4. By the road-side stands the cider mill,
Where a lowland slumber waits the rill:

A great, brown building, two stories high,
On the western hill-face warm and dry:
And odorous piles of apples there
Fill with incense the golden air:

And heaps of pumice, mixed with straw,
To their amberh sweets the late flies draw.

5. The carts back

up to the upper door,

And spill their treasures in on the floor:

Down through the toothéd wheels they go To the wide, deep cider press below;

And the screws are turned, by slow degrees, Down on the straw-laid cider cheese;

And with each turn a fuller stream

Bursts from beneath the groaning beam,

An amber stream the gods might sip,
And fear no morrow's parchéd lip.

6. But wherefore gods? Those ideal toys Were soulless to real New England boys. What classic goblet ever felt

Such thrilling touches through it melt,
As throng, electric, along a straw,
When boyish lips the cider draw?

7. The years are heavy with weary sounds,
And their discord life's sweet music drowns
But yet I hear, oh! sweet, oh! sweet,
The rill that bathed my bare, brown feet;
And yet the cider drips and falls
On my inward ear at intervals ;)

And I lean at times in a sad, sweet dream,
To the babbling of that little stream;
And sit in a visioned autumn still,
In the sunny door of the cider mill.

[The poetry of this lesson is of the pastoral kind. Why? It is mostly descriptive. Why? What figure of speech in the 3d line of 1st verse? In the 3d and 4th lines taken together? What figure of speech in each of the last four lines of the 1st verse? What

What are said to "wind about," as stated in the 6th line of the 2d verse? "join," and "rest," etc.? Why are the oak-trees said to be "clasped in the crystal deeps" of the water? What figure of speech in the 4th line of the 3d verse? Why, in the last line of the 4th verse, are the flies said to be "late flies?" What is meant by "the gods," 9th line of 5th verse? (The gods of the ancients, who are described as sometimes attending banquets, etc.) Why need they fear "no morrow's parched lip?" (In the first line of 6th verse these heathen gods are called "ideal toys"-objects of the imagination only; and are therefore said to be "soulless"-without any real worth in the minds of the matter-of-fact New England boys.) What is meant by "inward ear," in 6th line of the 7th verse? What is meant by his "leaning" at times, etc., in the next line? (He leans forward, as if listening, etc.)]

LESSON LXVI.

BEHIND TIME.

1. A RAILROAD train was rushing along at almost lightning speed. A curve was just ahead, beyond which was a station, at which two trains usually met. The conductor was late, so late that the period during which the up-train was to wait had nearly elapsed; but he hoped yet to pass the curve safely. Suddenly a locomotive dashed into sight right ahead. In an instant there was a collision.b A shriek, a shock, and fifty souls were in eternity; and all because an engineer had been behind time.

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2. A great battle was going on. Column after column. had been precipitated, for eight hours, on the enemy posted on the ridge of a hill. The summer sun was sinking to the west; re-enforcements for the obstinate defenders were already in sight. It was necessary to carry the position with one final charge, or every thing would be lost.

3. A powerful corpse had been summoned from across the country, and if it came up in season all would yet. be right. The great conqueror, confident in its arrival, formed his reserve into an attacking column, and led them down the hill. The world knows the result. Grouchy failed to appear; the Imperial Guard was beaten back:

Waterloo was lost; Napoleon died a prisoner at St. Helena, because one of his marshals was behind time.

4. A leading firm in commercial circles had long struggled against bankruptcy. As it had large sums of money in California, it expected remittances by a certain day; and if they arrived, its credit, its honor, and its future prosperity would be preserved. But week after week elapsed without bringing the gold.

5. At last carne the fatal day on which the firm was bound to meet bills which had been maturingh to enormous amounts. The steamer was telegraphed at daybreak; but it was found, on inquiry, that she brought no funds, and the house failed. The next arrival brought nearly half a million to the insolvents, but it was too late; they were ruined because their agent, in remitting the money, had been behind time.

6. A condemned man was led out for execution. He had taken human life, but under circumstances of the greatest provocation; and public sympathy was active in his behalf. Thousands had signed petitions for a reprieve; a favorable answer had been expected the night before, and though it had not come, even the sheriff felt confident that it would yet arrive. Thus the morning passed without the appearance of the messenger. The last moment was up. 7. The prisoner took his place on the drop, the cap was drawn over his eyes, the bolt was drawn, and a lifeless body hung suspended in the air. Just at that moment a horseman came into sight, galloping down hill, his steed covered with foam. He carried a packet in his right hand, which he waved frantically to the crowd. He was the express-rider with the reprieve; but he came too late. A comparatively innocent man had died an ignominious1 death, because a watch had been five minutes too slow, making its bearer arrive behind time.

8. It is continually so in life. The best laid plans, the most important affairs, the fortunes of individuals, the wealm of nations, honor, happiness, life itself, are daily

sacrificed because somebody is "behind time." There are men who always fail in whatever they undertake, simply because they are "behind time." There are others who put off reformation year by year, till death seizes them, and they perish unrepentant, because forever "behind time."

9. Five minutes, in a crisis, are worth years. It is but a little period, yet it has often saved a fortune, or redeemed a people. If there is one virtue that should be cultivated more than another, it is punctuality; if there is one error that should be avoided, it is being “behind time.”

a E-LAPSED, passed by.

b COL-LI"-SION, a clashing; a striking together.

• PRE-CIP'-I-TA-TED, hurled; thrown. d CHARGE, onset; attack.

• CORPS (kōre), a body of troops.

BANK'-RUPT-CY, inability to pay all debts.

8 RE-MIT-TAN-CES, money sent.

FREEMAN HUNT.

MA-TUR-ING, becoming due.

i IN-SOLVENTS, those unable to pay their debts.

J PROV-0-¤Ã ́- TION, any thing that excites anger.

*RE-PRIEVE, delay of punishment; pardon. IG-NO-MIN'-I-OUS, disgraceful; infamous. m WEAL, welfare; prosperity.

[This lesson is designed to illustrate and enforce the importance of punctuality, as a rule of life. What incident is related in the 1st verse? In the 2d and 3d verses? In the 4th and 5th? In the 6th and 7th? What general principles are stated in the 8th and 9th verses?]

LESSON LXVII.

THE WIND AND STREAM.

1. ONE day a brook came flowing quietly along, winding so gently among the tall meadow - grass that hung around it, and over its borders, that one could scarcely see its silvery gleam. It was

"A pretty' stream, a quiet' stream,

A softly-gliding, bashful' stream."

2. And just as I looked, a breeze came wandering from the sky and the gentle breeze was as light and airy in his motions as the whispers of a dream. And as he passed along, he seemed to linger for a moment, and gently parting the grasses, he softly stooped to kiss the stream! Yes! He kissed' the stream!

"The pretty stream, the flattered' stream,

The shy, but not unwilling' stream!"