5 ΙΟ 15 20 25 30 35 40 In Californian* mountains A hunter bold was he : A little Indian * boy Follow'd him everywhere, And when the bird or deer To help with right good-will. One day as through the cleft * Right down the narrow dell.* The boy turn'd round with screams, The hunter raised his gun, California, a mountainous country of North America, on the Pacific coast. Keen, sharp or quick. Aim, to point or level a gun at some particular object. Indian, name given to the ancient inhabitants of America. Eager, earnest desire. Skill, cleverness. Cleft, a narrow rocky passage between mountains or hills. Questing, searching, looking for. Unawares, suddenly, Shrieking, screaming, crying out very loudly. Pursuing, running after. Foe, the person or thing one is fighting with, an enemy. Rifle butt, the wooden stock of a gun. Amazed, astonished, surprised. Slackening, becoming slower and slower. JEPHTHA'S DAUGHTER.*—Byron. LORD BYRON (1788-1824) was born in London, and died at Missolonghi in Greece, whither he had gone to aid in the struggle for Grecian independence. He was one of the greatest English poets, but it is greatly to be regretted that he degraded his genius in his last poem. Chief poems: English Bards and Scotch Reviewers; Childe Harold, one of the greatest poems of the century; The Prisoner of Chillon; Manfred; and Don Juan. That the blood of thy child is as pure ΙΟ Ere, before. Soothes, comforts. As the blessing I beg ere* it flow, And the last thought that soothes * me below. Jephtha, one of the judges of Israel. Before going to battle with the Ammonites he swore that on his return, if he gained the victory, he would offer in sacrifice the first thing he met coming out of his house-it happened to be his own daughter. "HE NEVER SMILED AGAIN."-Mrs. Hemans. FELICIA DOROTHEA HEMANS (1793-1835), a distinguished English poetess, was born at Liverpool, but spent her early life in Wales. Her best poem is the Forest Sanctuary, but her minor pieces are most popular, such as The Graves of a Household, The Voice of Spring, &c. She died at Dublin. THE bark that held a prince went down, 5 He lived, for life may long be borne 10 Why comes not death to those who mourn? There stood proud forms* around his throne, But which could fill the place of one- Before him passed the young and fair 15 But seas dashed o'er his son's bright hair : Bark, also spelt barque, meaning a small ship. I., Son, Prince William, son of Henry drowned in 1120, on his return from Normandy, a province in France. Break its chain, before death, comes and ends one's grief and sufferings. Proud forms, persons of high birth or title. Reckless, not caring for consequences. Festal, in the midst of mirth and joy, as at a feast. Minstrel, a man who sang verses, accompanying himself on the harp. Tourney's, tournament, a mock fight, in which knights fought to show their skill in arms. Knightly ring, a company of knights. Knighthood was the highest distinction. for those who followed; the profession of arms. Blent, mingled or mixed. Strain, sound, song, He, Henry I., who died in 1135. Graves which true love had bathed with tears Were left to Heaven's bright rain ; Fresh hopes were born for other years: He* never smiled again ! THE FIRE OF DRIFT-WOOD. WE sat within the farm-house old, Port, a harbour, a Not far away we saw the port, a vessels. Dismantled fort, place of defence in former times, now no longer used, so there * The strange, old-fashioned, silent town,- fore stripped of its We sat and talked until the night, cannon, &c. Quaint, odd. Gloom, partial dark ness. Secret, unknown, hidden. Descending, filled the little room; Our voices only broke the gloom.* We spake of many a vanished scene, And all that fills the hearts of friends, When first they feel, with secret * pain, The first slight swerving of the heart, And leave it still unsaid in part, Tones, the sounds of The very tones* in which we spake our voices. Had something strange, I could but mark; 30 Oft died the words upon our lips, The flames would leap and then expire. And, as their splendour * flashed and failed, 40 The windows, rattling in their frames,— * Until they made themselves a part Of fancies floating through the brain,- 45 O flames that glowed!* O hearts that yearned! Glow, to shine with They were indeed too much akin,* The drift-wood fire without that burned, intense heat. The thoughts that burned and glowed within, closely, relationship. THE HOMES OF ENGLAND.-Mrs. Hemans. 10 Through shade and sunny gleam, Stately, very grand, noble in appearance. Ancestral trees, very old, planted by the forefathers of the present owners. And the swan glides * past them with the sound Glides, to move Of some rejoicing stream. The merry Homes of England! Around their hearths* by night, What gladsome looks of household love There woman's voice flows forth in song, Or childhood's tale is told; 15 Or lips move tunefully along Some glorious page of old.* quickly and with ease. Hearth, the fireside. Ruddy light, the bright red light of the fire. Glorious page of old, some story of olden times in which great and noble deeds are mentioned. B |