Imagini ale paginilor
PDF
ePub

the cliff. Will he fall? Or will he make good his foothold? To the Indian life or death depends on the issue. But the prodigious strength of the animal soon dispelled doubt.

21. In a moment he would have sprung up, and then woe to his antagonist! But that moment was not allowed him; for he had scarcely touched the rock when the Indian leaped forward and struck at his head with the ax.

22. The blow was not well aimed; although stunned, the jaguar still clung to the cliff. In setting himself for another blow, the Indian came too near, and the next moment the great claws of the tiger were buried in his foot.

23. It is difficult to tell what would have been the result. The Indian would probably have been dragged over to certain death; but at this moment a hand was thrust forward from behind-the muzzle of a pistol was seen close at the head of the jaguar—a loud crack ran through the ravine, and when the smoke cleared away the jaguar was seen no more! The Indian, with his foot badly torn, was drawn back from the cliff.

MAYNE REID.

LESSON LXIV.

EN LIST', to enter a name on a list, to | PLU'MAGE, the feathers of a bird. become a soldier.

MARTIAL, warlike, given to war.

RE-SIST', to stand against, to make opposition.

U'NI-FORM, (Latin unus, one, and forma, form,) a dress of the same kind worn by persons belonging to the same body; a soldier's dress.

PRONUNCIATION.-Ear 22, fear 22, and 29, soot 33, hearth 33, jaunt 20, o-verheard' (see heard) 33.

SELECT PIECES.

1 BEWARE OF THE FLATTERER.

1. ON a time, in my prime, as I wandered through a grove,
I overheard a little bird, in the plumage of a dove,
Making talk with a hawk; and I wished that I could tell
In her ear of my fear that he would not treat her well.
But the love of the dove shut her heart against suspicion,
And the hawk began to talk about her changing her condition.

2. "Sweetest dove, how I love the soft music of your voice!
Dearest, come to my home; you're the object of my choice.
I have a bower with many a flower, and a lovely little nest;
When you tire you'll desire in that lovely spot to rest.”
In his talk, the wily hawk managed still to get nigher;
Til at last he held her fast, and I saw the dove expire.

ANONYMOUS.

2. THE FARMER TURNED SOLDIER.

1. My father was a farmer good, with corn and beef in plenty;
I mowed and hoed and held the plow, and longed for one-and-twenty.
For I had quite a martial turn, and scorned the lowing cattle;
I burned to wear a uniform, hear drums, and see a battle.

2. My birthday came; my father urged, but stoutly I resisted;
My sister wept, my mother prayed, but, stubborn, I enlisted.

They marched me on, through wet and dry, to tunes more loud than charming;

But lugging knapsack, box, and gun, was harder work than farming. 3. We met the foe; the cannons roared, the crimson tide was flowing; The frightful death-groans filled my ears; I wished that I was mowing. I lost my leg; the foe came on; they had me in their clutches; 1 starved in prison till the peace, then hobbled home on crutches.

ANONYMOUS.

LESSON LXV.

CON-VINCE', to satisfy by evidence.
DE-LIB'ER-ATE-LY, in a deliberate man-
ner, slowly.

EX-PE-DITION, an enterprise or under-
taking by a number of persons.
PRO-DUCE', to bring forth, to raise.

PRONUNCIATION. Said 33, get'ting 33, furrows 6, mixt'ure 17, pro-duce' 16, another 27a, re-plied′ 1, a-gain" 33, ap-pear' lf, ev'e-ry 3b, com-plaint' 1g,

put'ting 33.

THE GUNPOWDER-HARVEST.

1. A TRADER came among a nation of Indians, with a large quantity of gunpowder for sale. "We do not wish to buy," said the Indians; "we have plenty of powder."

2. The trader then thought of a trick for getting rid of the powder. Going into a field, he made some long furrows. Then mixing his gunpowder with onion-seed, he began to sow the mixture in the furrows.

3. The Indians gathered around him, and asked him what he was putting in the ground.

"Do you not see it is gunpowder?" said he.

"Why do you put it in the ground?" inquired the Indians. 4. "Well, why do you put corn in the ground?" said he.

"To raise more," was the answer.

"I am planting gunpowder to raise more, just as you plant corn. You will not buy my powder; and now I am going to produce a large crop, which I will take to another nation. Did you never before learn how gunpowder is raised?"

5. "No," replied they; "the man who has always sold us powder never told us that. He is a cheat; we will never trade with him

again. You are an honest man; and we will trade with you. We will buy your powder; we will plant it; and hereafter the ground will supply our wants."

6. Some of the more cautious among the Indians, however, thought it would be better not to do anything till the plants should spring up. In a few days the shoots from the onion-seed began to appear.

7. "Now," said the trader, "you can see for yourselves. You see that I am an honest man, and that I told you nothing but the truth." The most cautious of the Indians were convinced. Every one being anxious to raise a crop of gunpowder, they bought the stock at a very high price, and planted it.

8. The corn was now neglected for the gunpowder. They hoed it with the greatest care, and watched every day for the appearance of the gunpowder-blossoms. They planned a great hunting-expedition, which was to take place after the powder-harvest.

9. An exuberant crop of onion-seed rewarded their labors. But thrashing and winnowing failed to bring out the gunpowder. They discovered that they had been cheated. The dishonest trader of course avoided making a second visit to this nation. Sometime afterward, however, he sent a partner of his to trade with them.

10. By chance the Indians found out that he was a partner of the man who had cheated them. They said nothing to him about the discovery, but when he had laid out all his goods before them for the purpose of barter they deliberately helped themselves to all he had, and walked off to the woods.

11. The trader was furiously angry, and went to make his complaint to the chief of the nation. "I am an honest man," said he; "I came here to trade honestly. But your people are thieves; they have stolen all my goods."

12. The chief looked at him for some time in silence, and then said, "My children are all honest. They have not stolen your goods. They will pay you as soon as they gather their gunpowder-harvest."

LESSON LXVI.

VOCAL GYMNASTICS.

REFER TO CAUTION 1, SEC. b.-Terminations in en, ent, ence, &c.

(1.) The patient has lost his patience. (2.) His system of diet was imprudent. (3.) Children should be educated to piety and sobriety from their earliest moments. (4.) Diligence and prudence lead to competence. (5.) The carpenter has a mallet and hatchet among the instruments in his basket. (6.) The present project of the gentlemen is without parallel. (7.) Amusement was afforded by the pamphlet.

LESSON LXVII.

AM'BUSHED, Containing something that | SAN'GUINE, (Latin sanguis, blood,) red,

is lying in wait.

CON-VUL'SIVE, attended with convul-
sions or spasms.

CLANG'ING, making a loud, shrill noise.
COUCH'ANT, lying down, squatting.
GORGED, glutted, filled.

bloody.

SEDG'Y, overgrown with sedge or nar-
row flags.

SPURN, to strike with the foot.
THROE, violent pang, agony.
WASTE, desert, wilderness.

PRONUNCIATION.-Haunts 20, gaunt 20, de-scried' 1, gi-raffe' 26a, des'pe-rate 3b,

thun'der-ing 36.

[graphic][subsumed][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

3. Heedless, at the ambushed brink,
The tall giraffe stoops down to drink.
Upon him straight the savage springs
With cruel joy. The desert rings
With clanging sound of desperate strife,
For the prey is strong, and strives for life;
Now, plunging, tries, with frantic bound,
To shake the tyrant to the ground;

Then bursts like whirlwind through the waste,
In hope to escape by headlong haste;
While the destroyer on his prize
Rides, fiercely tearing as he flies.

4. For life the victim's utmost speed
Is mustered in this hour of need;
For life, for life, his giant might
He strains, and pours his soul in flight;
And, mad with terror, thirst, and pain,
Spurns with wild of the thundering plain.
5. In vain! The thirsty sands are drinking
His streaming blood; his strength is sinking;
The victor's fangs are in his veins;
His flanks are streaked with sanguine stains;
His panting breast in foam and gore
Is bathed. He reels! His race is o'er.

6. He falls, and with convulsive throe
Resigns his throat to the raging foe,
Who revels midst his dying moans;
While, gathering round to pick his bones,
The vultures watch, in gaunt array,
Till the gorged monarch quits his prey.

LESSON LXVIII.

VOCAL GYMNASTICS.

REFER TO CAUTION 5, SEC. a.—Errors are very likely to be committed by a beginner, in such terminations as ime, ine, ile, ite, &c. The general rule is to pronounce them with the short sound of i, as in pin-but there are numerous exceptions. Consult the dictionary in all cases of doubt. The following examples contain some of the words most liable to be improperly pronounced.

(1.) This is a favorite artifice of cruelty. (2.) The maritime regions were devoted to rapine. (3.) This is an engine for throwing missiles. (4.) The chemist is engaged with his oxides and bromides. (5.) Chloride of sodium is formed by the union of chlorine with sodium. (6.) The genuine metal is ductile. (7.) There are three genders in grammar, masculine, feminine, and neuter.

« ÎnapoiContinuă »