Naöman among the rest. Stacy was first interrogated by one of the old men, who spoke English and interpreted to the others. Stacy refused to betray his informant. His wife was then questioned; while, at the same moment, two Indians stood threatening the two children, with tomahawks, in case she did not confess. 12. She attempted to evade the truth, by declaring she had a dream the night before, which alarmed her, and that she had persuaded her husband to fly. "The Great Spirit never deigns to talk in dreams to a white face," said the old Indian. "Woman, thou hast two tongues, and two faces. Speak the truth, or thy children shall surely die." The little boy and girl were then brought close to her, and the two savages stood over them, ready to execute their bloody orders. 66 13. "Wilt thou name," said the old Indian, "the red man who betrayed his tribe'? I will ask thee three times." The mother answered not. Wilt thou name the traitor'? This is the second time." The poor mother looked at her husband, and then at her children, and stole a glance at Naöman, who sat smoking his pipe with invincible gravity. 14. She wrung her hands, and wept; but remained silent. "Wilt thou name the traitor'? 'Tis the third and last time." The agony of the mother waxed more bitter; again she sought the eye of Naöman; but it was cold and motionless. A pause of a moment awaited her reply, and the tomahawks were raised over the heads of the children, who besought their mother not to let them be murdered. 15. "Stop!" cried Naöman. All eyes were turned upon him. "Stop!" repeated he, in a tone of authority. "White woman, thou hast kept thy word with me to the last moment. I am the traitor. I have eaten of the salt, warmed myself at the fire, shared the kindness, of these Christian white people, and it was I that told them of their danger. I am a withered, leafless, branchless trunk. Cut me down, if you will: I am ready." 16. A yell of indignation sounded on all sides. Naöman descended from the little bank where he sat, shrouded his face with his mantle of skins, and submitted to his fate. He fell dead at the feet of the white woman by a blow of the tomahawk. 17. But the sacrifice of Naoman, and the firmness of the Christian white woman, did not suffice to save the lives of the other victims. They perished,-how, it is needless to say; and the memory of their fate has been preserved in the name of the pleasant stream, on whose banks they lived and died, which, to this day, is called MURDERER's Creek. QUESTIONS.-1. Where is Murderer's Creek? 2. What is said of Naöman and Stacy's family? 3. Why did Naöman, at first, refuse to tell Mrs. Stacy of her danger? 4. Did Stacy's family make their escape? 5. Where were they taken? 6. Did Mrs. Stacy tell who had informed her? 7. What measures did the Indians adopt, to make her tell? 8. What did Naöman say? 9. What did the Indians do with Naöman and Stacy's family? LESSON LIII. PER IL OUS, hazardous; dangerous. AM MU NI" TION, military stores, as DRA GOONS', mounted soldiers. AV A LANCHE', snow-slip. AD VANCE', forward; proceed. IL LUS' TRATES, explains; makes BAY' O NET, a short, pointed instrument of iron, or broad dagger, fitted to the barrel of a gun. It is so called, because the first bayonets were made at Bayonne, in France. NAPOLEON'S ARMY CROSSING THE ALPS. 1. WHEN Napoleon was carrying war into Italy, he ordered one of his officers, Marshal Macdonald, to cross the Splugen with fifteen thousand soldiers, and join him on the plains below. The Splugen is one of the four great roads which cross the Alps from Switzerland to Italy. 2. When Macdonald received the order, it was about tle last of November, and the winter storms were raging among the mountain passes. It was a perilous undertaking, yet he must obey; and the men began their terrible march through narrow defiles and overhanging precipices, six thousand feet up, up among the gloomy solitudes of the Alps. 3. The cannon were placed on sleds drawn by oxen, and the ammunition was packed on mules. First came the guides, sticking their long poles in the snow, in order to find the path; then came workmen to clear away the drifts; then the dragoons, mounted on their most powerful horses, to beat down the track; after which followed the main body of the army. 4. They encountered severe storms and piercing cold. When half-way up the summit, a rumbling noise was heard among the cliffs. The guides looked at each other in alarm; for they knew well what it meant. It grew louder and louder. "An avalanche! an avalanche!" they shrieked, and the next moment a field of ice and snow came leaping down the mountain, striking the line of march, and sweeping thirty dragoons in a wild plunge below. The black forms of the horses and their riders were seen for an instant struggling for life, and then they disappeared forever. 5. The sight struck the soldiers with horror; they crouched and shivered in the blast. Their enemy was not now flesh and blood, but wild winter storms; swords and bayonets could not defend them from the desolating avalanche. Flight or retreat was hopeless; for all around lay the drifted snow, like a vast winding-sheet. On they must go, or death was certain, and the brave men struggled forward. 6. "Soldiers!" exclaimed their commander, "you are called to Italy; your general needs you. Advance and conquer, first the mountain and the snow, then the plains and the enemy!" Blinded by the winds, benumbed with the cold, and far beyond the reach of aid, Macdonald and his men pressed on. Sometimes a whole company of sol diers were suddenly swept away by an avalanche. 7. On one occasion, a poor drummer, crawling out from him from his comrades, began to beat his drum for relief. The the mass of snow, which had torn ffled sound came up from his gloomy resting-place, and was heard by his brother soldiers; but none could go to his rescue. For an hour, he beat rapidly, then the strokes grew fainter, until they were heard no more, and the poor drummer laid himself down to die. Two weeks were occupied in this perilous march, and two hundred men perished in the undertaking. 8. This passage of the Splugen is one of the bravest exploits in in the history of Napoleon's generals, and illustrates the truth of the proverb, "Where there is a will there is No one can read the heroic deeds of brave ay anger and death, without a feeling of mening with do respect and admiration; but heroic deeds are always the fruit of toil and self-sacrifice. No one can accomplish great things, unless he aims at great things, and pursues that aim with unflinching courage and perseverance. QUESTIONS.-1. What orders had Napoleon given to Marshal Macdonald? 2. What time of year was it? 3. Describe the march of the army over the Alps 4. What disaster occurred to them? 5. How did their commander address the army? 6. Describe the drummer boy's fate. 7. How many men perished? 8. What does this exploit of the army illustrate 9. What is said of heroic deeds? LESSON LIV. PROVERBS, sayings; maxims. STRĪV' ING, making efforts. CON TROL, restraint; government. COPE, strive; contend. WHERE THERE'S A WILL THERE'S A WAY. 1. WE have faith in old proverbs full surely, And hear what they honestly say, ELIZA COOK And you'll find they believe, like bold wooers, 2. The hills have been high for man's mounting, The poles have been broad for his sway, 3. Have ye vices that ask a destroyer, |