Page images
PDF
EPUB

Gently and humanly; Not of the stains of her; All that remains of her Now, is pure womanly.

5. Make no deep scrutiny Into her mutiny,

Rash and undutiful; Past all dishonor, Death has left on her Only the beautiful.

6. Loop up her tresses

Escaped from the comb,— Her fair auburn tresses; While wonderment guesses Where was her home?

7. Who was her father? Who was her mother?

Had she a sister'?

Had she a brother'?
Or, was there a dearer one
Still, and a nearer one
Yet, than all other'?

& Alas! for the rarity
Of Christian charity
Under the sun!
Oh! it was pitiful!
Near a whole city full,
Home she had none.

. Sisterly, brotherly, Fatherly, motherly,

Feelings had changed: Love, by harsh evidence, Thrown from its eminence; Even God's providence Seeming estranged.

10. Where the lamps quiver So far in the river,

With many a light

From window and casement,
From garret to basement,
She stood with amazement,
Houseless by night.

11. The bleak winds of March Made her tremble and shiver; But not the dark arch,

Or the black flowing river;
Mad from life's history,
Glad to death's mystery,

Swift to be hurled-
Anywhere, anywhere,
Out of the world!

12. In she plunged boldly,
No matter how coldly

The rough river ran—
Picture it--think of it,
Dissolute Man!

13. Take her up tenderly,
Lift her with care,
Fashioned so slenderly,
Young, and so fair!

14. Perishing gloomily,
Spurred by contumely,
Cold inhumanity,
Burning insanity,

Into her rest,
Cross her hands humbly,
As if praying dumb.y,
Over her breast!

15. Owning her weakness,
Her evil behavior,
And leaving, with meekness,

Her sins to her Savior!

[blocks in formation]

8. The green earth mourns for thee,
Thou dearest one;

A plaintive tone is heard,
And flower and leaflet stirred,
And every fav'rite bird
Sings sad and lone.

4. Pale is thy brow, and dimmed
Thy sparkling eye!

Affection's sweetest token

Is lost fore'er and broken!

The last kind word is spoken,-

Why did'st thou die?

5. Breathe low, thou gentle wind,
Breathe soft and low;

The beautiful lies dead!

The joy of life is fled!

And my lone heart is wed

Henceforth to woe!

QUESTIONS.-1. What rule for changing y into i in the word beautiful? See ANALYSIS, page 13, rule XI. stirred, dimmed? See Rule IX. in the word leaflet? See page 140, Ex. 185.

2. Why are r and m doubled in the words 3. What is the meaning of the suffix let,

LESSON XCVIII.

LUX U' RI ANT, rich; plentiful.
UN OS TEN TAʼTIOUS, plain; not showy.
REV ER EN TIAL, deeply respectful.
RE CEP' TA CLE, place of reception.
SEM' I CIR CLE, half-circle.
KEC OG NI" TION, act of knowing.
AG RI CUL' TUR AL, relating to farming.
BEN E DIC' TION, blessing.

DI' A RY, note-book; journal.
So JOURN' ED, resided for a while.
AC CLA MA' TION$, shouts.
TRI UMPH' AL, relating to victory.
GRAT U LA' TION, rejoicing.

IN AUG U RA' TION, act of investing
with office.

EN FRAN' CHIS ED, freed; liberated.

1 SAR COPH'A GUS, (SARCO, flesh; and PHAGUS, that which eats or devours,) is made up of two Greek words, signifying together flesh-eating, and was applied by the ancients to a species of stone, used for making coffins. Hence, sarcophagus came to signify a stone-coffin. The form of the plural in Latin, is sarcophagi.

2 BAS' TILE, (bas' teel,) an old state prison in Paris, built in 1369, and destroyed by a mob in 1789.

VISIT TO MOUNT VERNON.

A. C. RITCHIE.

1. At this moment, we drew near the rude wharf at Mount Vernon; the boat stopped, and the crowd of passengers landed. By a narrow pathway we ascended a majestic hill

thickly draped with trees. The sun scarcely found its way through the luxuriant foliage. We mounted slowly, but had only spent a few minutes in ascending, when we came suddenly upon a picturesque nook, where a cluster of unostentatious, white marble shafts, shot from the greenly sodded earth, inclosed by iron railings. Those unpretending monuments mark the localities where repose the mortal remains of Washington's kindred.

2. Just beyond stands a square brick building. In the center you see an iron gate. Here the crowd pauses in reverential silence. Men lift their hats and women bow their heads. You behold within, two sarcophagi.' In those moldering tombs lie the ashes of the great Washington and his wife. Not a word is uttered as the crowd stand gazing on this lowly receptacle of the dust of America's mighty dead.

who can say,

"this was

3. Are there any in that group our country's father'?" If there be, can they stand pilgrims at that grave without Washington's examples, his counsels, his words, heretofore, it may be half-forgotten, stealing back into their minds, until the sense of reverence and gratitude is deepened almost to awe'? Do they not feel that Washington's spirit is abroad in the world, filling the souls of a heaven-favored people with the love of freedom and of country, though his ashes are gathered here'?

4. Some one moves to pass on; and, with that first step, the spell is broken; others follow. Herman and Jessie linger last. After a period of mute and moving reflection, they turn away and slowy approach the mansion that, in simple, rural stateliness, stands upon a noble promontory, belted with woods, and half-girdled by the sparkling waters of the Potomac, which flow in a semicircle around a portion of the mount.

5. The water and woodland view from the portico is highly imposing. But it was not the mere recognition of the picturesque and beautiful in nature, that moved Herman and Jessie. They would have felt that they were on holy ground, had the landscape been devoid of natural charm. Here the feet of the first of heroes had trod, and here, in boyhood, he had sported with his beloved brother Lawrence.

6. In those forests, those deep-wooded glens, he had hunted, when a stripling, by the side of old Lord Fairfax; here he took his first lessons in the art of war; to this home he brought his bride; by this old-fashioned, hospitable-looking fireside, he sat with that dear and faithful wife; beneath yonder alley of lofty trees he has often wandered by her side; here he indulged the agricultural tastes in which he delighted; here resigned his Cincinnatus vocation, and bade adieu to his cherished home at the summons of his country.

7. Here his wife received the letter which told her that he had been appointed Commander-in-chief of the army; here, when the glorious struggle closed at the trumpet notes of victory—when the British had retired--when, with tears coursing down his benignant, manly countenance, he had uttered a touching farewell-bestowed a paternal benediction on the American army, and resigned all public servicehere he returned, thinking to resume the rural pursuits that charmed him, and to end his days in peace!

8. Here are the trees, the shrubbery he planted with his own hands, and noted in his diary; here are the columns of the portico round which he twined the coral honeysuckle; the ivy he transplanted still clings to yonder garden wall; these vistas he opened through yon pine groves to command far-off views! Here the valiant Lafayette sojourned with him; there hangs the key of the Bastile which he presented. 9. Here flocked the illustrious men of all climes, and

« PreviousContinue »