McGuffey's Third Eclectic Reader Part 17

9. "Their graves are green, they may be seen,"

The little maid replied, "Twelve steps or more from mother's door, And they are side by side.

10. "My stockings there I often knit, My kerchief there I hem; And there upon the ground I sit, And sing a song to them.

11. "And often after sunset, sir, When it is light and fair, I take my little porringer, And eat my supper there.

12. "The first that died was sister Jane; In bed she moaning lay,

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Till G.o.d released her from her pain; And then she went away.

13. "So in the churchyard she was laid; And, when the gra.s.s was dry, Together round her grave we played, My brother John and I.

14. "And when the ground was white with snow, And I could run and slide, My brother John was forced to go, And he lies by her side."

15. "How many are you, then?" said I, "If they two are in heaven?"

Quick was the little maid's reply, "O master! we are seven."

16. "But they are dead; those two are dead!

Their spirits are in heaven!"

'T was throwing words away: for still The little maid would have her will, And said, "Nay, we are seven."

William Wordsworth.

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LESSON LXIV.

MARY'S DIME.

1. There! I have drawn the chairs into the right corners, and dusted the room nicely. How cold papa and mamma will be when they return from their long ride! It is not time to toast the bread yet, and I am tired of reading.

2. What shall I do? Somehow, I can't help thinking about the pale face of that little beggar girl all the time. I can see the glad light filling her eyes, just as plain as I did when I laid the dime in her little dirty hand.

3. How much I had thought of that dime, too! Grandpa gave it to me a whole month ago, and I had kept it ever since in my red box upstairs; but those sugar apples looked so beautiful, and were so cheap--only a dime apiece--that I made up my mind to have one.

4. I can see her--the beggar girl, I mean--as she stood there in front of the store, in her old hood and faded dress, looking at the candies laid all in a row. I wonder

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what made me say, "Little girl, what do you want?"

5. How she stared at me, just as if n.o.body had spoken kindly to her before. I guess

she thought I was sorry for her, for she said, so earnestly and sorrowfully, "I was thinking how good one of those gingerbread rolls would taste. I have n't had anything to eat to-day."

THIRD READER. 169 6. Now, I thought to myself, "Mary Williams, you have had a good breakfast and a good dinner this day, and this poor girl has not had a mouthful. You can give her your dime; she needs it a great deal more than you do."

7. I could not resist that little girl's sorrowful, hungry look--so I dropped the dime right into her hand, and, without waiting for her to speak, walked straight away. I'm so glad I gave her the dime, if I did have to go without the apple lying there in the window, and looking just like a real one.

LESSON LXV.

MARY DOW.

1. "Come in, little stranger," I said, As she tapped at my half open door; While the blanket, pinned over her head, Just reached to the basket she bore.

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2. A look full of innocence fell From her modest and pretty blue eye, As she said, "I have matches to sell, And hope you are willing to buy.

3. "A penny a bunch is the price, I think you'll not find it too much; They are tied up so even and nice, And ready to light with a touch."

4. I asked, "'What's your name, little girl?"

"'Tis Mary," said she, "Mary Dow;"

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And carelessly tossed off a curl, That played on her delicate brow.

5. "My father was lost on the deep; The s.h.i.+p never got to the sh.o.r.e; And mother is sad, and will weep, To hear the wind blow and sea roar.

6. "She sits there at home, without food, Beside our poor, sick w.i.l.l.y's bed; She paid all her money for wood, And so I sell matches for bread.

7. "I'd go to the yard and get chips, But then it would make me too sad To see the men building the s.h.i.+ps, And think they had made one so bad.

8. "But G.o.d, I am sure, who can take Such fatherly care of a bird, Will never forget nor forsake The children who trust in his word.

9. "And now, if I only can sell The matches I brought out to-day, I think I shall do very well, And we shall rejoice at the pay."

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10. "Fly home, little bird," then I thought, "Fly home, full of joy, to your nest;"

For I took all the matches she brought, And Mary may tell you the rest.

LESSON LXVI.

THE LITTLE LOAF.

1. Once when there was a famine, a rich baker sent for twenty of the poorest children in the town, and said to them, "In this basket there is a loaf for each of you. Take it, and come back to me every day at this hour till G.o.d sends us better times."

2. The hungry children gathered eagerly about the basket, and quarreled for the bread, because each wished to have the largest loaf. At last they went away without even thanking the good gentleman.

3. But Gretchen, a poorly-dressed little girl, did not quarrel or struggle with the rest,

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but remained standing modestly in the distance. When the ill-behaved girls had left, she took the smallest loaf, which alone was left in the basket, kissed the gentleman's hand, and went home.

4. The next day the children were as ill behaved as before, and poor, timid Gretchen received a loaf scarcely half the size of the one she got the first day. When she came home, and her mother cut the loaf open, many new, s.h.i.+ning pieces of silver fell out of it.

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