STANDARD

Miss the footing, slip. Entangled, fixed.
Remain, stay. Unpleasant, disagreeable.
Be surprised, be astonished, to wonder.
Attract notice, draw attention. Scene, place.

THE SENSIBLE TURKEY.

A MAN was going home late one dark night. On his way he had to pass a mill-dam. He missed

his footing and fell into the water.

The poor man was carried down until he was caught by the rake or fence at the mill. There he got so entangled that he could not get out, so he had to remain in that unpleasant place all night.

Early in the morning, a turkey-cock observed his distress. When the millers came to their work, they were surprised at the noise the turkey made. At length, it struck them that he wished to attract their notice.

When they came up to the bird, he gobbled all the more loudly and flapped his wings. At the same time he strutted towards the scene of distress.

The men followed and there found the unfortunate man, who was by this time half dead with exhaustion.

Tarn, a small mountain lake, or pool.

THE TRAVELLER'S DOG.

A BARKING Sound the shepherd hears,
A cry as of a dog or fox:

He halts, and searches with his eyes
Among the scatter'd rocks:

And now at a distance can discern
A stirring in a brake of fern;
And instantly a dog is seen,
Glancing through that covert green.
The dog is not of mountain-breed;
Its motions too, are wild and shy;
With something, as the shepherd thinks,
Unusual in its cry;

Nor is there any one in sight

All round, in hollow, or on height;

Nor shout, nor whistle, strikes his ear,
What is the creature doing here?

It was a cove, a huge recess,

That keeps till June December's snow; A lofty precipice in front,

A silent tarn below!

Far in the bosom of Helvellyn,
Remote from public road or dwelling,
Pathway, or cultivated land;

From trace of human foot or hand.

Not free from boding thoughts, awhile
The shepherd stood; then makes his way
Towards the dog, o'er rocks and stones,
As quickly as he may ;

Nor far had gone before he found
A human skeleton on the ground.
The appall'd discoverer, with a sigh,
Looks round to learn the history.

From those abrupt and perilous rocks
The man had fall'n, that place of fear!
At length upon the shepherd's mind
It breaks and all is clear:
He instantly recall'd the name,

And who he was, and whence he came;
Remember'd, too, the very day

On which the traveller pass'd this way.

But hear a wonder, for whose sake
This lamentable tale I tell!

A lasting monument of words

This wonder merits well.

The dog, which still was hovering nigh,
Repeating the same timid cry,

This dog had been, through three months' space,
A dweller in that savage place!

G

Yes, proof was plain, that since the day
When this ill-fated traveller died,
The dog had watch'd about the spot,
Or by his master's side :

How nourish'd here through such long time,
He knows who gave that love sublime,
And gave that strength of feeling, great
Above all human estimate !-Wordsworth.

Used to be, was wont to be, or in the habit of being.
Employ, engage.

Behaviour, way of acting, conduct. Noted, remarkable.
THE TURNSPIT DOG.

IN some parts of the country, dogs used to be employed to turn the spit at the cook's fire. At a certain College two dogs were in the habit of taking their turn at this business.

On one occasion, the cook, wishing to roast a joint, ordered one of the dogs to go on with his work. But the dog was sulky, and would not.

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The cook tried to force him, and received a bite in return. This behaviour was all the more prising, as the dog was noted for gentleness. Immediately after snapping at his master, the dog ran out into the yard. Presently he was observed driving in the other dog, whose turn at the spit it proved to be.

THE SWALLOWS.

IN the spring-time the swallows came back, and with cheerful twitter took possession of their old nest under the eaves of a farm-house. The farmer said to his children, "Now, do no harm to the good little birds he who drives away the swallows from his threshold, also drives away good luck from his house. Our neighbour destroyed the swallows' nest above his window, and crushed the eggs. Well, from that time he began to go to ruin."

Little Willy asked his father how that could be. His father replied, "Our neighbour had given up the pious, simple customs of his fathers. His grandfather and great-grandfather had treated with patience the harmless swallows. In return they were awakened for their work at early morn by the busy chattering. But our neighbour, who was hardhearted both to man and beast, was glad to dream away the bright morning hours; and as the swallows disturbed him in his morning slumbers, he destroyed their nest. The sullen, lazy, and wasteful man thus drove away good luck from the house, along with the swallows."

Song of the Swallow.

The Swallow, the Swallow, has burst on the sight,

of vernal" delight;

His back it is sable, his belly is white.
Can your pantry nought spare,
That his palate may please,

A fig,

Or a slice of rich cheese ? Mark, he bars all delay ; my friend, say,

At a word,

Is it yea is it nay
Do we go do we

stay

2

* Vernal, spring.

SAGACITY OF A GOAT.

A GOAT and her kids used to come to a square in which I once lived, and they were often fed by myself and servants. One day on which they had been forgotten, I heard a thumping at the door. The noise arose from the buttings of the goat and her two children, because the food was not forthcoming. Of this we by-and-bye took no notice; but on one occasion, the area bell rang; and when the servant answered it, there, to her astonishment, stood the goat and kids, with their heads bent down towards the kitchen window.

It was thought that some boy had rung for them; but next time they were watched, and the old goat was seen to hook one of her horns into the wire, and pull it.*

Lady of my acquaintance, lady whom I know.

Chance, accident. Evidently, clearly.

Bestow a rash confidence on, trust rashly, or without consideration.

Erect, straight up. Grew, became.

Intruder, one entering where he has no business.

PUSS AND DICKIE.

A LADY of my acquaintance had both a pet canary and an equally beloved cat. The former lived in her bedroom, and when alone she allowed him to fly about the room, for there he was safe from the cat.

Chance, however, discovered that Puss was as fond of the canary as the lady herself was. To her surprise, on raising her head from her work one morning, she saw the bird perched upon the cat's body, without fear, and the cat evidently delighted. After that the two pets were daily companions.

*Lee's Anecdotes.