As to the highest turret-tops Alone stood brave Horatius, But constant still in mind; Thrice thirty thousand foes before, And the broad flood behind. "Down with him!" cried false Sextus, With a smile on his pale face. 66 'Now yield thee!" cried Lars Porsena, Now yield thee to our grace!" Round turned he, as not deigning The white porch of his home; "O Tiber! Father Tiber! To whom the Romans pray, No sound of joy or sorrow Was heard from either bank; But friends and foes in dumb surprise, All Rome sent forth a rapturous cry, But fiercely ran the current, And spent with changing blows; Never, I ween, did swimmer, Struggle through such a raging flood But his limbs were borne up bravely By the brave heart within, And now he feels the bottom; And now, with shouts and clapping, He enters through the River-Gate, Borne by the joyous crowd. MACAULAY. Horatius.--After the expulsion of the kings from Rome, Tuscany.-The modern name of ancient Etruria. QUESTIONS:-1. On what story is this poem founded? 2. Who was Sextus? 3. Who was Lars Porsena? 4. What was Palatinus? 5. Who were the fathers? 6. Why were they so called? A GREAT deal of shipbuilding was carried on at our navy-yard during the war. Two thousand men or more were at work on gunboats and ironclads. Heavy timber, the slow growth of many a noble forest tree, lay in every direction. How many a stroke of the axe was necessary to hew and shape it to its proper ends! Walking round one day, we noticed curious small marks on the wood, made with chalk, some round, some square, some oblong. They were not in any regular order, showing how part was to fit part, and so we asked, "What do these marks mean?" "Flaws in the wood," said a workman, "worm holes, and specks of rot. The timber has to be carefully examined, and all these promptly remedied. They must be cut out, and a sound piece of wood morticed in, or a bolt driven in, else they spread and do damage. Many a fine ship has been lost by not taking them in time." Who would think a little worm-hole or a speck of rot had to be guarded against like that? What harm could a small flaw do to those giant timbers ? Ah, they spread; that is the harm. Just like little faults, I thought; small bad habits, which, if not checked and corrected in time, will grow. There is the danger. They will grow and spread, and weaken everything that is good and sound. Taking things without leave when you are a child, may make you to be a robber and a thief or a defaulter when you grow up. Little deceivings will lead to falsehoods; white lies will soon turn to black lies; cross, fretful words grow to cross, fretful tempers. A cigar and a glass of beer, which, I am sorry to see, little boys are sometimes so foolish as to indulge in, will form those drinking habits which will be their ruin, |