Sanders' Union Fourth Reader Part 46

2. A great battle was going on. Column after column had been precipitated for eight mortal hours on the enemy posted along the ridge of a hill. The summer sun was sinking to the west; re-enforcements for the obstinate defenders were already in sight; it was necessary to carry the position with one final charge, or every thing would be lost. A powerful corps had been summoned from across the country, and, if it came up in season, all would yet be right. The great conqueror, confident in its arrival, formed his reserve into an attacking column, and led them down the hill. The whole world knows the result. Grouchy [Footnote: p.r.o.nounced _Groo' shee_.] failed to appear; the imperial guard was beaten back; Waterloo was lost. Napoleon died a prisoner at St. Helena, because one of his marshals was _behind time_.

3. A leading firm, in commercial circles had long struggled against bankruptcy. As it had enormous a.s.sets in California, it expected remittances by a certain day; and if the sums promised arrived, its credit, its honor, and its future prosperity would be preserved. But week after week elapsed without bringing the gold. At last, came the fatal day on which the firm had bills maturing to enormous amounts. The steamer was telegraphed at daybreak; but it was found on inquiry that she brought no funds; and the house failed. The next arrival brought nearly half a million to the insolvents, but it was too late; they were ruined, because their agent, in remitting, had been _behind time_.

4. A condemned man was led out for execution, he had taken human life, but under circ.u.mstances of the greatest provocation, and public sympathy was active in his behalf. Thousands had signed pet.i.tions for a reprieve, a favorable answer had been expected the night before, and, though it had not come, even the sheriff felt confident that it would yet arrive in season. Thus the morning pa.s.sed without the appearance of the messenger. The last moment was up. The prisoner took his place on the drop, the cap was drawn over his eyes, the bolt was drawn, and a lifeless body hung suspended in the air. Just at that moment a horseman came into sight, galloping down the hill, his steed covered with foam.

He carried a packet in his right hand, which he waved to the crowd. He was the express rider with the reprieve. But he had come too late. A comparatively innocent man had died an ignominious death, because a watch had been five minutes too slow, making its bearer arrive _behind time_.

5. It is continually so in life. The best laid plans, the most important affairs, the fortunes of individuals, the wealth of nations, honor, happiness, life itself, are daily sacrificed because somebody is "behind time." There are men who always fail in whatever they undertake, simply because they are "behind time." Five minutes in a crisis are worth years. It is but a little period, yet it has often saved a fortune, or redeemed a people. If there is one virtue that should be cultivated more than another by him who would succeed in life, it is _punctuality_; if there is one error that should be avoided, it is being _behind time_.

QUESTIONS.--1. What sad results are mentioned, in consequence of being _behind time?_ 2. What virtue should be cultivated, and what error avoided? 3. What is the use of the hyphen in the word _re-enforcements?_ See SANDERS' NEW SPELLER, page 165.

LESSON LX.

TWIN' ED, interwoven.

GAR' LAND, wreath of flowers.

MUS' ED, thought; meditated.

AN TIQUE', (_an teek'_,) ancient.

MOLD, shape; form.

RARE, scarce; seldom seen.

SOOTH ED, calmed; quieted.

THROB' BED, beat; palpitated.

CO' ZY, snug; comfortable.

EBB' ED, flowed back.

JOUR' NEY, travel.

LONG' ING, earnestly desiring.

TIE, bond of affection.

RIV' EN, torn asunder.

"HOW HAPPY I'LL BE."

1. A little girl sat amid the flowers, In the blush and bloom of childhood's hours; She twined the buds in a garland fair, And bound them up in her s.h.i.+ning hair: "Ah, me!" said she, "_how happy I'll be_, When ten years more have gone over me, And I am a maiden with youth's bright glow Flus.h.i.+ng my cheek, and lighting my brow!"

2. A maiden mused in a pleasant room, Where the air was filled with a soft perfume; Vases were near of antique mold, And beautiful pictures, rare and old; And she, amid all the beauty there, Was by far the loveliest and most fair.

"Ah, me!" said she, "_how happy I'll be_, When my heart's own choice comes back to me, When I proudly stand by my dear one's side, With the thrilling joy of a youthful bride!"

3. A mother bent o'er the cradle nest Where she soothed her babe to his smiling rest; She watched the sleep of her cherub-boy, And her spirit throbbed with exulting joy.

"Ah, me!" said she, "_how happy I'll be_, When he reaches manhood, proud and free, And the world bows down, in its rapture wild, It the earnest words of my darling child!"

4. An aged one sat by the cozy hearth, Counting life's sands as they ebbed from earth; Feeble and frail; the race she run Had borne her along to the setting sun.

"Ah, me!" said she, "_how happy I'll be_, When from time's long fever my soul is free, When the world fades out with its weary strife, And I soar away to a better life!"

5. 'Tis thus we journey from youth to age, Longing to turn to another page, Striving to hasten the years away, Lighting our hearts with the future's ray, Hoping on earth till its visions fade, Wis.h.i.+ng and waiting, through sun and shade, But turning, when earth's last tie is riven, To the beautiful rest of a fadeless Heaven.

QUESTIONS.--1. When did the little girl think she would be happy? 2.

What did she say when she became old? 3. What are we constantly expecting from youth to age? 4. What is the meaning of the suffix _ing_, in such words as _longing, striving, lighting_, &c.? See SANDERS & McELLIGOTT'S a.n.a.lYSIS, page 134, Ex. 176.

LESSON LXI.

VET' ER AN, old soldier.

GRASP' ED, seized hold of.

AN' CIENT, old.

MUR' MUR, ED, uttered in a low voice.

IM MOR' TAL, imperishable.

RAG' ED, was furious.

RE MAIN', still exists.

SIRE, father.

LIGHT' EN ED, (EN, _make_; ED, _did_,) did make light.

THE SWORD OF BUNKER HILL.

WILLIAM R. WALLACE.

1. He lay upon his dying bed, (pl.) His eye was growing dim, When, with a feeble voice, he called His weeping son to him: "Weep not, my boy," the veteran said, "I bow to Heaven's high will; But quickly from yon antlers bring, The sword of Bunker Hill."

2. The sword was brought; the soldier's eye Lit with a sudden flame; And, as he grasped the ancient blade, He murmured Warren's[1] name; Then said, "My boy, I leave you gold, But what is richer still, I leave you, mark me, mark me, now, The sword of Bunker Hill.

3. "'Twas on that dread, immortal day, I dared the Briton's band, A captain raised his blade on me, I tore it from his hand; And while the glorious battle raged, It lightened Freedom's will; For, boy, the G.o.d of Freedom blessed The sword of Bunker Hill.

4. "Oh! keep this sword," his accents broke,-- A smile--and he was dead; But his wrinkled hand still grasped the blade, Upon that dying bed.

The son remains, the sword remains, Its glory growing still, And twenty millions bless the sire And sword of Bunker Hill.

[Footnote 1: General Warren, a brave and valuable officer, fell by a musket-ball, while fighting the British at Bunker's Hill, June 17th, 1775.]

QUESTIONS.--1. What request did the old veteran make of his son? 2. What bequest did he make to him? 3. How did he obtain that sword? 4. What did he say to his son? 5. Who was Warren?

LESSON LXII.

LE' GEND, fict.i.tious narrative.

MOR' TAL, deadly.

COM' BAT, battle; conflict.

PRI ME' VAL, first; primitive.

MUS' CU LAR, strong; vigorous.

CA DAV' ER OUS, pale; sickly.

REF U GEE', runaway; fugitive.

QUAR' TER, mercy; indulgence.

PIN' ION ED, confined; shackled.

A BYSS', yawning gulf.

PRO POS' AL, offer; proposition.

DI SHEV' EL ED, disordered.

IM BO' SOM ED, surrounded; inclosed.

CON FESS' ED, owned; acknowledged.

RE LENT' ING, pitying; compa.s.sionate.