Old year, you must not go ; 3. He frothed his bumpers to the brim ; year, you shall not die ; Old 4. He was full of joke and jest ; But all his merry quips are ō'er. Every one for his own. The night is starry and cold, my friend, 5. How hard he breathes! o'er the snow I heard just now the crowing cock. The shadows flicker to and fro : The cricket chirps-the light burns low'Tis nearly twelve o'clock. Shake hands before you die! Old year we'll dearly rue for you : 6. His face is growing sharp and thin ;- Close up his eyes-tie up his chin- And waitèth at the door. There's a new foot on the floor, my friend, And a new face at the door, my friend, ALFRED TENNYSON. V. 187. THE CLOSING SCENE. ITHIN this sober realm of leaflèss trees, WT The russet year inhaled the dreamy air, Like some tanned reaper in his hour of ease, When all the fields are lying brown and bare. 3. All sights were mellowed and all sounds subdued, 4. The embattled forests, erewhile armed in gold, 5. On slumberous wings the vulture tried his flight; The village church-vane seemed to pale and faint. 6. The sentinel cock upon the hill-side crew,— Crew thrice, and all was stiller than before,— Silent till some replying wanderer blew His alien horn, and then was heard no more. 7. Where erst the jay within the elm's tall crest Made garrulous trouble round the unfledged young: And where the oriole hung her swaying nest By every light wind like a censer swung ; 8. Where sang the noisy masons of the eaves, The busy swallows circling ever near, Foreboding, as the rustic mind believes, An early harvest and a plenteous year; 9. Where every bird which charmed the vernal feast Shook the sweet slumber from its wings at morn, To warn the reapers of the rosy east,— All now was songless, empty, and forlorn. 10. Alone, from out the stubble piped the quail, And croaked the crow through all the dreamy gloom; Alone the pheasant, drumming in the vale, Made echo to the distant cottage loom. 11. There was no bud, no bloom upon the bowers; The spiders wove their thin shrouds night by night; The thistle-down, the only ghost of flowers, Sailed slowly by-passed noiseless out of sight. 12. Amid all this, in this most cheerless air, And where the woodbine sheds upon the porch The white-haired matron, with monotonous tread, 15. While yet her cheek was bright with summer bloom, 16. Re-gave the swords, but not the hand that drew, Nor him who, to his sire and country true, 17. Long, but not loud, the droning wheel went on, Breathed through her lips a sad and tremulous tune. 18. At last the thread was snapped,—her head was bowed: Life drooped the distaff through his hands serene ; And loving neighbors smoothed her careful shroud,While Death and Winter closed the autumn scene. THOMAS BUCHANAN READ. INDEX TO WORDS DEFINED, AND WORDS PRONOUNCED. The figures refer to the pages where the words are to be found. Censer, 250. Conjure, 215. Daunts, 227. Doting, 238. Center of gravity, Conquest, 174. Dauntless, 284. 315. Conscript, 373. Debauchee, 149. Century, 212. Constable, 183. Debris, 60. Cereal, 297. Constancy, 110, 155 Deceased, 273. Cerements, 60. Consistency, 312. Declination, 93. Chagrined, 70. Constellation, 245. Deductions, 350. Champion, 113. Constrained, 157. Defunct, 283. Chaos, 199, 293. Conscience, 157. Degenerate, 158. Characteristic, 193. Constellation, 245. Deity, 251. Chaste, 80. Consort, 267. Delectable, 258. Chattels, 183. Consternation, 176. Delf, 302. Chime, 68. Consul, 122. Deliberation, 138. Chimerical, 304. Consulate, 122. Demagogue, 172. Choir, 67. Consummation,372. Demolition, 167. Choleric, 401. Contagion, 175. Demolished, 176. Christian, 157. Contingencies, 132. Demon, 217. Chronicle, 332. Continuous, 88. Demonstrate, 389. Chronicled, 221. Contrite, 417. Demonstrat'ns, 125. Chroniclers, 59. Contrition, 272. Demosthenes, 270. Chronology, 59. Contumely, 119. Demurely, 303. Cicero, 270. Convivial, 66. Dense, 98. Cincinnatus, 100. Convulsed, 225. Circumvolution, 153 Depletion, 170, Convulsively, 236. Citadel, 170. Cope, 179. Depositary, 198. Clansmen, 275. Depreciation, 89. Copse, 67. Derision, 92. Draughtsman, 76. EARTH, 251. Eclipse, 267. |