New National Fourth Reader Part 20

boun'ty, _what is given freely_.

lan'guish, _become weak; wither_.

A HAPPY PAIR.

Over my shaded doorway Two little brown-winged birds Have chosen to fashion their dwelling, And utter their loving words; All day they are going and coming On errands frequent and fleet, And warbling over and over, "Sweetest, sweet, sweet, O sweet!"

Their necks are changeful and shining, Their eyes like living gems; And all day long they are busy Gathering straws and stems, Lint and feathers and gra.s.ses, And half forgetting to eat, Yet never failing to warble, "Sweetest, sweet, sweet, O sweet!"

I scatter crumbs on the doorstep, And fling them some flossy threads; They fearlessly gather my bounty, And turn up their grateful heads.

And chatter and dance and flutter, And sc.r.a.pe with their tiny feet, Telling me over and over, "Sweetest, sweet, sweet, O sweet!"

What if the sky is clouded?

What if the rain comes down?

They are all dressed to meet it, In water-proof suits of brown.

They never mope nor languish, Nor murmur at storm or heat; But say, whatever the weather, "Sweetest, sweet, sweet, O sweet!"

Always merry and busy, Dear little brown-winged birds!

Teach me the happy magic Hidden in those soft words, Which always, in shine or shadow, So lovingly you repeat, Over and over and over, "Sweetest, sweet, sweet, O sweet!"

Language Lesson.--Let pupils express, in their own language, the words given below in dark type.

Their eyes are like _living gems_.

Which you always repeat _in shine or shadow_.

What kind of birds are described in the lesson?

Why did they gather straws, stems, lint, feathers, and gra.s.ses?

LESSON XXI.

mes'sage, _word; notice_.

mer'chan dise, _things traded; goods_.

guid'ance _leading; directing_.

halt, _stop_.

de cid'ed, _made up their minds_.

re trac'ing, _going back over_.

ho ri'zon, _line where the earth and sky seem to meet_.

en camped', _set up tents_.

sole, _only_.

gushed, _flowed rapidly; poured_.

ALI, THE BOY CAMEL-DRIVER

PART I.

Ha.s.san was a camel-driver who dwelt at Gaza. It was his business to go with caravans, backwards and forwards, across the desert to Suez, to take care of the camels. He had a wife and one young son, called Ali.

Ha.s.san had been, absent for many weeks, when his wife received from him a message, brought by another camel-driver, who had returned with a caravan from Suez.

It said: "Send the boy with the camel to Suez with the next caravan. I have some merchandise to bring home, and I will stop at Suez till he comes."

Ali's mother was pained at the thought of sending her young son away to such a distance for the first time; but she said to herself that Ali was now quite old enough to be helping his father, and she at once set about doing what was required for his journey.

Ali got out the trappings for the camel, and looked to the water-bottles to see that they did not leak. His mother did all that was needed to make him quite ready to join the next caravan that started.

Ali was delighted to think that he was to go to his father, and that at last the day was come when, he too was to be a camel-driver, and to take a journey with the dear old camel which he was so fond of.

He had long wanted to ride on its back across the desert, and to lie down by its side to rest at night. He had no fear.

The camel, of which Ali was so fond, had been bought by his father with the savings of many a year's hard work, and formed the sole riches of the family.

Ha.s.san was looked upon as quite a rich man by the other camel-drivers, and Ali, besides having a great love for the animal, was proud of his father being a camel owner.