And he before his cottage door
Was sitting in the sun;

And by him sported on the green
His little grandchild, Wilhelmin‹ .

She saw her brother Peterkin
Roll something large and round,
Which he beside the rivulet,

In playing there, had found;

He came to ask what he had found,
That was so large, and smooth, and round.

Old Kaspar took it from the boy,

Who stood expectant by;

And then the old man shook his head,

And, with natural sigh,

""Tis some poor fellow's skull," said he, "Who fell in the great victory.

"I find them in the garden, There are many here about, And often, when I go to plough,

The ploughshare turns them out. For many thousand men," said he, "Were slain in that great victory."

"Now tell us what 'twas all about,"
Young Peterkin he cries;
And little Wilhelmine looks up,
With wonder-waiting eyes;
"Now tell us all about the war,

And what they killed each other for."

"It was the English," Kaspar cried,
"Who put the French to rout;
But what they killed each other for,
I could not well make out.
But every body said," quoth he,
"That 'twas a famous victory.

"My father lived at Blenheim then, Yon little stream hard by ;

They burned his dwelling to the ground,
And he was forced to fly:

So with his wife and child he fled;
Nor had he where to rest his head.

"With fire and sword the country round Was wasted far and wide;

And many a hapless mother, then,
And new-born baby died.

But things like that, you know, must be

At every famous victory.

"Great praise the duke of Marlborough wo, And our good prince Eugene."

'Why, 'twas a very wicked thing,"

Said little Wilhelmine.

"Nay, nay, my little girl," quoth he,

"It was a famous victory.

"And every body praised the duke, Who this great fight did win."

"But what good came of it at last?" Quoth little Peterkin.

"Why, that I cannot tell," said he,

"But 'twas a famous victory."

LESSON XXIV.

CONSONANT SOUNDS IN COMBINATION.

rvd as in curv'd, nerv'd, serv'd, swerv'd.
rvz as in curves, nerves, serves, swerves.
rz as in bars, cars, mars, tars.

shr as in shrank, shrink, shriek, shrine.

He was amiable, capable, respectable, formidable, and terrible.

It was the act of all the acts of government the most objectionable.

John Steady and Peter Sly. A Dialogue.

Peter. Ho, John! do not stumble over that log! I do not think it a good plan to study my lessons as I go to school.

John. Nor I; but I feel that I must this morning. Peter. Why, what is the matter?

John. I believe I have got the wrong lesson, and I am now studying another.

Peter. Let me see. Where did you begin?

John. Here, at the top of the page; and I learned over three leaves, down to the end of the chapter. Peter. Well, that is all right.

John. Are you sure ?

Peter. As certain as can be.

John. Well, now, I am half glad and half sorry. Only think there is poor George Somers has been

F

getting the wrong lesson. I came by his window, and there he was, fagging away; and when we came to talk about it, we found that we had been studying in different places. But he was so sure he was right, that I thought I must be wrong.

Peter. I know it I know all about it.

John. Why? did you tell him wrong ?

Peter. No; I never tell a lie, you know. But yesterday, when the master gave out the lesson, George was helping a little boy to do a sum; so he only listened with one ear, and the consequence was, he misunderstood what the master said; and then he began groaning about such a hard lesson, as we were going home; I laughing to myself all the time.

John. What did you find out his blunder, and not set him right?

Peter. Set him right! Not I. I scolded about the hard lesson, too.

John. There, that is the reason he was so positive. He said you had got the same lesson he had.

Peter. But I did not tell him so; I only let him think so.

John. Ah, Peter, do you think that is right?

Peter. To be sure it is. Do you not know he is at the head of the class, and I am next, and if I get him down to-day, I am sure of the medal? A poor chance I should have had, if he had not made such a blunder.

John. Lucky for you, but very unlucky for him; and I must say, I do not call it fair behavior in you, Peter.

Peter. I do not care what you call it, John. It is

none of your affair, as I see; let every boy look out for himself, and the sharpest one will be the best off.

John. Not in the end, Peter. But here comes poor George, and I shall spoil your trick, by showing him the right lessons.

Peter. That you may, now, as soon as you please. If he can get the right lesson decently in half an hour, he is the eighth wonder of the world. I shall have him down, I am sure of that.

·་

LESSON XXV.

CONSONANT SOUNDS IN COMBINATION.

sk as in skill, skim, ask, bask.
skr as in scream, screen, scribe, scroll.
sks as in asks, basks, masks, tasks.
skst as in ask'st, bask'st, mask'st, task'st.

The good man has perpetual Sabbath.
The cold winds swept the mountain's height.
The morning breezes freshly blow.
How different was the life they led!

The same, continued.

(Enter George Somers.)

John. HERE, George, stop a minute. Here is bad

news for you.