b

3. The Bob-o'-Lincolns have come back from their summer rambles among the rice-fields; the larks, with lifted heads, stand tall upon the close-mown meadow; the quails, in half-grown coveys, saunter hidden through the underbrush that skirts the wood; the crows, in companies, caw aloft; and the squirrels chatter at sunrise, and gnaw off the full-grown burs of the chestnuts.

4. The ash-trees grow crimson in color; the birches touch their frail sprayd with yellow; the maple in the lowlands turns suddenly its silvery greenness into orange-scarlet; the beeches are crimped with the frost; and the sturdy oaks, finally yielding to swift winds, as youth's pride yields to manly duty, strew the ground with the scattered glories of their summer strength, and warm and feed the earth with the remains of their leafy honors.

5. Autumn withdraws the thoughts from the wide and joyous landscape of summer, and fixes them upon those objects which bloom and rejoice within the household. The old hearth, that has rioted the summer through with boughs and blossoms, gives up its withered tenantry. The fire-dogs gleam kindly upon the evening hours; and the blaze wakens those sweet hopes and prayers which cluster around the fireside of home.

6. At midday the air is mild and soft; a warm, blue smoke lies in the mountain-gaps; and the woods upon the upland blend their rich colors with the hazy sky. The river runs low with August drought,h and fretsi upon the pebbly bottom with a soft, low murmur, as of joys that are past.

7. As the sun sinks, doubling his disk' in the October haze, the low south wind creeps over the withered treetops, and dripsk the leaves upon the land. The windows that were wide open at noon are closed; and a bright blaze-to drive off the easterly dampness that promises a storm--flashes lightly and kindly over my room.

8. As the sun sinks lower and lower, his red beams die in a sea of great gray clouds. Slowly and quietly they

creep up over the night sky. Venus is shrouded. The western stars blink1 faintly, then fade in the mounting vapors. The vane points east of south. The constellationsTM in the zenith" struggle to be seen, but presently give over, and hide their shining.

9. By late lamplight the sky is all gray and dark; the vane has turned two points nearer east. The clouds sift fine rain-drops, that you only feel with your face turned to the heavens. But soon they grow thicker and heavier; and as I sit, watching the blaze, and-dreaming-they patter thick and fast, under the driving wind, upon the windlow, like the swift tread of an army of men!

CUM'-BER, load; weigh down.
Cov'-EYS (kuv'-ez), broods; small flocks.
SÄUN'-TER, Wander about idly.
SPRAY, twigs; branches.

e CRIMP'ED, Curled up; shrunk.
TEN'-ANT-RY, whatever occupied the place.
FIRE'-DOGs, the brass andirons.

DROUGHT (drout), dryness; want of water.

Adapted.-DONALD G. MITCHELL.

i FRETS, rubs; grates.

J DISK, face, or whole surface.
DRIPS, lets fall, as if in drops.
BLINK, twinkle; shine.

m CON-STEL-LA'-TIONS, clusters or groups of
fixed stars.

" ZE-NITH, that part of the heavens overhead.

[This is a beautiful poetic description of autumn, although written in prose-the poetry consisting in language expressive of imagination and feeling. Change the lesson from furative to such plain language as will simply describe the scenes as they are, and the etry will be lost.

What metaphor in the first line of the lesson? What figure of speech is it where the wind is said to whistle and whisper? What simile in the 4th verse? Point out the figative language in the 5th verse. What are the scenes and incidents mentioned in the description of the coming on of the eastern storm?]

A FIRE.

A FIRE's a good, companionable friend';
A comfortable friend, who meets your face,
With pleasant welcome'; makes the poorest shed
As pleasant as a palace'! Are you cold'?
He warms' you: weary'? he refreshes' you:
Hungry'? he doth prepare your food' for you:
Are you in darkness'? he gives light' to you.
In a strange land, his face is that of one
Familiar from your childhood'. Are you poor'?
What matters it to him'? He knows no difference
Between an emperor' and the poorest beggar'!
Where is the friend, that bears the name of man,
Will do as much for you?

MARY HOWITT.

LESSON XCI.
AUTUMN SCENES.

1.

2.

AUTUMN.

SWEET is the voice that calls

From babbling waterfalls,

In meadows where the downy seeds are flying; And soft the breezes blow,

And, eddying, come and go

In faded gardens where the rose is dying.

Among the stubbled corn

The blithe quail pipes at morn;

The merry partridge drums in hidden places; And glittering insects gleam

Above the reedy stream

Where busy spiders spin their filmy laces.
At eve, cool shadows fall
Across the garden wall,

And on the clustered grapes to purple turning,
And pearly vapors lie

Along the eastern sky,

Where the broad harvest-moon is redly burning.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Ah! soon on field and hill

The winds shall whistle chill,

And patriarch swallows call their flocks together
To fly from frost and snow,

And seek for lands where blow

The fairer blossoms of a balmier weather.

The pollen-dustede bees

Search for the honey-lees

That linger in the last flowers of September;
While plaintive mourning doves

Coo sadly to their loves

Of the dead summer, they so well remember.

The cricket chirps all day,

“Oh, fairest summer, stay!"

The squirrel eyes askances the chestnuts browning;
The wild-fowl fly afar

Above the foamy bar,

And hasten southward ere the skies are frowning.

Now comes a fragrant breeze

Through the dark cedar-trees,

And round about my temples fondly lingers
In gentle playfulness,

Like to the soft caress.

Bestowed in happier days by loving fingers.

Yet, though a sense of grief

Comes with the falling leaf,

And memory makes the summer doubly pleasant,
In all my autumn dreams

A future summer gleams,1

Passing the fairest glories of the present!

[This poem is descriptive of "rural scenes."

To what division of poetry, therefore, does it belong? Mention the scenes described in each verse. Point out some of the figures of speech contained in the poem. What is meant by the "future summer," in the Last verse?]

LESSON XCII.
WINTER SCENES.

WINTER

1. SEE, Winter comes, to rule the varied year, Sullen and sad, with all his rising train;a Vapors, and clouds, and storms.

THOMSON'S Seasons.

2. The dead leaves strew the forest-walk,
And withered are the pale wild flowers:
The frost hangs black'ning on the stalk;
The dew-drops fall in frozen showers.

3. Gone are the Spring's green sprouting bowers,
Gone Summer's rich and mantling vines,
And Autumn, with her yellow hours,
On hill and plain no longer shines.

BRAINARD.

4. The bleak wind whistles-snow-showers, far and near, Drift, without echo, to the whitening ground: Antumn hath passed away, and, cold and drear, Winter stalksd in, with frozen mantle bound.

MRS. NORTON.