8. The whole community meet, as one religious family, to offer their devotions at the common altar. If there be an outlaw from the society,-a lucklèss wight, whose vagrant taste has never been subdued, he may be seen stealing along the margin of some little brook, far away from the condemning observation and troublesome admonitions of his fellows.

1

9. Toward the close of the day (or to borrow a phrase descriptive of his feelings, who first used it), "when the Sabbath begins to abate," the children cluster about the windows. Their eyes wander from their catechism to the western sky, and, though it seems to them as if the sun would never disappear, his broad disk does slowly sink behind the mountain; and, while his last ray still lingers on the eastern summits, měrry voices break forth, and the ground resounds with bounding footsteps.

10. The village belle' arrays herself for her twilight walk; the boys gather on "the green;" the lads and girls throng to the "singing-school;" while some coy maiden lingers at home, awaiting her expected suitor; and all enter upon the pleasures of the evening with as keen a relish as if the day had been a preparatory penance.' MISS C. M. SEDGWICK.

A

ΠΙ.

56. THE COUNTRY CHURCH.

BOUT the chapel door, in easy groups,

The rustic people wait. Some trim the switch,

While some prognosticate of harvests full,
Or shake the dubious' head, with arguments
Based on the winter's frequent snow and thaw,
The heavy rains, and sudden frosts severe.

2. Some, happily but few, deal scandal out,
With look askance' pointing their victim. These

A bate', to decrease or become less in strength or violence.

2 Bălle, a young lady or great beauty and much admired.

'Pěn' ance, suffering, labor, or pain used as a punishment for faults, or as an expression of sorrow for sin.

'Prog nos' tic ate, to foretell from signs.

3 Du bi ous, not settled, or doubtful in opinion; doubting.

"Scăn' dal, something said which is false and injurious to character. "A skǎnce', aside; sideways.

3.

Are the rank tares' in every field of grain-
These are the nettles stinging unaware—
The briers which wound and trip unheeding feet-
The noxious' vines, growing in every grove!
Their touch is deadly, and their passing breath
Poison most venomous!' Such have I known-
As who has not?—and suffered by the contact.
Of these the husbandman takes certain note,
And in the proper season disinters*

Their baneful' roots; and, to the sun exposed,
The killing light of truth, leaves them to pine
And perish in the noonday!

'Gainst a tree,

With strong arms folded o'er a giant chest,
Stands Barton, to the neighborhood chief smith;
His coat, unused to aught save Sunday wear,
Grown too oppressive by the morning walk,
Hangs on the drooping branch: so stands he oft
Beside the open door, what time the share
Is whitening at the roaring bellows' mouth.

6

4. There, too, the wheelwright-he, the magistrate'—
In small communities a man of mark—

Stands with the smith, and holds such argument
As the unlettered but observing can ;

Their theme some knot of scripture hard to solve.
And 'gainst the neighboring bars two others fan,
Less fit the sacred hour, discussion hot

Of politics; a topic which, inflamed,

Knows no propriety of time or place.

5. There Oakes, the cooper, with rough brawny' hand, Descănts 10 at large, and, with a noisy ardor,

1 Tare, (tår), a weed that grows among wheat and other grain; darnel; rye-grass.

2

Noxious, (nok' shůs), hurtful;

poisonous; destructive.

3

poison; destructive.

* Bellows, (bel'lůs).

7

Măg' is trate, a judge; a justice of the peace.

Theme, a topic or subject on

3 Věn ́om oŭs, mischievous; spite- which a person writes or speaks.

ful; deadly.

4 Dis`in ters', unburies; digs out. ' Bāne' ful, full of bane or deadly

9 Brawn' y, having large, strong muscles; muscular; strong.

"Descǎnts' talks; makes remarks

Rattles around his theme as round a cask;
While Hanson, heavy browed, with shoulders bent,
Bent with great lifting of huge stones-for he
A mason and famed builder is-replies

With tongue as sharp and dexterous' as his trowel,
And sentences which like his hammer fall,
Bringing the flinty fire at evèry blow!

6 But soon the approaching parson ends in peace
The wordy combat, and all turn within.
Awhile rough shoes, some with discordant' creak,
And voices clearing for the psalm, disturb
The sacred quiet, till, at last, the vail
Of silence wavers, settles, falls; and then
The hymn is given, and all arise and sing.

7. Then follows prayer, which from the pastor's heart
Flows unpretending, with few words devout

Of humble thanks and askings; not with lungs
Stentorian, assaulting heaven's high wall,

3

Compelling grace by virtue of a siege!

This done, with loving care he scans his flock,
And opes the sacred volume at the text.

8. Wide is his brow, and full of honest thought-
Love his vocation, truth is all his stock.
With these he strives to guide, and not perplex
With words sublime and empty, ringing oft
Most musically hollow. All his facts

Are simple, broad, sufficient for a world!

He knows them well, teaching but what he knows.

9. He never strides through metaphysic' mists,
Or takes false greatness because seen through fogs,
Nor leads 'mid brambles of thick argument
Till all admire the wit which brings them through;

1 Děx' ter oŭs, skillful; artful; ready; handy.

2 Discord'ant, disagreeing; harsh ; jarring.

* Stěn tō' ri an, extremely loud. Stentor was the Greek name of a

man, spoken of by Homer, who had a very loud voice.

1 Mět`a physics, the science of the principles and causes of all things existing; the science, or regulated knowledge, of the mind.

Nor e'er essays, in sermon or in prayer,

1

To share the hearer's thought; nor strives to make
The smallest of his congregation lose

One glimpse of heaven, to cast it on the priest.

10. Such simple course, in these ambitious times, Were worthy imitation; in these days,

3

4

When brazen tinsel bears the palm from worth,"
And trick and pertnèss take the sacred desk;

Or some coarse thunderer, arm'd with doctrines new
Aims at our faith a blow to fell an ox-

6

Swinging his sledge, regardlèss where it strikes,
Or what demolishes-well pleased to win
By either blows or noise!—A modern seer,"
Crying destruction! and, to prove it true,
Walking abroad, for demolition arm'd,
And boldly leveling where he can not build!
11. The service done, the congregation rise,
And with a freshness glowing in their hearts,
And quiet strength, the benison of prayer,
And wholesome admonition, hence depart.
12. Some, lōth to go, within the graveyard loiter,
Walking among the mounds, or on the tombs,
Hanging, like pictured grief beneath a willow,
Bathing the inscriptions with their tears; or here,
Finding the earliest violet, like a drop

Of Heaven's anointing blue upon the dead,
Bless it with mournful pleasure; or perchance,
With careful hands, recall the wandering vine,
And teach it where to creep, and where to bear
Its future epitaph of flowers. And there,
Each with a separate grief, and some with tears,
Ponder the sculptured lines of consolation.

1 Share, (shår).

' Cast, (kåst).

. 'Brazen, (brá zn).

'Bears, (bårz).

'Worth, (worth).

'Slědge, a heavy hammer.

THOMAS BUCHANAN READ.

7 Seer, a person who foresees events; a prophet.

* Demolition, (dêm`o lîsh ́un), act of overthrowing or destroying ; ruin. 'Benison, (ben'i zn), benediction; a blessing; reward.

I

SECTION XIV.

I.

57. LAD AND HIS NEIGHBOR.

HAD, said William Lad, the apostle' of peace, a fine field

of grain, growing upon an out-farm, at some distance from the homestead. Whenever I rode by I saw my neighbor Pulcifer's sheep in the lot, destroying my hopes of a harvest. These sheep were of the gaunt,' long-legged kind, active as spaniels: they would spring over the highest fence, and no partition wall could keep them out.

2. I complained to neighbor Pulcifer about them, sent him frequent messages, but all without avail. Perhaps they would be kept out for a day or two; but the legs of his sheep were long, and my grain more tempting than the adjoining pasture. I rode by again—the sheep were still there: I became angry, and told my men to set the dogs on them; and, if that would not do, I would pay them, if they would shoot the sheep.

3. I rode ǎway much agitated; for I was not so much of a peace man then as I am now, and I felt literally full of fight. All at once, a light flashed in upon me. I asked myself, "Would it not be well for you to try in your own conduct the peace principle you are teaching to others?" I thought it all over, and settled down in my mind as to the best course to be pursued. The next day I rode over to see neighbor Pulcifer. I found him chopping wood at his door.

4. "Good morning, neighbor!" No answer. "Good morning!" I repeated. He gave a kind of grunt without looking up. "I came," continued I, "to see about the sheep." At this, he threw down his ax and exclaimed, in an angry manner : "Now aren't you a pretty neighbor, to tell your men to kill my sheep? I heard of it ; a rich man, like you, to shoot a poor

man's sheep!"

1

5. "I was wrong, neighbor," said I; "but it won't do to let

Apostle, (a pos' sl), one of the twelve disciples of Christ; a person sent forth to do some important business.

2

Gaunt, (gånt), tall and thin; slender; lean.

8

* Spaniels, (spån ́ yêlz).

* Pretty, (prit' tl).