of the cupboard. Indeed, it behooved him to keep on good terms with his pupils. The revenue arising from his school was small, and would have been scarcely sufficient to furnish him with daily bread, for he was a huge feeder, and, though lank, had the dilating powers of an anaconda; but to help out his maintenance, he was, according to the country custom in those parts, boarded and lodged at the houses of the farmers whose children he instructed. With these he lived successively a week at a time, thus going the rounds of the neighborhood, with all his worldly effects tied up in a cotton handkerchief.

That all this might not be too onerous on the purses of his rustic patrons, who are apt to consider the costs of schooling a grievous burden, and schoolmasters as mere drones, he had various ways of rendering himself both useful and agreeable. He assisted the farmers occasionally in the lighter labors of their farms, helped to make hay, mended the fences, took the horses to water, drove the cows from pasture, and cut wood for the winter fire. He laid aside, too, all the dominant dignity and absolute sway with which he lorded it in his little empire, the school, and became wonderfully gentle and ingratiating. He found favor in the eyes of the mothers by petting the children, particularly the youngest; and like the lion bold, which whilom so magnanimously the lamb did hold, he would sit

with a child on one knee, and rock a cradle with his foot for whole hours together.

In addition to his other vocations, he was the singing master of the neighborhood, and picked up many bright shillings by instructing the young folks in psalmody. It was a matter of no little vanity to him on Sundays, to take his station in front of the church gallery, with a band of chosen singers; where, in his own mind, he completely carried away the palm from the parson. Certain it is, his voice resounded far above all the rest of the congregation; and there are peculiar quavers still to be heard in that church, quavers which may even be heard half a mile off, quite to the opposite side of the mill pond, on a still Sunday morning, and which are said to be legitimately descended from the nose of Ichabod Crane. Thus, by divers little makeshifts, in that ingenious way which is commonly denominated "by hook and by crook," the worthy pedagogue got on tolerably enough, and was thought, by all who understood nothing of the labors of headwork, to have a wonderfully easy life of it.

belate (bė lāt'), to delay beyond ingratiate (In grā'shi ãt), to win,

collate (ko lat), to compare criti- legions (lē'junz), multitudes, great

profile (pro'fil), an outline, to

draw with a side view. propensity (pro pěn'sĩ tí), inclina

tion, disposition.

specter (spěk'těr), an apparition, a ghost.

Tappan Zee (Tap'än Za), an expansion of the Hudson River.

psalmody (säm'o di), art of sing- tolerably (tŏl'er à blí), endurably.

ing psalms.

reverie (rěv'er 1), a day dream. sequester (se kwěs'ter), to seclude, retire.

sojourn (sō'jûrn), reside, dwell.

urchin (ûr'chin), a pert child,

usually a boy.

whilom (hwī'lum), once, of old.
wight (wit), a creature.
withe (with), a slender twig.

1. Locate Greensburgh or Tarrytown. 2. Why was it called the latter name? Describe the quiet valley not far from the village. 3. What was it called and why? 4. What were the current rumors about this valley? 5. Tell about the headless horseman. 6. Who was Ichabod Crane? 7. Tell what he looked like and how he kept his school. 8. What is meant by "doing his duty by the parents"? 9. What did Ichabod do after school hours? 10. As a singing master, what were his duties? 11. Compare the schools of that time with those of to-day. 12. Would you like to have lived in those days?

Locate the following expressions in the text and substitute different expressions in order to change the form without changing the meaning:

by hook and by crook

by-place of nature.

carried away the palm
certain it is

conning over their lessons
continual reverie
ever and anon

flowery path of knowledge

inveterate propensity
listless repose

mere drones

sequestered glen
the dilating powers
the drowsy shades
the labors of headwork
the Sabbath stillness

In this selection we have two excellent models of description, the character-sketch of Ichabod Crane, and the description of the schoolhouse. To appreciate these, we need only to read them. 1. What characteristics of Crane does the author present? 2. Do they leave a clear impression of the appearance and kind of man Ichabod Crane is? 3. Try to sketch the character of some person whom you know, using this model. 4. In describing the schoolhouse what is the viewpoint of the author? 5. Does the author keep this viewpoint throughout the description? 6. If the author had gone inside the schoolhouse the viewpoint would have been changed, and the change would have been indicated by a brief narrative sentence or two. Write from two viewpoints a brief description of the schoolhouse.

CHARITY

Could I command, with voice or pen,
The tongues of angels and of men,
A tinkling cymbal, sounding brass,
My speech and preaching would surpass;
Vain were such eloquence to me,
Without the grace of charity.

Could I the martyr's flame endure,
Give all my goods to feed the poor -
Had I the faith from Alpine steep
To hurl the mountain to the deep-

What were such zeal, such power, to me
Without the grace of charity?

JAMES MONTGOMERY.