Biographical. HELPS TO STUDY Joel Chandler Harris, better known as "Uncle Remus," was a native of Georgia. He learned the printer's trade, and studied law, but finally became a journalist. His "Stories of Uncle Remus" were published in the Atlanta Constitution, and received such a warm welcome that "Nights with Uncle Remus," and "Uncle Remus and his Friends" soon followed. "Brer Rabbit" is the hero of these stories. They are accurate pictures of Southern life and give a perfect imitation of the negro dialect. Harris died at his home, "Wren's Nest," near Atlanta, in 1908. cav al cade' a procession of persons on horseback. taw'ny a dull yellowish brown. com par'a tive ly - not positively or absolutely. drag scent, trail. Notes and Questions. How is a foxhunt conducted? Why 66 did the editor name his dog " Jonah"? Tell how foxhounds are trained. Why was "Old Sandy " well known to every hunter in the country? What is meant by Joe was to act as master of ceremonies"? Why did he say "there must be no horn blowing until after the hunt is over"? Describe Jonah's run after " Old Sandy." Why did Miss Carter say he deserved to escape? What did he do when he was Tell how the hunt was begun. pushed"? Tell how Jonah finally captured him. "hard To the Teacher. - Pupils should test their ability in narration by telling this story with its interesting details. They might tell similar stories out of their own hunting experiences. OCTOBER IN TENNESSEE Far, far away, beyond a hazy height, The turquoise skies are hung in dreamy sleep; Now, like Aladdin of the days of old, October robes the weeds in purple gowns ; He sprinkles all the sterile fields with gold, And all the rustic trees wear royal crowns. The straggling fences all are interlaced With pink and purple morning-glory blooms; The starry asters glorify the waste, While grasses stand on guard with pikes and plumes. Yet still amid the splendor of decay The chill winds call for blossoms that are dead, At last, November, like a conqueror, comes The sunset, like a vast vermilion flood, The forest flames with blazes red as blood, Then all the treasures of that brilliant state Dies in the forest with their sunset fire. 66 Word Study. tur'quoise HELPS TO STUDY having a fine, light blue color. A lad'din a character in the Arabian Nights that possessed a wonderful lamp and ring which when rubbed together caused spirits to appear who would do his bidding. in ter laced' intertwined. pike a long wooden staff tipped with a sharp steel point. con'quer or one who gains a victory. des o la'tion- ruin, gloominess. ver mil'ion a brilliant red. pyre a pile of material that burns readily, on which the dead are consumed. re signed' not disposed to murmur or resist. Notes and Questions. Describe the appearance of a cotton field in October. How are the "weeds robed"? What is the gold" with which the "sterile fields" are sprinkled? What are the pikes and plumes of grasses"? What is the "splendor of decay"? For what do the crickets chirp? Where have the songsters gone? How does November come? Describe the sunset at that time. What is said of the death of October? briefly the story of Aladdin. Tell EXPLORING TOUR It would be useless, and perhaps tedious, to trace thus day by day, and hour by hour, the history of our young friends. We will now pass over an interval of nearly three weeks, from Saturday, November sixth, when Robert's contest with the panther occurred, to Wednesday, November twenty-fourth, when the affairs of the party took another turn. The only incident worth relating that occurred during this period, was the construction of a pen for entrapping turkeys. It was simply a covered inclosure, ten or twelve feet square, with a deep trench communicating from the outside to the center. This trench was made deep enough to allow a feeding turkey to walk under the side of the pen, while next the wall, inside, it was bridged over, so that the birds in running along the walls, after having entered, might not fall into the trench, and see their way out. This trap was planned with a knowledge of the fact, that though a turkey looks down when feeding, it never looks down when trying to escape. This is equally true of the quail or southern partridge, and probably of gallinaceous birds in general. By means of this trap the boys took more turkeys than they really needed. In the meantime Harold's ankle had become so nearly well, that for a week he had not used his crutches; and Sam's bones, though by no means fit to be used, were rapidly knitting. No one had yet come to the rescue of the party. Often had they gone, singly and together, to the flagstaff, and swept the watery horizon with their glass, but no helper appeared. Robert and Mary had learned by this time to curb their impatience, and to await in calmness the time when they should begin working upon their proposed boat. From the first day that they found themselves shut up upon the island, Robert and Harold had meditated an exploration of the surrounding country, but had hitherto been prevented by various causes. The stock of provisions laid in by this time was quite respectable. Five deer had been killed, and their hams were now in the smoke, the company having in the meantime subsisted upon the other parts of the venison, turkeys from the pen, oysters, crabs, and fish. There were also fifty dried fish, two live turkeys, and four fat opossums in the cage made for them, to say nothing of the stores brought from home. Before starting, the boys provided Mary with a large supply of wood for the kitchen and smokehouse, water also, and everything else which they could foresee as needful. It was broad daylight on the morning of Wednesday, the twenty-fourth day of November, when they set upon their tour. Robert carried the wallet of provisions, consisting of parched corn, smoked venison, and a few hard crackers of Mary's manufacture; in his belt he fastened a flat powderflask filled with water, being the best substitute he could devise for a canteen. Harold carried the blanket rolled up and Frank's hatchet stuck in his belt. |