Mother Truth's Melodies Part 12

A NOUN that is the name of males, As ox, or horse, or father, Is _masculine_ in _gender_, dear; While cow, and mare, and mother, And all the names of females, child, Are _feminine_, 'tis true; Now tell me all the names you know, And tell their gender, too.

But you will find there's many a noun Not male, nor female either, As chair, and book; and such we call In _neuter gender_--neither.

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ONE LITTLE CHICKEN.

ONE little chicken, two little chickens, three little chickens, dear; Don't you see we add _s_, when more than one is here?

And this we do with almost all the nouns that may appear.

One little birdy, two little birdies, three little birdies soar; The _y_ is changed to _i-e-s_ for birdies two or more; And this, when a word shall end in _y_ with a _consonant_ before.

One little donkey, two little donkeys, three little donkeys bray.

But here the _y_ remains unchanged, and _s_ is called in play; And this, when a word shall end in _y_, where a _vowel_ leads the way.

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_LETTERS._

A, E, I, O, U, The _vowels_ we may call; W, Y, are vowels too, Whene'er they chance to fall To the end of syllable or word.

And this we well may know That all the rest are _consonants_; Just nineteen in a row.

K, P, and T are called the _mutes_, Because they interrupt All voice or sound; while B and D Can only intercept; Hence these are partial mutes, my child; And H is _aspirate_; And _th_, too, in _th_ink and _th_rone, But vocal in _this, that._

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Then lip-letters, or _l.a.b.i.als_, And _dentals_, or tooth letters, With _palatals_ and _sibilants_ Seem wondrously like fetters.

But, ah! instead of prisoning, They open wide the way That leads to Learning's loftiest heights; Press on, and win the day.

WORDS.

TELL me the name of something, dear; As book, or ball, or kite; Now tell some quality of each, As big, or round, or light.

And now some word that means _to be_ Yes, _is_, my child, you're right.

The ink is black, The snow is white, The ice is hard--is cold: The sky is blue, The air is light, Sometimes the child is bold. {130} And thus let names of everything Afar or near be told; And Qualities of each and all Let memory infold.

NOW give one name, and tell me all Its qualities as well; As, coal is black, and coal is hard, And coal's inflammable.

And now, you children should be taught That we need not repeat The name, with every word that tells Its qualities complete.

Coal's black, hard, and inflammable, We say; but all so fast, A comma follows after each, With _and_ before the last.

And now use iron, chalk, and clay, Use water, snow, and ice, Use thread and needle, pin and pen, Use every word that's nice.--

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ANOTHER lesson now attend-- We'll find some quality Embraced by several different things, As you will plainly see.

Snow is cold, ice is cold, Salt is cold as well; Snow, ice, and salt are cold, my child, As every one can tell.

A SMILE.

"SHE smiled on me, she smiled on me!"

In ecstacy exclaimed A little waif in tattered gown, With form so halt and maimed.

Remember, even a smile may cheer, A cup of water, bless; A kindly word, sow seeds of joy, Whose fruit is happiness.

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_TWINKLE, TWINKLE._

"Twinkle, twinkle, little star, Up above the world so far, Whisper now and tell me, pray, What you are, and how you stay."

"Some of us away so far, Planets like your own Earth, are; And we s.h.i.+ne with borrowed light, Borrowed from the Sun, so bright.

"Some of us are silvery moons, s.h.i.+ning all the nightly noons; Some of us are jelly, soft, Shooting, falling, from aloft.

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Some of us are Nebulae,-- Faint and misty stars we be;-- Some are Suns to other worlds; Here and there a Comet whirls.

"Having each our time and place, Swinging in the wondrous s.p.a.ce; Held in line by Him who planned, And who holds you in His hand."

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OLD SOL IN A JINGLE.

Hi-diddle-diddle, The Sun's in the middle, And planets around him so grand, Are swinging in s.p.a.ce, Held forever in place, In the Zodiac girdle or band.