The night passed in great fear and anxiety. The break of day came at last. Not one soldier had come to the lonely hut. At last the son, a stout young man, opened the door to look out. Behold! the storm had piled a mighty wall of snow about the house. This wall of snow had hidden the lonely hut of the poor family from the eyes of the foe. Then the old grandmother fell upon her knees and said, "Lord, Thou hast builded a Blessed be Thy name." wall about us. II.-GOOD MORNING. The year's at the spring, The hillside's dew pearled; The snail's on the stone; God's in his heaven All's right with the world. Em'per or de fend'ed rẻ sist'ance sur render con cluded de spâir' dé spáir sur round'ed III. WHAT THEY LOVED BEST. In the year 1140 the Emperor Conrad led an army against the town of Weinsburg. The good people of Weinsburg defended their city long and well. The Emperor demanded the surrender of the city. His demand was refused. Then Conrad grew very angry. He declared he would capture the city, take the men, and kill them with the sword. His threat THIRD READER. 1 Conrad could not storm the place. He concluded at last to starve the town into a surrender. The army surrounded the walls of the city and kept all persons from going in or out. This They decided to open the gates and beg for mercy at the Emperor's feet. The Emperor was angered by their long resistance. He declared that he would take their heads off with the sword. At this moment a long train of weeping women marched into the Emperor's camp and begged to be spared. The tears of the women touched the heart of the Emperor. He told the women they and their children should be spared. He also told them that they might march out of the city, taking with them whatever they loved best. The women thanked him and hurried home full of joy. These women knew what they loved best. Soon they came marching by the camp with the men on their backs! 66 At first Conrad was angry at the women, and exclaimed, It was not meant that you should do this." But he soon began to laugh heartily. He spared the entire town and marched away. The love of noble women had saved the lives of brave men. laurel ärbor sen'st ble gabies stâring beech es frail'er IV.-NEST EGGS. Birds all the sunny day Here in the arbor-like Tent of the laurel. Here in the fork The brown nest is seated; Four little blue eggs The mother keeps heated. While we stand watching her, Bird's little babies. Soon the frail eggs they shall Chip, and upspringing Make all the April woods Merry with singing. |