Chapter 1

Transcriber's Notes:

Welcome to the schoolroom of 1900. The moral tone is plain. "She is kind to the old blind man."

The exercises are still suitable, and perhaps more helpful than some contemporary alternatives. Much is left to the teacher. Explanations given in the text are enough to get started teaching a child to read and write. Counting in Roman numerals is included as a bonus in the form of lesson numbers.

There is no text version because much of the material uses specialized characters that have no ASCI equivalent. Wherever possible the "ASCI" text has been converted.

The "non-ASCI" text remains as images. The "non-ASCI" text is approximated in text boxes to right of the image, as are script images.

The form of contractions includes a space. The contemporary word "don't" was rendered as "do n't".

The author, not listed in the text is William Holmes McGuffey.

Don Kostuc

ECLECTIC EDUCATIONAL SERIES.

MCGUFFEY'S(R)

THIRD

ECLECTIC READER.

REVISED EDITION.

McGuffey Editions and Colophon are Trademarks of

JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC.

NEW YORK--CHICHESTER--WEINHEIM--BRISBANE--SINGAPORE--TORONTO

The long continued popularity of MCGUFFEY'S READERS is sufficient evidence of the positive merits of the books. The aim of this revision has been to preserve unimpaired the distinctive features of the series, and at the same time to present the matter in a new dress, with new type, new illustrations, and with a considerable amount of new matter. Spelling exercises are continued through the first half of the THIRD READER. These exercises, with those furnished in the two lower books, are exhaustive of the words employed in the reading lessons. Words are not repeated in the vocabularies. In the latter half of the book, definitions are introduced. It is hoped that the teacher will extend this defining exercise to all the words of the lesson liable to be misunderstood. The child should define the word in his own language sufficiently to show that he has a mastery of the word in its use. Drills in articulation and emphasis should be given with every lesson. The essentials of good reading are not to be taught by one or two lessons. Constant drill on good exercises, with frequent exhibitions of the correct method from the teacher, will be found more effectual than any form prescribed in type. If the pupils are not familiar with the diacritical marks, they should be carefully taught; such instruction constitutes an excellent drill on articulation, and enables the pupils to use the dictionary with intelligence. Copyright, 1879, by VAN ANTWERP, BRAGG & Co. Copyright, 1896, by AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY. Copyright, 1907 and 1920, by H. H. VAIL. (ii) MG 30 60 REV. EP 308

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTORY MATTER PAGE. ARTICULATION 5 EMPHASIS 10 PUNCTUATION 11

SELECTIONS IN PROSE AND POETRY.

LESSON 1. The Shepherd Boy 13 2. Johnny's First Snowstorm 15 3. Let It rain 18 4. Castle-building 20 5. Castle-building 22 6. Lend a Hand (Script) 25 7. The Truant 27 8. The White Kitten 29 9. The Beaver 31 10. The Young Teacher 34 11. The Blacksmith 38 12. A Walk in the Garden 39 13. The Wolf 42 14. The Little Bird's Song 44 15. Harry and Annie 46 16. Bird Friends 48 17. What the Minutes say 51 18. The Widow and the Merchant 52 19. The Birds Set Free 54 20. A Moment too Late 66 21. Humming Birds 67 22. The Wind and the Sun 59 23. Sunset (Script) 61 24. Beautiful Hands 52 25. Things to Remember 65 26. Three Little Mice 67 Z7. The New Year 69 28. The Clock and the Sundial 72 29. Remember 74 (iii)

iv CONTENTS.

LESSON PAGE. 30. Courage and Cowardice 76 31. Weighing an Elephant 78 32. The Soldier 82 33. The Echo 83 34. George's Feast 86 35. The Lord's Prayer 90 An Evening: Prayer (Script.) 91 36. Finding the Owner 92 37. Bats 95 38. A Summer Day 98 39. I will Think of It 101 40. Charlie and Rob 104 41. Ray and his Kite 107 42. Beware of the First Drink 111 43. Speak Gently 114 44. The Seven Sticks 115 45. The Mountain Sister 117 46. Harry and the Guidepost 121 47. The Money Amy didn't Earn 123 48. Who Made the Stars? 126 49. Deeds of Kindness 128 50. The Alarm Clock 130 51. Spring 132 52. True Courage 134 53. The Old Clock 137 54. The Waves 139 55. Don't Kill the Birds 143 56. When to Say No 144 57. Which Loved Best? 146 58. John Carpenter 147 59. Persevere 151 60. The Contented Boy 151 61. Little Gustava 156 62. The Insolent Boy 158 63. We are Seven 163 64. Mary's Dime 167 65. Mary Dow 169 66. The Little Loaf 172 67. Susie and Rover 174 68. The Violet. 178 69. No Crown for Me 180 70. Young Soldiers 184 71. How Willie Got out of the Shaft 187 72. The Pert Chicken 191 73. Indian Corn 193 74. The Snowbird's Song 197 75. Mountains 200 76. A Child's Hymn 203 77. Holding the Fort 204 78. The Little People 207 79. Good Night 208

INTRODUCTION.

ARTICULATION.

A distinct articulation can only be gained by constant and careful practice of the elementary sounds. Whenever a word is imperfectly enunciated, the teacher should call attention to the sounds composing the spoken word. If the pupil fails to sound any element correctly, as in the case of lisping, the fault can be overcome by calling attention to the correct position of the organs of speech, and insisting upon exact execution. Except in case of malformation of these organs, every pupil should sound each element correctly before such drill should cease.

TABLE OF VOCALS.

LONG SOUNDS.

6 ECLECTIC SERIES,

SHORT SOUNDS.

DIPHTHONGS.

TABLE OF SUBVOCALS.

TABLE OF ASPIRATES.

THIRD READER. 7

NOTE.-The above forty-five sounds are those most employed in the English language. Some of these sounds are represented by other letters, as shown in the following table.

TABLE OF SUBSTITUTES.

EXERCISES IN ARTICULATION.

The following exercises may be used for drill after the tables are fully understood. Pronounce the word first; then, the sound indicated.

8 ECLECTIC SERIES.

EXERCISE I.

THIRD READER. 9

10 ECLECTIC SERIES.

EMPHASIS.

NOTE.--If the pupil has received proper oral instruction, he has been taught to understand what he has read, and has already acquired the habit of emphasizing words. He is now prepared for a more formal introduction to the SUBJECT of emphasis, and for more particular attention to its first PRINCIPLES. This lesson, and the examples given, should be repeatedly practiced. In reading and in talking, we always speak some words with more force than others. We do this, because the meaning of what we say depends most upon these words. If I wish to know whether it is George or his brother who is sick, I speak the words George and brother with more force than the other words. I say, Is it George or his brother who is sick? This greater force with which we speak the words is called EMPHASIS. The words upon which emphasis is put, are sometimes printed in slanting letters, called Italics,* and sometimes in CAPITALS. The words printed in Italics in the following questions and answers, should be read with more force than the other words, that is, with emphasis. Did you ride to town yesterday? No, my brother, did. Did yon ride to town yesterday? No, I walked.

* Italics are also used for other purposes, though most frequently for emphasis.

THIRD READER. 11

Did you ride to town yesterday? No, I went into the country. Did you ride to town yesterday? No, I went the day before. Have you seen James or John lately? I have seen James, but not John. Did you say there were four eggs in the nest, or three? There were only three eggs, not four. Were the eggs white or blue? The eggs were white, not blue. Had the boy a hat on his head, or a cap? He had a cap on, not a hat.

PUNCTUATION.

Punctuation should be thoroughly studied by the pupil, in order that he may become perfectly familiar with the marks and pauses found in the reading lessons of this volume.

MARKS AND PAUSES.

These marks are used to point off written or printed matter into sentences and parts of sentences, and thus to assist the reader in obtaining the meaning of the writer. They seldom indicate the length of the pause to be made; this must be determined by the sense. A Hyphen (-) is used between syllables in a word divided at the end of a line; as, "be-cause," "ques-tion," and between the parts of a compound word; as, Rocking-chair, good-by.

12 ECLECTIC SERIES.

The Comma (,), Semicolon (;), and Colon (:) mark grammatical divisions in a sentence; as, God is good; for he gives us all things. Be wise to-day, my child: 't is madness to defer.

A Period (.) is placed at the end of a sentence; as, God is love. Life is short. Or is used after an abbreviation; as, Dr. Murphy. Jan. 10, 1879.

An Interrogation Point (?) denotes a question; as, Has he come? Who are you?

An Exclamation Point (!) denotes strong feeling; as, O Absalom! my son! my son!

The Dash (--) is used where there is a sudden break or pause in a sentence; as, The truth has power--such is God's will--to make us better.

Quotation Marks (" ") denote the words of another; as, God said, "Let there be light."

An Apostrophe (') denotes that a letter or letters are left out; as, O'er, for over; 't is, for it is. And is also used to show ownership; as, The man's hat. Helen's book.

MCGUFFEY'S

THIRD READER.

LESSON I.

THE SHEPHERD BOY.

1. Little Roy led his sheep down to pasture, And his cows, by the side of the brook;

(13)

14 ECLECTIC SERIES.

But his cows never drank any water, And his sheep never needed a crook.

2. For the pasture was gay as a garden, And it glowed with a flowery red; But the meadows had never a grass blade, And the brooklet--it slept in its bed:

3. And it lay without sparkle or murmur, Nor reflected the blue of the skies; But the music was made by the shepherd, And the sparkle was all in his eyes.

4. Oh, he sang like a bird in the summer! And, if sometimes you fancied a bleat, That, too, was the voice of the shepherd, And not of the lambs at his feet.

5. And the glossy brown cows were so gentle That they moved at the touch of his hand O'er the wonderful, rosy-red meadow, And they stood at the word of command.

6. So he led all his sheep to the pasture, And his cows, by the side of the brook; Though it rained, yet the rain never pattered O'er the beautiful way that they took.

7. And it was n't in Fairyland either, But a house in the midst of the town, Where Roy, as he looked from the window, Saw the silvery drops trickle down.

THIRD READER. 15

8. For his pasture was only a table, With its cover so flowery fair, And his brooklet was just a green ribbon, That his sister had lost from her hair.

9. And his cows were but glossy horse-chestnuts, That had grown on his grandfather's tree; And his sheep only snowy-white pebbles, He had brought from the shore of the sea.

10. And at length when the shepherd was weary, And had taken his milk and his bread, And his mother had kissed him and tucked him, And had bid him "good night" in his bed;

11. Then there entered his big brother Walter, While the shepherd was soundly asleep, And he cut up the cows into baskets, And to jackstones turned all of the sheep.

Emily S. Oakey.

LESSON II.

JOHNNY'S FIRST SNOWSTORM.

1. Johnny Reed was a little boy who never had seen a snowstorm till he was six years old. Before this, he had lived in a warm country, where the sun shines down on beautiful

16 ECLECTIC SERIES. orange groves, and fields always sweet with flowers. 2. But now he had come to visit his grandmother, who lived where the snow falls in winter. Johnny was standing at the window when the snow came down.

3. "O mamma!" he cried, joyfully, "do come quick, and see these little white birds flying down from heaven." 4. "They are not birds, Johnny," said mamma, smiling. 5. "Then maybe the little angels are losing their feathers! Oh! do tell me what it is; is it sugar? Let me taste it," said

THIRD READER. 17 Johnny. But when he tasted it, he gave a little jump--it was so cold. 6. "That is only snow, Johnny," said his mother. 7. "What is snow, mother?" 8. "The snowflakes, Johnny, are little drops of water that fall from the clouds. But the air through which they pass is so cold it freezes them, and they come down turned into snow." 9. As she said this, she brought out an old black hat from the closet. "See, Johnny! I have caught a snowflake on this hat. Look quick through this glass, and you will see how beautiful it is." 10. Johnny looked through the glass. There lay the pure, feathery snowflake like a lovely little star. 11. "Twinkle, twinkle, little star!" he cried in delight. "Oh! please show me more snow-flakes, mother." 12. So his mother caught several more, and they were all beautiful. 13. The next day Johnny had a fine play in the snow, and when he carne in, he said, "I love snow; and I think snowballs are a great deal prettier than oranges."

3,

18 ECLECTIC SERIES.

LESSON III.

LET IT RAIN.

Rose. See how it rains! Oh dear, dear, dear! how dull it is! Must I stay in doors all day? Father. Why, Rose, are you sorry that you had any bread and butter for breakfast, this morning? Rose. Why, father, what a question! I should be sorry, indeed, if I could not get any. Father. Are you sorry, my daughter, when you see the flowers and the trees growing in the garden? Rose. Sorry? No, indeed. Just now, I wished very much to go out and see them,--they look so pretty. Father. Well, are you sorry when you see the horses, cows, or sheep drinking at the brook to quench their thirst? Rose. Why, father, you must think I am a cruel girl, to wish that the poor horses that work so hard, the beautiful cows that

THIRD READER. 19 give so much nice milk, and the pretty lambs should always be thirsty. Father. Do you not think they would die, if they had no water to drink? Rose. Yes, sir, I am sure they would. How shocking to think of such a thing! Father. I thought little Rose was sorry it rained. Do you think the trees and flowers would grow, if they never had any water on them? Rose. No, indeed, father, they would be dried up by the sun. Then we should not have any pretty flowers to look at, and to make wreaths of for mother. Father. I thought you were sorry it rained. Rose, what is our bread made of? Rose. It is made of flour, and the flour is made from wheat, which is ground in the mill. Father. Yes, Rose, and it was rain that helped to make the wheat grow, and it was water that turned the mill to grind the wheat. I thought little Rose was sorry it rained. Rose. I did not think of all these things, father. I am truly very glad to see the rain falling.

20 ECLECTIC SERIES.

LESSON IV.

CASTLE-BUILDING.

1. "O pussy!" cried Herbert, in a voice of anger and dismay, as the blockhouse he was building fell in sudden ruin. The playful cat had rubbed against his mimic castle,

THIRD READER. 21 and tower and wall went rattling down upon the floor. 2. Herbert took up one of the blocks and threw it fiercely at pussy. Happily, it passed over her and did no harm. His hand was reaching for another block, when his little sister Hetty sprang toward the cat, and caught her up. 3. "No, no, no!" said she, "you sha'n't hurt pussy! She did n't mean to do it!" 4. Herbert's passion was over quickly, and, sitting down upon the floor, he covered his face with his hands, and began to cry. 5. "What a baby!" said Joe, his elder brother, who was reading on the sofa. "Crying over spilled milk does no good. Build it up again." 6. "No, I won't," said Herbert, and he went on crying. 7. "What's all the trouble here?" exclaimed papa, as he opened the door and came in. 8. "Pussy just rubbed against Herbert's castle, and it fell down," answered Hetty. "But she did n't mean to do it; she did n't know it would fall, did she, papa?" 9. "Why, no! And is that all the trouble?"

22 ECLECTIC SERIES. 10. "Herbert!" his papa called, and held out his hands. "Come." The little boy got up from the floor, and came slowly, his eyes full of tears, and stood by his father. 11. "There is a better way than this, my boy," said papa. "If you had taken that way, your heart would have been light already. I should have heard you singing over your blocks instead of crying. Shall I show you that way?" 12. Herbert nodded his head, and papa sat down on the floor by the pile of blocks, with his little son by his side, and began to lay the foundation for a new castle.

LESSON V.

CASTLE-BUILDING. (CONCLUDED)

1. Soon, Herbert was as much interested in castle-building as he had been a little while before. He began to sing over his work. All his trouble was gone.

THIRD READER. 23 2. "This is a great deal better than crying, is n't it?" said papa. 3. "Crying for what?" asked Herbert, forgetting his grief of a few minutes before. 4. "Because pussy knocked your castle over." 5. "Oh!" A shadow flitted across his face, but was gone in a moment, and he went on building as eagerly as ever. 6. "I told him not to cry over spilled milk," said Joe, looking down from his place on the sofa. 7. "I wonder if you did n't cry when your kite string broke," retorted Herbert. 8. "Losing a kite is quite another thing," answered Joe, a little dashed. "The kite was gone forever; but your blocks were as good as before, and you had only to build again." 9. "I do n't see," said papa, "that crying was of any more use in your case then in Herbert's. Sticks and paper are easily found, and you had only to go to work and make another kite." Joe looked down at his book, and went on reading. By this time the castle was finished. 10. "It is ever so much nicer than the one

24 ECLECTIC SERIES. pussy knocked down," said Hetty. And so thought Herbert, as he looked at it proudly from all sides. 11. "If pussy knocks that down, I'll-" 12. "Build it up again," said papa, finishing the sentence for his little boy.

13. "But, papa, pussy must not knock my castles down. I can't have it," spoke out Herbert, knitting his forehead. 14. "You must watch her, then. Little boys, as well as grown up people, have to be often on their guard. If you go into the street, you have to look out for the carriages, so as not to be run over, and you have to keep out of people's way. 15. "In the house, if you go about heedlessly, you will be very apt to run against some one. I have seen a careless child dash suddenly into a room just as a servant was leaving it with a tray of dishes in her hands. A crash followed."

THIRD READER. 25 16. "It was I, was n't it?" said Hetty. 17. "Yes, I believe it was, and I hope it will never happen again." 18. Papa now left the room, saying, "I do n't want any more of this crying over spilled milk, as Joe says. If your castles get knocked down, build them up again."

LESSON VI.

LEND A HAND.

26 ECLECTIC SERIES.

THIRD READER. 27

LESSON VII.

THE TRUANT. 1. James Brown was ten years old when his parents sent him to school. It was not far from his home, and therefore they sent him by himself. 2. But, instead of going to school, he was in the habit of playing truant. He would go into the fields, or spend his time with idle boys. 3. But this was not all. When he went home, he would falsely tell his mother that he had been to school, and had said his lessons very well. 4. One fine morning, his mother told James to make haste home from school, for she wished, after he had come back, to take him to his aunt's. 5. But, instead of minding her, he went off to the water, where there were some boats. There he met plenty of idle boys. 6. Some of these boys found that James

28 ECLECTIC SERIES, had money, which his aunt had given him; and he was led by them to hire a boat, and to go with them upon the water. 7. Little did James think of the danger into which he was running. Soon the wind began to blow, and none of them knew how to manage the boat.

8. For some time, they struggled against the wind and the tide. At last, they became so tired that they could row no longer. 9. A large wave upset the boat, and they were all thrown into the water. Think of James Brown, the truant, at this time! 10. He was far from home, known by no one. His parents were ignorant of his danger.

THIRD READER. 29 He was struggling in the water, on the point of being drowned. 11. Some men, however, saw the boys, and went out to them in a boat. They reached them just in time to save them from a watery grave. 12. They were taken into a house, where their clothes were dried. After a while, they were sent home to their parents. 13. James was very sorry for his conduct, and he was never known to be guilty of the same thing again. 14. He became regular at school, learned to attend to his books, and, above all, to obey his parents perfectly.

LESSON VIII.

THE WHITE KITTEN.

1. My little white kitten's asleep on my knee; As white as the snow or the lilies is she; She wakes up with a pur When I stroke her soft fur: Was there ever another white kitten like her?

30 ECLECTIC SERIES.

2. My little white kitten now wants to go out And frolic, with no one to watch her about; "Little kitten," I say, "Just an hour you may stay, And be careful in choosing your places to play."

3. But night has come down, when I hear a loud "mew;" I open the door, and my kitten comes through; My white kitten! ah me! Can it really be she-- This ill-looking, beggar-like cat that I see?

4. What ugly, gray streaks on her side and her back! Her nose, once as pink as a rosebud, is black! Oh, I very well know, Though she does not say so, She has been where white kittens ought never to go.

THIRD READER. 31

5. If little good children intend to do right, If little white kittens would keep themselves white, It is needful that they Should this counsel obey, And be careful in choosing their places to play.

LESSON IX.

THE BEAVER.

1. The beaver is found chiefly in North America. It is about three and a half feet long, including the flat, paddle- shaped tail, which is a foot in length. 2. The long, shining hair on the back is chestnut-colored, while the fine, soft fur that lies next the skin, is grayish brown. 3. Beavers build themselves most curious huts to live in, and quite frequently a great number of these huts are placed close together, like the buildings in a town. 4. They always build their huts on the banks of rivers or lakes, for they swim much

32 ECLECTIC SERIES. more easily than they walk, and prefer moving about in the water. 5. When they build on the bank of a running stream, they make a dam across the stream for the purpose of keeping the water at the height they wish. 6. These dams are made chiefly of mud, and stones, and the branches of trees. They are sometimes six or seven hundred feet in length, and are so constructed that they look more like the work of man than of little dumb beasts. 7. Their huts are made of the same material as the dams, and are round in shape. The walls are very thick, and the roofs are finished off with a thick layer of mud, sticks, and leaves. 8. They commence building their houses late in the summer, but do not get them finished before the early frosts. The freezing makes them tighter and stronger. 9. They obtain the wood for their dams and huts by gnawing through the branches of trees, and even through the trunks of small ones, with their sharp front teeth. They peel off the bark, and lay it up in store for winter food.

THIRD READER. 33 10. The fur of the beaver is highly prized. The men who hunt these animals are called trappers. 11. A gentleman once saw five young beavers playing. They would leap on the trunk of a tree that lay near a beaver dam, and would push one another off into the water.