[This lesson is introduced as an example of plain prose dialogue. What is a dialogue? (See p. viii.) In what sense is the word precious used in the 67th verse? In what does irony consist ?(*) (See p. xi.) The pupil, aided, where necessary, by the teacher's questions, should analyze the lesson somewhat after the following manner: Frank, sent by his father with a letter to the dépôt, is urged by Thomas to go with him to the show to see the wild beasts. Being overpersuaded, he accompanies him; but hurrying out of the show, is behind time, loses the letter, and is in vain urged by Thomas to tell a lie. Thomas tells Frank's father a falsehood; but Frank confesses the whole. Frank's father commends his son for his truthfulness, but severely reproves and dismisses Thomas.] LESSON XVI. A LITTLE MORE. 1. "FIVE hundred pounds or more I've saved-- No matter; I shall be content When I've a little more. 2. " "Well, I can count ten thousand now- And I may well be satisfied 3. "Some fifty thousand-pretty well- 4. "One hundred thousand-sick and old--- 5. He dies, and to his greedyd heirs His wealth has purchased him a tomb- a STORE, quantity; supply. b SORE (adv.) after much toil. c BōRE, a wearisome thing. [This poem is a soliloquy-a written composition reciting what a person is supposed to speak to himself. It portrays the character of one who began life with moderate expectations, but whose desires increased with his acquisitions, so that he never reached the point of contentment. What is the moral, as expressed in the 5th verse?] WEALTH is a relative thing; since he that has little, and wants less, i richer than he that has much, and wants more. LESSON XVII. HOW CHEAP PLEASURE IS. 1. Do you know how cheap pleasure is'? Do you know how little it takes to make most people happy'? Do you know that such trifles as a penny, a word, and a smile, often do the work'? 2. Do you see those boys passing along the street'? Give each of them a handful of chestnuts, and how smiling they will look! They will not be cross for an hour. A poor widow and her children live in that humble dwelling: send in half a peck of sweet apples, and they will all be happy. 3. That child has lost his arrow'-all the world to him' and he mourns sadly'. Help him find it, or make him another, and how quickly will the sunshine play again upon his face! 4. There is a boy who has been sent to pile up a load of wood, and some of the sticks are very heavy. Assist him a few moments, or speak a pleasant word to him, and he will forget his task, or work away without minding it. 5. Is that lad your apprentice? Has he been a little careless, for once? Has he forgotten something you told him? Has he dropped the mug and broken it? Say to him, "You scoundrel'!" and he will be miserable; or he will be angry: but remark, "I am sorry-try to do better," and he will be cheerful, and thankful; and he will be more careful in future. work for you'? Pay "Is not the laborer 6. Have you employed a man to him cheerfully', not grudgingly'. worthy of his hire'?" When he leaves you, weary with toil, speak a pleasant word to him, and he will go home with a contented heart, to light up his hearth with smiles of gladness. 7. As you pass along the street you meet many a familiar face. Do not treat any, even your inferiors, with cold ness or neglect. Do not pass children, however poor and humble they may be, without noticing them. Say, "Goodmorning;" have a smile and a kind word for all, as though you felt happy, and it will make others happy also. 8. Pleasure is cheap: who will not bestow it liberally'? If there are smiles, sunshine, and flowers all around us, let us not clutch them with a miser's grasp, and lock them away in our own hearts'. No'! Rather let us take them and scatter them about us-in the cottage of the widow', among the groups of children in the street', where men of business assemble', in our own families', and every where'. We can do much to make the wretched happy, the discontented cheerful, the vicious virtuous, and at an exceedingly cheap rate. Who will refuse to do it'? [The way to make those around us happy. What little things will do it. Illustrations: The boys in the street. The poor widow and her children. The child that has lost his arrow. The boy piling up wood. Your apprentice. The day laborer. How to treat children generally. Do not act the part of a miser in hoarding up pleasure.] THE TWO VISIONS. 1. "I SAW her in the stately dance Move proudly, like a queen; Her perfect head was raised, her glauce I said, 'Would that the world of such were full, 2. "I saw her by the low bedside Upon her face no look of pride, But sympathy and love. I said, 'Would that the world of such were full, For she is more than beautiful!' "WHY is it," asked a Frenchman of a Switzer, "that you Swiss always fight for money, while we French only fight for honor ?" 66 I suppose," said the Switzer, "that each fights for what he most lacks." 1. "WELL, I declare'! here it is'; New Year's morning again, and cold as Greenland, too!" said Uncle Jolly, as he raised his head from his pillow and looked around; "frost half an inch thick on the windows'; water all frozen in the pitcher'; and I an old bachelor'. Heighho! nobody to give any presents to-no little feet to come patting up to my bed to wish me a happy New Year! a 2. "Wonder what ever became of that sister of mine, who ran off with that poor artist'? She would marry him. Wish I could find her with two or three children for me to love and pet. What a miserable thing it is to be all alone in the world, as I am!" 3. Uncle Jolly broke the ice in the basin with his frost nipped fingers, and buttoned his dressing-gown tightly up to his chin; then he went down stairs', swallowed a cup of coffee, an egg, and a slice of toast. Then he put on his overcoat', buttoned it up snugly,' and went out of the front door into the street. 4. What a crowd there was buying New Year's presents'! The toy shops were filled with grandpas, and grand mas, and aunts, and uncles, and cousins. As to the shopkeepers, they were so busy with telling prices, answering forty questions in a minute, and doing up parcels, it was enough to make them crazy. 5. Uncle Jolly slipped along over the icy pavements, and finally halted in front of Tim Nonesuch's toy shop. You should have seen his show windows'! Beautiful dolls at five dollars apiece, and with such plump little fingers that one longed to pinch them; and tea-sets, and dinnersets, cunning enough for a fairy to keep house with. 6. Then there were dancing-jacks, and jumping-jennies, and little darkies as black as the chimney-back, with the wool on their heads made of a raveled black stocking. And there were little work-boxes with gold thimbles and bodkins, and scissors in crimson-velvet cases, and snakes that squirmed so naturally as to make you hop up on the table to get out of the way, and little innocent-looking boxes that contained a little spry mouse that jumped into your face as soon as you raised the lid, and music-boxes to place under your pillow at night to lull you to sleep. 7. Oh! I can tell you that Mr. Nonesuch understood keeping a toy shop. There were plenty of carriages always in front of it; plenty of taper fingers pulling over his wares; and plenty of husbands and fathers who were thankful that New Year's didn't come every day! 8. "Don't stay here, dear Susy, if it makes you cry," said the elder of two little girls, who were looking in at the shop window. "I thought you said it would make you happy to come out and look at the New Year's presents, though we couldn't have any." |