Chapter 3

4. But soon from the chamber the others rushed down, Impatient to learn what the trouble might be; I have not a doubt that each brow wore a frown, Only frowns on their brows are not easy to see. For a moment they gazed, perplexed and amazed; Then began both together to--gnaw off the tail! So, quick I released him,--do you think that it pleased him? And up the small staircase they fled like a gale. Julia C. R. Dorr. LESSON XXVII.

THE NEW YEAR. 1. One pleasant New-year morning, Edward rose, and washed and dressed himself

70 ECLECTIC SERIES. in haste. He wanted to be first to wish a happy New Year. 2. He looked in every room, and shouted the words of welcome. He ran into the

street, to repeat them to those he might meet. 3. When he came back, his father gave him two bright, new silver dollars. 4. His face lighted up as he took them. He had wished for a long time to buy some pretty books that he had seen at the bookstore.

THIRD READER. 71 5. He left the house with a light heart, intending to buy the books. 6. As he ran down the street, he saw a poor German family, the father, mother, and three children shivering with cold. 7. "I wish you a happy New Year," said Edward, as he was gayly passing on. The man shook his head. 8. "You do not belong to this country," said Edward. The man again shook his head, for he could not understand or speak our language. 9. But he pointed to his mouth, and to the children, as if to say, "These little ones have had nothing to eat for a long time." 10. Edward quickly understood that these poor people were in distress. He took out his dollars, and gave one to the man, and the other to his wife. 11. How their eyes sparkled with gratitude! They said something in their language, which doubtless meant, "We thank you a thousand times, and will remember you in our prayers." 12. When Edward came home, his father asked what books he had bought. He hung his head a moment, but quickly looked up.

72 ECLECTIC SERIES. 13. "I have bought no books," said he, "I gave my money to some poor people, who seemed to be very hungry and wretched. 14. "I think I can wait for my books till next New Year. Oh, if you had seen how glad they were to receive the money!" 15. "My dear boy;" said his father, "here is a whole bundle of books. I give them to you, more as a reward for your goodness of heart than as a New-year gift. 16. "I saw you give the money to the poor German family. It was no small sum for a little boy to give cheerfully. 17. "Be thus ever ready to help the poor, and wretched, and distressed; and every year of your life will be to you a happy New Year." LESSON XXVIII.

THE CLOCK AND THE SUNDIAL. A FABLE. 1. One gloomy day, the clock on a church steeple, looking down on a sundial, said,

THIRD READER. 73 "How stupid it is in you to stand there all the while like a stock! 2. "You never tell the hour till a bright sun looks forth from the sky, and gives you leave. I go merrily round, day and night, in summer and winter the same, without asking his leave. 3. "I tell the people the time to rise, to go to dinner, and to come to church.

74 ECLECTIC SERIES. 4. "Hark! I am going to strike now; one, two, three, four. There it is for you. How silly you look! You can say nothing." 5. The sun, at that moment, broke forth from behind a cloud, and showed, by the sundial, that the clock was half an hour behind the right time. 6. The boasting clock now held his tongue, and the dial only smiled at his folly. 7. MORAL.--Humble modesty is more often right than a proud and boasting spirit.

LESSON XXIX.

REMEMBER. 1. Remember, child, remember, That God is in the sky; That He looks down on all we do, With an ever-wakeful eye.

2. Remember, oh remember, That, all the day and night, He sees our thoughts and actions With an ever-watchful sight.

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3. Remember, child, remember, That God is good and true; That He wishes us to always be Like Him in all we do.

4. Remember that He ever hates A falsehood or a lie; Remember He will punish, too, The wicked, by and by.

5. Remember, oh remember, That He is like a friend, And wishes us to holy be, And happy, in the end.

6. Remember, child, remember, To pray to Him in heaven; And if you have been doing wrong, Oh, ask to be forgiven.

7. Be sorry, in your little prayer, And whisper in his ear; Ask his forgiveness and his love. And He will surely hear.

8. Remember, child, remember, That you love, with all your might,

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The God who watches o'er us, And gives us each delight; Who guards us ever through the day, And saves us in the night.

LESSON XXX..

COURAGE AND COWARDICE. 1. Robert and Henry were going home from school, when, on turning a corner, Robert cried out, "A fight! let us go and see!"

ECLECTIC READER. 77 2. "No," said Henry; "let us go quietly home and not meddle with this quarrel. We have nothing to do with it, and may get into mischief." 3. "You are a coward, and afraid to go," said Robert, and off he ran. Henry went straight home, and in the afternoon went to school, as usual. 4. But Robert had told all the boys that Henry was a coward, and they laughed at him a great deal. 5. Henry had learned, however, that true courage is shown most in bearing reproach when not deserved, and that he ought to be afraid of nothing but doing wrong. 6. A few days after, Robert was bathing with some schoolmates, and got out of his depth. He struggled, and screamed for help, but all in vain. 7. The boys who had called Henry a coward, got out of the water as fast as they could, but they did not even try to help him. 8. Robert was fast sinking, when Henry threw off his clothes, and sprang into the water. He reached Robert just as he was sinking the last time.

78 ECLECTIC SERIES. 9. By great effort, and with much danger to himself, he brought Robert to thc shore, and thus saved his life. 10. Robert and his schoolmates were ashamed at having called Henry a coward. They owned that he had more courage than any of them. 11. Never be afraid to do good, but always fear to do evil.

LESSON XXXI.

WEIGHING AN ELEPHANT. 1. "An eastern king," said Teddy's mother, "had been saved from some great danger. To show his gratitude for deliverance, he vowed he would give to the poor the weight of his favorite elephant in silver." 2. "Oh! what a great quantity that would be," cried Lily, opening her eyes very wide. "But how could you weigh an elephant?"

THIRD READER. 79 asked Teddy, who was a quiet, thoughtful boy 3. "There was the difficulty," said his mother. "The wise and learned men of the court stroked their long beards, and talked the matter over, but no one found out how to weigh the elephant. 4. "At last, a poor old sailor found safe and simple means by which to weigh the enormous beast. The thousands and thousands of pieces of silver were counted out to the people; and crowds of the poor were relieved by the clever thought of the sailor." 5. "O mamma," said Lily, "do tell us what it was!" 6. "Stop, stop!" said Teddy. "I want to think for myself-- think hard--and find out how an elephant's weight could be known, with little trouble and expense." 7. "I am well pleased," said his mother, "that my little boy should set his mind to work on the subject. If he can find out the sailor's secret before night, he shall have that orange for his pains." 8. The boy thought hard and long. Lily laughed at her brother's grave looks, as he sat leaning his head on his hands. Often

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she teased him with the question, "Can you weigh an elephant, Teddy?" 9. At last, while eating his supper, Teddy suddenly cried out, "I have it now!" 10. "Do you think so?" asked his mother. 11. "How would you do it," asked Lily.

THIRD READER. 81 12. "First, I would have a big boat brought very close to the shore, and would have planks laid across, so that the elephant could walk right into it." 13. "Oh, such a great, heavy beast would make it sink low in the water," said Lily. 14. "Of course it would," said her brother. Then I would mark on the outside of the boat the exact height to which the water had risen all around it while the elephant was inside. Then he should march on shore, leaving the boat quite empty." 15. "But I do n't see the use of all this," said Lily. 16. "Do n't you?" cried Teddy, in surprise. "Why, I should then bring the heaps of silver, and throw them into the boat till their weight would sink it to the mark made by the elephant. That would show that the weight of each was the same." 17. "How funny!" cried Lily; "you would make a weighing machine of the boat?" 18. "That is my plan," said Teddy. 19. "That was the sailor's plan," said his mother. "You have earned the orange, my boy;" and she gave it to him with a smile. Adapted from A. L. O. E. 3,6.

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LESSON XXXII.

THE SOLDIER.

1. A soldier! a soldier! I'm longing to he: The name and the life of a soldier for me! I would not be living at ease and at play; True honor and glory I'd win in my day.

2. A soldier! a soldier! in armor arrayed; My weapons in hand, of no contest afraid; I'd ever be ready to strike the first blow, And to fight my way through the ranks of the foe.

3. But then, let me tell you, no blood would I shed, No victory seek o'er the dying and dead; A far braver soldier than this would I be; A warrior of Truth, in the ranks of the free.

4. A soldier! a soldier! Oh, then, let me be! My friends, I invite you, enlist now with me. Truth's bands shall be mustered, love's foes shall give way! Let's up, and be clad in our battle array! J. G. Adams.

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LESSON XXXIII.

THE ECHO. 1. As Robert was one day rambling about, he happened to cry out, "Ho, ho!" He instantly heard coming back from a hill near by, the same words, "Ho, ho!" 2. In great surprise, he said with a loud voice, "Who are you?" Upon this, the same words came back, "Who are you?" 3. Robert now cried out harshly, "You must be a very foolish fellow." "Foolish fellow!" came back from the hill. 4. Robert became angry, and with loud and fierce words went toward the spot whence the sounds came. The words all came back to him in the same angry tone. 5. He then went into the thicket, and looked for the boy who, as he thought, was mocking him; but he could find nobody anywhere. 6. When he went home, he told his mothe

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that some boy had hid himself in the wood, for the purpose of mocking him. 7. "Robert," said his mother, "you are angry with yourself alone. You heard nothing but your own words." 8. "Why, mother, how can that be?" said Robert. "Did you never hear an echo?" asked his mother. "An echo, dear mother? No, ma'am. What is it?" 9. "I will tell you," said his mother. "You know, when you play with your ball,

THIRD READER. 85 and throw it against the side of a house, it bounds back to you." "Yes, mother," said he, "and I catch it again." 10. "Well," said his mother, "if I were in the open air, by the side of a hill or a large barn, and should speak very loud, my voice would be sent back, so that I could hear again the very words which I spoke. 11. "That, my son, is an echo. When you thought some one was mocking you, it was only the hill before you, echoing, or sending back, your own voice. 12. "The bad boy, as you thought it was, spoke no more angrily than yourself. If you had spoken kindly, you would have heard a kind reply. 13. "Had you spoken in a low, sweet, gentle tone, the voice that came back would have been as low, sweet, and gentle as your own. 14. "The Bible says, 'A soft answer turneth away wrath.' Remember this when you are at play with your school mates. 15. "If any of them should be offended, and speak in a loud, angry tone, remember the echo, and let your words be soft and kind."

86 ECLECTIC SERIES. 16. "When you come home from school, and find your little brother cross and peevish, speak mildly to him. You will soon see a smile on his lips, and find that his tones will become mild and sweet. 17. "Whether you are in the fields or in the woods, at school or at play, at home or abroad, remember, The good and the kind, By kindness their love ever proving, Will dwell with the pure and the loving."

LESSON XXXIV.

GEORGE'S FEAST. 1. George's mother was very poor. Instead of having bright, blazing fires in winter, she had nothing to burn but dry sticks, which George picked up from under the trees and hedges. 2. One fine day in July, she sent George to the woods, which were about two miles from the village in which she lived. He

THIRD READER. 87 was to stay there all day, to get as much wood as he could collect. 3. It was a bright, sunny day, and George worked very hard; so that by the time the

sun was high, he was hot, and wished for a cool place where he might rest and eat his dinner. 4. While he hunted about the bank he saw among the moss some fine, wild strawberries, which were a bright scarlet with ripeness.

88 ECLECTIC SERIES. 5. "How good these will be with my bread and butter!" thought George; and lining his little cap with leaves, he set to work eagerly to gather all he could find, and then seated himself by the brook. 6. It was a pleasant place, and George felt happy and contented. He thought how much his mother would like to see him there, and to be there herself, instead of in her dark, close room in the village. 7. George thought of all this, and just as he was lifting the first strawberry to his mouth, he said to himself, "How much mother would like these;" and he stopped, and put the strawberry back again. 8. "Shall I save them for her?" said he, thinking how much they would refresh her, yet still looking at them with a longing eye. 9. "I will eat half, and take the other half to her," said he at last; and he divided them into two heaps. But each heap looked so small, that he put them together again. 10. "I will only taste one," thought he; but, as he again lifted it to his mouth, he saw that he had taken the finest, and he put it back. "I will keep them all for her,"

THIRD READER. 89 said he, and he covered them up nicely, till he should go home. 11. When the sun was beginning to sink, George set out for home. How happy he felt, then, that he had all his strawberries for his sick mother. The nearer he came to his home, the less he wished to taste them. 12. Just as he had thrown down his wood, he heard his mother's faint voice calling him from the next room. "Is that you, George? I am glad you have come, for I am thirsty, and am longing for some tea." 13. George ran in to her, and joyfully offered his wild strawberries. "And you saved them for your sick mother, did you?" said she, laying her hand fondly on his head, while the tears stood in her eyes. "God will bless you for all this, my child." 14. Could the eating of the strawberries have given George half the happiness he felt at this moment?

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LESSON XXXV.

THE LORD'S PRAYER.

1. Our Father in heaven, We hallow thy name; May thy kingdom holy On earth be the same; Oh, give to us daily Our portion of bread; It is from thy bounty, That all must be fed.

2. Forgive our transgressions. And teach us to know The humble compassion That pardons each foe; Keep us from temptation, From weakness and sin, And thine be the glory Forever! Amen!

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LESSON XXXVI.

FINDING THE OWNER. 1. "It's mine," said Fred, showing a white handled pocketknife, with every blade perfect and shining. "Just what I've always

THIRD READER. 93 wanted." And he turned the prize over and over with evident satisfaction. 2. "I guess I know who owns it," said Tom, looking at it with a critical eye.

3. "I guess you do n't," was the quick response. "It is n't Mr. Raymond's," said Fred, shooting wide of the mark. 4. "I know that; Mr. Raymond's is twice as large," observed Tom, going on with his drawing lesson. 5. Do you suppose Fred took any comfort in that knife? Not a bit of comfort did he take. He was conscious all the time of having something in his possession that did

94 ECLECTIC SERIES. not belong to him; and Tom's suspicion interfered sadly with his enjoyment. 6. Finally, it became such a torment to him, that he had serious thoughts of burning it, or burying it, or giving it away; but a better plan suggested itself. 7. "Tom," said he, one day at recess, "did n't you say you thought you knew who owned that knife I found?" 8. "Yes, I did; it looked like Doctor Perry's." And Tom ran off to his play, without giving the knife another thought. 9. Dr. Perry's! Why, Fred would have time to go to the doctor's office before recess closed: so he started in haste, and found the old gentleman getting ready to visit a patient. "Is this yours?" cried Fred, in breathless haste, holding up the cause of a week's anxiety. 10. "It was," said the doctor; "but I lost it the other day." 11. "I found it," said Fred, "and have felt like a thief ever since. Here, take it; I've got to run." 12. "Hold on!" said the doctor. "I've got a new one, and you are quite welcome to this."

THIRD READER. 95 13. "Am I? May I? Oh! thank you!" And with what a different feeling he kept it from that which he had experienced for a week!

LESSON XXXVII.

BATS. 1. Bats are very strange little animals, having hair like mice, and wings like birds. During the day, they live in crevices of rocks, in caves, and in other dark places. 2. At night, they go forth in search of food; and, no doubt, you have seen them flying

96 ECLECTIC SERIES. about, catching such insects as happen to be out rather late at night. 3. The wings of a bat have no quills. They are only thin pieces of skin stretched upon a framework of bones. Besides this, it may be said that while he is a quadruped, he can rise into the air and fly from place to place like a bird. 4. There is a funny fable about the bat, founded upon this double character of beast and bird, which I will tell you. 5. An owl was once prowling about, when he came across a bat. So he caught him in his claws, and was about to devour him. Upon this, the bat began to squeal terribly; and he said to the owl, "Pray, what do you take me for, that you use me thus?" 6. "Why, you are a bird, to be sure," said the owl, "and I am fond of birds. I love dearly to break their little bones." 7. "Well," said the bat, "I thought there was some mistake. I am no bird. Do n't you see, Mr. Owl, that I have no feathers, and that I am covered with hair like a mouse?" 8. "Sure enough," said the owl, in great surprise; "I see it now. Really, I took you

THIRD READER. 97 for a bird, but it appears you are only a kind of mouse. I ate a mouse last night, and it gave me the nightmare. I can't bear mice! Bah! it makes me sick to think of it." So the owl let the bat go.

9. The very next night, the bat encountered another danger. He was snapped up by puss, who took him for a mouse, and immediately prepared to eat him. 10. "I beg you to stop one moment," said the bat. "Pray, Miss Puss, what do you suppose I am?" "A mouse, to be sure!" said the cat. "Not at all," said the bat, spreading his long wings. 11. "Sure enough," said the cat: "you seem to be a bird, though your feathers are 3,7.

98 ECLECTIC SERIES. not very fine. I eat birds sometimes, but I am tired of them just now, having lately devoured four young robins; so you may go. But, bird or mouse, it will be your best policy to keep out of my way hereafter." 12. The meaning of this fable is, that a person playing a double part may sometimes escape danger; but he is always, like the bat, a creature that is disgusting to everybody, and shunned by all. S. G. Goodrich--Adapted.

LESSON XXXVIII.

A SUMMER DAY.

1. This is the way the morning dawns: Rosy tints on flowers and trees, Winds that wake the birds and bees, Dewdrops on the fields and lawns-- This is the way the morning dawns.

2. This is the way the sun comes up: Gold on brook and glossy leaves,

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Mist that melts above the sheaves, Vine, and rose, and buttercup-- This is the way the sun comes up.

0

3. This is the way the river flows: Here a whirl, and there a dance; Slowly now, then, like a lance, Swiftly to the sea it goes-- This is the way the river flows.

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4. This is the way the rain comes down: Tinkle, tinkle, drop by drop, Over roof and chimney top; Boughs that bend, and skies that frown-- This is the way the rain comes down.

5. This is the way the birdie sings: "Baby birdies in the nest, You I surely love the best; Over you I fold my wings"-- This is the way the birdie sings.

6. This is the way the daylight dies: Cows are lowing in the lane, Fireflies wink on hill and plain; Yellow, red, and purple skies-- This is the way the daylight dies. George Cooper.

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LESSON XXXIX.

I WILL THINK OF IT. 1. "I will think of it." It is easy to say this; but do you know what great things have come from thinking? 2. We can not see our thoughts, or hear, or taste, or feel them; and yet what mighty power they have! 3. Sir Isaac Newton was seated in his garden on a summer's evening, when he saw an apple fall from a tree. He began to think, and, in trying to find out why the apple fell, discovered how the earth, sun, moon, and stars are kept in their places. 4. A boy named James Watt sat quietly by the fireside, watching the lid of the tea kettle as it moved up and down. He began to think; he wanted to find out why the steam in the kettle moved the heavy lid.

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5. From that time he went on thinking and thinking; and when he became a man, he improved the steam engine so much that it could, with the greatest ease, do the work of many horses. 6. When you see a steamboat, a steam mill, or a locomotive, remember that it would never have been built if it had not been for the hard thinking of some one. 7. A man named Galileo was once standing in the cathedral of Pisa, when he saw a chandelier swaying to and fro.

THIRD READER. 103 8. This set him thinking, and it led to the invention of the pendulum. 9. James Ferguson was a poor Scotch shepherd boy. Once, seeing the inside of a watch, he was filled with wonder. "Why should I not make a watch?" thought he. 10. But how was he to get the materials out of which to make the wheels and the mainspring? He soon found how to get them: he made the mainspring out of a piece of whalebone. He then made a wooden clock which kept good time. 11. He began, also, to copy pictures with a pen, and portraits with oil colors. In a few years, while still a small boy, he earned money enough to support his father. 12. When he became a man, he went to London to live. Some of the wisest men in England, and the king himself, used to attend his lectures. His motto was, "I will think of it;" and he made his thoughts useful to himself and the world. 13. Boys, when you have a difficult lesson to learn, do n't feel discouraged, and ask some one to help you before helping yourselves. Think, and by thinking you will learn how to think to some purpose.

104 ECLECTIC SERIES. LESSON XL. CHARLIE AND ROB. 1. "Do n't you hate splitting wood?" asked Charlie, as he sat down on a log to hinder Rob for a while. 2. "No, I rather like it. When I get hold of a tough old fellow, I say, 'See here, now, you think you're the stronger, and are going to beat me; so I'll split you up into kindling wood." 3. "Pshaw!" said Charlie, laughing; "and it's only a stick of wood." 4. "Yes; but you see I pretend it's a lesson, or a tough job of any kind, and it's nice to conquer it." 5. "I do n't want to conquer such things; I do n't care what becomes of them. I wish I were a man, and a rich one." 6. "Well, Charlie, if you live long enough you'll be a man, without wishing for it; and as for the rich part, I mean to be that myself." 7. "You do. How do you expect to get your money? By sawing wood?" 8. "May be--some of it; that's as good a

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