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3. There they stood in the failinge light,

These men of battle, with grave, dark looks,
As plain to be read as open books,

While slowly gathered the shades of night.

4. The fern on the hill-sides was splashede with blood,
And down in the corn, where the poppies grew,
Were redder stains than the poppies knew;
And crimson-dyed was the river's flood.

5. For the foe had crossed from the other side,
That day, in the face of a murderous fire

That swept them down in its terrible ire;f
And their life-blood went to color the tide.
6. "Herbert Cline'!" At the call there came
Two stalwarts soldiers into the line,

Bearing between them this Herbert Cline,
Wounded and bleeding, to answer his name.
7. "Ezra Kerr'!" and a voice answered "Here!"
"Hiram Kerr'!" but no man replied:

They were brothers, these two; the sad wind sighed,
And a shudder crept through the corn-field near.
8. "Ephraim Deane'!"-then a soldier spoke:

"Deane carried our regiment's colors," he said,
"When our ensign was shot; I left him dead
Just after the enemy wavered and broke.
9. "Close to the roadside his body lies;

I paused a moment, and gave him to drink;
He murmured his mother's name, I think;
And death came with it and closed his eyes."
10. "Twas a victory-yes; but it cost us dear;

For that company's roll, when called at night,
Of a hundred men who went into the fight,
Numbered but twenty that answered "Here!"

a OR'-DER-LY, a military officer-a sergeant.
REAR-MAN, man in the next rank.

FAIL-ING, growing less.

GATHERED, came on; grew darker.

SPLASH'ED, dashed; covered.
IRE, anger; wrath.

STAL-WART (stol'wort), stout; sturdy.
EN'-SIGN, the officer that carries the flag.

[This may be called "a battle-piece"-the calling of a company's roll in the evening twilight, after a battle. This is a vivid and touching picture of the stern realities of war. What figure of speech in the 4th verse? In the 5th verse?

Observe that the calling of the names, and the answers, should be imitated in the reading. They require to be read with much more force, fullness of tone, and emphasis, than the description of the scene.]

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The Farmer.

3. I see around your workshop
Starka implements of war:
Can it be that you are forgingb
Some new-born quarrel for?
The Blacksmith.

4. Not so', my jovial farmer';
The weapons that I forge
No manly limbs shall sever,

Draw no gore-drops, cut no gorge:
5. Sword I'm turning into ploughshare,
Into reaping-hook the gun;
Here are bayonets by the bushel-
Shall I shoe your horse with one?

STÄRK, rough; rugged; fierce. b FORG-ING, beating into shape.

CHARLES D. SHANLEY.

• GORE-DROPS, blood-drops.
d GORGE, gash; a wound.

[This conversation between a farmer and a blacksmith-with a picture of the scene described-very forcibly illustrates the welcome change from the late scenes of war to the state of peace which followed. It will also doubtless recall to many the words of the prophets Isaiah and Micah, which foretell the coming of Christ's kingdom upon the earth, when universal peace shall prevail :

"And they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more: but they shall sit every man under his vine, and under his fig-tree; and none shall make them afraid." See Isaiah, ii., 4, and Micah, iv., 8, 4. Let the pupil express the meaning of the 3d verse in prose.]

LESSON LVIII.

A NEW YEAR'S DAY.

[From "the Attic Philosopher."-Souvestre.]

1. New Year's Morning. I look out from my attica window. Just now it rains, and I feel my mind as gloomy as the sky. I have a holiday to-day; but what can one do with a rainy day? I walk up and down my attic, out of temper; and I determine to light my fire. Unfortunately the matches are bad', the chimney smokes', the fire goes out'! I throw down my bellows in disgust, and sink into my old arm-chair.

2. In truth, why should I rejoice to see the birth of a

new year'? Others look toward the future: I revert to the past. The past year! at least I know what she was, and what she has given me; while this one comes surrounded by all the forebodings of the unknown. What does she hide in the clouds which mantled her'?

3. I look down upon the street below. All at once a new carriage, drawn by thorough-bred horses, draws up before the door-steps of the great house opposite. They are, without doubt, the New Year's gifts presented to the mistress of the house by her husband; for she comes, herself, to look at the new equipage. Very soon she gets into the carriage with a little girl, all streaming with laces, feathers, and velvets, and loaded with parcels which she is going to distribute as New Year's gifts. The door is shut, the windows drawn up, the carriage sets off.

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4. Thus all the world are exchanging good wishes and presents to-day: I alone have nothing to give or to receive. Poor solitary that I am'! I do not even know one chosen being for whom I might offer a prayer'. Then let my wishes for a happy New Year go, and seek out all my unknown friends-lost in the multitude which murmurs like the ocean at my feet!

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5. Here I am suddenly interrupted by loud and incessant chirpings. I look about me; my window is surrounded with sparrows picking up the crumbs of bread which I had just scattered on the roof. At this sight, a flash of light breaks upon my saddened heart. I deceived myself just now, when I complained that I had nothing to give. Thanks to me, the sparrows of this part of the town will have their New Year's gifts!

6. Twelve o'clock: Noon. A knock at my door: a poor girl comes in, and greets me by name. At first I do not recollect her; but she looks at me and smiles. Ah! it is Paulette'! But it is almost a year since I last saw her; and Paulette is no longer the same: the other day she was a child, now she is almost a woman.

7. Paulette is pale, thin, and miserably clad; but she has

always the same open and straightforward look; the same mouth smiling at every word, as if to court your sympathy; the same voice, somewhat timid, yet expressing fondness. Paulette is not pretty, she is even thought plain. As for me, I think her charming.

8. Perhaps that is not on her account, but on my own. Paulette appears to me as a part of one of my happiest recollections. This is the story.

9. It was the evening of a public holiday. Our principal buildings were illuminated with festoons of fire; a thousand flags waved in the night winds, and the fireworks had just shot forth their spouts of flame into the midst of the Park. All of a sudden, one of those unaccountable alarms which strike a multitude with panic fell upon the dense crowd; they cry out, they rush on headlong, the weaker ones fall, and the frightened crowd tramples them down in its convulsiveh struggles.

10. I escaped from the confusion, as if by a miracle, and was hastening away, when the cries of a perishing child arrested me. I re-entered that human chaos, and, after unheard-of exertions, I brought Paulette out of it at the peril of my life.

11. That was two years ago. Since then I had not seen the child, except at long intervals, and I had almost forgotten her; but Paulette's memory was that of a grateful heart, and she came at the beginning of the year to offer me her wishes for my happiness. She brought me, besides, a wall-flower in full bloom; she herself had planted and reared it: it was something that belonged wholly to herself; for it was by her care, her perseverance, and her patience, that she had obtained it.

12. The wall-flower had grown in a common flower-pot; but Paulette, who is a bandbox-maker, had put it into a case of varnished paper, surrounded by a pretty border. These might have been in better taste, but I did not feel the attention and good-will any the less.

13. This unexpected present, the little girl's modest

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