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diff --git a/old/53732-0.txt b/old/53732-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 8f9acec..0000000 --- a/old/53732-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,6563 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Standard Catholic Readers by Grades: Fifth -Year, by Various - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - - - -Title: Standard Catholic Readers by Grades: Fifth Year - -Author: Various - -Editor: Mary E. Doyle - -Release Date: December 14, 2016 [EBook #53732] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STANDARD CATHOLIC READERS *** - - - - -Produced by Juliet Sutherland and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - -[Illustration: THE MADONNA OF THE CHAIR - -_Painting by Raphael_] - - - - - _EIGHT BOOK SERIES_ - - STANDARD - CATHOLIC READERS - BY GRADES - - FIFTH YEAR - - BY - MARY E. DOYLE - - FORMERLY PRINCIPAL OF HOLY NAMES NORMAL SCHOOL, - SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, AND SUPERVISOR OF TEACHING, - STATE NORMAL SCHOOL, SUPERIOR, WISCONSIN - - [Illustration] - - NEW YORK ⁘ CINCINNATI ⁘ CHICAGO - AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY - - COPYRIGHT, 1909, 1913, BY - MARY E. DOYLE. - - STAND. CATH. READERS BY GRADES. - 5TH YEAR. - - E. P. 6 - - - - -PREFACE - - -The selections in this reader for the Fifth Year were chosen with -reference both to their intrinsic literary quality and to the varying -capabilities of the pupils who will read them. It is confidently hoped -that they will reach some interest of each child, and, at the same time, -help to form a correct literary standard and encourage a taste for the -best reading. - -In the preparation of this series of readers, valuable counsel and -assistance have been given me by many friendly educators and those in -authority. I am especially grateful to the Rt. Rev. John Lancaster -Spalding of Peoria for helpful advice and encouragement in the planning -and inception of the work; also, to the Rt. Rev. James McGolrick of -Duluth, Minnesota, to the Rt. Rev. A. F. Schinner of Superior, Wisconsin, -and to other prelates and clergy who have graciously given me assistance -in various ways. Many thanks, too, for kindly suggestions and criticisms -are hereby proffered to numerous friends among those patient and inspiring -educators--the Sisters. - - MARY E. DOYLE. - - - - -ACKNOWLEDGMENTS - - -The selections from Whittier, Longfellow. Lowell, Miriam Coles Harris, and -John Burroughs are used by special permission of, and arrangement with, -Houghton Mifflin Company, the publishers of the works of these authors. -The selections from Helen Hunt Jackson are used by special arrangement -with Little, Brown, & Company. Acknowledgments for the use of copyright -material are also made: to Small, Maynard & Company for the poems by -Father Tabb; to the editor and publisher of _The Ave Maria_ for “Lucy’s -Rosary,” by J. R. Marre, and other poems from that magazine; to Mary F. -Nixon-Roulet for the selections of which she is the author; to Longmans, -Green, & Company, for “The Reindeer,” by Andrew Lang; to Henry Coyle -for the poems of which he is the author; and to the Congregation of the -Mission of St Vincent de Paul, Springfield, Mass., for the extract from -Mother Mary Loyola’s “Jesus of Nazareth,” of which book they are the -publishers. - - - - -CONTENTS - - - PAGE - - Little Wolff and his Wooden Shoe _François Coppée_ 7 - - The Eagle and the Swan _J. J. Audubon_ 14 - - Lucy’s Rosary _J. R. Marre_ 16 - - The Taxgatherer _Rev. John B. Tabb_ 17 - - The Wisdom of Alexander _Horace Binney Wallace_ 18 - - Thanksgiving _Henry Coyle_ 23 - - The Enchanted Bark _Cervantes_ 24 - - A Legend of St. Nicholas _Author Unknown_ 30 - - Raphael of Urbino 36 - - Lead, Kindly Light _Cardinal Newman_ 43 - - Parable of the Good Samaritan _The Bible_ 44 - - Connor Mac-Nessa--An Irish Legend _M. F. Nixon-Roulet_ 46 - - The Martyrdom of Blessed John Fisher _Rev. T. E. Bridgett_ 50 - - The Nightingale and the Glowworm _William Cowper_ 56 - - If thou couldst be a Bird _Rev. F. W. Faber_ 58 - - The First Crusade 60 - - How the Robin Came _John G. Whittier_ 75 - - How St. Francis preached to the Birds _From “Little Flowers of - St. Francis”_ 78 - - The Petrified Fern _Mary L. Bolles Branch_ 82 - - Bird Enemies _John Burroughs_ 84 - - St. Joseph’s Month _H. W._ 95 - - A Song of Spring _Aubrey de Vere_ 96 - - Robert Bruce _Sir Walter Scott_ 97 - - “When Evening Shades are Falling” _Thomas Moore_ 106 - - The Reindeer _A. Lang_ 107 - - A Story of Ancient Ireland _Lady Gregory_ 114 - - San Gabriel _Helen Hunt Jackson_ 118 - - Imitation of Mary _St. Ambrose_ 120 - - Scene from “William Tell” _Sheridan Knowles_ 121 - - The Schoolmaster of Sleepy Hollow _Washington Irving_ 132 - - The Bluebird _Rev. John B. Tabb_ 151 - - The Brook _Alfred Tennyson_ 152 - - The Story of a Happy Child 154 - - May Carol _Sister Mary Antonia_ 158 - - The Precious Blood of Jesus _Henry Coyle_ 160 - - The Spanish Cook _Miriam Coles Harris_ 161 - - The Planting of the Apple Tree _William Cullen Bryant_ 166 - - The Conversion of King Ratbodo _Conrad von Bolanden_ 170 - - The Blessed Virgin Mary _H. W. Longfellow_ 174 - - Come to Jesus _Rev. F. W. Faber_ 175 - - Father Marquette _John G. Shea_ 178 - - The Shepherd of King Admetus _J. R. Lowell_ 186 - - The Sermon on the Mount _Mother Mary Loyola_ 188 - - The Star-spangled Banner _Francis Scott Key_ 196 - - How America was Discovered 198 - - The Power of God _Thomas Moore_ 213 - - Our Country and our Home _James Montgomery_ 214 - - Notes 215 - - - - -FIFTH YEAR - - - - -LITTLE WOLFF AND HIS WOODEN SHOE - - -I - -Once upon a time, so long ago that everybody has forgotten the date, there -was a little boy whose name was Wolff. He lived with his aunt in a tall -old house in a city whose name is so hard to pronounce that nobody can -speak it. He was seven years old, and he could not remember that he had -ever seen his father or his mother. - -The old aunt who had the care of little Wolff was very selfish and cross. -She gave him dry bread to eat, of which there was never enough; and not -more than once in the year did she speak kindly to him. - -But the poor boy loved this woman, because he had no one else to love; and -there was never a day so dark that he did not think of the sunlight. - -Everybody knew that Wolff’s aunt owned a house and had a stocking full of -gold under her bed, and so she did not dare to send the little boy to the -school for the poor as she would have liked to do. But a schoolmaster on -the next street agreed to teach him for almost nothing; and whenever there -was work he could do, he was kept at home. - -The schoolmaster had an unkind feeling for Wolff because he brought him so -little money and was dressed so poorly. And so the boy was punished very -often, and had to bear the blame for all the wrong that was done in the -school. - -The little fellow was often very sad; and more than once he hid himself -where he could not be seen and cried as though his heart would break. But -at last Christmas came. - -The night before Christmas there was to be singing in the church, and the -schoolmaster was to be there with all his boys; and everybody was to have -a very happy time looking at the Christmas candles and listening to the -sweet music. - -The winter had set in very cold and rough, and there was much snow on the -ground; and so the boys came to the schoolhouse with fur caps drawn down -over their ears, and heavy coats, and warm gloves, and thick high-topped -boots. But little Wolff had no warm clothes. He came shivering in the thin -coat which he wore on Sundays in summer; and there was nothing on his feet -but coarse stockings very full of holes, and a pair of heavy wooden shoes. - -The other boys made many jokes about his sad looks and his worn-out -clothes. But the poor child was so busy blowing his fingers and thumping -his toes to keep them warm that he did not hear what was said. And when -the hour came, the whole company of boys, with the schoolmaster at the -front, started to the church. - - -II - -It was very fine in the church. Hundreds of wax candles were burning in -their places, and the air was so warm that Wolff soon forgot his aching -fingers. The boys sat still for a little while; and then while the singing -was going on and the organ was making loud music, they began in low voices -to talk to one another; and each told about the fine things that were -going to be done at his home on the morrow. - -The mayor’s son told of a monstrous goose that he had seen in the kitchen -before he came away; it was stuffed, and stuck all over with cloves till -it was as spotted as a leopard. Another boy whispered of a little fir tree -in a wooden box in his mother’s parlor; its branches were full of fruits -and nuts and candy and beautiful toys. And he said that he was sure of a -fine dinner, for the cook had pinned the two strings of her cap behind her -back, us she always did when something wonderfully good was coming. - -Then the children talked of what the Christ Child would bring them, and of -what He would put in their shoes, which, of course, they would leave by -the fireplace when they went to bed. And the eyes of the little fellows -danced with joy as they thought of the bags of candy and the lead soldiers -and the grand jumping jacks which they would draw out in the morning. - -But little Wolff said nothing. He knew that his selfish old aunt would -send him to bed without any supper, as she always did. But he felt in his -heart that he had been all the year as good and kind as he could be; and -so he hoped that the blessed Christ Child would not forget him nor fail to -see his wooden shoes which he would put in the ashes in the corner of the -fireplace. - - -III - -At last the singing stopped, the organ was silent, and the Christmas music -was ended. The boys arose in order and left the church, two by two, as -they had entered it; and the teacher walked in front. - -Now, as he passed through the door of the church, little Wolff saw a child -sitting on one of the stone steps and fast asleep in the midst of the -snow. The child was thinly clad, and his feet, cold as it was, were bare. - -In the pale light of the moon, the face of the child, with its closed -eyes, was full of a sweetness which is not of this earth, and his long -locks of yellow hair seemed like a golden crown upon his head. But his -poor bare feet, blue in the cold of that winter night, were sad to look -upon. - -The scholars, so warmly clad, passed before the strange child, and did not -so much as glance that way. But little Wolff, who was the last to come out -of the church, stopped, full of pity, before him. - -“Ah, the poor child!” he said to himself. “How sad it is that he must go -barefoot in such weather as this! And what is still worse, he has not a -stocking nor even a wooden shoe to lay before him while he sleeps, so that -the Christ Child can put something in it to make him glad when he wakens.” - -Little Wolff did not stand long to think about it; but in the goodness of -his heart he took off the wooden shoe from his right foot and laid it by -the side of the sleeping child. Then, limping along through the snow, and -shivering with cold, he went down the street till he came to his cheerless -home. - -“You worthless fellow!” cried his aunt. “Where have you been? What have -you done with your other shoe?” - -Little Wolff trembled now with fear as well as with the cold; but he had -no thought of deceiving his angry aunt. He told her how he had given the -shoe to a child that was poorer than himself. The woman laughed an ugly, -wicked laugh. - -“And so,” she said, “our fine young gentleman takes off his shoes for -beggars! He gives his wooden shoe to a barefoot! Well, we shall see. -You may put the shoe that is left in the chimney, and, mind what I say! -If anything is left in it, it will be a switch to whip you with in the -morning. To-morrow, for your Christmas dinner, you shall have nothing but -a hard crust of bread to eat and cold water to drink. I will show you how -to give away your shoes to the first beggar that comes along!” - -The wicked woman struck the boy upon the cheek with her hand, and then -made him climb up to his bed in the loft. Sobbing with grief and pain, -little Wolff lay on his hard, cold bed, and did not go to sleep till the -moon had gone down and the Christmas bells had rung in the glad day of -peace and good will. - -In the morning when the old woman arose grumbling and went downstairs, a -wonderful sight met her eyes. The great chimney was full of beautiful toys -and bags of candy and all kinds of pretty things; and right in the midst -of these was the wooden shoe which Wolff had given to the child, and near -it was its mate in which the wicked aunt had meant to put a strong switch. - -The woman was so amazed that she cried out and stood still as if in a -fright. Little Wolff heard the cry and ran downstairs as quickly as he -could to see what was the matter. He, too, stopped short when he saw all -the beautiful things that were in the chimney. But as he stood and looked, -he heard people laughing in the street. What did it all mean? - -By the side of the town pump many of the neighbors were standing. Each -was telling what had happened at his home that morning. The boys who had -rich parents and had been looking for beautiful gifts had found only long -switches in their shoes. - -But, in the meanwhile, Wolff and his aunt stood still and looked at the -wonderful gifts around the two wooden shoes. Who had placed them there? -And where now was the kind, good giver? - -Then, as they still wondered, they heard the voice of some one reading -in the little chapel over the way: “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the -least of these--” And then, in some strange way, they understood how it -had all come about; and even the heart of the wicked aunt was softened. -And their eyes were filled with tears and their faces with smiles, as -they knelt down together and thanked the good God for what He had done to -reward the kindness and love of a little child. - - --_Adapted from the French of François Coppée._ - - - - -THE EAGLE AND THE SWAN - - -Imagine yourself, on a day early in November, floating slowly down -the Mississippi River. The near approach of winter brings millions of -waterfowl on whistling wings from the countries of the North to seek a -milder climate in which to sojourn for a season. - -The eagle is seen perched on the highest branch of the tallest tree by the -margin of the broad stream. His glistening but pitiless eye looks over -water and land and sees objects afar off. He listens to every sound that -comes to his quick ear, glancing now and then to the earth beneath, lest -the light tread of the rabbit may pass unheard. - -His mate is perched on the other side of the river, and now and then warns -him by a cry to continue patient. At this well-known call he partly opens -his broad wings and answers to her voice in tones not unlike the laugh -of a madman. Ducks and many smaller waterfowl are seen passing rapidly -towards the South; but the eagle heeds them not--they are for the time -beneath his attention. - -The next moment, however, the wild, trumpet-like sound of a distant swan -is heard. The eagle suddenly shakes his body, raises his wings, and makes -ready for flight. A shriek from his mate comes across the stream, for she -is fully as watchful as he. - -The snow-white bird is now in sight; her long neck is stretched forward; -her eyes are as watchful as those of her enemy; her large wings seem with -difficulty to support the weight of her body. Nearer and nearer she comes. -The eagle has marked her for his prey. - -As the swan is about to pass the dreaded pair, the eagle starts from his -perch with an awful scream. He glides through the air like a falling star, -and, like a flash of lightning, comes upon the timid bird, which now, in -agony and despair, seeks to escape the grasp of his cruel talons. She -would plunge into the stream, did not the eagle force her to remain in the -air by striking at her from beneath. - -The hope of escape is soon given up by the swan. She has already become -much weakened. She is about to gasp her last breath, when the eagle -strikes with his talons the under side of her wing and forces the dying -bird to fall in a slanting direction upon the nearest shore. - -The eagle’s mate has watched every movement that he has made, and if she -did not assist him in capturing the swan, it was because she felt sure -that his power and courage were quite enough for the deed. She now sails -to the spot where he is waiting for her, and both together turn the breast -of the luckless swan upward and gorge themselves with gore. - - --J. J. AUDUBON. - - - - -LUCY’S ROSARY - - - I love to see her well-worn beads - Slip through her tender hand; - They fall like rich enchanted seeds - Cast in a fruitful land. - - From each small bead full silently - A floweret fair doth grow-- - A winsome thing with soft bright eye, - Yet strong in grace, I know. - - Wild winds may rave and storms may shout, - Her blossoms will not fall; - The angels gird them round about - With hedgerows thick and tall. - - The Blessed Mary smiles on them, - Just as, in days of yore, - She smiled when in old Bethlehem - Her little Babe she bore. - - And saints adown the golden stair - With noiseless steps oft creep, - To tend these shining flowers of prayer, - When Lucy is asleep. - - When autumn dies, these radiant flowers - Shall safe transplanted be, - To bloom in Eden’s greenest bowers - For all eternity. - - Before the Godhead they shall raise - Their perfumes pure and sweet, - And bloom in silent hymns of praise - At Lady Mary’s feet. - - --J. R. MARRE. - -From _The Ave Maria_. - - - - -THE TAXGATHERER - - - “And pray, who are you?” - Said the violet blue - To the Bee, with surprise - At his wonderful size, - In her eyeglass of dew. - - “I, madam,” quoth he, - “Am a publican Bee, - Collecting the tax - Of honey and wax. - Have you nothing for me?” - - --REV. JOHN B. TABB. - - - - -THE WISDOM OF ALEXANDER - - - Macedon melancholy philosopher countenance - cypress messenger perplexity recognize - vigor humiliation solitude poverty - oracles alleviation company behest - -The bannered hosts of Macedon stood arrayed in splendid might. Crowning -the hills and filling the valleys, far and wide extended the millions in -arms who waited on the word of the young Alexander--the most superb array -of human power which sceptered ambition ever evoked to do its bidding. - -That army was to sweep nations off the earth and make a continent its -camp, following the voice of one whose sword was the index to glory, whose -command was the synonym of triumph. It now stood expectant, for the king -yet lingered. - -While his war horse fretted at the gate, and myriads thus in silence -waited his appearance, Alexander took his way to the apartment of his -mother. The sole ligament which bound him to virtue and to feeling was the -love of that mother, and the tie was as strong as it was tender. - -In mute dejection they embraced; and Alexander, as he gazed upon that -affectionate face, which had never been turned to him but in tenderness -and yearning love, seemed to ask, “Shall I ever again behold that sweet -smile?” The anxiety of his mother’s countenance denoted the same sad -curiosity; and without a word, but with the selfsame feeling in their -hearts, they went out together to seek the oracles in the temple of -Philip, to learn their fate. - -Alone, in unuttered sympathy, the two ascended the steps of the sacred -temple and approached the shrine. A priest stood behind the altar. The -blue smoke of the incense curled upward in front, and the book of oracles -was before him. - -“Where shall my grave be digged?” said the king; and the priest opened -the book and read, “Where the soil is of iron, and the sky of gold, there -shall the grave of the monarch of men be digged.” - -To the utmost limit Asia had become the possession of the Macedonian. -Fatigued with conquest, and anxious to seek a country where the difficulty -of victory should enhance its value, the hero was returning to Europe. A -few days would have brought him to the capital of his kingdom, when he -fell suddenly ill. He was lifted from his horse, and one of his generals, -unlacing his armor, spread it out for him to lie upon, and held his golden -shield to screen him from the mid-day sun. - -When the king raised his eyes and beheld the glittering canopy, he was -conscious of the omen. “The oracle has said that where the ground should -be of iron, and the sky of gold, there should my grave be made! Behold the -fulfillment! It is a mournful thing! The young cypress is cut down in the -vigor of its strength, in the first fullness of its beauty. The thread -of life is snapped suddenly, and with it a thousand prospects vanish, a -thousand hopes are crushed! But let the will of fate be done! She has long -obeyed my behest! I yield myself now to hers! Yet, my mother!” - -And the monarch mused in melancholy silence. At length he turned to his -attendants and ordered his tablets to be brought; and he took them, and -wrote, “Let the customary alms, which my mother shall distribute at my -death, be given to those who have never felt the miseries of the world, -and have never lost those who were dear to them;” and sinking back upon -his iron couch, he yielded up his breath. They buried him where he died, -and an army wept over his grave! - -When the intelligence of the death of Alexander was brought to his mother, -as she sat among her ladies, she was overwhelmed by anguish. - -“Ah! why,” she exclaimed, “was I exalted so high, only to be plunged into -such depth of misery? Why was I not made of lower condition, so, haply, I -had escaped such grief? The joy of my youth is plucked up, the comfort of -my age is withered! Who is more wretched than I?” And she refused to be -comforted. - -The last wish of her son was read to her, and she resolved to perform that -one remaining duty and then retire to solitude, to indulge her grief for -the remainder of her life. She ordered her servants to go into the city -and bring to the palace such as the will of Alexander directed--selecting -those who were the poorest. But the messengers, ere long, returned, and -said that there were none of that description to be found among the poor. -“Go then,” said the queen, “and apply to all classes, and return not -without bringing some who have never lost any who were dear to them.” And -the order was proclaimed through all the city, and all heard it and passed -on. - -The neighboring villages gave no better success; and the search was -extended through all the country; and they went over all Macedonia, and -throughout Greece, and at every house they stood and cried, “If there are -any here who have never known misery, and never lost those that were dear -to them, let them come out, and receive the bounty of the queen;” but none -came forth. And they went to the haunts of the gay, and into the libraries -of the philosophers; to the seats of public office, and to the caves of -hermits; they searched among the rich, and among the poor--among the high -and among the low; but not one person was found who had not tasted misery; -and they reported the result to the queen. - -“It is strange!” said she, as if struck with sudden astonishment. “Are -there none who have not lost their friend? And is my condition the -condition of all? It is not credible. Are there none here, in this room, -in this palace, who have always been happy?” But there was no reply to the -inquiry. - -“You, young page, whose countenance is gay, what sorrow have you ever -known?” - -“Alas! madam, my father was killed in the wars of Alexander, and my -mother, through grief, has followed him!” - -The question was put to others; but every one had lost a brother, a -father, or a mother. “Can it be,” said the queen, “can it be that all are -as I am?” - -“All are as you are, madam,” said an old man that was present, “excepting -in these splendors and these consolations. By poverty and humility you -might have lost the alleviations, but, you could not have escaped the -blow. There are nights without a star; but there are no days without a -cloud. To suffer is the lot of all; to bear, the glory of a few.” - -“I recognize,” said the queen, “the wisdom of Alexander!” and she bowed in -resignation, and wept no more. - - --HORACE BINNEY WALLACE. - - - - -THANKSGIVING - - - With gratitude, O God, we praise - Thy holy name to-day, and raise - Our hearts to thee; - For all Thy gifts sent from above, - For life and strength and trust and love, - For liberty. - - For summer days, for smiles and tears, - For all our joys and hopes and fears, - For storm and fair; - For toil and weariness and rest; - For sleep; for strength to bear the test - Of pain and care; - - For food and raiment, and increase - Of harvest plenty, and for peace, - On earth good will. - O God, our Father, we this day - Give thanks for all, and now we pray - Be with us still! - - --HENRY COYLE. - - * * * * * - - Beautiful Mother, we deck thy shrine; - All that is brightest and best of ours - Found in our gardens, we reckon thine,-- - God thought of thee when He made the flowers. - - --REV. K. D. BESTE. - - - - -THE ENCHANTED BARK - - - humor scene donkey Sancho - relief leagues armor Dulcinea - patience moored purpose Don Quixote - -Fair and softly, and step by step, did Don Quixote and his squire wend -their way through field and wood and village and farmland. Many and -strange were their adventures--so many and strange, indeed, that I shall -not try to relate the half of them. - -At length, on a sunny day, they came to the banks of the river Ebro. As -the knight sat on Rozinante’s back and gazed at the flowing water and at -the grass and trees which bordered the banks with living green, he felt -very happy. His squire, however, was in no pleasant humor, for the last -few days had been days of weary toil. - -Presently Don Quixote observed a little boat which was lying in the water -near by, being moored by a rope to the trunk of a small tree. It had -neither oars nor sail, and for that reason it seemed all the more inviting. - -The knight dismounted from his steed, calling at the same time to his -squire to do the same. - -“Alight, Sancho,” he said. “Let us tie our beasts to the branches of this -willow.” - -Sancho obeyed, asking, “Why do we alight here, master?” - -“You are to know,” answered Don Quixote, “that this boat lies here for us. -It invites me to embark in it and hasten to the relief of some knight, or -other person of high degree, who is in distress.” - -“I wonder if that is so,” said Sancho. - -“Certainly,” answered his master. “In all the books that I have read, -enchanters are forever doing such things. If a knight happens to be in -danger, there is sometimes only one other knight that can rescue him. So a -boat is provided for that other knight, and, in the twinkling of an eye, -he is whisked away to the scene of trouble, even though it be two or three -thousand leagues.” - -“That is wonderful,” said Sancho. - -“Most assuredly,” answered Don Quixote; “and it is for just such a purpose -that this enchanted bark lies here. Therefore let us leave our steeds here -in the shade and embark in it.” - -“Well, well,” said Sancho, “since you are the master, I must obey. But I -tell you this is no enchanted bark. It is some fisherman’s boat.” - -“They are usually fishermen’s boats,” said Don Quixote. “So, let us begin -our voyage without delay.” - -He leaped into the little vessel. Sancho followed, and untied the rope. -The boat drifted slowly out into the stream. - -When Sancho saw that they were out of reach of the shore and had no means -of pushing back, he began to quake with fear. - -“We shall never see our noble steeds again,” he cried. “Hear how the poor -donkey brays and moans because we are leaving him. See how Rozinante tugs -at his bridle. Oh, my poor, dear friends, good-by!” - -Then he began such a moaning and howling that Don Quixote lost all -patience with him. - -“Coward!” he cried. “What are you afraid of? Who is after you? Who hurts -you? Why, we have already floated some seven or eight hundred leagues. If -I’m not mistaken, we shall soon pass the equinoctial line which divides -the earth into two equal parts.” - -“And when we come to that line, how far have we gone then?” asked Sancho. - -“A mighty way,” answered the knight. - -They were now floating down the river with some speed. Below them were two -great water mills near the middle of the stream. - -“Look! look, my Sancho!” cried Don Quixote. “Do you see yon city or -castle? That is where some knight lies in prison, or some princess is -detained against her will.” - -“What do you mean?” asked Sancho. “Don’t you see that those are no -castles? They are only water mills for grinding corn.” - -“Peace, Sancho! I know they look like water mills, but that is a trick of -the enchanters. Why, those vile fellows can change and overturn everything -from its natural form. You know how they transformed my Dulcinea.” - -The boat was now moving quite rapidly with the current. The people in the -mills saw it and came out with long poles to keep it clear of the great -water wheels. They were powdered with flour dust, as millers commonly are, -and therefore looked quite uncanny. - -“Hello, there!” they cried. “Are you mad, in that boat? Push off, or -you’ll be cut to pieces by the mill wheels.” - -“Didn’t I tell you, Sancho, that this is the place where I must show my -strength?” said Don Quixote. “See how those hobgoblins come out against -us! But I’ll show them what sort of person I am.” - -Then he stood up in the boat and began to call the millers all sorts of -bad names. - -“You paltry cowards!” he cried. “Release at once the captive whom you -are detaining within your castle. For I am Don Quixote de la Mancha, the -Knight of the Lions, whom heaven has sent to set your prisoner free.” - -He drew his sword and began to thrust the air with it, as though fighting -with an invisible enemy. But the millers gave little heed to his actions, -and stood ready with their poles to stop the boat. - -Sancho threw himself on his knees in the bottom of the boat and began to -pray for deliverance. And, indeed, it seemed as though their time had -come, for they were drifting straight into the wheel. Quickly the millers -bestirred themselves, and thrusting out their poles they overturned the -boat. - -Don Quixote and Sancho were, of course, spilled out into the stream. It -was lucky that both could swim. The weight of the knight’s armor dragged -him twice to the bottom; and both he and his squire would have been -drowned had not two of the millers jumped in and pulled them out by main -force. - -Hardly had our exhausted heroes recovered their senses when the fisherman -who owned the boat came running down to the shore. When he saw that the -little craft had been broken to pieces in the millwheel, he fell upon -Sancho and began to beat him unmercifully. - -“You shall pay me for that boat,” he cried. - -“I am ready to pay for it,” said Don Quixote, “provided these people will -fairly and immediately surrender the prisoners whom they have unjustly -detained in their castle.” - -“What castle do you mean? and what prisoners?” asked the millers. “Explain -yourself, sir. We don’t know what you are talking about.” - -“I might as well talk to a stump as try to persuade you to do a good -act,” answered Don Quixote. “Now I see that two rival enchanters have -clashed in this adventure. One sent me a boat, the other overwhelmed it -in the river. It is very plain that I can do nothing where there is such -plotting and counter-plotting.” - -Then he turned his face toward the mill and raised his eyes to the window -above the wheel. - -“My friends!” he cried at the top of his voice, “my friends, whoever you -are who lie immured in that prison, hear me! Pardon my ill luck, for I -cannot set you free. You must needs wait for some other knight to perform -that adventure.” - -Having said this, he ordered Sancho to pay the fisherman fifty reals for -the boat. Sancho obeyed sullenly, for he was reluctant to part with the -money. - -“Two voyages like that will sink all our stock,” he muttered. - -The fisherman and the millers stood with their mouths open, wondering what -sort of men these were who had come so strangely into their midst. Then, -concluding that they were madmen, they left them, the millers going to -their mill, and the fisherman to his hut. - -As for Don Quixote and Sancho, they trudged sorrowfully back to their -beasts; and thus ended the adventure of the enchanted bark. - - --_Retold from CERVANTES._ - - - - -A LEGEND OF ST. NICHOLAS - - - Nicholas heathen apparel aching - jeweled suddenly sniveling kindred - banquet anguish vanished giant - -[Illustration] - - The tales of good St. Nicholas - Are known in every clime; - Told in painting, and in statues, - And in the poet’s rhyme. - In England’s Isle, alone, to-day, - Four hundred churches stand - Which bear his name, and keep it well - Remembered through the land. - - And all the little children - In England know full well - This tale of good St. Nicholas, - Which I am now to tell. - The sweetest tale, I think, of all - The tales they tell of him; - I never read it but my eyes - With tears begin to swim. - - There was a heathen king who roved - About with cruel bands, - And waged a fierce and wicked war - On all the Christian lands. - And once he took as captive - A little fair-haired boy, - A Christian merchant’s only son, - His mother’s pride and joy. - - He decked him in apparel gay, - And said, “You’re just the age - To serve behind my chair at meat, - A dainty Christian page.” - - Oh, with a sore and aching heart - The lonely captive child - Roamed through the palace, big and grand, - And wept and never smiled. - And all the heathen jeered at him, - And called him Christian dog, - And when the king was angry - He kicked him like a log. - - One day, just as the cruel king - Had sat him down to dine, - And in his jeweled cup of gold - The page was pouring wine, - The little fellow’s heart ran o’er - In tears he could not stay, - For he remembered suddenly, - It was the very day - On which the yearly feast was kept - Of good St. Nicholas, - And at his home that very hour - Were dancing on the grass, - With music, and with feasting, all - The children of the town. - - The king looked up, and saw his tears; - His face began to frown: - “How now, thou dog! thy sniveling tears - Are running in my cup; - ’Twas not with these, but with good wine, - I bade thee fill it up. - - “Why weeps the hound?” The child replied, - “I weep, because to-day, - In name of good St. Nicholas, - All Christian children play; - And all my kindred gather home, - From greatest unto least, - And keep to good St. Nicholas, - A merry banquet feast.” - - The heathen king laughed scornfully: - “If he be saint indeed, - Thy famous great St. Nicholas, - Why does he not take heed - To thee to-day, and bear thee back - To thy own native land? - Ha! well I wot, he cannot take - One slave from out my hand!” - - Scarce left the boastful words his tongue - When, with astonished eyes, - The cruel king a giant form - Saw swooping from the skies. - A whirlwind shook the palace walls, - The doors flew open wide, - And lo! the good St. Nicholas - Came in with mighty stride. - - Right past the guards, as they were not, - Close to the king’s gold chair, - With striding steps the good Saint came, - And seizing by the hair - The frightened little page, he bore - Him, in a twinkling, high - Above the palace topmost roof, - And vanished in the sky. - - Now at that very hour was spread - A banquet rich and dear, - Within the little page’s home - To which, from far and near, - The page’s mourning parents called - All poor to come and pray - With them, to good St. Nicholas, - Upon his sacred day. - Thinking, perhaps, that he would heal - Their anguish and their pain, - And at poor people’s prayers might give - Their child to them again. - - Now what a sight was there to see, - When flying through the air, - The Saint came carrying the boy, - Still by his curly hair! - And set him on his mother’s knee, - Too frightened yet to stand, - And holding still the king’s gold cup - Fast in his little hand. - - And what glad sounds were these to hear, - What sobs and joyful cries, - And calls for good St. Nicholas, - To come back from the skies! - But swift he soared, and only smiled, - And vanished in the blue; - Most likely he was hurrying - Some other good to do. - - - - -RAPHAEL OF URBINO - - -I - - physical admiration torrent Urbino - brilliancy inferior fresco Apennines - -Raphael of Urbino is called the prince of painters. And a true prince he -was in physical beauty, in graciousness of manner, in kindness of soul, -and in power to command the love and admiration of all people with whom he -came in contact. - -It would almost seem that the gentleness of St. Francis himself had fallen -upon him, for Raphael, too, was born among the Apennines near the old town -of Assisi. The rugged mountains still rise hill upon hill to the distant -blue sky. Assisi, almost deserted, may still be visited, and you may stand -in the very house where Raphael was born. You will find it on a steep -hillside in the little town of Urbino. - -Urbino is built upon a jutting mountain cliff beneath which is a rushing -torrent. In the far distance one may see on a clear day the blue -Mediterranean. Urbino was once a prosperous town over which a powerful -duke ruled, but now it is a quaint village whose one treasure is the house -on the steep hillside. - -Raphael’s father was Giovanni Santi, a painter of some ability. His mother -was the daughter of a rich merchant. Raphael was born April 6, 1483. - -No shadow fell across the path of the child until he was eight years -of age. Then a great sorrow befell him. His mother died. His father, -anxious that the child should not miss a mother’s care, married again. His -stepmother treated him with all tenderness, and thus the child grew strong -and beautiful in the bright Italian sunshine and the loving atmosphere of -home. - -He had few companions besides his father and mother. He played much in his -father’s studio, and like Angelo learned in babyhood to use the tools of -art which later would bring him renown. - -In 1494, while the boy was still young, his second misfortune came. His -father died. Raphael was left under the guardianship of his stepmother and -his father’s brother, a priest. - -For a time nothing was done toward his further education. But an uncle who -seemed to realize that the lad had unusual genius for painting at last -gained permission to send him away to a master. He was placed under the -instruction of Perugino, who, it is said, remarked, “Let him be my pupil; -he will soon be my master.” - -Raphael remained in the studio of Perugino at Perugia nearly nine years. -Other students were with him who afterwards became great artists. - -A master like Perugino would often receive many orders for pictures or -frescoes which he could not execute alone. So the less important work -would be left to students. This not only aided the artist, but it made -it possible for students to show their power. If a young man had unusual -talent, he was sure to seize this opportunity to show his ability and -attract the master’s attention. Raphael’s earliest work was done to assist -Perugino. - -After the death of Perugino, Raphael returned for a time to Urbino. Here -he painted for the reigning duke St. George slaying the Dragon and St. -Michael attacking Satan. Both of these pictures are now in the Louvre -gallery at Paris. - -But Raphael wanted especially to see the pictures of Angelo and Leonardo, -whose fame had spread to the most remote valleys of the rugged Apennines. -So with a letter of introduction to the ruler of Florence, Raphael in 1504 -started upon his travels. His letter, he knew, would insure him a welcome -in Florence at least. - -As he walked through the streets of this beautiful city he felt like -a fairy prince in a land of magic. Now he stood beneath the bell tower -which Giotto had designed, now he passed the wonderful bronze gates which -Ghiberti had cast, and now he studied the pictures of Leonardo or Angelo -which were in all the brilliancy of fresh color. - -New ideas crowded upon him, new inspiration roused him. He was sure he -could do more, much more, than he had ever dreamed of doing before. -Eagerly he began to paint, and within a few months three Madonnas were -marked with his name. A fresco painting of the Last Supper, which was -probably executed by him this same year, was discovered on the wall of a -convent dining room in 1845. - -He had been gone not quite a year when he returned to Urbino to complete -some work which he had before undertaken. The influence of Florence was -seen at once in both color and form. He was a finer artist. - -All that northern Italy could offer, Raphael had now seen. But the art of -Rome excelled the art of Florence. Angelo was at that very time hard at -work upon the ceiling frescoes of the Sistine Chapel. Leonardo in Milan -had amazed Italy and the world by his Last Supper. He, too, was soon to be -in Rome. Hither, in 1506, Raphael went. - -A young man of handsome, courtly appearance and gracious manners, with -many friends and no enemies, fortune truly favored him! The Pope received -him gladly and soon commissioned him to decorate the hall of the Vatican. - -Two of the greatest artists of any age were now working almost side by -side, Michael Angelo and Raphael of Urbino. Often one or the other would -stand by his rival and watch his brush. Yet neither ever spoke. Each -admired the other and each was known to defend the other under the attacks -of inferior artists. - - -II - - steadily influence devout favorite - probably festival sleeves conception - -Raphael worked steadily in the Vatican hall. Perhaps the most pleasing of -these frescoes is the one which shows the Church in heaven and the Church -on earth. - -The fresco is divided into two sections. The upper one shows the Almighty -Father in the midst of angels. Below Him is Christ enthroned, with the -Virgin and St. John the Baptist. Beneath the throne is the Dove of the -Holy Spirit. In the lower fresco appear St. John, St. Ambrose, St. -Augustine, and St. Gregory. - -At No. 124 Via Coronari, near the St. Angelo bridge, is the four-story -house where Raphael lived during his first four years in Rome. - -Raphael was admitted in 1514 into the Fraternity of the Body of Christ, -and his many Madonnas of rare beauty were doubtless inspired by his devout -spirit. - -During his stay in Rome Raphael set up a studio to which many students -flocked. They loved him both as friend and master, and he was untiring in -his efforts to instruct and inspire them. - -He was commissioned by the Pope with the task of making certain -decorations for the Sistine Chapel. They were to take the form of -tapestries with which the chapel would be adorned on great festival -occasions. There were ten of these, all telling some Bible story in the -life of Christ or one of His immediate followers. - -The last of the series is the Coronation of the Virgin. It shows Christ on -his throne crowning the Madonna. The Father and the Holy Spirit are seen -above and St. Jerome and St. John the Baptist below. - -As yet nothing has been said of the painting by which the name of Raphael -is best known, the Sistine Madonna. It was painted in 1518 for the -Benedictine Monastery of San Sisto at Piacenza. In 1754 it was purchased -by Augustus III, Elector of Saxony, for forty thousand dollars. It was -received in Dresden with great rejoicing, and the throne of Saxony was -moved to give it a suitable place. It is now in the Dresden gallery. - -Another favorite is the Madonna of the Chair. This shows the Madonna, -seated, holding the child. “The dress of the mother is light blue; the -mantle about her shoulder is green with red and willow-green stripes and -a gold-embroidered border; her sleeves are red faced with gold at the -wrists. A grayish-brown veil with reddish-brown stripes is wound around -her head. The child’s dress is orange colored; the back of the chair is -red.” Such is the description given by Grimm. - -At the time of his death Raphael was putting forth every effort to finish -his noble conception of the Transfiguration. It is now, as he left it, in -the Vatican. - -On the night of Good Friday, April 6, 1520, at the age of thirty-seven, -Raphael died. In his beautiful home, where the people of Rome might do him -honor, the unfinished Transfiguration beside him, in the midst of lighted -tapers, he lay in state until the body was carried to the Pantheon. In the -procession also was carried the great picture. - - - - -LEAD, KINDLY LIGHT - - - Lead, Kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom - Lead Thou me on! - The night is dark, and I am far from home-- - Lead Thou me on! - Keep Thou my feet, I do not ask to see - The distant scene--one step enough for me. - - I was not ever thus, nor pray’d that Thou - Shouldst lead me on. - I loved to choose and see my path, but now - Lead Thou me on! - I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears, - Pride ruled my will: remember not past years. - - So long Thy power hath blest me, sure it still - Will lead me on, - O’er moor and fen, o’er crag and torrent, till - The night is gone; - And with the morn those angel faces smile - Which I have loved long since, and lost awhile. - - --CARDINAL NEWMAN. - - - - -PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN - - -A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, -who also stripped him: and having wounded him went away leaving him half -dead. - -And it chanced that a certain priest went down the same way: and seeing -him, passed by. - -In like manner also a Levite, when he was near the place and saw him, -passed by. - -But a certain Samaritan being on his journey, came near him: and seeing -him was moved with compassion. - -And going up to him, bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine: and -setting him upon his own beast brought him to an inn, and took care of him. - -And the next day he took out two pence, and gave to the host, and said: -Take care of him: and whatsoever thou shalt spend over and above, I at my -return will repay thee. - -Which of these three in thy opinion was neighbor to him that fell among -the robbers? - - --_Luke_ x. 30-36. - -[Illustration: _Painting by Plockhorst_ - -THE GOOD SAMARITAN] - - - - -CONNOR MAC-NESSA--AN IRISH LEGEND - - - siege tourney falconry anxious - relief anguish tranquil crucify - chieftain emerald generous vigorous - - Loud roared the din of battle, fierce, - Bloody and wild, - With Ulster men and Connaught men - The field was piled. - Connor Mac-Nessa, Ulster’s King, - In the mad fray - Wounded to death and well-nigh spent - And dying lay. - - A Druid came with healing balm - Of herb and leaf, - He poured it in the gaping wound, - To give relief; - The wound was healed, “Yet,” said the leech, - “Beware, my Liege! - Of war’s alarm or battle fray, - Sally or siege; - - “No more o’er mere and fen with thee, - Oh! noble king, - Brave Knight and Lady fair will strive - For bittern’s wing; - No more thou’lt ride thy prancing steed - After the doe, - No more thou’lt tilt at tourney brave - ’Gainst gallant foe; - - “For thee the fireside’s tranquil calm, - Lest sudden rift - Of wound break forth and cause thy death - In anguish swift!” - Quiet and calm, in war or peace, - No more to roam, - Connor Mac-Nessa, Ulster’s King, - Abode at home. - - One day, when woods were green and fair, - And hearts were light, - Swiftly the gleaming mid-day sun - Grew dark as night; - Black portents unto Erin fair - It seemed to bring. - “What means this, mighty Druid?” asked - The anxious king. - - “Far, far away, across the sea,” - The Druid said, - “Jesu, the Christ, upon a cross - Bends low His head. - Their King upon the shameful tree, - With mocking cry, - And scornful gibe, the cruel Jews - Now crucify.” - - King Connor cried, “What crime had this - Man done, I pray?” - “But to be good were crime enough - For such as they, - My King,” the answer came. “He was - To death enticed, - Then broke His tender, loving heart, - This fair, white Christ!” - - A generous flush o’erspread his cheek, - Mac-Nessa sprang - Quick to his feet; his quivering voice - In anger rang. - “Ah! wicked deed! Ah! poor, white Christ! - They murder Thee! - Why didst thou not unto the King - Of Erin flee? - - “Thy battles he would fight to death, - Poor, guiltless One, - Ulster’s great chieftain ne’er could see - Injustice done!” - Then dashed he from the hall and seized - With vigorous hand - His keen and sharp-edged clevy-- - A wondrous brand! - - Under the turquoise sky, upon - The emerald turf, - His anger raged like foaming crest - Of frothy surf. - He hacked and hewed the giant trees - With his keen sword. - “Thus would I slay Thy foes, poor Christ, - With blood out-poured!” - - Then quickly his forgotten wound - Sprung gaping wide. - He reeled and fell: “I go to Thee, - Oh! Christ!” he sighed, - For the King Christ he loved unseen, - With flowers bespread, - Connor Mac-Nessa, Ulster’s King - Lay cold and dead! - - --M. F. N.-R. - - - - -THE MARTYRDOM OF BLESSED JOHN FISHER - - - message persuasion signify lieutenant - apparel infirmity scaffold occasion - forehead infinite tyrant solemnity - -It was very late in the night when the sentence was pronounced, and the -prisoner was asleep. The lieutenant was unwilling to disturb his rest for -that time, and so did not awaken him, but in the morning before five of -the clock he came to him in his chamber in the Bell Tower, and found him -yet asleep in his bed. - -He awakened the good father, and explained that he was come to him on a -message from the king. Then, with some persuasion, he said that he should -remember himself to be an old man, and that he could not expect by course -of nature to live much longer. Finally he informed him that he was come to -signify unto him that the king’s pleasure was he should suffer death that -forenoon. - -“Well,” answered this blessed father, “if this be your errand, you bring -me no great news. I have long expected this message. And I most humbly -thank the king’s majesty that it has pleased him to rid me from all this -worldly business, and I thank you also for your tidings. But I pray you, -Mr. Lieutenant, when is mine hour that I must go hence?” - -“Your hour,” said the lieutenant, “must be nine of the clock.” - -“And what hour is it now?” said he. - -“It is now about five,” said the lieutenant. - -“Well, then,” said he, “let me by your patience sleep an hour or two, -for I have slept very little this night. My rest has been very much -broken, not for any fear of death, I thank God, but by reason of my great -infirmity and weakness.” - -“The king’s further pleasure is,” said the lieutenant, “that you should -not talk much. Especially you must not say anything touching his majesty, -whereby the people should have any cause to think ill of him or of his -proceedings.” - -“For that,” said the father, “you shall see me order myself well. For, by -God’s grace, neither the king, nor any man else, shall have occasion to -mislike my words.” - -The lieutenant then departed from him, and so the prisoner, falling again -to rest, slept soundly two hours and more. - -After he was waked again he called to his man to help him up. Then he -commanded him to take away the shirt of hair (which he was accustomed to -wear on his back) and to convey it secretly out of the house. Then he bade -him bring a clean white shirt, and all the best apparel he had, as cleanly -bright as possible. - -While he was dressing himself, he appeared to have more curiosity and care -for the fine and cleanly wearing of his apparel that day than had ever -been his wont before. His man asked him what this sudden change meant, -since he must know well enough that he must put off all again within two -hours and lose it. - -“What of that?” said the father. “Dost thou not mark that this is our -wedding day, and that it is necessary for us to use more cleanliness for -solemnity of the marriage?” - -About nine of the clock the lieutenant came again to his prison. Finding -him almost ready, he said that he was now come for him. - -“I will wait upon you straight,” said the father, “as fast as this thin -body of mine will give me leave.” Then he turned to his man and said, -“Reach me my fur cape to put about my neck.” - -“Oh, my lord,” said the lieutenant, “why need you be so careful for your -health for this little while? Your lordship knoweth that it is not much -above an hour.” - -“I think no otherwise,” said this blessed father. “But in the meantime I -will keep myself as well as I can, till the very time of my execution. -I have, I thank our Lord, a very good desire and willing mind to die at -this present time, and so trust of His infinite mercy and goodness He will -continue this desire. Nevertheless, I will not willingly hinder my health -for one minute of an hour. Indeed, I will prolong the same as long as I -can by such reasonable ways and means as Almighty God hath provided for -me.” - -Then, taking a little book in his hand, which was a New Testament lying -by him, he made a cross on his forehead and went out of his prison door -with the lieutenant. He was so weak that he was scarce able to go down the -stairs, and at the stairs-foot he was taken up in a chair between two of -the lieutenant’s men. These carried him to the Tower gate to be delivered -to the sheriffs of London for execution. - -When they were come to the farthest wall of the Tower, they rested there -with him a space; and an officer was sent on before to know in what -readiness the sheriffs were to receive him. As they were resting here, the -father rose out of his chair, and stood on his feet, leaning his shoulder -to the wall. Then, lifting his eyes towards heaven, he opened his little -book in his hand, and said, “O Lord, this is the last time that ever -I shall open this book; let some comfortable place now chance unto me -whereby I thy poor servant may glorify Thee in this my last hour.” - -Then he opened the book, and the first thing that came to his sight were -these words: “This is life everlasting, that they may know Thee the only -true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent. I have glorified Thee upon -earth, I have finished the work Thou gavest me to do.” Having read these -words, he shut the book together and said, “Here is even learning enough -for me to my life’s end.” - -The sheriff was now ready for him. So he was taken up again by certain of -the sheriff’s men, and, guarded by many armed men, he was carried to the -scaffold on Tower Hill, otherwise called East Smithfield. He was seen to -be praying all the way, and pondering upon the words that he had read. - -When he was come to the foot of the scaffold, they that carried him -offered to help him up the stairs; but he said, “Nay, masters, since I -have come so far let me alone, and you shall see me shift for myself well -enough.” So he went up the stairs without any help, so lively that it was -a marvel to them that knew before of his weakness. As he was mounting up -the stairs, the southeast sun shined very bright in his face. Observing -this, he said to himself these words, lifting up his hands, “Come ye to -Him and be enlightened; and your faces shall not be confounded.” - -By the time he was on the scaffold, it was about ten of the clock. The -executioner, being ready to do his office, kneeled down to him (as the -fashion is) and asked his forgiveness. - -“I forgive thee,” said the father, “with all my heart, and I trust thou -shalt see me overcome this storm lustily.” - -Then was his gown and fur cape taken from him, and he stood in his doublet -and hose, in sight of all the people. There was to be seen a long, lean, -and slender body, having on it little other substance besides the skin -and bones. Indeed, so thin and emaciated was he that those who beheld him -marveled much to see a living man so far consumed. Therefore, it appeared -monstrous that the king could be so cruel as to put such a man to death as -he was, even though he had been a real offender against the law. - -If he had been in the Turk’s dominion, and there found guilty of some -great offense, yet methinks the Turk would never have put him to death -being already so near death. For it is an horrible and exceeding cruelty -to kill that thing which is presently dying, except it be for pity’s sake -to rid it from longer pain. Therefore, it may be thought that the cruelty -and hard heart of King Henry in this point passed all the Turks and -tyrants that ever have been heard or read of. - -After speaking a few words the father kneeled down on his knees and said -certain prayers. Then came the executioner and bound a handkerchief about -his eyes. This holy father, lifting up his hands and heart to heaven, said -a few other prayers, which were not long but fervent and devout, which -being ended, he laid his holy head down over the midst of a little block.… -And so his immortal soul mounted to the blissful joys of Heaven. - - --THE REV. T. E. BRIDGETT, C. SS. R. - - - - -THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE GLOWWORM - - - appetite eagerly harangued minstrelsy - eloquent abhor oration approbation - - A nightingale, that all day long - Had cheered the village with his song, - Nor yet at eve his note suspended, - Nor yet when eventide was ended, - Began to feel, as well he might, - The keen demands of appetite; - When, looking eagerly around, - He spied far off, upon the ground, - A something shining in the dark, - And knew the glowworm by his spark; - So, stooping from the hawthorn top, - He thought to put him in his crop. - - The worm, aware of his intent, - Harangued him thus, right eloquent: - “Did you admire my lamp,” quoth he, - “As much as I your minstrelsy, - You would abhor to do me wrong - As much as I to spoil your song; - For ’twas the selfsame Power divine - Taught you to sing and me to shine; - That you with music, I with light, - Might beautify and cheer the night.” - - The songster heard this short oration, - And, warbling out his approbation, - Released him, as my story tells, - And found a supper somewhere else. - - --WILLIAM COWPER. - - - - -IF THOU COULDST BE A BIRD - - - If thou couldst be a bird, what bird wouldst thou be? - A frolicsome gull on the billowy sea, - Screaming and wailing when stormy winds rave, - Or anchored, white thing! on the merry green wave? - - Or an eagle aloft in the blue ether dwelling, - Free of the caves of the lofty Helvellyn, - Who is up in the sunshine when we are in shower, - And could reach our loved ocean in less than an hour? - - Or a stork on a mosque’s broken pillar in peace, - By some famous old stream in the bright land of Greece; - A sweet-mannered householder! waiving his state - Now and then, in some kind little toil for his mate? - - Or a heath bird, that lies on the Cheviot moor, - Where the wet, shining earth is as bare as the floor; - Who mutters glad sounds, though his joys are but few-- - Yellow moon, windy sunshine, and skies cold and blue? - - Or, if thy man’s heart worketh in thee at all, - Perchance thou wouldst dwell by some bold baron’s hall; - A black, glossy rook, working early and late, - Like a laboring man on the baron’s estate? - - Or a linnet, who builds in the close hawthorn bough, - Where her small, frightened eyes may be seen looking through; - Who heeds not, fond mother! the oxlips that shine - On the hedge banks beneath, or the glazed celandine? - - Or a swallow that flieth the sunny world over, - The true home of spring and spring flowers to discover; - Who, go where he will, takes away on his wings - Good words from mankind for the bright thoughts he brings? - - But what! can these pictures of strange winged mirth - Make the child to forget that she walks on the earth? - Dost thou feel at thy sides as though wings were to start - From some place where they lie folded up in thy heart? - - Then love the green things in thy first simple youth, - The beasts, birds, and fishes, with heart and in truth, - And fancy shall pay thee thy love back in skill; - Thou shalt be all the birds of the air at thy will. - - --F. W. FABER. - - - - -THE FIRST CRUSADE - - -I. CAUSES OF THE CRUSADES - - Mecca inhabitants shrewd apostles - Medina increased conquered crusades - Mohammed idolatry zealous hermit - -About six hundred years after the birth of Christ, a child named Mohammed -was born in the city of Mecca in Arabia. The father of Mohammed died when -the child was still a babe, and his mother was very poor. During his -boyhood he earned a scanty living by tending the flocks of his neighbors, -and much of his time was spent in the desert. - -Even when young, Mohammed seemed to be religious. He often went to a cave -a few miles from Mecca, and stayed there alone for days at a time. He -claimed that he had visions in which the angel Gabriel came down to him, -and told him many things which he should tell the people of Arabia. When -he was forty years old, he went forth to preach, saying that he was the -prophet of God. - -At the end of three years he had forty followers. The people of Mecca, -however, did not believe him to be a prophet. They were for the most part -idolaters, and as Mohammed preached against idolatry, they finally drove -him from the city. - -He and his followers then went to the city of Medina. The inhabitants of -that city received them kindly, and Mohammed was able to raise an army -with which to overcome his enemies. - -Mohammed was a very shrewd man, and among other things he was careful to -teach his followers that the hour of each man’s death was fixed. Hence -one was as safe in battle as at home. This belief, of course, helped his -soldiers to fight bravely. - -The number of Mohammed’s followers now increased very fast; and ten -years after his flight to Medina, he returned to Mecca at the head of -forty thousand pilgrims. Soon all Arabia was converted to his faith, and -idolatry was no longer known in Mecca. - -After Mohammed’s death, his followers formed the plan of converting the -whole world by means of the sword. In course of time their armies overran -Persia, Egypt, and northern Africa. They also entered Spain, and having -established themselves there, they hoped to conquer the whole of Europe. - -Soon the Moslems, as the followers of Mohammed were called, took -possession of Palestine and of Jerusalem, where was the sacred tomb of our -Saviour. - -After the earliest churches had been established by the apostles of -Christ, it had been the custom of Christians to make pilgrimages to -Jerusalem to see the tomb of our Saviour. Each pilgrim carried a palm -branch and wore a cockleshell in his hat. The branch was the token of -victory; the shell a sign that the sea had been crossed. After the Moslems -had gained possession of the Holy Land, as Palestine is often called, -the pilgrims often suffered much from persecution. Then, too, they were -required to pay a large sum for permission to visit the tomb and other -sacred places. - -[Illustration: CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHER - -(Present Day)] - -It was to free the pilgrims, who came from Europe, from this persecution -that the crusades, or holy wars, were undertaken. These crusades were -begun through the efforts of one zealous man, a priest commonly known as -“Peter the Hermit.” - - -II. PETER THE HERMIT - - pilgrimage exposure admittance enthusiasm - resurrection sanction earnestly separated - cardinals council military Constantinople - -Peter the Hermit was born in France. He was in turn a soldier, a priest, -and a hermit. At length he made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. On reaching -Jerusalem, he saw with such sadness the wrongs suffered by the Christians -that he said in his heart, “I will rescue the tomb of our Lord from the -heathen.” - -During his stay in the Holy City, he went often to the Church of the -Resurrection. One day he beheld in a vision the Lord, who directed him to -go forth and do his work. He at once returned to Europe. His plan was to -raise a great army and with it drive the Moslems from the Holy Land. But -he must first obtain the consent and aid of Pope Urban II. - -So he traveled to Rome and was permitted to tell the Pope his plan. What -a picture they made! The Pope sat in state clothed in rich robes. His -cardinals and attendants were around him. Before him stood the pilgrim, -his face tanned with exposure and his clothes all travel-stained, telling -of the grievous wrongs suffered by the Christians in Jerusalem. No wonder -Pope Urban wept. The Pope gave his sanction to Peter to preach throughout -Europe, urging the people to go and rescue the blessed tomb. - -[Illustration: PETER THE HERMIT PREACHING THE CRUSADE] - -Peter, light of heart but strong of purpose, started forth in the year -1094. He was clad in a woolen garment over which he wore a coarse brown -mantle. His feet and head he left bare. He was a small man, and if you had -seen him, you would not have called him fine looking. Still, he was never -refused admittance into the presence of prince or king. - -The poor loved him for his gentleness, and the rich loaded him with gifts. -These, however, he never kept for himself, but gave to those who were in -need. - -At Clermont, in November, 1095, the Pope held a council of all the -cardinals, bishops, and priests who stood high in the Church. He told them -what Peter meant to do, asking them to render him aid. So earnestly did he -speak, that when he had finished, they all shouted together, “God wills -it! God wills it!” - -“Then,” said Pope Urban, “let the army of the Lord when it rushes upon its -enemies shout that cry, ‘God wills it.’” - -He commanded all who should take up arms in the cause to wear on the -shoulder a cross, reminding them that Christ had said, “He that does not -take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” This is why the wars -were called the Crusades, for the word “crusade” means literally “the -taking of the cross.” - -A great army was soon assembled and ready to march. All the men were eager -and wild with enthusiasm, but most of them had never had any military -training. How would they succeed in that long and toilsome journey across -sea and land to Palestine? - -They soon began to meet with trouble. In their haste, they had not -provided nearly enough food for themselves. When that gave out, they began -to take whatever they needed from the people along the way. In Hungary -they did much harm to towns and farms. This made the inhabitants very -angry, and they came out to fight the crusaders. Many of the crusaders -were killed and the rest were scattered in flight. - -At length Peter was separated from his followers, and wandered for some -time alone in the forest. Then, in order to make his whereabouts known to -any who might be in the same forest or near, he blew his horn. In answer -to his call several companies of his friends soon appeared. So with only -a small number of those who at first started out, Peter at length reached -Constantinople. - -At that time Constantinople was the capital of the Roman Empire in the -East and its ruler was the Emperor Alexis. The emperor received the -crusaders kindly. Here Peter the Hermit was rejoined by a large force of -his followers who had been separated from him during the march. - -After leaving Constantinople, the crusaders entered the land of the Turks, -through which they must march before reaching the Holy Land. A terrible -battle was soon fought with the Moslems, and most of the crusaders -perished. Peter now saw that with the few men who were left he could -do nothing; he therefore decided to find a place of security among the -mountains and wait there until aid should come. There we shall leave him -for a time. - - -III. KNIGHTHOOD IN THE CRUSADES - - chivalry tournaments modesty archery - jousts avenge obedience sponsors - -When Pope Urban II called the council of Clermont, and so many men of -all ranks stitched upon their shoulders the cross of red silk, the Age -of Chivalry in Europe had already begun. The word “chivalry” is from a -French word which means rider of a horse. So, when we speak of the Age of -Chivalry, we picture to ourselves knights riding their horses and engaging -in real or mock battles. - -The mock battles were called jousts or tournaments, and they were the -chief amusement of the time. Noble lords and beautiful ladies were present -and watched the contest from raised seats as we now watch ball games. The -real battles had many causes. Sometimes one prince would quarrel with a -neighboring prince and settle the dispute by war. Sometimes a body of -knights would go forth to avenge a wrong. - -[Illustration: A KNIGHT OF THE CRUSADES] - -Sometimes a king would call upon his knights to go with him to conquer -some neighboring country. The knights were therefore always ready for war. - -Every boy, if he were the son of a noble, at about the age of seven was -sent to the castle or court of some prince or king, as a page. - -Here he was taught modesty and obedience, hunting, riding, archery, and -the hurling of the lance. - -When he had become skillful in these he might bear the shield of his -master. He was then a squire. He must know no fear, and must not boast of -his own deeds. He must defend the weak and be ever courteous to ladies. At -feasts he must carve the meats and wait upon the guests. - -When he reached the age of twenty-one, the squire might be made a knight. -This was often a very pretty ceremony. The squire would come before his -lord and a great party of nobles, dressed in armor, except the helmet, -sword, and spurs. - -Several nobles would offer themselves as sponsors, declaring that they -were sure he would prove himself noble and brave. Then the squire was -struck lightly on the shoulders with the sword of his master. At the same -time his master repeated these words, “I dub thee knight in the name of -God and St. Michael; be faithful, bold, and fortunate.” The knight then -went forth to do some deed by which to “win his spurs.” - -Sometimes, before being knighted, the young squire was left in the chapel -of the castle all night. Here he guarded his armor, and by devout and -continuous prayer invoked the blessing of God upon himself and whatever -cause he should undertake. - -Urged by the preaching of Peter the Hermit and the encouragement of Pope -Urban, the knights of Western Europe took up the cause of the crusades. -Soon after the departure of Peter with his untrained host of followers, a -gallant army, led by two famous knights, Godfrey of Bouillon and Tancred, -an Italian knight, began its march to the Holy Land. - -Peter at last succeeded in joining them with the few men who were left -with him, and together they advanced to Jerusalem. - - -IV. GODFREY OF BOUILLON - - material scarcity missiles recognized - exhaust devices signals Saracens - -Many are the tales that are told of the knightly leaders in this first -crusade, and many were their adventures. It was on the 29th of May, 1099, -that the Christian army first came into full view of the Holy City. Filled -with new zeal at the sight, every man shouted, “It is the will of God.” - -The city, however, had been fortified in every possible way, and Godfrey, -who was in command, knew it would be a hard task to mount the high walls. -He was certain that battering-rams would be necessary to break down the -walls, but how were they to obtain the material to make them? The barren -country around afforded nothing of which they could make use. To transport -the timber from a distance would exhaust both men and horses which were -already suffering from scarcity of water and food. - -At last news came that a fleet had arrived from Genoa with siege machines -and supplies. The crusaders hastened to the nearest seaport, but found -that their enemies had been before them and destroyed the fleet. Still -they were able to pick up much of the material and many of the instruments -used in the making of the machines. Some of the Genoese who were skilled -in handicraft put together a few wooden towers and other devices which -were of great use in surmounting and breaking down the walls. Bridges were -also thrown out, over the walls, by which the soldiers could pass into the -city. - -On Thursday morning, July 14, 1099, the crusaders made the first attack -with their wooden towers. The Saracens, as the Mohammedans were called by -the crusaders, met them with missiles of all sorts, which they threw upon -them. The crusaders soon made a breach in the wall, but still could not -enter the city. - -Early the next morning the attack was renewed. A procession of priests -was formed and moved about through the throng, encouraging the knights. -A pigeon was captured, and under its wing a note was found telling the -Saracen commander that help was at hand. This stirred the Christians to -still fiercer attack. - -Suddenly there appeared to the host a horseman clothed in white. The -crusaders at once recognized the vision of St. George. “St. George has -come to our assistance,” Godfrey exclaimed. “He signals to enter the Holy -City.” - -[Illustration: JERUSALEM TAKEN BY THE CRUSADERS] - -Again arose the cry, “God wills it! God wills it!” Godfrey commanded the -attack to be renewed. The hay which the Saracens had heaped up against -the walls to deaden the shock of the battering-rams was set on fire. The -Saracens, stifled by the smoke, leaped from the walls. Then the tower -bridges were let fall, and soon Godfrey and other knights forced their way -into the city. - -After the capture of the Holy City, Godfrey was chosen king of Jerusalem, -or Defender of the Faith. But he lived only about a year to enjoy that -high distinction. - - -V. TANCRED - - patrolled cautiously finally renowned - endurance Antioch endeared approached - -Tancred was known among his followers for his unselfishness. He seemed -never to become weary. If a comrade complained of a duty, he himself would -perform it. He patrolled walls at night, fought by day, and by his own -endurance of labor and hard fare sought to set an example for his men. - -One night, when he was standing guard with only his squire as companion, -he was attacked by three armed Saracens on horseback. They came upon him -quickly, thinking, of course, that they could easily overcome him. They -did not know that the blade of this renowned warrior could cleave their -heavy armor as if it were cloth. - -On came the first horseman and down came Tancred’s sword. The Saracen -fell. The next, who had seen the first one fall, waited for the third. -Very cautiously they approached side by side, but they soon fared the -same as their companion. - -It was Tancred who took possession of Bethlehem. He was made ruler over -that part of the Holy Land, but hearing that Antioch was threatened by the -Saracens, he went to its relief. For three years he held it against the -unbelievers. - -Tancred’s cousin, Bohemond, who was the rightful ruler of Antioch, was -held as prisoner by the Saracen commander; but finally Tancred succeeded -in setting his cousin free. He at once gave up to his cousin the entire -rule, although he had so endeared himself to the people that they besought -him to remain. - -A battle wound was the cause of Tancred’s death. He met his fate bravely, -and died with the purpose of saving the Holy Land still uppermost in his -heart. - - * * * * * - -Between the years 1095 and 1270 there were eight crusades, all undertaken -for the purpose of delivering the Holy Land from the Saracens. While they -failed to accomplish that object, they were still of great benefit to the -Church and civilization. They made the people better acquainted with the -geography and history of other lands, and led to an increase of trade and -industry throughout the known world. - - - - -HOW THE ROBIN CAME - - - tortures genesis hovering myth - chieftain human wampum pity - - Happy young friends, sit by me, - Under May’s blown apple tree, - While these home birds in and out - Through the blossoms flit about. - Hear a story strange and old, - By the wild red Indians told. - How the robin came to be: - Once a great chief left his son,-- - Well-beloved, his only one,-- - When the boy was well-nigh grown, - In the trial lodge alone. - Left for tortures long and slow - Youths like him must undergo, - Who their pride of manhood test, - Lacking water, food, and rest. - - Seven days the fast he kept, - Seven nights he never slept. - Then the young boy, wrung with pain, - Weak from nature’s overstrain, - Faltering, moaned a low complaint, - “Spare me, father, for I faint!” - But the chieftain, haughty-eyed, - Hid his pity in his pride. - “You shall be a hunter good, - Knowing never lack of food; - You shall be a warrior great, - Wise as fox and strong as bear; - Many scalps your belt shall wear, - If with patient heart you wait - Bravely till your task is done. - Better you should starving die - Than that boy and squaw should cry - Shame upon your father’s son!” - - When next morn the sun’s first rays - Glistened on the hemlock sprays, - Straight that lodge the old chief sought, - And boiled samp and moose meat brought. - “Rise and eat, my son!” he said. - Lo, he found the poor boy dead! - As with grief his grave they made, - And his bow beside him laid, - Pipe, and knife, and wampum braid, - On the lodge top overhead, - Preening smooth its breast of red - And the brown coat that it wore, - Sat a bird, unknown before. - And as if with human tongue, - “Mourn me not,” it said, or sung; - “I, a bird, am still your son, - Happier than if hunter fleet, - Or a brave, before your feet - Laying scalps in battle won. - Friend of man, my song shall cheer - Lodge and corn land; hovering near, - To each wigwam I shall bring - Tidings of the coming spring; - Every child my voice shall know - In the moon of melting snow, - When the maple’s red bud swells, - And the windflower lifts its bells. - As their fond companion - Men shall henceforth own your son, - And my song shall testify - That of human kin am I.” - - Thus the Indian legend saith - How, at first, the robin came - With a sweeter life than death, - Bird for boy, and still the same. - If my young friends doubt that this - Is the robin’s genesis, - Not in vain is still the myth - If a truth be found therewith: - Unto gentleness belong - Gifts unknown to pride and wrong; - Happier far than hate is praise,-- - He who sings than he who slays. - - --JOHN G. WHITTIER. - - - - -HOW ST. FRANCIS PREACHED TO THE BIRDS - - - fervor abandon salvation penance - triple multitude substance raiment - refuge creator preserved element - marveled benefits ingratitude providence - -One day when St. Francis was in a village of Italy, he began to preach; -and first of all he commanded the swallows who were singing that they -should keep silence until he had done preaching, and the swallows obeyed -him. And he preached with so much fervor that all the men and women in -that village were minded to go forth and abandon the village. - -But St. Francis suffered them not, and said to them: “Do not be in haste, -and do not go hence, and I will order that which you must do for the -salvation of your souls;” and then he thought of his third order for the -salvation of the whole world. And he left them much comforted and well -disposed to penance; and he departed thence. - -And passing along, in fervor of soul, he lifted up his eyes and saw many -trees standing by the way, and filled with a countless multitude of little -birds; at which St. Francis wondered, and said to his companions, “Wait -a little for me in the road, and I will go and preach to my sisters the -birds.” - -And he entered into the field, and began to preach to the birds that were -on the ground. And suddenly, those that were in the trees came around him, -and together they all remained silent, so long as it pleased St. Francis -to speak; and even after he had finished they would not depart until he -had given them his blessing. And according as it was afterwards related, -St. Francis went among them and touched them with his cloak, and none of -them moved. - -The substance of the sermon was this: “My little sisters, the birds, you -are much beholden to God your creator, and in all places you ought to -praise Him, because He has given you liberty to fly about in all places, -and has given you double and triple raiment. Know also that He preserved -your race in the ark of Noe that your species might not perish. - -“And again you are beholden to Him for the element of air, which He has -appointed for you; and for this also that you never sow nor reap, but -God feeds you and gives you the brooks and fountains for your drink, the -mountains and valleys also for your refuge, and the tall trees wherein to -make your nests. And since you know neither how to sew nor how to spin, -God clothes you, you and your young ones. Wherefore your creator loves you -much, since He has bestowed on you so many benefits. And therefore beware, -my little sisters, of the sin of ingratitude, and study always to please -God.” - -As St. Francis spoke thus to them, all the multitude of these birds opened -their beaks, and stretched out their necks, and opened their wings; and -reverently bowing their heads to the earth, by their acts and by their -songs they showed that the words of the holy father gave them the greatest -delight. And St. Francis rejoiced, and was glad with them, and marveled -much at such a multitude of birds, and at their beautiful variety, and -their attention and familiarity; for all which he devoutly praised their -creator in them. - -Finally, having finished his sermon, St. Francis made the sign of the -cross over them, and gave them leave to depart. Thereupon, all those -birds arose in the air, with wonderful singing; and after the fashion of -the sign of the cross which St. Francis had made over them, they divided -themselves into four parts; and one part flew toward the east, and another -to the west, another to the south, and another to the north. - -Then, all departing, they went their way singing wonderful songs, -signifying by this that as St. Francis, standard bearer of the cross of -Christ, had preached to them, made on them the sign of the cross, after -which they had divided themselves, going to the four parts of the world, -so the preaching of the cross of Christ, renewed by St. Francis, should -be carried by him and by his brothers to the whole world, and that these -brothers, after the fashion of the birds, should possess nothing of their -own in this world, but commit their lives solely to the providence of God. - - --From “LITTLE FLOWERS OF ST. FRANCIS.” - - * * * * * - - Teach me, O lark! with thee to gently rise, - To exalt my soul and lift it to the skies. - - --EDMUND BURKE. - - - - -THE PETRIFIED FERN - - - petrified holiday avalanches design - delicate reveled mysteries haughty - mammoth veinings fissure holiday - - In a valley, centuries ago, - Grew a little fern leaf, green and slender, - Veining delicate and fibers tender; - Waving when the wind crept down so low; - Rushes tall, and moss, and grass grew round it, - Playful sunbeams darted in and found it, - Drops of dew stole in by night and crowned it, - But no foot of man e’er trod that way; - Earth was young and keeping holiday. - - Monster fishes swam the silent main, - Stately forests waved their giant branches, - Mountains hurled their snowy avalanches, - Mammoth creatures stalked across the plain; - Nature reveled in grand mysteries; - But the little fern was not of these, - Did not number with the hills and trees, - Only grew and waved its wild sweet way,-- - No one came to note it day by day. - - Earth, one time, put on a frolic mood, - Heaved the rocks and changed the mighty motion - Of the deep, strong currents of the ocean; - Moved the plain and shook the haughty wood, - Crushed the little fern in soft moist clay, - Covered it, and hid it safe away. - Oh, the long, long centuries since that day! - Oh, the agony, oh, life’s bitter cost, - Since that useless little fern was lost! - - Useless! Lost! There came a thoughtful man - Searching Nature’s secrets, far and deep; - From a fissure in a rocky steep - He withdrew a stone, o’er which there ran - Fairy pencilings, a quaint design, - Veinings, leafage, fibers clear and fine, - And the fern’s life lay in every line! - So, I think, God hides some souls away, - Sweetly to surprise us the last day. - - --MARY L. BOLLES BRANCH. - - * * * * * - - The purest treasure mortal times afford - Is spotless reputation: that away, - Men are but gilded loam or painted clay. - - --SHAKESPEARE. - - - - -BIRD ENEMIES - - -I - - recognize honor innocent complimentary - assassin retorts bugaboo apparently - suspect thrush social intolerable - -How surely the birds know their enemies! See how the wrens and robins and -bluebirds pursue and scold the cat, while they take little or no notice of -the dog! Even the swallow will fight the cat, and, relying too confidently -upon its powers of flight, sometimes swoops down so near to its enemy that -it is caught by a sudden stroke of the cat’s paw. The only case I know of -in which our small birds fail to recognize their enemy is furnished by the -shrike; apparently the little birds do not know that this modest-colored -bird is an assassin. At least, I have never seen them scold or molest him, -or utter any outcries at his presence, as they usually do at birds of prey. - -But the birds have nearly all found out the trick of the jay, and when he -comes sneaking through the trees in May and June in quest of eggs, he is -quickly exposed and roundly abused. It is amusing to see the robins hustle -him out of the tree which holds their nest. They cry, “Thief! thief!” to -the top of their voices as they charge upon him, and the jay retorts in a -voice scarcely less complimentary as he makes off. - -The jays have their enemies also, and need to keep an eye on their own -eggs. It would be interesting to know if jays ever rob jays, or crows -plunder crows; or is there honor among thieves even in the feathered -tribes? I suspect the jay is often punished by birds which are otherwise -innocent of nest robbing. - -[Illustration] - -One season I found a jay’s nest in a cedar on the side of a wooded ridge. -It held five eggs, every one of which had been punctured. Apparently -some bird had driven its sharp beak through their shells, with the sole -intention of destroying them, for no part of the contents of the eggs had -been removed. It looked like a case of revenge--as if some thrush or -warbler, whose nest had suffered at the hands of the jays, had watched its -opportunity, and had in this way retaliated upon its enemies. An egg for -an egg. The jays were lingering near, very demure and silent, and probably -ready to join a crusade against nest robbers. - -The great bugaboo of the birds is the owl. The owl snatches them from -off their roosts at night, and gobbles up their eggs and young in their -nests. He is a veritable ogre to them, and his presence fills them with -consternation and alarm. - -One season, to protect my early cherries, I placed a large stuffed owl -amid the branches of the tree. Such a racket as there instantly began -about my grounds is not pleasant to think upon. The orioles and robins -fairly “shrieked out their affright.” The news instantly spread in every -direction, and apparently every bird in town came to see that owl in the -cherry tree, and every bird took a cherry, so that I lost more fruit than -if I had left the owl indoors. With craning necks and horrified looks the -birds alighted upon the branches, and between their screams would snatch -off a cherry, as if the act was some relief to their feelings. - -The chirp and chatter of the young of birds which build in concealed or -inclosed places, like the woodpeckers, the house wren, the high-hoe, the -oriole, etc., is in marked contrast to the silence of the fledgelings of -most birds that build open and exposed nests. The young of the sparrows, -warblers, flycatchers, thrushes, etc., never allow a sound to escape them; -and on the alarm note of their parents being heard, sit especially close -and motionless, while the young of chimney swallows, woodpeckers, and -orioles are very noisy. - -The owl, I suspect, thrusts its leg into the cavities of woodpeckers and -into the pocket-like nest of the oriole, and clutches and brings forth the -birds in its talons. In one case, a screech owl had thrust its claw into a -cavity in a tree, and grasped the head of a red-headed woodpecker; being -apparently unable to draw its prey forth, it had thrust its own round head -into the hole, and in some way became fixed there, and had thus died with -the woodpecker in its talons. - - -II - - mishap tragedies desiccated vicinity - tragic vermin intolerable purgatory - comic couple cavity explosion - -The life of birds is beset with dangers and mishaps of which we know -little. One day, in my walk, I came upon a goldfinch with the tip of one -wing securely fastened to the feathers of its back, by what appeared to be -the silk of some caterpillar. The bird, though uninjured, was completely -crippled, and could not fly a stroke. Its little body was hot and panting -in my hands as I carefully broke the fetter. Then it darted swiftly away -with a happy cry. - -A record of all the accidents and tragedies of bird life for a single -season would show many curious incidents. A friend of mine opened his -box stove one fall to kindle a fire in it, when he beheld in the black -interior the desiccated forms of two bluebirds. The birds had probably -taken refuge in the chimney during some cold spring storm, and had come -down the pipe to the stove, from whence they were unable to ascend. - -A peculiarly touching little incident of bird life occurred to a caged -canary. It laid some eggs, and was so carried away by its feelings that -it would offer food to the eggs, and chatter and twitter, trying, as it -seemed, to encourage them to eat. The incident is hardly tragic, neither -is it comic. - -Certain birds nest in the vicinity of our houses and outbuildings, or even -in and upon them, for protection from their enemies, but they often thus -expose themselves to plague of the most deadly character. - -I refer to the vermin with which their nests often swarm, and which kill -the young before they are fledged. In a state of nature this probably -never happens; at least I have never seen or heard of it happening to -nests placed in trees or under rocks. It is the curse of civilization -falling upon the birds which come too near man. The vermin is probably -conveyed to the nest in hen’s feathers, or in straws and hairs picked up -about the barn or henhouse. A robin’s nest will occasionally become an -intolerable nuisance from the swarms upon swarms of minute vermin with -which it is filled. The parent birds stem the tide as long as they can, -but are often compelled to leave the young to their terrible fate. - -One season a phœbe bird built on a projecting stone under the eaves of the -house, and all appeared to go well till the young were nearly fledged, -when the nest suddenly became a bit of purgatory. The birds kept their -places till they could hold out no longer, when they leaped forth and fell -dead upon the ground. - -After a delay of a week or more, during which I imagine the parent birds -purified themselves by every means known to them, the couple built another -nest a few yards from the first, and proceeded to rear a second brood; -but the new nest developed into the same bed of torment that the first -did, and the three young birds, nearly ready to fly, perished as they sat -within it. The parent birds then left the place. - -I imagine the smaller birds have an enemy in our native white-footed -mouse, though I have not proof enough to convict him. But one season the -nest of a chickadee which I was observing was broken up in a position -where nothing but a mouse could have reached it. The bird had chosen a -cavity in the limb of an apple tree which stood but a few yards from the -house. The cavity was deep, and the entrance to it, which was ten feet -from the ground, was small. - -Barely light enough was admitted to enable one to make out the number of -eggs, which was six, at the bottom of the dim interior. While one was -peering in and trying to get his head out of his own light, the bird would -startle him by a queer kind of puffing sound. She would not leave her nest -like most birds, but really tried to blow, or scare, the intruder away; -and after repeated experiments I could hardly refrain from jerking my head -back when that little explosion of sound came up from the dark interior. - -One night the nest was harried. A slight trace of hair or fur at the -entrance led me to infer that some small animal was the robber. - -A weasel might have done it, as they sometimes climb trees, but I doubt if -either a squirrel or a rat could have passed the entrance. - -A pair of the least flycatchers, the bird which is a small edition of the -pewee, one season built their nest where I had them for many hours each -day under my observation. The nest was a very snug and compact structure -placed in the forks of a small maple about twelve feet from the ground. -The season before a red squirrel had harried the nest of a wood thrush in -this same tree, and I was apprehensive that he would serve the flycatchers -the same trick; so, as I sat with my book in a summerhouse near by, I kept -my loaded gun within easy reach. - -One egg was laid, and the next morning, as I made my daily inspection -of the nest, only a fragment of its empty shell was to be found. This I -removed, mentally imprecating the rogue of a red squirrel. The birds were -much disturbed by the event, but after much inspection of it and many -consultations together, concluded, it seems, to try again. - -Two more eggs were laid, when one day I heard the birds utter a sharp -cry, and on looking up I saw a cat-bird perched upon the rim of the nest, -hastily devouring the eggs. I soon regretted my precipitation in killing -her, because such interference is generally unwise. It turned out that she -had a nest of her own with five eggs in a spruce tree near my window. - -Then this pair of little flycatchers did what I had never seen birds do -before: they pulled the nest to pieces and rebuilt it in a peach tree not -many rods away, where a brood was successfully reared. The nest was here -exposed to the direct rays of the noonday sun, and to shield her young -when the heat was greatest, the mother-bird would stand above them with -wings slightly spread, as other birds have been known to do under like -circumstances. - - -III - - peculiar species expressive courage - curious dismay desperate assault - subtle rescue deranged enemy - -Probably the darkest tragedy of the nest is enacted when a snake plunders -it. All birds and animals, so far as I have observed, behave in a peculiar -manner toward a snake. They seem to feel something of the same loathing -toward it that the human species experience. The bark of a dog when he -encounters a snake is different from that which he gives out on any other -occasion; it is a mingled note of alarm, inquiry, and disgust. - -One day a tragedy was enacted a few yards from where I was sitting with a -book: two song sparrows were trying to defend their nest against a black -snake. The curious, interrogating note of a chicken who had suddenly come -upon the scene in his walk first caused me to look up from my reading. -There were the sparrows, with wings raised in a way peculiarly expressive -of horror and dismay, rushing about a low clump of grass and bushes. - -Then, looking more closely, I saw the glistening form of the black snake, -and the quick movement of his head as he tried to seize the birds. The -sparrows darted about and through the grass and weeds, trying to beat the -snake off. Their tails and wings were spread, and, panting with the heat -and desperate struggle, they presented a most singular spectacle. They -uttered no cry, not a sound escaped them; they were plainly speechless -with horror and dismay. Not once did they drop their wings, and the -peculiar expression of those uplifted palms, as it were, I shall never -forget. - -It occurred to me that perhaps here was a case of attempted bird charming -on the part of the snake, so I looked on from behind the fence. The birds -charged the snake and harassed him from every side, but were evidently -under no spell save that of courage in defending their nest. - -Every moment or two I could see the head and neck of the serpent make a -sweep at the birds, when the one struck at would fall back, and the other -would renew the assault. There appeared to be little danger that the snake -could strike and hold one of the birds, though I trembled for them, they -were so bold and approached so near to the snake’s head. Time and again he -sprang at them but without success. How the poor things panted, and held -up their wings appealingly! - -Then the snake glided off, barely escaping the stone which I hurled at -him. I found the nest rifled and deranged; whether it had contained eggs -or young I know not. The male sparrow had cheered me many a day with his -song, and I blamed myself for not having rushed at once to the rescue, -when the arch enemy was upon him. - -There is probably little truth in the popular notion that snakes charm -birds. The black snake is the most subtle of our snakes, and I have never -seen him have any but young, helpless birds in his mouth. - - --JOHN BURROUGHS. - - - - -ST. JOSEPH’S MONTH - - - O, holy St. Joseph! in thee we confide, - Be thou our protector, our father, our guide; - The flowers of our innocent childhood we twine - In a fragrant white garland of love at thy shrine. - St. Joseph, who guided the Child on His way, - O, guide us and guard us and bless us, we pray! - - Long ago didst thou teach the Lord Jesus to speak, - And thine arms were His strength when His footsteps, were weak; - So lend us thy help in the days of our youth - So teach us to walk in the pathway of truth! - St. Joseph, Christ’s early protector and stay, - Protect us and save us from evil, we pray! - - When the years glowing o’er us shall smolder away, - When their ashes down-drifting, shall crown us with gray, - Still loyal and true may we keep to our vow - To honor our saint as we honor him now! - St. Joseph, who guided the Child on His way, - O, guide us at last to His presence, we pray! - - --H. W. - - - - -A SONG OF SPRING - - - Hark, the spring! She calls - With a thousand voices - ’Mid the echoing forest halls - One great heart rejoices. - - Hills, where young lambs bound, - Whiten o’er with daisies; - Flag flowers light the lower ground, - Where the old steer grazes. - - Meadows laugh, flower-gay; - Every breeze that passes - Waves the seed-cloud’s gleaming gray - O’er the greener grasses. - - O thou spring! be strong, - Exquisite newcomer! - And the onset baffle long - Of advancing summer! - - --AUBREY DE VERE. - - - - -ROBERT BRUCE - - -I. CHASED BY A BLOODHOUND - - entertaining revenge assemble pursuit - dispersed attendant prisoner fugitives - resolved oppressed relation retreat - -I will now tell you a story of King Robert Bruce during his wanderings. -His adventures are as entertaining as those which men invent for story -books, with this advantage, that they are all true. - -About the time when the Bruce was yet at the head of but few men, Sir -Aymer de Valence, who was Earl of Pembroke, together with John of Lorn, -came into Galloway, each of them being at the head of a large body of men. - -John of Lorn had a bloodhound with him, which it was said had formerly -belonged to Robert Bruce himself; and having been fed by the king with -his own hands, it became attached to him and would follow his footsteps -anywhere, as dogs are well known to trace their masters’ steps, whether -they be bloodhounds or not. By means of this hound, John of Lorn thought -he should certainly find out Bruce, and take revenge on him for the death -of his relation Comyn. - -When these two armies advanced upon King Robert, he at first thought of -fighting the English earl; but becoming aware that John of Lorn was moving -round with another large body to attack him in the rear, he resolved to -avoid fighting at that time, lest he should be oppressed by numbers. For -this purpose, the king divided the men he had with him into three bodies, -and commanded them to retreat by three different ways, thinking the enemy -would not know which party to pursue. He also appointed a place at which -they were to assemble again. - -When John of Lorn came to the place where the army of Bruce had been thus -divided, the bloodhound took his course after one of these divisions, -neglecting the other two, and then John of Lorn knew that the king must be -in that party; so he also made no pursuit after the two other divisions, -but, with all his men, followed that which the dog pointed out. - -The king again saw that he was followed by a large body, and being -determined to escape from them if possible, he made all the people who -were with him disperse themselves different ways, thinking thus that the -enemy must needs lose trace of him. He kept only one man along with him, -and that was his own foster brother, or the son of his nurse. - -When John of Lorn came to the place where Bruce’s companions had dispersed -themselves, the bloodhound, after it had snuffed up and down for a little, -quitted the footsteps of all the other fugitives, and ran barking upon the -track of two men out of the whole number. Then John of Lorn knew that one -of these two must be King Robert. Accordingly, he commanded five of his -men to chase after him, and either make him prisoner or slay him. - -The Highlanders started off accordingly, and ran so fast that they gained -sight of Robert and his foster brother. The king asked his companion what -help he could give him, and his foster brother answered he was ready to do -his best. So these two turned on the five men of John of Lorn and killed -them all. - -By this time Bruce was very much fatigued, and yet they dared not sit down -to take any rest; for whenever they stopped for an instant, they heard the -cry of the bloodhound behind them, and knew by that that their enemies -were coming up fast after them. At length they came to a wood through -which ran a small river. Then Bruce said to his foster brother, “Let us -wade down this stream for a great way, instead of going straight across, -and so this unhappy hound will lose the scent; for if we were once clear -of him, I should not be afraid of getting away from the pursuers.” - -Accordingly, the king and his attendant walked a great way down the -stream, taking care to keep their feet in the water, which could not -retain any scent where they had stepped. Then they came ashore on the -farther side from the enemy, and went deep into the wood. - -In the meanwhile, the hound led John of Lorn straight to the place where -the king went into the water, but there the dog began to be puzzled, not -knowing where to go next; for running water cannot retain the scent of a -man’s foot, like that which remains on turf. So John of Lorn, seeing the -dog was at fault, as it is called, that is, had lost the track of that -which he pursued, he gave up the chase and returned to join with Aymer de -Valence. - - -II. IN THE FOREST - - habitation ruffians civilly salutations - amazing villains insisted acquainted - -King Robert’s adventures were not yet ended. His foster brother and -he walked on in hopes of coming to some habitation. At length, in the -midst of the forest, they met with three men who looked like thieves or -ruffians. They were well armed, and one of them bore a sheep on his back, -which it seemed as if they had just stolen. - -They saluted the king civilly; and he, replying to their salutations, -asked them where they were going. The men answered they were seeking for -Robert Bruce, for that they intended to join with him. - -The king answered that he would conduct them where they would find the -Scottish king. Then the man who had spoken changed countenance, and Bruce, -who looked sharply at him, began to suspect that the ruffian guessed who -he was, and that he and his companions had some design against his person, -in order to gain the reward which had been offered for his life. - -So he said to them, “My good friends, as we are not well acquainted with -each other, you must go before us, and we will follow near to you.” - -“You have no occasion to suspect any harm from us,” answered the man. - -“Neither do I suspect any,” said Bruce; “but this is the way in which I -choose to travel.” - -The men did as he commanded, and thus they traveled till they came -together to a waste and ruinous cottage, where the men proposed to dress -some part of the sheep, which their companion was carrying. The king was -glad to hear of food; but he insisted that there should be two fires -kindled,--one for himself and his foster brother at one end of the house, -the other at the other end for their three companions. - -The men did as he desired. They broiled a quarter of mutton for -themselves, and gave another to the king and his attendant. They were -obliged to eat it without bread or salt; but as they were very hungry, -they were glad to get food in any shape, and partook of it very heartily. - -Then so heavy a drowsiness fell on King Robert, that, for all the danger -he was in, he could not resist an inclination to sleep. But first he -desired his foster brother to watch while he slept, for he had great -suspicion of their new acquaintances. His foster brother promised to keep -awake, and did his best to keep his word. But the king had not been long -asleep ere his foster brother fell into a deep slumber also, for he had -undergone as much fatigue as the king. - -When the three villains saw the king and his attendant asleep they made -signs to each other, and, rising up at once, drew their swords with the -purpose to kill them both. But the king slept lightly, and for as little -noise as the traitors made, he was awakened by it, and starting up, drew -his sword and went to meet them. At the same moment he pushed his foster -brother with his foot to awaken him, and he got on his feet; but ere he -had got his eyes cleared to see what was about to happen, one of the -ruffians slew him. - -The king was now alone, one man against three, and in the greatest danger -of his life; but his amazing strength, and the good armor which he wore, -freed him from this great peril, and he killed the three men, one after -another. He then left the cottage, very sorrowful for the death of his -faithful foster brother, and took his direction toward the place where he -had appointed his men to assemble. - - -III. AT THE FARMHOUSE - - gallant fidelity weariness mischief - trusty faithful sentinels mentioned - -It was now near night, and the place of meeting being a farmhouse, Bruce -went boldly into it, where he found the mistress, an old, true-hearted -Scotswoman, sitting alone. Upon seeing a stranger enter, she asked him -who he was. The king answered that he was a traveler, who was journeying -through the country. - -“All travelers,” answered the good woman, “are welcome here for the sake -of one.” - -“And who is that one,” said the king, “for whose sake you make all -travelers welcome?” - -“It is our rightful king, Robert the Bruce,” answered the mistress, “who -is the lawful lord of this country; and although he is now pursued with -hounds and horns, I hope to live to see him king over all Scotland.” - -“Since you love him so well, dame,” said the king, “know that you see him -before you. I am Robert the Bruce.” - -“You!” said the good woman, “and wherefore are you thus alone?--where are -all your men?” - -“I have none with me at this moment,” answered Bruce, “and therefore I -must travel alone.” - -“But that shall not be,” said the brave old dame; “for I have two sons, -gallant and trusty men, who shall be your servants for life and death.” - -So she brought her two sons, and though she well knew the dangers to which -she exposed them, she made them swear fidelity to the king; and they -afterward became high officers in his service. - -Now the loyal old woman was getting everything ready for the king’s -supper, when suddenly there was a great trampling of horses heard round -the house. They thought it must be some of the English, or John of Lorn’s -men, and the good wife called upon her sons to fight to the last for King -Robert. But shortly after they heard the voice of the good Lord James of -Douglas, and of Edward Bruce, the king’s brother, who had come with a -hundred and fifty horsemen to this farmhouse. - -Robert the Bruce, forgetting hunger and weariness, began to inquire where -the enemy who had pursued them so long had taken up their abode for the -night; “for,” said he, “as they must suppose us totally scattered and -fled, it is likely that they will think themselves quite secure, and keep -careless watch.” - -“That is very true,” answered James of Douglas, “for I passed a village -where there are two hundred of them quartered, who had placed no -sentinels; and if you have a mind, we may surprise them, and do them more -mischief than they have done us.” - -Then there was nothing but mount and ride; and as the Scots came by -surprise on the body of English whom Douglas had mentioned, and rushed -suddenly into the village where they were quartered, they easily dispersed -and cut them to pieces. - - --SIR WALTER SCOTT. - - - - -“WHEN EVENING SHADES ARE FALLING” - - - When evening shades are falling - O’er ocean’s sunny sleep, - To pilgrims’ hearts recalling - Their home beyond the deep; - When rest, o’er all descending, - The shores with gladness smile, - And lutes, their echoes blending, - Are heard from isle to isle: - Then, Mary, Star of the Sea, - We pray, we pray, to thee. - - The noonday tempest over - Now ocean toils no more, - And wings of halcyons hover, - Where all was strife before; - Oh, thus may life, in closing - Its short tempestuous day, - Beneath heaven’s smile reposing, - Shine all its storms away: - Thus, Mary, Star of the Sea, - We pray, we pray, to thee. - - --THOMAS MOORE. - - - - -THE REINDEER - -Adapted from “The Red Book of Animal Stories.” Copyright, 1899, by -Longmans, Green, & Company. Used by permission. - - - nourishing excellent sinews immense - delicacy especially crevices sociable - -[Illustration] - -There is perhaps no other animal in the world so useful as the reindeer, -at least none that can be put to so many uses. The flesh of a sheep is -eaten, and its wool is woven into cloth; but then we should never think -of harnessing a sheep even to a baby carriage. A camel serves, in the -desert, the purpose of a van and of a riding horse in one, and his hair -makes warm garments; but he would give us a very ill-tasting dinner, and -the same may be said of some other useful creatures. A reindeer, however, -is good to eat, and makes an excellent steed; its milk is nourishing; -the softer parts of its horns, when properly prepared, are considered -a delicacy; the bones are turned to account as tools; the sinews are -twisted into thread, and, all the long winter, the skin and hair keep the -dwellers in the far North snug and warm. Take away the reindeer, and the -inhabitants of every country north of latitude 60° would feel as helpless -as we should in England if there were no more sheep or cows! - -Reindeer live, by choice, on the slopes of mountains, and require no -better food than the moss, or little alpine plants, which they find -growing in the crevices of the rock. Sometimes, in very cold places, or -when the winter is particularly severe, they take shelter in the forest; -but when spring is in the air once more, out they come in great herds, -thin and sore from the bites of newly awakened insects, and wander away in -search of fresher pasture. In August and September, when the sun has grown -too strong for them, they seek the shade of the woods again. - -In their wild state reindeer are great travelers, and as they are very -strong, and excellent swimmers, they go immense distances, especially the -reindeer of North America, who will cross the ice to Greenland in the -early part of the year, and stay there till the end of October, when they -come back to their old quarters. They are most sociable creatures, and are -never happy unless they have three or four hundred companions, while herds -of a thousand have sometimes been counted. The females and calves are -always placed in front, and the big bucks bring up the rear, to see that -nobody falls out of the ranks from weakness. - -Like many animals that live in the North, the color of the reindeer is -different in winter from what it is in summer. Twice a year he changes his -coat, and the immense thick covering which has been so comfortable all -through the fierce cold, begins to fall in early spring and a short hair -to take its place, so that by the time summer comes, he is nice and cool, -and looks quite another creature from what he did in the winter. As the -days shorten and grow frosty, the coat becomes longer and closer, and by -the time the first snow falls the deer is quite prepared to meet it. - -Though reindeer prefer mountain sides when they can get them, their broad -and wide-cleft hoofs are well adapted for the lowlands of the North of -Europe and of America, which are a morass in summer and a snow-field in -winter. Here are to be seen whole herds of them, either walking with a -regular rapid step, or else going at a quick trot; but in either case -always making a peculiar crackling noise with their feet. - -They have an acute sense of smell, and will detect a man at a distance of -five or six hundred paces, and as their eyes are as good as their ears, -the huntsman has much ado to get up to them. They are dainty in their -food, choosing out only the most delicate of the alpine plants, and their -skins cannot be as tough as they look, for they are very sensitive to the -bites of mosquitoes, gnats, and particularly of midges. - -Reindeer are very cautious, as many hunters have found to their cost; -but they are ready to be friendly with any cows or horses they may come -across, and this must make the task of taming them a great deal easier. -They have their regular hours for meals, too, and early in the mornings -and late in the evenings may be seen going out for their breakfasts and -suppers, which, in summer, consist, in the highlands, of the leaves and -flowers of the snow ranunculus, reindeer sorrel, a favorite kind of -grass, and, better than all, the young shoots of the dwarf birch. In the -afternoons they lie down and rest, and choose for their place of repose a -patch of snow, or a glacier if one is at hand. - -In Norway and Lapland great herds of reindeer may be seen, during the -summer, wandering along the banks of rivers, or making for the mountains, -returning with the approach of winter to their old quarters. With the -first snow fall they are safe under shelter, for this is the time when -wolves are most to be feared. In the spring they are let loose again, and -are driven carefully to some spot which is freer from midges than the -rest. And so life goes on from year to year. - -Reindeer herding is by no means so easy as it looks, and it would be quite -impossible, even to a Lapp, if it were not for the help of dogs, who are -part of the family. They are small creatures, hardly as big as a Spitz, -and very thin, with close compact hair all over their bodies. These dogs -are very obedient, and understand every movement of their master’s eyelid. -They will not only keep the herd together on land, but follow them into a -river, or across an arm of the sea. It is they who rescue the weaklings -in danger of drowning, after their winter’s fast, and in the autumn, when -the reindeer have grown strong from good living, drive the herd back again -through the bay. - -A herd of reindeer on the march is a beautiful sight to see. They go -quickly along, faster than any other domestic animal, and are kept -together by the herdsman and his dogs, who are untiring in their efforts -to bring up stragglers. - -When a good stretch of pasture is found, the Lapps build a fold, into -which the reindeer are driven every evening, so that the work of the -milkers may be lightened. These folds are made of the stems of birches -placed close together and strengthened with cross-pieces and strong props. -They are about seven feet high, and have two wide doors. At milking time, -which the dogs know as well as the men, the animals are driven inside by -their faithful guardians, and milking begins busily. The young ones are -generally left outside under the watchful eyes of the dogs, who see that -they do not wander too far away. - -Inside the fold the noise is really deafening. The reindeer run to and -fro, giving loud cries and throwing their heads about; which, as their -horns are very big, is not pleasant for the milkers. Any one walking -that way would be struck, first, with the sound of the commotion in the -inclosure, and this would most likely be followed by a crackling noise, as -if a hundred electric batteries were at work at once. - -In the middle of the fold are thick tree trunks to which the reindeer -which have to be milked are fastened, for without these they would not -stand still one single instant. - -The milkers have a thong which is thrown round the neck of the animal, and -drawn closer till it is tied by a slip noose over the creature’s mouth, so -as to prevent it from biting. Then the ends are made secure to the milking -block, and the milking begins--the animal all the while struggling hard to -get free. But the Lapps know how to manage them, and only draw the cord -tighter over the nose, so that the creatures are bound in self-defense to -remain quiet. - -The milk flows into a sort of large bowl with handles, but the Lapps are -both careless and dirty in their ways, and not only waste a great deal of -the milk, but leave so many hairs in it that it is necessary to strain it -through a cloth before it can be drunk. However, the milk itself is very -good. The milking once over, the doors are opened, and the animals scamper -out joyously. - -All together, the life of the owner of a herd of reindeer cannot be said -to be an idle one. Yet he is in general well satisfied with his lot, and -thinks himself the most fortunate man in the world. - - --A. LANG. - - - - -A STORY OF ANCIENT IRELAND - - - chariots weapon barriers protector - whelp award district savage - -There was a great smith in Ulster of the name of Culain, who made a feast -for Conchubar and his people. When Conchubar was setting out to the feast, -he passed by the lawn where the boy troop were at their games, and he -watched them awhile, and saw how young Setanta, his sister’s son, was -winning the goal from them all. - -“That little lad will serve Ulster yet,” said Conchubar; “and call him to -me now,” he said, “and let him come with me to the smith’s feast.” - -“I cannot go with you now,” said Setanta, when they had called to him, -“for these boys have not had enough of play yet.” - -“It would be too long for me to wait for you,” said the king. - -“There is no need for you to wait; I will follow the track of the -chariots,” said Setanta. - -So Conchubar went on to the smith’s house, and there was a welcome before -him, and the feast was brought in, and they began to be merry. And then -Culain said to the king, “Will there be any one else of your people -coming after you to-night?” - -“There will not,” said Conchubar, for he forgot that he had told the -little lad to follow him. “But why do you ask me that?” he said. - -“I have a fierce hound,” said the smith, “and when I take the chain off -him, he lets no one come into the district with himself, and he will obey -no one but myself, and he has in him the strength of a hundred.” - -“Loose him out,” said Conchubar, “and let him keep a watch on the place.” - -So Culain loosed him out, and the dog made a course round the whole -district, and then he came back to the place where he was used to watch -the house. - -Now, as to the boys at Emain, when they were done playing, every one went -to his father’s house, or to whoever was in charge of him. But Setanta set -out on the track of the chariots, shortening the way for himself with his -hurling stick and his ball. - -When he came to the lawn before the smith’s house, the hound heard him -coming, and began such a fierce yelling that he might have been heard -through all Ulster, and he sprang at him as if he had a mind not to stop -and tear him up at all, but to swallow him at the one mouthful. The little -fellow had no weapon but his stick and his ball, but when he saw the -hound coming at him, he struck the ball with such force that it went down -his throat, and through his body. Then he seized him by the hind legs and -dashed him against a rock until there was no life left in him. - -When the men feasting within heard the outcry of the hound, Conchubar -started up and said, “It is no good luck brought us on this journey, for -that is surely my sister’s son that was coming after me, and that has got -his death by the hound.” - -On that all the men rushed out, not waiting to go through the door, but -over walls and barriers as they could. But Fergus was the first to get to -where the boy was, and he took him up and lifted him on his shoulder, and -brought him in safe and sound to Conchubar, and there was great joy in -them all. - -But Culain the smith went out with them, and when he saw his great hound -lying dead and broken, there was great grief in his heart, and he came in -and said to Setanta, “There is no good welcome for you here.” - -“What have you against the little lad?” said Conchubar. - -“It was no good luck that brought him here, or that made me prepare this -feast for yourself,” said the smith, “for now, my hound being gone, my -substance will be wasted, and my way of living will be gone astray. And, -little boy,” he said, “that was a good member of my family you took from -me, for he was the protector of my flocks and of all that I have.” - -“Do not be vexed on account of that,” said the boy, “and I myself will -makeup to you for what I have done.” - -“How will you do that?” said Conchubar. - -“This is how I will do it: if there is a whelp of the same breed to be had -in Ireland, I will rear him and train him until he is as good a hound as -the one killed; and until that time, Culain,” he said, “I myself will be -your watchdog, to guard your goods and your cattle and your house.” - -“You have made a fair offer,” said Conchubar. - -“I could have given no better award myself,” said Cathbad the Druid. -“And from this out,” he said, “your name will be Cuchulain, the Hound of -Culain.” - -“I am better pleased with my own name of Setanta,” said the boy. - -“Do not say that,” said Cathbad, “for all the men in the whole world will -some day have the name of Cuchulain in their mouths.” - -“If that is so, I am content to keep it,” said the boy. And this is how he -came by the name Cuchulain. - - --LADY GREGORY. - - - - -SAN GABRIEL - - - uncivil specimens behavior celebrations - dozens wreaths garlands especially - -There are a great many interesting stories about the first settlement of -San Gabriel, and the habits and customs of the Indians there. They were a -very polite people to each other, and used to train their children in some -respects very carefully. - -If a child were sent to bring water to an older person, and he tasted it -on the way, he was made to throw the water out and go and bring fresh -water; when two grown-up persons were talking together, if a child ran -between them, he was told that he had done an uncivil thing. These are -only specimens of their rules for polite behavior. They seem to me as good -as ours. - -These Indians were very fond of flowers, of which the whole country is -full. They used to make long garlands and wreaths, not only to wear on -their heads, but to reach way down to their feet. These they wore at -festivals and celebrations; and sometimes at these festivals they used to -have what they called “song contests.” - -Two of the best singers, or poets, would be matched together to see which -could sing the better, or make the better verses. That seems to me a -more interesting kind of match than the spelling matches we have in our -villages. - -But there is nothing of this sort to be seen in San Gabriel now, or indeed -anywhere in California. The Indians have been driven away by the white -people who wanted their lands; year by year more and more white people -have come, and the Indians have been robbed of more and more of their -lands, and have died off by hundreds, until there are not many left. - -Mr. Connor was much interested in collecting all he could of the curious -stone bowls and pestles they used to make, and of their baskets and lace -work. He spent much of his time riding about the country; and whenever he -came to an Indian hut he would stop and ask if they had any stone bowls -they would like to sell. - -The bowls especially were a great curiosity. Nobody knew how long ago -they had been made. When the missionaries first came to the country they -found the Indians using them; they had them of all sizes, from those so -large that they are almost more than a man can lift down to the tiny ones -no bigger than a tea-cup. But big and little, they were all made in the -same way out of solid stone, scooped out in the middle, by rubbing another -stone round and round on them. - -Even yet people who are searching for such curiosities sometimes find -big grave mounds in which dozens of them are buried--buried side by side -with the people who used to eat out of them. There is nothing left of the -people but their skulls and a few bones; but the bowls will last as long -as the world stands. - - --HELEN HUNT JACKSON. - - - - -IMITATION OF MARY - - -Let the life of the Blessed Mary be ever present to you.… - -She was humble of heart, serious in her conversation, fonder of reading -than of speaking. - -She placed her confidence rather in the prayer of the poor than in the -uncertain riches of the world. - -She was ever intent on her occupations, and accustomed to make God rather -than man the witness of her thoughts. - -She injured no one, wished well to all, reverenced age, yielded not to -envy, avoided all boasting, followed the dictates of reason, and loved -virtue. - - --ST. AMBROSE. - - - - -A SCENE FROM “WILLIAM TELL” - - -(Switzerland had been conquered by Austria, and Gesler, a cruel tyrant, -was her governor. William Tell had refused to bow before Gesler’s hat, -which had been elevated on a pole; he was therefore arrested and taken -before the governor. His son Albert was also taken, and both were -threatened with death.) - -[Illustration] - - SCENE I - - (_WILLIAM TELL, ALBERT, his son, and GESLER with officers. TELL in - chains._) - - GESLER. What is thy name? - - TELL. My name? - It matters not to keep it from thee now-- - My name is Tell. - - GES. Tell!--William Tell? - - TELL. The same. - - GES. What! he so famed ’bove all his countrymen - For guiding o’er the stormy lake the boat? - And such a master of his bow, ’tis said - His arrows never miss! Indeed, I’ll take - Exquisite vengeance! Mark! I’ll spare thy life-- - Thy boy’s, too!--both of you are free--on one - Condition. - - TELL. Name it. - - GES. I would see you make - A trial of your skill with that same bow - You shoot so well with. - - TELL. Name the trial you - Would have me make. - - GES. You look upon your boy - As though instinctively you guessed it. - - TELL. Look upon my boy! What mean you? - Look upon - My boy as though I guessed it! Guessed the trial - You’d have me make! Guessed it - Instinctively! you do not mean--no--no-- - You would not have me make a trial of - My skill upon my child! Impossible! - I do not guess your meaning. - - GES. I would see - Thee hit an apple at the distance of - A hundred paces. - - TELL. Is my boy to hold it? - - GES. No. - - TELL. No! I’ll send the arrow through the core. - - GES. It is to rest upon his head. - - TELL. Great Heaven, you hear him! - - GES. Thou dost hear the choice I give-- - Such trial of the skill thou art master of, - Or death to both of you; not otherwise - To be escaped. - - TELL. O monster! - - GES. Wilt thou do it? - - ALBERT. He will! he will! - - TELL. Ferocious monster! Make - A father murder his own child-- - - GES. Take off - His chains, if he consent. - - TELL. With his own hand! - - GES. Does he consent? - - ALB. He does. - - (_GESLER signs to his officers, who proceed to take off TELL’S - chains. TELL all the time unconscious what they do._) - - TELL. With his own hand! - Murder his child with his own hand--this hand! - The hand I’ve led him, when an infant, by! - ’Tis beyond horror--’tis most horrible. - Amazement! (_His chains fall off._) What’s that you’ve done to me? - Villains! put on my chains again. My hands - Are free from blood, and have no gust for it, - That they should drink my child’s! Here! here! I’ll not - Murder my boy for Gesler. - - ALB. Father--father! - You will not hit me, father! - - TELL. Hit thee! Send - The arrow through thy brain; or, missing that, - Shoot out an eye; or, if thine eye escape, - Mangle the cheek I’ve seen thy mother’s lips - Cover with kisses. Hit thee--hit a hair - Of thee, and cleave thy mother’s heart. - - GES. Dost thou consent? - - TELL. Give me my bow and quiver. - - GES. For what? - - TELL. To shoot my boy! - - ALB. No, father--no! - To save me! You’ll be sure to hit the apple-- - Will you not save me, father? - - TELL. Lead me forth; - I’ll make the trial. - - ALB. Thank you! - - TELL. Thank me! Do - You know for what? I will not make the trial, - To take him to his mother in my arms - And lay him down a corpse before her! - - GES. Then he dies this moment--and you certainly - Do murder him whose life you have a chance - To save, and will not use it. - - TELL. Well, I’ll do it. I’ll make the trial. - - ALB. Father-- - - TELL. Speak not to me; - Let me not hear thy voice. Thou must be dumb; - And so should all things be. Earth should be dumb, - And heaven--unless its thunders muttered at - The deed, and sent a bolt to stop it. Give me - My bow and quiver! - - GES. When all’s ready. - - TELL. Well, lead on! - - SCENE II - - _Enter, slowly, people in evident distress. Officers, SARNEM, - GESLER, TELL, ALBERT, and soldiers, one bearing TELL’S bow and - quiver, another with a basket of apples._ - - GES. That is your ground. Now shall they measure thence - A hundred paces. Take the distance. - - TELL. Is the line a true one? - - GES. True or not, what is’t to thee? - - TELL. What is’t to me? A little thing, - A very little thing--a yard or two - Is nothing here or there--were it a wolf - I shot at. Never mind. - - GES. Be thankful, slave, - Our grace accords thee life on any terms. - - TELL. I will be thankful, Gesler. Villain, stop! - You measure to the sun! - - GES. And what of that? - What matter whether to or from the sun? - - TELL. I’d have it at my back--the sun should shine - Upon the mark, and not on him that shoots. - I cannot see to shoot against the sun; - I will not shoot against the sun! - - GES. Give him his way. Thou hast cause to bless my mercy. - - TELL. I shall remember it. I’d like to see - The apple I’m to shoot at. - - GES. Stay! show me the basket--there-- - - TELL. You’ve picked the smallest one. - - GES. I know I have. - - TELL. Oh! do you? But you see - The color on’t is dark.--I’d have it light, - To see it better. - - GES. Take it as it is; - Thy skill will be the greater if thou hit’st it. - - TELL. True--true! I did not think of that--I wonder - I did not think of that. Give me some chance - To save my boy! (_Throws away the apple._) - I will not murder him, - If I can help it--for the honor of - The form thou wearest, if all the heart is gone. - - GES. Well, choose thyself. - - TELL. Have I a friend among the lookers-on? - - VERNER. (_Rushing forward._) Here, Tell! - - TELL. I thank thee, Verner! - He is a friend runs out into a storm - To shake a hand with us. I must be brief: - When once the bow is bent, we cannot take - The shot too soon. Verner, whatever be - The issue of this hour, the common cause - Must not stand still. Let not to-morrow’s sun - Set on the tyrant’s banner! Verner! Verner! - The boy! the boy! Thinkest thou he hath the courage - To stand it? - - VER. Yes. - - TELL. How looks he? - - VER. Clear and smilingly; - If you doubt it, look yourself. - - TELL. No--no--my friend; - To hear it is enough. - - VER. He bears himself so much above his years. - - TELL. I know! I know! - - VER. With constancy so modest-- - - TELL. I was sure he would. - - VER. And looks with such relying love - And reverence upon you. - - TELL. Man! man! man! - No more. Already I’m too much the father - To act the man. Verner, no more, my friend. - I would be flint--flint--flint. Don’t make me feel - I’m not. Do not mind me. Take the boy - And set him, Verner, with his back to me. - Set him upon his knees--and place this apple - Upon his head, so that the stem may front me,-- - Thus, Verner; charge him to keep steady--tell him - I’ll hit the apple. Verner, do all this - More briefly than I tell it thee. - - VER. Come, Albert. (_Leading him out._) - - ALB. May I not speak with him before I go? - - VER. You must not. - - ALB. I must! I cannot go from him without. - - VER. It is his will you should. - - ALB. His will, is it? - I am content, then--come. - - TELL. My boy! (_Holding out his arms to him._) - - ALB. My father! (_Rushing into TELL’S arms._) - - TELL. If thou canst bear it, should not I? Go, now, - My son--and keep in mind that I can shoot-- - Go, boy--be thou but steady, I will hit - The apple. Go! God bless thee--go. My bow!-- - (_The bow is handed to him._) - Thou wilt not fail thy master, wilt thou? Thou - Hast never failed him yet, old servant. No, - I’m sure of thee. I know thy honesty. - Thou art stanch--stanch. Let me see my quiver. - - GES. Give him a single arrow. - - TELL. Do you shoot? - - SOL. I do. - - TELL. Is it so you pick an arrow, friend? - The point, you see, is bent; the feather jagged. - (_Breaks it._) That’s all the use ’tis fit for. - - GES. Let him have another. - - TELL. Why, ’tis better than the first, - But yet not good enough for such an aim - As I’m to take--’tis heavy in the shaft; - I’ll not shoot with it! (_Throws it away._) Let me see my quiver. - Bring it! ’Tis not one arrow in a dozen - I’d take to shoot with at a dove, much less - A dove like that. - - GES. It matters not. - Show him the quiver. - - TELL. See if the boy is ready. - (_TELL here hides an arrow under his vest_.) - - VER. He is. - - TELL. I’m ready, too! Keep silent for - Heaven’s sake and do not stir--and let me have - Your prayers--your prayers--and be my witnesses - That if his life’s in peril from my hand, - ’Tis only for the chance of saving it. (_To the people._) - - GES. Go on. - - TELL. I will. - O friends, for mercy’s sake, keep motionless - And silent. - - (_TELL shoots; a shout of exultation bursts from the crowd. TELL’S - head drops on his bosom; he with difficulty supports himself upon - his bow._) - - VER. (_Rushing in with ALBERT._) Thy boy is safe, no - hair of him is touched. - - ALB. Father, I’m safe! Your Albert’s safe, dear father,-- - Speak to me! Speak to me! - - VER. He cannot, boy. - - ALB. You grant him life? - - GES. I do. - - ALB. And we are free? - - GES. You are. (Crossing angrily behind.) - - VER. Open his vest - And give him air. - - (_ALBERT opens his father’s vest, and the arrow drops. TELL starts, - fixes his eye upon ALBERT, and clasps him to his breast._) - - TELL. My boy! my boy! - - GES. For what - Hid you that arrow in your breast? Speak, slave! - - TELL. To kill thee, tyrant, had I slain my boy! - - --SHERIDAN KNOWLES. - - - - -THE SCHOOLMASTER OF SLEEPY HOLLOW - - -I. HIS SCHOOL AND HIS FRIENDS - - custom vicinity scarecrow murmur - uncouth adjacent appalling personage - -In a remote period of American history there lived in Sleepy Hollow a -worthy man whose name was Ichabod Crane. He sojourned, or, as he expressed -it, “tarried” in that quiet little valley for the purpose of instructing -the children of the vicinity. - -He was tall, but very lank, with narrow shoulders, long arms and legs, -hands that dangled a mile out of his sleeves, and feet that might have -served as shovels. His head was small, with huge ears, large glassy eyes, -and a long snipe nose. To see him striding along the crest of a hill on a -windy day, with his ill-fitting clothes fluttering about him, one might -have mistaken him for some scarecrow escaped from a cornfield. - -His schoolhouse was a low building of one large room, rudely built of -logs. It stood in a rather lonely but pleasant place, just at the foot of -a woody hill, with a brook running close by, and a birch tree growing near -one end of it. From this place of learning the low murmur of children’s -voices, conning over their lessons, might be heard on a drowsy summer day -like the hum of a beehive. Now and then this was interrupted by the stern -voice of the master, or perhaps by the appalling sound of a birch twig, as -some loiterer was urged along the flowery path of knowledge. - -When school hours were over, the teacher forgot that he was the master, -and was even the companion and playmate of the older boys; and on holiday -afternoons he liked to go home with some of the smaller ones who happened -to have pretty sisters, or mothers noted for their skill in cooking. - -Indeed, it was a wise thing for him to keep on good terms with his pupils. -He earned so little by teaching school that he could scarcely have had -enough to eat had he not, according to country custom, boarded at the -houses of the children whom he instructed. With these he lived, by turns, -a week at a time, thus going the rounds of the neighborhood, with all his -worldly goods tied up in a cotton handkerchief. - -He had many ways of making himself both useful and agreeable. He helped -the farmers in the lighter labors of their farms, raked the hay at harvest -time, mended the fences, took the horses to water, drove the cows from -pasture, and cut wood for the winter fire. He found favor in the eyes of -the mothers by petting the children, particularly the youngest; and he -would often sit with a child on one knee and rock a cradle with his foot -for whole hours together. - -He was looked upon as a kind of idle, gentlemanlike personage of finer -tastes and better manners than the rough young men who had been brought -up in the country. He was always welcome at the tea table of a farmhouse; -and his presence was almost sure to bring out an extra dish of cakes or -sweetmeats, or the parade of a silver teapot. He would walk with the young -ladies in the churchyard between services on Sundays, gathering grapes for -them from the wild vines that overran the surrounding trees, or sauntering -with a whole bevy of them along the banks of the adjacent mill pond; while -the bashful country youngsters hung sheepishly back and hated him for his -fine manners. - -One of his sources of pleasure was to pass long winter evenings with the -Dutch farmers, as they sat by the fire with a long row of apples roasting -and sputtering along the hearth. He listened to their wondrous tales of -ghosts and goblins, and haunted fields, and haunted brooks, and haunted -bridges, and haunted houses, and particularly of the headless horseman, or -“Galloping Hessian of the Hollow,” as they sometimes called him. And then -he would entertain them with stories of witchcraft, and would frighten -them with woeful speculations about comets and shooting stars, and by -telling them that the world did really turn round, and that they were half -the time topsy-turvy. - -There was pleasure in all this while snugly cuddling in the chimney corner -of a room that was lighted by the ruddy glow from a crackling wood fire, -and where no ghost dared show its face; but it was a pleasure dearly -bought by the terrors which would beset him during his walk homeward. How -fearful were the shapes and shadows that fell across his way in the dim -and ghastly glare of a snowy night! How often did he shrink with curdling -awe at the sound of his own steps on the frosty crust beneath his feet, -and dread to look over his shoulder lest he should behold some uncouth -being tramping close behind him! - - -II. THE INVITATION - - autumnal urchins application cavalier - pensive pommel apparition genuine - horizon plumage luxurious gradually - -On a fine autumnal afternoon, Ichabod, in pensive mood, sat enthroned on -the lofty stool from whence he watched the doings of his little school. In -his hand he held a ferule, that scepter of despotic power; the birch of -justice reposed on three nails behind the stool, a constant terror to evil -doers; while on the desk were sundry contraband articles taken from idle -urchins, such as half-eaten apples, popguns, whirligigs, and fly cages. -His scholars were all busily intent upon their books, or slyly whispering -behind them with one eye kept upon the master, and a kind of buzzing -stillness reigned throughout the schoolroom. - -This stillness was suddenly interrupted by the appearance of a negro, in -tow-cloth jacket and trousers, who, mounted on the back of a ragged, wild, -half-broken colt, came clattering up to the schoolhouse door. He brought -an invitation to Ichabod to attend a merrymaking, or “quilting frolic,” to -be held that evening at the house of Herr Van Tassel; and having delivered -his message, he dashed over the brook, and was seen scampering away up the -hollow, full of the importance and hurry of his mission. - -All was now bustle and hubbub in the late quiet schoolroom. The scholars -were hurried through their lessons. Those who were nimble skipped over -half without being noticed; and those who were slow were hurried along by -a smart application of the rod. Then books were flung aside without being -put away on the shelves; inkstands were overturned, benches thrown down, -and the whole school was turned loose an hour before the usual time, the -children yelping and racketing about the green, in joy at their early -freedom. - -The gallant Ichabod now spent at least an extra half hour at his toilet, -brushing and furbishing his best and only suit of rusty black, and -arranging his looks by a bit of broken looking-glass that hung up in the -schoolhouse. That he might make his appearance at the party in the true -style of a cavalier, he borrowed a horse from the farmer with whom he was -boarding, and, thus gallantly mounted, rode forth, like a knight-errant in -quest of adventures. - -The animal he bestrode was a broken-down plow horse. He was gaunt and -shagged, with a slender neck, and a head like a hammer. His mane and tail -were tangled and knotted with burs. One eye had lost its pupil, and was -glaring and spectral, but the other still gleamed with genuine wickedness. -He must have had plenty of fire and mettle in his day, if we may judge -from his name, which was Gunpowder. - -Ichabod was a rider suited for such a steed. He rode with short stirrups, -which brought his knees nearly up to the pommel of the saddle; his elbows -stuck out like a grasshopper’s; and as the horse jogged on, the motion of -his arms was not unlike the flapping of a pair of wings. A small wool hat -rested on the top of his nose, for so his scanty strip of forehead might -be called; and the skirts of his black coat fluttered out almost to the -horse’s tail. Such was the appearance of Ichabod and his steed as they -shambled along the highway; and it was altogether such an apparition as is -seldom to be met with in broad daylight. - -It was, as I have said, a fine autumnal day. The sky was clear and serene. -The forests had put on their sober brown and yellow, while some trees of -the tenderer kind had been nipped by the frost into brilliant dyes of -orange, purple, and scarlet. Streaming files of wild ducks began to make -their appearance high in the air. The bark of the squirrel might be heard -from the groves of beech and hickory, and the pensive whistle of the quail -at intervals from the neighboring stubble fields. - -The small birds fluttered, chirping and frolicking, from bush to bush, and -tree to tree, gay and happy because of the plenty and variety around them. -There were the twittering blackbirds, flying in sable clouds; and the -golden-winged woodpecker, with his crimson crest and splendid plumage; and -the cedar bird, with its red-tipped wings and yellow-tipped tail; and the -blue jay, in his gay, light-blue coat and white underclothes, screaming -and chattering, nodding and bowing, and pretending to be on good terms -with every songster of the grove. - -As Ichabod jogged slowly on his way, his eye ranged with delight over -the treasures of jolly autumn. On all sides he beheld vast store of -apples,--some still hanging on the trees, some gathered into baskets and -barrels for the market, others heaped up in rich piles for the cider -press. Farther on he beheld great fields of Indian corn, with its golden -ears peeping from their leafy coverts, and holding out the promise of -cakes and hasty pudding. There, too, were multitudes of yellow pumpkins -turning up their yellow sides to the sun, and giving ample prospects of -the most luxurious of pies. And anon he passed the fragrant buckwheat -fields, breathing the odor of the beehive; and as he beheld them, he -dreamed of dainty slapjacks, well buttered, and garnished with honey. - -Thus feeding his mind with many sweet thoughts, he journeyed along the -sides of a range of hills which look out upon some of the goodliest scenes -of the mighty Hudson. The sun gradually wheeled his broad disk down -into the west. A few amber clouds floated in the sky, without a breath -of air to move them. The horizon was of a fine, golden tint, changing -gradually into a pure apple-green, and from that into the deep blue of the -midheaven. A slanting ray lingered on the woody crests of the precipices -that overhung some parts of the river, giving greater depth to the dark -gray and purple of their rocky sides. - - -III. AT THE PARTY - - adjacent innovations sumptuous piazza - antiquated animated skeleton specter - -It was toward evening when Ichabod arrived at the castle of the Herr Van -Tassel. He found it thronged with the pride and flower of the adjacent -country,--old farmers, in homespun coats and breeches, blue stockings, -huge shoes, and magnificent pewter buckles; their brisk little dames, in -close-crimped caps and long-waisted gowns, with scissors and pincushions, -and gay calico pockets hanging on the outside; young girls, almost as -antiquated as their mothers, excepting where a straw hat, a fine ribbon, -or perhaps a white frock showed signs of city innovations; the sons, in -short, square-skirted coats with rows of huge brass buttons, and their -hair generally queued in the fashion of the times. - -What a world of charms burst upon the gaze of my hero as he entered the -state parlor of Van Tassel’s mansion--the ample charms of a Dutch country -tea table, in the sumptuous time of autumn! Such heaped-up platters of -cakes, of various and indescribable kinds, known only to experienced Dutch -housewives! - -There were doughnuts and crisp, crumbling crullers; sweet cakes and short -cakes, ginger cakes and honey cakes, and the whole family of cakes; and -then there were apple pies, and peach pies, and pumpkin pies; and slices -of ham and smoked beef; and dishes of preserved plums, and peaches, and -pears, and quinces; not to mention broiled shad and roasted chickens, -together with bowls of milk and cream; all mingled, higgledy-piggledy, -with the motherly teapot sending up its clouds of vapor from the midst! -I want breath and time to describe this banquet as I ought, and am too -eager to get on with my story. Happily, Ichabod Crane was not in so great -a hurry, but did ample justice to every dainty. - -And now, supper being ended, the sound of music from the common room -summoned to the dance. The musician was an old, gray-headed negro, who -had been the itinerant orchestra of the neighborhood for more than half a -century. His instrument was as old and battered as himself. The greater -part of the time he scraped away on two or three strings, moving his head -with every movement of the bow, and stamping his foot whenever a fresh -couple were to start. - -Ichabod prided himself on his dancing. Not a limb, not a fiber about him -was idle. How could the flogger of urchins be otherwise than animated and -joyous? When the dance was over, Ichabod joined a circle of the older -folks, who, with Herr Van Tassel, sat smoking at one end of the piazza, -and told stories of the war and wild and wonderful legends of ghosts and -other supernatural beings. - -Some mention was made of a woman in white that haunted the dark glen at -Raven Rock, and was often heard to shriek on wintry nights before a storm. -The chief part of the stories, however, turned upon the favorite specter -of Sleepy Hollow, the headless horseman, who had been heard several times -of late patrolling the country. One man told how he had once met the -horseman and was obliged to get up behind him; how they galloped over -bush and brake, over hill and swamp, until they reached the bridge by the -church, when the horseman suddenly turned into a skeleton, threw him into -the brook, and sprang away over the tree tops with a clap of thunder. - -A wild, roistering young man, who was called Brom Bones, declared that the -headless horseman was, after all, no rider compared with himself. He said -that returning one night from the neighboring village of Sing Sing, he had -been overtaken by this midnight trooper; that he had offered to race with -him for a bowl of punch, and would have won it, too, but just as they came -to the church bridge, the specter bolted and vanished in a flash of fire. - - -IV. THE MIDNIGHT ADVENTURE - - idea gnarled sensitive sociability - dismal covert gigantic desperation - inquiry violence opposite evidently - -The party now gradually broke up. The old farmers gathered together their -families in their wagons, and were heard for some time rattling along the -hollow roads and over the distant hills. Their light-hearted laughter, -mingling with the clatter of hoofs, echoed along the silent woodlands, -growing fainter and fainter till they gradually died away, and the late -scene of noise and frolic was all silent and deserted. - -It was the very witching time of night that Ichabod pursued his travel -homeward. In the dead hush of midnight he could hear the barking of a dog -on the opposite shore of the Hudson, but it was so vague and faint as only -to give an idea of the distance between them. No signs of life occurred -near, but now and then the chirp of a cricket, or perhaps the guttural -twang of a bullfrog from a neighboring marsh, as if sleeping uncomfortably -and turning suddenly in his bed. - -All the stories that Ichabod had heard about ghosts and goblins now came -crowding into his mind. The night grew darker and darker. The stars seemed -to sink deeper in the sky, and driving clouds occasionally hid them from -his sight. He had never felt so lonely and dismal. He was, moreover, -approaching the very place where many of the scenes of the ghost stories -had been laid. In the center of the road stood an enormous tulip tree, -which towered like a giant above all the other trees of the neighborhood -and formed a kind of landmark. Its limbs were gnarled and fantastic, large -as the trunks of ordinary trees, twisting down almost to the ground, and -rising again into the air. - -As Ichabod approached this tree, he began to whistle. He thought his -whistle was answered: it was but a blast sweeping sharply through the -dry branches. Coming a little nearer, he thought he saw something white -hanging in the midst of the tree. He paused, and ceased whistling, but, on -looking more narrowly, perceived that it was a place where the tree had -been struck by lightning, and the white wood laid bare. Suddenly he heard -a groan. His teeth chattered, and his knees smote against the saddle. It -was but the rubbing of one huge bough upon another, as they were swayed -about by the breeze. He passed the tree in safety, but new perils lay -before him. - -About two hundred yards from the tree a small brook crossed the road, and -ran into a marshy and thickly wooded glen. A few rough logs laid side -by side served for a bridge over this stream. To pass this bridge was -the severest trial; for it was here that the unfortunate André had been -captured, and under covert of the thicket of chestnuts and vines by the -side of the road had the sturdy yeomen, who surprised him, lain concealed. -The stream has ever since been considered a haunted stream, and fearful -are the feelings of the schoolboy who has to pass it alone after dark. - -As Ichabod approached the stream his heart began to thump. He gave his -horse half a score of kicks in the ribs, and tried to dash briskly across -the bridge; but instead of starting forward, the perverse old animal made -a lateral movement, and ran broadside against the fence. Ichabod jerked -the rein on the other side, and kicked lustily with the contrary foot. It -was all in vain. His steed started, it is true, but it was only to plunge -to the opposite side of the road into a thicket of brambles. - -The schoolmaster now bestowed both whip and heel upon the ribs of old -Gunpowder, who dashed forward, but came to a stand just by the bridge -with a suddenness that had nearly sent his rider sprawling over his head. -Just at this moment a plashy tramp by the side of the bridge caught the -sensitive ear of Ichabod. In the dark shadow of the trees he beheld -something huge, black, and towering. It stirred not, but seemed gathered -up in the gloom, like some gigantic monster ready to spring upon the -traveler. - -The hair of the affrighted pedagogue rose upon his head with terror. -What was to be done? Summoning up a show of courage, he called out in -stammering accents, “Who are you?” He received no reply. He repeated his -demand in a still more agitated voice. Still there was no answer. Once -more he cudgeled the sides of Gunpowder, and, shutting his eyes, broke -forth into a psalm tune. Just then the shadowy object of alarm put itself -in motion, and, with a scramble and a bound, stood at once in the middle -of the road. - -Though the night was dark and dismal, yet the form of the unknown might -now in some degree be ascertained. He appeared to be a horseman of large -dimensions, and mounted on a horse of powerful frame. He made no offer -of molestation or sociability, but kept aloof on one side of the road, -jogging along on the blind side of old Gunpowder, who had now got over his -fright and waywardness. - -Ichabod, who had no relish for this strange midnight companion, and -bethought himself of the adventure of Brom Bones and the headless -horseman, now quickened his steed, in hopes of leaving him behind. The -stranger, however, quickened his horse to an equal pace. Ichabod drew up, -and fell into a walk, thinking to lag behind; the other did the same. -His heart began to sink within him. There was something in the moody and -dogged silence of his companion that was mysterious and appalling. It was -soon fearfully accounted for. - -On mounting a rising ground, which brought the figure of his -fellow-traveler in relief against the sky, Ichabod was horror-struck on -perceiving that he was headless; but his horror was still more increased -on observing that the head, which should have rested on his shoulders, -was carried before him on the pommel of his saddle. His terror rose to -desperation. He rained a shower of kicks and blows upon Gunpowder, hoping, -by sudden movement, to give his companion the slip; but the specter -started full jump with him. - -Away, then, they dashed, through thick and thin, stones flying and sparks -flashing at every bound. Ichabod’s flimsy garments fluttered in the air -as he stretched his long, lank body away over his horse’s head, in the -eagerness of his flight. - -They had now reached the road which turns off to Sleepy Hollow; but -Gunpowder, who seemed possessed with a demon, instead of keeping up it, -made an opposite turn, and plunged headlong down hill to the left. This -road leads through a sandy hollow, shaded by trees for about a quarter -of a mile, where it crosses the bridge famous in goblin story; and just -beyond swells the green knoll on which stands the whitewashed church. - -Just as he had got halfway through the hollow, the girths of the saddle -gave way, and Ichabod felt it slipping from under him. He seized it by the -pommel, and tried to hold it firm, but in vain. He had just time to save -himself by clasping Gunpowder round the neck, when the saddle fell to the -earth, and he heard it trampled under foot by his pursuer. For a moment -the terror of its owner’s wrath passed across his mind, for it was his -Sunday saddle; but this was no time for petty fears. He had much ado to -keep his seat, sometimes slipping on one side, sometimes on another, and -sometimes jolted on the high ridge of his horse’s backbone with a violence -that was far from pleasant. - -An opening in the trees now cheered him with the hope that the church -bridge was at hand. “If I can but reach that bridge,” thought Ichabod, “I -am safe.” Just then he heard the black steed panting and blowing close -behind him. He even fancied that he felt his hot breath. Another kick in -the ribs, and old Gunpowder sprang upon the bridge; he thundered over the -resounding planks; he gained the opposite side; and now Ichabod cast a -look behind to see if his pursuer should vanish in a flash of fire and -brimstone. - -Just then he saw the goblin rising in his stirrups, and in the very act -of hurling his head at him. Ichabod tried to dodge the horrible missile, -but too late. It encountered his cranium with a tremendous crash. He was -tumbled headlong into the dust; and Gunpowder, the black steed, and the -goblin rider passed by like a whirlwind. - -The next morning the old horse was found without his saddle, and with the -bridle under his feet, soberly cropping the grass at his master’s gate. -Ichabod did not make his appearance at breakfast. Dinner hour came, but no -Ichabod. The boys assembled at the schoolhouse, and strolled idly about -the banks of the brook; but no schoolmaster. - -An inquiry was set on foot, and after much investigation they came upon -his traces. In one part of the road by the church was found the saddle -trampled in the dirt. The tracks of horses’ hoofs deeply dented in the -road, and evidently at furious speed, were traced to the bridge, beyond -which, on the bank of a broad part of the brook, where the water ran -deep and black, was found the hat of the unfortunate Ichabod, and close -beside it a shattered pumpkin. The brook was searched, but the body of the -schoolmaster was not to be discovered. - -As Ichabod was a bachelor, and in nobody’s debt, nobody troubled his head -any more about him. It is true, an old farmer, who went down to New York -on a visit several years after, brought home the intelligence that Ichabod -Crane was still alive; that he had left the neighborhood, partly through -fear of the goblin and the farmer whose horse he had ridden, and partly -for other reasons; that he had changed his quarters to a distant part of -the country, had kept school and studied law, and finally had been made a -justice of the Ten Pound Court. Brom Bones, too, was observed to look very -knowing whenever the story of Ichabod was related, and always burst into a -hearty laugh at the mention of the pumpkin, which led some to suppose that -he knew more about the matter than he chose to tell. - - --WASHINGTON IRVING. - - - - -THE BLUEBIRD - - - When God had made a host of them, - One little flower still lacked a stem - To hold its blossom blue; - So into it He breathed a song, - And suddenly, with petals strong - As wings, away it flew. - - - --FATHER TABB. - - * * * * * - - We live in deeds, not years; in thoughts, not breaths; - In feelings, not in figures on a dial. - We should count time by heart-throbs. He most lives - Who thinks most, feels the noblest, acts the best. - - --PHILIP JAMES BAILEY. - - - - -THE BROOK - - - I come from haunts of coot and hern, - I make a sudden sally, - And sparkle out among the fern - To bicker down a valley. - - By thirty hills I hurry down, - Or slip between the ridges, - By twenty thorps, a little town, - And half a hundred bridges. - - Till last by Philip’s farm I flow - To join the brimming river, - For men may come and men may go, - But I go on forever. - - I chatter over stony ways, - In little sharps and trebles, - I bubble into eddying bays, - I babble on the pebbles. - - With many a curve my banks I fret - By many a field and fallow, - And many a fairy foreland set - With willow weed and mallow. - - I chatter, chatter, as I flow - To join the brimming river, - For men may come and men may go, - But I go on forever. - - I wind about, and in and out, - With here a blossom sailing, - And here and there a lusty trout, - And here and there a grayling. - - And here and there a foamy flake - Upon me, as I travel - With many a silvery waterbreak - Above the golden gravel. - - And draw them all along, and flow - To join the brimming river, - For men may come and men may go, - But I go on forever. - - I slip, I slide, I gloom, I glance, - Among my skimming swallows; - I make the netted sunbeams dance - Against my sandy shallows. - - I murmur under moon and stars - In brambly wildernesses; - I linger by my shingly bars; - I loiter round my cresses; - - And out again I curve and flow - To join the brimming river, - For men may come and men may go, - But I go on forever. - - --ALFRED TENNYSON. - - - - -THE STORY OF A HAPPY CHILD - - -I - - chevalier poem education opera - conservatory poetry poverty accord - applause talent composer theater - -The Chevalier had found a lad who would be worthy of his care. To be sure -he was but a peasant boy full of fun and laughter. The Chevalier himself -had once been young and remembered how tempting the sunshine used to be -and the fields and the ripe nuts of autumn. He had marked with pleasure -this handsome lad, and watched with interest his changing face and dancing -eye as he went on his merry way. - -“I shall ask him to my house,” thought the Chevalier, “and see what he -will say to my books.” - -So Giochino went to the Chevalier’s house and listened eagerly while the -Chevalier told him of the beautiful verses and stories which many of the -books contained. Now and then the Chevalier would read a few lines from a -poem. - -The boy loved poetry. It was sweet in sound and had a movement like the -gliding of boats on still water. It made him forget everything else,--even -how he had teased his old music teacher, and that his mother was sometimes -sad. - -Perhaps he was a little lonesome, for his mother, whom he loved dearly, -was often far off. She was working for her boy, saving every cent possible -to give him the musical education for which she had longed. Here and there -throughout Italy she went singing in one of the traveling opera companies -so common in those days. In her younger years her voice had been full -and strong, but now it was failing and she wondered what would happen to -Giochino. - -But the boy’s heart was too joyous to be cast down by poverty or trouble. -The days were bright and sunny, why should he not be gay? His voice was -clear, true, pure in tone, and almost of its own accord broke into song. -Occasionally he, too, would earn a little money by singing at the theater. - -After a time he was able to study music with a master and finally entered -the conservatory at Bologna. Here he was taught some of the more difficult -things about music. - -It was not long before he discovered that he already knew enough to write -operas. He was delighted. He would go to seek his fortune. - -His teacher, realizing that he had extraordinary talent, wished him to -continue his study further and even offered to instruct him in the stately -music of the Church, if he would remain. But the youth did not heed his -offer and started forth. - -In his happy, aimless way he went from place to place. He sang, he -accompanied, he directed and composed. He was always good-natured, always -generous, and never without friends. - -It was evening in Venice. The opera was just over. People were thronging -from the door of the opera house. They were talking excitedly. Evidently -they were much pleased. Giochino Rossini’s opera, “Tancred,” had been -presented for the first time. It had been received with wild applause. - -Rossini was surprised at this. “I fancied,” he said, “that, after hearing -my opera, they would put me into the madhouse. But they are madder than -I.” - - -II - - popular finally composition indignation - spirit composer message mentioned - -When he was but twenty-four Rossini produced what has been, perhaps, the -most popular of his operas, “The Barber of Seville.” But fame alone could -not make him content. Beyond Italy the world was wide. The spirit of the -man was as restless as that of the boy. He went to Vienna, and finally to -Paris. - -In Paris he felt he could work at his best. Here he composed his great -masterpiece in opera, “William Tell.” It was the story in music and song -of the great Swiss hero, of whom you have doubtless heard many tales. For -years the hero had seen his country bound under the hand of a tyrant. His -soul was on fire with indignation. His country must be freed. He would -make it free. - -Nothing but grand and noble music could tell such a story. Yet Rossini -has told it wonderfully. The opera was brought out in Paris and has been -played many times since. - -Although as yet you may not have listened to any of the music which has -been mentioned thus far, the most of you have probably heard many times -Rossini’s finest composition. When he wrote it, he was forty-five; and -when it was done, he wrote no longer. This was his last message to the -world. This was the “Stabat Mater,” sung for the first time on Good Friday. - -In his house in Paris Rossini gathered about him many friends, among them -young men who desired to become musicians, poets, or writers. His generous -heart was full to the last of merriment and song, though as a composer he -was silent. He was born at Pesaro, Italy, February 29, 1792, and died in -Paris, November 13, 1868. - - - - -MAY CAROL - - - See the robins swinging - ’Mid the orchards’ snow; - Feel the perfumed breezes - Wafted to and fro; - Listen to the music - Heard from bird and spray; - Lift your hearts, ye sad ones, - ’Tis the lovely May. - - Ah, our hearts were weary - Waiting for the light, - For the frosts to vanish - With their bitter blight: - See, the earth’s brown bosom - Heaves, where zephyrs play; - See, she thrills and answers - To the touch of May. - - May, all fresh and smiling, - Sweet--from heaven above; - May, our souls beguiling - With her dreams of love: - Violet-eyed and fragrant-- - How our pulses play - ’Neath the virgin beauty - Of the radiant May. - - Lift your hearts up: floating - Through the gold and blue - Where the liquid sunlight - Streams and filters through, - There a Lady, smiling, - Stands ’mid cloudless day-- - Snow-white Virgin-Mother, - Dazzling Queen of May. - - --MARY ANTONIA, SISTER OF MERCY. - - - - -THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF JESUS - - - O Precious Blood of Jesus, - Shed for me, - Upon the cruel cross of - Calvary: - - Each drop of blood so precious, - And the pain, - A sacrifice was offered - Not in vain. - - O Precious Blood of Jesus, - May I feel - The fire of love for Christ, and - Holy zeal! - - O Precious Blood of Jesus, - Cleansing, pure! - Inflame my soul with ardor - To endure. - - --HENRY COYLE. - - - - -THE SPANISH COOK - - - peasant zealous summit intervals - chef caprice recovery porridge - plaza vespers procession accident - -Pilar was a young peasant woman. I do not know from what village she came, -somewhere in the neighborhood of Malaga. She was paid three dollars a -month, and she “found” herself. A man cook in that happy land gets five -dollars a month, but times were bad, and my friends had for three years -to content themselves with a woman cook. She cooked well, though, and -cheerfully, and she prepared more meals in the twenty-four hours than any -other cook I ever heard of. - -She seemed to have identified herself thoroughly with the family, and -to work with a zealous love for them all. There was, however, one of -the many children for whom she had a special affection, a very delicate -little maiden of two and a half. During the autumn this child had been -desperately ill. The doctors gave no hope. Pilar in anguish prayed for her -recovery, and promised the Bestower of life that if He would spare little -Anita, she would, before the end of Holy Week, carry to the shrine on the -top of the “Calvary” outside the town, one pound of olive oil to be burned -in His honor. She promised a great many prayers besides, which she managed -to get said, in the intervals of her frying and stewing and boiling. - -Well, the little girl, contrary to the doctors, began to mend, and finally -was entirely restored to health. Pilar was most grateful, and said many -_Aves_ in thanksgiving. The winter was a busy one, and then Lent came and -seemed not less busy in that big household. Pilar did not forget the pound -of oil, but there never seemed a moment when she could ask a half day to -go and carry it to the shrine. Holy Week came, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, -Thursday,--what should she do! She could scarcely get away from her work -even to go out to her parish church on Holy Thursday to say a little -prayer before the Repository, where, throned in flowers and lighted with -myriad candles, the Blessed Sacrament is kept till the morning of Good -Friday. - -As to going to seven churches and saying her prayers before each -Repository as other people did, that, alas! was not “for the likes of -her.” She had a dumb, deep-down feeling, however, that the good God knew, -and that it would be all right. On her way back from her hurried prayer at -the church, a procession passed which she watched for a moment. But this -only proved painful, for it had begun to rain, and her pious Southern soul -was aflame with wrath that the image of the Blessed Redeemer should be -exposed to the storm. - -“They don’t care about wetting his dear curls,” she cried, “as long as -they can have a good procession.” - -She shook her fist at the crowd, and came away in tears. Her mistress, a -devout Catholic, tried to console her by reminding her that, after all, it -was only an image and not the dear Lord she loved. Oh, she knew _that_; -but “it was cruel, but it was shameful!” - -She felt as a mother would feel if the dress of her dead baby, or its -little half-worn shoe, were spoiled by the caprice or cold-heartedness of -some one who had no feeling for it. All together Holy Thursday was not -very consoling to Pilar, and the pound of oil grew heavier every hour. - -The next day, Good Friday, she had only time to go to church through the -silent streets, where no wheels were heard, and say her prayers and look -at the black, black altars and the veiled statues. That night, after her -work was done, and the last baby had been served with its last porridge, -she put her kitchen in hurried order, and stole out silently. She had -bought the pound of oil at a little shop in the next street and, hiding -it under her shawl, turned her steps towards Barcenillas. - -The night was black and tempestuous. A hot, dry wind blew; occasionally a -gust brought a few drops of rain, but more often it was a gale which made -the street lamps blink, and whirled the dust around her. It was a long way -to the suburb; it was late; there were few abroad, but no matter, the good -Lord knew why she was out, and He would take care of her. - -There are no street cars running in the days of Holy Week. From Holy -Thursday till after the cathedral bells ring for first vespers on Holy -Saturday, no wheels move in the streets of Malaga. - -It was nearly midnight when she got to Barcenillas. She crossed the silent -plaza, passed through the gate, and began the ascent of the steep hill. -There is a great broad road that winds up it, and at every “station” there -is a lamp burning. She knelt at each as she reached it. But the place was -very lonely; the eucalyptus trees shook and whispered to each other, and -the lamps were dim and flickered in the rough wind. - -The night before there had been processions all through the night, crowds -upon crowds going up the hill; she would not have been lonely then. But -she could not get away, because of little Josef’s being ill and needing -the water heated for his bath every hour. Yes, it would have been nicer -last night, with all the priests, and all the chanting, and all the -flaming torches. But the good God knew all about it,--why she did not come -then, when she wanted to. She would not worry, but she said her prayers -with chattering teeth, and many furtive looks behind her. - -At last she reached the summit, where in a little chapel burned the light -that could be seen for miles around Malaga. There a solitary brother -knelt, saying his beads, and keeping watch. She said her last prayers at -the altar, and left the votive oil with the friar, who commended her piety -and was very kind. As she came out, the clouds broke and the Paschal moon -shone through them, and the broad road led down with smooth ease towards -the sleeping, silent city. Her steps made just as lonely echoes on the -stones of the deserted streets, but she felt herself favored of heaven, as -no doubt she was, and all her fears were gone. - -It was after three o’clock when she let herself in at the kitchen door; -and it was several weeks before her mistress learned, by accident, of the -dolorous little pilgrimage. - - --MIRIAM COLES HARRIS. - - - - -THE PLANTING OF THE APPLE TREE - - - cleave lea roseate tenderly - mold fruitage verdurous crimson - haunt sojourners fraud rhymes - - Come, let us plant the apple tree. - Cleave the tough greensward with the spade; - Wide let its hollow bed be made; - There gently lay the roots, and there - Sift the dark mold with kindly care, - And press it o’er them tenderly, - As round the sleeping infant’s feet - We softly fold the cradle sheet; - So plant we the apple tree. - - What plant we in this apple tree? - Buds which the breath of summer days - Shall lengthen into leafy sprays; - Boughs where the thrush, with crimson breast, - Shall haunt and sing and hide her nest; - We plant, upon the sunny lea, - A shadow for the noontide hour, - A shelter from the summer shower, - When we plant the apple tree. - - What plant we in this apple tree? - Sweets for a hundred flowery springs, - To load the May wind’s restless wings, - When, from the orchard row, he pours - Its fragrance through our open doors; - A world of blossoms for the bee, - Flowers for the sick girl’s silent room, - For the glad infant sprigs of bloom, - We plant with the apple tree. - - What plant we in this apple tree? - Fruits that shall swell in sunny June, - And redden in the August noon, - And drop, when gentle airs come by, - That fan the blue September sky; - While children come, with cries of glee, - And seek them where the fragrant grass - Betrays their bed to those who pass, - At the foot of the apple tree. - - And when, above this apple tree, - The winter stars are quivering bright, - And winds go howling through the night, - Girls, whose young eyes o’erflow with mirth, - Shall peel its fruits by cottage hearth, - And guests in prouder homes shall see, - Heaped with the grape of Cintra’s vine, - And golden orange of the line, - The fruit of the apple tree. - - The fruitage of this apple tree, - Winds and our flag of stripe and star - Shall bear to coasts that lie afar, - Where men shall wonder at the view, - And ask in what fair groves they grew; - And sojourners beyond the sea - Shall think of childhood’s careless day, - And long, long hours of summer play, - In the shade of the apple tree. - - Each year shall give this apple tree - A broader flush of roseate bloom, - A deeper maze of verdurous gloom, - And loosen, when the frost-clouds lower, - The crisp brown leaves in thicker shower. - The years shall come and pass, but we - Shall hear no longer, where we lie, - The summer’s songs, the autumn’s sigh, - In the boughs of the apple tree. - - And time shall waste this apple tree. - Oh, when its aged branches throw - Thin shadows on the ground below, - Shall fraud and force and iron will - Oppress the weak and helpless still? - What shall the tasks of mercy be, - Amid the toils, the strifes, the tears - Of those who live when length of years - Is wasting this apple tree? - - “Who planted this old apple tree?” - The children of that distant day - Thus to some aged man shall say; - And, gazing on its mossy stem, - The gray-haired man shall answer them: - “A poet of the land was he, - Born in the rude but good old times; - ’Tis said he made some quaint old rhymes - On planting the apple tree.” - - --WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT. - - - - -THE CONVERSION OF KING RATBODO - - - dunes miracle indignation devastating - righteous policy obstinate development - terror pagan chieftain abomination - -St. Wulfram and his monks had much work for a time. The Frisians came in -crowds for Christian instructions and baptism. It was a great and hard -task to teach human beings in the lowest stage of development. Moreover, -the teachings of the missionaries were opposed in all things to the -traditional customs of the people. Many wrongs, such as slavery, for -instance, could not be set aside at once. Moreover, if the people were to -be made peaceful and weaned from their wildness, they had to be taught -other ways of support than plundering and hunting. - -So the Benedictines taught the converts not only Christian doctrine, but -how to plow and to plant. They built dunes to hold out the devastating -sea, and sent to their abbey home for seeds and implements. In a few years -the face of Frisia was greatly changed. - -Ratbodo had given Wulfram land and a dwelling near his own residence. -In this way he could best keep track of everything that happened at the -mission. - -The king himself remained obdurate in his paganism. Once he said, -tauntingly, to the entreating Wulfram, that if the Christian God would -work a miracle for him especially, he would be converted. Wulfram reminded -him of the miracles he had seen and had not been converted. Then Ratbodo -said that if the table in front of him were changed into gold, he would -yield; but Wulfram, in righteous indignation, told him how childish was -such a request. - -All the while the chieftains were urging the king to send away the bishop. -But he laughed at them, saying that what Wulfram had built up he himself -would destroy in ten days when the time came, just as had been done in the -case of many others. Even the king’s little son, Clodio, was baptized and -died a Christian, but the king only smiled. His day was coming, he held. - -Then Wulfram went back to Fontinella to get more monks, laborers, and lay -brothers for his work in Frisia. The converted Frisians were beginning to -realize the blessings of regular and well-ordered work. There were more -and more laborers and fewer sea robbers and warriors. Nevertheless, the -great mass of the Frisian people remained obstinate, following the example -of the king and the great chiefs. - -Among the gods whose wrath the Frisians most feared was the god of -the sea. The lowness of the land made frequent inundations inevitable. -Besides, Frisians, when not robbing, were fishing, or living on the water -in some way. Thus they were always anxious to pacify the mighty god of the -floods. - -On this day, too, a great multitude, together with the king and the -chieftains, were gathered at the sea-coast, waiting to soothe the water -deity by human sacrifice. The lot had fallen on two little boys this time, -the only children of a widow. At the time of low tide the little ones were -laid on a projecting point of land, so that the rising waters would cover -them. Their feet were tied so cunningly that the childish hands could not -undo the knots. Thus they sat on the beach, waiting the waters that were -to be their death. - -Several hundred feet back, the crowds were gathered to watch the unhappy -spectacle. In the foreground sat a young woman, the mother of the -children, weeping and moaning in her grief, without, however, waking the -faintest sympathy in the hearts of the by-standers. - -The waters were even then advancing on the point of land, and a strong -wind was driving up the flood in great waves. The little ones began to -scream in terror as the spray struck them, and the mother sprang to her -feet. If she had not been held fast, she would have flung herself into the -water with her children. Gradually the land disappeared; nothing was left -but the raised point to which the children clung. One could see how the -older boy was trying to hold up his little brother. - -“King!” said a voice, ringing with a holy anger, “why this abomination -before the eyes of almighty God?” - -Ratbodo started and the chieftains stared in silent astonishment. - -“We are offering sacrifice to the god of the waters,” said the king, after -a moment. “Go take the victims away from him if you can; they may be your -slaves and the slaves of your God for the rest of time,” he added with a -sneer. - -“So be it,” answered Wulfram. Turning, he made the sign of the cross -over the rising tide and walked out as if on solid land. The Christians -present in the crowd cried aloud for joy, but the pagans stood in wonder -bordering on fear. The king himself was most moved by the miraculous -sight. His eyes were fixed, his face pale as death. He was convinced that -in the saint walking thus unharmed over the waters he saw an unmistakable -manifestation of the power of the Christian God. - -“That is even more than a golden table,” he whispered tremblingly. - -Wulfram lifted the children out of the water and carried them to the land. -At once the Frisians crowded about him, asking to be made Christians. -Ratbodo himself said:-- - -“It is but right that a man should keep his word. I said to you years ago -that if your God would make a golden table before my eyes, I would become -a Christian. But He did more. He made a solid floor of the moving sea. -Come to me every day and instruct me.” - - --CONRAD VON BOLANDEN. - - - - -THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY - - - If our faith had given us nothing more - Than this example of all womanhood, - So mild, so merciful, so strong, so good, - So patient, peaceful, loyal, loving, pure, - This were enough to prove it higher and truer - Than all creeds the world had known before. - - --H. W. LONGFELLOW. - -From _The Golden Legend_. - - - - -COME TO JESUS - - -[Illustration] - - Souls of men! why will ye scatter - Like a crowd of frightened sheep? - Foolish hearts! why will ye wander - From a love so true and deep? - - Was there ever kindest shepherd - Half so gentle, half so sweet - As the Saviour who would have us - Come and gather round His feet? - - It is God: His love looks mighty, - But is mightier than it seems: - ’Tis our Father: and His fondness - Goes far out beyond our dreams. - - There’s a wideness in God’s mercy, - Like the wideness of the sea: - There’s a kindness in His justice, - Which is more than liberty. - - There is no place where earthly sorrows - Are more felt than up in heaven; - There is no place where earthly failings - Have such kindly judgment given. - - There is welcome for the sinner, - And more graces for the good; - There is mercy with the Saviour; - There is healing in His Blood. - - There is grace enough for thousands - Of new worlds as great as this; - There is room for fresh creations - In that upper home of bliss. - - For the love of God is broader - Than the treasures of man’s mind; - And the heart of the Eternal - Is most wonderfully kind. - - There is plentiful redemption - In the Blood that has been shed; - There is joy for all the members - In the sorrows of the Head. - - If our love were but more simple, - We should take Him at His word; - And our lives would be all sunshine - In the sweetness of our Lord. - - --FATHER FABER. - - * * * * * - - Be comforted; and blessèd be - The meek, the merciful, the pure - Of heart; for they shall see, shall hear - God’s mercy. So shall peace endure. - - --JOAQUIN MILLER. - - - - -FATHER MARQUETTE - - - expedition martyrdom humility adieu - investigation utterance fathoms erect - deputed banquet domestic cubit - -In 1672, letters from Quebec informed Marquette that the government had -taken up the project of exploring the Mississippi, and that he was the -missionary selected to accompany the expedition. His heart exulted at the -prospect. The hope of a glorious martyrdom while opening the way to future -heralds of the Cross buoyed him up, though in his humility he never spoke -of martyrdom. To him it was but a death, “to cease to offend God.” - -The winter was spent by the two explorers in studying all that had yet -been learned of the great river, in gathering around them every Indian -wanderer, and amid the tawny group drawing their first rude map of the -Mississippi, and the water courses that led to it. And on this first map, -traced doubtless kneeling on the ground, they set down the name of each -tribe they were to pass, each important point to be met. The undertaking -was dangerous, but it was not to be rash: all was the result of calm, cool -investigation. In the spring they embarked at Mackinaw in two frail bark -canoes; each with his paddle in hand, and full of hope, they soon plied -them merrily over the crystal waters of the lake. - -[Illustration: “THEY HAPPILY GLIDED INTO THE GREAT RIVER.”] - -All was new to Marquette. He had now attained the limit of former -discoveries, the new world was before them; they looked back a last -adieu to the waters, which, great as the distance was, connected them -with Quebec and their countrymen; they knelt on the shore to offer, by a -new devotion, their lives, their honor, and their undertaking to their -beloved mother the Virgin Mary Immaculate; then, launching on the broad -Wisconsin, they sailed slowly down its current, amid its vine-clad isles -and its countless sand bars. - -No sound broke the stillness, no human form appeared, and at last, after -sailing seven days, on the 17th of June they happily glided into the great -river. Joy that could find no utterance in words filled the grateful heart -of Marquette. The broad river of the Conception, as he named it, now lay -before them, stretching away hundreds of miles to an unknown sea. - -“The Mississippi River,” he writes, “has its source in several lakes in -the country of the nations at the north; it is narrow at the mouth of -the Wisconsin; its current, which runs south, is slow and gentle. On the -right is a considerable chain of very high mountains, and on the left fine -lands; it is in many places studded with islands. On sounding we found -ten fathoms of water. Its breadth varies greatly; sometimes it is three -quarters of a league broad, and then narrows in to less than two hundred -yards. We followed its course quietly, as it bears south and southeast to -the forty-second degree. - -“Then we perceive that the whole face of the country changes. Scarcely -a forest or mountain is now in sight. The islands increase in beauty -and are covered with finer trees; we see nothing but deer and elk, wild -geese and swans unable to fly, as they are here moulting. From time to -time we encounter monstrous fish, one of which struck our canoe with such -violence that I took it for a large tree that would knock our frail craft -to pieces. Another time we perceived on the water a bearded monster with -a tiger’s head, a pointed muzzle like a wild cat; ears erect, a gray head -but a jet-black neck. It was the only one we beheld. - -“When we cast our nets we took sturgeon, and a very strange fish -resembling a trout, but with larger mouth and smaller eyes and snout. From -the last projects a large bone, three fingers wide, and a cubit long; the -end is round and as wide as a hand. When the fish leaps out of water, the -weight of this bone often throws it back. - -“Having descended the river to 41° 2´, still keeping the same direction, -we found that turkeys took the place of other wild birds, and wild cattle -replaced other animals. We call them wild cattle, because they resemble -our domestic ones. They are not longer, but almost as bulky again, and -more corpulent. Our man killed one, and the three of us could move it only -with great difficulty. The head is very large, the forehead flat and a -half yard broad between the horns, which resemble exactly those of our -oxen, but are black and longer. A large crop hangs down from the neck, -and there is a high hump on the back. The whole head, neck, and part of -the shoulders are covered with a great mane like a horse’s; it is a foot -long and gives them a hideous appearance, and as it falls over the eyes -prevents their seeing straight ahead. - -“The rest of the body is covered with a coarse curly hair like the wool of -our sheep, but much stronger and thicker. This is shed every summer, and -then the skin is as soft as velvet. At this time the Indians employ the -skins to make beautiful robes, which they paint with various colors. The -flesh and fat are excellent, and furnish the best dish at banquets. They -are very fierce, and not a year passes without their killing some Indian. -When attacked, they take a man with their horns, if they can, lift him up, -and then dash him on the ground, and trample him to death. - -“When you fire at them from a distance with gun or bow, you must throw -yourself on the ground as soon as you fire, and hide in the grass, for if -they perceive the person who fired, they rush on him and attack him. As -their feet are large and rather short, they do not generally move fast, -unless they are provoked. They are scattered over the prairies like herds -of cattle. I have seen four hundred of them in a band.” - -At last, on the 25th of June, they descried footprints on the shore. They -now took heart again, and Joliet and the missionary, leaving their five -men in the canoes, followed a little beaten path to discover who the tribe -might be. They traveled on in silence almost to the cabin doors, when they -halted, and with a loud halloo proclaimed their coming. Three villages lay -before them; the first, roused by the cry, poured forth its motley group, -which halted at the sight of the newcomers and the well-known dress of the -missionary. - -“They deputed four old men to come and speak with us,” says Marquette. -“Two carried tobacco pipes richly adorned and trimmed with feathers of -many kinds. They walked slowly, lifting their pipes toward the sun, as -if offering them to him to smoke, but yet without uttering a single -word. They were a long time coming the short distance between us and the -village. Having at last reached us, they stopped to examine us carefully. - -“On seeing these ceremonies which are used only with friends, I took -courage, more especially as I saw they wore European goods, which made me -judge them to be allies of the French. I therefore spoke to them first, -and asked them who they were. They answered: ‘We are Illinois,’ and in -token of peace they offered us their pipes to smoke. They then invited us -to their village, where the whole tribe impatiently awaited us. - -“At the door of the cabin in which we were to be received was an old man -awaiting us in a very remarkable attitude. It is their usual ceremony -in receiving strangers. This man stood perfectly naked, with his hands -stretched out and raised toward the sun, as if he wished to screen himself -from its rays, which nevertheless passed through his fingers to his face. -When we came near him, he addressed this compliment to us: ‘How beautiful -is the sun, O Frenchman, when thou comest to visit us! All our town awaits -thee, and thou shalt enter all our cabins in peace,’ He then took us -into his, where there was a crowd of people, who devoured us with their -eyes, but maintained the deepest silence. We heard, however, these words -occasionally addressed to us: ‘Well done, brothers, to visit us!’” - -Then the great peace calumet was brought and solemnly smoked, and the two -Frenchmen were conducted to the village of the great sachem. Here, too, -they were received with pomp, and the calumet was again smoked. Marquette -explained the object of their voyage to visit the nations living on the -great river, and announce to them the word of God their Creator. They told -the Illinois that they were sent by the great chief of the French, and -asked information as to the nations between them and the sea. - -The sachem presented them an Indian slave, saying: “I thank thee, -Blackgown, and thee, Frenchman, for taking so much pains to come and -visit us; never has the earth been so beautiful, nor the sun so bright as -to-day; never has our river been so calm, nor so free from rocks, which -your canoes have removed as they passed; never has our tobacco had so fine -a flavor, nor our corn appeared so beautiful as we behold it to-day. Here -is my son, whom I give thee, that thou mayst know my heart. I pray thee to -take pity on me and all my nation. Thou knowest the Great Spirit who has -made us all; thou speakest to Him and hearest His word. Ask Him to give me -life and health, and come and dwell with us that we may know Him.” - -They feasted the two Frenchmen, and gave them a calumet of peace as a -safeguard against hostile tribes, but tried to persuade them to go no -farther. - - --JOHN GILMARY SHEA. - - - - -THE SHEPHERD OF KING ADMETUS - - - There came a youth upon the earth, - Some thousand years ago, - Whose slender hands were nothing worth, - Whether to plow, or reap, or sow. - - Upon an empty tortoise shell - He stretched some chords, and drew - Music that made men’s bosoms swell - Fearless, or brimmed their eyes with dew. - - Then King Admetus, one who had - Pure taste by right divine, - Decreed his singing not too bad - To hear between the cups of wine. - - And so, well pleased with being soothed - Into a sweet half-sleep, - Three times his kingly beard he smoothed, - And made him viceroy o’er his sheep. - - His words were simple words enough, - And yet he used them so, - That what in other mouths was rough - In his seemed musical and low. - - Men called him but a shiftless youth - In whom no good they saw; - And yet, unwittingly, in truth, - They made his careless words their law. - - They knew not how he learned at all, - For idly, hour by hour, - He sat and watched the dead leaves fall, - Or mused upon a common flower. - - It seemed the loveliness of things - Did teach him all their use, - For, in mere weeds, and stones, and springs, - He found a healing power profuse. - - Men granted that his speech was wise, - But, when a glance they caught - Of his slim grace and woman’s eyes, - They laughed, and called him good-for-naught. - - Yet after he was dead and gone, - And e’en his memory dim, - Earth seemed more sweet to live upon, - More full of love, because of him. - - --JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL. - - - - -THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT - - -I - - consent reckoning solemnly honors - possess justice merciful persecution - thirst really content satisfy - -One day a vast multitude follows our Blessed Lord up a mountain side. They -come trooping after Him, men, women, and children; their homes, their -business, all the cares of this life, by common consent left behind. Now -He has stopped and turned round, facing them. He waits long and patiently -as they come toiling up, guiding them with His hand to go here and there -where they may hear Him best. - -It is His first great Sermon that He is going to preach, this Sermon -on the Mount, and it is not only for the numbers beyond all reckoning -gathered together here, but for all that shall come into this world and -have to be taught what they must do to save their souls. Therefore He -would speak so solemnly and from such a lofty place. He sits down, and the -Twelve come and stand around Him, or sit on the ground at His feet. The -people press round as close as they can, and when all are seated and quiet -He begins to speak. - -What will the text of this great Preacher be? What is the thought -uppermost in His mind and heart? This--to teach us what we must do to be -happy. He knows that we are made for happiness, and that we long to be -happy. But He knows, too, that very many try to find happiness in things -that will not satisfy them, in the riches, pleasures, and honors of this -world which can never content our hearts. And so He tells us in the -beginning of His Sermon on the Mount who are really blessed or happy. - -“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. - -“Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the land. - -“Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. - -“Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice, for they shall -have their fill. - -“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. - -“Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God. - -“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of -God. - -“Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice’ sake, for theirs is -the kingdom of Heaven.” - -Blessed the sufferers for whom Heaven is waiting! this is the text of the -Sermon on the Mount. - - -II - - envy abundance sufficiency conquerors - society invitation spiritual victors - raiment contrition special deserve - -_The poor in spirit_ are those who, having little of the good things of -this life, are content with what God has given them, and do not envy those -who are better off. Those, too, who having a sufficiency or an abundance -of the pleasant things of this world, do not let their hearts get too fond -of them, are ready to give them up if God should take them away, and are -generous in sharing them with those in need. To poor, such as these, our -Lord promises all the riches of Heaven by and by. - -_The meek_ are those who have gained a mastery over anger and revengeful -thoughts. They possess as conquerors three lands--the land of their own -soul, which they control as lords and masters, the Land of Heaven, where -nothing will trouble them any more, and, strange to say, that very land -in which they seemed to be overcome. For in the little difficulties and -differences of daily life, it is those that yield who are really victors. -How many conquests has meekness made! - -_The mourners_ are those who all their lives long have a quiet, loving -sorrow for their sins--not as though they were unforgiven, but just -because they are forgiven, because they have offended Him who forgives so -readily and so often. Those, too, are blessed mourners who remember when -sorrow comes that He who loves them only permits it for their good, and -that in a very little while He will wipe away all tears from their eyes, -and they shall be comforted, “nor mourning, nor crying, nor sorrow shall -be any more.” - -_Who hunger and thirst after justice._ The soul, like the body, has its -hunger and thirst. Our Lord says those are blessed who take care to -feed it with those things which keep it alive in the grace of God, with -prayer, and instruction, and the Sacraments. Blessed are those who hunger -after this spiritual food, who are always trying to get more and more of -God’s grace, who go hungry to prayer, hungry to Confession and Communion. -Almighty God says, “Open thy mouth and I will fill it.” And our Blessed -Lady sings in her canticle, “He hath fed the hungry with good things.” It -was because all the saints hungered like this that so much was given them. - -_The merciful._ There is nothing our Lord tells us so often and so plainly -as this--that to obtain mercy from God we must ourselves be merciful. If -we wish Him to judge us kindly and to forgive our many faults, we must be -forgiving and kind. “Be merciful,” He says, “as your Heavenly Father is -merciful.” He tells us that at the Last Day He will say “Come” to those -who have been merciful to others for His sake, and “Depart from Me” to -those who have been unmerciful to the poor and needy, and therefore to -Him. For what we do to His least brethren He counts as done to Himself. -If, then, we want to hear His sweet invitation on that dreadful Day, we -know how to secure it--“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain -mercy.” - -_The clean of heart._ The reward and the joy of the next life is to see -God. There are many joys in Heaven--freedom from pain and care, the -delights of the glorified body, the society of the Angels and Saints, -reunion with those we loved on earth. But all these are as nothing -compared with the Vision of God. It is this that makes Heaven what it is. -Without this all the rest would not satisfy us. But to see the All Holy -God we must be holy. In Heaven all are clothed with white robes, and the -nearer the approach to the Great White Throne, the more dazzlingly white -is the raiment. We must be getting ready to join that spotless throng. -How? By taking as much pains to keep our soul free from stain as we do to -prevent soiling our dress when we go along a miry road; by shunning with -care all mortal sin and deliberate venial sin; by being careful in our -examination of conscience, and often cleansing our soul in the Sacrament -of Penance, and by frequent acts of contrition. If we do this we shall be -among the clean of heart, and one day we shall see God. - -_The peacemakers._ “Some there are who are neither at peace with -themselves nor suffer others to be at peace. And some there are who keep -themselves in peace and study to restore peace to others.” Gladness goes -with these peacemakers; they turn aside little words and jokes that would -give pain, and come among us like our Blessed Lord, whose favorite word of -greeting was, “Peace be to you.” They are so like their Father who is in -Heaven that they deserve to be called in a special way His children. - -_The persecuted._ If our Lord had not told us these are blessed, should we -ever have guessed it? To be persecuted seems such a terrible thing, and so -indeed it is unless we can bring ourselves to think more of Him for whose -sake we suffer than of the suffering itself. Perhaps we may have known -the quiet happiness of being by the side of one we loved who was in pain. -The thought that our presence and our sympathy soothed that dear one was -greater joy than any pleasure to be found elsewhere. Something like this -is the gladness those have even now who for our Lord’s sake are hated and -persecuted. They know that if they are like Him in His suffering they will -be like Him one day in His glory. Are they not blessed then? - - -III - - reverent amazement revenge deceive - riveted congregation poverty beatitudes - -And now let us stop awhile to look at our dear Master and His hearers. The -Twelve are listening with reverent and fixed attention, their eyes riveted -on His blessed face. The people gaze at Him in amazement and delight. They -have been taught to hate their enemies, to seek revenge, to think that -poverty and suffering are the signs of God’s anger, that an abundance of -corn and wine and cattle are the rewards for which a good man must hope. - -Their beatitudes would have been, “Blessed are the rich and the -successful, those that laugh and are held in honor by men.” How unlike -these to the blessed ones of Jesus of Nazareth! His way to happiness was -a hard way, but they knew as they looked up into His face that it was the -right way. And they felt that He could not only teach but help them. Had -they known the story of His life as we do they would have seen that He had -first practised all He taught. He was so poor that He had not where to lay -His head. He was meek and humble of heart, the Man of sorrows, the great -Peacemaker. - -After the Sermon our Lord comes down from the Mount, conversing familiarly -with His disciples, His simple congregation flocking after Him, trying to -get near Him, all so refreshed by His company and His words. Hear them -talking of Him among themselves, saying, “We never heard the like.” - -Oh, if we had seen our Blessed Lord as these happy people saw Him, if we -had followed Him about with the crowd, had sat at His feet as He taught, -and watched Him as He laid His hands on the eyes of the blind and the -sores of the poor lepers--how we should have loved Him! - - --MOTHER MARY LOYOLA. - - - - -THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER - - - perilous ramparts haughty conceals - conquer desolation hireling confusion - motto triumph reposes pollution - - Oh say, can you see by the dawn’s early light, - What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming-- - Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight, - O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming? - - And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air, - Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. - Oh say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave - O’er the land of the free, and the home of the brave? - - On that shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep, - Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes, - What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep, - As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses? - - Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam, - In full glory reflected now shines on the stream; - ’Tis the star-spangled banner; O long may it wave - O’er the land of the free, and the home of the brave! - - And where is that band who so vauntingly swore - ’Mid the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion, - A home and a country shall leave us no more? - Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps’ pollution. - - No refuge could save the hireling and slave, - From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave. - And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave - O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave. - - Oh, thus be it ever when freemen shall stand - Between their loved homes and the war’s desolation; - Blest with victr’y and peace, may the heaven-rescued land, - Praise the power that hath made and preserved us a nation. - - Then conquer we must, for our cause it is just, - And this be our motto: “In God is our trust!” - And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave - O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave. - - - - -HOW AMERICA WAS DISCOVERED - - -I - -THE ITALIAN SAILOR - - Italian belief finally dangerous - Indies ocean theory persuade - Europe imagine journey furnish - -About four hundred years ago there came to Spain an Italian sailor who -believed that the earth is round. Such a belief may not seem at all -strange to us, but to the people of that time it appeared to be very -foolish and unreasonable. Almost everybody laughed at the Italian, and -called him a silly fellow. - -“Have you eyes?” they asked. “If so, you need only to open them and look -about you to see that the earth is as flat as the top of a table.” - -“You may think it is flat,” he answered, “and indeed it does appear to be -so. But I know it is round; and if I had only a good ship or two, and some -trusty sailors, I would prove it to you. I would sail westward across the -great ocean, and in the end would reach the Indies and China, which must -be on the other side of the great round world.” - -“Who ever heard of such nonsense!” cried his learned critics. “Everybody -knows that China and the Indies are in the far East, and that they can -be reached only by a dangerous voyage through the Mediterranean Sea, -and long journeys with camels across the great desert. Yet, here is Mr. -Crack-brain, an Italian sailor, who says he can go to the East by sailing -west. One might as well try to reach the moon by going down into a deep -well.” - -“But you don’t understand me,” answered the man whom they had called Mr. -Crack-brain. “Here is an apple. Let us suppose that it is the earth. I -stick a pin on this side, and call it Spain. On the other side I stick -another pin, and call it the Indies. Now suppose a fly lights upon the -apple at the point which I have called Spain. By turning to the right, or -eastward, he can travel round to the Indies with but little trouble; or by -turning to the left, or westward, he can reach the same place with just as -much ease, and in really a shorter time. Do you see?” - -“Do we see?” said his hearers. “Most certainly we see the apple, and we -can imagine that we see the fly. It is very hard, however, to imagine that -the earth is an apple, or anything like it. For, suppose that it were so: -what would become of all the water in the seas and the great ocean? Why, -it would run off at the blossom end of the apple, which you call the South -Pole; and all the rocks and trees and men would follow it. Or, suppose -that men could stick to the lower part of the earth as the fly does to -the lower part of the apple--how very silly it would be to think of them -walking about with their heads hanging down!” - -“And suppose,” said one of the doubters, who thought himself very -wise,--“suppose that the earth is round, and suppose that the water should -not spill off, and suppose you should sail to the other side, as you want -to do, how are you to get back? Did anybody ever hear of a ship sailing -uphill?” - -And so, with sneering remarks, the wise men dismissed the whole subject. -They said it was not worth while for them to spend their time in talking -about such things. But the man whom they had called Mr. Crack-brain would -not give up his theory. He was not the first man to believe that the -earth is round--this he knew; but he hoped to be the first to prove it -by sailing westward, and thus finally reaching the Indies, and the rich -countries of the far East. And yet he had no ship, he was very poor, and -the few friends whom he had were not able to give him any help. - -“My only hope,” he said, “is to persuade the king and queen to furnish me -with a ship.” - -But how should an unknown Italian sailor make himself heard by the king -and queen of the most powerful country in Europe? - -The great men at the king’s court ridiculed him. “You had better buy a -fisherman’s boat,” they said, “and try to make an honest living with your -nets. Men of your kind have no business with kings. As to your crazy -theory about the shape of the earth, only think of it! How dare you, the -son of an Italian wool-comber, imagine that you know more about it than -the wisest men in the world?” - -But he did not despair. For years he followed the king’s court from place -to place. Most people looked upon him as a kind of harmless lunatic who -had gotten a single idea in his head and was unable to think of anything -else. But there were a few good and wise men who listened to his theories, -and after studying them carefully began to believe that there was some -truth in them. - -One of these men was Father Perez, the prior of the convent of La Rabida, -and, to please this good prior, the queen at last sent for the sailor and -asked him to tell her all about his strange theories and his plans for -sailing west and reaching the East. - -“You say that, if you had the vessels and the men, you would sail westward -and discover new lands on the farther side of the great ocean,” said the -queen. “What reasons have you for supposing that there are any such lands?” - -“My first reason is that, since the earth is round like a ball, the -countries of China and the Indies must lie in a westward direction and -can, sooner or later, be reached by sailing across the sea,” was the -answer. “You, yourself, have heard the story of St. Brandon, the Scottish -priest, who, eight hundred years ago, was driven by a storm far across the -ocean, and how at last he landed upon a strange and unknown shore. I doubt -not but that this country was one of the outlying islands of the Indies, -or perhaps the eastern shore of China. - -“Not very long ago, Martin Vincent, a sea captain of Lisbon, ventured to -go a distance of four hundred miles from land. There he picked up a piece -of wood, with strange marks and carvings upon it, which had been drifted -from the west by strong winds. Other seafaring men have found, far out -in the ocean, reeds and light wood, such as travelers say are found in -some parts of the Indies, but nowhere in Europe. And if any one should -want more proofs than these, it would not be hard to find them. There is -a story among the people of the far north which relates that, about five -hundred years ago, some bold sea rovers from Iceland discovered a wild, -wooded country many days’ sail to the westward. Indeed, it is said that -these men tried to form a settlement there, and that they sent more than -one shipload of grapes and timber back to Iceland. Now, it is very plain -to me that this country of Vinland, as they called it, was no other than a -part of the northern coast of China or Japan.” - -It is not to be supposed that the queen cared whether the earth was round -or flat; nor is it likely that her mind was ever troubled with questions -of that kind. But she thought that if this man’s theories were true, and -there were lands rich in gold and spices on the other side of the ocean, -it would be a fine thing for the queen and king of Spain to possess them. -The Italian sailor had studied his subject well, and he certainly knew -what he was talking about. He had told his story so well that the queen -was almost ready to believe that he was right. But she was very busy just -then, in a war with the Moors, and she had little time to think about -anything else. If the Italian would wait till everything else could be -settled, she would see whether a ship or two might not be fitted out for -his use. - -For seven years this man with a new idea kept on trying to find some one -who was able and willing to help him carry out the plans which he had so -much at heart. At last, broken in health and almost penniless, he gave up -hope, and was about to leave Spain forever. It was then that one of his -friends, Luis St. Angel, pleaded his case before the queen. - -“It will cost but little to fit out two or three ships for him. If the -undertaking should prove to be a failure you would not lose much. But if -it should succeed, only think what vast riches and how great honor will be -won for Spain!” - -“I will take the risk!” cried the queen, at last. “If the money cannot be -had otherwise, I will sell my jewels to get it. Find him, and bring him -before me; and let us lose no more time about this business.” - -St. Angel hastened to obey. - -“Do you know whether Christopher Columbus has passed out through this gate -to-day?” he asked of the soldier who was standing guard at one of the -gates of the old city of Granada. - -“Christopher Columbus? Who is he?” asked the soldier. - -“He is a gray-bearded man, rather tall, with a stoop in his shoulders. -When last seen he was riding on a small, brown mule, and coming this way.” - -“Oh? Do you mean the fellow who has been trying to make people believe -that the earth is round?” - -“Yes, that is the man.” - -“He passed through here not half an hour ago. His mule is a very slow -traveler, and if you follow, you can easily overtake him before he has -gone far.” - -St. Angel gave the rein to his swift horse, and galloped onward in pursuit -of Columbus. It was not long until the slow-paced mule, with its sad -rider, was seen plodding along the dusty highway. The man was too busy -with his own thoughts to heed the sound of the ringing hoofs behind him. - -“Christopher Columbus!” cried his friend, “turn about, and come back with -me. I have good news for you. Queen Isabella bids me say that she will -help you, and that you shall have the ships and the men for which you -ask. And she hopes that you may find a new way to the East, and perhaps -discover unknown lands on the farther side of the great ocean. Turn about, -and come back with me!” - - -II - -THE VOYAGE - - Palos Canary precious monsters - Niña Santa Maria anxious venture - Pinta Perez mysterious expanse - -One morning in August, 1492, there was a great stir in the little seaport -town of Palos in Spain. At break of day the streets were full of people. -Long before sunrise the shore was lined with anxious men, women, and -children. All were talking about the same thing; some were weeping; some -appeared to be angry; some were in despair. - -“Only think of it,” said one. “Think of sailing into seas where the water -is always boiling hot.” - -“And if you escape being scalded,” said another, “then there are those -terrible sea beasts that are large enough to swallow ships and sailors at -a mouthful.” - -“It is all on account of that Italian sailor who says that the world is -round,” said a third. “He has persuaded several persons, who ought to -know better, that he can reach the East by sailing west.” - -Moored near the shore were three small ships. They were but little larger -than fishing boats; and in these frail vessels Columbus was going to -venture into the vast unknown sea, in search of strange lands and of a new -and better way to distant India. - -Two of the ships, the “Niña” and the “Pinta,” had no decks and were -covered only at the ends where the sailors slept. The third, called the -“Santa Maria,” was larger and had a deck, and from its masthead floated -the flag of Columbus. It was toward these three ships that the eyes of the -people on shore were directed; it was about these ships and the men on -board of them that all were talking. - -On the deck of the largest ship stood Columbus, and by his side was good -Father Perez, praying that the voyagers might be blessed with fair winds -and a smooth sea, and that the brave captain might be successful in his -quest. Then the last good-bys were spoken, the moorings were cast loose, -the sails were spread; and, a little before sunrise, the vessels glided -slowly out of the harbor and into the vast western ocean. The people stood -on the shore and watched, while the sails grew smaller and smaller and at -last were lost to sight below the line of sea and sky. - -“Alas! We shall never see them again,” said some, returning to their -homes. But others remained all day by the shore talking about the strange -idea that there were unknown lands in the distant West. - -Two hundred miles southwest of Palos there is a group of islands called -the Canary Islands. These were well known to the people of that time, -and belonged to Spain. But sailors seldom ventured beyond them, and no -one knew of any land farther to the west. It was to these islands that -Columbus first directed his course. In six days the three little vessels -reached the Canary Islands. The sailing had been very slow. The rudder of -one of the ships had not been well made and had soon been broken. And so, -now, much time was wasted while having a new rudder made and put in place. - -It was not until the 6th of September that Columbus again set sail, -pushing westward into unknown waters. Soon the sailors began to give way -to their fears. The thought that they were on seas where no man had before -ventured filled them with alarm. They remembered all the strange stories -that they had heard of dreadful monsters and of mysterious dangers, and -their minds were filled with distress. - -But Columbus showed them how unreasonable these stories were; and he -aroused their curiosity by telling them wonderful things about India--that -land of gold and precious stones, which they would surely reach if they -would bravely persevere. - -And so, day after day, they sailed onward. The sea was calm, and the wind -blowing from the east drove the ships steadily forward. By the first of -October they had sailed more than two thousand miles. Birds came from the -west, and flew about the ships. The water was full of floating seaweed. -But still no land could be seen. - -Then the sailors began to fear that they would never be able to return -against the east wind that was blowing. “Why should we obey this man, -Columbus?” they said. “He is surely mad. Let us throw him into the sea, -and then turn the ships about while we can.” - -But Columbus was so firm and brave that they dared not lay hands on him; -they dared not disobey him. Soon they began to see signs of the nearness -of land. Weeds, such as grow only in rivers, were seen floating near the -ships. A branch of a tree, with berries on it, was picked up. Columbus -offered a reward to the man who should first see land. - -“We must be very near it now,” he said. - -That night no one could sleep. At about two o’clock the man who was on the -lookout on one of the smaller vessels cried: “Land! land! land!” Columbus -himself had seen a distant light moving, some hours before. There was now -a great stir on board the ships. - -“Where is the land?” cried every one. - -“There--there! Straight before us.” - - -III - -THE DISCOVERY - - San Salvador anchor bananas messenger - Cuba scarlet palms brilliant - -Yes, there was a low, dark mass far in front of them, which might be land. -In the dim starlight, it was hard to make out what it was. But one thing -was certain, it was not a mere expanse of water, such as lay in every -other direction. And so the sailors brought out a little old-fashioned -cannon and fired it off as a signal to the crews of the other vessels. -Then the sails of the three ships were furled, and they waited for the -light of day. - -When morning dawned, Columbus and his companions saw that they were quite -near to a green and sunny island. It was a beautiful spot. There were -pleasant groves where the songs of birds were heard. Thousands of flowers -were seen on every hand, and the trees were laden with fruit. The island -was inhabited, too; for strange men could be seen running toward the shore -and looking with wonder at the ships. - -The sailors, who had lately been ready to give up all hope, were now -filled with joy. They crowded around Columbus, and kissed his hands, and -begged him to forgive them for thinking of disobeying him. The ships cast -anchor, the boats were lowered, and Columbus, with most of the men, went -on shore. Columbus was dressed in a grand robe of scarlet, and the banner -of Spain was borne above him. - -[Illustration: THE LANDING OF COLUMBUS.] - -As soon as the boats reached the shore, Columbus stepped out and knelt -down upon the beach and gave thanks to God; then he took possession of -the island in the name of the king and queen of Spain, and called it San -Salvador. It was thus that the first land in America was discovered on the -12th of October, 1492. - -The natives were filled with wonder at what they saw. At first they were -awed and frightened at sight of the ships and the strange men; but they -soon overcame their fears and seemed delighted and very friendly. They -brought to Columbus gifts of all they had,--bananas, yams, oranges, and -beautiful birds. - -“Surely,” they said, “these wonderful beings who have come to us from the -sea are not mere men like ourselves. They must be messengers from heaven.” - -Columbus believed that this island was near the coast of Asia, and that -it was one of the islands of India; and so he called the people Indians. -He did not remain here long, but sailed away to discover other lands. In -a short time the ships came to a large island where there were rivers of -fresh water flowing into the sea. The air was sweet with the breath of -blossoms; the sky was blue and clear; the sea was calm; the world seemed -full of joy and peace. This island was Cuba. - -“Let us live here always!” cried the sailors; “for surely this is -paradise.” - -And so, for three months and more, Columbus and his companions sailed -among scenes of delight, such as they had never before imagined. They -visited island after island, and everywhere saw new beauties and new -pleasures. The natives were simple-hearted and kind. “They love their -neighbors as themselves,” said Columbus. They looked with wonder upon the -bright swords of the white men and upon their brilliant armor; and when -the little cannon was fired, they were so filled with alarm that they fell -to the ground. - -It was on the 15th of the next March that Columbus, after a stormy -homeward voyage, sailed again into the little harbor of Palos, from which -he had started. And now there was a greater stir in the little town than -there had been before. “Christopher Columbus has come back from the -unknown seas!” was the cry that went from house to house. - -“Did he reach the East by sailing west? Has he really been to far-off -India?” asked the doubting ones. - -“He has, indeed!” was the answer. “He has discovered a new world.” - -Then the bells were rung, guns were fired, and bonfires blazed on the -hilltops. Everybody rejoiced. Everybody was willing now to say that the -Italian sailor was right when he declared the earth to be round. - - - - -THE POWER OF GOD - - - Thou art, O God! the life and light - Of all this wondrous world we see; - Its glow by day, its smile by night, - Are but reflections caught from Thee. - Where’er we turn, Thy glories shine, - And all things fair and bright are Thine. - - When day, with farewell beam, delays, - Among the opening clouds of even, - And we can almost think we gaze - Through golden vistas into heaven; - Those hues that mark the sun’s decline, - So soft, so radiant, Lord! are Thine. - - When night, with wings of starry gloom, - O’ershadows all the earth and skies, - Like some dark, beauteous bird, whose plume - Is sparkling with unnumbered eyes;-- - That sacred gloom, those fires Divine, - So grand, so countless, Lord! are Thine. - - --THOMAS MOORE. - - - - -OUR COUNTRY AND OUR HOME - - - There is a land, of every land the pride, - Beloved by Heaven o’er all the world beside; - Where brighter suns dispense serener light, - And milder moons emparadise the night: - A land of beauty, virtue, valor, truth, - Time-tutored age, and love-exalted youth: - The wandering mariner whose eye explores - The wealthiest isles, the most enchanting shores, - Views not a realm so bountiful and fair, - Nor breathes the spirit of a purer air. - For in this land of Heaven’s peculiar grace, - The heritage of Nature’s noblest race, - There is a spot of earth supremely blest-- - A dearer, sweeter spot than all the rest: - Here woman reigns; the mother, daughter, wife, - Strew with fresh flowers the narrow way of life; - In the clear heaven of her delightful eye, - An angel-guard of loves and graces lie; - Around her knees domestic duties meet, - And fireside pleasures gambol at her feet. - “Where shall that land, that spot of earth be found?” - Art thou a man?--a patriot?--look around; - Oh, thou shalt find, howe’er thy footsteps roam, - That land _thy_ Country, and that spot thy _Home_. - - --MONTGOMERY. - - - - -NOTES ABOUT AUTHORS - - -PAGE 7.--=François Coppée=, a noted French writer, was born at Paris in -1842. Although he was the writer of good French poetry and some successful -plays, he is best known to American readers by his charming short stories, -in which he depicts the life and aspirations of the common people. In his -later life he was an ardent Catholic, and as such wrote fearlessly in -defense of the rights of the Church in France. He died in 1908. - -PAGE 14.--=John James Audubon=, a noted American ornithologist of French -descent, was born at New Orleans in 1780. Perhaps no other person has done -so much for the birds of America, or has described them so well, as he. -His drawings of birds are particularly famous. He died at New York in 1851. - -PAGE 16.--=J. R. Marre=, is a contemporary Catholic writer whose poems are -well known to readers of _The Ave Maria_ and other religious periodicals. - -PAGE 17.--=Rev. John Banister Tabb= was born in Virginia, March 22, -1845. He studied for the priesthood and was ordained in 1884. He is an -instructor in St. Charles College, Maryland. His poems are exquisite in -movement and diction no less than in richness of thought. - -PAGE 18.--=Horace Binney Wallace=, a noted American lawyer and prose -writer, was born at Philadelphia, 1817; died at Paris, 1852. His best -known work, _Literary Criticisms_, was published after his death. - -PAGE 23.--=Henry Coyle= is a contemporary Catholic poet residing at -Boston, Massachusetts. He is well known as a contributor to Catholic -periodicals. His first volume of poetry, entitled _The Promise of -Morning_, was published in 1899. His writings are characterized by deep -religious feeling no less than by rare poetic charm. - -PAGE 24.--=Miguel de Saavedra Cervantes=, a celebrated Spanish poet and -novelist, was born near Madrid, 1547; died, 1616. His most famous work is -the romance entitled _Don Quixote_, which was first printed in 1605. It -has been translated into every language of Europe. - -PAGE 43.--=John Henry, Cardinal Newman= was born at London in 1801. He -was educated at a private school until he entered Oxford, where he took -his degree before he was twenty. In 1822 he was elected Fellow in Oriel -College. In 1845 he left the Church of England for the Roman Catholic -Church. He wrote many sermons, treatises, and poems. In literary merit his -work ranks very high. He died in 1890. - -=Rev. Thomas Edward Bridgett=, a noted priest and author, was born at -Derby, England, in 1829. He was the founder of the Confraternity of the -Holy Family for men, and much of his life was devoted to missionary work. -He was the author of numerous religious and historical works, among which -may be named, _The History of the Holy Eucharist_, _Life of the Blessed -John Fisher_, _Blunders and Forgeries_, etc. Father Bridgett died at St. -Mary’s Clapham, England, in 1899. - -PAGE 56.--=William Cowper=, a celebrated English poet, was born in 1731. -He attended Westminster school and afterwards studied law. His most famous -poems are _The Task_ and the ballad _John Gilpin’s Ride_. He died in 1800. - -PAGE 58.--=Rev. Frederick William Faber= was born in Yorkshire, England, -in 1814. He was an eloquent preacher, a brilliant talker, and had an -unsurpassed power of gaining the love of all with whom he came in contact. -His hymns are well known, and sung throughout the world. He founded a -religious community which was afterwards merged in the oratory of St. -Philip Neri. He died in 1863. - -PAGE 75.--=John Greenleaf Whittier= was born at Haverhill, Massachusetts, -1807. At the age of eighteen he studied for two years at an academy near -his home. In 1829 he became the editor of a paper established at Boston to -advocate protective tariff. He was active in the cause of antislavery. He -died in 1892. - -PAGE 82.--=Mary Lydia Bolles Branch= was born at New London, Connecticut, -in 1840. She is best known as a writer of stories for children. - -PAGE 84.--=John Burroughs= was born in Roxbury, New York, in 1837. He -was the son of a farmer, but received a good college education. For eight -or nine years he taught school, and then became a journalist in New York -city. From 1861 till 1873 he was a clerk in the Treasury Department at -Washington. He finally settled on a farm at West Park, New York, giving -his time to literature and the observation of nature. His love of nature -has inspired most of what he has contributed to the literature of the -world. - -PAGE 96.--=Aubrey de Vere=, an Irish Catholic poet, was born in 1788. He -belonged to a good family, and always had leisure to cultivate a naturally -refined taste. At first he wrote dramas, but later, poems, especially -sonnets. He was a true patriot, and pays many tributes of love to his -country in his historical themes. He died in 1846. - -PAGE 97.--=Sir Walter Scott= was born at Edinburgh in 1771. His delightful -art of story telling, both in prose and poetry, has been excelled by few. -Among his most popular poems are _The Lady of the Lake_ and _Marmion_; -among his most popular novels are _Kenilworth_, _Ivanhoe_, _The Talisman_, -and _Old Mortality_. He died in 1832. - -PAGE 106.--=Thomas Moore= was born at Dublin, Ireland, in 1779; died in -1852. He entered Trinity College, Dublin, at fifteen years of age. He -studied law, and in 1799 entered the Middle Temple, London. In 1803 he -received a government appointment to the Bermuda Islands and traveled -quite extensively in the United States. Among English Catholic poets he -holds a high rank. - -PAGE 107.--=Andrew Lang= was born in Scotland in 1844; died at London in -1912. He pursued many different lines of literary work, and was one of the -most versatile writers of modern times. The number of volumes bearing his -name as author is surprisingly large. - -PAGE 114.--=Lady Gregory= is the daughter of Dudley Presse, Deputy -Lieutenant of Roxborough, County Galway, Ireland. She has done very -valuable service to literature in preserving and editing many of the -early Celtic legends. Some of her publications are: _Poets and Dreamers_, -_Cuchullain of Muerthemme_, and _Gods and Fighting Men_. - -PAGE 118.--=Helen Hunt Jackson= was born in 1831 at Amherst, -Massachusetts. In 1867 she wrote her first stories, and from that time -until her death books from the pen of H. H. were published with frequency. -She wrote verses, essays, sketches of travel, children’s stories, novels, -and tracts on questions of the day. - -PAGE 120.--=St. Ambrose= or Ambrosius, one of the fathers of the Latin -Church, was born at Treves, A.D. 340; died, 397. He was the champion of -the Catholics against Arians and pagans; he became Bishop of Milan in 374. -He was the author of numerous hymns and other religious works. - -PAGE 121.--=James Sheridan Knowles= was born at Dublin, Ireland, 1784. For -a time he held a commission in the militia, but became attracted to the -stage and entered the dramatic profession. He died in 1862. - -PAGE 132.--=Washington Irving= was born in New York city, April 3, 1783; -died, 1859. His early schooling was not very systematic. When a young -man he began the study of law, but never followed the profession very -steadily. He is the most popular of the American writers of the early part -of the nineteenth century. - -PAGE 152.--=Alfred Tennyson= was born at Somersby, England, in 1809. He -was educated at Cambridge, where he gained the Chancellor’s medal for his -poem _Timbuctoo_ in blank verse. In 1830 he published his first volume -of poems. Other poems followed quickly and soon became popularly known. -Tennyson’s poetry is distinguished by its rare quality and delicate choice -of language. He was for many years poet laureate. He died in 1892. - -PAGE 158.--=Sister Mary Antonia= is an occasional and highly esteemed -contributor of verse to current Catholic periodicals. - -PAGE 161.--=Miriam Coles Harris= is a contemporary Catholic writer whose -works have attracted considerable attention. The extract is from _A Corner -of Spain_, published in 1896. - -PAGE 166.--=William Cullen Bryant=, a famous American poet, was born -at Cummington, Massachusetts, November 3, 1794. He entered Williams -College at the age of sixteen, but at the end of two years took honorable -dismission and engaged in the study of law. He was admitted to the bar in -1815; removed to New York in 1825; was editor of the _New York Review_ in -the same year; and in 1826 became connected with the _Evening Post_, with -which he continued until his death, which occurred in 1878. - -PAGE 170.--=Conrad Von Bolanden= is the pseudonym of a contemporary German -Catholic writer, Monsignor Joseph Bischoff, who was born in August, 1828. -He was made a Papal Chamberlain to Pope Pius IX in recognition of the -merits of his efforts in the field of Catholic literature. He has written -much, finding the motives of his books in history and in the problems of -social life. - -PAGE 174.--=Henry Wadsworth Longfellow= is often called the children’s -poet, partly because of his love for children and partly because of some -poems written for children. He was born in Portland, Maine, in 1807. From -1835 to 1854 he was professor of modern languages at Harvard University. -He died in 1882. - -PAGE 178.--=John Gilmary Shea=, a brilliant Catholic writer, was born -at New York city, July 1824; died, 1892. He devoted most of his time to -literature instead of to the law, for which he was educated. Perhaps no -one has done more to preserve the history and language of the aborigines -of this country. _History of the Catholic Missions among the Indian Tribes -of the United States_, _Early Voyages up and down the Mississippi_, -_History of the Catholic Church in Colonial Times_, are some of his most -popular works. - -PAGE 186.--=James Russell Lowell= was born at Cambridge, Massachusetts, -February 22, 1819. He died in the same house in which he was born, August -12, 1891. For many years he held the chair of modern languages in Harvard -University. He was a man who represented American culture and letters at -their best. - -PAGE 188.--=Mother Mary Loyola= of the Bar Convent, York, England, is a -writer of more than ordinary power on the subjects dearest to every true -Catholic. Her book, _Jesus of Nazareth_, from which our selection is -taken, was written especially for American children and is dedicated to -them. - -PAGE 196.--=Francis Scott Key=, author of “The Star-spangled Banner,” was -born in Frederick County, Maryland, in 1780. It was during the British -invasion in 1814, while he was detained on a British man-of-war within -sight of the bombardment of Fort McHenry, that Key wrote this beautiful -lyrical poem. He died at Baltimore in 1843. - -PAGE 214.--=James Montgomery= was a Scottish poet, born in 1776; died in -1854. His poems, once very popular, are now almost forgotten. - - - - -WORD LIST - - -GUIDE TO PRONUNCIATION - - ā, as in māte. - ā̇, as in sen´ā̇te. - â, as in câre. - ă, as in ăt. - ä, as in ärm. - ȧ, as in ȧsk. - a̤, as in a̤ll. - ạ = ŏ, as in whạt. - ç = s, as in çell. - ch = k, as in chorus. - çh = sh, as in maçhine. - ē, as in hē, mēte. - ē̇, as in ē̇vent. - ĕ, as in mĕt. - ẽ, as in hẽr. - e̱ = ā̱, as in e̱ight. - ê, = â, as in whêre. - ḡ, as in ḡet. - ġ = j, as in ġem. - ī, as in mīne. - i̇, as in i̇dea. - ĭ, as in ĭt. - ĩ = ẽ, as in sĩr, bĩrd. - ï = ē, as in machïne. - ṉ = ng, as in baṉk, liṉger. - ō, as in ōld. - ō̇, as in ō̇bey. - ô, as in ôr. - ŏ, as in nŏt. - o̤ = o̅o̅, as in do̤, ro̅o̅m. - ọ = o͝o or ụ, as in wọlf, fo͝ot. - ȯ = ŭ, as in sȯn. - s̱ = z, as in his̱. - th, as in thin. - t͞h, as in t͞hen. - ū, as in mūte. - ŭ, as in thŭs. - ṳ, as in rṳde. - ụ= o͝o, as in fụll. - û, as in bûrn. - x̱ = gz, as in ex̱ist. - ȳ = ī, as in bȳ. - y̆ = ĭ, as in hy̆mn. - ỹ = ẽ, as in mỹrtle. - -Certain vowels, as a and e, when obscure are marked thus, a̯, e̯. Silent -letters are italicized. In the following word list only accented syllables -and syllables of doubtful pronunciation are marked. - - a băn´don - ab hôr´ - a bŏm´i nā´tion - a bŭn´dạnçe - ăc´çi dent - ăc côrd´ - āc_h_´ing - ac quā_i_nt´ed - ä d_i_eū´ - ad jā´çent - ăd´mĭ rā´tion - ad mĭt´tanç_e_ - al lē vĭ ā´tion - a māz´ing - a māze´ment - am´mu nĭ´tion - ăn´chor - ăṉ´guĭsh - ăn´ĭ māt ed - ăn´tĭ quāt ed - ăṉx´ious (-yŭs) - a pŏ_s´t_l_e_ - ap pa̤ll´ing - ap păr´el - ap pâr´ent ly - ap´pa rĭ´tion - ăp´pe tīt_e_ - ap pla̤_u_s̱_e_´ - ap´plĭ cā´tion - ap prō_a_ch_e_d´ - ăp´pro bā´tion - ärch´er y - är´mor - as săs´sĭn - as sa̤_u_lt´ - as sĕm´bl_e_ - at tĕnd´a̯nt - a̤_u_ tŭm´nal - ăv´ȧ lănch_e_ - a vĕnġ_e_´ - a wa̤rd´ - bä nä´nȧ - băṉ´quet - băr´rĭ er - bē̇ ăt´ĭ tud_e_ - be hāv´ior (-yer) - be hĕst´ - be l_i_ēf´ - bĕn´e fit - brĭl´liançe (-ya̯ns) - brĭl´liant - bŭg´ȧ boo - cä_l_m´ - căl´u met - cam pā_ig_n´ - cā̇ prïç_e_´ - cär´di nal - ca̤_u_´tious ly - cav ȧ l_i_ēr´ - căv´i ty - çel´e brā´tion - c_h_ā´ŏs - chăr´ĭ ot - chef (shĕf) - çhĕv´a l_i_ēr´ - ch_i_ēf´ta̯_i_n - çhĭv´al ry - çĭv´il ly - clē_a_v_e_ - cŏm´ic - cŏm´mȧn dänt´ - com mŏd´ĭ ty - cȯm´pa ny - com´plē mĕnt´a ry - cŏm´plĭ ment - com pōs̱´er - com po s̱ĭ´tion - con çē_a_l´ - con çĕp´tion - con fū´s̱ion - cŏn gre gā´tion - cŏṉ´quer (-kẽr) - cŏṉn´quer or - con sĕnt´ - con sẽrv´a to ry - con sĭd´er a bl_e_ - con tĕnt´ - con trĭ bu´tion - coun´çil - coun´te na̯nç_e_ - couple (kŭp´l) - c_o_ûr´aġ_e_ - c_o_ûr´te ous ly - c_o_ûr´te sy - cō_u_rt´ĭer - cȯv´ert - cre ā´tor - crĕv´ĭç_e_ - crĭm´s̱on - crṳ´çĭ fȳ - crṳa sād_e_´ - cū´bit - cū´rĭ _o_us - cŭs´tom - çy´press - dān´ġer _o_us - de çē_i_v_e_´ - dĕl´ĭ cā̇ çy̆ - dĕl´ĭ cat_e_ - de pūt´ed - de rānġ_e_´ - de s̱ẽrv_e_´ - dĕs´ic cāt ed - de s̱ī_g_n´ - des´o lā´tion - dĕs´per at_e_ - des per ā´tion - dev´ăs tat ing - de vĕl´op ment - de vīç_e_´ - de vout´ - dĭs̱´ma̯l - dis mā_y_´ - dis´o bē´di ĕnç_e_ - dis pẽrs_e_´ - dĭs´trict - do mĕs´tic - dŏṉ´k_e_y̆ - dȯz´_e_n - dūn_e_s̱ - ē_a_´ger - ē_a_´ger ly - ẽ_a_r´nest ly - ĕd´u cā´tion - ĕl´e ment - ĕl´o quent - ĕm´er ald - en dē_a_r´ - en dūr´a̯nç_e_ - ĕn´ē̇ my - en´ter tā_i_n´ - en thū´s̱ĭ asm - ĕn´vy - e rĕct´ - es pĕ´çĭal ly - ĕv´ĭ dent ly - ĕx´çel lent - ex ha̤_u_st´ - ex păns_e_´ - ex pe dĭ´tion - ex plō´s̱ion - ex pō´s̱ur_e_ - ex prĕss´iv_e_ - ex tr_a_ôr´dĭ na ry - fa̤_l_´con ry - fath´om - fā´vor ĭt_e_ - fẽr´vor - fĕs´tĭ val - fī´nal ly - fĭs´sūr_e_ - fŏr_e´h_ĕ_a_d - fra̤_u_d - frĕs´co - frṳ_i_t´ag_e_ - fū´ġĭ tĭv_e_ - fûr´nish - gär´land - ġĕn er _o_ŭs - ġĕn´e sĭs - ġĕn´ū ĭn_e_ - ġī´ant - ġī găn´tic - _g_närled - grăd´u al ly - grăn´d_e_ûr - gr_i_ēv´ing - hab´ĭ tā´tion - hȧ răng_ue_´ - ha̤_ugh_´ty - hä_u_nt - h_e_ī_gh_t - hĕr´it ag_e_ - hẽr´mit - hīr_e_´ling - hŏl´ĭ da_y_ - _h_ŏn´ŏr - ho rī´zon - hȯv´er ing - hū´man - hu mĭl ĭ ā´tion - hū´mor - hûr´rĭ cā̇n_e_ - īdē´ȧ - ī dŏl´a try - ĭm ăġ´ĭn_e_ - im mĕns_e_´ - in crē_a_s_e_´ - in´dĭg nā´tion - in fē´rĭ or - ĭn´fĭ nĭt_e_ - ĭn´fĩrm´i ty - ĭn´flu enç_e_ - in grăt´i tud_e_ - in hăb´it ant - ĭn´no çent - in´no vā´tion - in quī´ry - in sĭst´ed - ĭn´ter val - in tŏl´er a bl_e_ - in vĕs´ti gat_e_ - in vĭ tā´tion - jew´_e_l - j_o_ŭr´n_e_y̆ - j_o_ŭst - jŭs´tĭc_e_ - kĭn´dred - lē_a_ - lē_a_g_ue_ - l_ie_ū tĕn´ant - lux ū´ri_o_us - măm´moth - mär’tyr dom - mär´vel_e_d - ma tē´rĭ al - mē_a_´ger ly - mĕl´an chol y - mĕn´tion - mẽr´çi ful - mĕs´saġ_e_ - mĕs´sen ġer - mĭl´i ta ry - mĭn´strel sy - mĭr´a cl_e_ - mĭs hăp´ - mĭs´sĭl_e_ - mod´es ty - mōld - mŏn´ster - mo̅o̅r_e_d - mŏt´to - mŭl´tĭ tūd_e_ - mûr´mur - my̆s´tē rĭ _o_us - my̆s´ter y - my̆th - n_o_ŭr´ish ing - o bē´di enç_e_ - ŏb´sti nat_e_ - oc cā´s̱ion - ō´çean (-sha̯n) - ŏp´e rȧ - ŏp´po s̱ĭt_e_ - op prĕs_se_d´ - or´acl_e_ - o rā´tion - pā´gan - pälms - par tĭc´u lar - pā´tiençe (-shens) - pa trōl_le_d´ - pĕ_a_s̱´ant - pe cūl´iar - pĕn´anç_e_ - pĕn´sĭv_e_ - pĕr´il _o_us - per plĕx´i ty - per se cū´tion - pẽr´son ag_e_ - per suāde´ - per suā´sion - pĕt´ri fi_e_d - phĭ lŏs´o pher - phy̆s̱´ic al - pĭ ăz´zȧ - pĭl´grim ag_e_ - pĭt´y - plä´zȧ - plūm´ag_e_ - pō´em - pō´et ry - pŏl´i cy - pol lū´tion - pȯm´mel - pŏp´u lar - pôr´ri_d_g_e_ - pos̱ s̱ĕss´ - pŏv´er ty - prĕ´cious - pre s̱erv_e_´ - prĭs̱´on er - prŏb´a bly - pro çĕs´sion - pro tĕct´or - prŏv´ĭ denç_e_ - pûr´pos_e_ - pûr sū_i_t´ - rā_i_´ment - răm´parts - răp´tur _o_us - rē´al ly - rĕck´on ing - rĕc´og niz_e_ - re cȯv´er y - rĕf´ug_e_ - re lā´tion - re l_i_ēf´ - re nown_e_d´ - re pos̱_e_´ - rĕs´cū_e_ - re s̱ŏlv_e_´ - rĕs´ŭr rĕc´tion - re tôrts´ - re trē_a_t´ - re vē_a_l´ - re vĕnġ_e_´ - rĕv´er ent - r_h_ȳme - rīght´eous (-chŭs) - rĭv´et ed - rō´s̱ē̇ āt_e_ - rŭf´fĭ an - săl´u ta´tion - sal vā´tion - sănc´tion - săt´is fy - săv´aġ_e_ - scăf´fold - scăr´çĭ ty - scâr_e_´cro_w_ - scär´let - s_c_ēn_e_ - s_c_ĕnt´ed - sẽ_a_rch - sĕm´i cĩr´cl_e_ - sĕn´si tive - sĕp´a rat ed - shrewd - s_i_ēġ_e_ - sĭg´nal - sĭg´ni fy - sĭn´ew - skĕl´e ton - sleev_e_ - snĭv´el ing - sō´cia bl_e_ - so´cia bĭl´ĭ ty - sō´cial (-shal) - so ç´īe ty - so j_o_ûrn´er - so lĕm´_n_ĭ ty - sŏl´emn ly - sŏl´ī tud_e_ - spĕ´cial - spē´cies (-shē̇z) - spĕç´i men - spĕc´ter - sphēr_e_ - spĭr´it - spĭr´it u al - spŏn´sor - stĕ_a_d´ĭ ly - sŭb´stanc_e_ - subtle (sŭt´l) - sŭd´den ly - sŭf fi´cien cy - sŭm´mit - sŭmp´tu _o_us - sŭs pĕct´ - sy̆m´pa thy̆ - tăl´ent - tĕn´der ly - tĕr´rā̇ç_e_ - tĕr´ri fi_e_d - ter´ror - thē´a ter - thē´o ry - thĩrst - thrŭsh - tŏr´rent - tôr´tur_e_ - to̤_u_r´na ment - to̤_u_r´n_e_y - trăġ´e dy - trăġ´ic - trăṉ´quil - trăns pâr´ent - trĭ´but_e_ - trĭp´l_e_ - tri´umph - tri ŭm´phant - tȳ´rant - un cĭv´il - un co̤_u_th´ - ûr´chin - ū´s̱ū al - ŭt´ter anç_e_ - văn´ish - ve̱_i_n´ing - vĕn´tur_e_ - vẽr´dur _o_us - vẽr´min - vĕs´per - vĭ çĭn´ĭ ty - vĭc´tor - vĭc´to ry - vĭg´or - vĭg´or _o_us - vĭl´ l_a_in - vī´o l_e_nç_e_ - vĭs̱´ion - wäm´pum - wĕ_a_p´on - whĕlp - _w_rē_a_th - zĕ_a_l´_o_us - - -PROPER NAMES - - Ad mē´tus - Af´rĭ cȧ - A̤l´ba ny - Al ex ăn´der - Am´brōs̱_e_ - An´ġe lo - An ï´ta´ - An´tĭ oc_h_ - Ap´en nīn_e_s̱ - A rā´bĭ a̯ - A´sĭȧ - As sĭ´sĭ - A̤_u_ gŭs´tĭne - A̤_u_ gŭs´tu̯s - Ā_y_´mer - Ben e dĭct´ĭn_e_ - Bẽr lĭn´ - Blĕn´_he_im - Bo´he mond - Bŏn´ĭ fāç_e_ - Bouillon (bo̅o̅ yōṉ´) - Brĭt´_ai_n - Brṳç_e_ - Căl´va ry - Ca pẽr´na um - Cär rä´rä - Căth´bad - Çhĕv ȧ l_i_ēr´ - Çhĕv´ĭ ot - Clẽr´mont - Comyn (kŭm´in) - Cŏn´_eh_ū bär - Cŏn´na̤ught - Cŏn´stan tĭ nō´pl_e_ - Cor o nä´rï - Cū´bȧ - Cuchulain (ko̅o̅ ho̅o̅´lin) - Cṳlā_i_n - Da kō´tȧ - Da măs´cus - De troit´ - Don Quixote (dŏn kehō´te) - D_o_ŭg´las - Drĕs̱´den - Drṳ´ĭd - Dul çĭn´e a - E´bro - E´ġy̆pt - E mā_i_n´ - E´rin - Es´t_h_e̯r - Eū´rop_e_ - Fẽr´gus - Flŏr´enc_e_ - Fon tĭ nĕl´lȧ - Frăn´cis - Frĕd´er ick - Frï´s̱ĭ ȧ - Gā´brĭ el - Ġĕn´ō̇ ȧ - Ġĕn o ēs̱_e_´ - Gĕs´ler - G_h_ï bẽr´tï - Ġ_i_ō chï´no - Gŏd´fr_e_y̆ - Grĕg´o ry - Häl´le̯ - Han´del - Hel vĕl´ly̆n - Hŭṉ´ gȧ ry - Ic_h_´ȧ bŏd - In´dĭ_e_s̱ - It´a ly - Je rṳ´sa lem - Joliet (zhō lyā´) - Jôr´da̯n - Lē o närd´ō̇ - Lē´vīt_e_ - Măç´e don - Măl´a gȧ - Mär quette´ (-kĕt) - Mĕc´cȧ - Me dï´nȧ - Mĕd´ĭ ter rā´ne an - Me nŏm´o nĭ_e_ - Mī´c_h_a el - Mĭl´an - Mis´sis sĭp´pĭ - Mo hăm´med - Mŏs̱lem - Mus tȧ´phȧ - Nĭc_h_´o las - Nï´ña - Păl´es tīn_e_ - Pä´lōs - Păn´the on - Pe̱´rez (-āth) - Persia (pēr´shĭȧ) - Pe̱´sä rō - Piacenza (pē ä chĕn´zä) - Pil är´ - Pĭn´ta - Po nē´mä_h_ - Que bĕc´ - Rāph´a el - Rat bō´do - Ros sï´nï - Ro´zĭ năn te - Sa măr´ĭ tan - Săn´c_h_o - Sän Săl´va dor - Sän Sïs´to - Sän´tȧ Crō´ce (-chā) - Sän´ta Ma rï´a - Săr´a çen - Săx´o ny - Se tăn´ta - Seville (sĕv´ĭl) - Sĭs´tïn_e_ - Spăn´ĭard - Stä´bat Mä´ter - Tăn´cred - Thames (tĕmz) - Ul´ster - Ur´ban - Ur bï´no - Valence (vä lŏṉs´) - Văt´ĭ can - Vĕn´ĭç_e_ - Vẽr´ner - Vï´ȧ Cŏr o nä´rĭ - Vï ĕn´nȧ - Wis cŏn´sin - Wọlff - Wu̇lf´ram - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Standard Catholic Readers by Grades: -Fifth Year, by Various - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STANDARD CATHOLIC READERS *** - -***** This file should be named 53732-0.txt or 53732-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/3/7/3/53732/ - -Produced by Juliet Sutherland and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - 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