Sanders' Union Fourth Reader Part 29

O doubting heart!

Far over purple seas, They wait, in sunny ease, The balmy southern breeze, To bring them to their northern homes once more.

FIRST VOICE.

2. Why must the flowers die?

Poisoned they lie In the cold tomb, heedless of tears or rain.

SECOND VOICE.

O doubting heart!

They only sleep below The soft, white ermine snow, While winter winds shall blow, To breathe and smile upon you soon again.

FIRST VOICE.

3. The sun has hid its rays These many days; Will dreary hours never leave the earth?

SECOND VOICE.

O doubting heart!

The stormy clouds on high Vail the same sunny sky, That soon, (for Spring is nigh,) Shall wake the Summer into golden mirth.

FIRST VOICE.

4. Fair Hope is dead, and light Is quenched in night.

What sound can break the silence of despair?

SECOND VOICE.

O doubting heart!

The sky is overcast, Yet stars shall rise at last, Brighter for darkness past, And angels' silver voices stir the air.

LESSON x.x.x.

DECK'ED, dressed; arrayed.

TRAIL'ING, hanging down; following one after another.

UN FAIL'ING, constant; continually.

UN PLI'ANT, stiff; unbending.

DE FI'ANT, daring; bidding defiance.

VES'PER, evening.

CRISP'ER, more brittle.

TREAS'URES, wealth; riches.

MER'IT, desert; goodness.

IN HER'IT, occupy; possess.

MOR'SEL, bit; small piece.

WAIL'ING, loudly lamenting.

RAIL'ING, clamoring.

THE COMING OF WINTER.

T.B. READ.

1. Autumn's sighing, Moaning, dying, Clouds are flying On like steeds; While their shadows O'er the meadows.

Walk like widows Decked in weeds.

2. Red leaves trailing, Fall unfailing, Dropping, sailing, From the wood, That, unpliant, Stands defiant, Like a giant Dropping blood.

3. Winds are swelling Round our dwelling, All day telling Us their woe; And, at vesper, Frosts grow crisper, As they whisper Of the snow.

4. From th' unseen land, Frozen inland, Down from Greenland, Winter glides, Shedding lightness Like the brightness When moon-whiteness Fills the tides.

5. Now bright Pleasure's Sparkling measures With rare treasures Overflow!

With this gladness Comes what sadness!

Oh, what madness, Oh, what woe!

6. Even merit May inherit Some bare garret, Or the ground; Or, a worse ill, Beg a morsel At some door-sill, Like a hound.

7. Storms are trailing, Winds are wailing, Howling, railing, At each door.

'Midst this trailing Howling, railing, List the wailing Of the poor!

QUESTIONS.--1. What is the first sign of the coming of winter? 2. What, the second? 3. What, the third? 4. What are some of the pleasures of winter? 5. What is said of the poor in winter? 6. What is the use of the apostrophes in the words _autumn's, o'er, pleasure's, 'midst,_ &c.?

LESSON x.x.xI.

LIVE' LONG, whole; entire.

EAVES, edges of a roof.

E' VEN TIDE, evening.

STRIV' EN, struggled; contended.

RE LIEV' ED, mitigated; alleviated.

WRETCH' ED NESS, distress; dest.i.tution.

OF FENSE', fault; crime.

PEN' I TENCE, repentance; contrition.

EL' O QUENT LY, forcibly; persuasively.

CHILD TIRED OF PLAY.

N.P. WILLIS.

1. Tired of play'! tired of play'!

What hast thou done this livelong day'?

The birds are silent', and so is the bee'; The sun is creeping up steeple and tree'; The doves have flown to the sheltering eaves', And the nests are dark with the drooping leaves'; Twilight gathers', and day is done',-- How hast them spent it',--restless one'?