McGuffey's Fifth Eclectic Reader. William Holmes McGuffey

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ he mows it away in the barn; he rides the horse, to cultivate the corn, up and down the hot, weary rows; he picks up the potatoes when they are dug; he drives the cows night and morning; he brings wood and water, and splits kindling; he gets up the horse, and puts out the horse; whether he is in the house or out of it, there is always something for him to do.

      8. Just before the school in winter he shovels paths; in summer he turns the grindstone. He knows where there are lots of wintergreens and sweet flags, but instead of going for them, he is to stay indoors and pare apples, and stone raisins, and pound something in a mortar. And yet, with his mind full of schemes of what he would like to do, and his hands full of occupations, he is an idle boy, who has nothing to busy himself with but school and chores!

      9. He would gladly do all the work if somebody else would do the chores, he thinks; and yet I doubt if any boy ever amounted to anything in the world, or was of much use as a man, who did not enjoy the advantages of a liberal education in the way of chores.

      DEFINITIONS.—1. Fac-to'tum, a person employed to do all kinds of work. In-dis-pen'sa-ble, absolutely necessary. 2. Per-pet'u-al-ly, continually. 3. Cen'ti-ped, an insect with a great number of feet. 4. E-con'o-mize, to save. Dis-patch', diligence, haste. 6. Pen'-stock, a wooden tube for conducting water. 8. Chores, the light work of the household either within or without doors.

VI. THE SINGING LESSON.

       Table of Contents

      Jean Ingelow (b. 1830, d.1897) was born at Boston, Lincolnshire, England. Her fame as a poetess was at once established upon the publication of her "Poems" in 1863; since which time several other volumes have appeared. The most generally admired of her poems are "Songs of Seven" and "The High Tide on the Coast of Lincolnshire," She has also written several successful novels, of which, "Off the Skelligs" is the most popular. "Stories Told to a Child," "The Cumberers," "Poor Mat," "Studies for Stories," and "Mopsa, the Fairy" are also well known. Miss Ingelow resided in London, England, and spent much of her time in deeds of charity.

      1. A nightingale made a mistake;

       She sang a few notes out of tune:

       Her heart was ready to break,

       And she hid away from the moon.

       She wrung her claws, poor thing,

       But was far too proud to weep;

       She tucked her head under her wing,

       And pretended to be asleep.

      2. A lark, arm in arm with a thrush,

       Came sauntering up to the place;

       The nightingale felt herself blush,

       Though feathers hid her face;

       She knew they had heard her song,

       She felt them snicker and sneer;

       She thought that life was too long,

       And wished she could skip a year.

      3. "O nightingale!" cooed a dove;

       "O nightingale! what's the use?

       You bird of beauty and love,

       Why behave like a goose?

       Don't sulk away from our sight,

       Like a common, contemptible fowl;

       You bird of joy and delight,

       Why behave like an owl?

      4. "Only think of all you have done;

       Only think of all you can do;

       A false note is really fun

       From such a bird as you!

       Lift up your proud little crest,

       Open your musical beak;

       Other birds have to do their best,

       You need only to speak!"

      6. The nightingale shyly took

       Her head from under her wing,

       And, giving the dove a look,

       Straightway began to sing.

       There was never a bird could pass;

       The night was divinely calm;

       And the people stood on the grass

       To hear that wonderful psalm.

      6. The nightingale did not care,

       She only sang to the skies;

       Her song ascended there,

       And there she fixed her eyes.

       The people that stood below

       She knew but little about;

       And this tale has a moral, I know,

       If you'll try and find it out.

      DEFINITIONS.—2. Saun'ter-ing, wandering idly, strolling. Snick'er, to laugh in a half-suppressed manner. 4. Crest, a tuft growing on an animal's head. 5. Di-vine'ly, in a supreme degree. 6. Mor'al, the practical lesson which anything is fitted to teach.

      NOTE.—The nightingale is a small bird, about six inches in length, with a coat of dark-brown feathers above and of grayish, white beneath. Its voice is astonishingly strong and sweet, and, when wild, it usually sings throughout the evening and night from April to the middle of summer. The bird is common in Europe, but is not found in America.

VII. DO NOT MEDDLE.

       Table of Contents

      1. About twenty years ago there lived a singular gentleman in the Old Hall among the elm trees. He was about three-score years of age, very rich, and somewhat odd in many of his habits, but for generosity and benevolence he had no equal.

      2. No poor cottager stood in need of comforts, which he was not ready to supply; no sick man or woman languished for want of his assistance; and not even a beggar, unless a known impostor, went empty-handed from the Hall. Like the village pastor described in Goldsmith's poem of "The Deserted Village,"

      "His house was known to all the vagrant train;

       He chid their wand'rings, but relieved their pain;

       The long-remembered beggar was his guest,

       Whose beard descending swept his aged breast."

      3. Now it happened that the old gentleman wanted a boy to wait upon him at table, and to attend him in different ways, for he was very fond of young people. But much as he liked the society of the young, he had a great СКАЧАТЬ