since the moment when she ran, with outstretched arms, to comfort poor King Midas.

Her father did not think it necessary to tell his beloved child how very foolish he had been, but contented himself with 5 showing how much wiser he had now grown. For this purpose,

he little Marygold into the garden, where he sprinkled all the remainder of the water over the rose-bushes, and with such good effect that above five thousand roses recovered their

beautiful bloom. There were two circumstances, however, which, 10 as long as he lived, used to put King Midas in mind of the

Golden Touch. One was that the sands of the river sparkled like gold; the other, that little Marygold's liair had now a golden tinge, which he had never observed in it before she had

been changed by the effect of his kiss. This change of hue 15 was really an improvement, and made Marygold's hair richer than in her babyhood.

When King. Midas had grown quite an old man, and used to trot Marygold's children on his knee, he was fond of telling

them this marvelous story, pretty much as I have now told it to 20 you. And then would he stroke their glossy ringlets, and tell

them that their hair, likewise, had a rich shade of gold, which they had inherited from their mother.

"And to tell you the truth, my precious little folks," quoth King Midas, diligently trotting the children all the while, "ever 25 since that morning I have hated the very sight of all other gold,

save this !”

HELPS TO STUDY

Notes and Questions How did Midas think he could What was his chief pleasure

best show his love for his Describe the visitor who ap daughter?

peared to Midas in his treasure Why did he value his crown

room, What thought came to him when Why was not Midas afraid ! he saw clouds or flowers !

What did the stranger ask him

Why did Midas think so long be What did the stranger ask when

fore answering the second ques he came again? tion?

What was the discovery wbich Read the sentence which tells Midas had made since the what Midas wished.

stranger's first visit? When did he receive his new How was Midas cured of the power?

Golden Touch? What use did he make of it? What was he told to do in order What did Marygold think of the to restore Marygold to life? gold roses?

How were the roses restored ? Why was not Midas's breakfast Why did Midas want to restore a success

everything he had touched? When did Midas first doubt How did this prove that he was

whether riches are the most de. truly repentant ?

sirable thing in the world? Find lines which tell us how How did he drive this thought Midas had become so unrea. away?

sonable in his desire for gold. What made him realize that his What two things always remind.

little daughter was dearer to ed Midas of the Golden Touch | him than gold?

What was the only gold he cared Read lines which tell what he about after he was saved from realized when it was too late. the Golden Touch 8

Words and Phrases for Study
PRONUNCIATION:
Mi'-das

mis'-chỉef (chif) tinge (tỉnj) cõm-păr'-å-tive-lý

pär'-ti-cles (k'ls) vā'-ri-oŭs au-tum-nh1

măg-nif'-i-cént) těxt'-ūre făb'-ric

băl'-ŭs-trāde

spa'-cioŭs (spā'-shus) Aěx'-1-bìl'-1-tý

ěx-trăv'-å-gant ā'-pron (průn or púrn) ē mērged'

ăd'-mi-ra-bly de-pos'-it în-di-vid'-ū-al

é-lăb'-/-rāte

me-tăl'-lic ěx-traor'-di-na-rý (trôr') in'-di-gěst'-i-ble SŐ-lid'-i-tý răv'-en-oŭs (răv'- 'n-ús) în'-fi-nite-lý frötho-ỹ ăv'-a-rựce (ris)

vịct'-uals (vit'-'lz) phrāse be-cause (bē kôz?) ob-scūre'

a-ghäst' (å-gåst') strewn (stroon)

ăs-sūmed'

dun'-geon (lūn'-jũn) cup'-board (kūb'-ērd) wrought (rôt) hū'-mor (mēr)

com-põ'-sûre (zhůr) mộr-ti-fi-cao-tion lus'-tre (lūs’-tēr) VOCABULARY:

căl’-cu-lāte—to reckon; to count.
củs'-tom-habit; practice.
grăt'-i-fy—to please.
fôrt’-ū-nate—coming by good luck.

WORDS AND PHRASES: ** golden radiance' “mortal strength” "'fortunate moment' "more than mortal” "multiply his heaps” "utmost wishes' "meditated' "seemingly impossible” “joyful frenzy'' "insane desire” "nicest goldsmith'

“bemoan himself'
"gray of the morning'
"extravagant style”
“lustrous stranger”
"substance"
smolten gold"

cunningly made"
"bavarice',
"service of gold”
"sweet composure'
“strong box”'

A VISIT FROM ST. NICHOLAS

CLEMENT C. MOORE Clement C. Moore (1779-1863) was an American poet and author. He lived in New York City. For many years he was engaged in educational work.

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.
5 The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of sugarplums danced through their heads;
And mamma in her kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap—

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
10
I
sprung

from my bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters, and threw up the sash;
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow

Gave a luster of midday to objects below;
15 When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, 20 And he whistled, and shouted and called them by name:

“Now, Dasher! now Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen !
On, Comet ! on Cupid ! on, Donder and Blitzen !-
To the top of the porch, to the top of the wall,

Now, dash away, dash away, dash away all !”
25 As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So, up to the housetop the coursers they flew,
With a sleigh full of toys—and St. Nicholas, too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof 30 The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound;
He was dresscd all in fur from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot: 35 A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
His eyes, how they twinkled ! his dimples, how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry;

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
40 And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke, it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face, and a little round belly

That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly. 45 He was chubby and plump-a right jolly old elf;

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself.
A wink of his eye, and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, 50 And filled all the stockings: then turned with a jerk,

And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle. 55 But I heard him exclaim, ere they drove out of sight,

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night.”

HELPS TO STUDY

Notes and Questions

What words show how lightly

the reindeer flew through the

air
Why was the beard on the chin

of St. Nicholas "white as the

snow";8

What picture do the first eight

lines of this poem give you? Does this picture seem real to you? Of what were the children dream

ing! What word do you use instead

of sugarplums? What picture do lines 15 to 18

give you What is the next picture? Read

the lines which make it. To what is the swiftness of the

reindeer compared ? Why did St. Nicholas give “A wink of his eye,

»; before he filled the stockings?

Read the lines which picture St.

Nicholas after he came down

the chimney.
Why did the poet laugh at the

sight of St. Nicholas, in spite

of himself
Which of all the pictures in the

entire poem can you see most

distinctly.
Which do you like best?

Words and Phrases for Study PRONUNCIATION: mino-i-i-tire

dröll

sleigh (slā) vi-sions (vìzh'-ŭns) tī-'ny

soot (or soot) õb'-stå-cle (k ’l)

hữr-ri-cane

chim-ney (chim’-ni)

VOCABULARY:

chúb’-by-short and stout.
ěn-cir'-cle-to form a circle about.
răp'-id-swift; very quick.

WORDS AND PHRASES:
"visions of sugarplums”

“luster of midday"
"coursers'

"tarnished” "miniature"

“jolly old elf" "away they all flew like the down of a thistle'