Chapter III: Part 3

The narcissus grows upon the margin of streams, and, bending over the waters, seems to admire its image mirrored there.

THE BROOK.

I come from haunts of coot and hern,
I make a sudden sally,
And sparkle out among the fern,
To bicker down a valley.

By thirty hills I hurry down,
Or slip between the ridges,
By twenty thorps, a little town,
And half a hundred bridges.

I chatter over stony ways,
In little sharps and trebles,
I bubble into eddying bays,
I babble on the pebbles.

I wind about, and in and out,
With here a blossom sailing,
And here and there a lusty trout,
And here and there a grayling.

And here and there a foamy flake
Upon me, as I travel
With many a silvery water break
Above the golden gravel,

And draw them all along, and flow
To join the brimming river;
For men may come and men may go,
But I go on forever.

I steal by lawns and grassy plots,
I slide by hazel covers;
I move the sweet forget-me-nots,
That grow for happy lovers.

I slip, I slide, I gloom, I glance,
Among my skimming swallows;
I make the netted sunbeam dance
Against my sandy shallows.

And out again I curve and flow
To join the brimming river;
For men may come and men may go,
But I go on forever.
--Alfred Tennyson.

ECHO AND NARCISSUS.

Diana had many young and lovely nymphs, who attended her in her rambles over the wooded hills. Among these maids was Echo, a very graceful and merry nymph of the mountain. Echo had one serious fault, however. She was too fond of talking, and was always anxious to say the last word.

One day she angered Juno, with whom she was talking, and the goddess punished her severely. She said,--"Echo, this shall be your punishment for trying to deceive me. You may still have the last word as you are so fond of it, but never the first. You shall not have the power to begin the conversation; you may only reply."

Soon after this Echo met Narcissus, a handsome youth who was hunting upon the mountain. She admired his grace and skill in the hunt and wished very much to join in the chase. But she could not speak to him, and when he called to his companions she could only repeat the last words. Narcissus did not care to please the nymph, and so refused to speak with her or to allow her to join in the hunt.

After Narcissus left the mountain, Echo sought a lonely cave amid the rocks; and she grieved so over her punishment, that she pined away until nothing was left of the lovely nymph but her voice. Sometimes, in the lonely mountain paths, if you call, you will hear Echo repeating your words softly from a distance. But you will never see her; she is nothing but a voice.

BLUE.

Blue! 'Tis the life of heaven,--the domain
Of Cynthia,--the wide palace of the sun,--
The tent of Hesperus, and all his train,--
The bosomer of clouds, gold, gray, and dun.

Blue! 'Tis the life of waters--ocean
And all its vassal streams; pools numberless
May range, and foam, and fret, but never can
Subside, if not to dark-blue nativeness.

Blue! Gentle cousin of the forest green,
Married to green in all the sweetest flowers--
Forget-me-not, the bluebell, and that queen
Of secrecy, the violet: what strange powers
Hast thou, as a mere shadow! But how great
When in an eye thou art alive with fate!
--John Keats.

MINERVA.

The wonderful goddess Minerva is said to have come full-grown from the brain of her father, Jupiter, king of the gods. She is tall, and clad in full armor. Her name Minerva means "mind." She is called the goddess of wisdom, and she took the throne which the stupid goddess Dullness had held before. Unlike Mars, Minerva does not love war, but she is very brave when compelled to fight.

A city in Greece was to be named, and Neptune and Minerva contended for the honor. The gods decided that the one who produced the article most valuable to man should name the city.

Neptune struck the ground with his trident, and there sprang forth a horse, strong and noble. All admired Neptune's gift, and did not believe that Minerva could surpass him.

When Minerva produced the olive tree, they laughed, and all thought that Neptune had won. But the goddess told them that the olive tree could furnish wood for fire, for building houses, and for making many useful articles; that food and oil could be obtained from it; and that even clothing could be made from its fiber.

The gods then said that, while men could live without horses, they could not live without food, warmth, and shelter, and Minerva had the honor of naming the city.

Minerva was called Pallas Athene by the Greeks, and so the city in Greece was named Athens. In this city was erected a beautiful temple in her honor, called the Parthenon. Its ruins are still standing.

In this temple was a magnificent statue of Minerva, made by the great sculptor Phidias. It was of ivory and gold. The goddess wears a long cloak and a helmet, and carries a shield and spear. At her feet is coiled a serpent, the emblem of wisdom. Minerva has clear blue eyes, is always calm and dignified, and helps all those who wish to excel in wisdom, or to obtain skill in the arts of peace.

MINERVA AND ARACHNE.

Arachne was a young girl who was famous for her skill in embroidery and weaving. All the women of Greece knew that she excelled in this feminine work, and they liked to see her with her loom or needle. Even the nymphs, who love to sport about the fountains and in the groves, would leave their play to watch her.

It was pleasant to see her deftly separate the wool, and card it until it was soft and fleecy as down. Then dexterously twirling the spindle, she wove the web so quickly and easily that one watched her fingers with delight. Under her skillful touch, the trees in her tapestry seemed to bend before the gentle breeze, and the flowers were so perfect that they were as beautiful as those growing in the gardens.

"Minerva, the goddess of weaving, must be her teacher," said all who saw her wonderful work.

But this did not please Arachne, who was vain and proud. "I am my own teacher," she said, with a saucy toss of her pretty head, "and Minerva herself cannot compete with me."

This proud boast Minerva heard. The gods do not like such boasting, and Minerva determined to correct her or to punish her. She changed her form, and appeared before Arachne as a wise old woman.

"My child," she said, "do not challenge a goddess. Your work is beautiful and deserves praise, but Minerva's skill is that of a goddess. You are a mortal, and you should ask forgiveness of Minerva for your rash speech."

Arachne was angry at these wise words, and replied: "I do not wish your advice. I do not fear the goddess, and do not ask her forgiveness. If she is not afraid, let her come, and we will compare our work."

Lo! as she spoke, Minerva dropped her disguise, and stood revealed--a goddess. All around were amazed, and trembled before the glorious Minerva, except the angry Arachne.

Her friends tried to influence her to give up the contest, and to ask Minerva to forgive her irreverent words. But Arachne still thought she could excel the goddess in weaving, and, as Minerva said no more, the contest began.

Each took her place. Wools of different dyes were given them. Both worked with speed, and the slender shuttle seemed to fly under their fingers.

Arachne showed Leda and the swan, and Europa and the bull, with such fidelity to nature that they seemed to move and breathe. But the goddess showed her contest with Neptune. Twelve of the great gods were represented. Neptune with his trident had just produced the horse, that animal so strong and so useful to man. Minerva stood with her helmet and shield, showing her gift to man--the olive tree.

All the beholders saw that Minerva had surpassed Arachne, and felt that the proud girl must be punished for her pride and impiety. Minerva, more in pity than in anger, touched Arachne's forehead and said, "Live, guilty woman, and thus shall you preserve the memory of this lesson to all future times."

Speaking thus, the goddess changed the hapless Arachne into a spider. If you look at a spider's web, you will see that the descendants of Arachne still show great patience and skill, and spin wonderful webs.

MINERVA'S WEAVING.

She made the story of the old debate
Which she with Neptune did for Athens try:
Twelve gods do sit around in royal state,
And Jove in midst with awful majesty,
To judge the strife between them stirréd late;
Each of the gods, by his like visnomy
Is to be known, but Jove above them all,
By his great looks and power imperial.

Before them stands the god of seas in place,
Claiming that seacoast city as his right;
And strikes the rocks with his three-forkéd mace;
Whenceforth issues a warlike steed in sight,
The sign by which he challengeth the place;
That all the gods, which saw his wondrous might,
Did surely deem the victory his due;
But seldom seen, forejudgment proveth true.

Then to herself she gives her Ægide shield,
And steel-head spear, and morion on her head
Such as she oft is seen in warlike field:
Then sets she forth, how with her weapon dread
She smote the ground, the which straightforth did yield
A fruitful olive tree, with berries spread,
That all the gods admired: then, all the story
She compassed with a wreath of olives hoary.

Amongst these leaves she made a butterfly,
With excellent device and wondrous slight,
Flutt'ring among the olives wantonly,
That seemed to live, so like it was in sight:
The velvet nap which on his wings doth lie,
The silken down with which his back is dight,
His broad outstretchéd horns, his hairy thighs,
His glorious colors, and his glistening eyes.
--Edmund Spenser.

PROMETHEUS.

The gods told the wise Prometheus to bestow gifts upon all the animals of the earth, according to their need. So to the deer he gave swiftness; to the lion, courage; to the horse, strength; to the eagle, strong pinions; to the ox, patience; to the dog, keenness of scent; and to the nightingale, a melodious voice.

After the animals had all received special gifts, the gods told Prometheus to make man to rule over them. Prometheus made man after the image of the gods, but smaller and weaker, and Minerva gave to him mind and soul. Prometheus loved the man he had made, but as he had already bestowed all the gifts he had upon the animals, for a long time he could not think of a way in which to give man power over them. At last he decided that he must obtain for man the gift of fire.

But how could he get this wonderful element? He knew that Jupiter would never grant it; for fire belonged to Apollo, the god of the sun, and punishment would be inflicted upon any one who attempted to obtain it by stealth or by force. Yet his love for man prevailed over his fear and by night he approached the chariot wheels of the sun and stole some fire, bringing it to earth in a hollow tube. With this power, man conquers the cold, makes the minerals plastic, forces his way through mountains, and crosses deep seas.

When Jupiter discovered that Prometheus had bestowed this great gift on man, he punished him very severely; but Prometheus endured the punishment bravely, conscious that man would always profit by his daring. Prometheus has always been called the friend of man, and many poets have written in his honor.

HOME THOUGHTS FROM ABROAD.

Oh, to be in England
Now that April's there,
And whoever wakes in England
Sees, some morning, unaware,
That the lowest boughs and the brushwood sheaf
Round the elm-tree bole are in tiny leaf,
While the chaffinch sings on the orchard bough
In England--now!

And after April, when May follows,
And the whitethroat builds, and all the swallows!
Hark, where my blossomed pear tree in the hedge
Leans to the field, and scatters on the clover
Blossoms and dewdrops at the bent spray's edge--
That's the wise thrush; he sings each song twice over,
Lest you should think he never could recapture
That first fine careless rapture!

And though the fields look rough with hoary dew,
All will be gay when noontide wakes anew
The buttercups, the little children's dower
Far brighter than this gaudy melon flower!
--Robert Browning.

ADONIS.

Adonis was a youth of wonderful beauty. Tall and lithe and graceful, he seemed like a young god, although he was but a mortal. He was fond of hunting, and day after day found him roaming over the hills and through the forests with his bow and arrows. His step was light and bounding, and he seemed to belong to the life of the hills as much as the trees and flowers.

Tired with the hunt, he would throw himself upon the leafy turf and look up through the great branches of the trees to the azure skies.

It seemed to him that he could understand what the leaves were saying, as they rustled in the breeze. The clouds made him think of white-sailed boats floating on a blue sea, and he wished that he could sail with them to the home of the god of the golden sun. The grass seemed to whisper to him and tell him the secrets of the earth mother, and the streams leaping down the mountain sides seemed to laugh joyously and to call upon him to follow.

Adonis did not care for city life; the woods held all of beauty for him. And he was not at all surprised, one day, when he saw Venus coming towards him, her beauty radiant in the sunlight. She seemed to him to be at home in the woods he loved so well.

Venus loved Adonis, and they went hunting together. Adonis was bold, and wished to chase the larger game; but Venus warned him against the fierce wild boars and the wolves. When Venus was with Adonis, he listened to her advice. But in her absence, one day, he pursued a wild boar. His arrow struck the boar and angered him. Fiercely the animal sprang upon the youthful hunter, and thrust his tusks through his side, and Adonis sank in death.

Venus grieved for his death. "Alas!" she cried, "why did you hunt the cruel beasts which care not for youth or grace or beauty? Long shall I lament your untimely death, Adonis. From your blood a flower shall spring to keep your memory upon the earth, and people shall say, 'This is the flower of Adonis.'" At that moment blossomed the tender anemone, the windflower, which every spring adorns the warm hillsides.

This myth has almost the same meaning as the myth of Ceres and Persephone. When the youthful Adonis, the springtime of the year, is hunting over the hills and valleys, Venus, the cherishing mother, is glad and happy in his presence, and all the earth is filled with flower and fruit.

But before the tusk of the wild boar, the cruel and frosty winter, Adonis is slain; and Venus grieves, as Ceres laments when Persephone is in the kingdom of Pluto.

ORIGIN OF THE OPAL.

A dewdrop came, with a spark of flame
He had caught from the sun's last ray,
To a violet's breast, where he lay at rest
Till the hours brought back the day.

The rose looked down, with a blush and frown;
But she smiled all at once, to view
Her own bright form, with its coloring warm,
Reflected back by the dew.

Then the stranger took a stolen look
At the sky, so soft and blue;
And a leaflet green with its silver sheen,
Was seen by the idler too.

A cold north wind, as he thus reclined,
Of a sudden raged around;
And a maiden fair, who was walking there,
Next morning, an opal found.

THE APPLES OF THE HESPERIDES.

Far away in the west was a beautiful land that belonged to King Hesperus. This king had three lovely daughters who cared for the fruits and flowers of the gardens. In the gardens were many graceful trees whose boughs bent under the weight of delicious fruit. Flowers red, yellow, and orange adorned the walks.

When Juno, goddess of the sky, married Jupiter, her sister Ceres gave her a handsome present. Ceres is the earth goddess who cultivates the fruits, flowers, and grains, and the best gift she could bestow upon her sister was some golden apples.

Juno prized these apples highly, and gave them to the Hesperides, the daughters of Hesperus. They placed them upon the shadiest tree of the garden, and watched and cared for them very carefully.

Once they were taken away by Hercules, the strong hero who performed many wonderful labors, but they were afterwards restored to the careful hands of the maidens.

Many heroes heard of the beautiful land, Hesperia, and of the wonderful apples growing there, and sailed westward to find them. Some people think that the golden apples were really the oranges of Spain, a rich and famous country west of Greece.

CLEON AND I.

Cleon hath ten thousand acres,
Ne'er a one have I;
Cleon dwelleth in a palace.
In a cottage I;
Cleon hath a dozen fortunes,
Not a penny I:
Yet the poorer of the twain is
Cleon, and not I.

Cleon is a slave to grandeur,
Free as thought am I;
Cleon fees a score of doctors,
Need of none have I;
Wealth surrounded, care environed,
Cleon fears to die;
Death may come--he'll find me ready,
Happier man am I.

Cleon sees no charms in Nature,
In a daisy I;
Cleon hears no anthems ringing
'Twixt the sea and sky;
Nature sings to me forever,
Earnest listener I:
State for state, with all attendants--
Who would change? Not I.
--Charles Mackay.

PANDORA.

Vulcan was always trying his skill, and he made many wonderful and beautiful things. One day he invited the gods to see his latest creation. Here stood a beautiful figure, resembling Venus in beauty. The gods were delighted with his work, and decided each to bestow upon the woman some excellent gift.

Minerva gave skill in handicraft, Mercury gave wit in conversation, Venus the power to please, the Graces added charm to her beauty, and Jupiter at last gave life and immortality. Because of these many gifts, she was named Pandora, a Greek word meaning "all gifts."

The gods sent Pandora to Prometheus and Epimetheus, the brothers who loved mankind. Prometheus would not receive the lovely maiden, for he knew the gods did not love him and he feared their gifts. But Epimetheus welcomed her to his home.

For some time they lived happily, but trouble came to them because of Pandora's curiosity. In the palace of Epimetheus was a quaintly carved box. Pandora had wondered what was in it, for Epimetheus did not know.

"The winged messenger brought it," he told her, "and said that it contained a secret of the immortal gods. We must not open it, dear Pandora, for mortals should not know the secrets of the immortals."

But Pandora was not to be satisfied. Day after day the longing grew upon her to open the box. She believed it contained beautiful garments or ornaments, and she said to herself: "Why should the gods leave the box here, if we must not open it? There are many places where they could have hidden it." So she persuaded herself that she would not be doing wrong to open the box, although a little voice seemed to warn her not to disobey.

Slowly she approached the box. The figures upon it seemed to smile upon her. She thought she would open it just a little and peep in. Poor Pandora! The moment she lifted the cover, all the sorrow and sickness and sin which had been shut up in this wonderful box, flew out and winged their way all over the earth.

Pandora was overcome with remorse and let the cover fall. In the midst of her grief, she heard a sweet voice say, "Pandora, dear Pandora, do not grieve so; let me out to comfort you."

"No, indeed," replied Pandora; "too many of your sisters and brothers have I let out already."

But the voice persisted, and was so kind and gentle that at last Pandora yielded, and Hope came forth to comfort and help man to endure all the evils of this life. In sickness or sorrow, hope points to happier to-morrows, and when we have done wrong and repent, hope encourages us to do what we know is right.

THE GLADNESS OF NATURE.

Is this a time to be cloudy and sad,
When our mother nature laughs around;
When even the deep blue heavens look glad,
And gladness breathes from the blossoming ground?

There are notes of joy from the hangbird and wren,
And the gossip of swallows through all the sky;
The ground squirrel gayly chirps by his den,
And the wilding bee hums merrily by.

The clouds are at play in the azure space
And their shadows at play on the bright green vale;
And here they stretch to the frolic chase,
And there they roll on the easy gale.

There's a dance of leaves in that aspen bower,
There's a titter of winds in that beechen tree,
There's a smile on the fruit, and a smile on the flower,
And a laugh from the brook that runs to the sea.

And look at the broad-faced sun, how he smiles,
On the dewy earth that smiles in his ray,
On the leaping waters and gay young isles;
Ay, look, and he'll smile thy gloom away.
--William Cullen Bryant.

HEBE AND GANYMEDE.

As you know, the home of the gods and goddesses was a mountain in Greece called Olympus. It is the loftiest mountain of that country, and its top is often encircled by clouds. Here were the marble palaces of the gods. On this mountain, they would meet in council to decide upon the fate of mortals, or they would come together for a merry feast.

Fair Hebe, the goddess of youth, was their cupbearer. It was her duty to pour out the delicious nectar. She was so graceful and light-footed that she seemed to float rather than to walk. The rosy light of youth and health shone from her bright eyes and glowing cheeks.

But, alas! one day she stumbled, and some of the nectar fell upon the marble floor. The gods demand perfect service, and dislike awkwardness, so poor Hebe was in disgrace. Although she was the daughter of Jupiter and Juno, she could no longer serve the gods, and Jupiter sought another cupbearer.

This god can assume any shape he chooses, and as an eagle he flew over the lands until he saw Ganymede, the son of a Trojan king. Jupiter was so pleased with him that he carried him to high Olympus for cupbearer in place of Hebe.

MAY.

Merry, rollicking, frolicking May
Into the woods came skipping one day;
She teased the brook till he laughed outright,
And gurgled and scolded with all his might;
She chirped to the birds and bade them sing
A chorus of welcome to Lady Spring;
And the bees and butterflies she set
To waking the flowers that were sleeping yet.
She shook the trees till the buds looked out
To see what the trouble was all about,
And nothing in Nature escaped that day
The touch of the life-giving, bright, young May.
--Macdonald.

VESTA.

A beautiful little building in Rome is called the Temple of Vesta. Hundreds of years have passed since the Romans built this shrine. Many buildings and temples erected since have been destroyed, but this little temple still stands to show the thought and the artistic taste of the old Romans.

Vesta is the goddess of the hearth. Fire is the emblem of friendship and hospitality, and in the temple of Vesta the fire was kept burning night and day. The Romans believed that if this fire went out, great trouble would come upon the people. So maidens were chosen to guard the fire and honor the goddess.

Little girls, six years old, were taken from the best families in Rome, for it was considered a great honor to be chosen. For ten years they were taught the duties of a vestal virgin. Then for ten years they served the goddess at her altar fires, and after that they became the teachers of the young children.

When a great general had won a victory over the enemies of Rome, and all the people gathered to celebrate the return of the soldiers from the battlefield, the vestal virgins had an honored place in the procession. At the great games held in the Coliseum, the vestals sat next to the emperor; for they guarded the fire of home--the dearest place on earth.

SWEET AND LOW.

Sweet and low, sweet and low,
Wind of the western sea,
Low, low, breathe and blow,
Wind of the western sea!
Over the rolling waters go,
Come from the dying moon, and blow,
Blow him again to me;
While my little one, while my pretty one, sleeps.

Sleep and rest, sleep and rest,
Father will come to thee soon;
Rest, rest, on mother's breast,
Father will come to thee soon;
Father will come to his babe in the nest,
Silver sails all out of the west
Under the silver moon:
Sleep, my little one, sleep, my pretty one, sleep.
--Alfred Tennyson.

THE ORIGIN OF THE MOSS ROSE.

One beautiful summer day a fairy saw a butterfly with golden wings. He tried to catch the lovely insect, and it led him a merry chase from flower to flower. At last the fairy found himself in a strange wood, and he did not know the way home. The sun had set, the wind had gone away, and no one could direct him.

Wearied with his search, he determined to rest until the moon rose, when the fairies would come forth to dance upon the mossy banks. He looked about him for a resting place, and asked a stately lily to let him sleep on her broad leaves; but the petals were closed, and she would not receive him. Many flowers refused him shelter. At last, worn out and almost hopeless, he came to a rose. This lovely flower spread wide her soft, fragrant petals as a downy couch for the tired fairy.

After a quiet nap he awoke, rested and grateful, and asked the rose what return he could make for her kindness. The rose bowed her pretty head, and replied, "Make me more beautiful."

The fairy looked at the rose blushing in the silvery moonlight, and wondered how she could be more lovely. Soon he noticed the dainty green moss at his feet, and drew a delicate veil of it over the rose.

THE MOSS ROSE.

The angel of the flowers, one day,
Beneath a rose tree sleeping lay,--
That spirit to whose charge 'tis given
To bathe young buds in dews of heaven;
Awaking from his light repose,
The angel whispered to the rose:
"O fondest object of my care,
Still fairest found, where all are fair;
For the sweet shade thou giv'st to me,
Ask what thou wilt, 'tis granted thee."
"Then," said the rose, with deepened glow,
"On me another grace bestow."
The spirit paused, in silent thought,--
What grace was there that flower had not?
'Twas but a moment,--o'er the rose
A veil of moss the angel throws;
And, robed in nature's simplest weed,
Could there a flower that rose exceed?
--Krummacher.

ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE.

The Greeks said that Orpheus was a handsome youth, who loved music and song. He was the son of Apollo and the muse Calliope.

Apollo, who is god of music, loved his son, and gave him a lyre with golden strings. When he played upon this musical lyre, and sang words of harmony and love, all the voices of nature became silent to listen. The ocean waves ceased their strife, the noisy winds said "Hush," and the flowers turned their pretty heads to listen to his strains.

Orpheus loved his wife Eurydice dearly, and when she died, he would not be comforted. One day, lonely and sad, he took his lyre and wandered to the mountains.

Soon he struck his strings, and the words he sang were so mournful that the trees leaned down their branches to comfort him, the rocks on the mountain side moved to follow him, the flowers bent their tender heads and their eyes filled with tears of sympathy, while the rippling brooks sighed in pity. All nature seemed sad, and the glorious sun drew a heavy cloud about him.

Now the gods who dwell on high Olympus heard his lamentations, and begged Jupiter to relieve his sorrow. Therefore, the king of gods sent Mercury to tell Orpheus to search for his loved Eurydice in Hades. Such was the power of his music that Cerberus with the three great heads, the fierce watchdog of Hades, licked his feet, and let him pass. All the souls of the wicked who were suffering punishment for their sins, when they heard his heavenly music, forgot their torments, and ceased from suffering.

Finally Eurydice appeared. Imagine the joy of that meeting! Pluto, won by the melody of Orpheus, said that Eurydice might return to earth with her husband, if Orpheus would lead the way, and not look back until after she had crossed the threshold.

But, alas! Just as the lovely Eurydice stood in the doorway, the anxious Orpheus looked back. His great love and longing overcame his prudence. A last loving glance, and they were separated, until gentle Death took Orpheus by the hand and led him to her.

This charming myth shows us how music wins all hearts, and, with those wonderful harmonies which tell us that God, who is the maker of all harmony, is guiding us all, helps us to endure pain and loneliness.

THE CHILD'S WORLD.

Great, wide, wonderful, beautiful world,
With the wonderful water about you curled,
And the wonderful grass upon your breast--
World, you are beautifully dressed!

The wonderful air is over me,
And the wonderful wind is shaking the tree;
It walks on the water and whirls the mills,
And talks to itself on the tops of the hills.

You friendly earth; how far do you go
With the wheat fields that nod and the rivers that flow,
With cities and gardens, and cliffs and isles,
And people upon you for thousands of miles?

Ah, you are so great, and I am so small,
I tremble to think of you, world, at all;
And yet, when I said my prayer to-day,
A whisper within me seemed to say:

"You are more than the earth, though you're such a dot;
You can love and think, and the world cannot."
--Lilliput Lectures.

ARION.

Arion was a famous musician who lived at the court of Periander, King of Corinth. He wished to compete for the prize in the musical contest, celebrated in Sicily in honor of Apollo. But Periander, who loved the musician, dreaded to have him go so far away. Arion entreated him, saying,--"I wish to make the people better and happier by the gift which the gods have given me. It is my duty to Apollo to sing in his honor."

So Arion went to Sicily, and his music was so excellent and so sweet that he won the great prize. The gold and the laurel wreath were put on board the ship, and he embarked for home. Wind and wave were favorable, the sky was clear. He gave thanks to Apollo for his good fortune, and promised to offer sacrifices in the temple.

The wicked sailors, however, knew that Arion had a large amount of gold and jewels in his chests. They gathered around him and told him that he must die.

"Do you want my gold?" he asked. "That you may have and welcome, but spare my life."

But the sailors did not dare let him go to Periander, knowing that the king loved him and would have them punished for the robbery. They said they would kill him in the ship, or he might plunge into the sea.

Arion was brave and chose to give his life to the waves. He dressed as if going to a festival, with his handsomest garments, his jewels, and a crown of golden laurel leaves. Taking his lyre, he played so exquisitely that even the cruel sailors were moved to pity, but the thought of his gold hardened their hearts.

As he plunged beneath the waves, a dolphin, charmed by his music, offered its broad back for him to ride upon.

The sailors thought him drowned and continued on their way. Meanwhile Arion journeyed on, singing and playing as he went. The dolphin bore him safely to the shore. He reached Corinth, and told his friend Periander of the treachery of the sailors.

When the ship arrived, the sailors landed and were conducted to the palace. "Where is Arion?" asked Periander. "Has he not returned?" The sailors replied that he was safe in Tarentum.

At this moment Arion appeared, tall and handsome, wearing elegant robes and shining jewels. Amazed to see one whom they believed dead, the sailors fell on their knees and cried,--"We murdered him, and he has become a god! O earth, open and receive us!"

"Yes," replied the king, "the gods delight to honor the poet, and they have saved the life of one whose music charms all hearts but yours. Arion does not desire your death. Go, avaricious souls, and never know the joy that beauty and music can bring."

JUNE.

No price is set on the lavish summer;
June may be had by the poorest comer.
And what is so rare as a day in June?
Then, if ever, come perfect days;
Then Heaven tries the earth if it be in tune,
And over it softly her warm ear lays:
Whether we look, or whether we listen,
We hear life murmur, or see it glisten;
Every clod feels a stir of might,
An instinct within it that reaches and towers,
And, groping blindly above it for light,
Climbs to a soul in grass and flowers;
The flush of life may well be seen
Thrilling back over hills and valleys;
The cowslip startles in meadows green,
The buttercup catches the sun in its chalice,
And there's never a leaf nor a blade too mean
To be some happy creature's palace;
The little bird sits at his door in the sun,
Atilt like a blossom among the leaves,
And lets his illumined being o'errun
With the deluge of summer it receives;
His mate feels the eggs beneath her wings,
And the heart in her dumb breast flutters and sings;
He sings to the wide world, and she to her nest,--
In the nice ear of nature which song is the best?
--James Russell Lowell.

SUPPLEMENTARY READING

FAMOUS STORIES AND LITERATURE

¶ This grading, which is simply suggestive, represents the earliest years in which these books can be read to advantage.

Year
7 Arnold's Sohrab and Rustum $0.20
2 Baldwin's Fifty Famous Stories Retold .35
4 Golden Fleece .50
8 Nine Choice Poems .25
3 Old Greek Stories .45
3 Old Stories of the East .45
2 Robinson Crusoe for Children .35
3 Thirty More Famous Stories Retold .50
3 Bradish's Old Norse Stories .45
4 Clarke's Arabian Nights .60
6 Story of Troy .60
6 Story of Ulysses .60
6 Story of Aeneas .45
4 Defoe's Robinson Crusoe (Stephens) .50
4 Dickens's Child's Oliver Twist and David Copperfield
(Severance) .40
5 Story of Little Nell (Gordon) .50
6 Tale of Two Cities (Kirk) .50
6 Twelve Christmas Stories (Gordon) .50
7 Franklin's Autobiography .35
7 Guerber's Myths of Greece and Rome 1.50
7 Myths of Northern Lands 1.50
7 Legends of the Middle Ages 1.50
4 Hall's Homeric Stories .40
8 Irving's Sketch Book. Selections .20
8 Tales of a Traveler .50
3 Johnson's Waste Not, Want Not Stories .50
3 Kupfer's Lives and Stories Worth Remembering .45
8 Lambs' Tales from Shakespeare. Comedies (Rolfe) .50
8 Tales from Shakespeare. Tragedies (Rolfe) .50
8 Macaulay's Lays of Ancient Rome (Rolfe) .56
8 Scott's Ivanhoe .50
6 Kenilworth (Norris) .50
8 Lady of the Lake (Gateway) .40
6 Quentin Durward (Norris) .50
6 Talisman (Dewey) .50
8 Shakespeare's Julius Cæsar .20
8 Merchant of Venice .20
8 As You Like It .20
1 Smythe's Reynard the Fox .30

AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY

BROOKS'S READERS

By STRATTON D. BROOKS, Superintendent of Schools, Boston, Mass.

FIVE BOOK SERIES

First Year $0.25
Second Year .35
Third Year .40
Fourth and Fifth Years .50
Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Years .60

EIGHT BOOK SERIES

First Year $0.25
Second Year .35
Third Year .40
Fourth Year .40
Fifth Year .40
Sixth Year .40
Seventh Year .40
Eighth Year .40

These readers form a good all-round basal series, suitable for use in any school; but they will appeal to teachers particularly, because of their very easy gradation. Both in thought and expression, the books are so carefully graded that each selection is but slightly more difficult than the preceding one, and there is no real gap anywhere.

¶ Although a wide variety of reading matter is provided, good literature, embodying child interests, has been considered of fundamental importance. Lessons of a similar nature are grouped together, and topics relating to kindred subjects recur somewhat regularly. All are designed to quicken the child's observation, and increase his appreciation.

¶ By the use of this series, the child will be taught to read in such a manner as will appeal to his interests, and at the same time he will be made acquainted with the masterpieces of many famous writers. He will gain a knowledge of many subjects, and acquire pure and attractive ideals of life and conduct. His imagination will be cultivated by pleasing tales of fancy, and he will also be taught a love of country, and given glimpses into the life of other lands.

¶ The books are very attractive in mechanical appearance, and contain a large number of original illustrations, besides reproductions of many celebrated paintings.

AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY

HUNT'S PROGRESSIVE COURSE IN SPELLING

Complete $0.20
Part One. For Third, Fourth, and Fifth Grades .15
Part Two. For Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Grades .15

The purpose of this book is to assist the pupil in using words correctly in any one of three relations, viz.: in speech, in oral reading, and in written composition. Its exercises recognize the laws of association, and provide a systematic drill in orthography, orthoepy, word-building, word-analysis, and other phases of word-study.

¶ The vocabulary of the book is made up of words used by the pupil in his other studies, and in his every-day experience. The work is clearly laid out and graded; reviews are amply provided, both by duplication and by dictation work.

¶ PART ONE contains a vocabulary of some 4,000 word-forms in common use, selected and graded with great care. The arrangement is such that there is afforded a variety of exercises, each containing an average of 20 words. The phonetic, the topical, the grammatical, and the antithetic and synonymic methods have received special treatment. Dictation exercises, including memory gems, illustrative sentences, and reviews, are also given.

¶ PART TWO includes a vocabulary of about 5,000 word-forms, the exercises being devoted to topical lessons, phonetic drills, pronouncing drill, grammatical forms, synonyms and antonyms, applications of rules of spelling, drill on homophones, word-building and word-analysis, words the derivation of which is indicated, and derivatives from Latin and Greek roots. Great emphasis is laid on prefixes and suffixes, the origin of words, and pronunciation.

AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY

SPENCERS' PRACTICAL WRITING

By PLATT R. SPENCER'S SONS

Books 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 Per dozen, $0.60

Spencers' Practical Writing has been devised because of the distinct and wide-spread reaction from the use of vertical writing in schools. It is thoroughly up-to-date, embodying all the advantages of the old and of the new. Each word can be written by one continuous movement of the pen.

¶ The books teach a plain, practical hand, moderate in slant, and free from ornamental curves, shades, and meaningless lines. The stem letters are long enough to be clear and unmistakable. The capitals are about two spaces in height.

¶ The copies begin with words and gradually develop into sentences. The letters, both large and small, are taught systematically. In the first two books the writing is somewhat larger than is customary because it is more easily learned by young children. These books also contain many illustrations in outline. The ruling is very simple.

¶ Instruction is afforded showing how the pupil should sit at the desk, and hold the pen and paper. A series of drill movement exercises, thirty-three in number, with directions for their use, accompanies each book.

SPENCERIAN PRACTICAL WRITING SPELLER

Per dozen, $0.48

This simple, inexpensive device provides abundant drill in writing words. At the same time it trains pupils to form their copies in accordance with the most modern and popular system of penmanship, and saves much valuable time for both teacher and pupil.

AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY

MILNE'S PROGRESSIVE ARITHMETICS

By WILLIAM J. MILNE, Ph.D., LL.D., President of New York State Normal College, Albany, N. Y.

THREE BOOK SERIES

First Book $0.35
Second Book .40
Third Book .45

TWO BOOK SERIES

First Book $0.35
Complete Book .65

In these series the best modern methods of instruction have been combined with those older features which gave the author's previous arithmetics such marvelous popularity.

¶ Built upon a definite pedagogical plan, these books teach the processes of arithmetic in such a way as to develop the reasoning faculties, and to train the power of rapid, accurate, and skillful manipulation of numbers. The inductive method is applied, leading the pupils to discover truths for themselves; but it is supplemented by model solutions and careful explanations of each step.

¶ Each new topic is first carefully developed, and then enforced by sufficient practice to fix it thoroughly in the mind. The problems, which have been framed with the greatest care, relate to a wide range of subjects drawn from modern life and industries. Reviews in various forms are a marked feature. Usefulness is the keynote.

¶ In the First and Second Books the amount of work that may be accomplished in a half year is taken as the unit of classification, and the various subjects are treated topically, each being preceded by a brief résumé of the concepts already acquired. In the Third Book the purely topical method is used in order to give the pupil a coherent knowledge of each subject. The Complete Book covers the work usually given to pupils during the last four years of school.

AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY

STEPS IN ENGLISH

By A. C. McLEAN, A.M., Principal of Luckey School, Pittsburg;
THOMAS C. BLAISDELL, A.M., Professor of English, Fifth Avenue
Normal High School, Pittsburg; and JOHN MORROW,
Superintendent of Schools, Allegheny, Pa.

Book One. For third, fourth, and fifth years $0.40
Book Two. For sixth, seventh, and eighth years .60

This series presents a new method of teaching language which is in marked contrast with the antiquated systems in vogue a generation ago. The books meet modern conditions in every respect, and teach the child how to express his thoughts in language rather than furnish an undue amount of grammar and rules.

¶ From the start the attempt has been made to base the work on subjects in which the child is genuinely interested. Lessons in writing language are employed simultaneously with those in conversation, while picture-study, the study of literary selections, and letter-writing are presented at frequent intervals. The lessons are of a proper length, well arranged, and well graded. The books mark out the daily work for the teacher in a clearly defined manner by telling him what to do, and when to do it. Many unique mechanical devices, _e. g._, a labor-saving method of correcting papers, a graphic system of diagramming, etc., form a valuable feature of the work.

¶ These books are unlike any other series now on the market. They do not shoot over the heads of the pupils, nor do they show a marked effort in writing down to the supposed level of young minds. They do not contain too much technical grammar, nor are they filled with what is sentimental and meaningless. No exaggerated attention is given to analyzing by diagramming, and to exceptions to ordinary rules, which have proved so unsatisfactory.

AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY

NEW SERIES OF THE NATURAL GEOGRAPHIES

REDWAY AND HINMAN

TWO BOOK OR FOUR BOOK EDITION

Introductory Geography $0.60
In two parts, each .40

School Geography 1.25
In two parts, each .75

In the new series of these sterling geographies emphasis is laid on industrial, commercial, and political geography, with just enough physiography to bring out the causal relations.

¶ The text is clear, simple, interesting, and explicit. The pictures are distinguished for their aptness and perfect illustrative character. Two sets of maps are provided, one for reference, and the other for study, the latter having corresponding maps drawn to the same scale.

¶ The INTRODUCTORY GEOGRAPHY develops the subject in accordance with the child's comprehension, each lesson paving the way for the next. In the treatment of the United States the physiographic, historical, political, industrial, and commercial conditions are taken up in their respective order, the chief industries and the localities devoted largely to each receiving more than usual consideration. The country is regarded as being divided into five industrial sections.

¶ In the SCHOOL GEOGRAPHY a special feature is the presentation of the basal principles of physical and general geography in simple, untechnical language, arranged in numbered paragraphs. In subsequent pages constant reference is made to these principles, but in each case accompanied by the paragraph number. This greatly simplifies the work, and makes it possible to take up the formal study of these introductory lessons after the remainder of the book has been completed. With a view to enriching the course, numerous specific references are given to selected geographical reading.

AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY

APPLIED PHYSIOLOGIES

By FRANK OVERTON, A.M., M.D., late House Surgeon to the City Hospital, New York City

Primary Physiology $0.30
Intermediate Physiology $0.50
Advanced Physiology $0.80

OVERTON'S APPLIED PHYSIOLOGIES form a series of text-books for primary, grammar, and high schools, which departs radically from the old-time methods pursued in the teaching of physiology. These books combine the latest results of study and research in biological, medical, and chemical science with the best methods of teaching.

¶ The fundamental principle throughout this series is the study of the cells where the essential functions of the body are carried on. Consequently, the study of anatomy and physiology is here made the study of the cells from the most elementary structure in organic life to their highest and most complex form in the human body.

¶ This treatment of the cell principle, and its development in its relation to life, the employment of laboratory methods, the numerous original and effective illustrations, the clearness of the author's style, the wealth of new physiological facts, and the logical arrangement and gradation of the subject-matter, give these books a strength and individuality peculiarly their own.

¶ The effects of alcohol and other stimulants and narcotics are treated in each book sensibly, and with sufficient fullness. But while this important form of intemperance is singled out, it is borne in mind that the breaking of any of nature's laws is also a form of intemperance, and that the whole study of applied physiology is to encourage a more healthful and a more self-denying mode of life.

¶ In the preparation of this series the needs of the various school grades have been fully considered. Each book is well suited to the pupils for whom it is designed.

AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY

Transcriber's Note

Minor punctuation errors have been repaired.

Archaic and variable spelling is preserved as printed.

Page 73--repeated 'the' deleted--... and to strew the path of Apollo, ...

Illustrations have been moved where necessary so that they are not in the middle of a paragraph.