At that far hight none dared to go—
No aid could reach him there.

5. We gazed, but not a man could speak!
With horror all aghast,

In groups, with pallid brow and cheek,
We watched the quivering mast.

6. The atmosphere grew thick and hot,
And of a lurid hue,

As, riveted unto the spot,

Stood officers and crew.

7. The father came on deck!—he gasped—
"O God! thy will be done!”
Then suddenly a rifle grasped,

And aimed it at his son.

8. "Jump! far out, boy! into the wave-
Jump, or I fire!" he said;

"That only chance your life can save!
Jump-jump, boy!"- He obeyed.

9. He sunk, he rose, he lived, he moved -
And for the ship struck out!
On board we hailed the lad beloved
With many a manly shout.

10. His father drew, in silent joy,

Those wet arms round his neck,
Then folded to his heart the boy,
And fainted on the deck.

GEO. P. MORRIS.

LESSON CLXXXIII.

VOCAL GYMNASTICS.

REFER TO CAUTION 4.-The errors against which you are here put on your guard are errors that most easily beset young readers. Study them well, and make constant reference to the dictionary when you are in doubt.

(1.) The leaves of the hazel began to shrivel. (2) Give me the shovel to dig out the weasel. (3.) See the gravel. (4.) This novel furnishes a model of style. (5.) He is about to travel. (6.) The rebels attacked the chapel from their vessel. (7.) The sloven lost his mitten. (8.) The women wore linen dresses. (9) On a sudden the marten ran into the kitchen. (10.) The flower has more than one stamen. (11.) The door was open. (12.) It was broken in seven pieces. (13.) The raven flew away. (14.) He saw heaven open. (15.) Dig the gravel with the shovel. (16.) The weasel is the deadly enemy of the squirrel and the chicken. (17.) You may unravel that woolen stocking. (18.) Linen cloth is better than cotton.

PRONUNCIATION -Be-neath', 15, shrink'ing 23, ac-cept'ed 1, fol'low-ing 6, du’el 18, En'glish-man 33, and 29.

THE DUEL.

1. DURING the campaign of 1779, Washington had established his head-quarters at West Point, while Gen. Putnam was stationed with several bodies of troops about two miles below.

2. It chanced one day that Gen. Putnam made some remark within hearing of an English officer, then a prisoner on parole, in which he commented somewhat severely upon the character of the British.

3. The officer received the remark as a personal insult, and immediately sent the general a challenge.

4. Fatigued with his arduous duties, Putnam had just retired to his quarters. Having removed by plentiful ablutions the dust and heat of a day's toil, he had seated himself at the door of his tent, and was indulging in the luxury of a pipe.

5. At this moment the challenge of the English officer was handed to him. Putnam glanced his keen eye over the missive, and, impatiently throwing it down, exclaimed: "Challenged, as I am alive! Challenged, eh? Why, the fellow is a greater fool than I took him to be. Well, well, I will humor the puppy!"

6. Coolly finishing his pipe, he called for pen and ink,-accepted the challenge,-appointed the place of meeting,-time, an early hour the following morning.

7. After dispatching a messenger to the quarters of the Englishman he strolled around the barracks, inspecting the garrison and stores. Among the stores were several barrels filled with onions. The barrels looked exactly like the casks used for holding gunpowder. At sight of them a new idea struck the humorous general.

8. He immediately ordered one of the barrels to be transported to an adjoining field and placed in a particular spot which he pointed out to the subaltern.

9. It was at an early hour of a glorious morning that the British officer took his way over the fields on his murderous errand. The dew lay thick and heavy on the short grass, spangling the bright

autumn flowers. Far down below, calm and silvery, thridded the waters of the Hudson, and the mountain-passes echoed with the notes of the bugle and the roll of the "spirit-stirring drum" beating the morning call.

As

10. But the Englishman had no heart for the glorious scene. he drew near the place of meeting he perceived his antagonist already on the ground; and certainly, for one whose moments were perhaps numbered, he seemed to be taking things easy.

11. Seated on a low camp-stool, beneath the wide-spreading branches of a large sycamore, was Gen. Putnam, one elbow resting on the top of a barrel, his legs carelessly stretched out, his eyes half-closed, as he sat composedly enjoying his favorite pipe.

12. The officer advanced somewhat hastily, amazed at the indifference of one whose life hung on the chance of a bullet. Not until his antagonist was within a few feet of the place did Putnam take the least notice of him; and then he merely made a slight inclination of the head to direct him to take the seat on the opposite side of the barrel.

13. In the head of the barrel there was a small opening, in which a match had been inserted. No sooner was the officer seated, than Putnam proceeded to ignite the match with his pipe, coolly remarking as he did so, "You see there is the same chance for both of us!" He then resumed his smoking.

14. The Englishman was horrified. He could face danger on the battle-field; he could, without shrinking, bare his breast to the bullet of the duelist; but to be blown up into the air, to die by such an unsoldierlike and terrible mode of warfare, was more than his courage could dare; yet honor forbade retreat.

15. According to the duelist's code he must abide by the decision of Putnam, who had the right to choose the weapons. "But,' said he to himself, "what has the daring, reckless Yankee chosen? A barrel of gunpowder!"

16. With indescribable terror the Englishman watched the slow burning of the match, and the gradual down-creeping of that flame which he expected would in a few moments send him into eternity 17. As the fire reached the opening there was a fizzing, crackling sound a slight explosion accompanied by a strange odor. Brave as he was, the officer could endure no more. "I will not be murdered in this manner!" he exclaimed, precipitately rising to make his retreat.

18. "Ho! ho! brave sir!" shouted Putnam, coolly knocking the ashes from his pipe, "you are just the man I took you for. This is but a barrel of onions with a few grains of powder scattered on the top to try you. But I see you do not like the smell."

ANONYMOUS.

LESSON CLXXXV.

ARCH'ER, one who shoots with a bow.
AN-TIC'I-PATE, to act before another, to
cause a thing to appear before its time.
BRILLIANT, & diamond cut into angles,
so as to shine brighter.
CASKET, a small box for jewels.
DE-FLOUR' to deprive of flowers.
DIA-DEM, a crown.

EB'ON, like ebony, black.

EM'E-RALD, a precious stone of a green
color.

FIL'LET, a little band to tie about the
hair of the head.
FRACTURED, broken.

RU BY, a precious stone of a red color.
SAPPHIRE, (saffir,) a precious stone,
generally of a blue color.

WAN'TON-NESS, spirit of mischief.

PRONUNCIATION.-Tar'get (g hard), glit'ter-ing 3b, knew 16, dew'y 16, and 29, clear 22, fractured 16 & 18.

THE STORK AND THE RUBY.

1. A CERTAIN prince-I have forgot his name
Playing one morning at the archer's game,
Within a garden where his palace stood,
Shot at a stork, and spilled the creature's blood
For very wantonness and cruelty.

2. Thrice had he pierced the target in the eye
At fifty paces; twice defloured a rose,
Striking each time the very leaf he chose;
Then he set up his dagger in a hedge,
And split an arrow on its glittering edge.

3. What next to hit he knew not. Looking round,
He saw a stork just lighted on the ground,
To rest itself after its leagues of flight;

The dewy walk in which it stood was bright,
So white its plumage, and so clear its eyes,
Twinkling with innocence and sweet surprise!

4. "I'll shoot the silly bird," the prince exclaimed;
And, bending his strong bow, he straightway aimed
His keenest arrow at its panting heart.

The lucky arrow missed a vital part,

(Or was it some kind wind that pushed it by ?)
And only struck and broke the creature's thigh.
The poor thing tumbled in a lily-bed,
And its blood ran and made the lilies red.

5. It marked the changing color of the flowers,
The winding garden-walks, the bloomy bowers,
And last the cruel prince, who laughed with glee-
Fixing the picture in its memory.

This done, it struggled up, and flew away,
Leaving the prince amazed and in dismay.

6. Beyond the city walls, a league or more,
A little maid was spinning at her door,

Singing old songs to cheer the long day's work.
Her name was Heraclis. The fainting stork
Dropped at her feet, and with its ebon bill
Showed her its limb, broken, and bleeding still.

7. She fetched it water from a neighboring spring,
And while it drank and washed each dabbled wing
She set the fractured bones with pious care,
And bound them with the fillet of her hair.
Eased of its pain, again it flew away,
Leaving the maiden happier all the day.

8. That night the prince, as usual, went to bed,
His royal wine a little in his head.

Beside him stood a casket full of gems,

The spoil of conquered monarchs' diadems.
Great pearls, milk-white and shining like the moon;
Emeralds, grass-green; sapphires, like skies of June;
Brilliants that threw their light upon the wall;
And one great ruby that outshone them all,
Large as a pigeons's egg, and red as wine
When held before the sun

a gem divine!

9. Through these he ran his fingers carelessly,
Like one who dips a handful of the sea,
To sun his eyes with dripping stars of brine;
At last he slumbered in the pale moonshine.

10. Meantime the watchful stork was in his bowers;
Again it saw its blood upon the flowers,

And saw the walks, the fountain's shaft in air,
But not the cruel prince- no prince was there.
So up and down the spacious courts it flew,
And ever nearer to the palace drew.

11. Passing the lighted windows, row by row,
It saw the prince, and saw the ruby's glow.
Hopping into the chamber, grave and still,
It seized the ruby with its ebon bill,

And, spreading then its rapid wings in flight,
Flew out, and vanished in the yawning night.

12. Night slowly passed, and morning broke again;
There came a light tap on the window-pane
Of Heraclis. It woke her; she arose,
And, slipping on in haste her peasant clothes,
Opened the door to see who knocked, and lo!
In walked the stork again, as white as snow,
And in its bill the ruby, whose red ray
Flamed in her face, anticipating day!

13. The bird's look said, "I thank you!" plain as words; The virgin's look was brighter than the bird's,