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But how to get it was the question. With Indians in every direction and watching behind every tree, it seemed impossible for any one to reach the house and return in safety.

6. Still all were anxious to volunteer on this dangerous service, and, while they were disputing for the perilous honor, Elizabeth Zane, a schoolgirl of seventeen, begged that she might be allowed the privilege of going for the powder.

7. Of course the men refused her request. It was not a woman's place, they said, to expose her life when there were men ready to go. Whoever went would certainly be killed, and at least a man would stand a better chance, as he could run more rapidly.

8. But Elizabeth replied that she knew the danger, and that if she were killed or captured her loss would not be felt, while not a single man could well be spared from the little garrison.

9. At length, much against their will, the men yielded to her persistence, and she darted from the gate and ran like a deer toward the house, while twelve guns covered her path should the Indians try to capture her.

10. The Indians saw her as she ran across the open space, but did not fire at her, probably because they thought that she intended to escape into the woods to carry news of the attack to other garri

sons; and they knew that, once in the woods, they could easily capture her.

11. While they hesitated, she reached the house and entered it, and in a

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12. For a moment she hesitated in the shadow of the house, and then darted into the clearing and

ran towards the fort. But now the Indians, recovering from their surprise, guessed her errand, and sent after her a shower of bullets and arrows.

13. As she neared the fort the gate was thrown wide open, and a part of the little garrison stood ready to rush out and bring her in should she be hit, while the rest used up their little remaining powder in replying to the volleys of the savages. But no bullet reached her or her burden, and she passed the gate in safety with the precious powder.

14. As she stood there panting from her exertion, with the blood of health tingeing her brown cheek, and her eyes sparkling with triumph, surrounded by the women in the fort, her mother cried out, "O Elizabeth! how could you do so brave •a deed?" 'Why, mother," she replied, "I trusted in God to take care of me, and ran as fast as I could."

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15. The Indians soon renewed their attack on the fort, but the girl's act of heroism so inspired its defenders that they beat back every attempt with great loss to the assailants until relief came, and the savages, finding their task hopeless, burned the village and retreated into Canada.

16. The war soon ended, and peace again filled the valley with homes, but the memory of heroic deeds remained, and first among them was the gunpowder story of Elizabeth Zane.

1. Causeway, fortified, sergeant, determined, exhausted, explosion, completely, defeated, attacked, shrinking, heroism, ceased, presence, impossible, volunteer, perilous, privilege, garrison, yielded, persistence, renewed, inspired.

2. Where is Mexico? What is its form of government? What language is spoken there? What are "dragoons"? In what different ways can you tell anything? What is “a charge"? Can you give any instances of the bravery of women? What war was going on in 1777? How long would it take to run sixty yards? How could peace fill the valley with homes?

V. SPRING.

1. Dip down upon the northern shore,
O sweet new year, delaying long;
Thou dost expectant nature wrong,
Delaying long delay no more.

2. What stays thee from the clouded noons,
Thy sweetness from its proper place?
Can trouble live with April days,

Or sadness in the summer moons?

3. Bring orchis, bring the foxglove spire,
The little speedwell's darling blue,
Deep tulips dashed with fiery dew,
Laburnums, dropping-wells of fire.
4. Now rings the woodland loud and long,
The distance takes a lovelier hue,

And, drowned in yonder living blue,
The lark becomes a sightless song.

5. Now dance the lights on lawn and lea,
The flocks are whiter down the vale,
And milkier every milky sail

On winding stream or distant sea;

6. Where now the sea mew pipes, or dives
In yonder greening gleam, and fly
The happy birds, that change their sky
To build and brood, that live their lives

7. From land to land; and in my breast
Spring wakens too; and my regret
Becomes an April violet,

And buds and blossoms like the rest.

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1. Delaying, expectant, laburnums, drowned, tulips, orchis. 2. What is the meaning of "dip down"? expectant nature"? "sweet new year"? "what stays thee"? Is spring addressed here as a person? Why are "thee" and "thou" and "thy" used instead of "you" and "your"? When does spring begin?

VI. POETRY.

1. To me the world's an open book,
Of sweet and pleasant poetry;

I read it in the running brook
That sings its way toward the sea.

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