OVER THE HILL

"TRAVELER, what lies over the hill?

Traveler, tell to me:

I am only a child - from the window sill
Over I cannot see."

"Child, there's a valley over there,

Pretty and wooded and shy;

And a little brook that says,

Take care,

Or I'll drown you by and by."

"And what comes next?"

"A little town,

And a towering hill again;

More hills and valleys, up and down,

And a river now and then."

"And what comes next?" "A lonely moor

Without a beaten way;

And gray clouds sailing slow before

A wind that will not stay."

"And then?" "Dark rocks and yellow sand,

And a moaning sea beside."

"And then?" "More sea, more sea, more land,

And rivers deep and wide."

"And then?" "Oh, rock and mountain and vale,

Rivers and fields and men,

Over and over a weary tale

And round to your home again."

- GEORGE MACDONALD.

THE SUN IS DOWN

THE sun is down, and time gone by,

The stars are twinkling in the sky,

The hours have passed with stealthy flight,
We needs must part: Good night, good night!
We part in hopes of days as bright

As this gone by: Good night, good night!

- JOANNA BAILLIE.

FINALE

THE play is done - the curtain drops,
Slowly falling to the prompter's bell;
A moment yet the actor stops,

And looks around to say farewell.
On life's wide scene you, too, have parts,
That fate ere long shall bid you play; -
Good night! With honest, gentle hearts
And kindly greeting, go alway!

W. M. THACKERAY.

APPENDIX

PRONOUNCING KEY AND WORD LIST

THE following key to the pronunciation of words is in accordance with Webster's International Dictionary. The silent letters are printed in italics. As a rule, only accented and doubtful syllables are diacritically marked. The list includes the proper names, together with such other words as are most likely to be misspelled or mispronounced.