5. Yet, would you cure this sad defect, Begin, at once, and now correct This day resolve,—this very hour, Nor e'en a moment wait; Go, make this better maxim yours, 'Tis better never late! QUESTIONS.-1. To what is life compared, first verse? 2. What advice is given if you chance to fall behind? 3. How ought you to treat your competitors? 4. What is a very common failing? 5. How may it be corrected? 6. What is the use of the apostrophe in the word repining's, fifth verse? WHY wouldst thou leave me, O gentle child? Where many an image of marble gleams, ΒΟΥ. Oh, green is the turf where my brothers play, They find the red cup-moss where they climb, LADY. Content thee, boy, in my bower to dwell; Here are sweet sounds which thou lovest well, Flutes on the air in the stilly noon, Harps which the wandering breezes tune, BOY. My mother sings, at the twilight's fall, A song of the hills, far more sweet than all; To the babe half-slumbering on her knee; LADY. (pl.) Thy mother hath gone from her cares to rest; Come thou with me to the vineyards nigh, Is BOY. my mother gone from her home away'?— But I know that my brothers are there at play; 1 I know they are gathering the fox-glove's bell, Or the long fern leaves by the sparkling well; Or they launch their boats where the bright streams flow, Lady, kind lady! oh, let me go! LADY. Fair child, thy brothers are wanderers now, For thy cabin-home is a lonely spot. ΒΟΥ. Are they gone, all gone from the sunny hill'? QUESTIONS.-1. What kind of words are straw-roofed, heath-flower, woodnote, &c.? 2. What is the use of the apostrophes in the words o'er, ne'er, twilight's, &c.? LESSON AP PÂR ENT LY, evidently. SUB LIME', grand; magnificent. [ance. XVIII. CLAM' OR OUS, noisy; importunate. AT MOS PHÈRE, surrounding air. DIS TRI BU' TION, division. THE OLD EAGLE TREE. REV. JOHN TODD. 1. In a remote field stood a large tulip tree, apparently of a century's growth, and one of the most gigantic of that splendid species. It looked like the father of the surrounding forest. A single tree, of huge dimensions, standing all alone, is a sublime object. 2. On the top of this tree, an old eagle, commonly called the "Fishing Eagle," had built her nest every year, for many years, and, unmolested, raised her young. What is remarkable, as she procured her food from the ocean, this tree stood full ten miles from the sea-shore. It had long been known as the "Old Eagle tree." 3. On a warm, sunny day, the workmen were hoeing corn in an adjoining field. At a certain hour of the day, the old eagle was known to set off for the sea-side, to gather food for her young. As she this day returned with a large fish in her claws, the workmen surrounded the tree, and, by yelling, and hooting, and throwing stones, so scared the poor bird that she dropped her fish, and they carried it off in triumph. 4. The men soon dispersed; but Joseph sat down under a bush near by, to watch, and to bestow unavailing pity. The bird soon returned to her nest without food. The eaglets at once set up a cry for food, so shrill, so clear, and so clamorous, that the boy was greatly moved. 5. The parent bird seemed to try to soothe them; but their appetites were too keen, and it was all in vain. She then perched herself on a limb near them, and looked down into the nest with a look that seemed to say, "I know not what to do next." 6. Her indecision was but momentary; again she poised herself, uttered one or two sharp notes, as if telling them to "lie still," balanced her body, spread her wings, and was away again for the sea! 7. Joseph was determined to see the result. His eye followed her till she grew small, smaller,—a mere speck in the sky, and then disappeared. What boy has not thus watched the flight of the bird of his country in this way? 8. She was gone nearly two hours, about double her usual time for a voyage, when she again returned, on a slow, weary wing, flying uncommonly low, in order to have a heavier atmosphere to sustain her, with another fish in her talons. 9. On nearing the field, she made a circuit around it, to see if her enemies were again there. Finding the coast clear, she once more reached her tree, drooping, faint, and weary, and evidently nearly exhausted. Again the eaglets set up their cry, which was soon hushed by the distribution of a dinner, such as-save the cooking-a king might admire. 10. "GLORIOUS BIRD!" cried the boy in ecstasy, and aloud; "what a spirit! Other birds can fly swifter, others can sing more sweetly, others can scream more loudly; but what other bird, when persecuted and robbed-when weary —when discouraged—when so far from sea,—would do it! 11. "GLORIOUS BIRD! I will learn a lesson from thee to-day. I will never forget hereafter, that when the spirit is determined, it can do almost any thing. Others would have drooped and hung the head, and mourned over the cruelty of man, and sighed over the wants of the nestlings; but thou, by at once recovering the loss, hast forgotten all. 12. "I will learn of thee, noble bird! I will remember this. I will set my mark high. I will try to do something, and to be something in the world; I will never yield to discouragements." |