the skillful Phoenician, the learned
Egyptian, the wild freebooting Arab of the desert,
the dark-skinned Ethiopian, and over all these ruled
the keen-witted, active, native Persian race, the con-
querors of all the rest, and led by a chosen band
proudly called the Immortals.
His many capitals Babylon the great, Susa, Per-
sepolis, and the like were names of dreamy splen-
dor to the Greeks, described now and then by
lonians from Asia Minor who had carried their
tribute to the king's own feet, or by courtier slaves
who had escaped with difficulty from being all too
serviceable at the tyrannic court.
And the lord of this enormous empire was about
to launch his countless host against the little clus-
ter of states, the whole of which would hardly
equal one province of the huge Asiatic realm !
Moreover, it was a war not only on the men, but
on their gods. The Persians were zealous adorers
of the sun and of fire; they abhorred the idol- wor-
ship of the Greeks, and denied and plundered every
temple that fell in their way. Death and desola-
442 FIFTH HEADER.
tion were almost the "best that could be looked for
at such, hands slavery and torture from cruelly
barbarous masters would only too surely be the lot
of numbers, should their land fall a prey to the
conquerors.
True it was that ten years back the former
Great King had sent his best troops to be signally
defeated upon the coast of Attica; but the losses at
Marathon had but stimulated the Persian lust of
conquest, and the new king, Xerxes, was gathering
such myriads of men as would crush the Q-reeks
and overrun their country by mere force of num-
bers.
The muster place was at Sardis, and there G-reek
spies had seen the multitudes assembling and the
state and magnificence of the king's attendants.
Envoys had come from him to demand earth and
water from each state in Greece, as emblems that
land and sea were his; but each state was resolved
to be free, and only Thessaly, that lay first in his
path, consented to yield the token of submission.
A council was held at the Isthmus of Corinth,
and was attended by deputies from all the states of
Greece to consider the best means of defense. The
ships of the enemy would coast around the shores
of the ^Egean sea, the land army would cross the
Hellespont on a bridge of boats lashed together,
and march southward into Greece.
The only hope of averting the danger lay in
defending such passages as, from the nature of the
ground, were so narrow that only a few persons
could fight hand to hand at once, so that courage
would be of more avail than numbers.
The first of these passes was called Tempe, and
FIFTH READER. 443
a body of troops was sent to guard it; but they
found that this was useless and impossible, and
came back again. The next was at Thermopylae.
Look on your map of Greece for the great island
of Negropont, or for its old name, Eubcea.
It looks like a piece broken off from the coast,
and to the north is shaped like the head of a bird,
with the beak running into a gulf, that would lit
over it. Between the island and the coast is an
exceedingly narrow strait. The Persian army would
have to march round the edge of the gulf. They
could not cut straight across the country, because
the ridge of mountains called CEta rose up and
barred their way.
Indeed, the woods, rocks, and precipices came
down so near the sea-shore, that in two places
there was only room for one single wheel track
between the steeps and the impassable morass that
formed the border of the gulf on its south side.
These two very narrow places were called the
gates of the pass, and were about a mile apart.
There was a little more width left in the interven-
ing space. In this there were a number of springs
of warm mineral water, salt and sulphurous, which
were used for the sick to bathe in, and thus the
place was called Thermopylse, or the Hot Gates.
A wall had once been built across the western-
most of these narrow places, when the Thessalians
and Phocians, who lived on either side of it, had
been at war with each other; but it had been
allowed to go to decay, since the Phocians had
found out that there was a very steep, narrow
mountain path along the bed of a torrent, by
which it was possible to cross from one territory
444 FIFTH
to the other without going round this marshy
coast road.
This was, therefore, an excellent place to defend.
The Greek ships were all drawn up on the farther
side of Euboea to prevent the Persian vessels from
getting into the strait and landing men "beyond
the pass, and a division of the army was sent off
to guard the Hot Gates. The council at the isth-
mus did not know of the mountain pathway, and
thought that all would "be safe as long as the Per-
sians were kept out of the coast path.
The troops sent for this purpose were from dif-
ferent cities, and amounted to about four thousand,
who were to keep the pass against two millions.
The leader of them was Leonidas, who had recently
"become one of the two kings of Sparta, the city
that above all others in Greece trained its sons to
be hardy soldiers, dreading death infinitely less
than shame.
Leonidas had already made up his mind that
the expedition would probably be his death, per-
haps because a prophecy had been given at the
Temple at Delphi N that Sparta should be saved by
the death of one of her kings of the race of Her-
cules. He was allowed by law to take with him
three hundred men, and these he chose most care-
fully, not merely for their strength and courage,
but selecting those who had sons, so that no fam-
ily might be altogether destroyed.
These Spartans, with their slaves, made up his
own share of the number, but all the army was
under his generalship. It is even said that the three
hundred celebrated their own funeral rites before
they set out, lest they should be deprived of them
FIFTH READER. 44S
by the enemy, since it was the Greek belief that the
spirits of the dead found no rest till their obsequies
had been performed.
Such preparations did not daunt the spirits of
Leonidas and his men, and his wife, G-orgo, Avas not
a woman to be faint-hearted or to hold him back.
Long before, when she was a very little girl, a word
of hers had saved her father from listening to a
traitorous message from the King of Persia; and
every Spartan lady was bred up to be able to say
to those she best loved that they must come home
from battle with their shield, or on it either
carrying it victoriously, or borne upon it as a
corpse.
Note, The Temple at Delphi, situated in Phocis, Greece, -was re-
nowned in ancient times on account of its oracle. The chief
magistrates and priests of the temple were selected from the
Delphian nobles, while the Pythia (pith' i a), or female who de-
livered the oracle, was selected from some family of poor coun-
try people. So correct were the responses of the oracle supposed
to be, that long journeys were made for the purpose of consult-
ing it.
Elocution. An easy style of reading should be cultivated, and
the best directions that can be given for acquiring it are
1. To study carefully what we are to read, so as not to be
hindered by any difficulties in meaning.
2. To practice frequently reading aloud, so as to gain perfect
control over the organs of speech.
Language. Distinguish the meaning of the following words:
trembling, shaking, quivering.
Mention three prefixes and two suffixes, and give examples
of their use.
When words keep their regular meaning, they are said to be
used in a literal sense.
In the first sentence of the second paragraph on page 443,
are the words employed in a literal or figurative sense?
State what kinds of sentences are used in the first paragraph.
Select a complex sentence for analysis, and point out the subject
and predicate, and divide each into its simplest parts.
446 FIFTH READER.
PP. THE BATTLE OF THERMOPYL^.
PART I I.
hi' band ed, economized; used
In' e ha^st' i bl^ (egz hawst'),
brand' ed, burnt by a hot iron.
sS^r, prophet.
bOd'ed, indicated; foreshowed.
(skurjd), lashed; beat.
shim' mer ing, gleaming; glis-
tening.
al ll^d', united.
re de^m^d', recovered; regained.
When Leonidas came to Thermopylae, the Pho-
cians told him of the mountain path through the
chestnut woods of Mount CEta, and begged to have
the privilege of guarding it on a spot high up on
the mountain side, assuring him that it was very
hard to niid at the other end, and that there was
every probability that the enemy would never dis-
cover it. He consented, and encamping around the
warm springs, caused the broken wall to be repaired,
and made ready to meet the foe.
The Persian army were seen covering the whole
country, and the hearts of some of ' the southern
Greeks in the pass began to sink. Their homes in
the Peloponnesus were comparatively secure had
they not better fall back and reserve themselves to
defend the Isthmus of Corinth? But Leonidas,
thougn Sparta was safe below the Isthmus, had no
intention of abandoning his northern allies, and
kept the other Peloponnesians to their posts, only
sending messengers for further help.
Presently a Persian on horseback rode up to rec-
onnoiter the pass. He could not see over the wall,
but in front of it and on the ramparts, he saw the
Spartans, some of them engaged in active sports,
FIFTH READER. 447
and others in combing their long hair. He rode
back to the king, and told him what he had seen.
Now, Xerxes had in his camp an exiled Spartan
Prince, named Demaratus, who had become a traitor
to his country, and was serving as counselor to the
enemy. Xerxes sent for him, and asked whether
his countrymen were mad to be thus employed, in-
stead of fleeing away; but Demaratus made answer
that a hard fight was no doubt in preparation, and
that it was the custom of the Spartans to array
their hair with especial care when they were about
to enter upon any great peril. Xerxes would not
believe, however, that so petty a force intended to
resist him, and waited four days, probably expect-
ing his fleet to assist him, but as it did not appear,
the attack was made.
The Q-reeks, stronger men and more heavily
armed, were far better able to fight to advantage
than the Persians with their short spears and
wicker shields, and beat them off with great ease.
It is said that Xerxes three times leaped off his
throne in despair at the sight of his troops being
driven backward; and thus for two days it seemed
as easy to force a way through the Spartans as
through the rocks themselves. Nay, how could
slavish troops, dragged from home to spread the
victories of an ambitious king, fight like freemen
who felt that their strokes were to defend their
homes and children?
But on that evening a wretched man, named
Ephialtes, crept into the Persian camp, and offered,
for a great sum of money, to show the mountain
path that would enable the enemy to take the brave
defenders in the rear! A Persian general, named
448
FIFTH READER.
Hydarnes, was sent off at night-fall with a detach-
ment to secure this passage, and was guided through
the thick forests that clothed the hill-side.
"Battle of Thermopylae."
In the stillness of the air, at daybreak, the Pho-
cian guards of the path were startled by the crack-
ling of the chestnut leaves under the tread of many
feet. They started up, but a shower of arrows was
FIFTH READER. 449
discharged at them, and forgetting all save the pres-
ent alarm, they fled to a higher part of the moun-
tain, and the enemy, without waiting to pursue
them, began to descend.
As day dawned, the morning light disclosed to
the watchers of the Q-recian camp below a glittering
and shimmering in the torrent bed where the
shaggy forests opened ; it was not the sparkle of
water, but the sheen of gilded helmets and the
gleaming of silvered spears.
Moreover, a Cimmerian crept over to the wall
from the Persian camp with tidings that the path
had been betrayed, that the enemy were climbing it,
and would come down beyond the Eastern Grate.
Still, the way was rugged and circuitous, the Per-
sians would hardly descend before midday, and
there was ample time for the Greeks to escape before
they could thus be shut in by the enemy.
There was a short council held over the morn-
ing sacrifice. Megistias, the seer, on inspecting the
entrails of the slain victim, declared, as well lie
might, that their appearance boded disaster. Leon-
idas ordered him to retire, but he refused, though
he sent home his only son. There was no disgrace
to an ordinary person in leaving a post that could
not be held, and Leonidas recommended all the
allied troops under his command to march away
while yet the way was open.
As for himself and his Spartans, they had made
up their minds to die at their post, and there
could be no doubt that the example of such a reso-
lution would do more to save Greece than their
best efforts could ever do if they were careful to
reserve themselves for another occasion.
43O FIFTH READER.
All the allies consented to retreat, except the
eighty men who came from Mycenae and the seven
hundred Thespians, who declared that they would
not desert Leonidas. There were also four hundred
Thebans who remained; and thus the whole num-
ber that stayed with Leonidas to confront two
millions of enemies, were fourteen hundred war-
riors, besides the slaves or attendants on the three
hundred Spartans, whose number is not known,
but there was probably at least one to each.
Leonidas had two kinsmen in the camp, like
himself claiming the blood of Hercules, and he
tried to save them by giving them letters and
messages to Sparta; but one answered that he had
come to fight, not to carry letters; and the other,
that his deeds would tell all that Sparta wished
to know.
Another Spartan, named Dienices, when told that
the enemy's archers were so numerous that their
arrows darkened the sun, replied, "So much tho
better, we shall fight in the shade."
Two of the three hundred had been sent to a
neighboring village, suffering severely from a com-
plaint in the eyes. One of them, called Eurytus,
put on his armor, and commanded his slave to lead
him to his place in the ranks ; the other, called Aris-
todemus, was so overpowered with illness that he
allowed himself to be carried away with the re-
treating allies. It was still early in the day when
all were gone, and Leonidas gave the word to his
men to take their last meal. "To-night," he said,
"we shall sup with Pluto."
Hitherto, he had stood on the defensive, and
had husbanded the lives of his men ; but he now
FIFTH READER. 461
desired to make as great a slaughter as possible, so
as to inspire tlie enemy with dread of the Grecian
name. He therefore marched out "beyond the wall,
without waiting to be attacked, and the battle
began.
The Persian captains went behind their wretched
troops and scourged them on to the fight with
whips! Poor wretches, they were driven on to be
slaughtered, pierced with the Q-reek spears, hurled
into the sea, or trampled into the mud of the
morass; but their inexhaustible numbers told at
length. The spears of the G-reeks broke under hard
service, and their swords alone remained; they
began to fall, and Leonidas himself was among the
first of the slain.
Hotter than ever was the fight over his corpse,
and two Persian princes, brothers of Xerxes, were
there killed ; but at length word was brought that
Hydarnes was over the pass, and that the few re-
maining men were thus inclosed on all sides.
The Spartans and Thespians made their way to
a little hillock within the wall, resolved to let this
be the place of their last stand; but the hearts of
the Thebans failed them, and they went toward
the Persians holding out their hands in entreaty
for mercy. Quarter was given them, but they were
all branded with the king's mark as untrustworthy
deserters. The slaves probably at this time escaped
into the mountains ; while the small desperate band
stood side by side on the hill, still fighting to the
last, some with swords, others with daggers, others
even with their hands and teeth, till not one living
man remained when the sun went down. There
was only tt mound of slain bristling with arrows.
432 FIFTH READER.
Twenty thousand Persians had died before that
handful of men! Xerxes asked Demaratus if there
were many more at Sparta like these, and was told
there were eight thousand. It must have been with
a somewhat failing heart that he invited his cour-
tiers from the fleet to see what he had done to the
men who dared oppose him, and showed them the
head and arm of Leonidas set up upon a cross;
but he took care that all his own slain, except one
thousand, should first be put out of sight.
The body of the brave king was buried where
he fell, as were those of the other dead. Much
envied were they by the unhappy Aristodemus, who
found himself called by no name but the "Coward,'"
and shunned by all his fellow-citizens. No one
would give him fire or water, and after a year of
misery, he redeemed his honor by perishing in the
fore-front of the battle of Platsea, which was the
last blow that drove the Persians ingloriously from
Greece.
The Greeks then united in doing honor to the
brave warriors who, had they been better sup-
ported, might have saved the whole country from
invasion. Pillars were set up in the pass to com-
memorate this great action. One was outside the
wall, where most of the fighting had been. It
seems to have been in honor of the whole number
who had for two days resisted the attacks of the
Persians. The inscription was as follows
"Here did four thousand men from Pelops' land
Against three hundred myriads "bravely stand."
In honor of the Spartans was another column
"G-o, traveler, to Sparta; tell
That here, obeying her, we fell."
FIFTH READER. 4S3
On the little hillock of the last resistance was
placed the figure of a stone lion, in memory of
Leonidas, so fitly named the Lion-like.
Lion, pillars, and inscriptions have all long since
passed away, even the very spot itself has changed;
new soil has been formed, and there are miles of
solid ground between Mount CEta and the gulf, so
that the Hot Q-ates no longer exist. But more en-
during than stone or "brass nay, than the very
"battle-field itself has "been the name of Leonidas.
Two thousand three hundred years have sped
since he braced himself to perish for his country's
sake in that narrow, marshy coast-road, under the
brow of the wooded crags, with the sea by his
side. Since that time how many hearts have
glowed, how many arms have been nerved at the
remembrance of the Pass of Thermopylae, and the
defeat that was worth so much more than a vic-
tory !
CHARLOTTE M. YONGE.
Elocution. The slight changes of pitch occasioned by emphasis,
inflection, and pauses, render reading agreeable. A rapid utter-
.ance is unpleasant both on account of the difficulty of under-
standing what is spoken, and the monotony occasioned by the
absence of any variations in sound.
monotonous reading may be corrected by cultivating a more
deliberate manner of speaking and by strict attention to empha-
sis and inflection.
Point out the inflections used in reading the last paragraph.
Language. Explain the difference in the meaning of the fol-
lowing words : strong, powerful, vigorous.
Composition. Select eight or more parts for an analysis of
Lessons 98 and 99, and show that their treatment would include
all the chief points of "The Battle of Thermopylae."
Give rules for the marks of punctuation employed in the third
paragraph.
4S4 FIFTH READER.
/00.THE RAVEN.
reT e van 9y, fitness ; suitable-
ness.
sr' a phlm (f im), angels of tJie
de -co' rum, dignity.
de' mon, an evil spirit.
m\en (meen), look; appearance.
, knowledge; wisdom.
sur 96^3^', cessation; stop.
ne pen' the, an Egyptian drug
which lulled sorrow for the day.
Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, -weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
"'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door-
Only this, and nothing more."
Ah, distinctly I remember, it was in the bleak December,
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor
Eagerly I wished the morrow : vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow sorrow for the lost Lenore
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore
Nameless here for evermore.
And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me filled me -with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating.
"'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door,
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door;
That rfe is, and nothing more."
Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
"Sir," said I, "or madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is, I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you" here I opened wide the
door :
Darkness there, and nothing more.
FIFTH READER. 455
Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood, there, wondering,
fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream be-
fore ;
But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, "Le-
nore ! "
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, ' ' Le-
nore ! "
Merely this, and nothing more.
Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping, somewhat louder than before.
"Surely," said I, "surely that is something at my window lat-
tice;
Let me see then what thereat is, and this mystery explore, -
Let my heart be still a moment, and this mystery explore ;
'Tis the wind, and nothing more."
Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and
flutter,
In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore.
Not the least obeisance made he ; not a minute stopped or stayed
he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door,
Perched upon a bust of Pallas, just above my chamber door
Perched and sat, and nothing more.
Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
"Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou," I said, "art sure
no craven ;
Ghastly, grim, and ancient raven, wandering from the nightly
shore,
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore ? "
Quoth the raven, "Nevermore!"
Much I marveled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning little relevancy bore;
456 FIFTH READER.
For we can not help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door-
Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
"With such name as "Nevermore!"
But the raven sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpou-B.
Nothing further then he uttered not a feather then he fluttered
Till I scarcely more than muttered, "Other friends have flown
before
On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before."
Then the bird said, "Nevermore!"
Startled at the stillness, broken by reply so aptly spoken,
"Doubtless," said I, "what it utters is its only stock and store,
Caught from some unhappy master, whom unmerciful disaster
Followed fast and followed faster, till his songs one burden bore,
Till the dirges of his hope that melancholy burden bore,
Of Never Nevermore I"
But the raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust,
and door ;
Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of
yore
Meant in croaking "Nevermore!"
This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl, whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core ;
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o'er,
But whose velvet, violet lining, with the lamp-light gloating o'er,
She shall press ah! nevermore!
Then methought the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen
censer
Swung by seraphim, whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.
"Wretch," I cried, "thy God hath lent thee by these angels he
hath sent thee
FIFTH READER. 457
Respite respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore!
Quaff, O quaff this kind nepenthe, and forget this lost Lenore ! "
Quoth the raven, "Nevermore!"
" Prophet 1" said I, "thing of evil ! prophet still, if bird or
devil !
"Whether tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here
ashore,
Desolate, yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted
Orx this home by Horror haunted tell me truly, I implore
Is there is there balm in Gilead? tell me tell me, I implore 1"
Quoth the raven, "Nevermore!"
"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil! prophet still, if bird or
devil !
By that heaven that bends above us by that God we both adore,
Tell this soul, with sorrow laden, if, within the distant Aidenn,N
It shall clasp a sainted maiden, whom the angels name Lenore ;
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden, whom the angels name Lenore ! "
Quoth the raven, "Nevermore!"
"Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!" I shrieked,
upstarting
"Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian
shore !
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken ! quit the bust above my door !
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off
my door ! "
Quoth the raven, "Nevermore!"
And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas, just above my chamber door ;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on
the floor ;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the
floor
Shall be lifted NEVERMORE !
EDGAR A. POE.
4S8 FIFTH READER.
Biography. Edgar Allan Poe was born in Boston, February
19th, 1809, and died in Baltimore in 1849.
At an early age, he -was adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Allan, and
attended school in England. Returning to America in 1822, he
finished his school-days in Richmond, Virginia, and then con-
tinued his studies at the University of Charlottesville. He pub-
lished a small volume of his poems in 1829, which was well re-
ceived. From that time, Poe made a number of attempts to gain
a livelihood as an editor, all of which proved unsuccessful on
account of his unfortunate temperament and his dissolute habits.
He died in Baltimore at the, early age of forty.
The wonderful music of his verses and the originality of his
style, have given Poe a high place among poets. The "Raven"
and the ' ' Bells " are two of his most popular pieces. His prose
writings are remarkable for their weird character and for a
gloominess of sentiment that impresses the reader unfavorably.
Notes. Aidenn (a' den) is an Anglicized spelling of the Arabic
form of the word Eden, and refers to Paradise, the place where
spirits dwell after death.
Elocution. What is the general sentiment of the poem? What
then should be the manner of reading it?
What words are emphatic in the first stanza?
The dash used in the last line of the poem is to mark a long
pause for the purpose of making the following word very em-
phatic.
Mark the caesura in the fourth stanza.
Notice the effect of the rhyme at the middle and end of the
first and third lines of each stanza.
Language. What is the meaning of the words "the pallid
bust of Pallas"?
FIFTH READER. 439
GOLD DUST.
Why are not more gems from our great authors scattered over
the country ? Great books are not in every body's reach ; and
though it is better to know them thoroughly than to know them
only here and there, yet it is a good work to give a little to
those who have neither time nor means to get more. Let every
bookworm, when in any fragrant, scarce old tome he discovers
a sentence, an illustration, that does his heart good, hasten to
give it.
COLERIDGE.
The evil that men do lives after them ;
The good is oft interred with their bones.
SHAKSPEARE.
Delightful task ! to rear the tender thought,
To teach the young idea how to shoot;
To pour the fresh instruction o'er the mind,
To breathe the enlivening spirit, and to fix
The generous purpose in the glowing breast.
THOMSON.
Sin has many tools, but a lie is a handle which fits them all.
HOLMES.
It is not work that kills men ; it is worry. Work is healthy ;
you can hardly put more upon a man than he can bear. Worry
is rust upon the blade. It is not the revolution that destroys
the machinery, but the friction.
BEECHEB.
Aim at perfection in every thing, though in most things it is
unattainable ; however, they who aim at it, and persevere, will
come much nearer to it than those whose laziness and despond-
ency make them give it up as unattainable.
CHESTERFIELD.
Truth crushed to earth shall rise again,
The eternal years of God are hers ;
But error, wounded, writhes in pain,
And dies among his worshipers.
BRYANT.
The ornaments of a home are the friends who frequent it.
If you can be well without health, you can be happy without
virtue.
BUBKE.
46O FIFTH READER.
The Sabbath is the golden clasp which binds together the
volume of the week.
LONGFELLOW.
Words are things; and a small drop of ink, falling like dew
upon a thought, produces that which makes thousands, perhaps
millions, think.
BTBON.
The night is mother of the day,
The winter of the spring,
And ever upon old decay
The greenest mosses cling.
Behind the cloud the starlight lurks,
Through showers the sunbeams fall;
For God, who loveth all His -works,
Has left His hope with all.
WHITTIEK.
Books are the true levelers. They give to all who faithfully
use them, the society, the spiritual presence of the best and
greatest of our race.
CHANNING.
Whoever can make two ears of corn, or two blades of grass
to grow upon a spot of ground where only one grew before,
would deserve better of mankind and do more essential service
to his country than the whole race of politicians put together.
SWIFT.
Howe'er it be, it seems to me
'Tis only noble to be good:
Kind hearts are more than coronets,
And simple faith than Norman blood.
TENNYSON.
There is a time in every man's education when he arrives at
the conviction that envy is ignorance ; that imitation is suicide ;
that he must take himself for better or for worse, as his por-
tion ; that, though the wide universe is full of good, no kernel
of nourishing corn can come to him but through his toil be-
stowed on that plot of ground which is given him to till.
Words learned by rote a parrot may rehearse.
But talking is not always to converse ;
~Not more distinct from harmony divine
The constant creaking of a country sign.
COWPEB.
FIFTH READER. 461
The base wretch who hoards up all he can
Is praised and called a careful, thrifty man.
DRYDEH,,
Spake full well, in language quaint and olden,
One who dwelleth by the castled Rhine,
When he called the flowers, so blue and golden,
Stars, that in earth's firmament do shine.
LONGFELLOW.
'Tis an old maxim in the schools,
That flattery's the food of fools,
Yet now and then you men of wit
Will condescend to take a bit.
SCOTT.
Some men are very entertaining for a first interview, but
after that they are exhausted and run out ; on a second inter-
view we shall find them very flat and monotonous; like hand-
organs, we have heard all their tunes.
COLTON.
O many a shaft at random sent
Finds mark the archer little meant,
And many a word at random spoken
May soothe or wound a heart that's broken.
There is a tide in the affairs of men,
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune ;
Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in shallows and in miseries ;
And we must take the current when it serves,
Or lose our ventures.
SHAKSPEARE.
Sloth makes all things difficult, but Industry all easy ; and
he that riseth late must trot all day, and shall scarce overtake
his business at night ; while Laziness travels so slowly, that
Poverty soon overtakes him.
FRANKLIN.
Good name, in man or woman,
Is the immediate jewel of their souls.
Who steals my purse, steals trash ; 'tis something, nothing ;
'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thousands:
But he that filches from me my good name,
Robs me of that which not enriches him,
And makes me poor indeed.
SHAKSFEARB.
462 FIFTH READER.
Absence of occupation is not rest ;
A mind quite vacant is a mind distressed.
COWPER.
Write on your doors the saying wise and old,
"Be bold! Be bold!" and every- where "Be bold;
Be not too bold ! " Yet better the excess
Than the defect ; better the more than less ;
Better like Hector on the field to die,
Than like a perfumed Paris turn and fly.
LONGFELLOW.
Except a living man there is nothing more wonderful than a
book! a message to us from the dead from human souls whom
we never saw, who lived, perhaps, thousands of miles away ; and
yet these, in those little sheets of paper, speak to us, amuse us,
terrify us, teach us, comfort us, open their hearts to us as
brothers.
KINGSLEY.
Our doubts are traitors,
And make us lose the good we oft might -win,
By fearing to attempt.
SHAKSPEABE.
Give us, O give us, the man who sings at his work ! Be his
occupation what it may, he is equal to any of those who follow
the same pursuit in silent sullenness. He will do more in the
same time, he will do it better, he will persevere longer. One is
scarcely sensible of fatigue whilst he marches to music. The
very stars are said to make harmony as they revolve in their
spheres. "Wondrous is the strength of cheerfulness, altogether
past calculation its powers of endurance. Efforts, to be perma-
nently useful, must be uniformly joyous, a spirit all sunshine,
graceful from very gladness, beautiful because bright.
THOMAS CABLYLE.
Education, briefly, is the leading of human souls to what is
best, and making what is best out of them ; and these two ob-
jects are always attainable together, and by the same means ;
the training "which makes men happiest in themselves, also
makes them most serviceable to others.
JOHN EUSKIN.
Many men do not allow their principles to take root, but pull
them up every now and then, as children do flowers they have
planted, to see if they are growing.
LONGFELLOW.
EFINITIONS
OF NEW WORDS USED IN THIS BOOK, THAT DO NOT APPEAR
AT THE HEADS OF THE LESSONS,
A
a bTdV> remain ; stay.
abstird'ly, foolishly; inconsist-
a a'ei a (a ka'shi a), a tropical
shrub.
a -ead'e my, a school of high
grade; an institution for the
promotion of the fine arts.
a dt^u', good-by ; farewell.
a d j u i g ^d ', decreed ; awarded ;
determined.
ad' mi ra bl^, excellent; worthy
of admiration.
ad'vers^, acting against; oppos-
ing.
ag'i ta'ted, disturbed; excited.
a glo^v', glowing ; heated.
^1^1^, a passage in a church.
a lael^:', an exclamation of sorrow.
al'pen st6l$:, a staff used in
traveling among the Alps.
a lu'mi ntim, a white metal with
a bluish tinge.
am'mu ni'tion (am mu nish'-
un), materials for charging fire-
arms.
and' I ron (rtirnz), utensils for
supporting wood in a fire-place.
an i ma'tion, liveliness; ardor;
vigor.
an noy^d', disturbed ; molested.
an'nu al, yearly; occurring once
a year.
a n6n r , in a short time ; quickly.
an r te lop^, an animal resembling
the deer.
an'ti-es, odd actions or gesticula-
tions.
an x tl mo ny, a brittle metal of a
silvery white color.
an' vil, iron blocks upon which
metals are hammered.
ap prl^d', informed; gave no-
tice.
arched, curved.
arch'er, one who shoots with a
bow and arrow.
ar' id, dry ; parched with heat.
ar'ma ment, a force equipped
for war.
ar'mor, defensive clothing made
of metal.
ar til' ler y, cannon \; great guns.
464
FIFTH READER.
simple in manners; hon-
est.
as plr'ants, those who seek or
asps, smaU poisonous serpents.
as saving, testing ore to deter-
mine the amount of a particular
metal in it.
as sm' bly, a company of per-
sons.
as so'ci at^s (shi ats), compan-
'ions; mates.
as tr6n' o mer, those skilled in
a knowledge of the heavenly
bodies.
a sy'lum, a place of retreat and
security.
ath' let^s, wrestlers; those who en-
gage in muscular exercise.
at' om, a minute particle.
attend' ant, one who accompa-
nies.
at tlr^d', dressed; arrayed.
art^'di en 9^, an assembly of hear-
ers.
at^^t, any thing.
at^ th6r / i ty, legal or rightful
a vaV, benefit; assist or aid.
a ve"ngV> vindicate by punish-
ment.
bag' gag^, tents, clothing, and
other necessaries of an army ;
trunks, valises, etc., carried by
travelers.
bak^, an expression of contempt.
bald, destitute of hair; unadorned.
bal loons./ bags filled with gas or
hot air, so as to float in the at-
mosphere.
ba\m, any thing which heals or
soothes; a plant.
bar ba'ri an^uncimlized persons.
barg^, a boat for the conveyance
of passengers or goods.
bark, the rind of a tree; a kind
of vessel; the noise of a dog.
bar' ra-el^s, buildings to lodge sol-
diers; huts; cabins.
bar'ri er, obstruction; bound-
ary.
bar'ter^d, exchanged; gave in
exchange.
basement, the lower story of a
building.
bask, lie in warmth; exposed to
bat tar ion (yting), divisions of
the infantry in an army.
bat" ter i^, bodies of cannon,
used for attack or defense.
be -com' ing, appropriate; suit-
able.
be^ r tl^s., insects having horny
wing-covers.
be fe^th' er^d, covered with
feathers.
be g^Il'ing, deluding by artifice
or craft.
be hav'ior (hav'yiir), conduct;
deportment.
be sto^V^d', applied; imparted.
be' t^l, a species of pepper, the
leaves of which are chewed by
the inhabitants of the East
Indies.
FIFTH READER.
465
be wlg^d', furnished or COD-.
ered with a wig.
bid^, stay ; remain.
b\er, a frame-work used for carry-
ing the dead.
bl&^t, a bend in the sea-coast.
bland, mild; gentle; courteous.
ble^k, cold; cheerless.
bll^l^t, any thing nipping or bit-
ing ; to injure by blight.
blis^' ful, full of joy or happiness.
blun'der busi^ a short gun with
a large bore; a blunderer.
bois'ter us, loud; noisy; stormy.
bow'er (bou'er), an anchor car-
ried at the bow of a ship ; a shady
recess.
-l^nlf ^, a long knife used
as a weapon.
der, large stones, or masses
ofrock.
bra'e, the ropes rove through
blocks at the ends of yards on a
vessel; props; supports.
bra' gart, a boaster.
bran'dy, a spirituous liquor.
bracing, making a Jiarsh noise.
bra'zen, made of brass.
brSd, trained; instructed; edu-
cated.
bribed, corrupted by a reward.
brid'al, pertaining to a bride, or
to a wedding.
bronz^, a metal composed of tin
and copper.
brood, the number hatched at
once.
bro\v^, feed on tender branches
or shrubs.
bru'tal, cruel; savage.
bu-eV ler, pieces of defensive ar-
mor.
bulb, an expansion or protuber-
ance on a stem, as on a retort or
thermometer.
bul\' y , quarrelsome per son; noisy,
blustering fellow.
blimp' er, drinking glasses filled
to the brim.
bust, the upper part of the human
figure, including the head, shoul-
ders, and breast.
buz' zardg, birds of prey.
C
ea' bl^, a large rope or chain.
ea-e'tus, a very prickly tropical
plant.
ea lam'i ty, accident ; mishap;
ea pa9 x i ty, ability ; talent.
cap'torg, those who capture.
ear / di nal, principal; chief; as,
the cardinal points.
ear / ol, the song of a bird; a song
ofjoy.
eas'sa va, a tropical plant from
which tapioca is made.
eat' a 16gt^, list; register.
ea the'dralg, large churches.
ea^'ti^us (shus), careful; pru-
dent.
eav'a ri,er', an armed horseman ;
a knight.
5eV^d, had the ceiXing covered.
9eTe bra' ted, well-known; dis*
chafes, wears by action.
466
FIFTH READER.
, a two-wheeled carriage.
char' i ots, ancient vehicles or war
cars.
char' i ta bl^, intended for char-
ity ; benevolent.
chast^, pure.
-el^m'i-e al, substances used for
chemical, effects.
ch\ef t^in, a commander or
leader.
chl'el&d, cut ; engraved.
chor^, small jobs of work.
9in -el^o'na, a Peruvian tree, and
its bark.
clad, clothed.
elam'or, noise of the voice; out-
cry.
clash' ing, striking together with
noise; interfering.
elSft, split open or off; riven.
elim^, climate.
e!6d, mass of earth or turf.
elii\ch, gripe; power.
-co' bra, a poisonous serpent.
eo lo'ni al, belonging or pertain-
ing to colonies.
e6m'bat, a struggle; contest by
force.
com mer'cial (shal), pertain-
ing to commerce or trade ; mer-
cantile.
com mls'sion (mish'iin), cer-
tificate of rank.
com mlt' te^, a number of per-
sons appointed to manage any
matter.
com par' a tlv^ ly, relatively.
com plaint', expression of cen-
sure or regret.
com plSx' ion (plek'sMn), color
or hue of the skin, especially of
the face.
com p ll'an 5^, act of complying;
concession.
eSm'pli ment, expression ofviv-
, companion; associate.
e6n, study over.
eon du-et/, lead; guide; escort.
con fSsi^'org, those who confess.
eon found', mix; perplex.
eon sent'ed, gave assent; com-
plied.
eon sti tu/ted, made up; estab-
lished ; formed.
eon sum^, destroy, as by fire ;
expend; waste.
eon tSnd'ing, struggling; striv-
ing.
eon trol', direction; command.
eon ve&' (konva r ), carry; trans-
port; transmit.
cord' ag^, any thing made of rope
or cord.
eorps^, the dead body of a human
eor'sa^rg, pirates.
eors^'lets, light breast-plates.
eouch' e, places for rest or sleep.
eoun'sel, advice; opinion; one
who gives advice.
eoun'te nan9^, the expression
of the face.
e^u ra'g^us (kura'jus), brave;
daring.
eo V ri er, a messenger.
eo^rt/iersg (yer), members of a
princely court.
FIFTH READER.
467
' 1 y , court-like ; high bred ;
dignified.
, a bay or inlet.
eow'ard \qfa, lack of courage.
e6x'-eom1^, a vain, showy fellow;
afop.
era ft, handiwork.
erag, rough, steep rocks.
ramped, restrained from free
action.
erav^, entreat.
ere at^', to form out of nothing ;
cause to exist.
erd' it or, those to wlwm money
is due.
erSv'i 9e, narrow openings; fis-
sures; clefts.
erfnk'l^s., wrinkles.
eri'sis, decisive moment; turning
point.
erit'i-e al, dangerous.
eroe'o dil^, an animal of the
lizard tribe ; an alligator.
er6s$/-ques'tion, cross-exam-
ine.
eru'9i bl^, a chemical vessel or
melting-pot.
erud^, in its natural state ; unre-
fined; unfinished.
eu-e\'6o, a bird which derives its
name from the note it utters.
eftrb, bend to one's will; restrain;
confine.
eus' torn a ry, usual; according
to custom.
D
da"vn'ty, over-nice; hard to please.
dan' gl^ (dang'gl), hang loosely.
da^nt'ed, checked by fear.
da^m, begin to appear.
de e^s^d', dead.
de fSnd'ant, one who defends.
de f i^d", challenged; dared.
de x i ty, God.
dl"i -ea 91^5, those things pleas-
ing to the senses, especially that
of taste.
de irci^tts (Hsh'us) most agree-
able to the taste.
de" m o ^rat'i-e, pertaining to gov-
ernment by the people.
dgp'tt ti^, assistants.
de si^n' (or de gn'), purpose.
de glr'isjus, anxious.
deVo lat ing, destroying.
de spi^', scorn; disdain.
de splt^, in spite of.
de sp6nd x en 9y, permanent dis-
couragement.
des p6t' i-e, absolute in power.
des'ti tut^, deficient; lacking.
de ta\n^d', kept back.
de' vi &.' tion, turning aside.
de vot' ed, applied ; gave up to.
dll'i gent ly, carefully.
dlr^, dreadful.
dis band' ing, dispersing; break-
ing up.
dis charg^', release from duty.
dis closed', made known.
dls'-eord, dissension.
dis -efts !', debate; examine.
dig da^n^d', despised; scorned.
dis gra9V> dishonor.
dis mast'ed, deprived of masts.
dis patch', message.
dis pdll^d', banished; drove away.
468
FIFTH READER.
dis persV, scatter.
dis plt'e fcjtts, having no pity.
dis po gl'tion (zish'un), manner
of being disposed.
dis tll\, falls in drops.
dis tln'guish^d (gwTsht), cele-
brated.
d! vert' ed, turned aside.
dl vln' i ty, state of being divine.
dc>el, wharf.
ddl'phins. (fing), kind offish.
doomed, destined.
d^tib'let, a waistcoat or vest.
doz^d, slept.
drag'ons., f obvious winged ser-
pents.
dron'ing, moving slowly; living
du'ra bl^, lasting.
du'ri o, a Malay fruit tree.
dwln'dl^, become less; diminish.
dy^s., colors.
E
eVglets, young eagles.
e^rl, a nobleman.
e^r'nest, a pledge; a promise.
b' o ny, a hard wood from Mad-
agascar and Ceylon.
&e'sta sy, excessive joy ; rapture.
in a circular direction; whirl-
pools.
ef fg-ef u al ly, producing the de-
sired effect.
Sf ' fi &y, a likeness in sculpture,
painting, or drawing.
e IS-e'tri-e al, occasioned by, or
pertaining to, electricity.
eTo quent (kwent\ expressed
with fluency and power.
em barked', went on board a
gm'ber, a lighted coal smolder-
ing in ashes.
gm'blem, types; signs; sym-
bols.
en 9ir / -el^d, formed a ring or
circle about.
en -e&m' bran9^, that which
hinders or burdens.
n de^v'or ing, attempting; try-
ing.
en su^d', succeeded; followed as a
consequence.
entan'gl^d (tang'gld) twisted
or caught.
en tre^t', make an earnest re-
, solution in spirits of
an essential oil; as, essence of
mint.
gs se"n' tial (shal), absolutely nec-
essary ; indispensable.
e ter' nal, without beginning or
end; everlasting.
e' ther, supposed matter above the
air; the air itself .
e va r ion, act of avoiding; pre-
varication.
e ve" nt/u. al ly , ultimately; finally.
ex !', go beyond; surpass.
ex 968 ^', that which exceeds what
is usual or proper.
Sx' e u ted, carried into effect ;
accomplished.
Sx x e unt (Latin), they go out;
FIFTH READER,
469
ex plo' ion (zliunz), burstings
with loud noise.
ex port" ed, sent out of the coun-
try.
ex trSm'i ty, the farthest point.
S^c ul ta'tion (egz ult),joy aver
success; triumph.
F
fa' bl^, a fictitious story intended
to teach some useful lesson.
fab'ri-e, a manufactured article,
as cloth.
fa^n, glad.
fam^, reputation; celebrity.
far^d, was supplied with bodily
comforts.
far^ welVj good-by; adieu.
fa t'igt^d' (tegd), wearied.
far^n, a young deer.
fer m6nt' ed, having undergone
the process of fermentation.
fs' ti val, religious anniversary;
fs toong', garlands or wreaths
hanging in depending curves.
fSt' ter, binds.
fl^, an exclamation denoting dis-
like or blame.
f\end, blood-thirsty foes.
flf ^, musical instrument.
f ir^' 16-el^:, old-fashioned musket.
flt'ful ly, irregularly.
flag' ging, hanging loosely.
fla mln'go, a wading bird of a
bright red color.
flat' ter, praises falsely.
flaunt' ing, waving; making a
fle^t, a number moving or sailing
together; a squadron of ships.
f lo^, an extensive field of ice float-
ing in the ocean.
flog, wJiip; chastise.
flo^d'-tld^, the rising tide.
foiled, defeated.
for^ bod' ing, inward conviction,
as of approaching trouble.
for^'-eas \1^ (kas si), fore part
of a ship, above or below the deck.
forsaken, left alone; abandoned.
for' ti tud^, resolute endurance.
found' er^d, fitted with water,
and sunk.
, weak; fragile.
l^, weaknesses.
f ran k'ly, /?, sword-players;
prize-fighters.
gleb^, turf; soil; land belonging
to a parish church.
glim'mer ing, shining faintly.
glimps^, a short, hasty view.
gly' er in^, a sweetish liquid ob-
tained from fat.
te^nat, a small, Hood-sucking fly.
gold' finch, a singing bird.
gorg' e, fills greedily.
g6r'et, armor to defend the
throat.
go' ry, covered with blood; bloody.
got^r' mand, greedy eater; glut-
ton.
gra'cifcjfts (shiis), favorable; con-
descending; kind.
graph' i-e (graf), clear; well de-
lineated.
grat' ed, furnished with a grate;
as, grated windows.
grat' i fy, indulge; please; humor.
gros^, coarse.
gtil' 1^, channels worn by water.
nas'ti-es, muscular exer-
cises for the health.
hag' gard, pale; thin; wasted by
ha\r'-trlg' ger, a trigger that
discharges a fire-arm by a very
halt, stop, in marching or travel-
ham' let, n small village.
hand'-eilf^d, having the hqnds
confined by fetters or handcuffs.
har^, a small timid animal; a kind
of rabbit.
harsh' ly, in a harsh or rude
manner.
ha'zy, misty; foggy.
' land, a high or mountain-
ous cape.
n^d, made better; in-
creased.
hlm, the instrument by which a
hr' aid ry, the art or office of a
herald.
hr' on, a large wading bird.
her'ringg, small fish.
hil\' o-e^:, a little hill.
ho^r' y, white or whitish.
h61' i dajf , day of joy and gay-
' ly, plain.
hom^'spun, spun or woven at
home; coarse; rude.
h6v' el, smalt mean houses; open
sheds.
hov' er^d, remained inflight over
or about.
httb'bl^-bub'b% a tobacco-
pipe so arranged that the smoke
passes through water.
hu^, colors; tints.
httm'drtim, dull; stupid.
httm' mo-el^, a rounded knoll or
hillock.
hu r band ry, care of domestic
affairs.
httsk'y, rough in tone; hoarse.
FIFTH READER,
471
I' dol, an image of any thing which
is worshiped.
il lu" mi na' ted, made bright by
light; illustrated.
im pas' si bl^, incapable of pas-
sion, or pain.
im pgr'ish a bl^, not perish-
able; indestructible.
Im'pi us, very profane; irrev-
erent.
im pOrt'ed, brought from another
country.
im pru' den9^, rashness; lack
of prudence.
in ad'e quat^, not equal to the
purpose; insufficient.
in'dex, that which points out or
shows.
in' dig na' tion, anger mingled
with contempt.
In' di go, a blue coloring matter.
in dulg^d', cherished.
in fe' ri or, of less importance or
value.
in flam^', excite to an excessive
degree.
in' flu n' tial (shal), having in-
fluence; powerful.
in fa' ri a ted, greatly enraged.
In' got, a bar of metal cast in a
mold.
in i'tials. (ish'alz), the first letters
of words.
Ini^, a public house; a hotel.
in nu' mer a bl^, more than can
be numbered.
in t6x'i -ea'tion, excessive rapt-
ure; drunkenness.
im part', give; grant.
in sn' si bly, not felt or perceived.
in s61v'ent, unable to pay debts.
in'ter mit', to cease for a time.
In'ti mat^, near; close.
in vadfc^, enter with hostile inten-
tions.
in val'ta a bl^, precious beyond
estimation.
I Viet (I'let), a little island.
jag'ged, notched; uneven; rough.
ja^n'ty, airy; showy.
jav^' lin, a kind of spear.
' fcjus, anxiously careful; sus-
picious.
, scoffed; mocked.
jib, foremost sail of a ship.
joists, small timbers.
ju di'ci^us (dish' us), prudent;
wise.
jump'er, a fur under-jacket.
K
kin'dred, relations; kinsmen.
kili^, a pile of brick constructed for
burning.
king'- bolt, a bolt which connects
the forward axle of a vehicle to
the other parts.
^nl^^t' hdbd, the character or
dignity of a knight.
lab'y rlnth, place full of wind-
ings.
la'd^n, loaded.
lag, moves slowly; delays.
472
FIFTH READER.
lard'er, room where provisions
are kept.
lat' tl9^, a net-work of wood or
iron.
laurel, an evergreen shrub.
le^, meadow or sward land.
le^ds/man, one who heaves the
lead.
' ^n, change for tJie better.
' er, a book containing a sum-
mary of accounts.
le'gion (le'jun), a military force.
II' a bll'i tl^, financial obliga-
tions.
lib' era' ted, released; set free.
l\^u tn' ant, a military officer.
Hst'lesi^, indifferent; inattentive.
lit' tep, a light bed on which a per-
son may be carried.
lifer al ly, strictly according to
the letter.
llt'erary, versed in literature;
pertaining to literature.
\\&? ma, an animal of South
America.
lo^th, unwilling.
lo^th^d, detested; hated.
lo' -eal, limited to a place.
lo'-eust, an insect similar to the
grasshopper.
161V ing, reclining ; leaning.
lul\, quiet, after storm or confu-
1 us' ter, brightness; splendor.
lyp^, a stringed, musical instru-
ment.
M
mag' nat^s, persons of rank or
distinction.
ma gue^' (ma gwa'), the Mex-
ican aloe.
ma h6g' a ny, a tropical tree
wJwse wood is highly valued for
cabinet purposes.
, crippled; disabled.
, Indian corn.
ma jeVti-e al ly, with a digni-
fied appearance.
mar let, a wooden hammer.
ma n^u' ver, dexterous move-
ment.
man' grov^, a tree of the East
and West Indies.
man' tl^, a loose over-garment.
mar, injure or deface.
mas' ti-e, a gum from the mastic
tree.
ma tur^d', perfected; completed.
meVger, scanty; defective.
me le" V (ma IS'), confused hand-
to-hand conflict.
msh / e, spaces inclosed between
threads of a fabric.
meVsen ger, one who bears a
(mud), shut up; con-
fined.
mid' ship man, a naval cadet
or young officer.
meth'od, mode of action.
mln'i a tur^, small; on a small
scale.
mln'strel, singer; musician.
mint, place where money is coined.
mir' POP, looking-glass.
m6b, a riotous crowd.
mo-e^^d (mokt), tantalized; de-
rided.
FIFTH READER,
473
manner.
mold'er ing, wasting away;
crumbling.
monk' ^y-^rgnch, a wrench
having a movable jaw.
mo n6t/ o nfcjtis, unvaried.
mo ras!' soft, wet ground; marsh.
mow (mou), masses of hay or
grain stowed in a barn.
miil'ti tu'di n^us, having the
appearance of a multitude.
mttm'bl^d, uttered in a low
tone.
mu r cian (zish'an), one skilled
in music.
mtts' ter, summon up; command.
mys te' ri us, difficult to un-
derstand.
N
nafc^^t (nawt), nothing.
na'vy, a fleet of war ships.
nes'^1^, lie close; move restlessly.
no'ta ry, an officer who attests
writings.
n^tir' ish^d, supported with food.
n6z' zl^, nose, or projecting part.
O
6b' li ga'tion, the state of being
indebted for acts of kindness.
6b' sta -el^, that which hinders.
o'-elq.er, kind of clay, used for
painting.
ob tr\id" ed, thrust upon, against
the wiU.
o' dor, perfume; smett.
op prSs^'lv^, unjustly severe;
burdensome.
orb^d, circular; round.
6' ri ent, eastern.
o'ri ol^, bird of tJie thrush family.
6r r to Ian, a small European bird,
which is esteemed delicious food.
6t/to man, stuffed seats.
6' ver-task^d', over-worked.
pang, agonies.
par'l^y, discussion.
pe^r^d, looked anxiously.
per i -can, a large water-fowl.
' al ty, punishment.
d, drew with a pencil.
pn x i ten 9^, sorrow for wrong
done.
per ehan9^', perhaps.
per' ti nent, appropriate.
pSt'ty, small; trifling.
pll^g, large timbers driven into tJie
ground.
pll'ladf^, plunder.
pin' ing, longing.
pi' rat^s, sea robbers.
pla?' id, calm; quiet.
pla^t' ed, folded.
plant' ^ln, a tropical tree and its
fruit.
, went regularly to and fro.
, perseverance.
plu' mag^, feathers.
p6mp, showy parade.
p6n' der fcjiis, weighty.
por'ing, carefully reading; study-
tal, gate or entrance.
p6r' ti -eo^, piazzas.
, location.
474
FIFTH READER.
pretext' (or pre'text), pretense;
excuse.
pr6ph'et, one who foretells.
pro trud'ing, being thrust out.
prov' erb, adage; maxim.
pr6v' in e, divisions of a coun-
try.
pub' li -ean, ancient tax-gatherer.
pulp, soft mass.
pur suits', occupations.
Q
quaf %, drink.
quar'ry, cavern or pit where
stones are cut from the earth.
quar' ter-d&el^, the after-deck
of a vessel.
qust, search.
iln^ (or qm nine'), a sub-
stance obtained from the cinchona
tree.
ra'di us, half the diameter of a
circle.
ram' part, bulwark; defense.
rav' a ge, devastations; wastes.
re^lm, province; domain.
re buk^', reproof.
rS-el$:'les^, careless.
re fin^d', polished; polite.
re form', return to good habits.
re' gal, royal.
rg' i ment' al, uniform of a
regiment; military outfit.
rgn'de^ vo^^ (de voo), place
appointed for meeting.
re past', meal; victuals.
re pdt^', reputation.
re' er v6ir y (vw6rz), basins or
places where water is collected
and kept for use.
re sot^r^', resort; dependence.
re tdrt' ed, replied sharply.
re veng^, return of injury.
rl$.ym^, verses; poetry.
rib' bing, furnishing with ribs;
giving the appearance of ribs.
rl' id, stiff; unyielding.
rig' or, severity.
rl'ot, uproar; tumult.
rl'val, equals or excels.
rogts^g, knaves; dishonest per-
sons.
ru' mor, flying stories.
ru'ral, country; rustic.
rus' set, of a reddish brown color.
S
sa' ber, a short sword.
sal' ly, leap or rush out; go out.
san-e'ti ty, purity; holiness.
san^, of sound mind.
s-eaf fold, a staging for workmen,
or for tJie execution of a crim-
inal.
s-ealp, deprive of the skin of the
top of the head.
s-earnp, a knavisJi fellow; a rogue.
s-eor'pi on, small reptiles that
have a sting.
s-eouts, those sent out to discover;
s-eru' tiny, close search.
s^yth^, instruments for mowing
grass.
se -eret^', conceal; hide.
sSn'try, a soldier on guard.
FIFTH READER.
478
se rn' i ty, state of being calm or
peaceful.
shad' o^^d, faintly represented;
shaded.
shirked, sought to avoid duty.
shoals;, shallow places; sand bars.
shrSds., small pieces.
shroud, dress of a corpse; wind-
ing-sheet.
sl-eV 1^, reaping-hook.
singed, slightly burned.
sklf , a small boat.
l ing, crying; wJiining.
r sti9^, the point in the ecliptic
where the sun is farthest from the
' her, dark; gloomy.
sov'er ^ifcjn, supreme ruler.
spa' ik?us (shus), large in extent;
roomy.
sp&e'ta -el^, sight.
splr^, a steeple.
spit' ted, put on an iron prong to
be roasted.
spurn, to reject with disdain.
stag'nant, motionless; dull.
stanchion (shun), prop or sup-
port.
stark, stiff; rigid.
ste^r'ag^, act of steering.
stlm'u lat^, animate; excite.
sty, a pen for swine.
su-e'-eor, help.
sur'ly, cross; crabbed.
sur rSn'der^d, yielded; gave
up.
surviving, living; outliving.
sus pl'cion (pish'un), mistrust;
doubt.
, a rustic ; a country gal-
lant.
s\varth'y, of a dark color, as, a
swarthy complexion.
sw-ay^, command; influence.
s^7V r oon, faint ; a fainting fit.
symp'tom, signs or indications.
ta-e^:, change course.
tarong, claws of a bird of prey.
ta" pir, tropical animals.
tap' pan, a tropical tree.
te^n, years between twelve and
twenty.
tel'e gram, a message sent by
telegraph.
tSr'ra pln, large turtles.
t\er, rows, one above another.
tit'tl^, a very small part.
t6d x dl^d, walked with short steps.
to' ga, loose outer garments worn
by the ancient Romans.
tol\, rings with slow strokes.
t6m / a ha^k, an Indian war
hatchet.
tor na' do, violent storm of wind;
hurricane.
tdfter ing, shaking.
to^v^d, drawn through the water
by a rope.
traV tor, one that betrays his
country.
tran^, state of insensibility ; cat-
tran'quil (trank' wil), peaceful;
quiet.
tr6s^'e, locks or ringlets of hair.
trlb'u ta ri^, branches.
476
FIFTH READER,
trl'dent, a scepter or spear, hav-
ing three prongs.
trlg'ger, the lever used to dis-
charge a gun or pistol,
threefold.
lz), things captured in
battle.
trdth, truth; veracity.
tru9^, temporary stoppage of bat-
tle or contest.
trui^g^d, traveled on foot.
tun'nl^g, fishes of the mackerel
family.
tusks, long, protruding teeth, as
of the elephant, the wild boar, etc.
twa^n, two.
twe^d, light, cotton goods.
U
tin' der t6n^, a low tone.
un ga^n'ly, awkward, clumsy.
u'ni fdrm'i ty, sameness; con-
un par'al leltydi^having; no equal;
matchless.
tin' re ml t' ting, without ceas-
ing; persevering.
un tir'ing, not tiring; patient.
, indefinite; unsettled.
val^s., valleys.
va lis^', a traveling satchel.
van^g, weather-cocks.
vat^nt'ed, boasted.
, turned aside; changed.
9^, infliction of pain
in return for an injury.
vnt/ed, let out; emitted.
, sound; move to and fro.
vi 9in x i ty, neighborhood.
vl^t't^^l (vit'l), supply with pro-
visions.
vl^d, strove; attempted to equal or
surpass.
vll' la, a country residence.
vlv'id, bright; sharp; active.
v6r l^y, discharge of many fire-
arms at once.
W
^7V r a s V5t / e6^t, a garment worn
under the coat.
\van (won), pale.
ward'erg, keepers; guards.
ward" rob^, wearing apparel; a
closet for clothes.
\var / rant (wor'rant), guarantee;
maintain.
wa^ch'-to w'er, towers for sen-
tinels.
wa'ter-spouts, whirling col-
umns of water at sea.
wa/ver^d, moved to and fro;
fluctuated.
wax'ing, increasing; becoming.
^7v ^ e^l, happiness; prosperity.
' ing, breathing hard.
, light, shallow boats.
^vIg' wam, Indian huts.
whln'ny ing, neighing, as of a
horse.
wl-el$:'er, made of twigs.
' ing, fascinating; bewitch-
ing.
fT^^, a
to quench when on fire.
o^, sorrow; grief.
FIFTH READER.
477
wont'ed, accustomed.
^7v r oo^d, made love to; courted.
'worst'ed (wurst), defeated.
^re^th^d, twisted; entwined.
^Vr<5st'ed, took by force.
^r\ch, a vile kna/ve; a miser-
able person.
twisting.
zdph'yr, a gentle breeze; the west
zlg'zag, having frequent short,
sharp turns.
NAMES OF PERSONS AND PLACES USED IN THIS BOOK,
WITH THEIR PRONUNCIATION.
A' bra ham
Be"l\^
aVa sus
A dor' no
Bn'ja min
CaVdle
JE, gae'us
Ben Wy'vis
Gav^'li er'
(e ge'us)
Blak^
(kav'leaO
^E'sop
B61'ler manis^
Ch,al de'an
(e's6p)
Boni^
ChSs'a pe^k^
A lad' din
B6n'sal\
Chglmg'ford
Al Sx'is
Boyd
Chi ne V
Al ge'ri a
Bran'den burg
Christ
Al'len
Brandt
Qim me'ri an
A 16n' zo
Brin'dl^
o 16^n^'
Am' a zon
Brlt'ong
Co lunn' bl a
A ris'to de'mus
Brdbks
6n'rad
Ar' kan sa^' (saw')
Brukl
-C6p x per f\eld
Ar'thur
Bur goyn^'
o ri can' eha
A' si a
Bar' ton
6r'inth
(a'shl a)
r6m'wel\
Ast'l^y
Q^e' ar
Cus'ter
At'ti -ea
-amp'bel\
Cuz'-eo
Aus' tri an
(kam'el)
(koos'ko)
BSb'y Ion
Bag a du'ce
Ba'ker
&rs' ten
Cas'pi an
as tll'ian
Dft'cian
(da'shftn)
478
FIFTH READER.
DSm' a ra' tus
G6th'i-e
Jap' an gs.^
Dv'on shlr^
Gre^?^
Jas' per
DI en' I ee
Green' wich
J6m'ml^
Dol' go ru' ki
(grln'ij)
Je ru'sa lem
(dol' go rob' ke)
Do' the boys.
Ham' burg
Ken tuV y
Dy'aks.
Hamp'den
Kort
Han' -e6-e^:
Ker'll^
Eb en e' zer
Hans
E'den
Harden
Lab' ra dor'
E 11' ja^
Ha^
La Chin^'
E llz'abeth
HaV'l^Y
(la sheen')
Eph i al'tes.
HS-e'la
La RI-e'a
E thi 6' pi an
H61'lesp6nt
La SalW
Eu boe' a
HSn'der son
Latour' d'Au vergne' 1
Eu'gen^ or
HSn'nepin
(la toor'do varn')
Eu gen**'
Her'-eu le
L norV
Eu'ry tus
HI' ram
Le 6n' i das
Ho' garth
Lin'-eoV 1 (link' on)
Fe"n'no
Ho'reb
Lo'gan
Fer'di nand
Hu'bert
Longue'vlll^
FeVro
Hun ga'rian
(long'vil)
Flo' ri an
(hung ga'rl an)
Frank'lin
Huns' don
Mad6n'ald
Fr6n' te na-e
Hy dar'ng
Ma lay
Ma' li bran'
Ga'briel
I'daho
(ma' le br6n')
GSn'o a
11 li nois/
Mar' a thon
Geoffrey
(noi) or- (noi)
Mar' tin
Ger' ma ny
In'a
M-e Ga'ry
Gil' e ad
I o'ni an
Me ^Is'ti as
GIl^s
Ireland
Mem bre'
GISn -eoV
I'a bel
(m6m bra')
Glouces' ter
!' ra el Tte
MIgh' i gan
(g!6s'ter)
!' ra fe^l
Mil' ton
G6d'fr^y
I van'
Mis so^'rl
Go me/ra
Mo' ha^rk
(go ma'ra)
Ja' -eob
M one V ton
Gor'go
Ja'H
Mdnt ^a^m'
FIFTH READER.
479
Mon te 2\i'mas.
Pasque
Ri bourde'
Mont gbm'er y
( P ask)
(re boord')
Mont' re al'
Pg'leg
Ri'l^y
Mor'gan
Peli'de
Rdd'rigo
Mor'gan town'
Pel' o pon ne'sus
Roes^h' en
M6r'ris town'
Pe'lops
Ro ma'nofX
Mdr'ton
PSn' ning ton
RgV en
Man' son
Pe n6b's-eot
Rag' by
(mar 7 !)
Per sSp'o lis
St. An' drew
Mus^
Per\i'
(an'dru)
My 9^e'nse
PS'ter sen
St. El' mo
Pha'ra olj.
St. Gfeorgfe
NSg ro pont'
Phil' a deT phi a
St. LaVren9^
New Or'le an
Pho'9i an
St. Swlth'in
Ni-e^.'o las
Phoe'bus
San Salvador'
Ni-el^' 1^ by
Pho3 nl'9ian (nlsh'an)
Sara to'ga
Nl'ger
Pi erre'
Sar'dis
Ni'fia
(pe ar')
Sa van' nal%
(neen'ya)
PIn'na -ely BSrg
Se6t'tish
Nors^
Pip' chin
Se^'ton
Nor' wa$(
Pm'ta
Se r lim
Nor we'gi an
Pin' zon
SSn'e-ea
piat\^
Shan' non
O ber hau'sen
Pla tae'a
She v\ra' ng^
CE'ta
Plu'to
Smlk^
OV'sen
POr'tug^gg^
S6n'tag
O'man
Po to' ma-e
Spa^n
On'onda'ga
Pr6v'i den9^
Span'iardg
Or'phe as
Prus'sian
(span' yard)
O si' ris
(prash'an or pr\i'shan)
Span'ish
Ow'en
Spar'ta
Que b&e'
SpS-eV 1 ^
Pa 9ir i
Spring' fi,51d
Pai' las
Ra'chel
Sque^rg
Pa ra gua^'
Ra'mals}.
Str6s' ser
Pa ra na'
Ra^mi
Su'ga
Par' ma
R^Il'ly
Su'si
48O
FIFTH READER.
Stts'sex
S wi v' el er
TSm'pe
Ten' nes se^'
Thames. (tmz)
The' bang
ThSs'pi an
Thes sa'li an
Thds'sa ly
Tl^dm'as ton
Ti mor'
Tit i ea'-
TrSn'ton
Tu'nis
Uber'to
Un'der \vdbd
U x ru
Val pa
Vir gln'i us
Wads' \v6r th
Wal'ter
West Point'
W-Il'son
Yang' tse K'i Sng
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