feli upon his bosom, and the men about the cross said that he was dead, it seemed as if I shined, not upon a felon's face, but upon the face of the gentle shepherd lad, the son of Benoni.

“And shining on that dead and peaceful face, I bethought me of the little Master's words that he had spoken under the old olive tree upon the hillside: 'Your eyes behold the promised glory now, O Dimas,' I whispered, 'for with the Master you walk in Paradise.'"

19. Ah, little Dear-my-Soul, you know-you know whereof the moonbeam spake. The shepherd's bones are dust, the flocks are scattered, the old olive tree is gone, the flowers of the hillside are withered, and none knoweth where the grave of Dimas is made. But last night again there shined a star over Bethlehem, and the angels descended from the sky to earth, and the stars sang together in glory.

And the bells, hear them, little Dear-my-Soul, how sweetly they are ringing,— the bells bear us the good tidings of great joy this Christmas morning, that our Christ is born, and that with him he bringeth peace on earth and good will toward men. Eugene Field.

NOTES

1. Look up carefully the life of Eugene Field. Read as many of his other poems and stories as you can.

2. In connection with this lesson, read these Bible stories: Luke ii, 8-17, and xxiii, 26; Matt. xxvii, 32; Mark xv, 21; and John xix, 18.

3. Bring in Christmas stories from other lands.

4. Mauve. Pronounced mov. Look up the meaning carefully. Pronounced bě nō'nĭ.

5. Benoni.

(a) Whilst you were sleeping, strange things happened.
(b) Didn't Santa Claus bring me a beautiful butter-cracker
last Christmas?

(c) Hither the snow king never came.

(d) About his slender form clung raiment white as snow. 8. Be prepared to pronounce, define, and use correctly in sentences of your own making: mauve, daintily, minuet, executing, rind, snow king, balmy, nestle, crooned, gamboling, sinewy, raiment, illumined, pallor, staves, railed, consoling, felon.

EXERCISES

1. Who, probably, was "little Dear-my-Soul"?

2. Why should he say “the moonbeam floated idly"?

3. What kind of mouse was Velvetpaw, judging from her name? Sniff whisker?

4. Why make the clock horrified at the “frisking"?

5. What kind of person does the mouse seem to be?

6. How did the country of which the moonbeam told differ from ours?

7. Describe the picture in your mind of the tree, the hill, the violets, and the shepherd and his flock.

8. What things were waiting for the Little Master?

9. Why did the angels hang such precious things on the olive tree? 10. What do you think is the origin of our custom of hanging gifts upon

a tree at Christmas?

11. In what sense was it true that, “last night, the angels descended from the sky to earth"?

12. Explain how Christ brings peace on earth.

ADDITIONAL READINGS

LOWELL: Vision of Sir Launfal.

WHITTIER: The Prayer Seeker. Brother of Mercy.

HOLLAND: Christmas Carol.

DICKENS: Christmas Carol.

TUDOR JENKS: A Christmas Song.

SUSAN COOLIDGE: The Little Christmas Tree.

LONGFELLOW: Christmas Bells.

MARY AUSTIN: The Shepherds in Judea.

HAVERGAL: Bells Across the Snow.
MOORE: A Visit from St. Nicholas.
FIELD: Jest 'Fore Christmas.

THE SCHOOLHOUSE AND THE FLAG

Ye who love the Republic, remember the claim
Ye owe to her fortunes, ye owe to her name,
To her years of prosperity past and in store,-
A hundred behind you, a thousand before!

The blue arch above us is Liberty's dome,
The green fields beneath us Equality's home;
But the schoolroom to-day is Humanity's friend,—
Let the people the flag and the schoolroom defend!

'Tis the schoolhouse that stands by the flag; Let the nation stand by the school!

'Tis the schoolbell that rings for our Liberty old, 'Tis the schoolboy whose ballot shall rule.

- Frank Treat Southwick.

THE NOSE AND THE EYES

THIS poem sets forth the dispute between the Nose and the Eyes as to who really owns the spectacles. Tongue argued the case before Ear, who gave the decision at the close. The poem at once makes us think of people who quarrel over unimportant matters until they lose their capacity to appreciate the more serious things of life. The poet has allowed us to see a deep truth of life underneath the keen humor of the poem.

THE NOSE AND THE EYES

Between Nose and Eyes a strange contest arose;
The spectacles set them, unhappily, wrong;
The point in dispute was, as all the world knows,
To which the said spectacles ought to belong.
So Tongue was the lawyer, and argued the cause,
With a great deal of skill and a wig full of learning,
While chief baron Ear sat to balance the laws,

So famed for his talent in nicely discerning.

"In behalf of the Nose, it will quickly appear, And your lordship," he said, "will undoubtedly find,

That the Nose has the spectacles always in wear,

Which amounts to possession, time out of mind."

Then, holding the spectacles up to the court,

"Your lordship observes they are made with a straddle

As wide as the ridge of the Nose is; in short,
Designed to sit close to it, just like a saddle.

66

'Again, would your lordship a moment suppose

('Tis a case that has happened, and may be again) That the visage or countenance had not a Nose, Pray, who would, or who could, wear spectacles then?

"On the whole, it appears, and my argument shows,
With a reasoning the court will never condemn,
That the spectacles plainly were made for the Nose,
And the Nose was as plainly intended for them."

Then, shifting his side, as lawyers know how,
He pleaded again in behalf of the Eyes;
But what were his arguments, few people know,
For the court did not think them equally wise.

So his lordship decreed, with a grave, solemn tone,
Decisive and clear, without one if or but,

That whenever the Nose put his spectacles on,
By daylight or candle-light,- Eyes should be shut.
William Cowper.

NOTES

1. Your lordship. A term of respect used in addressing a judge, here used the same as Your Honor. ·

2. Baron. One of the nobility. In this case, the Ear is made a nobleman to sit as judge.