2. Away! away! o'er the sheeted ice,

Away, away, we go;

On our steel-bound feet we move as fleet
As deer o'er the Lapland snow.

What though the sharp north winds are out,

The skater heeds them not;

'Midst the laugh and the shout of the joyous rout,
Gray winter is forgot'

3. 'Tis a pleasant sight, the joyous throng
In the light of the reddening flame,

While with many a wheel on the ringing steel,

They wage their riotous game;

And though the night air cutteth keen,

And the white moon shineth coldly,

Their homes, I ween, on the hills have been,-
They should breast the strong blast boldly.

4. Let others choose more gentle sports,
By the side of the winter's hearth,

Or at the ball or festival

Seek for their share of mirth;

Where the merry skaters be,

Where the fresh wind blows and the smooth ice glows,

There is the place for me!

NOTES.a Lap'land is a cold country in the north of Europe. The reindeer constitutes the principal food and clothing of the inhabitants. b The best skaters are found in Holland, where both men and women are often seen skating to market.

QUESTIONS. 2. What is said of Lapland? 2. What constitutes the food and clothing of the inhabitants? 2. Where are the best skaters found? 2. To what place are men and women often seen skating }

LESSON XXI.

Spell and Define.

1. An'vil, an iron block used by smiths.

1. Toil, to labor.

2. Till, to cultivate.

2. Stubborn, stiff, hard.

3. Gallant, noble.

3. Bark, a small ship.

4. Hec'tic, pertaining to fever.

4. Men'tal, pertaining to the mind.

4. Cham'pi-ons, heroes.

5. Wield, to manage.

5. Dow'er, gift, portion.

5. Birth'right, a right derived from birth

ERRORS.-1. Har'mer's for ham'mer's; 2. cus for curse; 3. pleow for plow

fends for fiends; 5. priv'i-lige for priv'i-lege.

LABOR.

MISS C. F. ORNE.

1. Ho! ye who at the anvil toil,
And strike the sounding blow,
Where, from the burning iron's breast,
The sparks fly to and fro,

While answering to the hammer's ring,
And fire's intenser glow,-

Oh, while ye feel 't is hard to toil
And sweat the long day through,
Remember, it is harder still

To have no work to do!

2. Ho! ye who till the stubborn soil,

Whose hard hands guide the plow,
Who bend beneath the summer sun,
With burning cheek and brow, -
Ye deem the curse still clings to earth
From olden time till now;

NOTE. The curse which God pronounced against Adam, because he ate of the tree of knowledge. See Genesis, iii. 17-20.

3. Ho! ye who plow the sea's blue field,
Who ride the restless wave,

Beneath whose gallant vessel's keel
There lies a yawning grave,
Around whose bark the wintry winds
Like fiends of fury rave,-
Oh, while ye feel 't is hard to toil
And labor long hours through,
Remember, it is harder still

To have no work to do!

4. Ho! ye upon whose fevered cheeks
The hectic glow is bright,

Whose mental toil wears out the day,
And half the weary night,

Who labor for the souls of men,

5. Ho! all who labor, all who strive!
Ye wield a lofty power;

Do with your might, do with your strength,

Fill every golden hour!

The noble privilege to do

Is man's most noble dower.

Oh, to your birthright and yourselves,

QUESTIONS. 1. What is harder than to labor? 2. What is the curse referred to 2. Is labor a curse or blessing, as man is now constituted ?

ERRORS.-1. Merri-ed for mar'ri-ed; 1. am'e-ble for a'mi-a-ble; 3. Reg-e-lar'i ty for reg-u-lar'i-ty; 3. leas for least; 7. in'ner-cent for in'no-cent; 8. deu'ing fo. do'ing; 9. son'thing for something; 9. och'ud for or'chard; 10. com'futs for com' · forts; 18. ruth'er for rather.

THE GOOD SON.

E. MANGIN.

1. SOME years ago, in a small village in England," there lived a clergyman, who had the care of a parish in the neighborhood. He was married to a very amiable young lady, and they lived in a neat, pretty, small house, which they called Primrose Cottage, because it was originally of the color of the primrose; though afterward it was hardly possible to know the color of the building, as it was nearly covered with ivy and honeysuckle.

2. Here they lived poor, but contented and happy, because they were both good, and greatly beloved. The wife was loved, because she used to help the sick and needy, and by giving, now and then, a piece of flannel or linen to such as wanted clothes in the winter time for themselves or their little ones; and by her way of doing all this, and her civil manner of speaking to people, she won their hearts still more.

3. The clergyman, on his part, gained general respect and

NOTES. -a See England, page 110, note c. b Prim'rose; a flowering plant found in bundance on the eastern continent, and some few species are seen in Canada. The lowers are white, red, or yellow, and very beautiful.

good-will by doing all his duties, public and private, with perfect regularity, and as if he took true pleasure in these and in nothing else. He was simple in his devotions, and with the sorrowful and dying among his flock he was sad and solemn; and when he could not console them otherwise, he would show that he at least felt for their misfortunes

4. But with the young, the gay, and the happy he seemed happy and gay himself, and encouraged them in their innocent sports and games; and when they played cricket or football, he would look on delighted, as he sat in his green arm-chair, on the little grass-plot before his own door; while his wife worked at her needle, seated near him, and their healthy, cheerful boy played in their sight.

5. These were their joyful times. Both were young; and if they had not fortune, they had hope to enliven them; and when they had an hour to spare from their different duties, they passed that hour in laying plans for the happiness of their dear son, who, at the time this history commences, was about five years old.

6. One day, however, the clergyman, on coming home after the church service was over, was silent and pale; he went to bed early; the next morning he could not rise, and in four days more he was dead.

7. And now woe came where joy had been, and weeping instead of smiles; and where all before had been hope, there was now nothing but despair. A new clergyman arrived, to fill the place of the last; and the poor, forlorn, and friendless mother was obliged to lead her innocent boy by the hand, from what was no longer their own door, and bid farewell forever to the Primrose Cottage.

8. Nothing can well be imagined more miserable than the unfortunate widow. In losing her husband, she had lost her protector and her beloved companion, all her power of doing good to others, and almost all her means of supporting herself, and one she loved more than herself, her little son. She had