New National Fourth Reader Part 53

You may be sure that s.h.a.g was well taken care of after this incident.

Even after Halbert became a man s.h.a.g was his constant companion, and he lived to a good old age.

Language Lesson--Let pupils add _s.h.i.+p_ to each of the following words, and then give their meaning.

friend hard relation partner fellow

Make out an _a.n.a.lysis_ of the lesson, and use it in telling the story in your own words.

LESSON LII.

ebb'ing, _flowing out; falling_.

break'ers, _waves breaking into foam against_ the sh.o.r.e_.

main, _the great sea; the ocean_.

reef, _a row or chain of rocks_.

dis mayed', _having lost courage_.

strand, _beach; sh.o.r.e_.

treach'er ous, _likely to do harm_.

vic'tor, _a successful warrior_.

shroud'ing, _covering over_.

murk'y, _gloomy; dark_.

bea'con, _a signal fire or light_.

THE LIGHT-HOUSE.

The tide comes up, and the tide goes down, Over the rocks, so rugged and brown, And the cruel sea, with a hungry roar, Dashes its breakers along the sh.o.r.e; But steady and clear, with a constant ray, The star of the light-house s.h.i.+nes alway.

The s.h.i.+ps come sailing across the main, But the harbor mouth is hard to gain, For the treacherous reef lies close beside, And the rocks are bare at the ebbing tide, And the blinding fog comes down at night, Shrouding and hiding the harbor light.

The sailors, sailing their s.h.i.+ps along, Will tell you a tale of the light-house strong; How once, when the keeper was far away, A terrible storm swept down the bay, And two little children were left to keep Their awesome watch with the angry deep.

The fair little sister wept, dismayed, But the brother said, "I am not afraid; There's One who ruleth on sea and land, And holds the sea in His mighty hand; For mercy's sake I will watch to-night, And feed, for the sailors, the beacon light."

So the sailors heard through the murky shroud The fog-bell sounding its warning loud!

While the children, up in the lonely tower, Tended the lamp in the midnight hour, And prayed for any whose souls might be In deadly peril by land or sea.

Ghostly and dim, when the storm was o'er, The s.h.i.+ps rode safely, far off the sh.o.r.e, And a boat shot out from the town that lay Dusk and purple, across the bay, She touched her keel to the light-house strand, And the eager keeper leaped to land.

And swiftly climbing the light-house stair, He called to his children, young and fair; But, worn with their toilsome watch, they slept, While slowly o'er their foreheads crept, The golden light of the morning sun, Like a victor's crown, when his palm is won.

"G.o.d bless you, children!" the keeper cried; "G.o.d bless thee, father!" the boy replied.

"I dreamed that there stood beside my bed A beautiful angel, who smiled and said, 'Blessed are they whose love can make Joy of labor, for mercy's sake!'"

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Directions for Reading.--Mark the _inflection_ of the following lines.

The tide comes up, and the tide goes down.

The fair little sister wept, dismayed, But the brother said, "I am not afraid."

Name the _emphatic words_ in the lines just quoted. State whether the emphasis falls upon words that are inflected.

Language Lesson.--Why is the sea called _cruel_ and its roar _hungry?_ Give two examples of a similar use of words.

LESSON LIII.

oc'cu pant, _one who is in possession of a thing_.