Reading Made Easy for Foreigners - Third Reader Part 8

Steeds are neighing, gallants glittering Gay, her smiling lord to greet, From her splendid chamber cas.e.m.e.nt Smiles the d.u.c.h.ess Marguerite.

From Vienna by the Danube Here she came, a bride, in spring, Now the autumn crisps the forest; Hunters gather, bugles ring.

Hark! the game's on foot; they scatter; Down the forest riding lone, Furious, single hors.e.m.e.n gallop.

Hark! a shout--a crash--a groan!

Pale and breathless, came the hunters; On the turf, dead lies the boar, But the Duke lies stretched beside him, Senseless, weltering in his gore.

In the dull October evening, Down the leaf-strewn forest road, To the Castle, past the drawbridge, Came the hunters with their load.

In the hall, with torches blazing, Ladies waiting round her seat, Clothed in smiles, beneath the dais Sat the d.u.c.h.ess Marguerite.

Hark! below the gates unbarring, Tramp of men and quick commands.

"'Tis my lord come back from hunting,"

And the d.u.c.h.ess claps her hands.

Slow and tired, came the hunters; Stopped in darkness in the court.-- "Ho! this way, ye laggard hunters.

To the hall! What sport, what sport?"

Slow they entered with their Master; In the hall they laid him down; On his coat were leaves and blood-stains, On his brow an angry frown.

Dead her princely, youthful husband Lay before his youthful wife; b.l.o.o.d.y 'neath the flaring torches: And the sight froze all her life.

In Vienna by the Danube Kings hold revel, gallants meet; Gay of old amid the gayest Was the d.u.c.h.ess Marguerite.

In Vienna by the Danube Feast and dance her youth beguiled.

Till that hour she never sorrowed; But from then she never smiled.

_Matthew Arnold_.

WISE SAYINGS

A room hung with pictures is a room hung with thoughts.

A fig for your bill of fare.

Show me your bill of company.

Let us raise a standard to which the wise and honest can repair.

No evil can befall a good man, either in life or death.

It is well to think well; it is divine to act well.

They are never alone who are accompanied with n.o.ble, true thoughts.

We find in life exactly what we put into it.

Too much rest is rust.

Order is heaven's first law.

The difference between one boy and another is not so much in talent as in energy.

LESSON XXVII

BUSINESS QUALIFICATIONS

Attention, application, accuracy, method, punctuality and dispatch are the princ.i.p.al qualities required for the efficient conduct of business of any sort. It is the precept of every day's experience that steady attention to matters of detail lies at the root of human progress, and that diligence, above all, is the mother of what is erroneously called "good luck."

A French statesman, being asked how he contrived to accomplish so much work, and at the same time attend to his social duties, replied, "I do it simply by never postponing till to-morrow what should be done to-day." It was said of an unsuccessful public man that he used to reverse this process, his maxim being, "never to transact to-day what could be postponed till to-morrow."

But bear in mind this: there may be success in life without success in business. The merchant who failed, but who afterward recovered his fortune, and then spent it in paying his creditors their demands in full, princ.i.p.al and interest, thus leaving himself a poor man, had a glorious success: while he who failed, paid his creditors ten cents only on a dollar, and afterward rode in his carriage and occupied a magnificent mansion, was sorrowfully looked on by angels and by honest men as lamentably unsuccessful.

True success in life is success in building up a pure, honest, energetic character--in so shaping our habits, our thoughts, and our aspirations as to best qualify us for a higher life.

LESSON XXVIII

ABBREVIATIONS OF NAMES OF STATES

Ala. Alabama, Mont. Montana, Alaska. Alaska, Nebr. Nebraska, Ariz. Arizona, Nev. Nevada, Ark. Arkansas (sa), N. H. New Hamps.h.i.+re, Cal. California, N. J. New Jersey, Colo. Colorado, N. Mex. New Mexico, Conn. Connecticut, N. Y. New York, Del. Delaware, N. C. North Carolina, Fla. Florida, N. Dak. North Dakota, Ga. Georgia, O. Ohio, Idaho. Idaho, Okla. Oklahoma, Ill. Illinois (noi), Ore. Oregon, Ind. Indiana, Pa. Pennsylvania, Ind. T. Indian Ter., R. I. Rhode Island, Ia. Iowa, S. C. South Carolina, Kans. Kansas, S. Dak. South Dakota, Ky. Kentucky, Tenn. Tennessee, La. Louisiana, Tex. Texas, Me. Maine, Utah. Utah, Md. Maryland (mer) Vt. Vermont, Ma.s.s. Ma.s.sachusetts Va. Virginia, Mich. Michigan, Wash. Was.h.i.+ngton, Minn. Minnesota, W. Va. West Virginia, Miss. Mississippi, Wis. Wisconsin, Mo. Missouri, Wyo. Wyoming.

*The words Utah, Idaho and Alaska are not abbreviated.

SELECTION XI

MY FATHERLAND

There is a land, of every land the pride, Beloved by Heaven o'er all the world beside, Where brighter suns dispense serener light, And milder moons imparadise the night.

O land of beauty, virtue, valor, truth, Time-tutored age, and love-exalted youth!

The wandering mariner, whose eye explores The wealthiest isles, the most enchanting sh.o.r.es, Views not a realm so bountiful and fair, Nor breathes the spirit of a purer air.

In every clime, the magnet of his soul, Touched by remembrance, trembles to that pole; For, in this land of Heaven's peculiar race, The heritage of nature's n.o.blest grace, There is a spot of earth supremely blest, A dearer, sweeter spot than all the rest, Where man, creation's tyrant, casts aside His sword and scepter, pageantry and pride, While, in his softened looks, benignly blend The sire, the son, the husband, brother, friend.

Here woman reigns; the mother, daughter, wife, Strew with fresh flowers the narrow way of life; In the clear heaven of her delightful eye, An angel guard of love and graces lie; Around her knees domestic duties meet, And fireside pleasures gambol at her feet.

"Where shall that land, that spot of earth be found?"

Art thou a man?--a patriot?--look round; Oh, thou shalt find, howe'er thy footsteps roam, That land thy country, and that spot thy home.

_James Montgomery_.