and his silky ears, and even his poor little dusty paws, as if begging him to forgive me; then I carried him up to the middle arch of the bridge, where the river was deepest and the stars were shining on the water, kissed him once more, and dropped him in. 13. He must have sunk at once, for, except that single splash, I never heard a sound. Beyond the first minute, I am sure, quite sure, he did not suffer the smallest pain. 14. It was quite dark night when I got home, and my parents had been seriously anxious about me. Father was just going out to search for me, when mother called out, "Jane's here." "Jane - alone? and where's Prin? Why didn't Prin come and meet me to-night as usual?" said my father, kindly. 15. Then I spoke,-though my voice sounded so strange it hardly seemed like mine, even to myself. "Prin will never come to meet you again, father. He's drowned!" "Drowned! Who drowned him?" 16. "I did it myself. You said it would be best. It was the only way to save him from those Cleaver boys." "You did it yourself?" "I wasn't likely to let anybody else do it. Yes, I did it my own self-off the bridge, this evening." "O, my poor little girl!" 17. I did not notice anything very much just then, for I felt like a stone, but I did observe that he dropped back again in his arm-chair, and put his hand over his eyes. Never but that once-except on the day of mother's funeral-did I see father cry. 18. He had spoken in haste, not meaning half he said, and now that it was all over, and it was too late, his grief was almost as sharp as my own. Sharper, perhaps, for he had caused mine, which, indeed, I was obliged to hide in order to comfort him a little. 19. He brought me half a dozen puppies to choose from, and would have given me any dog I liked; but I wanted none. I could never love any dog but Prin. LANGUAGE EXERCISE. I. Exp.ain "natural bed-time" (9); "the light was going" (10); "I felt like a stone" (17). II. Write the analysis: sleepiness indistinct meaningless III. A narrative that moves the tender feelings is said to be pathetic. Is the story of Poor Prin pathetic? Select the passages which you think the most touching. Write answers in full sentences: 1. What was the little girl's motive in drowning Prin? 2. Was her act right or wrong? 3. What was the effect on the father? 1. BUSY, curious, thirsty fly, Drink with me, and drink as I! 2. Both alike are mine and thine, 2. TO A CRASSHOPPER. HAPPY insect! what can be In happiness compared to thee? All the plants, belong to thee. Man for thee does sow and plow; To thee, of all things upon earth, Dost neither age nor winter know; But when thou'st drank and danced and sung Sated with thy summer feast, 3. TO A BEE. 1. THOU wert out betimes, thou busy, busy bee, Before the cow from her resting-place On the meadow with dew so gray, 2. Thou wert alive, thou busy, busy bee! When the crowd in their sleep were dead; Thou wert abroad in the freshest hour, And be wise and copy thee, thou busy, busy bee! LANGUAGE EXERCISE. 1. The Fly. What three adjectives are used to describe the fly? ("Curious" here means having curiosity.) "Mine means my life: what does "thine" mean? 2. The Grasshopper. What is the grasshopper said to be? Why is it spoken of as a "happy insect"? Give the principal parts of these verbs: "Thou dost drink and dance and sing." What is meant by saying that the grasshopper knows neither age nor winter? 3. The Bee. What adjective is used to describe the bee? What four ways of showing how early the bee was at work does the poet use? 21. Golden Maxims. Man's inhumanity to man Makes countless thousands mourn. BURNS. 'Tis better to have loved and lost Than never to have loved at all. TENNYSON. There is no beautifier of complexion, or form, or behavior like the wish to scatter joy, and not pain, around us. EMERSON. To err is human; to forgive, divine. To thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, SHAKESPEARE. |