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Lay a great wolf, all torn and dead,-
Tremendous still in death!

Ah! what was then Llewellyn's pain,
For now the truth was clear;

The gallant hound the wolf had slain, *
To save Llewellyn's heir.

Vain, vain was all Llewellyn's woe,-
'Best of thy kind, adieu!

The frantic deed which laid thee low
This heart shall ever rue!'

And now a gallant tomb they raise,
With costly sculpture deck'd;
And marbles, storied with his praise,
Poor Gelert's bones protect.

Here never could the spearman pass,
Or forester, unmov'd;

Here oft the tear-besprinkled grass
Llewellyn's sorrow prov'd.

And here he hung his horn and spear;
And oft as evening fell,

In fancy's piercing sound would hear
Poor Gelert's dying yell.

Spencer.

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THE CAPTIVE WOODCHUCK.

vi'-o-late, to break

wood'-chuck, an American animal | por-tion, a part
of the rabbit kind
cap'-tive, a prisoner
coun'-sel (n.), one who pleads for
another

ar-gue, to give reasons for a
thing

cap'-ture, the act of taking prisoner wa'-ry, cautious

prac'-ti-cal, relating to practice or action

dumb, unable to speak boun'-ty, goodness

in'-stinct, the natural knowledge
possessed by animals
lib'-er-ty, freedom
con-tin'-ue, to go on
mute, silent

self'-ish, thinking only of one's
self
states'-man, one who takes part in
the government of a country
cred'-it-a-ble, praiseworthy

In New Hampshire, America, dwelt a farmer named Webster. He had two sons, Ezekiel and Daniel. Ezekiel had set a trap for a woodchuck, and caught him.

"Now, we'll kill the thief,' cried Ezekiel; 'you've done mischief enough to die, Mr. Woodchuck, and you shall die.'

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'No, do n't,' begged his brother, pitying the poor captive, take him into the woods, and let him go.' The boys could not agree, so they carried the case to their father.

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There is the prisoner,' said the farmer; you shall be the counsel, one for, and the other against his life, and plead the case before me. I will be the judge.'

Ezekiel opened it, arguing against the mischievous disposition of the prisoner, and the harm he had already done in the garden. He spoke of the time and labour spent in capturing him, and how, if allowed to live and go at large, he would surely take to his evil habits again, and be wary enough not to be caught a second time; therefore he ought to die. If killed, his skin might be of some value:

but making the most of that, it would not pay for the damage he had done.

A pretty practical argument, and calculated to weigh on the old farmer's practical mind! But he turned to his other son, and said, 'I'll hear now what you have to say on the other side, Daniel.'

Poor Daniel was afraid his brother had the best of the case; but when he turned his large dark eyes on the poor woodchuck, trembling with fear in the grating of its narrow prison, his breast swelled with pity, he took courage, and, looking the judge in the face, poured forth his plea in its behalf.

'God,' said he, has made the woodchuck. He made him to live, to enjoy the bright sunshine, the pure air, the free fields and woods. God has not made him nor anything, in vain. The woodchuck has as much right to enjoy life as any living thing. He is not a destructive animal, as the fox or wolf is; he simply eats a few common vegetables, of which we have plenty, and can well spare a part. He destroys nothing except the little food he needs to sustain his humble life; and that little food is as sweet to him, as is to us the food on our mother's table. God has furnished our food; He gives us all we possess; and shall we not spare a little for this dumb creature, who really has as much right to his small share of God's bounty, as we ourselves have to our portion? Yea, more, the animal has never violated the laws of his nature or the laws of God, as man often does, but strictly follows the simple instincts he has received from the hand of the Creator of all things. Created by God's hand, he has a right to life, to food, to liberty; and we have no right to deprive him of either. Look,' he continued, at the mute but earnest pleadings of the little creature for life, as sweet and dear to him as ours to us; and what may not God's judgment be on us, if, in selfish cruelty and with cold hearts,

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we take that life which can never be given back again?'

Daniel saw the tears start in his father's eyes, and run down his sunburnt cheeks. This appeal to his mercy was too much for him; forgetting the judge, he sprang from his chair, exclaiming, Zeke, Zeke, you let that woodchuck go!'

This is said to have been Daniel Webster-the great American lawyer and statesman's, first case, when he was only ten years old. It is certainly creditable both to his head and heart. And I hope every boy who reads it will think over the drift of his argument; and if he finds within him a disposition to torment, terrify, or kill God's humbler creatures, will remember Daniel Webster's first case, recall his words of mercy, and let the woodchuck go.'-Child's Paper.

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THE CHILD AND THE HIND.

hind, a female deer

Wies-ba'-den, capital of Nassau

cull, to choose from others

Nas-sau', a German state

deck (v.), to ornament

en-twi'-ned, twisted round

[blocks in formation]

for-lorn', forsaken

a-ban'-don-ed, given up

ar-ti-san', a skilled workman

as-cen'-sion, the going up of our kith, relations

Saviour into heaven

glad-some, full of gladness

cher-u-bim, plural of cherub, an | hap'-ly, by chance

angel

Come, maids and matrons, to caress
Wiesbaden's gentle hind;

And, smiling, deck its glossy neck
With forest flowers entwined.
"Twas after church-on Ascension-day-
When organs ceased to sound,
Wiesbaden's people crowded gay

The deer-park's pleasant ground.

Here came a twelve years' married pair—
And with them wandered free
Seven sons and daughters, blooming fair,
A gladsome sight to see!

Their Wilhelm, little innocent!

The youngest of the seven,
Was beautiful as painters paint
The cherubim of heaven.

By turns he gave his hand, so dear,

To parent, sister, brother,

And each, that he was safe and near,

Confided in the other.

But Wilhelm loved the field-flowers bright,
With love beyond all measure;

And culled them with as keen delight
As misers gather treasure.

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