The fisher is out on the sunny sea,

And the reindeer bounds o'er the pastures free,
And the pine has a fringe of softer green,

And the moss looks bright, where my step has been.

4. I have sent through the wood-paths a glowing sigh,
And called out each voice of the deep blue sky,
From the night-bird's lay through the starry time,
In the groves of the soft Hesperian clime,
To the swan's wild note by the Iceland lakes,
When the dark fir-branch into verdure breaks.

5. From the streams and founts I have loosed the chain; They are sweeping on to the silvery main,

They are flashing down from the mountain brows,
They are flinging spray o'er the forest boughs,
They are bursting fresh from their sparry caves,
And the earth resounds with the joy of waves.

Felicia Hemans.

FOR PREPARATION.-I. Eight of the thirteen verses of this piece are omitted. Can you describe the plants mentioned-violet, primrose, chestnut, larch, pine, moss? 'Hesperian clime" (refers to the western countries of Europe, which have a mild climate through the influence of the oceanwinds that blow from the west in the temperate zones).

II. An'-cient (an'shent), veiled (väld), wreaths (reeths), rein'-deer, sigh (si), bough (bou), voiçe, brīght (brīt), mount'-ainş (-inz).

III. Make a list of the name-words in the first and second stanzas (words used as names of objects; e. g., mountains, light, song, step, earth, winds, violet's, birth, stars, grass, leaves, etc.).

IV. Trace, bowers, glowing, clime, verdure, "silvery main," "loosed the chain," resounds, "fallen fanes" (ruined temples).

V. How is the approach of spring to be known? ("Trace my steps by soft winds, primroses, green leaves.") Is the reindeer referred to (3) the one used in Lapland instead of the horse or the cow, or one kept in a park as a curiosity? (Mrs. Hemans lived in the north of Wales. Reference to the "Iceland lakes" shows that she thought of the effect of spring on the northern, winter-bound countries.)

VIII. DAN, THE FIREBRAND.

1. "Please, ma'am, could I speak to you? It is something very important," said Nat, popping his head in at the door of Mrs. Bhaer's room.

It was the fifth head which had popped in during the last half-hour; but Mrs. Jo was used to it, so she looked up, and said briskly :

"What is it, my lad?"

2. Nat came in, shut the door carefully behind him, and said, in an eager, anxious tone:

"Dan has come!"

"Who is Dan?"

"He's a boy I used to know when I fiddled 'round the streets. He sold papers, and was kind to me. I saw him the other day in town, and told him how nice it was here, and he's come."

3. "But, my dear boy, that is rather a sudden way to pay a visit."

"Oh, it isn't a visit; he wants to stay, if you will let him!" said Nat, innocently.

"Well, but I don't know about that," began Mrs. Bhaer, rather startled by the coolness of the proposition.

4. "Why, I thought you liked to have poor boys come and live with you, and be kind to them, as you were to me," said Nat, looking surprised and alarmed.

"So I do; but I like to know something about them first. I have to choose them, because there are so many. I have not room for all. I wish I had."

"I told him to come because I thought you'd like it; but if there isn't room, he can go away again," said Nat, sorrowfully.

5. The boy's confidence in her hospitality touched Mrs. Bhaer, and she could not find the heart to disappoint his hope and spoil his kind little plan; so she said:

"Tell me about this Dan."

"I don't know anything, only he hasn't got any folks, and he's poor, and he was good to me; so I'd like to be good to him, if I could."

6. "Excellent reasons, every one. But really, Nat, the house is full, and I don't know where I could put him," said Mrs. Bhaer, more and more inclined to prove herself the haven of refuge he seemed to think her.

"He could have my bed, and I could sleep in the barn. It isn't cold now, and I don't mind. I used to sleep anywhere with father," said Nat, eagerly.

7. Something in his speech and face made Mrs. Jo put her hand on his shoulder, and say, in her kindest tone: "Bring in your friend, Nat; I think we must find room for him without giving him your place."

Nat joyfully ran off, and soon returned, followed by a most unprepossessing boy, who slouched in and stood looking about him, with a half-bold, half-sullen look, which made Mrs. Bhaer say to herself, after one glance:

"A bad specimen, I am afraid."

8. "This is Dan," said Nat, presenting him as if sure of his welcome.

"Nat tells me you would like to come and stay with us," began Mrs. Jo, in a friendly tone.

66

Yes," was the gruff reply.

"Have you no friends to take care of you?"
"No."

"Say No, ma'am,'" whispered Nat.

"Sha'n't, neither!" muttered Dan.

9. "How old are you?"

"About fourteen."

"You look older. What can you do?"

"'Most anything."

"If you stay here, we shall want you to do as the others do work and study, as well as play. Are you willing to agree to that?"

"Don't mind trying."

10. "Well, you can stay a few days, and we will see how we get on together.-Take him out, Nat, and amuse him till Mr. Bhaer comes home, when we will settle about the matter," said Mrs. Jo, finding it rather difficult to get on with this cool young person, who fixed his big black eyes on her with a hard, suspicious expression, sorrowfully unboyish.

Louisa M. Alcott.

FOR PREPARATION.-I. A short time after Nat had been received into the school at Plumfield, the events described in this and the next piece took place.

II. Plēaşe, dūr'-ing, ănx'-ious (ank'shus), în'-no-çent-ly, touched (tucht), rea'-şonş (rē'znz), ēa'-ğer ('), shōul'-der, friend'-ly, whis'pered.

III. Make a list of ten of the name-words of this piece, and change them so as to make each of them express more than one (need, needs; door, doors; room, rooms; lad, lads, etc.).

IV. Lad, choose, folks, bold, presenting, reply, muttered, agrec, amuse, difficult, important, briskly, alarmed, surprised, confidence, hospitality, disappoint, excellent, inclined, "haven of refuge," returned, unprepossessing, slouched, sullen, specimen, welcome, gruff, suspicious.

V. Notice the language that the boys use: "Hasn't got any folks,” "Sha'n't, neither," "Most anything," "Don't mind trying." Point out the expressions which you consider improper, and suggest the proper

ones.

IX. DAN'S BULL-FIGHT.

1. One Saturday afternoon, as a party of the boys went out to play, Tommy said:

"Let's go down to the river and cut a lot of new fishpoles."

"Take Toby to drag them back, and one of us can ride him down," proposed Stuffy, who hated to walk. "That means you, I suppose. Well, hurry up, lazybones!" said Dan.

2. Away they went, and, having got the poles, were about to go home, when Demi unluckily said to Tommy, who was on Toby, with a long rod in his hand:

"You look like the picture of the man in the bullfight, only you haven't got a red cloth, or pretty clothes

on."

"I'd like to see one; wouldn't you?" said Tommy, shaking his lance.

3. "Let's have one. There's old Buttercup, in the big meadow ride at her, Tom, and see her run," proposed Dan, bent on mischief.

"No, you mustn't," began Demi, who was learning to distrust Dan's propositions.

Why not, little fuss-button?" demanded Dan.

"I don't think Uncle Fritz would like it."

“Did he ever say we must not have a bull-fight?”

66

No, I don't think he ever did," admitted Demi.

4. "Then hold your tongue.-Drive on, Tom, and here's a red flag to flap at the old thing. I'll help you to stir her up." And over the wall went Dan, full of the new game, and the rest followed like a flock of sheep-even Demi, who sat upon the bars, and watched the fun with interest.