LESSON XV.

USEFUL METALS.

1. Metals are dug out of the ground. The most useful metals are gold, silver, copper, zinc, iron, lead, tin, and quicksilver; but there are many others besides these.

2. Gold is of a bright yellow color, and it is very heavy. There are gold coins, called eagles, half-eagles, and double-eagles. There are, also, gold dollars, but they are quite small.

3. Gold is used in making cases and chains for watches, jewelry, pencil-cases, &c.: pictureframes are often gilded with gold. Gold-leaf is gold beaten out very thin, - much thinner than leaves of paper.

4. Silver is white and shining. Spoons are made of silver; and there are silver dollars and half-dollars, and silver dimes and half-dimes. Gold and silver are called the precious metals.

5. Quicksilver is very bright, like silver, and it is very heavy. It is not solid like the other metals, but liquid like water. If you spill it, it will run about, and you can not pick it up. Did you ever see any quicksilver?

6. Tin is white and bright, like silver, but it is softer. The milk-can, the saucepan, the tin

pail, &c., are made of sheets of iron covered with tin. Tin does not rust like iron.

7. Lead is soft and very heavy. The waterpipes are made of lead; and the cistern is lined with sheets of lead. Bullets and shot are also made of this metal. in the fire.

Lead will melt very easily

8. Copper is of a reddish color. The boiler is made of copper. The bottoms of ships are sometimes covered with sheets of copper. Brass is made of copper and zinc. It is bright and yellow like gold, but soon becomes dull when exposed to the air.

9. Zinc has a bluish color, like lead, but it is not so soft. It is used to put under the stove to keep the floor from being burned, and for many other purposes.

10. Iron is quite hard; and although it is not bright and beautiful, like gold and silver, it is the most useful of all metals. Without it, we could not have railroads or steam-engines; we could not build houses and ships as we do at present. Ships of war are often covered with thick plates of iron.

11. Come, let us go to the blacksmith's shop. What is he doing? He has a forge, and he blows the fire with his great bellows, to make the iron hot. When it is well heated, it becomes

quite soft; and he takes it out with the tongs, puts it upon the anvil, and beats it with a hamHow hard he works!

mer.

12. What is the blacksmith doing? He is making nails, and horseshoes, and a great many other things. Steel is made of iron. It is very hard; and is therefore used to make knives, razors, scissors, and other cutting tools.

13. These metals are found in places called mines. They are mixed with dirt, stones, &c. when they are taken out of the mine, and in this state are called ores. Metals are sometimes obtained in a pure state, and are then called native metals.

QUESTIONS.-Which are the most useful metals?

Of what color is

gold? What coins are made of gold? For what else is gold used? What is gold-leaf? What is the color of silver? What are made of silver? Which are the precious metals? Describe quicksilver. Describe tin. For what is tin used? Describe lead. What is it used for? Of what color is copper? For what is copper used? What is brass? What is its color? Describe zinc. For what is it used? Which is the most useful of all metals? Why is it so useful? What is steel? What is it used for? Where are metals found? What are ores? What are native metals?

DEFINITIONS.

Běl' lows (bel' lus), an instrument | Jew' el ry, ornaments for the per

for blowing fires.

son; trinkets.

Çis' tern, a place where water is Ob tained', got; procured.

kept; a tank.

Ex pōşed', uncovered; laid open.

Sçiş şors, an instrument for cut

ting, formed of two parts.

66

1. "What is the name of your new sled?" said David to his little brother Charles. shall call it Beauty," said Charles.

2. "Well, if that is to be its name, it must behave itself in a proper manner," said David.

3. "Sleds can not behave," said little Charles, laughing. "Yes, they can," said David; "they

behave just as their masters let them." know that!" said Charles.

"O, I

4. "In the first place," said David, "it must not get in people's way. Aunt Mary fell over Peter's sled last winter, you know, and broke her arm; because it was left in the door-way, where it had no right to be." "Yes, that was

very bad," said Charles.

5. Then it must not run off the track," said David, "and trip up little folks in the street; or get into a snarl with other sleds, and so hurt some one. It must go straight, or it will be no beauty."

6 "I'm a first-rate steerer," said little Charles; "you may be sure it will be kept on the track when I guide it."

7. "In the next place, it ought to work as well as play," said his brother. "It should, in some way, be useful. It can carry on its back many things that are needed. It can fetch a basket of shavings for the fire; it can carry little Emma to school."

8. "It can," said Charles, much pleased with the idea. "It can haul a load of wood too!"

9. "That is pretty big talking," said David. "It is better to have it do little things, which it can do, than to talk about great things which it can not do.