away out of sight; while the Buttercup, in his strength and vainglory, keeps on his march through the long summer days. The voice of that little orator, Jack-in-the-pulpit, is heard just as soon as it is considered safe for him to speak without danger of getting cold and having a sore throat. He erects his pulpit, spreads his canopy over it, and then commences his speech, which well pays all that hear it. He is very attractive in his fanciful robe of green-spotted velvet, and is considered the king of his time; but as his labors and strength are spent almost entirely in the grand old woods, hundreds of his subjects are off at play, on the lawns, in the meadows, and by the brookside. Those comical little beauties, the Dutchman's Breeches, may be seen any time climbing the low hillside, or waving their feathery leaves in the margin of the woods; and, although they spend their time mainly in lolling about on the young grass, or even on the bare ground, their waxy-white garments are never soiled, and they are the envy of their neighbors. The Columbine in her scarlet and gold, that lives in the rocky castle just above him, on the summit of the knoll, is shaking her head in displeasure at his laziness, telling him that he can never be anybody as long as he is content to live such a quiet, humdrum life, never getting up on the highlands, or making any expeditions among chasms or dangerous depths; for her part, she delights in gazing down steep places, and clinging to the rock side, enjoying many a chat with the Harebells, whom he never meets. But the flowers all know the Col umbine, and feel that if she does hold her head so high up in the world, she is kind at heart and means well. Far out on the distant prairies and bluffs of the West, are seen some rare gems of flowers. Queen among them all is the lovely Pasque Flower, or, as it is called, the Easter Bell, because she presents her "lilies" at Easter. Before the ground has been warmed even by the early spring sun, we see her pushing up into view her flower bud, covered with plush of the softest brown. She stands alone on the bare, cold ground, with the chill winds blowing over her; often making her first offering before there is even one blade of green grass to welcome her, and her sister flowers are yet sleeping soundly in their beds. The beautiful brown plush of her cloak is lined with bluish purple, shading to white; and when she unveils her face in all its beauty, a fairer one was never seen. Her Eastern cousins would gaze in delight if they could only see her, but they probably never will; for she is queen among the spring flowers of the West, and never leaves home. N The Dodecatheon, or Shooting Star, as it is familiarly called, is a tall, graceful flower, hanging its crown of lilac and pinkish blossoms in winglike clusters on the summit of the stem. It is a remarkable flower, noted for its grace and beauty, and grows in lavish profusion in the hazel thickets. But one long, bright, summer day would not give us time enough to tell the names, even of the darlings east and west, that people our groves, meadows, and brooksides; beginning with that fragrant, waxy gem, the Trailing Arbutus, and closing our list with the last blossoms of the season, the waving Goldenrod and the classic Blue Gentian. They smile on us from every nook the sun shines on, and lift their bright eyes to the sky in mute adoration, always receiving storm and sunshine alike, in quiet content. MARY W. ALLEN. Notes.-- The Dogtooth Violet is so called on account of two projections somewhat resembling blunt teeth near the base of its petals. The Pasque Flower (påsk) derives its name from pasque, an old French word meaning Easter. The flower blooms about the time of the Easter festival. Do de căth'e on (dodeka, twelve; theoi, gods) is a name given by the poetic naturalist, Linnæus, inasmuch as the twelve flowers seemed to him to deserve the name of divinities. Elocution.-State what inflections should be employed in reading the first paragraph on page 74. Point out the position of rhetorical pauses in the first paragraph of the lesson. Language. -The lesson, although prose in form, resembles poetry both in thought and language. It may therefore be called a prose poem. In the statement-"The day is gaining on the night," is the thought of a race between day and night suggested?-If so, name the figure of comparison employed. When we speak of flowers as rubbing their sleepy eyes, rising and dressing, we attribute to them the actions of persons. A metaphor in which human characteristics are attributed to objects not properly possessing them, is called personification. What figure of comparison is used in the expression - Dame Nature? Composition. Use as a subject for analysis and treatmentButtercups and Daisies. Remark. The description of flowers will afford matter for an occasional composition, to those interested in the subject of botany. The habits of observation and classification acquired through the study of plants and other natural objects, will lead to the systematic arrangement of thoughts upon any subject, and prove invaluable aids to original composition. 12. BEETHOVEN'S MOONLIGHT SONATA. so nä'tȧ, a kind of musical composition. fi nä'le (fe nä'la), the end of a piece of music. in vŏl'un ta ri ly, without choice; without intending. rev'er ent ly, with fear, mingled with respect and love. aġ i tä'to, hurried; trembling. im půl'sive, sudden; unexpected. It happened at Bonn. Im' pro vişe', play something without preparation. în'fi nite ly, without bounds or limits. gro těsque' (gro těsk'), wildly com păs'sion ately, with kind- N One moonlight winter's evening I called upon Beethoven; for I wished him to take a walk, and afterward sup with me. In passing through some dark, narrow street, he suddenly paused. "Hush!" he said, "what sound is that? It is from my Sonata in F.N Hark! how well it is played!" It was a little, mean dwelling, and we paused outside and listened. The player went on; but, in the midst of the finale, there was a sudden break; then the voice of sobbing. "I can not play any more. It is so beautiful; it is utterly beyond my power to do it justice. O, what would I not give to go to the concert at Cologne!" "Ah! my sister," said her companion; "why create regrets when there is no remedy? scarcely pay our rent." We can "You are right, and yet I wish for once in my life to hear some really good music. But it is of no use." Beethoven looked at me. "Let us go in," he said. "Go in!" I exclaimed; "what can we go in for?" "I will play to her," he said, in an excited tone. "Here is feeling-genius-understanding! I will play to her, and she will understand it.” And, before I could prevent him, his hand was upon the door. It opened and we entered. A pale young man was sitting by the table, making shoes; and near him, leaning sorrowfully upon an old-fashioned piano, sat a young girl, with a profusion of light hair falling over her face. Both were cleanly but very poorly dressed, and both started and turned toward us as we entered. "Pardon me," said Beethoven, "but I heard music and was tempted to enter. I am a musician.” The girl blushed, and the young man looked grave and somewhat annoyed. "I-I also overheard something of what you said," continued my friend. "You wish to hearthat is, you would like-that is-shall I play for you?" There was something so odd in the whole affair, and something so comical and pleasant in the manner of the speaker, that the spell was broken in a moment, and all smiled involuntarily. "Thank you," said the shoemaker; "but our piano is so wretched, and we have no music." "No music!" echoed my friend; "how, then, does the young lady- He paused, and colored; for, as he looked in the girl's face, he saw that she was blind. "I-I entreat your pardon," he stammered. "I had not perceived before. Then you play by ear? But where do you hear the music, since you frequent no concerts?" "We lived at Bruhl for two years, and while |
