maple sugar, that though you may eat so much of it one day as to be sick, you will want it the next day more than ever.

At the "sugaring-off" they used to pour the hot sugar upon the snow, where it congealed into a sort of wax, which I suppose is the most delicious substance that was ever invented. And it takes a great while to eat it.

If you should close your teeth firmly on a lump of it, you would be unable to open your mouth until it dissolved. The sensation while it is melting is very pleasant, but it will not do to try to talk, for you can not.

The boy used to make a big lump of it and give it to the dog, who seized it with great avidity, and closed his jaws on it, as dogs will on any thing.

It was funny the next moment to see the expression of perfect surprise on the dog's face when he found that he could not open his jaws.

He shook his head; he sat down in despair; he ran round in a circle; he dashed into the woods and back again.

He did every thing except climb a tree,

and howl.

It would have been such a relief

to him if he could have howled. But that was the one thing he could not do.

Language Lesson.- Let pupils change the verbs in the following lines, so that they will indicate present time.

"He shook his head; he sat down in despair; he ran around in a circle; he dashed into the woods and back again.”

Suggestion.-Let the teacher, from time to time, select stories, and have them read before the class. After the reading, let pupils make oral analyses. The stories should be short, and the exercise conducted without the use of pencils or paper.

During our second war with Great Britain, which began in the year 1812, many battles were fought both on land and sea.

Among the ships of war belonging to the United States Government, was a frigate

named the

Constitution. She was built

about the beginning of the present century, and owing to her good fortune in many engagements, her seamen gave her the name of "Old Ironsides."

She was in active service throughout the entire war, and captured five ships of war from the British, two of which were frigates.

In all her service, her success her success was remarkable. She never lost her masts, never went ashore, and though so often in battle, no very serious loss of life ever occurred on her decks. Her entire career was that of what is called in the navy "a lucky ship."

Perhaps this may be explained by the fact that she always had excellent commanders, and that she probably possessed as fine a ship's company as ever manned a frigate.

In 1829, the Government ordered the Constitution to be dismantled and taken to pieces, because she had become unfit for service.

At that time, Oliver Wendell Holmes, who has since become famous as a writer, was a young man twenty years of age,

about completing his studies at Harvard College.

When he heard of the intended destruction of "Old Ironsides," he went directly to his room, and, inspired by patriotic feelings, wrote the following poem.

OLD IRONSIDES.

Ay, tear her tattered ensign down!
Long has it waved on high,

And many an eye has danced to see
That banner in the sky;

Beneath it rung the battle shout

And burst the cannons' roar:

The meteor of the ocean air

Shall sweep the clouds no more.

Her deck, once red with heroes' blood,
Where knelt the vanquished foe,
When winds were hurrying o'er the flood
And waves were white below,

No more shall feel the victors' tread,
Or know the conquered knee:
The harpies of the shore shall pluck
The eagle of the sea!

O, better that her shattered hulk
Should sink beneath the wave!—

Her thunders shook the mighty deep,
And there should be her grave.

Nail to the mast her holy flag,

Set every threadbare sail,

And give her to the god of storms,
The lightning, and the gale!

The effect of this poem upon the people was so great that a general outcry arose against the destruction of the gallant old ship.

The Government was induced to reconsider its determination. The old ship was saved, repaired, and for many years has delighted the eyes of thousands of people who have visited her.

At present, she is used as a receivingship at the United States Navy Yard,

Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Directions for Reading.-With what tone of voice should the prose part of the lesson be read?

Read the poetry-first, slowly and quietly; then, in a loud tone

of voice, expressing the feeling of anger.

Which method of reading the poem do the pupils prefer?

Which do they think represents the poet's feelings?

Let pupils pronounce in concert, and singly, the following words: hero, year, people, deep, eagle, knee, serious, meteor, complete, pieces.

Language Lesson.-Let pupils point out and explain the unusual expressions found in the first two stanzas, writing out a list of the changes made.