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two frightened mice made their escape only with difficulty. When all was again quiet they returned to their repast, but once more they had to run and hide themselves in terror. Finally the country mouse said to his friend, "This fine life is all very well for you; but I prefer to eat my grains of barley in peace and security." And he scampered back to the fields, and never visited the city again.

EXERCISE I. A.-Tell something about each of these: (1) a country mouse, (2) a town mouse, (3) an invitation, (4) a mouse's dinner in the fields, (5) the town mouse's opinion of the country, (6) a mouse's dinner in the city, (7) the dangers of city life, (8) the country mouse's opinion of the city.

B.-Re-write the following sentences, but use other words to express the meaning of the italicized words: (1) The invitation was duly accepted. (2) The country mouse opened his heart. (3) He laid his store hospitably before his guest. (4) Nothing could suit his palate. (5) The town mouse condescended to nibble a bit. (6) They went to an elegant apartment. (7) This fine life is all very well for you. (8) He scampered back to the fields.

C.-(1) Tell why the town mouse despised the country life. (2) Tell why the country mouse gave up the pleasures of the city. (3) Which mouse was right? why?

EXERCISE II.-(1) Write the invitation that you imagine the country mouse sent to the town mouse. (2) Write the answer that you imagine the town mouse sent accepting the invitation. (See p. 74.)

PUNCTUATION-(Continued).

The Comma (Continued).—8. Note the means to mark orderly relation of successive words in similar relation :There were peas, and barley, and nuts. (Successive nouns.)

Clover, Sweet Fern, Cowslip, Butter-cup, and most of their playmates, besought him to relate one of his stories.

They were all dripping wet, cross, and uncomfortable. (Successive adjectives).

"And" with two words needs no comma :-They were all cross and uncomfortable.

Every feather was pure, bright, glittering gold.

Note that the comma is omitted when the adjective makes up a phrase. If the object is white kid gloves, then we write,-Large white kid gloves.

Sink or swim, live or die, survive or perish, I give my hand and my heart to this vote. (Successive pairs of words.)

9. Note the means to mark ellipsis :

-

Caesar had his Brutus; Charles the First, [i.e. had] his Cromwell.

The comma may be omitted if the sense is clear without it: Worth makes the man, the want of it the fellow.

10. Note the means to indicate clauses in a compound or complex sentence:—

Suddenly a door opened, people came in, and the mice escaped.

The pines rocked, the storm eddied, and the flames leaped heavenward.

The caterpillar puffed away without speaking, but at last it unfolded its arms, took the hookah out of its mouth, and said, "So you think you're changed, do you?"

EXERCISE III.-Study the fable above and explain the use of each comma employed.

EXERCISE IV.-Write and punctuate: (1) The sun passes through dirty places yet remains pure as before. (2) He liked the great wide strange place, and the cool fresh bracing air. (3) Address your letters to my bankers Messrs. Brown Shipley and Co. London. (4) There was a Duck and a Dodo a Lory and an Eaglet and several other curious creatures. (5) At midnight the storm abated the rolling clouds parted and the stars glittered keenly above the sleeping camp. (6) From all these furrowing ploughshares

from the feet of oxen from a labourer here and there who was breaking the dry clods with a hoe the wind carried away a thin dust like so much smoke. (7) Ditches and banks of gravel denuded hillsides stumps and decayed trunks of trees took the place of woodland and ravine. (8) And what with the innumerable variety of greens the masses of foliage tossing in the breeze the glimpses of distance the descents into seemingly impenetrable thickets the continual dodging of the road which made haste to plunge again into the covert we had a fine sense of the woods and spring-time and the open air.

REPRODUCTION.-Tell the story of the Country Mouse and the Town Mouse in your own words. Outline :— Title.

Introduction: The two friends; the invitation.

The Story:

Conclusion:

THE FIRST SCENE.-Tell about the two mice dining in the country, and the remark of the town mouse. THE SECOND SCENE.-Tell about the arrival in town of the mouse, the dinner in the city, and the remark of the country mouse.

The departure of the country mouse.

COMPOSITION I. Write a similar story about a wild song-bird and a tame canary bird. 2. Write a similar story about a wild rabbit and a tame rabbit. 3. Write a similar story about a country boy (or girl) and a town boy (or girl).

ADDITIONAL THEMES.

COMPOSITION.—Write in your own words, or imitate in a suitable story, the following1:-1. The Fox and the Stork. 2. The Fox and the Crow. 3. The Wind and the Sun. 4. The Fox without a Tail. 5. The Country Maid and her Milk-can. 6. The Frogs asking for a King. 7. The Lark and her Young Ones. 8. The Miller, his Son, and their Ass.

1 These fables may be read to the class from Æsop's "Fables," a new version by Thomas James, published by John Murray. Some of Esop's Fables are given briefly in the "Third Reader."

CHAPTER III.-STORIES FROM THE BIBLE.

LESSON IX.

MEMORIZATION.-PSALM XXIII.

The LORD is my Shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

THEME: DAVID AND GOLIATH.

There was once in the land of Judea a rosy-cheeked lad who kept his father's flock in the outlying fields. Though young and of no great size he had more than once shown his high spirit. Wild beasts used to come to harry the sheep, and he had often to defend his flock against their attacks. This lad, by name David, was sent by his father to carry food to his brothers who were in the camp of King Saul, fighting against the Philistines.

Now the Philistines had a champion, Goliath of Gath, a mighty man of gigantic stature, whose spear's staff was as a weaver's beam, and his spear-head of almost twenty pounds' weight. This man came daily to cry to the men of Israel, “Choose a man for you, and send him to fight with me. If he be able to kill me, then will we be thy servants; but if I prevail over him and kill him, then shall ye serve us." But there was no man in Israel to match him in stature, nor in the strength of his armour.

When David heard the words of Goliath his heart burned that his nation should be so defied, and he entreated Saul to send him to fight the gigantic Philistine. But Saul was doubtful, because David was only a youth and unproved. At last he consented, and gave David armour and a sword. But David had had no experience with these things, and they weighed him down. Casting them aside, and taking only his sling, he ran down the valley. As he went he picked up five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in his shepherd's pouch. When the Philistine drew near, David ran to meet him, and as he ran he fitted into his sling a pebble from his wallet, and lo! the stone he threw at Goliath flew and struck the giant on the forehead, and he fell to the earth. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone. Then, because he had no sword, he ran and stood upon the Philistine, and drawing the man's sword out of its sheath he cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw their champion dead, they fled. David received much honour from the people, and was made the King's armour-bearer.

EXERCISE I. A.-Make two connected statements about each of the following:-(1) Judea, (2) keeping a flock, (3) wild beasts, (4) Philistine, (5) David's courage, (6) armour, (7) a sword, (8) a sling, (9) shepherd's pouch.

B. Re-state the following sentences, but use other words to express the meaning of the italicized words:(1) In the outlying fields. (2) A mighty man of gigantic stature. (3) If I prevail over him ye shall serve us. (4) His heart burned that his nation should be so defied. (5) He entreated Saul. (6) He was only a youth and unproved. (7) The Philistine drew near. (8) David

received much honour.

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