Now gazed at the landscape far and near, He springs to the saddle, the bridle he turns, A hurry of hoofs in a village street, A shape in the moonlight, a bulk in the dark, And the spark struck out by that steed, in his flight, He has left the village and mounted the steep, 1 The Mystic River rises in Mystic Lake, near Winchester, and flows into Boston Harbor north of Charlestown. And under the alders, that skirt its edge, Now soft on the sand, now loud on the ledge, Is heard the tramp of the steed as he rides. It was twelve by the village clock When he crossed the bridge into Medford town. And the barking of the farmer's dog, Swim in the moonlight as he passed, And the meetinghouse windows, blank and bare, Gaze at him with a spectral glare, As if they already stood aghast At the bloody work they would look upon. It was two by the village clock When he came to the bridge in Concord town. And the twitter of birds among the trees, And one was safe and asleep in his bed Who at the bridge would be first to fall, Who that day would be lying dead, Pierced by a British musket ball. You know the rest. In the books you have read So through the night rode Paul Revere; 1 A cry of defiance, and not of fear, A voice in the darkness, a knock at the door, In the hour of darkness and peril and need, HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW. 1 Middlesex is one of the counties of Massachusetts embracing Medford, Lexington, Concord, Cambridge, etc. 1. For what purpose did the English soldiers go to Lexington and Concord? 2. How far from Boston are both of these places? In what direction? 3. Why was Paul Revere so anxious to learn when the English soldiers started? 4. What was the signal agreed upon? 5. Where did he wait? 6. How did he proceed? 7. How does Longfellow describe the passage of Paul Revere and his steed? 8. What did he hear when he came to the bridge in Concord town? 9. What kind of reception did the American farmers give the British redcoats? 10. What is meant by "A voice in the darkness, a knock at the door, and a word that shall echo forevermore"? 1. Repeat the ideas in the order in which they occur and, as nearly as you can, in the language of the poet until you can memorize every line of this stirring and patriotic poem. 2. Point out the figurative expressions in these verses, and tell whether they are used for clearness, force, or beauty of expression. Every year, thousands of persons, young and old, visit the places through which Paul Revere passed on his patriotic errand. Suppose that you had just been over the route, tell in a short composition the thoughts that might have occurred to you during the imaginary journey. HARE AND HOUNDS There are few books in any language which have been read and enjoyed more by boys and girls than Tom Brown's School Days by Thomas Hughes. This interesting story of school life in England has a peculiar charm for both young and old. It acquaints the child of to-day with the schools of England, three or four hundred years ago. It tells how the boys of that time acted and what games they played. It is interesting to recall that many of the best-known preparatory colleges of England (Winchester, Eton, St. Paul's, Westminster, Shrewsbury, Charterhouse, etc.) were founded and established by Catholic bishops, kings, and laymen, before the time of Henry VIII. Rugby, however, was founded in the time of Queen Elizabeth. The only incident worth recording here, however, was the first run at hare and hounds. On the last Tuesday but one of the half year, Tom was passing through the hall after dinner, when he was hailed with shouts from Tadpole and several other fags seated at one of the long tables, the chorus of which was, "Come and help us tear up scent." Tom approached the table in obedience to the mysterious summons, always ready to help, and found the party engaged in tearing up old newspapers, copybooks, and magazines, into small pieces, with which they were filling four large canvas bags. |