New National Fourth Reader Part 73

It is a peculiar fact about eating warm 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 cla.s.s. After the reading, let pupils make oral _a.n.a.lyses_. The stories should be short, and the exercise conducted without the use of pencils or paper.

LESSON LXXI.

en'sign, _flag_.

dis man'tled, _stripped of masts, sails, and guns_.

pa tri ot'ic, _full of love for one's country_.

hulk, _a dismantled s.h.i.+p_.

frig'ate, _a s.h.i.+p of war_.

tat'tered, _torn_.

me'te or, _a fiery body in the heavens_.

van'quished, _conquered; overcome_.

har'pies, _destroyers_.

manned, _supplied with men_.

OLD IRONSIDES.

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

Among the s.h.i.+ps of war belonging to the United States Government, was a frigate named the Const.i.tution. 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 s.h.i.+ps of war from the British, two of which were frigates.

In all her service, her success was remarkable. She never lost her masts, never went ash.o.r.e, 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 s.h.i.+p."

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

In 1829, the Government ordered the Const.i.tution 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 sh.o.r.e 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 G.o.d 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 s.h.i.+p.

The Government was induced to reconsider its determination. The old s.h.i.+p 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 receiving-s.h.i.+p at the United States Navy Yard, Portsmouth, New Hamps.h.i.+re.