McGuffeys Second Eclectic Reader | Page 9

rill
THE LITTLE HILL.
1. Run, run, thou tiny rill; Run, and turn the village mill; Run, and fill the deep, clear pool In the woodland's shade so cool, Where the sheep love best to stray In the sultry summer day; Where the wild birds bathe and drink, And the wild flowers fringe the brink.
[Illustration: Mill, with mill pond in foreground.]
2. Run, run, thou tiny rill, Round the rocks, and down the hill; Sing to every child like me; The birds will join you, full of glee: And we will listen to the song You sing, your rippling course along.

LESSON XXX.
has'tened pos'si ble bal'ance Ed'gar save
boat'man dan'ger quick'ly move trip
stretched sev'er al start'ed folks fell
THE BOAT UPSET.
1. "Sit still, children. Do not move about in the boat," said Mr. Rose to the young folks he was taking for a trip on the water.
2. The boat was a large one, and could not easily be upset. There were in it Mr. and Mrs. Rose, the boatman, and several little boys and girls.
3. "Keep still, please, young gentlemen," said the boatman, when Edgar Rose and Thomas Read began to move from one side to the other.
4. They kept quiet for a short time only. Edgar soon wanted a stick which Thomas held in his hand. He lost his balance in trying to get the stick, and fell into the water.
[Illustration: Overturned boat, people clinging to boat and debris. Another boat approaching.]
5. Mr. and Mrs. Rose both started up, and stretched out their arms to save him; but in so doing, they upset the boat.
6. Every one fell into the water, and all were in the greatest danger of being drowned.
7. Another boat was near, with but one man in it. He hastened to them as quickly as possible, and saved them from drowning.
8. Children should always be careful and quiet when they are in a boat on the water, and should obey what older people tell them.

LESSON XXXI.
MARY'S LETTER.
[Illustration: Script Exercise:
Forest Hill, June 25, 1878 My Dear Fanny: This morning while out rowing, we all came near being drowned. Brother Ed, in trying to take a stick from Tom Reed, tripped and fell out of the boat. Papa and Mamma caught at him to save him, and before we knew it we were all in the water. The boat upset and how we were all saved I can hardly tell. A man in another boat which was near, picked us up. Had it not been for this, you would to-day have no cousin. Mary Rose.
]

LESSON XXXII.
li'on bod'y stripes de light' Eng'lish
prey ti'ger col'lar ti'gress fright'ful
seize chain un like' swift'est an'i mals
roar gi'ant slight'est of'fi cers whisk'ers
[Illustration: Tigress carrying cub away from tent. Playing card scattered on ground.]
THE TIGER.
1. The tiger is a giant cat. His body is nearly covered with black stripes.
2. Unlike the lion, he runs so fast that the swiftest horse can not overtake him. He goes over the ground by making bounds or springs, one after another.
3. By night, as well as by day, the tiger watches for his prey. With a frightful roar, he will seize a man, and carry him off.
4. Have you ever thought what use whiskers are to cats? Lions have great whiskers, and so have tigers and all other animals of the cat kind.
5. Whenever you find an animal with whiskers like the cat's, you may be sure that animal steals softly among branches and thick bushes.
6. By the slightest touch on the tiger's whiskers, he knows when there is anything in his road.
7. A few years ago, some English officers went out to hunt. When coming home from their day's sport, they found a little tiger kitten.
8. They took it with them and tied it, with a collar and chain, to the pole of their tent. It played about, to the delight of all who saw it.
9. One evening, just as it was growing dark, they heard a sound that frightened them greatly. It was the roar of a tiger.
10. The kitten pulled at the chain, and tried to break away. With a sharp cry, it answered the voice outside.
11. All at once, a large tigress bounded into the middle of the tent. She caught her kitten by the neck, and broke the chain which bound it.
12. Then turning to the door of the tent, she dashed away as suddenly as she had come.

LESSON XXXIII.
then u'su al cous'in fire'side sew'ing (so-)
Ka'tie bet'ter crac'kle knit'ting per haps'
Jane rea'son to-night' hap'pi er in struct'ive
THE FIRESIDE.
1. One winter night, Mrs. Lord and her two little girls sat by a bright fire in their pleasant home. The girls were sewing, and their mother was busy at her knitting.
[Illustration: Mother and two girls sewing under a lamp.]
2. At last, Katie finished her work, and, looking up, said, "Mother, I think