New National Fourth Reader by Charles J. Barnes and J. Marshall Hawkes

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Transcriber's Notes

Where reference is made to page numbers, there is an annotation
showing a footnote number and the relative information is appended
at the end of each lesson or section.

Pronunciation marks have been ignored. However, accented syllables
precede the single apostrophe, which also serves as a break.
Otherwise breaks are shown by spaces.

Barnes' New National Readers

NEW NATIONAL FOURTH READER

by

CHARLES J. BARNES and J. MARSHALL HAWKES

1884

[Illustration: Destruction of Pompeii by Vesuvius.]

PREFACE

It is thought that the following special features of this book will
commend themselves to Teachers and School Officers.

_The reading matter of the book is more of a descriptive than
conversational style_, as it is presumed that the pupil, after having
finished the previous books of the series, will have formed the habit of
easy intonation and distinct articulation.

_The interesting character of the selections_, so unlike the reading
books of former times.

_The large amount of information_ which has been combined with incidents
of an interesting nature, to insure the pupil's earnest and thoughtful
attention.

_The length of the selections for reading_,--the attention of pupils
being held more readily by long selections than by short ones, though of
equal interest.

_The gradation of the lessons_, which has been systematically maintained
by keeping a careful record of all new words as fast as they appeared,
and using only such pieces as contained a limited number.

_The simplicity of the lessons_, which becomes absolutely necessary in
the schools of to-day, owing to the short school life of the pupil, his
immature age, and inability to comprehend pieces of a metaphysical or
highly poetical nature.

_The ease with which pupils may pass from the Third Reader of this
series to this book_, thereby avoiding the necessity of supplementary
reading before commencing the Fourth Reader, or of using a book of
another series much lower in grade.

_Language Lessons_, of a nature to secure intelligent observation, and
lead the pupil to habits of thought and reflection. Nothing being done
for the learner that he could do for himself.

_Directions for Reading_, which accompany the lessons--specific in their
treatment and not of that general character which young teachers and
pupils are unable to apply.

_All new words of special difficulty, at the heads of the lessons_,
having their syllabication, accent, and pronunciation indicated
according to Webster. Other new words are placed in a vocabulary at the
close of the book.

_The type of this book, like that of the previous books of the series,
is much larger than that generally used_, for a single reason. Parents,
every-where, are complaining that the eye-sight of their children is
being ruined by reading from small, condensed type. It is confidently
expected that this large, clear style will obviate such unfortunate
results.

_The illustrations have been prepared regardless of expense_, and will
commend themselves to every person of taste and refinement.

CONTENTS

LESSONS IN PROSE.

1.--"I'M GOING TO" (Part I) _Charlotte Daly_.

2.--"I'M GOING TO" (Part II) _Charlotte Daly_.

3.--THE BEAN AND THE STONE

5.--AN ADVENTURE WITH DUSKY WOLVES (I) _Mayne Reid_.

6.--AN ADVENTURE WITH DUSKY WOLVES (II) _Mayne Reid_.

7.--THE SAILOR CAT _David Ker_.

9.--THE LION

10.--ADVENTURE WITH A LION _Livingstone_.

11.--THE NOBLEST DEED OF ALL

13.--THE STORY OF INDIAN SPRING (I) _Aunt Mary_.

14.--THE STORY OF INDIAN SPRING (II)

15.--AN ADVENTURE WITH A SHARK

17.--A FUNNY HORSESHOE "_Christian Union_."

18.--THE GIRAFFE

19.--THE TRADER'S TRICK

21.--ALI, THE CAMEL DRIVER (I)

22.--ALI, THE CAMEL DRIVER (II)

23.--A QUEER PEOPLE

25.--WATER

26.--THE HIDDEN TREASURE (I)

27.--THE HIDDEN TREASURE (II)

28.--THE HIDDEN TREASURE (III)

30.--AIR _J. Berners_ (Adapted).

31.--A TIMELY RESCUE

33.--TRUE COURTESY (I)

34.--TRUE COURTESY (II)

35.--WHY AN APPLE FALLS

37.--THE JAGUAR

38.--HOLLAND (I) _Mary Mapes Dodge_.

39.--HOLLAND (II) _Mary Mapes Dodge_.

41.--SOMETHING ABOUT PLANTS

42.--FOREST ON FIRE (I) _Audubon_.

43.--FOREST ON FIRE (II) _Audubon_.

45.--A GHOST STORY (I) _Louisa M. Alcott_.

46.--A GHOST STORY (II) _Louisa M. Alcott_.

47.--A GHOST STORY (III) _Louisa M. Alcott_.

49.--THE RHINOCEROS

50.--PRESENCE OF MIND

51.--HALBERT AND HIS DOG

53.--THE CATERPILLAR AND BUTTERFLY

54.--WILD HORSES OF SOUTH AMERICA

55.--AN EMPEROR'S KINDNESS

57.--STORY OF THE SIOUX WAR (I)

58.--STORY OF THE SIOUX WAR (II)

59.--VOLCANOES

61.--ANECDOTE OF WASHINGTON (I)

62.--ANECDOTE OF WASHINGTON (II)

63.--THE OSTRICH

65.--AN INCIDENT OF THE REVOLUTION

66.--TROPICAL FRUITS

67.--STORY OF DETROIT

69.--MAKING MAPLE SUGAR (I) _Charles Dudley Warner_.

70.--MAKING MAPLE SUGAR (II) _Charles Dudley Warner_.

72.--NATURAL WONDERS OF AMERICA (I)

73.--NATURAL WONDERS OF AMERICA (II)

74.--AFRICAN ANTS _Du Chaillu_.

76.--EGYPT AND ITS RUINS (I)

77.--EGYPT AND ITS RUINS (II)

LESSONS IN VERSE.

4.--TO-MORROW _Mrs. M.R. Johnson_.

8.--RESCUED _Celia Thaxter_.

12.--MARJORIE'S ALMANAC _T.B. Aldrich_.

16.--A LEGEND OF THE NORTHLAND _Phoebe Cary_.

20.--A HAPPY PAIR _Florence Percy_.

24.--ILL-NATURED BRIER _Mrs. Anna Bache_.

29.--LOOKING FOR THE FAIRIES _Julia Bacon_.

32.--BIRDS IN SUMMER _Mary Howitt_.

36.--THE MILLER OF THE DEE _Charles Mackay_.

40.--THE WIND IN A FROLIC _William Howitt_.

44.--COMMON GIFTS

48.--WHAT THE CHIMNEY SANG _Bret Harte_.

52.--THE LIGHT-HOUSE

56.--UNITED AT LAST

60.--THE BROOK _Alfred Tennyson_.

64.--TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW _Charles Mackay_.

68.--THE FISHERMAN _John G. Whittier_.

71.--OLD IRONSIDES _Oliver Wendell Holmes_.

75.--THE LEAP OF ROUSHAN BEG _Henry W. Longfellow_.

DEFINITIONS

GEOGRAPHICAL AND PROPER NAMES

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.

The publishers desire to thank Messrs. Houghton, Mifflin & Co., the
Century Co., Roberts Brothers, and Charles Scribner's Sons, for
permission to use and adapt some of their valuable copyright matter.

SUGGESTIONS

To Teachers

The following suggestions are submitted for the benefit of young
teachers.

In order that pupils may learn how to define words at the heads of the
lessons, let the teacher read the sentences containing such words and
have pupils copy them upon slate or paper.

Then indicate what words are to be defined, and insist upon the proper
syllabication, accent, marking of letters, etc.

In this way the pupil learns the meaning of the word as it is used, and
not an abstract definition that may be meaningless.

Have pupils study their reading lessons carefully before coming to
recitation.

The position of pupils while reading should be erect, easy, and
graceful.

Give special attention to the subject of articulation, and insist upon a
clear and distinct enunciation.

In order to develop a clear tone of voice, let pupils practice, in
concert, upon some of the open vowel sounds, using such words as _arm,
all, old_.

In this exercise, the force of utterance should be gentle at first, and
the words repeated a number of times; then the force should be increased
by degrees, until "calling tones" are used.

Encourage a natural use of the voice, with such modulations as may be
proper for a correct rendering of the thoughts which are read.

It should, be remembered that the development of a good tone of voice is
the result of careful and constant practice.

Concert reading is recommended as a useful exercise, inasmuch as any
feeling of restraint or timidity disappears while reading with others.

Question individual pupils upon the manner in which lessons should be
read. In this way they will learn to think for themselves.

Do not interrupt a pupil while reading until a thought or sentence is
completed, since such a course tends to make reading mechanical and
deprive it of expression.

Errors in time, force of utterance, emphasis, and inflection should be
carefully corrected, and then the passage read over again.

The "Directions for Reading" throughout the book are intended to be
suggestive rather than exhaustive, and can be added to as occasion
requires.

The "Language Lessons" in this book, should not be neglected. They
contain only such matter as is necessary to meet the requirements of
pupils.

Words and expressions not readily understood, must be made intelligible
to pupils. This has been done in part by definitions, and in part by
interpreting some of the difficult phrases.

After the habit of acquiring the usual meaning has been formed, the
original meaning of those words which are made up of stems modified by
prefixes or affixes should be shown.

The real meaning of such words can be understood far better by a study
of their formation, than by abstract definitions. It will be found,
also, that pupils readily become interested in this kind of work.

As the capabilities of classes of the same grade will differ, it may
sometimes occur that a greater amount of language work can be done
effectively than is laid down in this book. When this happens, more time
can be devoted to such special kinds of work as the needs of the classes
suggest.

Constant drill upon the analysis of lessons, varied at times by the
analysis of short stories taken from other sources and read to the
class, will develop the reasoning faculties of pupils and render the
writing of original compositions a comparatively easy exercise.

Encourage the habit of self-reliance on the part of pupils. Original
investigation, even if followed at first by somewhat crude results, is
in the end more satisfactory than any other course.

The Definitions (pages 373-382) and the List of Proper Names (pages
383 and 384) may be used in the preparation of the lessons.[01]

When exercises are written, particular care should be required in regard
to penmanship, correct spelling, punctuation, and neatness.

[01] "The Definitions" are found at the end of the text, however "the
List of Proper Names" has not been included in this production.

PHONIC CHART.

VOWELS.

a as in lake
a " " at
a " " far
a " " all
a " " care
a " " ask
a as in what
e " " be
e " " let
i " " ice
i " " in
o " " so
o as in box
u " " use
u " " up
u " " fur
oo " " too
oo " " look

DIPHTHONGS.

oi, oy (unmarked), as in oil, boy
ou, ow " " " out, now

CONSONANTS

b as in bad
d " " do
f " " fox
g " " go
h " " he
j " " just
k " " kite
l " " let
m as in me
n " " no
p " " put
r " " rat
s " " so
t " " too
v " " very
w " " we
y as in yes
z " " froze
ng " " sing
ch " " chick
sh " " she
th " " think
th " " the
wh(hw)," what

EQUIVALENTS.

VOWELS.

a like o as in what
e " a " " where
e " a " " they
e " u " " her
i " u " " girl
i " e " " police
o, u like oo as in to, rule
o " u " " come
o " a " " for
u, o " oo " " put, could
y " i " " by
y " i " " kit'ty

CONSONANTS.

c like s as in race
c " k " " cat
g " j " " cage
n like ng as in think
s " z " " has
x " ks, or gz " box, exist

FOURTH READER

LESSON I

spokes'man, _one who speaks for others_.

cho'rus, _a number of speakers or singers_.

apt, _likely; ready_.

folks, _people; family_.

mis'er a ble, _very unhappy; very poor_.

lone'some, _without friends; lonely_.

score, _twenty_.

wretch'ed, _unhappy; very sad_.

* * * * *

"I'M GOING TO."

PART I.

Once upon a time, there was a little boy, whose name was Johnny.
"Johnny," said his mamma, one day, "will you bring me an armful of
wood?"

"Yes," said Johnny, "I'm going to"; but just then he heard Carlo, the
dog, barking at a chipmunk over in the meadow, so he ran off as fast as
he could go.

Now this was not the first time that Johnny had said to his mamma, "Yes,
I'm going to." He never thought of that wood again until about
dinner-time, when he began to feel hungry.

When he got back, he found that dinner was over, and papa and mamma had
gone to ride. He found a piece of bread and butter, and sat down on a
Large rock, with his back against the stump of a tree, to eat it.

When it was all gone, Johnny began to think what he should do next. He
closed his eyes as people are apt to do when they think.

Presently he heard a score of voices about him. One was saying, "Wait a
bit"; another, "Pretty soon"; another, "In a minute"; another, "By and
by"; and still another, louder than the rest, kept screaming as loud as
it could, "Going to, going to, going to," till Johnny thought they were
crazy.

"Who in the world are you?" said he, in great surprise, "and what are
you making such a noise about?"

"We are telling our names," said they; "didn't you ask us to tell our
names?"

"No," said Johnny, "I didn't."

"O what a story!" cried they all in a breath.

[Illustration]

"Let's shake him for it," said one.

"No, let us carry him to the king," said another.

So they began to spin about him like so many spiders; for each one of
them carried a long web, and when that gets wound around a boy or a
girl, it is a very difficult thing to get rid of.

In a few minutes they had him all wound up--hands and feet, nose and
eyes, all tied up tight. Then they took him among them, and flew away
with him, miles and miles, over the hills, and up to a big cave in the
mountain. There he heard ever so many more voices, and it was noisier
than ever.

"Where am I?" he said, as soon as he could speak.

"O you're safe at home," answered Wait-a-bit, for he seemed to be the
spokesman; "and they have been expecting you for some time."

"This isn't my home," said Johnny, feeling very miserable and beginning
to cry.

"O yes, it is," said a chorus of voices. "This is just where such folks
as you belong. There are many of your fellows here, and you won't be
lonesome a bit."

They had begun to unwind the web from his eyes now, so he opened them
and looked about him. O what a wretched place it was!

Against the sides of the cave, stood long rows of boys and girls, with
very sorry faces, all of them saying over as fast as they could speak,
"Going to, going to!" "Wait a bit, wait a bit!" "Pretty soon, pretty
soon!" "In a minute, in a minute!" studying the names just as hard as if
they were lessons.

There were Delays, and Tardys, and Put-offs, with ever so many more; and
in a corner by themselves, and looking more unhappy than all the rest,
were the poor little fellows whose names were "Too late."

* * * * *

Directions for Reading.--Pupils should read loud enough for all the
class to hear them.

The words forming a _quotation_ should usually be spoken in a louder
tone than the other words in the lesson, as--

_"Johnny,"_ said his mamma, one day, _"will you bring me an armful of
wood?"_

* * * * *

Language Lesson.--Divide into syllables, accent, and mark the sounds
of the letters in the following words: _Carlo, armful, mountain,
unwind_.

What two words can be used for each of the following: _I'm, didn't,
let's, you're, isn't, won't?_

What other words could be used instead of _got_ (page 16, line 4)?[02]

Proper names should begin with capital letters: as, _Johnny, Carlo_.

Give three other words used as proper names in this lesson.

[02] paragraph 4 of this lesson

* * * * *

LESSON II.

de spair', _loss of hope_.

pro cras' ti na tor, _one who puts off doing any thing_.

res o lu'tions, _promises made to one's self; resolves_.

yon'der, _there; in that place_.

mon'strous, _of great size_.

gi'ant, _an unreal person, supposed to be of great size_.

hor'rid, _causing great fear or alarm_.

ex pect'ed, _thought; looked for_.

* * * * *

"I'M GOING TO."

PART II.

"O dear, dear! Where am I?" said Johnny in despair. "Please let me out!
I want my mamma!"

"No, you don't," said Wait-a-bit. "You don't care much about her, and
this is really where you belong. This is the kingdom of Procrastination,
and yonder comes the king."

"The kingdom of what?" said Johnny, who had never heard such a long word
in his life before.

But just then he heard a heavy foot-fall, and a great voice that sounded
like a roar, saying, "Has he come? Did you get him?"

"Yes, here he is," said Wait-a-bit, "and he'd just been saying it a
little while before we picked him up."

Johnny looked up and saw a monstrous giant, with a bright green body and
red legs, and a yellow head and two horrid coal-black eyes.

"Let me have him," said the giant. So he took him up just as if he had
been a rag-baby, and looked him all over, turning him from side to side,
and from head to feet.

O but Johnny was frightened, and expected every moment to be swallowed!

"Let's see," said the giant; "he always says 'Pretty soon.' No, that
isn't it. What is it, my fine fellow, that you always say to your mamma
when she asks you to do any thing for her?

"It isn't 'Pretty soon,' nor 'In a minute.' What is it? They all mean
about the same thing, to be sure, and bring every body to me in the end;
but I must know exactly, or I can't put you in the right place."

Johnny hung his head, and did not want to tell; but an extra hard poke
of the giant's big finger made him open his mouth and say with shame,
that he always said, "I'm going to."

"O that's it!" said the giant. "Well, then, you stand there."

So he unwound a bit of the web from his fingers--just enough so that he
could hold the Procrastinator's Primer--and stood him at the end of a
long row of children, who were saying over and over again, just as fast
as they could speak, "Going to, going to, going to, going to," just
that, and nothing else in the world.

Johnny was tired and hungry by this time, and longed to see his mamma,
thinking that, if he could only get back: to her, he would always mind
the very moment she told him to do any thing.

He made a great many good resolutions while he stood there. At last the
giant called him to come and say his lesson.

"You shall have a short one to-day," said he, "and need say it only a
thousand times, because it is your first day here. To-morrow, you must
say it a million."

Johnny tried to step forward, but the web was still about his feet, so
he fell with, a bang to the floor.

Just then he opened his eyes to find that he had rolled from the rock
to the grass, and that mamma was calling him in a loud voice to come to
supper, and this time he didn't say, "I'm going to."

* * * * *

Directions for Reading.--The words in quotation marks should be read in
the same manner as in Lesson I.

Read words in dark type in the following sentences with more force than
the other words:

"Has he _come?_ Did you _get_ him?"

Words that are read more forcibly than other words in a sentence are
called _emphatic words_.

Which are the _emphatic words_ in the following sentences?

"You shall have a short one to-day."

"I must know exactly."

* * * * *

Language Lesson.--Divide into syllables, accent, and mark the sounds
of the letters in the following words: _extra, primer, moment,
coal-black_.

* * * * *

LESSON III.

remark'able, _worthy of notice; unusual_.

moist'ure, _wetness; that which makes wet_.

absorbed', _sucked up; drunk up_.

with'er, _lose freshness_.

starched, _stiffened, as starch_.

germ, _that from which the plant grows; bud_.

hand'some, _pleasing in appearance; very pretty_.

clasped, _surrounded; inclosed_.

* * * * *

THE BEAN AND THE STONE.

"I think I ought to be doing something in the world!" said a little
voice out in the garden.

"Pray, what can you do?" asked another and somewhat stronger voice.

"I think I can grow," answered the little voice.

If you had seen the owner of the little voice, perhaps you would not
have thought him any thing remarkable.

It is true he had on a clean white coat, so smooth and shining that it
looked as if it had been newly starched and ironed, and inside of this,
he hugged two stout packages.

The coat had only one fastening; but that fastening extended down the
back, and was a curious thing to see.

It looked just as if the coat had been cut with a knife, and had
afterward grown together again. It was like a scar on your hand; and a
scar it is called.

"Yes, I ought to be growing," said the little voice, "for I am a bean,
and in the spring a bean ought to grow."

Now you know how the coat came by its scar, for the scar was the spot
which showed where the bean had been broken from the pod.

"What do you mean by growing?" said the other voice, which came from a
large red stone.

"Why," said the bean, "don't you know what growing means? I thought
every thing knew how to grow. You see, when I grow, my root goes down
into the soil to get moisture, and my stem goes up into the light to
find heat. Heat and moisture are my food and drink.

"By and by, I shall be a full-grown plant, and that is wonderful! In the
ground, my roots will travel far and wide.

"In the air, how happy my stem will be! I shall learn a great deal, and
see beautiful things every day. O how I long for that time to come!"

"What you say is very strange," said the red stone. "Here I have been in
this same place for many years, and I have not grown at all. I have no
root; I have no stem; or, if I have, they never move upward nor
downward, as you say. Are you sure you are not mistaken?"

"Why, of course I'm not mistaken," cried the bean. "I feel within myself
that I can grow; and I have absorbed so much moisture that I must soon
begin."

Just then the bean's coat split from end to end, and for one or two
minutes neither the stone nor the bean spoke. The stone was astonished,
and the bean was a little frightened. However, he soon recovered his
courage.

"There!" said he, showing the two packages he had been carrying; "these
are my seed-leaves. In them is the food on which I intend to live when I
begin growing.

"When my stem is strong enough to do without them, they will wither away.
My coat is all worn-out, too. I shall not need it any longer. Look
inside the seed-leaves, and you will see the germ. Part of it is root,
and part of it is stem. Do you see?"

"I see two little white lumps," replied the stone; "but I can not
understand how they will ever be a root and a stem."

"I do believe you are a poor, dull mineral, after all," said the bean;
"and if so, of course you can not understand what pleasure a vegetable
has in growing.

"I wouldn't be a mineral for the world! I would not lie still and do
nothing, year after year. I would rather spread my branches in the
sunshine, and drink in the sweet spring air through my leaves."

"What you say must be all nonsense," said the stone. "I can't understand
it."

But the bean grew on without minding him. The roots pushed down into the
soil and drank up the moisture from the ground. Then this moisture went
into the stem, and the stem climbed bravely up into the light.

"How happy I am!" cried the bean.

It ran over the red stone, and clasped it with long green branches,
covered with white bean flowers.

"O indeed!" said the stone. "Is this what you call growing? I thought
you were only in fun. How handsome you are!"

"May I hang my pods on you, so that they can ripen in the sun?" said the
bean.

"Certainly, friend," said the stone.

He was very polite, now that he saw the bean was a full-grown vine.

* * * * *

Directions for Reading.--Read in a conversational tone of voice, as in
Lessons I and II.

What word is emphatic in the third paragraph?

* * * * *

Language Lesson.--Syllabify, accent, and mark sounds of letters in the
words, _broken, packages, courage, polite_.

Tell in your own words how the bean grew.

* * * * *

LESSON IV.

elf, _a very small person; an unreal being_.

vex, _make angry; trouble_.

pon'dered, _thought about with care_.

streak, _line; long mark_.

* * * * *

TO-MORROW.

A bright little boy with laughing face,
Whose every motion was full of grace,
Who knew no trouble and feared no care,
Was the light of our household--the youngest there.

He was too young--this little elf--
With troublesome questions to vex himself;
But for many days a thought would rise,
And bring a shade to the dancing eyes.

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