Modest and shy as a nun is she;
One weak chirp is her only note;
Braggart and prince of braggarts is he,
Pouring boasts from his little throat;
Bob o' link, bob o' link,

Spink, spank, spink;
Never was I afraid of man:

Catch me, cowardly knaves, if you can; Chee, chee, chee.

Six white eggs on a bed of hay,
Flecked with purple, a pretty sight;
There, as the mother sits all day,
Robert is singing with all his might,
Bob o' link, bob o' link,

Spink, spank, spink;

Nice good wife that never goes out,
Keeping house while I frolic about;
Chee, chee, chee.

Soon as the little ones chip the shell,
Six white mouths are open for food;
Robert of Lincoln bestirs him well,
Gathering seeds for the hungry brood:
Bob o' link, bob o' link,

Spink, spank, spink;

This new life is likely to be

Hard for a gay young fellow like me;
Chee, chee, chee.

Robert of Lincoln at length is made Sober with work and silent with care;

Off is his holiday garment laid,
Half forgotten that merry air,
Bob o' link, bob o' link,

Spink, spank, spink;

Nobody knows but my mate and I
Where our nest and nestlings lie;
Chee, chee, chee.

Summer wanes, the children are grown;
Fun and frolic no more he knows;
Robert of Lincoln's a humdrum crone;
Off he flies, and we sing as he goes,
Bob o' link, bob o' link,

Spink, spank, spink;

When you can pipe that merry old strain,
Robert of Lincoln, come back again;

Chee, chee, chee.

WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT.

LESSON CCII.

Brier; nest; meadow; snug; gayly.

LESSON CCIII.

Plain; thrives; boasts; afraid; catch.

LESSON CCIV.

Modest; shy; purple; keeping; sober.

LESSON CCV.

Holiday; forgotten; frolic; herself; where.

LESSON CCVI.

Spectacles; funny; sitting; sense; sunbeam.

LESSON CCVII.

Tumbled; eyes; breathe; either; benches.

LESSON CCVIII.

Scratch; cram; hammer; whose; crying.

LESSON CCIX.

Lazy; worm; harmless; peaceful; matter.

LESSON CCX.

Review. Which is generally prettier, the male or female bird? Which is the better singer? Where do bobolinks build their nests? What is a nun? What is a braggart? What becomes of bobolink when the young birds can fly? Who is the author of this piece?

The smith a mighty man is he,

With large and sinewy hands;
And the muscles of his brawny arms
Are strong as iron bands.

His hair is crisp, and black, and long,
His face is like the tan;

His brow is wet with honest sweat,

He earns whate'er he

can,

And looks the whole world in the face,
For he owes not any man.

Week in, week out, from morn till night,
You can hear his bellows blow;
You can hear him swing his heavy sledge
With measured beat and slow,

Like a sexton ringing the village bell
When the evening sun is low;

And children coming home from school Look in at the open door;

They love to see the flaming forge

And hear the bellows roar,

And catch the burning sparks that fly
Like chaff from a threshing-floor.

He goes on Sunday to the church,
And sits among his boys;
He hears the parson pray and preach,
He hears his daughter's voice
Singing in the village choir,

And it makes his heart rejoice;

It sounds to him like her mother's voice
Singing in paradise.

He needs must think of her once more,
How in the grave she lies;

And with his hard, rough hand he wipes
A tear out of his eyes.

Toiling, rejoicing, sorrowing,
Onward through life he goes;
Each morning sees some task begin,
Each evening sees it close;
Something attempted, something done,
Has earned a night's repose.

Thanks, thanks to thee, my worthy friend,
For the lesson thou hast taught!

Thus at the flaming forge of life
Our fortunes must be wrought,
Thus on its sounding anvil shaped
Each burning deed and thought.

HENRY W. LONGFELLOW.

LESSON CCXI.

In this and the following exercises let the pupil put all the words into one sentence if he can, changing the order of words when necessary; if not, make a sentence for each word, as before. There; boys; their; lessons; hard.

LESSON CCXII.

Two; too; to; girls; teacher.

LESSON CCXIII.

Week; weak; school; I; that.