Sanders' Union Fourth Reader Part 71

What a scuffling!

As the Weaver makes His shuttle Hither, thither, scud and scuttle.

7. Calmly see the Mystic Weaver, Throw His shuttle to and fro; 'Mid the noise and wild confusion, Well the Weaver seems to know What each motion And commotion, What each fusion And confusion, In the grand result will show, As the nations, Kings and stations, Upward, downward, Hither, thither, As in mystic dances, go.

8. In the Present all is mystery, In the Past 'tis beauteous History.

O'er the mixing and the mingling, How the signal bells are jingling!

See you not the Weaver leaving Finished work behind in weaving'?

See you not the reason subtle, As the web and woof diminish, Changing into beauteous finish, Why the Weaver makes His shuttle, Hither, thither, scud and scuttle'?

9. _Glorious wonder_! What a weaving!

To the dull beyond believing!

Such no fabled ages know.

Only Faith can see the mystery How, along the aisle of History Where the feet of sages go, Loveliest to the purest eyes, Grand the mystic tapet lies!

Soft and smooth and even-spreading As if made for angels' treading; Tufted circles touching ever, Inwrought figures fading never; Every figure has its plaidings, Brighter form and softer shadings; Each illuminated,--what a riddle!-- From a Cross that gems the middle.

10. 'Tis a saying--some reject it,-- That its light is all reflected: That the tapet's hues are given By a Sun that shines in Heaven!

'Tis believed, by all believing That great G.o.d Himself is weaving!

Bringing out the world's dark mystery In the light of Faith and History; And, as web and woof diminish, Comes the grand and glorious finish: When begin the golden ages, Long foretold by seers and sages.

QUESTIONS.--1. Describe the process of weaving. 2. Who are weaving the web of history?

LESSON CI.

CON FOUND', perplex; confuse.

WOOF, cloth; texture.

RAR' ER, scarcer; more excellent.

PRAI' RIES, large tracts of land, with few trees, and covered with gra.s.s.

SAV' AGE, wild; uncultivated.

SAVAN'NA, open meadow or plain.

PI O NEERS', persons that go before to prepare the way for others.

SCOUTS, spies.

HEART' EN, encourage.

SCAN' NED, closely examined.

CLEAV' ING, parting; separating.

HOL' I DAY, day of rest or joy.

WORK AWAY.

HARPERS' MAGAZINE.

1. Work away!

For the Master's eye is on us, Never off us, still upon us, Night and day!

Work away!

Keep the busy fingers plying, Keep the ceaseless shuttles flying, See that never thread lie wrong; Let not clash or clatter round us, Sound of whirring wheels, confound us; Steady hand! let woof be strong And firm, that has to last so long?

Work away!

2. Keep upon the anvil ringing Stroke of hammer; on the gloom Set 'twixt cradle and the tomb, Showers of fiery sparkles flinging; Keep the mighty furnace glowing; Keep the red ore hissing, flowing Swift within the ready mold; See that each one than the old Still be fitter, still be fairer For the servant's use, and rarer For the Master to behold: Work away!

3. Work away!

For the Leader's eye is on us, Never off us, still upon us, Night and day!

Wide the trackless prairies round us, Dark and unsunned woods surround us, Steep and savage mountains bound us; Far away Smile the soft savannas green, Rivers sweep and roll between: Work away!

4. Bring your axes, woodmen true; Smite the forest till the blue Of heaven's sunny eye looks through Every wild and tangled glade; Jungled swamp and thicket shade Give to day!

5. O'er the torrents fling your bridges, Pioneers! Upon the ridges Widen, smooth the rocky stair,-- They that follow far behind Coming after us, will find Surer, easier footing there; Heart to heart, and hand with hand, From the dawn to dusk of day, Work away!

Scouts upon the mountain's peak,-- Ye that see the Promised Land, Hearten us! for ye can speak Of the Country ye have scanned, Far away!

6. Work away!

For the Father's eye is on us, Never off us, still upon us, Night and day!

WORK AND PRAY!

Pray! and Work will be completer; Work! and Prayer will be the sweeter; Love! and Prayer and Work the fleeter Will ascend upon their way!

7. Fear not lest the busy finger Weave a net the soul to stay; Give her wings,--she will not linger, Soaring to the source of day; Clearing clouds that still divide us From the azure depths of rest, She will come again! beside us, With the sunshine on her breast, Sit, and sing to us, while quickest On their task the fingers move, While the outward din wars thickest, Songs that she hath learned above.

8. Live in Future as in Present; Work for both while yet the day Is our own! for lord and peasant, Long and bright as summer's day, Cometh, yet more sure, more pleasant, Cometh soon our Holiday; Work away!

LESSON CII.

PROP O SI' TION, proposal.

AD HE' SION, attraction.

AB SURD I TY, folly; nonsense.

VIS' ION ARY, fanciful; imaginary.

DIS CUS' SION, debate; controversy.

THE' O RY, idea; scheme of doctrine.

AM BAS' SA DOR, messenger; deputy.

NAV' I GA TORS, voyagers; seamen.

SPEC U LA' TION, theory; mental view.

EN' TER PRISE, attempt; undertaking.

FRI VOL' I TY, levity; triflingness.

PRE SENT' I MENT, previous notice.

AN TIP' O DES, (ANTI, _opposite_; PODES, _the feet_;) having their feet opposite to ours; that is, living on the other side of the earth.

[Headnote 1: GEN O ESE', a native of Genoa,--a famous fortified seaport city in Northern Italy.]

[Headnote 2: LAC TAN' TIUS, one of the fathers of the Latin church, born about the year A.D. 250. He was celebrated as a teacher of eloquence, and before his conversion to Christianity, had so successfully studied the great Roman orator that he afterwards received the appellation of the "Christian Cicero."]

QUEEN ISABELLA'S RESOLVE.

FROM VINET.

QUEEN ISABELLA OF SPAIN, DON GOMEZ, AND COLUMBUS.