New National Fourth Reader Part 9

Directions for Reading.--This lesson should be read a little more slowly than conversation. When we wish to describe any thing, we must give time for those who listen to us to get the meaning of what we say.

Do not run the words together when reading. (See Directions for Reading, page 42.)[03]

Example.--"There is, in the appearance of the lion, something both n.o.ble and imposing."

Language Lesson.--Syllabify, accent, and mark sounds of letters in the following words: _meeting, require, Europe, idea, terror, measures, unlucky, narrow, bolder_.

_Air of majesty_ means the n.o.ble appearance supposed to belong to kings.

[03] See Lesson VII.

LESSON X.

ar ti fi' cial, _not real; made by human skill_.

ex er'tion, _great effort; attempt_.

destroyed', _killed; put an end to_.

cleansed, _cleaned; freed from dirt_.

sit u a'tion, _position_.

fa'mous, _much talked of; well known_.

fre'quent ly, _often_.

in'ci dent, _adventure; event_.

nar rat'ed, _told_.

hurled, _thrown with force_.

stu'por, _sleepy feeling_.

ADVENTURE WITH A LION.

The dangers of lion-hunting may be understood from the following incident, narrated by Livingstone, the famous African traveler:

"The villagers among whom I was staying were much troubled by lions, which leaped into their cattle-pens and destroyed their cows.

"As I knew well that, if one of a number of lions is killed, the others frequently take the hint and leave that part of the country, I gave the villagers advice to that end, and, to encourage them, offered to lead the hunt.

"The lions were found hiding among the rocks on a hill covered with trees, and about a quarter of a mile in length. The men circled the hill, and slowly edged in closer and closer, so that the lions might be completely surrounded.

"Presently one of the natives spied a lion sitting on a piece of rock, and fired at him, the ball missing the beast and striking the rock.

"The lion turned, bit like a dog at the spot where the bullet had struck, and then bounded off to the shelter of the brushwood.

"Soon I saw another lion in much the same situation as the former, and, being not more than thirty yards from it, let fly with both barrels.

"As the lion was still on its legs, I hastened to reload my gun; but hearing a sudden and frightful cry from the natives, I looked up and saw the wounded lion springing upon me.

"I was caught by the shoulder and hurled to the ground. Growling terribly in my ear, the lion shook me as a dog does a rat.

"The shock produced a stupor, similar to that which seems to be felt by a mouse after the first shake of a cat.

"The lion then leaped upon one of the natives who had tried to shoot at him, and then sprang at the neck of a second native who, armed with a spear, was rus.h.i.+ng to the rescue.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

"The exertion was too much for the wounded beast, and so, with his claws bedded in the spearman's shoulder, he rolled over and died.

"I had escaped, but with a shoulder so broken as to need an artificial joint, and with eleven teeth wounds in my arm.

"These wounds were less severe than they would have been, had not a heavy jacket which I had on, cleansed the teeth of the lion in their pa.s.sage. As it was, they were soon cured and gave me no trouble afterward."

Directions for Reading.--Read this lesson in a full and clear conversational tone of voice.

Those parts of the lesson to which we wish to call attention, should be read slowly.