Sanders' Union Fourth Reader Part 40

1. In distant days,--of wild romance, Of magic, mist, and fable,-- When stones could argue, trees advance,[Footnote 1]

And brutes to talk were able,-- When shrubs and flowers were said to preach, And manage all the parts of speech,--

2. 'Twas _then_, no doubt, if 'twas at all, (But doubts we need not mention,) That _Then_ and _Now_, two adverbs small, Engaged in sharp contention; But how they made each other hear, Tradition doth not make appear.

3. _Then_ was a sprite of subtile frame, With rainbow tints invested.-- On clouds of dazzling light she came, And stars her forehead crested; Her sparkling eyes of azure hue, Seemed borrowed from the distant blue.

4. _Now_ rested on the solid earth, And sober was her vesture; She seldom either grief or mirth Expressed, by word or gesture; Composed, sedate, and firm she stood, And looked industrious, calm, and good.

5. _Then_ sang a wild, fantastic song, Light as the gale she flies on, Still stretching, as she sailed along, Toward the far horizon, Where clouds of radiance, fringed with gold, O'er hills of emerald beauty rolled.

6. _Now_ rarely raised her sober eye To view that golden distance; Nor let one idle minute fly In hope of _Then's_ a.s.sistance; But still with busy hands she stood, Intent on doing _present_ good.

7. She ate the sweet, but homely fare, That pa.s.sing moments brought her; While _Then_, expecting dainties rare, Despised such bread and water; And waited for the fruits and flowers Of future, still receding hours.

8. _Now_, venturing once to ask her why, She answered with invective; And pointed, as she made reply, _Toward that long perspective Of years to come_,--in distant blue, Wherein she meant to _live_ and _do_,

9. "Alas!" says she, _"how hard you toil!_ With undiverted sadness; Behold yon land of wine and oil!

Those sunny hills of gladness!

Those joys I wait, with eager brow,"

_"And so you always will!"_ said _Now_.

10. "That fairy land that looks so real, Recedes as you pursue it; Thus, while you wait for time's ideal, _I take my work and do it;_ Intent to form, when time is gone, A _pleasant past_ to look upon."

11. "Ah, well," said _Then_, "I envy not Your dull, fatiguing labors,-- Aspiring to a brighter lot, With thousands of my neighbors; Soon as I reach that golden hill,"-- "But that," says _Now_, "you _never will!"_

12. "And e'en suppose you should," said she, "(Though mortal ne'er attained it,) Your nature you must change with me, The moment you have gained it; Since hope fulfilled, (you must allow,) Turns NOW to _Then_, and THEN to _Now_."

[Footnote 1: The reference is to Orpheus, (or' fuse,) an ancient poet and musician of Greece. The skill of Orpheus on the lyre, was fabled to have been such as to move the very trees and rocks, and to a.s.semble the beasts around him as he touched its chords.]

QUESTIONS.--1. What two words are represented as holding a controversy?

2. Describe the appearance of each. 3. When did _Then_ propose to do something? 4. How did Now act? 5. What answer did _Then_ make, when _Now_ asked her why she waited? 6. What was _Now's_ reply? 7. What did _Now_ finally say to _Then_? 8. How should pa.s.sages, within a parenthesis, be read? See SANDERS' UNION READER, NUMBER THREE, page 20.

LESSON XLVIII.

IN GEN' IOUS, artful; skillful.

STRAT' A GEM, trick; artifice.

EX CEED' ED, surpa.s.sed.

SIG' NALS, signs.

AM' I CA BLE, friendly; peaceable.

RE PEL', (RE, _back_; PEL, _to drive_,)drive back.

MU' TU AL, reciprocal.

EX TRAOR' DI NA RY, uncommon.

IN VET' ER ATE, obstinate; violent.

HARANGUE', declamatory speech.

EN TER TAIN' ED, held; had.

SUS PI' CION, mistrust.

EN COUN' TER ED, met face to face.

EX' E CU TED, carried out.

FOR' MI DA BLE, fearful; dreadful.

PER FID' I OUS, treacherous.

PRE CIP' ITATELY, headlong.

IN AN' I MATE, dead; lifeless.

AN INGENIOUS STRATAGEM.

DAYS OF WAs.h.i.+NGTON.

1. In the early part of the war, a sergeant and twelve armed men undertook a journey through the wilderness, in the State of New Hamps.h.i.+re. Their route was remote from any settlement, and they were under the necessity of encamping over night in the woods. Nothing material happened the first day of their excursion; but, early in the afternoon of the second, they, from an eminence, discovered a body of armed Indians advancing toward them, whose number rather exceeded their own.

2. As soon as the whites were perceived by their red brethren, the latter made signals, and the two parties approached each other in an amicable manner. The Indians appeared to be much gratified with meeting the sergeant and his men, whom, they observed, they considered as their protectors. They said they belonged to a tribe which had raised the hatchet with zeal in the cause of liberty, and were determined to do all in their power to repel the common enemy.

3. They shook hands in friends.h.i.+p. When they had conversed with each other for some time, and exchanged mutual good wishes, they, at length, separated, and each party traveled in a different direction. After proceeding to the distance of a mile or more, the sergeant, who was acquainted with all the different tribes, and knew on which side of the contest they were respectively ranked, halted his men, and addressed them in the following words:

4. "My brave companions, we must use the utmost caution, or this night may be our last. Should we not make some extraordinary exertions to defend ourselves, to-morrow's sun may find us sleeping, never to wake.

You are surprised, comrades, at my words, and your anxiety will not be lessened, when I inform you that we have just pa.s.sed _our most inveterate foe_, who, under the mask of pretended friends.h.i.+p, which you have witnessed, would lull us to security, and, by such means, in the unguarded moments of our midnight slumber, without resistance, seal our fate."

5. The men with astonishment listened to this short harangue; and their surprise was greater, as not one of them had entertained the suspicion but that they had just encountered friends. They all immediately resolved to enter into some scheme for their mutual preservation, and the destruction of their enemies. By the proposal of their leader, the following plan was adopted and executed.

6. The spot selected for their night's encampment, was near a stream of water, which served to cover their rear. They felled a large tree, before which, on the approach of night, a brilliant fire was lighted.

Each individual cut a log of wood, about the size of his body, rolled it nicely in his blanket, placed his hat upon one end, and laid it before the fire, that the enemy might be deceived, and mistake it for a man.

7. After they had thus fitted out logs, equal in number to the sergeant's party, and had so artfully arranged them, that they might be easily mistaken for so many soldiers, the men with loaded muskets placed themselves behind the fallen tree, by which time the shades of evening began to close around. The fire was kept burning brilliantly until late in the evening, when it was suffered to decline.

8. The critical time was now approaching, when an attack might be expected from the Indians; but the sergeant's men rested in their place of concealment with great anxiety, till near midnight, without perceiving any movement of the enemy. At length, a tall Indian was discovered, through the glimmering of the fire, cautiously moving toward them, making no noise, and apparently using every means in his power to conceal himself from any one about the camp.

9. For a time, his actions showed him to be suspicious that a guard might be stationed to watch any unusual appearance, who would give the alarm in case of danger; but, all appearing quiet, he ventured forward more boldly, rested upon his toes, and was distinctly seen to move his finger as he numbered each log of wood, or what he supposed to be a human being quietly enjoying repose.

10. To satisfy himself more fully, as to the number, he counted them over a second time, and cautiously retired. He was succeeded by another Indian, who went through the same movements, and retired in the same manner. Soon after, the whole party, sixteen in number, were discovered approaching, and greedily eyeing their supposed victims.

11. The feelings of the sergeant's men can be better imagined than described, when they saw the base and cruel purpose of their enemies, who were now so near that they could scarcely be restrained from firing upon them. The plan, however, of the sergeant, was to have his men remain silent in their places of concealment, till the muskets of the savages were discharged, that their own fire might be effectual, and opposition less formidable.

12. Their suspense was not of long duration. The Indians, in a body, cautiously approached till within a short distance: they then halted, took deliberate aim, discharged their pieces upon inanimate logs, gave a dreadful war-whoop, and instantly rushed forward, with tomahawk and scalping knife in hand, to dispatch the living, and obtain the scalps of the dead.

13. As soon as they had collected in close order, more effectually to execute their horrid intentions, the sergeant's party discharged their pieces, not on logs of wood, but perfidious savages,--many of whom fell under the hot fire of the little band, and the rest precipitately fled.

But for this ingenious scheme, it is probable that not one of these twelve men would have escaped the tomahawk of the savages.

QUESTIONS.--1. What did the sergeant say to his men, after parting with the Indians? 2. What plan did the sergeant propose for their preservation? 3. Did the plan succeed? 4. Describe the closing scene.

LESSON XLIX.

VEN' ER A BLE, worthy of reverence.

IN VA' SION, irruption; inroad.

EX CIT' ED, roused; stirred up.